CHANGE -「Last Embryo」

Epilogue

The day has arrived to enter class.

It was not a surprise that we would attract the attention of the students.

We were the new students who entered the Seiren Private Academy.

A prestigious academy to start with.

As we walked through the halls, I could tell they were afraid of me,

A different situation from those of Juliet and Ai.

They had a look of admiration and envy for their beauties.

It was something that could be seen coming for them.

Walking for several minutes, we arrived at our classroom.

» ━━━━━━ « ♔ » ━━━━━━ «

Yuki's eyes showed her obvious surprise.

I knew they were going to enter today, but I didn't know about the beautiful girl with purple hair and eyes who entered with them.

"I am Senji Muramasa."

"Julie Sigtuna."

They bowed with a short, punchy introduction of their name and nothing else.

"Hello, my name is Ai Hoshino! I'll be happy to make friends!"

That girl's vibe was friendlier and more open, different from the drab Senji and Julie were.

The teacher instructed her to take seats at the empty desks at the back.

Senji ended up sitting in the middle of the two of them.

Julie on his right and Ai on his left.

"Okay, we started history class."

» ━━━━━━ « ♔ » ━━━━━━ «

Ding, Dang, Dong.

Senji got up from his seat first, followed by Julie. Ai went her own way once making some friends and leaving in a group of 6 girls.

"Where will we go?" asked Julie, following Senji aside.

"We'll look for Homura and Suzuka."

Julie nodded.

Climbing the stairs to the next floor, they were lucky enough to meet a teenager with golden hair and violet eyes.

"Homura."

Senji greeted the teenager with his name.

"Senji." Homura approached them. "I'm happy to see you here, have you done well, Julie?"

"Yes, how is Suzuka?"

"She's doing well, and a little excited to have won the position of Student Committee President."

"I understand."

"You haven't changed much, haha." Homura let out a slight laugh at Julie's blank stare. "If you go looking for Suzuka, she is in the other building. They should go down to the main floor and walk straight in this direction. You will find the path that will take you to the next building as they are connected."

Homura said goodbye to them.

They walked to the main floor and went to the direction that Homura indicated, reaching the end of the road they saw how Homura had said it, it was connected by another extended path to the next building.

There are some teachers or students walking through this place to get to the downtown building.

Entering the building, they saw the modern interior with classic touches of the building.

They continued walking to go upstairs and look for the student committee's office.

Arriving at the place indicated by the sign above the wooden door, they knocked softly.

"They can come in."

They heard the voice of a boy on the other side of the door. Entering the office, they saw the students who made up the student committee.

The desk located in the center near the windows was the girl they were looking for.

"Senji! Julie-chan! It's been a long time since I saw them, I ended up missing them a lot!"

Her beautifully manicured brown hair is pulled back into a left side ponytail by a yellow bun with red dots. He swayed back and forth from the hurried movement to get to Senji and Julie.

"What do you say Suzuka, we saw each other 1 months ago. And you saw Julie 2 weeks ago, so it wasn't long since we've seen each other." Senji was mocking Suzuka.

"The situation was very different, Senji-baka! One locked up and Julie hard working for the clan! We used to go out in groups to have fun and travel to different places in Japan thanks to you! But everything changed that day!"

Senji shrugged.

"I guess you're right." A smile came to Senji. "How about this weekend if we travel to Okinawa."

"I'll be happy to go! I will take Ayato with us as always!"

"Haha, you really shouldn't force her to do things she doesn't want to do."

"Hmph! She's my property!" a pout appeared in Suzuka.

"It will be in your imagination that she is your property." Senji bowed his head with a slight laugh.

"Hmph. Stupid Senji and Homura-nii." I claim with a childish expression of anger.

"Anyway, I have a lot of work to do as president of the Student Committee," Suzuka sighed, regaining her composure. "But don't worry, I'll find time to talk later!"

Senji nodded, watching as Suzuka returned to her desk with renewed energy. Despite his position and responsibilities, he had not lost his contagious joy.

"It sounds like she's busier than I thought," Julie said.

"That's what happens when you take on an important position," Senji said. "But I'm sure he'll handle it well."

"Shall we stay or let her work?" Julie asked, glancing at her sideways as she frantically arranged papers.

"We'd better let her work. We have things to do too," Senji replied.

Suzuka looked up, as if she had overheard the conversation, and gave them a quick smile.

"See you later!" he told them, as he continued to review documents. "I promise we'll have fun in Okinawa over the weekend."

