Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Chapter One: The Start of Something Odd

The sun rose too cheerfully for Maomao’s taste.
It streamed through the tall windows of the assembly hall, illuminating polished wooden floors and the backs of stiff-collared uniforms. A sea of black blazers and pleated skirts rustled as students sat row by row, awaiting the official start of their high school life. First-years only.
Maomao stood in the very back, already bored. Her attention was fixed not on the student council speeches or the meticulous flower arrangements onstage, but on a patch of weeds growing through a crack in the wall near the east exit. She squinted. Was that—?
"Poison hemlock," she muttered to herself, pleased.
Next to her, a girl let out a soft gasp.
"Is it dangerous?" the girl asked.
Maomao turned, noticing her for the first time. Round face, warm brown eyes, tidy braids, and trembling hands clutching a notebook.
"Only if you're an idiot," Maomao replied flatly.
The girl blinked, then gave a tiny, nervous laugh. "I'm Xiaolan."
"Maomao."
"Um... do you want to sit together?"
Maomao considered saying no. But Xiaolan looked like she might pass out if left alone. She sighed. "Fine."
After the ceremony, students poured into their new classrooms, guided by teachers with megaphones. Maomao and Xiaolan were in Class 1-B, along with another girl who had sat perfectly still during the entire event.
Suirei.
She was pale, greyish blue -haired, and cool-eyed. Her uniform was spotless, posture straight, not a word spoken. She gave the impression of a silent sword in a silk sheath. Looked older than 1st yrs for some reason .Maomao noticed the way Suirei avoided eye contact, like she was used to being avoided first.
The first homeroom teacher introduced himself and went through the usual speeches. Then he handed out student lists and asked them to fill in seating.
Maomao took the seat by the window.
Xiaolan scrambled to sit next to her.
Suirei chose the one in front of Maomao.
For a while, they sat in silence, the low buzz of the classroom starting to build as new friendships began. Xiaolan was fumbling with her timetable, whispering questions to Maomao.
"Which building is science in again?"
"West wing. Don’t go into the courtyard unless you want to see snakes."
"Snakes?!"
Maomao tilted her head. "They won’t bite unless you're an idiot."
Before Xiaolan could process that, the classroom door crashed open.
A purple-haired girl strode in without a care in the world.
"Suirei!"
The girl had a bright, bold voice, like the sun crashing through clouds. Her long dark hair teid in twin buns on either side with small flicks on Her forehead  bounced with each step, and she moved with the swagger of someone who had never been scolded for anything in her life.
All heads turned.
Suirei looked up. "Shisui..."
"It’s lunchtime! Let’s go!"
The first-years blinked. A second-year? Just walking in?
Suirei stood up, calm as ever, and followed the whirlwind of a girl out.
"Who... was that?" Xiaolan whispered.
Maomao had no clue, but the name rang a bell.
Later, Maomao wandered the campus alone, munching on dry crackers she’d stolen from the canteen pantry. Xiaolan had gone to check out the cooking club. Suirei had vanished again. Maomao preferred walking anyway.
The trees near the greenhouse rustled. She crouched near a patch of wild growth.
"Is that—mugwort?"
She bent closer.
Suddenly, a blur of movement.
Thud.
Something—no, someone—landed directly on top of her.
"AH—bug—GOT IT!"
Maomao lay face down, blinking dirt out of her eyes.
"Get. Off."
The weight lifted. A familiar voice. That purple -haired girl again. Shisui.
She held a glass jar triumphantly, a beetle inside.
"Sorry! Didn’t see you there. You crouch like a mushroom."
Maomao sat up, brushing her uniform. "You crash like a rhinoceros."
Shisui laughed. "You’re Suirei’s classmate, right?"
"And you are...?"
"Shisui. Second-year. Her sister."
Maomao blinked. "Sister?"
" yeah. I’m trying to get her to make friends. She's hopeless."
"She seems fine to me."
Before Shisui could respond, another student appeared.
Long purple  hair tied in the high ponytail, blazer pristine, a small pin glinting on his collar.
"Shisui" he said with exasperation. "What are you doing harassing first-years again?"
Shisui grinned. "Catching bugs."
"In the middle of the school lawn?"
"Well, you know me."
He sighed and turned to Maomao, offering a perfectly charming smile. "Apologies. I’m Jinshi. Second-year. Are you alright?"
Maomao stared at him. Then said, deadpan, "You look like you moisturize too much."
Jinshi blinked.
Shisui burst out laughing.
"Oh, I like her," she said, pointing. "She’s got venom."
Jinshi looked at Maomao again, curious now. She was already walking away.
"She didn't even blush," he murmured.

