Disclaimer: I don't own Nan Hao & Shang Feng or Type-Moon content.
Having finished his first year at Homurahara Academy, Shirou could say it had been an eventful time both in and out of school. He'd met new friends, joined the archery club, and even gotten a part-time job. Gently rolling his now-healed shoulder, he lamented his short-lived stint with the archery club. But he didn't dwell on it for long, distracted by the sight of his caretaker fidgeting like an over-caffeinated child.
"Stop moving, Fuji-nee. You're making a scene," he said, casting a sideways glance while holding up a sign for the arriving passengers. People streamed past, a few casting amused glances their way.
"I can't help it, Shirou!" Taiga shot back, her eyes narrowing at the arrivals gate as she tapped her foot incessantly. "We've been waiting here for forever!" she whined, crossing her arms with a dramatic huff.
"We've been here for ten minutes," Shirou deadpanned, wondering—not for the first time—if patience was an entirely foreign concept to her. "They'll be out any moment now."
"That's what you said five minutes ago!" Taiga countered, throwing her arms up in exasperation.
"Maybe if someone hadn't forgotten to set her alarm, we could've arrived later and skipped the wait entirely," Shirou muttered under his breath, earning a sharp look from his guardian.
Taiga sniffed indignantly. "It wasn't my fault! That alarm clock is defective. Besides, this is important! These students are our guests, and it's my job as a responsible adult to make sure everything goes smoothly."
"Responsible…" Shirou repeated, his tone flat, before shaking his head. "Says the one who wouldn't stop bugging us about it even though I signed for this before you knew about it."
"Because it's good for you!" Taiga said triumphantly, pointing a finger at him like she'd just declared some grand truth. "Homurahara's exchange program is a great opportunity. Students from China coming here to study means you can make new friends, learn about another culture, and—" she paused, her expression softening slightly. "—you'll be less lonely with more people around."
Shirou blinked at her, momentarily caught off guard. "…My house is big enough, I guess." He admitted, scratching the back of his head.
"Exactly! And besides, these kids need someone responsible to help them settle in and learn their way around the city."
Shirou gave her a skeptical look. "Just to be clear, the responsible person you're talking about is me, right?" He asked, somewhat worried
"What? No! it's definitely me!" Taiga said with a grin, completely unbothered.
Shirou sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought back to their chaotic arrival. Taiga's reckless driving had been a close call—dodging a construction site's fresh cement and a cyclist who treated traffic laws like polite suggestions was more stress than he needed. Still, they'd made it on time, if only barely.
As the gate buzzed with activity and passengers began to file out, Taiga suddenly perked up, scanning the faces eagerly. "There! That's them!" she exclaimed, pointing like she'd spotted celebrities.
"Great," Shirou muttered, adjusting his grip on the sign. "Let's try not to scare them off before they even leave the terminal."
"Excuse me."
A voice called out, drawing Shirou's attention as two boys his age approached. The one in front, a brown-haired teen, carried himself with a surprising air of confidence, his steps measured yet energetic. His tie fluttered wildly as if caught in a gust of wind—despite the stagnant air inside the terminal. Hands in his pockets and eyes fixed on Shirou and Taiga, his intensity was palpable. That said, it was difficult to take his stoic demeanor entirely seriously, not with the airplane-shaped hat perched on his head and the bright yellow Pikachu-themed earphones dangling from his neck.
"Are you Emiya Shirou?" he asked, pulling down his sunglasses with a theatrical flair.
"I am. You must be Nan Hao and Shang Feng," Shirou replied, lowering the sign with their names on it. His eyes lingered for a moment on the surprisingly flashy badges they displayed—complete with the term CEO emblazoned on what were ostensibly student IDs. He chose not to question it and extended his hand in greeting.
"Yes, we must," the boy confirmed with a solemn nod. "I am Shang Feng, and this is Nan Hao." He gestured to his companion before gripping Shirou's hand with enthusiasm and clapping his shoulder. "It's nice to meet you, Brother Emiya."
