Calamity Rank Drifter

After I woke up the next day, I felt a crushing force holding me tight. I looked towards the girl hugging me with a warm smile. I would have woken her up, but I remembered that she mentioned that today is her day off.

I sighed and stood up, trying my hardest to make sure that I won wake Melania up. Luckily, I was able to do so without waking her up. I put the blanket on her shoulder and although I hesitated, kissed her on the forehead. I exited the room and went to the bathroom to freshen up.

After that, I decided to make some breakfast for both of us. It was still pretty early in the morning so I still have some time to do this before heading out. What I decided to cook for breakfast were just simple bacon and eggs. Well, I say simple but it somehow tastes perfect for Melania. I know my cooking is good but isn ”perfect ” just an exaggeration?

It didn take too long for me to finish making breakfast. While I was setting the plates down, I heard the door to my room open. Soon enough, I heard Melanias cute yawning. She came into view and I felt a smile creep onto my face.

”Good morning, Mela. ”

”*Yawn*Good morning, Hikari… ” She groggily walked towards the bathroom as she continued yawning.

I chuckled as I continued setting the plates down. Melania exited the bathroom just in time as I finished setting up the plates.

”Eat up. ”

”Thanks for the food! ”

I sat down at the other side of the table and began eating as well. We chatted a bit as we continued eating, even having a little argument on which chicken was the best. Was it chicken with bone or boneless chicken? Well, Id say boneless chicken.

”Alright alright, its okay which one you choose. Its your preference after all. ” I said, trying to escape from the incoming onslaught of words and maybe even fists.

”Hmph, you finally backed down. ” Melania pouted as she looked away. Not too long after though, she giggled. I giggled as well right after her.

After we finished eating, we both washed the dishes. When the dishes were finished, I went inside my room to change into my school uniform. I looked in the mirror and fixed my pitch-black hair so it wouldn be as messy as it was the day before. If it weren for that incident during the morning, my hair wouldn have been a mess, to begin with.

”This should be good. ”

Although, now that I look at it more closely, my messy hair compliments my blood-red eyes. I don get why those people named me Hikari if my appearance is the complete opposite of light. As much as I want to learn the reason, I know I won get an answer.

I walked out of my room with all the things I needed with a sigh. I saw Melania was watching TV and called out to her.

”Mela, Im heading out. Watch over the place, okay? ”

”Hikari, this is my place. Do you have to say that? ”

”Yes, last time I left you alone, you almost set the kitchen on fi- ”

”Okay, okay! No need to bring that up! ”

I chuckled and walked out the door. I went down the stairs and saw that no one was around. Since We were on the 5th floor, the way down was quite long. Now, I would have jumped down just to save some time, but I wouldn want to pay for some property damage.

If I had to choose, Id just jump straight down, but the bill will fall to Mela so I don have a choice. With a sigh, I walked down the stairs. When I reached the end of the stairs, I looked up towards the sky. Good, todays going to be a clear day too.

I walked out into the street and dear lord the bus just left.

”Gah… I need to walk to school now I guess. ”

Walking to school isn all that bad since I get to think more. I could also do that inside a bus, but then Ill have to deal with the occasional flirting of couples. I even get hit on sometimes.

”Hikari? ” Someone called out to me so I turned around only to see someone I just met yesterday.

”Amelia? ” It was none other than Amelia. Her blonde hair glistened with the sunlight hitting it. ”Are you walking to school too? ”

”Yes, I usually arrive earlier, but I overslept. ” She said with a sigh. Looking at her closely, or rather trying to sense her Celest, I could see the reason for her oversleeping. I would have mentioned it, but just decided not to.

”Well, want to walk with me? ” I asked, smiling at her.

I saw her narrow her eyes a bit, but she nodded nonetheless.

Amelia POV

I don know why, but being around Hikari is both reassuring and terrifying. Theres just this feeling that I suddenly had yesterday. Not to mention his name… I know that our world has a lot of weird last names, but he stands out.

It sounds more like a codename rather than a surname. Theres also his Celest count. I don know if the others noticed it yet, but the amount of Celest he has is… monstrous to say the least. Never in my life have I seen someone with this amount of Celest.

If I go by what Viola said yesterday, he also has to pinpoint accuracy. Being able to hit a Rift Beast without even looking at it is way beyond even me. That means that not only does he have a monstrous amount of Celest, but he also has senses that surpass any Drifter that Ive known.

”Watch out! ”

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Hikari suddenly held my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. Just in front of me, a car passed by at high speeds. I looked at the traffic light and saw that it was still red, meaning that the car was driven by a lawbreaker.

”Tch, asshole… ” he whispered as he glared at the car.

My eyes widened a bit when I heard Hikari whisper that. It was in a soft voice, but I still heard it. I still need to play it off like I still didn hear it though. You know, just to make sure.