Senji and Julie left the office, leaving her to focus on her duties. As they descended the stairs, the bustle of the academy became more apparent. The day was just beginning, and although the school routine was not particularly exciting for them, Senji knew that this façade of normalcy was necessary.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Julie.

"Maybe we'll explore academia a little bit more. I want to see what this place is like before the days get monotonous." Senji said, cracking a slight smile.

Julie just nodded, not showing much interest. They walked silently through the halls, watching the other students as they tried to adjust to their new life.

As they walked through the academy, Senji and Julie passed several windows overlooking the sports fields. The students were immersed in their activities: soccer, basketball, tennis and baseball, each in their own space. Senji paused for a moment, watching the equipment in action.

"How about we play for a while?" asked Senji, with a slight smile.

Julie glanced at him sideways, seemingly indifferent, but with a faint twinkle in her eye that showed her interest.

"Okay," he replied in his neutral tone.

Both went to the soccer field. Senji was the first to approach the students, who looked at them with curiosity and some suspicion upon noticing his presence.

"Can we unite?" asked Senji.

The players nodded without much confidence, but they did not refuse. As soon as the match started, Senji and Julie showed amazing physical ability. Senji controlled the ball with precision, dodging defenders with agility, while Julie, with her expressionless face, controlled each pass with impeccable accuracy. In a few minutes, both achieved several plays that ended in goals, leaving the other students impressed by their skill.

"They are good..." muttered one of the players, almost not believing his eyes.

After a while, they left the football field to try their luck on the basketball court. Again, the physical ability of both stood out. Senji dunked effortlessly, while Julie, while not as involved in expression, dunked with a precision that rivaled the best players. Every time he threw the ball, the trajectory was flawless, and the students watching from the bench couldn't help but exchange looks of amazement.

They passed through the tennis courts, where the speed of their movements made the matches almost a spectacle. The rackets buzzed in the air with each shot, and the coordination between the two was such that they won each set without difficulty. Julie, her face calm, moved gracefully, while Senji kept smiling, enjoying the time together.

"I think we had a lot of fun for today," Senji said, stretching after the final tennis shot.

Julie nodded, following Senji to the side.

Senji and Julie continued their walk through the grounds of the academy, enjoying the tranquility and atmosphere that the place offered. As they passed by a series of trees, they came to an area overlooking a large swimming pool. From there, they could see several students dressed in full-body swimsuits, lined up at the water's edge. The sound of the whistle echoed through the air, marking the start of a swimming competition.

The students jumped into the water in a coordinated manner, showing off their skills as they glided quickly across the surface. The atmosphere was competitive, but at the same time relaxed, as if the pool was a place where they could challenge each other without the pressure of being the best.

Senji paused for a moment, watching the scene with interest. His eyes fell on the swimmers, and a slight smile appeared on his face.

"It looks like they're having fun," he said, crossing his arms as he watched the students compete in the different races.

Julie, on the other hand, did not show the same enthusiasm. Although she wasn't completely disinterested, her eyes wandered around the pool without focusing too much on the details. Maintaining his typical neutral expression, he simply nodded.

"It doesn't appeal to me much," Julie replied, not taking her eyes off the students.

Senji noticed his companion's indifference and, without insisting, decided to leave it at that. Julie had always been reserved when it came to activities like this, and he had no intention of making her feel uncomfortable. She knew that if she wasn't interested in something, it was better not to pressure her.

"You don't have to participate if you don't feel like it," Senji said with a slight smile. "I will enjoy the pool for a moment."

Julie nodded, but stood to the side, watching as Senji made his way to the locker room. The students were still immersed in their competition, not noticing Senji's presence right away. However, once he entered the locker room and began to change, attention shifted to him.

When he took off his shirt, the boys in the locker room couldn't help but notice his physique. He was not a massive bodybuilder, but his body was clearly worked: defined muscles, a firm abdomen, well-shaped arms and legs, the product of years of training. The atmosphere in the dressing room was filled with whispers and looks of amazement.

However, when Senji turned around, the atmosphere changed completely. On his back was an imposing tattoo of an Oni, with large raised horns and a terrifying expression. His fierce face featured a crooked smile, showing sharp teeth and two large fangs at the corners, while his eyes shone with an evil aura. The intricate details of the black and white design accentuated the ferocity of the demon, making it seem almost alive. Although the tattoo didn't cover his entire back, his presence and detail were enough to grab everyone's attention. The boys exchanged nervous glances, and many came to the same conclusion: Senji must be related to the yakuza.

Without worrying about the stares, Senji finished changing and went out to the edge of the pool. The students in the pool, seeing him, kept a brief silence, impressed by his presence. Senji ignored the gazes and jumped into the water with a perfect plunge, breaking the tension of the moment. His ability to swim was evident, each stroke firm and efficient, gliding through the water with surprising speed.

