"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Kiana leaned to the left, dragging herself forward, her right foot barely touching the ground. Thankfully, her apartment was only a street away from Chiba Academy. It took almost ten minutes for her to hobble to the school gates.
"Eh? Is that…?"
A sleek black car stopped beside her. A stern-looking driver with a buzz cut and sunglasses stepped out, circling the car. He glanced at Kiana indifferently as he passed.
Reaching the rear passenger door, he opened it carefully, removed a glove, and extended his hand. "My lady, please," he said respectfully.
"Much obliged," a haughty voice drifted from the darkened interior. A figure emerged gracefully, someone Kiana recognized, though not intimately.
"Tch! The Raiden heiress. What was I expecting…?" Kiana grimaced, turning to limp towards the school. For some reason, seeing someone so meticulously cared for—no, served—rubbed her the wrong way.
Whether her annoyance stemmed from the stark contrast in their lifestyles and social standing, or simply envy, she couldn't tell, nor did she care to.
She was more interested in reliving that recent dream—the unbelievable battle, the familiar yet foreign terms and names… Sadly, like most dreams, it was fading rapidly, leaving only fragmented, insignificant pieces.
"Um… My lady, there's something I need to tell you."
"Speak."
"I apologize, my lady, for not mentioning this sooner, but this is my last time as your chauffeur. Mr. Raiden has assigned me a new position. Starting this afternoon, a new driver will be escorting you."
"Oh? Oh… I see. Take care."
"You too, my lady."
Kiana was walking slowly and close enough to overhear their conversation, especially since the pair seemed to have no concept of whispering.
"Seriously… it's just a small matter. Such a formal farewell, as if they'll never see each other again… Plus, class starts in less than ten minutes, right? Is he ever going to stop? Should I remind her? Nah, she's not like me. Forget ten minutes, if she picks up the pace, she can reach the classroom in five."
Kiana shook her head, trudging on. Most students were either at club morning practice or, if not, rarely arrived right on time. Ten minutes early—this was when most people settled into their classrooms. Only someone like her, who overslept and was injured, would be this late.
Thinking about it, Kiana tilted her head back. She had never really paid attention to this girl, Mei Raiden. As the heiress of ME Corp, even in Chiba Academy, which was full of privileged students, Mei was a celebrity. Information about her circulated effortlessly; every ten sentences of student chatter contained at least one about her. Why bother paying attention directly?
However…
"Hmph! Didn't expect the heiress to sleep in too! Otherwise, how could she be as late as me?" This thought made her oddly smug, as if she had found a kindred spirit…
"What happened to your foot?"
A cool voice, without even a greeting, emerged from behind. Kiana, already feeling slightly guilty for eavesdropping, lost her balance and stumbled to her left.
"Crap! I'm going to twist my other ankle now!" Wait! Wouldn't that be a legitimate excuse to skip class?
Indecision plagued her—should she try to recover or seize this golden opportunity?
Someone made the decision for her. A hand steadied her shoulder, and her balance returned.
"I asked you a question! What's wrong with your foot? You're even wearing a slipper…"
Kiana turned. It was Mei, the Raiden heiress, who had caught her. Meeting Mei's gaze, a mix of shyness and annoyance washed over Kiana. She jerked her head away. "None of your business!"
"Are you sure? At your current speed, you won't make it to class before the bell."
"I said, mind your own business!" Kiana abruptly pulled away from Mei's hand and hopped aside, putting some distance between them.
It wasn't that she disliked being helped, it was Mei's tone. It reminded her of how she treated stray cats and dogs.
Compared to the other students, she was indeed poor. But although her stinky old dad's whereabouts were unknown, he was still reliable, sending her money regularly every month. It wasn't much, but enough for her to live on without being too strapped.
That's why she often bought sausages for stray animals, finding joy in watching them eat. There was nothing wrong with that, but Mei's condescending concern evoked a similar dynamic, only she was the stray cat lapping up the offered sausage.
"Oh? Quite the pride, I see. Fine, I'll leave then." Having been rejected, the Raiden heiress saw no point in forcing her help. She shook her head indifferently and headed towards her classroom at a quicker pace.
After a couple of steps, she glanced back. "Well… make sure you catch up!"
"Damn it! Just you wait… Ow ow ow! Hiss—"
Mei giggled and broke into a run, leaving the fuming white-haired girl behind. Barely thirty seconds after she burst into the classroom, the bell rang. Perfect timing.
"Sigh. Too bad for that dummy. She definitely didn't make it… She looks familiar. Is she from the class next door? Seriously reckless. Her ankle… if she doesn't treat it… Whatever. That clumsy girl, late and in slippers. Mr. Katsuki from next door will definitely make her stand outside. I'll ask her about it later… Ugh… Math again. So sleepy…"
Despite trying her best to follow the formulas on the blackboard, the more she focused, the more she felt her head grow heavy.
Her vision blurred, her head drooping from the blackboard to the desk. Just before succumbing to darkness, she'd snap awake, only to repeat the cycle five or six times. Like time-traveling, the bell suddenly rang. The blackboard was covered in math equations, but her open textbook and notebook remained blank.
"Ugh... messed up again... Wait, did I forget something?"
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she stumbled to her feet and headed out of the classroom.
As expected, the white-haired girl from that morning was standing outside the next classroom, left foot supporting her weight, right foot resting lightly on it, upper body leaning against the wall, head down, light snores audible.
