The group entered the noodle spot, an old-school joint with lanterns hanging outside and the scent of rich broth and fresh noodles wafting through the air. As soon as they sat down, the server came over with bowls of steaming ramen, and everyone eagerly dug into their meals. Ay, starving from the long journey, could barely stop himself from devouring his entire bowl in record time.

As they ate, Ay looked over at Aoto, eyeing the group. There was definitely some kind of vibe going on between him and the girls—especially Matie, who kept glancing shyly at him between sips of her broth. Kay and Rika seemed just as close, but something felt... different. Not being one to hold back, Ay decided to throw out the question that had been on his mind.

"So," Ay said, putting down his chopsticks and leaning back. "Aoto... are you, uh, dating one of these girls?"

There was a split second of silence before Aoto suddenly spit-taked his meal all over the table, noodles flying everywhere.

"WHAT?!" Aoto choked, desperately trying to recover as he wiped broth off his face. "Wha—no! I—what the hell, man?!"

The question hung in the air like a bomb. Rika, true to form, was about to say "Yes, of course!" with a huge smirk on her face, but before the words could leave her mouth, Kay had her in a chokehold, practically dragging her off her seat.

"Shut the hell up, Rika!" Kay hissed, glaring at her. "Don't say anything!"

Rika, struggling and wheezing in the grip of Kay, managed to give Ay a thumbs up as if to confirm that, yes, there was something going on—even if it wasn't official. But Kay tightened her grip, making sure she wouldn't speak another word.

Meanwhile, Matie was sitting next to Aoto, her face practically glowing red. She wasn't saying anything, but her full-face blush, combined with the weird, cute noises she was making, said everything. Every now and then, a tiny squeak would escape her, and she couldn't make eye contact with Aoto without turning an even deeper shade of red.

Ay, realizing the absolute chaos he had just unleashed, leaned back awkwardly, his eyes wide. "Oh... shit. I, uh... I probably shouldn't have said that, huh?"

Aoto, still recovering from his spit-take, looked at him, his face a mixture of disbelief and panic. "Dude. What the hell. Do you have any idea what you just started?"

Ay raised his hands in defense. "Hey, man, it was an honest question! You guys were giving off some serious vibes."

Matie made another squeaking sound and buried her face in her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment. Kay finally let go of Rika, who was coughing and laughing at the same time, clearly enjoying the drama.

"Yeah," Rika wheezed, grinning despite the chokehold she'd just been released from. "You hit a nerve there, Ay."

Aoto, glaring at Rika, muttered, "Shut up, Rika. You're not helping."

Matie, still red-faced, finally managed to speak, though it came out in stammered bursts. "N-no, we're not d-d-dating, I-I mean, we're just f-friends, and it's, uh... it's complicated..."

Kay, crossing her arms, sighed. "This is why we don't talk about this stuff in front of new people. Now look what you did, Ay."

Ay, shaking his head, chuckled nervously. "My bad, my bad. No hard feelings, right?"

But even as the chaos died down, Ay could tell there was definitely something simmering beneath the surface between Aoto and the girls—especially with how red Matie still was, and how Kay kept throwing suspicious glances between Aoto and Rika.

Still, as the group settled back into their meal, the tension slowly faded, and the conversation returned to normal. Aoto, now more cautious about what he said, made sure to steer the topic toward something safe—like school and the upcoming semester.

But Ay, with a grin on his face, couldn't help but think: Man, these guys are wild. I'm definitely gonna have to keep stirring the pot.

As they finished their meals and left the noodle spot, Ay knew one thing for sure—CherryWood Academy was going to be more than just a school. It was going to be a ride.

The group made their way toward the apartment complex where Ay would be staying. As they approached, Aoto realized it was the same building he lived in, except Ay would be on the floor above him. The thought of having someone familiar living nearby was comforting. But, what happened next shocked him even more.

Instead of walking to the entrance like a normal person, Ay smirked and gave a knowing glance to the group before casually launching himself into the air—his Como ability kicking in as he effortlessly leaped 100 feet straight up. He landed on the balcony of his new apartment, barely breaking a sweat.

Aoto blinked a few times, trying to process what he had just seen. He turned slowly toward Kay and Rika, who had both been suspiciously quiet during the entire ascent.