That evening, the announcement came.
A senior-junior mixer activity. Groups of four, at least one upperclassman.
Suirei immediately turned to Shisui and said, "Join my group."
"Duh," Shisui replied.
"I need two others."
Maomao had barely looked up before Shisui pointed. "You. Herb girl. And your little friend."
"Excuse me?"
"You’re in."
And somehow, that was that.
The next morning, Xiaolan clung nervously to her checklist. Maomao yawned. Suirei stood with silent resignation. And Shisui pointed out butterflies instead of the proper route.
The campus tour ended in near disaster (Xiaolan slipped in the koi pond, Maomao discovered poisonous mushrooms behind the library, and Shisui tried to climb the roof), but by the end of the day, they sat together under the courtyard tree, sipping juice boxes.
It wasn’t friendship yet.
But something had begun.
And Maomao had the distinct feeling that this school year was going to be weirder than she expected.

Chapter Text

"Why do I always get the girls who like causing trouble?"
Jinshi leaned against the stairwell wall of the west wing, arms crossed, eyes narrowed in mock thought. It was the fourth time since morning he’d wandered past Class 1-B under the pretense of council business.
But he wasn’t here for the council.
He was trying to understand her.
That girl. Maomao. The tiny first-year with tired eyes and zero fear of public figures.
She had looked at him like he was... mold. Or worse, ordinary.
It gnawed at him.
Behind him, Rikusen, his friend and fellow second-year, peered over his shoulder.
"Let it go, Jinshi. Maybe she just has a thing for shorter guys."
"She’s like five feet tall!"
"Exactly."

Meanwhile, in the courtyard behind the library, Xiaolan was being cornered.
Three  girls from their grade surrounded her, their voices sweet but sharp-edged.
"Aw, you’re Suirei’s classmate, right? She doesn't really talk to anyone, so it must be so lonely."
"And you hang around that mushroom girl too? Strange taste."
"You know, this is the kind of place where who you sit with determines how people treat you. You should be careful."
Xiaolan stammered, backing against the garden wall.
"I... I don’t... want trouble..."
The tallest of the girls reached forward. "Then don’t make any."
A shadow fell over them.
"Oh no," said the short one, backing away. "Not her."
She stood at the courtyard entrance, one hand on her hip, grinning at them .
Her eyes gleamed.
"Are you done bullying  (smirk ) do u fear she will take the  cute guys ? 
The tall girl scowled. "Who even are you?"
She raised her hand. "Name’s Shisui. And you might want to ask your second-year friends before poking this purple-haired bear."
They didn't believe her. Until one of them did.
Because word travels fast.

"Shisui? As in that Shisui girl ,secondyear ?" one of the bullies asked her older brother in Class 2-A later.
He nearly dropped his pen. "You messed with her?! Are you insane?!"
"Why, who is she?!"
"She's in the  top group  of second years, she could break your ribs if she wanted, and she did. Last year."
They paled.
"She beat up a third-year who tried to corner her in the supply room. Didn’t even get suspended. Cameras caught the whole thing. Other students testified the same complaints for  the guy and that she saved them  they said . The guy left the school  after being hospitalized ."
"She looked so delicate!"
"Don't go on looks man " 
"Fair warning-stay away from her and the people around her " 

(at a study sleepover at maomao's house .)
That night, in maomao's room, Xiaolan whispered to Maomao, "I heard she beat someone up. Badly. Like... hospital bad."
Maomao shrugged. "Makes sense. She moves like someone who knows where to hit."
"But... she collects bugs. And she gave me a juice box yesterday."
"Those two things aren’t exclusive."
Maomao went back to sorting her plant samples.

The next day, they met Shisui outside the greenhouse.
Xiaolan blurted, "Are the rumors true?"
Shisui blinked. Then tilted her head. "Which ones? That I collect dead bees? Or that I hospitalize boys?"
"The second one."
"Mmh. Believe whatever you want." (Smiles ) 
She walked off before they could ask more.
Maomao watched her go. "That  probably means yes."

