AN : These Brats will be important in very far future lol xD, and no... Zenshin is not old man i have back story for him in future xD
Zenshin sat quietly in his first class at Kumo School, his small Mario-themed ZAGE backpack placed beside his chair and his Ash Ketchum cap resting neatly on his head. The classroom had around twenty students, and most of them looked about five or six years old. That made him stand out immediately. At only four years old, Zenshin was clearly the youngest child in the room.
Not that he cared.
He leaned back slightly in his chair, his eyes moving across the classroom with a calmness that did not belong to a child. Some students were talking softly. Some were looking around nervously. Some were already observing the room like they were trying to understand the structure of the school itself. Kumo School was not normal, and the children here were not normal either.
But what bothered Zenshin the most was not the school.
It was the faces.
Several of them were familiar.
Too familiar.
He recognized them from his previous life. Their faces were younger now, rounder, softer, and more childish, but he still recognized them. Anna. Miko. Tomohiro. Monichi. People who had once stood beside him in another timeline, people who had become close to him after years of strange friendship, rivalry, projects, failures, and success.
Zenshin sighed quietly.
"I can't believe I'm meeting them again…" he thought. "Even her, huh…"
He looked toward the European-Japanese girl sitting not far from him. Her posture was elegant, too elegant for a child. She sat straight, hands folded neatly on the desk, eyes sharp behind a calm expression. Even at this age, Anna already looked like someone trying very hard to become a proper young lady.
Zenshin almost smiled.
"Still pretending to be elegant even now."
For now, he stayed silent.
A few minutes later, the classroom door opened.
Everyone turned toward it.
A young woman entered the room. She looked like she was probably in her early twenties, clearly European, with brunette hair, beautiful facial features, large glasses, and a white lab coat that gave her the appearance of a serious researcher. She looked intelligent, graceful, and mature at first glance.
Then she grinned.
A dangerously wide grin.
"HELLO!" she shouted, throwing one hand into the air with far too much energy for a first school morning. "Welcome to your first day at Kumo School! My name is Paula, and you can call me Paula-sensei! And of course, even though you brats are still children, I will not waste your time teaching boring ABCD, hiragana basics, or things you already survived before breakfast. Instead, we will talk about science, experiments, logic, invention, and the beautiful violence of curiosity!"
The entire class went silent.
A few children blinked.
One boy looked genuinely scared.
Zenshin stared at her with dead eyes.
"Yep," he thought. "Still insane."
Paula walked to the front of the classroom with full confidence, placed her bag on the teacher's desk, then immediately pulled out a Black Berry Z01 from her lab coat pocket. The phone was still new enough that many children in the room instantly recognized it from television, magazines, or their parents talking about it nonstop. Paula held it up like a sacred object.
"Look at this!" Paula said, eyes sparkling. "This beautiful piece of revolutionary technology! A full keyboard, mobile internet, BBM, Little Steam, music, camera, video, games, ZAGE ID integration! Every phone company in the world should have been able to create something like this, but they did not! Why? Why did ZAGE and AKAI do it first? Because, everyone, they have…"
She inhaled dramatically.
Then she shouted in English, "INSPIRATION!"
Some of the children flinched.
Miko, a noisy but cute Japanese girl with bright eyes and restless energy, looked amazed rather than scared. Tomohiro, a lazy-looking boy with sleepy eyes, rested his cheek on his hand and muttered, "Teacher is already tiring." Monichi, a quiet boy sitting beside him, simply stared at Paula's hand movement as if analyzing the exact angle of her grip on the phone.
Anna slowly raised her hand.
Paula turned toward her with dramatic speed. "Yes! Elegant child with the calm eyes!"
Anna's eyebrow twitched slightly, but she kept her polite posture. "Paula-sensei, today is our first day. We do not even know each other yet. Isn't it a little too early to talk about revolutionary product design and inspiration?"
Paula froze.
Her eyes widened.