"Hello, Brother Emiya," Nan Hao echoed, offering the same handshake and shoulder pat before stepping back with a nod. "Since we'll be living in the same house, you're now family to us."
Their sincerity, delivered with unflinching solemnity, left Shirou momentarily speechless.
"Thank you for your kind words. I will be in your care, Nan-sa—"
"Brother Hao," Nan Hao interrupted, his frown sharp enough to cut. Arms crossed, he stared at Shirou with disapproval.
"Brother Feng," Shang Feng added, his expression no less judgmental.
Shirou sighed, relenting. "…Brother Hao, Brother Feng. Welcome to Japan."
He glanced at Taiga, hoping for some assistance, only to see her snapping pictures of the scene with a mischievous grin plastered across her face. Suppressing another sigh, Shirou gestured toward her. "This is Fujimura Taiga, my guardian and an English teacher at Homurahara Academy." He said, ignoring the cheshire grin on his guardian's face.
The moment Shirou introduced her, Nan Hao and Shang Feng straightened like soldiers, bowing deeply.
"Subject Nan Hao greets the Queen of the household," Nan Hao declared, clasping his hands and bowing his head.
"Subject Shang Feng greets the Queen…" Shang Feng began but paused as his gaze landed on Taiga. His blank expression flickered ever so slightly before returning to its default seriousness. "It's a pleasure to meet you, beautiful Queen."
Shirou's jaw dropped as Taiga's face flushed bright red in an instant. For a moment, he worried she might faint.
"T-Thank you for the c-compliment," Taiga stammered, clearing her throat repeatedly as she struggled to regain her composure. Once the initial shock passed, she quickly recovered, beaming with pride as she crossed her arms. "It's good to see my new students are such gentlemen. Make sure to stay diligent!"
"As you command, my Queen." the boys responded in unison, their stoic expressions unshaken despite the odd looks from passersby.
Shirou couldn't help but marvel at their unyielding confidence. Even he was starting to feel self-conscious under the crowd's gaze.
"Anyway, with you two here, we just need to wait for the other two students." Shirou said, switching his sign for the next pair's names and stepping away from the awkward scene.
Shirou's words immediately drew the pair's attention, as they put their tribute on hold and turned to their new brother. "Really? They're probably from our class in that case." Shang Feng noted, rubbing his chin as he glanced around for any familiar faces.
"Actually, I was informed one of them will be a classmate of ours, while the other will be our senior." Shirou clarified, trying his best to keep the sign visible through the crowded area. Luckily, he didn't have to wait long as two girls approached him when they spotted his sign. "Here they are." He said, assessing the two with a welcoming smile.
They were clearly sisters, given their striking resemblance. Their attire was noticeably less flashy than the two beside him, confirming Shirou's initial suspicion of the boys' eccentric tastes. They also wore their badges, so it was easier to confirm their identity pretty quickly. The shorter girl took the lead, walking up to them with a stalwart gaze and their luggage in hand while her sister was immersed in her drawing book, her pen moving rather swiftly.
Shirou honestly thought things would be much smoother with them than their peers, until the sisters stopped, having finally noticed Nan Hao and Shang Feng's presence. The taller of the two appeared to observe him for a moment, her gentle gaze switching between the three of them before she began to scribble on her notebook.
Shang Feng stepped up to the shorter girl, looking down on her silently before his lips quirked up. "It's been a while, president. You've aged." He said, crossing his arms.
"We are traveling together, moron." She replied, her gaze growing frigid. "Don't make an embarrassment of yourself on the first day." She warned him, looking rather unimpressed by Feng's display.
"Sticks and stones, prez." Shang Feng replied, heedless of his senior's veiled threat. He looked down on her even more, choosing defiance without hesitation despite the fearsome look he received.
"Describing your food?" The young lady asked, the tension between the two of them growing in intensity. She set aside the luggage, cracking her knuckles and neck. There is a certain intimidating aura oozing from her form in waves, making even the pair welcoming them anxious.