Elsewhere, Jinshi finally cornered his cousin, Suirei, near the back of the reading room.
"Your sister has questionable friends."
Suirei turned a page. "You mean Maomao?"
"She insulted my skincare."
"Perhaps it deserved it."
"She looks at me like I’m a smudge on her lens."
"Then behave less like one."
Jinshi groaned. "You sound like her."
From behind the bookshelf, Shisui suddenly appeared, .
"BANG "
Jinshi yelped, tripped over a stool, and fell.
Shisui landed beside him and punched his arm lightly.
"Still got weak knees, Jinshi."
"Still got no boundaries, shisui."
They stared at each other for a second.
He smiled. "I’ll see you this weekend."
She smirked. "Bring ointment. You’ll need it."
Suirei rolled her eyes. Watching them bicker

Chapter Text

The cafeteria on Wednesday was chaos.
First-years stood gaping at the endless rows of food stalls, clustered in small circles with tightly gripped bento boxes. Second-years glided in like they owned the place. Third-years lounged at the back tables with the ease of emperors. The unspoken seating hierarchy had already formed.
Xiaolan tugged nervously on her sleeve. "Should we... sit on the floor?"

"You want to get trampled?" Maomao said, poking at a tray of sweet potatoes. "Find a table. Something low-visibility."
"Oh! That one in the corner?"
"Perfect."
They didn’t make it halfway before chaos hit.
"SHISUI!"
A loud voice echoed across the cafeteria. Students turned. Someone tripped over a tray.
At a center table, surrounded by an eclectic group of second-years and third-years, Shisui had appeared midair. Or so it seemed. She'd jumped over a chair, landed with a dramatic spin, and grinned like she had no idea she was causing a scene.
"They have taro buns today!" she declared.
"Sit down," Suirei said calmly from beside her, already sipping tea.
Jinshi looked up from his curry rice and smirked. "You jump like a frog."
"You sulk like a toddler," she retorted.
"Do you ever make an entrance like a normal person?"
"Define normal."
Nearby, students were whispering.
"Is that the Shisui?"
"She's the one who beat up that third-year, around a year ago, right?"
"isn’t she just gorgeous " first year boys fussing over her . Even some girls . 
"I heard she can fight  blindfolded. Scary "
"Didn't she get scouted by three universities already?"
"Wait, is she dating Jinshi?!"
At that, both Shisui and Jinshi made simultaneous gagging sounds.
Maomao and Xiaolan finally reached their table, having diverted around the chaos. Xiaolan was red-faced.
"I didn’t know she was that popular."
Maomao stabbed a sweet potato. "I told you, she’s weird. That usually means either genius or criminal."
"Or both."
They turned as a tray thumped onto their table.
"Yo."
Shisui.
"...Why are you here?" Maomao asked flatly.
"Tired of people staring. Mind if I sit?"
Xiaolan gestured quickly. "Of course! Sit! We don’t mind!"
Shisui plopped down. Her long legs barely fit under the table.
"This place is more dramatic than I remembered."
"You were here yesterday," Maomao pointed out.
"Exactly."
She bit into her bun. Then paused, staring into the distance.
"I sense... sugar."
Jinshi sat down at their table with practiced elegance, placing a tiny dessert cup in front of Maomao.
"This is the last pudding. Thought you might like it."
Maomao looked at it. Then at him.
"You bribing me?"
"I’m... being nice."
"Why?"
Jinshi blinked. "Because I—"
"Because she didn’t fawn over you," Shisui muttered.
Jinshi flushed. "That’s not—"
"That’s exactly it," Suirei added from behind him.
He looked betrayed.
Maomao poked the pudding. "You realize I hate sweets."
He looked more betrayed.
Shisui laughed until she choked on her bun.

