The First Gymnastics Class.

The next day, when getting ready to leave school, he was approached by Kasumi, who ran to catch up to him after she saw him leaving.

"Ren! I'm sorry, I meant to send you a message, but my phone hasn't been working properly all day." she explained, a hint of frustration mingling with her urgency.

Ren paused, turning to her with a curious tilt of his head. 

"Did you need something?"

"I know I promised to teach you some gymnastics, but I've only really got the free time today. Are you free? We could go to the park for our first lesson. I could teach you a few of the basic moves." Kasumi offered.

After nodding his head in approval, the two of them began wandering towards one of the local parks that had an open field. On the way there, the two of them began talking.

"To be completely honest, I should be in the gym practicing. But my focus has been...off lately. I thought maybe teaching might help me find my focus again." Kasumi confessed, her tone betraying a mix of doubt and hope as they navigated their way to the train.

"Really? What's the problem?" Ren inquired, his voice laced with genuine concern.

Kasumi sighed deeply

"It's just... I don't understand it. I've been following my training and diet to the letter, but it's like I've hit a wall. No matter how much I practice, I don't seem to make any progress. It's not that I'm physically tired... I just feel stuck," she confessed.

As she did, the unnatural mask on her face began to glow slightly, which caught Ren's attention as he asked.

"Do you feel like you aren't quite yourself?" He asked, and at the question, the mask began glowing slightly more brightly.

"Yes! That's exactly it. Back before high school, I felt like I could do anything. But for some time I hit a slump, I hit a growth spurt, and ever since…" She paused, hesitating. "Well- ever since I started high school, it feels like I'm in a body that doesn't quite belong to me. Do you know what I mean?"

Chuckling slightly, Ren nodded his head.

"You'd be surprised. I honestly know the feeling all too well."

Hearing his answer, a soft smile appeared on Kasumi's face.

"I had a hunch..." she murmured, more to herself than to Ren. "When we first met, I sensed something familiar about you. It was hard to pinpoint at first, but the more we talk, the more it makes sense to me," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and sadness.

"Not so long ago, I was in a pretty bad spot. I fell into a bit of a depression, and stuff got pretty bad for a bit, that's when I met Maruki." She said, with her eyes losing focus slightly as she thought back to the past. The mask on her face grew ever brighter before losing its luster.

"I can sort of understand…" Ren admitted. "I was also a bit lost before talking to Maruki." He answered.

Hearing Ren's response seemed to anchor Kasumi back to the moment, her smile reappearing. 

"That's one of the reasons I was excited to start practicing gymnastics with you. When you think about it, we have a lot in common. It's hard to explain, but I feel that if I stick around you long enough, I might be able to find that part of me again. The confident part that makes me, well, me." she said, her smile now full of hope and anticipation.

Ren couldn't help but laugh at the unexpected turn their conversation had taken. 

"Well, that's a bit out of the blue," he remarked with amusement, noticing Kasumi's slight pout before he added. "But I'm all in. I'll do my best to support you."

Stepping off the train, they made their way to the park, where Kasumi paused to mentally prepare herself, slapping her cheeks lightly before adopting a determined, cheerful demeanor.

She started the session with some basic warm-up exercises and stretches. Ren was taken aback by his own flexibility, which seemed enhanced compared to his past attempts at exercise with the group. It was a pleasant surprise, even for Kasumi, who noted that such agility was rare in someone not regularly practicing gymnastics.

As they progressed, Kasumi embraced her role as a teacher, guiding Ren through the movements. Ren, for his part, was keenly aware of the changes within him. The scalpel's influence had made him stronger and more agile, qualities he was now fully appreciating as he mirrored Kasumi's instructions.

Despite his novice status, Ren's earnest efforts and newfound physical capabilities made the learning process smoother than expected, drawing curious glances from passersby as they saw the two of them repeatedly try different moves.

As dusk enveloped the park, they found a bench to rest on, the day's activities behind them.

"I'm actually quite impressed by how quickly you picked things up. To be honest, I'm even a bit jealous," Kasumi confessed, her gaze drifting towards the fading sunlight, a tinge of melancholy in her eyes.

"Jealous?" Ren asked, surprised by her expression. "I literally ate dirt after failing the front handspring." He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I remember something similar happening to me when I was learning it…" Kasumi chuckled, a wistful smile crossing her face. "I will admit, that was a little funny."

Yet, as Ren observed her, he noticed her attention was still fixed on the distant horizon, the enigmatic mask she wore subtly glowing.