Then she slapped her own forehead lightly. "Ah! Correct! I forgot the normal human procedure! Thank you, elegant child. Class, we will now introduce ourselves. And remember, no need to introduce your family background, your parents' positions, your family wealth, your political connections, or whatever suspicious things adults usually care about. In this school, we introduce ourselves as ourselves. Understand?"
The class gave a mixed answer.
"Yes…"
Paula nodded proudly. "Good enough!"
One by one, the students came forward to introduce themselves. The format was simple: name, age, hobby, and favorite food. Kumo School did not allow students to mention family identity, and Zenshin immediately understood why. The children here likely came from powerful, strange, or carefully selected backgrounds. If everyone started introducing parents, the classroom would become a miniature battlefield of influence before lunch.
Anna introduced herself first among the familiar faces. She stepped forward elegantly, gave a small bow, and said, "My name is Anna. I am six years old. My hobby is reading and practicing piano. My favorite food is strawberry shortcake." Her voice was calm and refined, but Zenshin could still see the faint pride in her eyes.
"Still the same," he thought. "Trying to look perfect even when she's six."
Then Miko came forward with a bright smile, almost bouncing with energy. "I'm Miko! I'm five! My hobby is drawing, running, and talking! My favorite food is curry, but only if it's not too spicy, because if it's too spicy I will die!"
Paula nodded seriously. "A dramatic but valid survival statement."
Some children laughed. Miko looked pleased with herself and returned to her seat.
Tomohiro came next. He walked slowly to the front as if every step was a negotiation. His hair was slightly messy, his eyes looked half-asleep, and his posture suggested he would rather be anywhere else. "Tomohiro. Six years old. Hobby is sleeping and reading. Favorite food is anything easy to eat."
Paula tilted her head. "Anything easy to eat?"
Tomohiro nodded. "Food that requires effort is annoying."
Miko immediately whispered loudly, "Lazy."
Tomohiro looked at her calmly. "Efficient."
Zenshin almost laughed.
Monichi introduced himself after that. He was quiet, with sharp eyes and small hands that moved very precisely. Even when he adjusted his sleeve, Zenshin noticed the movement. Smooth. Controlled. Too clean for a normal child. In the previous timeline, Monichi's dexterity had been terrifying. He could assemble tiny machine parts, handle wires, repair controllers, draw accurate circuit sketches, and do delicate mechanical work with ridiculous speed.
"My name is Monichi," he said quietly. "I am five years old. My hobby is making small things. My favorite food is grilled fish."
Paula stared at him with interest. "Making small things?"
Monichi nodded. "Paper models. Small machines. Sometimes insects from wire."
A few children looked disturbed.
Miko whispered, "That sounds scary."
Monichi looked at her. "They do not bite."
"That makes it only a little better."
Finally, Zenshin's turn came.
He walked to the podium with no excitement at all. The other children watched him curiously because he was visibly smaller than most of them, but his calmness made him feel strangely older. Zenshin stood in front of the class, looked around once, then said flatly, "Zenshin. Four years old. Yoroshiku."
Then he immediately tried to return to his seat.
Miko raised her hand and shouted, "Wait! You didn't say your hobby and favorite food!"
Zenshin stopped.
He sighed.
Then he turned back with the expression of someone who had been forced to fill an unnecessary form. "My hobby is playing video games. My favorite food is my mom's cooking."
A few children reacted normally, but Anna gave a soft snort. "Video games are a waste of time."
The room became slightly quiet.
Zenshin slowly turned his head toward her.
His face was completely dead.
He stared at Anna for several seconds, then simply walked back to his seat without saying anything.
Inside, however, his thoughts were much louder.
'Yeah, video games suck, Anna. Said by one of the future top content creators, former top ZAGE developer, and famous indie developer. Very wise.'
Anna noticed his stare and frowned slightly. "What?"
"Nothing," Zenshin said calmly.
Miko leaned forward with curiosity. "Do you play ZEPS 3?"
Zenshin sat down and answered shortly, "Sometimes."
"Sometimes?" Miko repeated, shocked. "How can someone play ZEPS only sometimes?"
Tomohiro, still half-resting on his desk, said, "Maybe he plays too much and says sometimes to look normal."
