Cards Of The Silent King-Chapter 46: What Ryota Knows Now

The cafeteria was loud. Trays clattered against tables. Students shouted across the room. The smell of fried oil and soup filled the air. Kaito sat at the corner of a long table. He ate his lunch slowly. He did not look up.

Ryota slid onto the bench opposite him. He dropped his tray with a thud. He did not start eating. He stared at Kaito. His eyes were narrow. He looked like a detective studying a suspect.

Jin sat beside Kaito. He opened his bento box. He ate quietly. He glanced at Ryota. He did not speak. He knew what was coming.

Kuro said: "The boy is staring. He looks constipated."

Kaito said: "He is thinking."

Kuro said: "That is dangerous for him."

Kaito took a bite of rice. He chewed. He swallowed. He kept his eyes on his food. Ryota leaned forward. He rested his chin on his hands.

Ryota said: "I have compiled data."

Kaito said: "Okay."

Ryota said: "Do not okay me. This is serious. I have been watching you for two weeks."

Kaito said: "You always watch me."

Ryota said: "I watch you differently now. I have noticed patterns. Anomalies. Irregularities in your behavior."

Kaito said: "Like what."

Ryota said: "Like yesterday. You left school at four. You came back at seven. Your hair was wet. It was not raining."

Kaito said: "I washed it."

Ryota said: "And last Tuesday. You limped during third period. You said you fell. You do not fall, Kaito. You move like a cat. A boring cat, but a cat."

Kaito said: "I tripped."

Ryota said: "And your jacket. You check it constantly. You touch the left shoulder. You smooth the fabric. It is torn. I saw it yesterday."

Kaito stopped eating. He put his chopsticks down. He looked at Ryota. Ryota looked triumphant. He tapped the table with a finger.

Ryota said: "I have reached a conclusion."

Kaito said: "Tell me."

Ryota said: "You are a professional athlete."

Kaito blinked. He did not speak for a moment. Kuro laughed in his head. The sound was sharp and mocking.

Kuro said: "An athlete. I like this one. It is better than the spy theory."

Kaito said: "No."

Ryota said: "Do not lie to me. The timing fits. The injuries fit. The secrecy fits. You are training for something. Underground boxing? Secret martial arts tournament?"

Kaito said: "No."

Ryota said: "Then what. You cannot tell me you are just walking around at night. People do not come back with bruised ribs from walking."

Kaito said: "I walk fast."

Ryota said: "You are terrible at lying. It is adorable. But I am worried."

Ryota’s smile faded slightly. The energy dropped. The loudness softened. He looked at Kaito’s hands. They were resting on the table. They were still.

Ryota said: "I know you do not want to talk. I get it. You are mysterious. It is your brand."

Kaito said: "I do not have a brand."

Ryota said: "You do now. The Silent Athlete. It has a ring to it. But seriously. If you are in trouble, tell me. I can help."

Kaito said: "You cannot help."

Ryota said: "I can carry things. I am very strong. Look at these arms."

Ryota flexed. His sleeves were loose. There was no muscle to show. Jin chuckled softly into his rice. Ryota ignored him.

Ryota said: "I can run distractions. I can talk really fast. I can confuse enemies with sheer volume. It is a viable strategy."

Kaito said: "It is not."

Ryota said: "You do not know that. You have not tried it. Just tell me where to be. I will be there. I will wear something intimidating."

Kaito said: "You look like a student."

Ryota said: "I can buy a mask. A cool one. Not a creepy one. A heroic mask."

Kaito looked at his friend. Ryota was joking. Mostly. But underneath the jokes, there was a solid line of concern. He had noticed the tears in the fabric. He had noticed the limp. He had noticed the absence.

He had not noticed the monsters. He had not noticed the cards. He had filled the gap with something safe. Something human.

Kaito thought: He is protecting me too.

Kuro said: "He is protecting his idea of you. There is a difference."

Kaito thought: It is enough.

Kaito picked up his chopsticks again. He ate another bite of rice. He needed to keep his strength up. The night would be long. Kuro had warned him. The harvest was coming.

Kaito said: "I am not an athlete."

Ryota said: "Fine. A vigilante. A night watchman. A ghost." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Kaito said: "No."

Ryota said: "Then just be careful. Please. I do not want to visit you in the hospital again. Last time was boring. The magazines were old."

Kaito said: "I will be careful."

Ryota said: "Promise."

Kaito said: "I promise."