Both girls stared back at him, guilt clearly written on their faces. It didn't take long for the realization to hit Aoto—this was how those two always broke into his apartment through the window.

Kay shrugged, not even bothering to hide it anymore. "Well... now you know."

Rika, grinning like she always did when caught red-handed, giggled. "Hey, it's not like we were doing anything that bad. Just checking in on you... through your window... uninvited."

Aoto's eye twitched. "So, all those times—jumping in through my window—you were using your Como abilities?"

Rika winks. "You make it sound worse than it is."

Before Aoto could respond, Matie, who had been watching all this with a raised brow, finally chimed in. "You two bitches can be annoying or a fucking dumbass. I swear."

Kay crossed her arms, looking mildly offended. "Hey, it's not our fault we have these abilities and Aoto's window was... convenient."

Aoto sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Convenient for you, maybe. Not for me."

Ay, now standing casually on his balcony above, leaned over the railing, grinning down at the group. "Y'all talking about me already?"

Aoto looked up at him. "More like the fact that you just solved a months-long mystery about how these two kept sneaking into my apartment."

Ay chuckled, clearly amused by the whole situation. "Well, consider me your friendly upstairs neighbor. If they ever give you trouble again, just give me a shout."

Kay snorted, half-jokingly. "Oh, like you're gonna stop us."

Rika smirked. "Yeah, good luck with that."

Aoto rolled his eyes. "I'm surrounded by maniacs."

As the group shared a laugh, it was clear that Ay's arrival was already shaking things up in all the right ways. With his easygoing nature and natural charisma, he fit right in with the chaos that surrounded CherryWood Academy. And despite the madness, there was a growing sense of camaraderie between them all.

Matie, shaking her head at the antics, muttered under her breath. "I swear, I'm the only sane one here."

But even she couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips.

As they prepared to head inside, Aoto sighed once more, resigned to the fact that his peaceful days at the apartment were officially over. Between Ay's high-flying abilities and the constant antics of Kay and Rika, he realized he'd better start locking his window more often... or get used to the company.

Either way, it was going to be one wild ride from here on out.

Aoto slowly stirred awake the next morning, feeling something soft but firm pressing against him. His eyes were still half-closed, and in his groggy state, he tried to make sense of what he was feeling. He heard a soft moan from nearby, which instantly jolted him fully awake.

He opened his eyes completely and froze. Matie—naked—was lying on top of him, her head resting against his chest.

Aoto's heart immediately started racing as he processed the situation.

What the hell?!

He quickly racked his brain, trying to remember how this happened. Last night, he had let Matie stay over—she'd asked for a place to crash, and being the nice guy he was, he didn't mind. But that was supposed to be the couch, not his bed. And why in the world was she naked?!

Matie stirred, blinking a few times as she slowly came to. She mumbled sleepily, clearly not fully awake yet. "Sorry... I sleep nude..."

And just like that, she closed her eyes again and snuggled closer into Aoto, her arms wrapping around him like a pillow.

Aoto, lying there in shock, tried to control the thousand thoughts racing through his mind. His cheeks burned red as he tried not to think about the fact that Matie was completely nude, and very much pressed against him. He was paralyzed with confusion.

"M-Matie... um..." Aoto stammered, unsure how to proceed.

Suddenly, Matie's eyes shot open, fully realizing where she was.

She froze, her face turning bright red as her brain caught up with her surroundings. Her gaze darted from Aoto to her own very unclothed body, and then back to Aoto, who was clearly panicking as much as she was.

"OH MY GOD!" Matie shrieked, scrambling off of Aoto and pulling the blankets around herself in an attempt to cover up.

Aoto sat up, holding up his hands in defense. "I swear, I didn't do anything! I woke up, and... and... well, you were just—uh, there!" His face was a deep shade of red, and his eyes darted away from Matie, trying to give her privacy.

Matie, flustered and embarrassed beyond words, sat there wrapped in the blanket, her face buried in her hands. "I-I'm so sorry, Aoto! I really do sleep naked! I didn't mean to—I thought I was on the couch, not... not... oh god."

The two of them sat in awkward silence for a moment, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. Aoto was still processing the entire thing, his brain short-circuiting, while Matie looked like she wanted to disappear entirely.

Aoto finally broke the silence, still avoiding eye contact. "Um... maybe we should, uh... just forget this happened?"