"Everything okay?" he inquired, concern coloring his voice.

Kasumi seemed to snap back to reality, hearing the question, the glow from the mask fading.

"Yes, just reflecting on some advice my teacher gave me. She suggested I take a break from gymnastics to explore and clear my mind. If I am being honest, teaching you was fun, but even then, I still had that same nagging in the back of my head." she shared, her usual vibrancy dimmed.

"Do you want to try out something different next time?" Ren offered, sensing Kasumi's lingering concerns.

"Really? Are you sure you'd be okay with that? I noticed you have a knack for gymnastics, and I'd hate to think I'm letting you down after you were so eager to learn. Especially considering how much you've supported me today."

Ren, unfazed, encouraged her to explore her interests.

"What's something you've been wanting to try?"

Kasumi paused, considering, then shared.

"Cooking. I have always enjoyed cooking, and I have been meaning to learn more about it. Though my dishes have been tasting somewhat funny lately."

Ren couldn't help but smile at her admission. 

"Did you know I live in a café? Cooking's become a bit of a hobby of mine."

"Really?" Kasumi's surprise was evident.

"Yeah, I end up cooking pretty often, especially when my friends come over. I've gotten pretty good at making a few dishes, though curry is my specialty. Best damn curry you'll ever taste." He joked.

Kasumi's laughter filled the air, light and sincere. 

"I'd love to learn how to make the best darn curry, then. It sounds wonderful," she said, her usual vibrancy returning in full force.

— — —

As dusk turned into evening, they decided it was time to head home. Upon reaching his place, Ren felt his phone vibrate with a new message.

[Shiho] Hey, Ren. I was wondering if you were free tomorrow. Things have been a bit crazy lately, and we were all pretty busy dealing with Kaneshiro, but now that we are done with that, I was wondering whether you would want to go to the art class tomorrow…

[Ren] :D 

[Ren] That sounds great! Send me the info, and we can walk over there tomorrow after school together.

[Shiho] :)

[Shiho] Actually, it is a bit later in the day. It would be kind of weird to go to the class still in our uniforms, so I was thinking of going home and getting changed before going over.

[Shiho] I was thinking that since the class is pretty late, we could grab some food before heading over…

[Ren] Do you want me to cook?

[Shiho] :D 

[Shiho] I love your food! ♥

[Shiho] If you bring a bento box, we can eat at the nearby park.

[Shiho] The class is going to be led by a student of Madarame named Yusuke Kitagawa. From the reviews, he is a bit eccentric, but it should be fine.

[Ren] Eccentric is part of the artist bundle, so there is nothing out of the ordinary there.

After a few more messages, Shiho eventually sent all of the information. The class was going to take place in one of the museums owned by Madarame. They mainly stood as a way to showcase his art, but from time to time, he would open them for classes.

Tossing her phone aside, Shiho's excitement bubbled over. She muffled a gleeful scream into her pillow, the thrill sending her heart racing. Yet, amidst the chaos of her emotions, a strand of calm wove its way in. She smoothed back her hair, a gesture towards regaining some semblance of composure, and reached for her phone once more.

This time, she dialed Ann. The call barely rang once before Ann's voice came through.

"That's… great," she managed, her words trailing off near the end.

Shiho's excitement dimmed, replaced by a moment of seriousness as she picked up on Ann's tone.

"Hey, Ann, I know you said you'd step back, but... I had an idea. Well, technically, it was Circe's idea, but that basically makes it my idea, no?" Shiho ventured, her words tiptoeing into the conversation.

 There was a pause on the line, Ann's confusion palpable. 

"Yeah?" she replied, a mix of curiosity and apprehension in her voice.

Shiho exhaled, a mixture of nerves and conviction strengthening her voice. 

"It doesn't really matter whose idea it was, I guess. It's a bit out there, but... what if we didn't have to choose? What if we could both.. you know…"

There was a heavy silence on the other end of the line. Shiho could almost hear the gears turning in Ann's head, the weight of the proposal settling in. She hurried to fill the void, anxious to make her case.

"Listen, I've been doing a lot of thinking... and talking with Circe, and well, you've heard how Ancient Greeks are…."

~Confidants~

Kasumi Yoshizawa (The Faith) Rank 2.

(Ya'll, I don't know if I cooked or not at the end there but Imma just leave it as it is because the next chapter turned out good lol. To be fair I have been lying down hints about it for a few chaps now. Lemme know your feedback lol.)