Later that afternoon, Maomao received a mysterious note in her locker.
Mandatory Council Summons. Room 3-F. After school.
"Did I break something?" she asked Xiaolan.
"I think it’s about clubs. The student council assigns first-years if we don’t pick."
Maomao groaned.
In Room 3-F, Jinshi stood beside a whiteboard, flanked by two students: Lihaku, tall and sleepy-eyed, and Rikusen, leaning on a mop like it was a sword.
"Ah. You came. I was worried I’d have to fetch you."
"Try it. I bite."
He grinned. "We’ll see."
Maomao crossed her arms. "Get to the point."
"You haven’t signed up for any club. That’s against regulation."
"So suspend me."
Lihaku raised a brow. "She’s got teeth."
"She’s charming," Jinshi said, still smiling. "But unfortunately for you, that means we get to assign you."
Maomao frowned. "Why do I feel like this is personal?"
"Because it is."
As she left the council room that day, she found Shisui waiting outside.
"Let me guess," Maomao said. "He tried to rope you in too?"
"Nah. I already have a club."
"...You do?"
"Yep. "
She winked.
and left like she didn’t just confused her .

That weekend, in a quiet, private dojo behind the hilly grounds, the air shimmered with tension.
Suirei sat on the edge of the wooden floor, tea in hand, eyes trained forward.
Jinshi and Shisui stood across from each other, practice swords raised.
"You sure you want to do this?" he asked.
Shisui twirled the wooden blade once. "You asked for it."
The match began.
Shisui wasn’t just good. She was terrifying. Fluid, graceful, ruthless. Cold expressions.
Jinshi was strong. Shisui was also strong.
Thus They struggled for a while .
Using her observation she strikes
A final sweep sent him sprawling.
"Ugh," he groaned, staring at the ceiling. "You didn’t have to go for the leg."
"You always leave it open."
Suirei sipped her tea. "Still weak on the left."
He glared at her. "You’re supposed to be neutral."
She blinked. "I am."

Back in her room that night, Maomao stared at the council form Jinshi had handed her.
Recommended Club: Student Council
She scribbled under it: "Do I get free poison for joining?"
And circled yes.

Chapter Text

"If you don’t pick a club by Friday, Jinshi says he’ll draft you  into the council," Maomao announced, slapping a crumpled notice down on the table.
Xiaolan looked up from her soup. "You mean the student council?"
"Yes. And I hate him. So no."
Xiaolan blinked. "You could just join a club. I joined the cooking club. Want to try it with me today?"
Maomao sighed like she'd been handed a death sentence. "Fine. But if I’m forced to bake, I’m poisoning the muffins."
That day was chaos in the name of exploration.
Maomao and Xiaolan bounced between clubs during the lunch break, which had been extended for first years to explore. Technically, second years still  had lectures. So shisui was not with  them .
They checked out the pottery club (too messy), astronomy club (too sleepy), drama club (too loud), and archery club (Xiaolan almost hit a squirrel). Eventually, exhausted, they decided to find Shisui.
"She’s not in her class," Xiaolan whispered, peeking inside the second-year room.
"Maybe she skipped ?" Maomao replied.
"Or joined a secret cult club."
"The Cult of Punching Jinshi? I’d join."
They eventually spotted her in the hallway.
"Shisui!" Maomao called.
Shisui stopped, a textbook balanced on her head. "Yo."
"What you doing ? "
"Second-years don’t get club-hunting free time," she replied. "I have class now. I’ll meet you after school when club activities start. Try everything first. Use your brain, Momo. Your dad's a strategist or something right ? . Maybe something that requires planning then ?"
"I can plan poison." Maomao grinned.
"I meant like, strategy club. Or mystery. Or maybe join the Chaos Club with me."
"Is that real?"
"If not, I’ll start it."
She waved and vanished into her lecture.

Afternoon club hours.
They wandered toward the east wing. Maomao nearly choked when she saw Shisui seated at a chessboard, facing a tall, third-year upperclassman. Her usual lazy posture was gone. She sat with deadly precision.
"That’s... not her, right?" Xiaolan said.
A move clicked. Then another. Gasps.
Checkmate.
The upperclassman deflated.
"She just won in eight moves," someone whispered.
Shisui leaned back with a smug grin. "Don’t let your knight hang."
Xiolan  dragged maomao  away. "She’s way too cool."
"She’s terrifying."
"That too."

Later, in the cafeteria, a first-year  boy nervously approached Shisui as she walked by with her lunch tray.
"U-um, senpai! Are you into girls? Or—"
Shisui blinked at him. "No."
"Oh... so... boys?" He seemed relieved. 
before he could confess with the letter in his hand ......
She turned and walked off.
The boy stood frozen.
A third-year leaned in. "Don’t even try, rookie. Even we don’t stand a chance. She’s  one of the most popular second-years in school. Rumor says she’s already taken. Secret boyfriend. Some say he’s from outside. Like... older."
"There’s no way I ever had a shot, huh."
"Nope. Not unless you can fly or fight a bear."
Maomao and Xiaolan, seated nearby, were completely unfazed.
"More rumors again," Xiaolan muttered.
"She attracts chaos. And somehow makes it fashionable," Maomao added.

