Evening arrived like a gentle caress. The practice room had turned into something more like an improvised lounge. Tiny lights hung above like little artificial stars, a couple of speakers playing lo-fi music, and some scattered snacks on rough wooden tables.
Everything seemed to say: "Here, we really get to know each other."
I was sitting next to Maki, legs crossed, while Panda returned with a bowl of popcorn almost bigger than he was. Yuta was fiddling with a projector to show an old anime and… there, silent in the corner, was Toge, hoodie still up, eyes half closed.
"Alright, now that our Rebecca is officially one of us… we have to put her under pressure!" Panda exclaimed, chewing loudly.
"I'm ready," I replied, crossing my arms with a proud smile.
The questions came like a flood.
"How does the Sorcery School work in Europe?"
"What kind of curses do you deal withthere?"
"Have you ever seen a vampire? Like... a real one?"
"Have you ever ridden a Vespa?"
"Have you ever made homemade pizza?"
"Do Italian ghosts speak Latin?"
We all burst into laughter, even Maki, who usually kept the most serious face in the group.
"No Latin-speaking ghosts. But yes, I made pizza. Badly, though."
"What are the teachers like there?" Yuta asked.
"Very formal. Headmaster Viviani looks like he stepped out of a Fellini movie."
Panda nodded, deeply impressed. "I have no idea who Fellini is, but I trust you."
I smiled.
"What shocked you most when you got to Japan?" Panda continued.
"The number of vending machines. And the fact that there's a talking panda in my class."
"Touché," Panda said, patting his thigh.
"Is it true you use techniques based on natural elements?" Maki asked, serious.
"Yes. We have techniques that are strongly rooted in ancient symbolism. Each school has its own tradition: some are tied to fire, others to ice. I… I use light and pressure. I manipulate energy to channel it with direct impact. More or less."
Panda raised a paw.
"Translation for regular pandas?"
"I blow things up," I said, smiling.
Laughter echoed all around.
The music filled the spaces between our jokes. At some point, I felt a soft tap beside me. I turned.
Toge was handing me a cold can of green tea, still unopened. His eyes weren't searching for anything—but they offered everything. I accepted it with a slight bow.
"Thank you, Toge."
"Tuna mayo."
It was probably a you're welcome. Or maybe something more personal.
There was an exchange of glances. Brief. Contained. But full.
His gaze settled on me like a light weight. I smiled. And he, without moving anything but his eyes, seemed to smile back from within.
"He's studying you, you know?" Maki murmured, leaning toward me.
"Him?" I asked, feigning surprise.
"Yes. Like someone reading an interesting book—no rush to reach the last page."
I blushed slightly, lowering my eyes to the can.
"Do you want to have a duel of honor?" Maki asked, raising a bamboo sword.
"Now?"
"Now. Let's see if you're really Europe's best."
I stood, stretching my arms.
"Then let's see if you're really Japan's most stubborn."
The boys whistled in chorus. Panda shouted, "Bets are now open!"
As Maki and I walked toward the training tatami, I turned once more. Toge was still there, standing. Eyes on me.
No words. Just presence.
And I—without knowing exactly why—began to think that his silence was becoming one of my favorite sounds.
---Wishes Beneath the Skin...---
The training hall was bathed in soft light, as if the building itself knew we were just… playing. Maki had thrown me a shinai—a bamboo sword—with a look that didn't allow much room for refusal. I caught it mid-air, smiling.
"No cursed techniques. Just body and staff," she said.
"Perfect. I wouldn't want to traumatize you on the first night."
Yuta and Panda had placed themselves on the edge of the tatami, ready to act as unofficial referees. Toge stood silently by the wall, hands behind his back. Watching. Always attentive. Always present.
Maki struck first, with a sharp, precise thrust. Her shinai felt like an extension of her body, aimed directly at my side. I twisted to dodge, left foot sliding into the grass to absorb the momentum. My open palm created a burst of air, deflecting the attack just in time.
"Faster," Maki muttered, charging again.
She launched three consecutive strikes: high, low, center. I dodged the first two, blocked the third by crossing my wrists. I felt the vibration in my bones. But I held my ground.
I countered with a side kick: quick, sharp—but Maki brushed it and immediately reacted, grabbing my leg and spinning me to the ground. I used the momentum to roll backward and land on my feet again. The ground trembled under our steps. The lights flickered.
Toge was tense. I could see it from the corner of my eye. Every time she hit me, he stiffened slightly. Panda stood up, cheering.
"YES!! Let's go Rebecca! Go Maki! Smash everything!"
Yuta smiled faintly.
"It's like watching two hurricanes slap each other. Beautiful."
Maki and I locked eyes again. Her breath was short. So was mine. But neither of us wanted to stop. She feinted to the side. I fell for it—her shinai was about to strike. But… with an instinctive, fluid motion, I grabbed her weapon with both hands, spinning to use her momentum against her. Maki lost balance for a split second.
That second was enough.
I twisted my hips and pushed—sharp, focused.She staggered back, stumbled. Fell on her back.I moved on top of her, her shinai aimed straight at her throat.
Silence.
Maki grunted.
She slipped out from under me and, with a split and a flip, freed herself from my grip. She launched forward like an arrow—precise, relentless, bare-handed. I blocked her just in time. Arms heavy, knees tense. The rhythm rose—quick movements, short breaths, feet sliding across the floor.
I had fought in Europe. A lot.
But this was a different dance.
She was powerful, but elegant.I was fluid, but sharp.
Minutes passed quickly, but neither of us gave in. No more falls. Just sweat and shallow breaths. And a subtle, vibrant energy that made the others smile as they watched.
Finally, Panda raised his hands.
"Draw!"
"Tsk… you're tough," Maki said, rubbing her shoulder.
"You too. I like you."
We shook hands with respect. Tired bones, fire in the eyes.
Panda broke the silence.
"And now… it's time for the star ritual!"
"What?" I asked, still catching my breath.
Yuta chuckled:
"Every time a new student arrives, the first night ends this way. You pick a paper star, make a silent wish… and blow out a candle. That's it."
Panda pulled out a small pouch. Inside, dozens of hand-folded origami stars—gold, silver, and a few with hints of red.
Everyone took one.
Even Toge.
I looked at mine. It wasn't perfect. But beautiful, with slightly crumpled edges—like someone who'd traveled a long way.
Maki held hers to her chest for a moment. Yuta closed his eyes for an unusually long time. Panda spun his between his fingers. And I… I looked at mine and whispered in my heart: "I wish to feel at home here."
Only then did I notice that Toge was looking at me.
His candle was already out.
The wish already made.
He was staring at me with a purity that stole the air from my lungs. There was no need for words.
Maybe… his wish had something to do with me too.
And with the idea of staying.
Our eyes met again—steady, strong—as if we had found ourselves in a space that didn't exist for anyone else.
A small moment. An eternal one.
Night had fallen completely, and I…
I felt lighter.
As if someone, somewhere, had really heard my wish.