Noticing the nervous looks on Shirou and Taiga' faces, Nan Hao adjusted his glasses and gestured to the duo. "Here we see Shang Feng and the President of our school's Student Council in their natural habitat; bickering. Science has yet to explain the reason for this phenomenon, but it's harmless most of the time." He explained, even as his friend continued to provoke the stoic girl.
With narrowed eyes, the short lady's features softened and the fearsome glint receded from her eyes. She shook her head and turned to Shirou. "Hello, sir Emiya. My name is Bai Yuzhao, and this is my younger sister, Bai Yanli." She said, while her sister waved at Shirou. "We will be in your care this school year."
"It's nice to meet you two. Welcome to Japan." Shirou said, setting aside his sign and shook her hand. He flinched, feeling his hand squeezed unbearably tight in Yuzhao's grip. He could feel the calluses on her palm and fingers, her unexpected strength leaving him lightly flexing his fingers. He gestured to Taiga, but his guardian shoved him aside in her excitement to greet the two young ladies.
"Hello! I'm Fujimura Taiga, Shirou's guardian!" Taiga said, shaking Yuzhao's hand with a big smile on her face as she excitedly looked at the two sisters. "You got a strong grip! A martial artist?" She noted, eyes sparkling when the short girl nodded. She flashed Yanli a grin, before she and Shirou led them to the car.
Shirou took his seat at the front next to Taiga, deciding to spare any of them the traumatizing experience of his caretaker's disastrous attempt at driving. "Everybody ready?" He asked, receiving their nods in response. A part of him wanted to warn them of the impending brush with death, but ultimately decided against it with the hope that maybe, just maybe, Taiga would drive like a normal human being on the way back.
After all, she was the one grilling him the entire day about the importance of upholding Japan's dignity and grace as first-time hosts.
"Hey, is it just me, or do you also have a bad feeling about this?" Shang Feng subtly whispered to his peers. He couldn't put his feelings into words, but he kept getting the eerie sensation he should be bracing for some imminent danger. It was like…the day he tried to flick Nan Hao's ear and almost got punched in the family jewels.
Poor teacher Liu. He was the unfortunate victim from who they learned not to test Nan Hao's fight or flight response.
"I think you're right. It's like boss music is playing in the background." Nan Hao agreed, watching their surroundings with a critical eye. He couldn't figure out the source of their unease, shrugging as he plugged in his headphones. "It doesn't matter, we'll overcome it easily. This is just the first hurdle on our journey, so it can't be that bad." He added somberly, bumping Shang Feng's fist before they buckled their seatbelts with determination.
The Bai sisters stared at the embarrassing display with practiced stoicism, already used to the two meatheads' behavior. Yanli chuckled, eyes alight with inspiration as she drew while her sister did her best to ignore the two boys' existence.
"Hang on to your butts! Let's go home!" Taiga's shout was the only warning their new guests received before she kicked into gear, speeding out of the parking lot in a blink. The youngsters seated in the car held on to their seats, watching as the scenery out the window, and possibly their lives, flashed before their eyes.
It was safe to say, Japan's dignity and traffic rules took on a radically different look in the eyes of the four students.
Note to self: Taiga must never drive anything other than her Vespa. Ever.
Shirou clung to the thought like a lifeline as he stepped out of the tin can masquerading as a vehicle. His stomach churned, but a few deep breaths of fresh air helped him push back the nausea. Relief flooded through him—at least the ordeal was over.
His guests, however, seemed completely unfazed, a fact Shirou found both baffling and mildly irritating. His gaze landed on Bai Yanli, who was calmly putting the finishing touches on a stunning drawing she had made during the ride. The level of detail—capturing each passenger's likeness despite the turbulence caused by Taiga's reckless driving—bordered on superhuman.
"So this is how the Japanese drive. How admirable." Nan Hao said, his tone filled with genuine respect as he flashed Taiga a thumbs up.