As evening shadows fell, Jinshi found himself walking under the bridge that cut across the canal near campus. He'd taken a shortcut. And now regretted it.
Few  unfamiliar men blocked his path.
"Yuuri, right?" one asked, grinning. "Got some questions."
"I think you’ve got the wrong guy," Jinshi said carefully.
"Oh, no. You’re the one with ties to that family. You look too pretty to be normal. What’re you hiding?"
They moved closer.
Jinshi sighed. "Of course. No sword today."
They lunged.
 Jinshi - after knocking some of them out he turned ,
Suddenly, one of them flew sideways.
"Wow. You got cornered like a pigeon," Shisui said cheerfully, while holding a bug .
 flipping over Jinshi and landing a kick squarely into another thug’s chest.
"Did you record me again?!" Jinshi barked as she pulled her phone out.
"Lady Aduo’s gonna love this. Bye-bye, cruise vacation."
The last man shouted, "You brat! Don’t care if you’re a girl!"
 "don't attack her" before jinshi could complete....
The man was silenced by a fist to the jaw.
"Ya she is crazy strong" he said with a smug .
another questioned "who even are you ?"
jinshi replied with a grin "she is my sister " while punching someone .
"Unfortunately," Shisui chimed, using Jinshi's back as a springboard to land a roundhouse kick on the last guy.
The men groaned, defeated.

Maomao and xiolan who had seen the whole scene from behind the bridge walls....

Footsteps crunched from the hilltop.
A boy with wild brunette  hair and blue  eyes, looking around their age, just more of a foreigner descended casually, holding a net and a battered satchel.
" hi there " 
"You’re late," Shisui said.
"We’ve still got time , Gotta log the rare ones today." He slung her bag over his shoulder, ruffled her hair, and handed her a bug jar.
Jinshi stared. "This the bug guy?"
"Yup. Orion. He’s weird, but effective."
"I’m telling your parents you’re dating."
"Unless you delete my video " he said looking smug 
"I moved out. Also, they think he’s gay." She said casually. 
jinshi stared at him ....
Orion gave Jinshi a deadpan look. "I know"
They turned and walked off toward the hills .
Jinshi muttered, "Even her boyfriend’s chaotic."
Maomao and xiolan are utterly confused about what they just witnessed. 
they decided to follow her .....
to figure out who the man really is ....
To be continued.....

Chapter Text

Chapter Five: Golden Wings (Segment 2)

The sun had begun to dip low by the time Shisui and Orion returned to the base of the hill, their shoes caked with forest dust, their bug cages rattling with tiny trophies. Shisui’s jacket was now properly wrapped around her waist, her sleeveless crop top streaked with grass stains and her ponytail a little undone. But her eyes shone.
"Street food?" Orion asked, nudging her arm.
"You read my mind."

They didn’t go far. Just to a small roadside stall tucked between two buildings on a quieter side of town. The uncle who ran it greeted them with light  wave. "The butterfly girl’s back, eh?"
"And starving," Shisui replied.
Orion leaned over the counter. "No mushrooms in hers. She’s allergic. And nothing too oily. She’s been running all day."
The vendor chuckled. "Got it. Soft dumplings and rice cakes, coming up."
They shared everything from one plate. Orion tore pieces gently with his fingers and offered them to her. She retaliated by stuffing a large bite into his mouth just as he tried to talk, and they both ended up laughing until they choked on sweet rice paste.
When they finished, they bought a bottle of chilled tea, linked their fingers loosely, and began walking through the dimming streets.

"Wanna go to your place or mine?" she asked.
"My sister’s out. We’ll have the whole floor."
"Perfect. I need to rinse this forest off me anyway."
Orion’s house smelled like old books and orange peels. The living room was wide, scattered with stacks of entomology journals, and a pinned moth specimen above the cabinet shimmered faintly in the lamplight.
They toed off their shoes, dropped their bags, and she sighed.

