Gakushuu strides confidently across the school yard. He's back in lessons, back in top form, dominating the leaderboards, leading A-Class...

... Spending time with his friends, enjoying the way the sunlight falls onto the ground, the firm ground...

... And still feeling alone.

But it doesn't matter. He has reconstructed his shields from the tatters they have become, unsteadily wobbling in front of his face and mind. His class is overjoyed, his friends (the masterminds) ecstatic. All except Ren that is.

Ren's gaze always pierces through the hole in his defences so perfectly, he is almost sure his friend is psychic. But then he dismisses it, after all such things don't exist.

But neither do flying yellow octupi whose faces change colour and teach maths on a mountain... He has to bite back a laugh. What's wrong with him?

Everything, apparently.