Matie, still bright red, nodded quickly. "Yes! Forget it happened. Absolutely. I'll... I'll go get dressed now."

Without another word, Matie practically ran out of the room, dragging the blanket with her for cover.

As soon as she left, Aoto let out a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. He still couldn't believe what had just happened. His heart was racing, and it felt like his face was on fire from embarrassment.

"I have the strangest mornings..." Aoto muttered to himself, lying back on the bed. He stared at the ceiling, trying to calm down and process everything.

After a few minutes, Matie reappeared, now fully dressed and still looking incredibly awkward. She stood by the door, fidgeting with her hands.

"Aoto... I'm really sorry about that," Matie apologized again, her voice quiet.

Aoto sat up, offering her a small smile. "It's okay, Matie. Honest mistake. Just, uh... maybe next time, stick to the couch?"

Matie chuckled nervously. "Yeah... definitely the couch next time." The two sat in silence, until Matie asked, "What you thought?"

The room was filled with a heavy, awkward silence after Matie's question. Aoto sat there, his face burning red and his mind racing as he tried to process what she had just asked. He had been mid-sip of his coffee when she dropped the question, and he barely managed to spit it back into the cup without making a mess.

"WHAT IN THE HELLS?!" he sputtered, staring at her with wide eyes.

Matie, however, didn't seem the least bit fazed by his reaction. She continued, her voice calm but with an unmistakable hint of curiosity. "I said... what do you think of my body?" Her tone was more matter-of-fact than seductive, but it didn't help Aoto's case. "Are you not into 7'7" tall, muscular, short-haired, massive-tits, Giant/Warrior Class hybrid girls?"

Aoto's mind went completely blank. He had no idea how to respond to that. His heart was pounding in his chest as he struggled to find words, any words, but all that came out was incoherent stammering.

"I-I... uh... well... you... Matie, I—" Aoto stuttered, desperately trying to form a coherent sentence, but nothing was working. His brain was short-circuiting from the sheer boldness of her question.

Matie leaned back slightly, crossing her arms and tilting her head, waiting patiently for him to answer. She wasn't shy or embarrassed about the question; she was genuinely curious about his opinion.

"Look," Matie said, her green eyes studying him carefully, "I'm not oblivious. I know how I look. And I know you were... well... looking at me earlier." She smirked slightly, her confidence growing. "So I'm asking. What do you think?"

Aoto, still bright red, cleared his throat and finally managed to squeak out something resembling an answer. "I-I mean... you're—uh, you're... really... attractive," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Matie raised an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with his vague response. "Attractive? Come on, you can do better than that, Aoto."

Aoto blinked, realizing there was no way out of this. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "Okay, fine. You're... beautiful, Matie. And yeah, your body is... amazing. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little... uh, distracted earlier." He cringed slightly, feeling incredibly awkward but also relieved to get the words out.

Matie's smirk turned into a genuine smile, her cheeks slightly flushed now, but nowhere near as embarrassed as Aoto. "There. Was that so hard?"

Aoto let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck. "Honestly? Yes. Yes, it was."

Matie chuckled softly, the tension in the room finally starting to ease. "You know, I appreciate the honesty, Aoto. It's just... sometimes I wonder if guys get intimidated by me because of how I look. You know, being a Giant/Warrior Class hybrid and all."

Aoto nodded, finally feeling like he could breathe again. "I mean, sure, it's a little intimidating at first. You're... well, you're strong and tall and... yeah, but that's also what makes you... unique. It's not a bad thing."

Matie's smile softened, and she seemed genuinely touched by his words. "Thanks, Aoto. That actually means a lot."

The two sat in a much more comfortable silence now, the earlier awkwardness slowly fading away. Aoto still felt like his heart was racing, but he was relieved that the conversation had taken a more serious and genuine turn.

Matie leaned forward slightly, her expression thoughtful. "So... we're good, right? No more awkwardness?"

Aoto chuckled, finally able to relax a little. "Yeah, we're good. No more awkwardness."

Matie grinned, giving him a playful punch on the arm. "Good. Now, how about we go get some breakfast before things get even weirder around here?"

Aoto laughed, standing up and grabbing his jacket. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan."

As they headed out the bedroom, Aoto couldn't help but think that despite how insane things had gotten, there was something about Matie's boldness and honesty that made everything feel just a little more... real.