"Your place always smells better than mine."
"Because you leave actual beetles in jars by your window."
"They’re friends."
He kissed the back of her neck as she said it, and she smiled, leaning back into him.
A quick shower later, she emerged with damp hair and one of his oversized shirts. He was already in soft sweats, sketching out a bug anatomy diagram on a tablet.
"Come here," he murmured without looking up.
She padded over barefoot and climbed into his lap, settling sideways across him, her knees drawn close. He immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her head. She smelled faintly of pine and citrus soap.

"We’re not going to get anything done, are we," she mumbled into his neck.
"Define 'done.'"
"The report."
He shrugged. "We already won. I caught you."
She blinked up at him. Then thumped him gently on the chest.
"Cheesy," she said.
"Accurate."

They did work—sort of. With her curled beside him under a shared blanket, they scribbled observations, drew bug outlines, typed up notes, and compared species. Occasionally, one of them would yell, "WAIT—WHAT IF IT’S A SUBSPECIES?" and bolt upright.
Eventually, their energy waned. Shisui yawned and flopped sideways.
"Movie break."
"Pick something terrible."
She chose a B-grade science fiction film with ridiculous sound effects and sat back into the blanket nest, motioning him over.
He joined without hesitation, pulling her back into his lap. She leaned against him, arms wrapped around his, their legs tangled. The screen glowed faintly blue.
"Warm enough?"
She nodded.
He touched her fingers, slowly interlacing them with his.
"Love you," he whispered against her ear.
She tilted her head back. "You always say it when I least expect it."
"Still mean it."
She cupped his cheek with one hand. "I love you too. Too much. Probably a problem."
"Then we match."
She turned slightly, eyes shining, and kissed him.
It started soft, playful, like a promise. But slowly deepened — their hands finding familiar paths across backs, into hair, along warm skin.
Orion pulled away first, breath shallow, searching her gaze.
"Can I...?"
She nodded. " i love that You always ask, even now."
"Always will."
His fingers brushed along her shoulders, down her arms, like he was memorizing her shape. She leaned into him, curling her fingers around his shirt, tugging him gently toward the bed.
Under the soft lamplight, the movie continued to play in the background, long forgotten. Their clothes scattered slowly — a jacket here, a shirt folded, her breath catching when he kissed along her collarbone.
He held her like she was spun from air. Every movement slow. Every sigh met with a kiss. When she arched into him, he whispered her name like it was sacred.
They didn’t rush.
They touched each other like they had forever.
And when it ended, when they finally lay tangled in sheets, her hand resting over his heart, she whispered, "I love you. Doesn’t matter what anyone says. Even my parents. You’re the only one who ever made me feel... like I’m allowed to just be."
He pulled her closer. Kissed her forehead. Brushed her hair behind her ear.
"That’s all I ever wanted. To be your calm."
Later, she slipped out of bed and padded toward the bathroom. He tilted his head, still smiling.
"Shower?"
She smirked. "You want to?"
He raised a brow. "May I join you?"
Her blush said everything.
Steam curled around the edges of the glass as the water ran. She sat in the tub, humming faintly. He knelt behind her, gently working shampoo into her hair.
"You got pine needles stuck in here," he muttered.
"War wounds. From battle."
"Battle? You mean flinging yourself off a tree branch like an acrobat?"
"You caught me."
He smiled. "Always."
They stayed there a while—cleaning, kissing, laughing at each other’s terrible bug impressions.
By the time they dressed, the sky was full night. Orion walked her home 
"Tomorrow, then?"
She nodded, slipping on her shoes. He reached into his bag and handed her a tiny box of chocolates.
"Bribery," he said.
"Accepted."
She kissed him one last time.
Back at home, Shisui tried to sneak in quietly.
Suirei was sitting at the kitchen table, grading papers. Without looking up, she said, "Didn’t think you’d make it home tonight."
Shisui froze.
"Your lips are a bit... swollen. And that’s smells like my shampoo in your hair."
Shisui flushed and turned.
"Goodnight!"
As she disappeared down the hallway, Suirei added, "Glad you had fun. Tell him to come over for dinner next time."
A muffled, flustered groan was the only reply.