Ryota smiled. It was bright and genuine. He reached into his bag. He pulled out a small package. He slid it across the table. It was a protein bar. High quality. Expensive.

Ryota said: "For your training. Whatever it is. You need fuel."

Kaito looked at the bar. He looked at Ryota. He took it. He put it in his pocket. Next to the cards.

Kaito said: "Thanks."

Ryota said: "Anytime. That is what friends are for. Even if they are stubborn idiots who will not tell me anything."

Jin said: "He is not an athlete."

Ryota said: "What."

Jin said: "He is something else. But he is still our friend."

Ryota said: "I know that. That is why I am worried."

Jin said: "Do not push him. He will talk when he can."

Ryota said: "I know. I just want him to know I am here."

Kaito said: "I know."

Ryota said: "Good. Then eat your food. You look skinny. Athletes need mass."

Kaito said: "I am not an athlete."

Ryota said: "Keep telling yourself that. I saw you jump over that puddle yesterday. Normal people walk around."

Kaito said: "It was a small puddle."

Ryota said: "It was a wide puddle. You flew."

Kaito did not answer. He finished his rice. He drank his water. The bell rang for the next period. Students started to stand up. They gathered their trays.

Kaito stood up. He picked up his tray. He looked at Ryota.

Kaito said: "Walk with me."

Ryota said: "Obviously. I am not done talking."

They walked toward the exit. Jin followed behind them. He carried his own tray. He watched the back of Kaito’s head. He knew more than Ryota. He said less than Ryota.

Kuro said: "They are liabilities."

Kaito said: "They are friends."

Kuro said: "Friends die. Liabilities break."

Kaito said: "Not these."

Kuro said: "You say that now."

Kaito did not respond. He pushed the cafeteria door open. The hallway was crowded. Students rushed to class. Ryota talked about a video game. He talked about a teacher’s haircut. He talked about nothing.

It was everything.

Kaito listened. He kept his hand in his pocket. He touched the protein bar. He touched the Ace of Spades. One was food. One was power. Both were gifts.

Ryota said: "Are you coming to the arcade later?"

Kaito said: "No."

Ryota said: "Tomorrow?"

Kaito said: "Maybe."

Ryota said: "I will take that as a yes. I am going to beat you this time. No excuses."

Kaito said: "Okay."

Ryota said: "Good. I need the practice. I have to stay sharp."

Kaito said: "For what."

Ryota said: "For when you finally tell me your secret. I need to be ready."

Kaito said: "You will not be ready."

Ryota said: "Try me."

They reached the classroom door. Ryota slapped Kaito on the back. He avoided the bruised shoulder. He knew where it was. He had noticed that too.

Ryota said: "See you at break. Do not vanish."

Kaito said: "I will be here."

Ryota said: "Good."

Ryota went into the classroom. He started talking to someone else immediately. His voice was loud. It filled the space. Jin stopped beside Kaito.

Jin said: "He cares."

Kaito said: "I know."

Jin said: "Do not make him worry too much."

Kaito said: "I will try."

Jin said: "Try harder."

Jin went inside. Kaito stood in the hallway. It was empty now. The bell had rung. He was late. He did not move immediately.

Kuro said: "You are getting soft."

Kaito said: "I am getting tired."

Kuro said: "Same thing."

Kaito said: "No."

Kaito walked into the classroom. The teacher was writing on the board. He did not look up. Kaito sat at his desk. He opened his bag. He took out his notebook.

He did not open it. He just touched the cover. He thought about the protein bar in his pocket. He thought about Ryota’s wrong guesses.

He thought about the city that vanished three hundred years ago.

Kaito said: "I will not let them vanish."

Kuro said: "Words are cheap."

Kaito said: "I know."

Kaito picked up his pen. He waited for the teacher to turn around. He looked at the back of Ryota’s head. He was leaning forward. He was listening to the lesson. He was alive.

He was safe.

For now.

Kaito put the pen down. He clasped his hands. He waited for the sun to set. The night was coming. The hunt was waiting.

But for now, there was math class. And a friend who thought he was a boxer.

Kaito almost smiled. He did not. But he felt something close to it.

The lesson continued. The clock ticked. The day passed.

Kaito stayed seated. He stayed still. He stayed ready.

The protein bar was in his pocket. It was warm. It was human.

He would eat it later. Before the fight.

He needed the fuel. Ryota was right about that.

Even if he was wrong about everything else.