Zenshin looked at him.
Tomohiro's eyes remained sleepy, but there was a faint cleverness behind them.
Zenshin thought, "As expected, he's already sharp."
Miko pointed at Zenshin's backpack. "You have Mario bag, so you definitely play games!"
Zenshin glanced at the backpack. "It was a gift."
Anna folded her arms lightly. "A person should spend more time on things that improve the mind."
Zenshin looked at her again. "Games can improve the mind."
Anna raised her chin a little. "How?"
Zenshin paused.
He could have explained problem-solving, pattern recognition, resource management, coordination, strategic thinking, systems design, narrative analysis, and the way games could become a foundation for future technology and culture. He could have destroyed her argument completely.
But he was four.
And it was the first day.
So he only said, "Play better games."
Tomohiro's mouth twitched like he was trying not to laugh.
Miko looked impressed for no clear reason. "That sounds cool."
Anna looked dissatisfied. "That is not an explanation."
"It is enough for today," Zenshin replied.
From the front of the room, Paula watched the exchange with a grin that she tried, and failed, to hide. Her eyes rested on Zenshin for a little longer than the others.
"So that is Zaboru Renkonan's son," she thought. "The child Arachne rated as SSS Talent. He really has that weird atmosphere every SSS Talent has. Calm eyes, strange answers, and the emotional energy of someone who already pays taxes."
Paula clapped her hands together. "Good! Introductions are done, and nobody has started a family-based political conflict yet. Excellent first result."
The children stared at her.
Paula smiled brightly. "Now, before lessons begin properly, we will tour the school facilities. Kumo School is not only classrooms. We have laboratories, workshops, libraries, training rooms, observation rooms, gardens, music rooms, and several areas you are absolutely not allowed to enter unless a teacher says so. If you enter those areas without permission, the school will not explode, but I will become very disappointed, and disappointment is scarier than explosions."
Miko raised her hand. "Paula-sensei, why do you keep mentioning explosions?"
Paula looked at her seriously. "Because science without safety becomes regret."
Tomohiro muttered, "This school is tiring."
Paula pointed at him immediately. "Lazy child, your honesty is appreciated but not useful."
"My name is Tomohiro."
"Lazy Tomohiro."
Tomohiro sighed. "That was fast."
Zenshin quietly followed as the class lined up for the facility tour. Miko ended up walking beside him, mostly because she had too much curiosity to stay quiet. Anna walked a little ahead, pretending she was not listening, while Tomohiro shuffled behind them with lazy steps. Monichi walked near the wall, his eyes constantly observing door hinges, railings, locks, small tools, and anything mechanical.
Miko looked at Zenshin's cap. "Do you like Pokémon?"
Zenshin touched the brim of the Ash cap lightly. "My mom picked it."
"But do you like it?"
"It is fine."
"You talk like an old man."
Zenshin glanced at her. "You talk a lot."
Miko grinned. "I know."
Tomohiro from behind them added, "She also does not stop."
Miko turned around. "I can stop."
Tomohiro looked at her silently.
Miko lasted three seconds before saying, "See?"
Tomohiro nodded. "Impressive."
Zenshin almost smiled.
Anna glanced back at them with a composed expression. "If you talk too much during the tour, you may miss important information."
Miko puffed her cheeks. "Anna talks like a teacher."
Anna looked offended. "I do not."
Tomohiro muttered, "A little."
Monichi said quietly, "More like a manual."
Anna turned toward him. "A manual?"
Monichi nodded. "Clear, but not fun."
For the first time, Anna looked genuinely speechless. Zenshin had to lower his gaze to hide his smile.
The first facility Paula showed them was the science laboratory. It was large, clean, and far more advanced than anything a normal elementary-level school should have. The tables were adjustable, the walls had safety cabinets, and several demonstration stations contained microscopes, small chemical kits, physics tools, and observation tanks. Everything was designed for children, but the quality was serious.
Paula spread her arms proudly. "This is one of our beginner laboratories. You will learn observation, measurement, simple chemistry, biology, physics, and experimental discipline here. No random mixing. No tasting unknown liquids. No putting magnets near expensive machines. No using microscopes to inspect your own nose hair."