Chapter Text

Segment 1

Wild Bug Hunt & Accidental Discovery

The wild hills at the academy’s edge weren’t technically off-limits—but few students ever bothered climbing into the thickets of overgrown brush and tangled trees that covered the slope. Paths, if they existed, were half-swallowed by moss and weeds. The hum of summer cicadas echoed between boulders, interrupted by occasional birdsong and the rustle of something small skittering through the leaves.
And into this chaos, two figures ran like spirits possessed.
Shisui leapt over a low branch, her tracksuit jacket now tied around her waist, revealing the simple sleeveless crop top underneath — black, snug, and shockingly casual. Her legs moved with trained precision, barely brushing the uneven terrain. Beside her, Orion ducked into the undergrowth, his shaggy Burnett hair catching the sunlight like streaks of firewood red. A net bounced on his back. His shirt was partially untucked, his notebook gripped tight.

“There!” Shisui called out. “Spined ash beetle. It’s fresh out of molt!”
“I see it! On it!”
Behind a thicket, hidden in the shade, Maomao and Xiaolan peeked out, half-covered in burrs and wide-eyed.
“...They’ve lost it,” Xiaolan whispered.
“I take it back,” Maomao murmured. “We were exaggerating. They’re actually insane.”
“I thought they were going on a date.”
“This is their date ?.”

They watched as Orion knelt to examine something on the bark of a tree with the kind of reverence usually reserved for sacred texts. Shisui crouched beside him, their heads nearly touching.

She beamed — eyes glowing, posture so full of energy it was electric.
“I don’t think I’ve seen her look like that,” Xiaolan said softly.
“Only when she finds bugs in the academy garden,” Maomao muttered. “Or when the cafeteria serves mochi with red bean. Same expression.”
“She’s really... happy.”
A shriek of triumph broke the moment.
“Orion!” Shisui gasped. “Golden veil. That’s it!”
They both bolted through the trees, crashing through a tangle of branches toward something fluttering under a shaft of sunlight. Maomao squinted and saw it — barely visible, hovering near the crown of an old cedar — a translucent-winged butterfly with glints of amber and rose gold along its back.

Orion knelt instantly. “Climb. Go.”
Shisui dropped the net, stepped into his cupped hands, and was vaulted up in one smooth motion. She gripped a lower branch, swung upward with fluid confidence, and climbed like a cat until she was just beneath the creature.
She stepped onto a higher branch, creeping along its curve.
The sunlight caught her for a moment — jacket tied at the waist, arms bared, hair caught up in a loose ponytail. Her form was poised, controlled, and entirely at home in the trees.
“She’s gonna fall,” Xiaolan hissed.
“No she’s not,” Maomao replied. “She’s a damn spider.”
Then—
“Got you,” Shisui whispered, cupping the butterfly carefully in her hands.
“YES!” Orion shouted. “Get down, get down, I wanna see it! That’s the bug of the week for sure! We’re going to crush them!”
Without a word, Shisui walked a few steps further along the branch. Then she twirled once and leapt — arms open, freefalling back toward the ground, trusting completely.
Xiaolan gasped audibly. “She’s jumping! She’s actually—”
Orion caught her.
Effortlessly. A bridal carry.
The sunlight flared behind them. Shisui was grinning, breathless, cradled in Orion’s arms like a storybook princess — and still holding the butterfly.
“Did... did he just...?” Xiaolan whispered.
Shisui lowered the butterfly into a cage with reverence. They leaned over it together, excitedly pointing at its wings, laughing, scribbling notes. They looked like a pair of mad scientists in love with their own discovery.
And then, Orion leaned in.
A quick kiss — soft, familiar, and impossibly natural.
Xiaolan’s jaw dropped.
Maomao just blinked.
“Well,” she said, blinking again. “That confirms everything.”
“So they’re not just bug buddies,” Xiaolan muttered, cheeks pink. “They’re bug-bug buddies.”
“They’re dating,” Maomao confirmed, arms folded. “And completely compatible in their chaos.”
“I honestly thought... if she had a boyfriend, it’d be some super-serious upperclassman, or like, some ex-assassin her parents hired.”
“That,” Maomao said, turning to leave, “is way more her type.”
As they walked away from the ridge, Maomao added more softly, “She’ll tell us when she’s ready. This matters to her.”
Xiaolan nodded, glancing back one last time at the now-distant couple — who were already running again, crashing through the trees, shouting about moss beetles and score sheets and bug reports.
The hill echoed with laughter.