Shirou winced inwardly as Taiga's face lit up with pride, her smug grin practically glowing as she rubbed her nose. He could already tell she'd be insufferable about this for weeks.
"We've been like frogs in a well, unaware of the vastness of the sky." Shang Feng added, nodding solemnly. "Now, we've seen a true master."
'Making a lot of assumptions here.' Shirou shook his head and turned his focus to unloading the bags, leaving the duo to their exaggerated reverence.
The front door slid open, revealing a smiling Sakura Matou. "Welcome home, Miss Fujimura, Senpai." She greeted warmly, stepping aside to let the group in. A tantalizing aroma wafted from inside, instantly capturing Taiga's attention. Without a word, the proud teacher followed the scent like a moth to a flame, leaving Shirou and the others to bring in the luggage.
"Thank you, Sakura." Shirou replied, giving her a grateful nod. He turned to his new housemates, gesturing toward the kind underclassman. "This is Sakura Matou. She's the younger sister of a friend of mine and our junior."
Sakura bowed politely as introductions were exchanged. "You must be hungry. Lunch is almost ready." she said with a warm smile, motioning them inside before hurrying back to the kitchen.
Shirou led the group through the house, showing each student their assigned room. By some miracle, Taiga managed to exercise restraint for once, holding off from ransacking the meal until everyone had gathered at the table.
Lunch was a brief but satisfying affair. A hearty serving of meat and potato stew accompanied by natto gohan filled the table. Yuzhao seemed particularly fond of the rice, a faint smile gracing her otherwise composed demeanor. Her friends, on the other hand, displayed their appreciation with much less restraint. Shang Feng's enthusiasm peaked as he peppered Sakura with questions about the recipe, meticulously jotting down notes as though he were preparing for a culinary final. Shirou couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when Shang Feng declared the dish "a masterpiece of simple genius.". Perhaps calling them "masters of the culinary arts" was a bit much, but Sakura seemed flattered.
After they had their fill, Shirou took the four on a small tour around the household, which took longer than expected due to his new friends' fiery enthusiasm when they saw the dojo. It was actually interesting to see the two boys duel on and on, if not a bit awkward when their conversation switched to more fantasy scenarios.
Two students in a tournament final? Check.
Two samurais dueling for the honor of their fallen families? Check.
Two martial artists dueling for the fate of the martial world? Check.
Shirou watched with a mix of amusement and secondhand embarrassment as their antics escalated. Taiga, however, was thrilled. She eagerly joined the fray, dramatically declaring herself the ultimate boss: "Behold the Demonic Tiger's Claw!" One swift (and surprisingly accurate) strike later, the boys were "defeated," sprawled on the floor in exaggerated agony.
Despite their playfulness, Shirou had to admit they weren't half bad. Taiga even asked if they'd trained in fencing, to which the boys responded with a perfectly straight-faced, "We studied the ancient art of hard school mops."
Shirou decided it was best not to ask.
Any lingering questions vanished when Yuzhao, fed up with their antics, unceremoniously slammed both boys to the ground with effortless precision. Even such punitive measures didn't dampen their spirits. If anything, it set the tone for the rest of the day: chaotic, eccentric, yet strangely endearing.
Sakura and Taiga seemed to enjoy the lively energy as well. Sakura, who was often reserved, warmed up quickly to the group, especially Yuzhao, who quietly but firmly established a bond with Shirou's shy kouhai. Yanli, meanwhile, captured every moment in her sketchbook, her soft chuckles hinting at her amusement despite her usual silence.
The sheer absurdity of their interactions never overshadowed the sincerity at their core. Their antics might have been chaotic, their quirks baffling, but their lightheartedness made them approachable and, in an odd way, comforting.
As the day wound down, Shirou found himself reflecting on his new housemates. He caught Yuzhao's apologetic look after one particularly outrageous episode and responded with a reassuring smile. Despite their unconventional behavior—or perhaps because of it—he felt a growing sense of camaraderie.
They were eccentric, chaotic, and a little overwhelming, but they were also kind, genuine, and easy to like. Shirou exhaled softly, his earlier apprehensions fading.