From the edge of the pool, Julie watched him, maintaining her usual composure. Although she had decided not to participate, she was attentive to Senji's every move, with the same calmness that always accompanied her.

After several laps in the pool, Senji came out of the water, taking a deep breath. He walked toward Julie, shaking the excess water out of her hair.

"It's been a good while," Senji said, with a smile.

Julie looked at him with her usual neutral expression and just nodded.

"You've done well," he remarked, in his monotonous tone.

Senji smiled slightly at the comment and, heading back to the locker room to change.

[Okinawa]

The sea breeze caressed Senji's skin as he settled into a comfortable wooden chair on the terrace of the beachfront venue. It was a sunny day in Okinawa, and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore created an atmosphere of relaxation that contrasted with the usual bustle of her life. From her place, she watched her friends enjoy the sea: Julie lay stoically on a float, letting herself be carried away by the gentle waves, while Ai pushed her with laughter, trying to make her move more.

A few feet away, Suzuka and Homura were having fun playing with a ball, throwing it between them while Ayato joined in on the fun. The laughter of his friends echoed in the air, and Senji couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. That image of happiness, far from the problems that always haunted them, was just what they needed.

However, his moment of peace was interrupted when a notification vibrated on his phone, which rested on the wooden table next to him. Intrigued, he reached out and unlocked the screen.

As he opened the email, his brow furrowed as he read the name at the end of the message: Shiroyasha. The message was clear, meet with her in Italy and give the place of the meeting. The smile that had lit up his face vanished instantly.

"Great..." he muttered, feeling annoyed at what Shiroyasha wanted for them to meet in person.

With a deep sigh, he took a swig of his drink, trying to wash away the annoyance that began to grow when they traveled to Okinawa for fun.

He turned his gaze to Julie, who was still on her float, enjoying the tranquility of the water. A small smile fell on his lips as he thought about how much those moments meant. He wouldn't let anything ruin his time here.

"Today is to enjoy," he said to himself, trying to put his worries aside, at least for a while longer.

[Italy]

The sun was shining brightly in the small Italian town, filling the streets with a welcoming warmth. Senji Muramasa, dressed in a white linen shirt and dark pants, enjoyed a stroll in the main square, savoring the tranquility that the place offered him. He had forgotten for a moment about Shiroyasha's mail and was swept away by the vibrant atmosphere of Italy.

However, the calm was suddenly interrupted. The clouds darkened, and a torrential rain began to fall, leaving tourists and locals quickly seeking shelter. Senji, surprised by the drastic change in the weather, hurried to find a covered spot. As he ran, his attention drifted to the chaos around him.

Tōka Takanashi, on the other hand, had taken a day off from his job as a chef at the restaurant "Ristorante Aroma". She had decided to go out alone to enjoy the beauty of Italy, but like Senji, the rain took her by surprise. The young woman, with her long black hair and her distinctive choker, tried to take shelter under a small awning, but the rain cornered her.

In the midst of the confusion, Tōka did not notice the direction in which he was running. While trying to dodge a puddle, he lost his balance and found himself about to fall.

Senji, seeing the situation, reacted quickly. With a nimble motion, he held her before her body touched the ground.

"Thank you very much," Tōka said, with a mixture of relief and surprise.

"It's nothing," Senji replied, letting go gently.

With that, he turned around and began to run, leaving Tōka somewhat confused by the brevity of the encounter. The falling rain forced her to remember why she was looking for shelter.

As he scrambled to find a dry spot, he couldn't help but think of the stranger he'd met in the middle of the storm.

As the rain continued its sudden dance, in another corner of the city, Senji ran toward his destination. The rain soaked him, but his mind could not stop thinking about the meeting that awaited him with Shiroyasha.

The Hotel Imperiale stood in front of him, its lavish façade contrasting with the storm. After shaking the water from his clothes a little, he entered the hall, where the warmth and soft murmur of conversations offered him a respite.

With the key in hand, he went to the elevator that quickly took him to the third floor. On his way out, he made his way to the room he had been assigned, his mind focused on what Shiroyasha had to discuss. Opening the door, he was greeted by the expectant gaze of the woman who had summoned his presence.

"Senji," Shiroyasha said, his tone direct, but in a playful voice. "Thank you for coming."

He nodded, feeling the weight of what was coming. The storm outside rumbled, as if the world itself was preparing to listen to the conversation that was about to unfold.

"Come on," she said, inviting him in. "We have a lot to talk about."