The bus rumbled along the road, the faint chatter of students blending into the steady hum of the engine. Yuto sat by the window, gripping his bag tightly, his glasses slightly slipping down his nose.
A new school. A new start. That's what everyone always said.
"But will it really be different?"
His fingers curled against the fabric of his uniform. The memories of his previous school still clung to him, refusing to let go.
[Flashback: Yuto's Past Bullying]
"Hey, nerd! Look over here!"
Yuto barely had time to react before a sharp shove sent him sprawling to the ground. His glasses skidded across the cold hallway floor, landing near a pair of polished shoes.
Laughter erupted around him.
A hand reached down—not to help, but to snatch his glasses away.
"Can you even see without these?" The boy sneered, holding them just out of reach. "Maybe you don't need them if you're always looking at the ground!"
More laughter. More whispers. No one stopped them.
Yuto had swallowed his words, blinking away tears as he reached out, only for his glasses to be tossed further away.
"You'll always be weak."
The words echoed in his mind, long after the bruises faded.
Yuto blinked back to the present, the bus slowing as it neared his stop. His grip on his bag tightened.
"I won't let that happen again…"
He took a deep breath and stepped off the bus.
The school gate loomed ahead. A mix of students passed through—some laughing, some yawning, some lost in their own world.
For a moment, hope flickered in Yuto's chest.
Then—
A figure blocked his path.
Tall. Smirking. Predatory.
Joe.
"Hey, four-eyes," Joe drawled, arms crossed. "Nice glasses. You sure you can see through those thick lenses?"
Yuto's stomach dropped.
It's happening again.
Joe reached forward, ready to shove him—
"Back off."
The voice was sharp, cutting through the moment like a blade.
Yuto barely registered it before another presence stepped in front of him.
Kaido.
Broad-shouldered, confident, completely unshaken. He stood between Yuto and Joe, his gaze unwavering.
"Go bother someone else," Kaido said flatly.
Joe's smirk faltered for a second. Only a second.
"Relax, man," Joe muttered, stepping back. "Just welcoming the newbie."
But Yuto saw the tension in Joe's stance. He wasn't used to being challenged.
Joe clicked his tongue, turning away. "Whatever."
Only when he was gone did Yuto finally breathe again.
He looked up at Kaido, words forming—but Kaido was already walking away.
No introductions. No lecture. No unnecessary words.
Just a stranger who had stood up for him.
Yuto stood frozen for a moment before hurrying toward his classroom, thoughts tangled.
"Who was that guy?"
The question lingered in his mind as he took his seat.
But he barely had time to settle before the next round of trouble arrived.