Mr. Katsuki, legendary for his strictness, emerged from the classroom, holding his lesson plans. Seeing his punished student not only unrepentant but blatantly napping, he said nothing, rolled up his papers, and smacked the white-haired girl's head.
"Ow! Ouch… Who… Ah—"
Poor Kiana lost her balance again and began to fall. But the expected pain didn't come. Someone caught her from behind. And that shampoo scent… familiar…
"Miss Raiden?"
Mr. Katsuki lowered his rolled-up lesson plans, his expression unchanged by the arrival of the school's most prominent student.
"Ah, Sensei, what did this student do wrong?"
"Tardiness, and wearing slippers in a place as respectable as this academy. Miss Raiden, do you know her?"
"Not personally. Although she's from the class next door, she seems to be a transfer student. We haven't interacted much, but…"
Mei didn't argue. She helped Kiana lean against the wall again, then crouched down and gently pulled down Kiana's white knee-high sock.
As Mei neared her ankle, Kiana instinctively gulped. But Mei's movements were gentle and precise. She felt a slight sting on her ankle, a cool sensation, and then her sock was off.
Mei pointed to Kiana's swollen ankle. "I saw her at the school gates earlier. She wasn't intentionally late or wearing slippers. She sprained her ankle. And judging by its current state, it needs immediate attention, otherwise…"
"I understand." Mr. Katsuki nodded curtly and walked away without another word.
Mei stood up. Before she could say anything, Kiana snatched her sock back, instinctively wanting to sniff it. But seeing Mei's knowing look, she blushed and hid the sock behind her back.
"Are you an idiot? You could have just shown him your injured ankle. Honestly…"
Kiana looked away, muttering, "Hmph! A Kaslana never makes excuses out of a minor sprain!"
"What did you say?"
Kiana's heart sank. Although a bit ditzy and not a fan of history class, her stinky old dad had told her enough about the Kaslana name. She knew it had once been prestigious and, while now fallen, was still recognizable.
She shouldn't have revealed that secret. She hadn't forgotten their life on the run.
She should have kept that name buried, yet she blurted it out in front of this purple-haired girl… Damn, did she hear?
She looked up, teeth clenched, only to meet Mei's face inches from hers.
"Eh… Wait… What are you doing? Put me down!"
Her outburst attracted the attention of everyone in the hallway. The heiress of ME Corp was carrying a white-haired girl towards the restroom.
Kiana naturally struggled, but Mei whispered in her ear, "Dummy, you think I was joking with Mr. Katsuki? Your ankle is this swollen…"
"It's fine, put me down! This lady has always been robust. I'll recover quickly!"
"If you don't want permanent damage or even amputation, stay still!"
Mei's tone left no room for argument. Walking towards the restroom, she turned to the onlookers. "You, get some ice from the cafeteria."
"You, bring the bandages from the outer pocket of my bag to the restroom. And bring a chair too."
"You, fetch a crutch from the infirmary."
She issued commands like a queen, and every student she addressed, regardless of their relationship with her, simply nodded. Kiana watched, stunned. She finally remembered Mei's nickname: The Thunder Queen.
Mei reached the restroom, where the students had already placed the bandages and chair as instructed.
She thanked them softly, then focused entirely on Kiana. Gently placing her on the chair, Mei lifted her injured ankle to the sink, positioning it under the faucet.
"Whoosh—"
"Hiss!"
It was November; the East Asian winter had arrived. The tap water was icy cold, perfect for treating a swollen ankle.
As the water flowed, Mei remained silent, and Kiana, apart from occasionally gasping from the cold, also didn't speak.
After about three minutes, the students returned with the ice and crutch.
Mei accepted them, expertly cradling Kiana's foot in her lap, wiping it gently with her sleeve, then wrapping it with the bandage. The tightness was perfectly controlled, providing just enough compression. Then, she wrapped the crushed ice in a bandage, creating a cold compress that she secured around Kiana's ankle.
"Done!" Mei clapped her hands. The bell rang just then, but Kiana remained frozen, even when Mei handed her the crutch. She only managed a soft "Mm."
"What's wrong?" Mei tilted her head.
Her question snapped Kiana out of her daze. Her lips parted silently a couple of times before she finally beamed. "My name's Kiana. Can't tell you my last name yet. Thanks for today, Lady Raiden!"
She extended her hand, and Mei chuckled, taking it briefly.
"Alright, go back. Your teacher shouldn't give you any trouble now."
"Ah, but you're late for class. Is that okay?"
Mei tilted her head, seemingly pondering the question.
Kiana gave her a gentle push. "Come on! Go back to class! I can manage the rest of the way myself!"
Mei turned, saying nothing, just smiling at Kiana, making her feel strangely awkward.
"Er… Do you want to skip class? I'm not the one suggesting it, though I'd love to… but my leg… I can't really run…"
Mei sighed, pointing at Kiana. "You're still sitting in my chair."
"Ah… ahahaha…" Kiana laughed awkwardly, thinking, Since Dad left, this is the first time anyone's been this kind to me. They say this heiress acts like a queen, but she's actually quite gentle. Still, as a Kaslana, I don't owe anyone favors.
Meanwhile, Mei's thoughts were simpler: This girl is clumsy and stubborn, like a paramecium. But our social standing is so different… we probably won't cross paths again, right?