Miko raised her hand. "Has someone done that?"
Paula smiled. "A great teacher protects students from both known and predicted stupidity."
Zenshin looked around carefully. The equipment was far too good. Even the "beginner" lab had tools that could support real research if used properly.
Next was the workshop.
This was where Zenshin's eyes finally changed.
The workshop had small workbenches, mechanical kits, child-safe tools, gears, springs, wires, model engines, simple robotics parts, woodworking materials, and drafting stations. There were also locked cabinets containing more advanced tools, probably for higher-level students. The smell of wood, metal, oil, and clean machinery filled the room.
Monichi's eyes lit up too, though his expression barely changed.
Zenshin noticed.
Monichi noticed Zenshin noticing.
For a brief second, the two boys looked at each other.
No words were needed.
They both understood.
This room was good.
Paula watched their reaction and grinned. "Ah, the quiet boys have awakened."
Miko looked at Zenshin. "You like this room?"
Zenshin answered honestly, "Yes."
Anna examined the tools with interest but remained cautious. "Isn't this too dangerous for children?"
Paula shook her finger. "Tools are dangerous when people are careless. That is why we teach proper use early. Respect the tool, understand the tool, do not wave the tool around like a sword. Simple."
Tomohiro looked at one of the workbenches. "Can we sit here during lessons?"
Paula smiled. "If the lesson uses the workshop."
Tomohiro nodded. "Then I like this room too."
"Because of the tools?" Miko asked.
"Because the chairs look comfortable."
Paula stared at him. "Lazy Tomohiro, you are becoming impressive in the wrong direction."
After that, they visited the library. It was enormous for a school of this level, with shelves divided not only by age but by difficulty and topic. There were children's books, novels, science texts, mathematics books, history, art, engineering basics, language materials, and even a restricted section behind glass that probably contained advanced books only certain students could access.
Anna's eyes shined immediately.
Miko looked around in awe. "So many books…"
Tomohiro also looked interested, though he tried to hide it under his sleepy expression.
Zenshin scanned the shelves and instantly noticed several books that definitely did not belong in a normal children's library. Basic programming theory. Early electronics. Mechanical design. World history with unusually detailed political sections. Some of the books were simplified, but not childish.
Paula said, "This library is open during school hours, and some parts can be accessed after class with permission. Reading is encouraged, but please return books properly. If you damage a book, apologize to the book first, then to the librarian."
Miko whispered, "Do books accept apologies?"
Zenshin answered quietly, "Depends on the librarian."
Miko looked at him, then giggled.
The tour continued through the music room, art studio, indoor physical training area, small greenhouse, and outdoor playground. But even the playground was strange. There were climbing structures designed to test coordination, balance beams with adjustable height, puzzle walls, teamwork platforms, and obstacle courses that looked playful but clearly had developmental goals.
Tomohiro stared at the obstacle course. "This is not a playground. This is work disguised as fun."
Paula nodded proudly. "Exactly!"
Zenshin sighed.
The tour ended with Paula bringing them back to the classroom. By then, the students had relaxed a little. The first-day nervousness had faded, replaced by curiosity, small conversations, and the beginning of group dynamics. Zenshin returned to his seat, but before he could fully sit down, Miko leaned over from the side and whispered, "Hey, Zenshin, after class, tell me what games you play."
Anna immediately said, "Do not encourage him to waste time."
Miko pouted. "It is not waste if it is fun."
Tomohiro, already resting his cheek on his hand again, added, "Fun is efficient recovery."
Anna frowned. "That sounds like an excuse."
"It is a good excuse," Tomohiro replied.
Monichi quietly placed a folded paper object on the desk. It was a tiny paper insect, made with very precise folds. Miko noticed and flinched. "Whoa! You made that during the tour?"
Monichi nodded.
Anna leaned closer despite herself. "That is… actually impressive."
Monichi looked at her calmly. "It does not bite."
