Principal Hangaki.

The sound of the nurse's shoes clacking softly against the polished floor made the walk to Principal Hangaki's office feel longer than it actually was, each step a reminder of the impending trouble Ren could be in.

Principal Hangaki was known for his strictness and no-nonsense attitude. This was not going to be a pleasant meeting.

Ren kept his gaze forward, jaw clenched in anticipation of the stern lecture he was about to receive. Shiin walked beside him in silence, a rare occurrence considering his usual chatter.

The nurse stopped in front of a large, wooden door with a brass nameplate that read "Principal Hangaki." She knocked once, then opened the door, gesturing for Ren to enter.

Ren paused to collect himself. He took a deep breath.

"Thanks for walking me here, Shiin. " He turned to thank Shiin only to see that no one was there.

"That explains the silence. " Ren figured and pushed the door open.

Inside, the office was spacious yet intimidating, dominated by a large oak desk where Principal Hangaki sat, flipping through a stack of papers. His steely gaze met Ren's as they entered, and Ren resisted the urge to flee under the scrutiny.

"Ah, Mr. Ryūhara, nice of you to finally show up, " Principal Hangaki greeted him, his stern eyes peering over a pair of half-moon spectacles.

"Please, have a seat and you too, Mr. Ishida."

Ren turned to see Yuto leaning against the wall nearby, arms crossed casually.

Ren and Yuto exchanged a glance before taking the seats offered in front of the desk. Ren sat down heavily, his posture tense as he avoided meeting the principal's gaze directly. He could feel Yuto's glare burning into the side of his head.

Principal Hangaki folded his hands on the desk, fixing them with a pointed look. "I trust you both are aware of why you're here?, "

"A little skirmish, " they both chorused.

"Hey you brats!!, " The principal banged the table angrily.

"Do you know how much destruction your little skirmish is going to cost!. " He thundered. "That fight completely wrecked the whole Cafeteria and it's going to take at least two months to get it completely fixed!. "

Ren nodded reluctantly, feeling the weight of the principal's anger pressing down on him. "Yes, sir!. It's about the incident in the cafeteria during lunch break. "

Yuto remained silent but nodded in confirmation, his jaw clenched.

Principal Hangaki leaned forward slightly, his expression unreadable. "Mr. Ishida, Mr. Ryūhara, I was once young like you two and understand that tensions can run high, especially among students new to this school. However, violence has never been the acceptable solution and will never be. "

Ren swallowed hard, his throat dry. He knew he had messed up, and now he had to face the consequences. "I apologize, Principal Hangaki. It won't happen again. "

Principal Hangaki regarded them both for a moment longer before leaning back in his chair.

"You will report to the cafeteria after school," Principal Hangaki instructed. "Mr. Hideo will supervise you. You are to clean the cafeteria until it meets his satisfaction. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Ren and Yuto chorused.

"Good. You may go." Principal Hangaki concluded.

Ren stood up and walked towards the door, Yuto following close behind. As they exited the office, Ren glanced at Yuto, who still wore a mask of irritation.

"Hey, Yuto," Ren said quietly. "We should just get through this without making it any worse."

Yuto's eyes narrowed, but he nodded slightly. "Yeah, whatever."

"And you, Ryūhara," the principal called back Ren.

"Yes sir?. "

"Don't be like your brother. "

"You knew my brother?"

"Knew him? He was a real pain in my ass. If he wasn't causing a problem here in school, he was involved in some gang wars in town. That brat was always in the middle of some big event," the principal said with a wry smile.

"I heard about his death. I'm sorry for the loss. He wasn't my best student, but he didn't deserve to end up like that."

"But whatever you came here searching for, it's not worth it," he warned.

"Thank you for your advice, but I'll manage," Ren replied curtly.

Ren turned and left the office, leaving behind the stern gaze of Principal Hangaki.

Outside the principal's office, Ren let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Well, that could've been worse," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Shiin chuckled softly beside him, shaking his head. "You got lucky this time. Principal Hanagaki usually doesn't let things slide so easily."

"Yeah, I'm lucky," Ren trailed off.

"Hey! Where were you?" Ren finally noticed Shiin. "You ran off and left me to fend for myself."

"Oh, me? I drank too much water so I needed to use the restroom," Shiin concocted an excuse.

Ren gave him a stern look.

"Okay, okay, okay, you see, I'm really afraid of the old man," Shiin admitted. "But hey, everything worked out well in the end, didn't it?"

"So, what was your punishment?"

"Detention for the next two weeks."

"Two weeks! Damn, you got off easy. What you both did was easily worth a month or more."

Shiin noticed Ren giving him another sidelong glance.

"So, where are we going next?" Ren asked.

"We've got PE next." Shiinciro answered.

"Hope you're as athletic as you look."

As they walked down the hallway towards their next class, Ren couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of his troubles at Sakura High. The incident with Ishida Yuto had thrust him into the spotlight, whether he liked it or not.

But as he glanced at Shiin walking beside him, a sense of camaraderie and determination settled within him. Whatever lay ahead, Ren knew he wasn't alone in this new chapter of his life. And with friends like Shiinchiro by his side, maybe, just maybe, he could find his place in Sakura High, detention and all.