Now, if only they'd stop making such serious faces while staring at the empty sky.
Night had fallen, and the world outside finally settled after a day of relentless chaos. shinais had clashed, meals had been shared, and tigers had been placated. Shirou bid goodnight to the four, waiting patiently as lights winked out one by one before slipping away to the solitude of his shed. No matter how exhausting the day had been, shirking his training was unthinkable.
His lack of natural talent in Magecraft was already a severe handicap; neglecting his practice would only widen the gap between him and his dream. A fleeting smile graced his lips as he thought of his new housemates, comforted by the knowledge he'd helped them, even in small ways.
Once again, he sat before the familiar assortment of trinkets and scrap he used for practice, carefully inspecting each piece before settling in. He drew a deep breath, steeling himself for the grueling ritual he knew too well. Grasping an average metal pipe, he gritted his teeth and began the process. Pain lanced through his spine as his nerves—
A sharp blow to the back of his head broke his concentration, almost sending the pipe tumbling from his hands. Whipping around with the still-glowing pipe in hand, Shirou prepared to confront his attacker. His resolve evaporated in an instant.
Four deadpan expressions stared back at him, unflinching. The only sound in the shed was the soft slurp of juice as Nan Hao and Shang Feng drank casually.
"I…" Shirou Emiya, aspiring Hero of Justice, felt his mind spiral into full-blown panic. Every ounce of his mental energy scrambled for an explanation, anything to justify what he was doing. After a desperate internal debate, he managed to blurt out the least terrible excuse he could muster. "I was just tinkering around. It's, uh, a prop Taiga left here." he said, forcing a nervous chuckle and attempting to will his muscles to relax.
"It's glowing without batteries." Nan Hao observed dryly, his tone teetering on condescension.
"And it's not a hollow pipe, so it can't be inside." Shang Feng added, his eyes narrowing at their host in suspicion.
"Three out of ten." Yuzhao spoke in clear amusement, as if waiting for him to try again.
"Art project?" Not one to admit defeat without a fight, Shirou mustered another excuse. Feeble and unconvincing even to him, but such was his desperation.
"School starts in a month." Yanli replied, shattering whatever hopes he had mercilessly. Any other day, Shirou would've been more concerned by the way she was still drawing so quickly while talking to him in the middle of the night. "Also, I don't think we had art in the curriculum." She added another nail of truth for good measure, twirling her pen casually.
"Two out of ten." Yuzhao spoke again, her lips quivering slightly as she visibly resisted the urge to smirk.
"I'm getting a headstart for when that happens…" Shirou attempted a retort, brow twitching as he turned to Yuzhao. "...what are you doing, Senior Bai?" He asked, trying to buy some time for an excuse. So far he had one last line of defense, but he'd rather not suffer the indignity of saying he was a Kamen Rider cosplayer who was shadow dueling a villain.
"She's rating the excuses you're making to conceal magecraft." Nan Hao answered, still sipping on his juice.
"…What? You mean you're magi?" Shirou asked, stunned as the four of them nodded.
"Spell Casters, to be precise, but yes." Yuzhao said, crossing her arms. Her gaze hardened, casting the easygoing smirk aside as she watched him intently. "I had some concerns, but I didn't think you were so clueless." She added sharply, as chastising as it was concerned. "The negligible bounded field on your household was one thing, but frying your own nerves? I didn't think anyone would do it before this idiot." She gestured to Shang Feng, receiving a scathing glare in response as the young man sucked his juice box dry in an instant.
Shirou stood there, speechless and somewhat relieved he did not, in fact, need to use the Kamen Rider cosplayer defense. Still, it left him staring at four other members of the moonlit world who are now living with him and will be studying alongside him during the entire school year.
"Crap Baskets." He muttered, words he'd grow to associate with his first encounter with his best friends…along with a very ill-timed ringing of a party-blower from Shang Feng, a humble congratulations for having the worst excuse rating in their little group.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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