Miko sighed. "Why do you keep saying that like biting paper bugs are normal?"
Zenshin watched them in silence.
A strange feeling settled inside him.
He had thought meeting them again would feel annoying. Maybe even painful. After all, they were people from a previous life, people who did not remember him, people whose future selves had once stood beside him. But now, watching Anna try to stay elegant, Miko talk nonstop, Tomohiro act lazy while noticing everything, and Monichi quietly create something with terrifying precision, Zenshin felt something warmer than expected.
Maybe this school life would not be completely useless.
Paula stood at the front of the classroom again and clapped once. "All right, brats. Since this is the first day, we will not push too hard. Today is introduction, tour, and light observation. Starting next time, we begin real lessons. Science, logic, reading, problem-solving, cooperation, and maybe small experiments if nobody gives me a reason to regret it."
Miko raised her hand. "What kind of experiments?"
Paula grinned. "Safe ones."
Tomohiro muttered, "That means not safe."
Paula pointed at him. "Lazy Tomohiro is learning skepticism. Good."
The class continued with simple activities after that. Paula gave the children small puzzles to solve, pattern games to test observation, and a few group tasks designed to see how they communicated. Zenshin intentionally held back, answering enough to appear smart but not too much. He did not want to expose himself too quickly.
But Paula noticed anyway.
She watched him quietly from the front, smiling behind her glasses.
"Trying to hide, are you?" she thought. "Cute. But hiding talent badly is also a talent."
Anna solved the pattern puzzles with careful elegance. Miko rushed, made mistakes, then fixed them with surprising intuition. Tomohiro looked half-asleep but somehow answered correctly when asked. Monichi finished the hand coordination task faster than anyone, moving tiny pieces with absurd precision. Zenshin observed them all and slowly understood.
This was the beginning again.
But not exactly the same beginning.
By the time the first school session ended, Zenshin felt more mentally tired than he expected. It was not because the lessons were hard. They were easy. The tiring part was pretending to be a normal four-year-old while surrounded by people who were already abnormal in their own ways.
When the classroom door opened and parents began arriving, Ayumi entered with a gentle smile. The moment Zenshin saw her, his face softened slightly, though he quickly hid it.
Ayumi walked toward him and bent down. "Zen-chan, how was your first day?"
Zenshin adjusted his backpack and answered calmly, "It was fine."
Ayumi smiled knowingly. "Only fine?"
He glanced back at the classroom. Anna was speaking politely with a teacher. Miko was waving at everyone like she had already become friends with half the room. Tomohiro looked ready to sleep while standing. Monichi was carefully putting his paper insect into his bag.
Zenshin looked back at Ayumi.
"It might be interesting," he admitted.
Ayumi's smile grew warmer. "That's good."
Paula approached them with cheerful steps, though her eyes were clearly studying both mother and son. "Ah, you must be Zenshin-kun's mother. He did very well today. Quiet, calm, observant, slightly old-man-like, but very promising."
Ayumi blinked, then laughed softly. "Old-man-like?"
Zenshin looked away.
Paula grinned. "In a good way."
Ayumi caressed Zenshin's head gently. "That does sound like him."
Zenshin sighed. "Mom."
Ayumi smiled. "Come on, Zen-chan. Let's go home. Papa will probably ask for a full report even though he pretends he is not worried."
"He is obvious," Zenshin said.
"He is," Ayumi agreed.
As they left the classroom, Zenshin glanced back one more time.
Miko noticed and waved energetically. "Bye, Zenshin! Next time tell me about games!"
Anna gave a small polite nod, still trying to look composed. Tomohiro raised one hand lazily without lifting his head much. Monichi looked at him briefly, then nodded once.
Zenshin stared at them for a moment.
Then he gave a small nod back.
Not too friendly.
Not too cold.
Just enough.
As he walked beside Ayumi through the clean hallway of Kumo School, Zenshin thought quietly, "Anna, Miko, Tomohiro, Monichi… I really met all of you again."
He looked ahead, his small hand holding Ayumi's.
"Fine then," he thought. "Let's see how this life changes."
To be continued.
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