”What was that? ”

”Oh, uh nothing. ”

Hes lying. I wouldn have noticed it too if I didn happen to hear him whispering earlier. The tone he had, although it was soft, there was also this edge to it. He had hatred for things like this. I also felt a menacing aura around him yesterday when he faced Klein.

We kept walking to school as these thoughts ran through my mind. I looked at him from time to time and noticed that he always seemed tense. Since this one seemed more general, I decided to ask about it.

”Why are you so tense? ”

His eyes widened as he stopped in his tracks. His expression quickly changed though as he just laughed it off.

”Ahaha, I guess I still haven gotten through that sudden attack yesterday. ”

I knew that answer was farther from the truth, but I decided to not question it further. Absolutely not because I was scared of him or anything. This is all for knowing just what kind of man Viola has befriended. And maybe the kind of man that I also befriended…

”How about you? Youve been deep in thought since earlier. Youve also been stealing glances at me. ”

He noticed that?! Wait, of course, he noticed that. I just pointed out his senses earlier after all. I groaned in frustration at myself for forgetting something I pointed out…

”Ugh… I guess my mind is still fuzzy. Im not used to oversleeping after all. ”

I decided to lie to him since itd be kinda weird if I told him he was the one in my mind all this time. I feel like Viola would also kill me if she heard that. He just smiled at me and continued walking. I silently followed him and I couldn handle the silence so I thought of things for small talk.

”Whats your reason for being a Drifter? ” He asked me out of nowhere. I was caught off guard so I had to think for a bit.

”Uh… don laugh, okay? ”

”Mhm, I promise. ”

I took a deep breath and told him something that I haven told anyone. Not even Viola.

”Ive always wanted to explore the world. See what it has to offer and feel it all by myself without my parents or relatives always watching me. Not just that, I also wanted to save people from the Rift Beasts… You could say I wanted to be a hero. Childish, right? ”

He just stared at me, his eyes showing softness that not even Viola can compare to.

Hikari POV

”Thats not a bad reason. Compared to yours, mines just dumb. ”

Truly, my reason was way dumber and Im not even the one who made this reason. My sole existence is to fight the Rift Beasts. Nothing more, nothing less. Im not saying that since its my single-minded goal, Im saying that because its the truth.

”R-really? ” she asked with widened eyes that were filled with hope.

”Yeah, ” I said with a smile.

I could from earlier, shes wary of me. I can blame her, after all, Im an unknown being to people other than Melania. Only she knows my secret. Itd be fair if I tell Amelia my secret since she told me hers, but not now. I need her to trust me more, not to mention, that the secret she told me wasn as heavy as mine.

There was something that caught my attention though. That was when she said that her parents and relatives ”watch ” her. So that means…

This person thats watching us is either one of her relatives or someone sent by them…

Ive noticed them ever since I held Amelias wrist. Did they see me as a threat? If so, then that has to be the dumbest shit Ive ever heard. I sighed and just looked at Amelia. She seems to have eased up to me a bit.

After a few more minutes, we arrived at our school. Not gonna lie, we were both still pretty early. When we passed by the guard, he gave me a wink and a thumbs up. I could tell what he was saying with just those gestures. My man, another one? Good job! was his message.

I only chuckled, which earned me a confused look from Amelia. I told her it was nothing and she just nodded, still slightly confused. We entered the school building and sure enough, it was mostly empty.

I just shrugged and headed to my seat. When Amelia set down her stuff at her seat, she went and sat on Violas seat.

”How about you? ”

”Hm? What do you mean? ”

”Whats your reason for being a Drifter? ”

”Hm, you could just say I didn have a choice. ”

”Eh? What do you mean? ” she looked at me, confused by my answer.

”Im sorry, but maybe I can tell you in the future. ”

”…Is it way harder to tell than mine? ”

”…Yeah… ” I don want them to push me away just because Im different. Just because Im not as human as I seem…

After that, we just continued chatting away. Not gonna lie, shes starting to rub on me more than Viola did. Maybe its because we chatted a bit more? Or maybe because we met in a more normal way? To be honest, I don know. One by one, students started filling the room. They noticed us talking but we paid them no mind.

”Oh, you
e here early, Hikari. ”

Our conversation was cut when Viola called out to me. Damn, I didn even notice her entering the room. Was I having that much fun?

”Oh, good morning, Viola. ” Amelia faced Viola and greeted her. Im pretty sure she had a smile on her face.

”Good morning. And yeah, I didn want to cut it close again. ” I greeted her too and told her why I was early.

”Good morning to you two as well, ” Viola said with a smile.

Amelia stood up and nodded to Viola as she went back to her seat, but before she left, she flashed me a smile and a ”talk to you later ”.

Viola sat down and fixed her things. After a little while, she finally spoke up. ”So, what happened between you two? ”

”We just ran into each other by chance. ”

”I see. She may be wary most of the time, but trust me, shes a good girl. ”

”Ahaha, don worry. I already figured that out. ”

Only then did I realize something… Oh shit, I only made one male friend.