Kaito's arms felt like they were filled with wet sand.

  He sat on the bench outside the classroom. The wood was hard. The sun was warm. His eyes wanted to close.

  Three hours of sleep. The crack in the Grey District had fought back. A Wanderer class. Claws like glass. It had taken until three in the morning to seal.

  He held a can of coffee. It was lukewarm. He didn't drink it. He just held it. The cold metal grounded him.

  Ryota sat on the railing. He swung his legs. He held a bag of chips. He was vibrating with energy.

  "It's the coin mechanism. I'm telling you. It's rigged."

  Kaito looked at him.

  "The vending machine on the second floor. Near the gym. It ate my hundred yen yesterday. I pressed B4. Cola. It didn't drop. I shook it. Nothing. The light stayed on. It took my money."

  Kaito took a sip. The coffee was bitter.

  "I went back today. Same thing. Put in the coin. Pressed the button. Nothing. But here's the thing." Ryota leaned forward. His eyes were wide. Serious. "I saw Tanaka from class 3-B get a drink. Same machine. He didn't even press the button. He just stood there. It dropped two cans."

  Kaito raised an eyebrow.

  "I know. It sounds crazy. But I think it knows us. It has preferences. Maybe it's allergic to me. Maybe it's political. Do machines have politics? If they do, this one is biased."

  Kaito looked down the hallway.

  Students walked past. Laughing. Shoving each other. Normal.

  Last night, a shadow creature had tried to peel the skin off his arm. He had burned it with Ember's card. The smell of singed hair still lingered in his nose, underneath the soap.

  Here, the biggest problem was a vending machine.

  "It's a conspiracy," Ryota continued. "I think it's saving the good drinks for itself. Hoarding them. For what? I don't know. A robot uprising? When the machines take over, that vending machine is going to be the general. And I'll be the first one it takes out because I know too much."

  Ryota popped a chip into his mouth. He crunched loudly.

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  "You're not listening. I can tell. You're doing the thing."

  Kaito looked back. "What thing."

  "The quiet thing. The I'm listening but I'm actually thinking about something else thing." Ryota pointed a chip at him. "Is it math? Did you fail the test? No, you didn't fail. You never fail. Is it a girl? No, you don't talk to girls. Except Hana. But you don't talk to her either."

  Kaito shifted. His shoulder throbbed. The wound from the Wanderer was hidden under the jacket. Bandaged. Healing faster than it should.

  "Just tired."

  "See! Tired. I knew it. You stay up too late. Playing games? Watching movies? Reading? What do you even do in that apartment? It's like a monastery. No noise. No lights. Just you and your cards."

  Kaito's hand twitched near his pocket. The deck shifted.

  "He's close." Kuro's voice was dry. "Too close. Tell him to shut up."

  Kaito ignored the card.

  "Nothing much."

  "Boring. You're boring. That's your problem. You need excitement. Like me. I have excitement. I have vending machine enemies. I have a purpose." Ryota finished the chips. He crumpled the bag. He aimed for the trash can. He missed.

  He stood up to get it.

  Kaito watched him.

  Ryota wasn't stupid. He knew things. He knew when Kaito was limping. He knew when Kaito hadn't eaten. He knew when the silence was heavy.

  He just chose not to ask why.

  Ryota picked up the bag. He threw it in. He came back. He sat down again.

  "Anyway. I'm going to bypass it. Tomorrow. I'm bringing wire cutters. I'm going to open the panel. I'm going to negotiate."

  "Don't."

  "It's either that or I starve. Do you want me to starve? Hydration is key, Kaito. Science says so."

  Kaito looked at the can in his hand.

  "Buy water."

  "Water is boring. Water has no flavor. Water is what people drink when they've given up on joy." Ryota sighed. He leaned back. He looked at the ceiling. "You know. Jin thinks you're hiding something."

  Kaito went still.

  "Not in a bad way. Just... something. He says you move differently. Like you're expecting something to fall. Or jump." Ryota looked at him. "I told him you're just clumsy."

  Kaito exhaled. Slowly.

  "Thanks."

  "Yeah, well. Someone has to defend your honor. Even if it's against Jin. Which is terrifying. He looks at you like he's reading your barcode."

  Ryota checked his watch.

  "Five minutes. We should go. Sato gets mad if we're late. He does that thing with his eyebrow. The twitchy one."

  Ryota stood up. He stretched. He looked down at Kaito.

  "You coming? Or are you going to sit here and fight the vending machine in your head?"

  Kaito stood. His legs shook slightly. He steadied himself.

  "Coming."

  "Good. Because if you die of exhaustion, I'm not carrying your bag. It's too heavy. What do you have in there? Bricks? Books? Bodies?"

  Kaito started walking.

  "Just books."

  "Liar. But okay. Secrets. I like secrets. Makes life interesting." Ryota fell into step beside him. He started talking again. Something about a new video game. Or maybe a movie. The words blurred together.

  Kaito listened.

  He focused on the sound of Ryota's voice. The rhythm of it. The lack of fear.

  In the Grey District, silence meant danger. Quiet meant something was hunting.

  Here, silence was just a pause between sentences.

  Here, Ryota's noise was a shield. It kept the shadows away. It kept the memories of three in the morning at bay.

  Kaito took a sip of coffee.

  It tasted better this time.

  "He's annoying." Kuro muttered.

  "Know."

  "But loyal."

  "Know."

  "Keep him close."

  "Plan."

  They reached the classroom door. Ryota stopped. He put a hand on Kaito's shoulder.

  "Hey. Seriously. You okay? You look like hell. Like. Actual hell. Not metaphorical hell."

  Kaito looked at him.

  He could tell him. He could say the words. I fight monsters. I bleed. I don't sleep.

  He looked at Ryota's face. Open. Concerned. Unburdened.

  If he told him, that face would change. The light would go out. The noise would stop.

  Kaito shook his head.

  "I'm fine."

  Ryota studied him. He searched for a lie. He didn't find one. Or he decided to accept the answer.

  "Alright. But if you pass out, I'm drawing on your face."

  "Deal."

  Ryota grinned. He opened the door. He walked in. Loud. Announcing his presence.

  Kaito followed.

  He sat at his desk. He put his bag down. He put his hand near his pocket.

  The cards were warm.

  The vending machine was broken.

  The world was safe.

  For now.

  Kaito opened his notebook. He picked up his pen.

  He listened to Ryota talk about coin mechanisms.

  He didn't correct him.