Morning sunlight barely reached the dorm kitchen of Death Weapon Meister Academy when the toaster popped loudly, launching a piece of blackened toast onto the counter. Smoke curled lazily toward the ceiling while another slice burned inside. The quiet morning had already turned into a disaster.

Across the kitchen, Justin Law stood at the stove with his headphones on, completely lost in whatever music blasted in his ears. Pancake batter dripped off the side of a bowl while one pancake slowly turned charcoal in the pan. He moved with strange confidence, flipping it dramatically like a professional chef despite the obvious failure.

Another piece of toast shot from the toaster and landed on the floor. The smoke alarm immediately screamed to life.

Justin blinked, glancing up at the alarm before looking at the burnt pancake, the smoking toaster, and the growing cloud of smoke. His expression stayed calm for exactly one second before he casually pulled his headphones down around his neck.

He stepped over, opened a window, and poked the ruined toast with a fork like it had personally offended him. A moment later, he slid the only decent pancake onto a plate and set it on the counter.

The kitchen slowly filled with the smell of burnt bread and overcooked batter as the alarm finally stopped.

Justin leaned against the counter, pushing the plate slightly forward with a quiet shrug, like the chaotic morning had been completely normal. 🍞