A party was thrown for Kazuki the next day. It was for Ryuga too. They praised him and gave him red sleeves. Going forward, he would be recognized as a Top. Ryuga was a Bottom. Kazuki smiled as he put them on for the first time. They felt right. He was an orphan who came to the base to work for his room and board. Kazuki had earned his place among them even as he was still called a red oni. Being a Switch was just icing on the cake. It was the extension of his own ambition. He could put all that off to the side if he could work with partners that he could trust. He could work as a Top with Aito or Ryuga without a single complaint. He was even considering not asking for that transfer to another base. There were still 2 weeks left in the Pilot Program. He needed to get through them before he could make a final decision. Kazuki was given cake and the others were brought to clap for him. That did made him feel good in a way. They were being forced to accept and acknowledge. Minato and Eiji were first to be given a party. Kazuki was not the second, but it was still really great.
It was as the party was dying down that he asked the program instructors about being a Switch pilot. They were skeptical, but they said there was still some time to earn that designation. They also said there would be a special opportunity for during the shakeup. Kazuki would just need to wait for that. He could definitely wait for it. Jiro hopefully would also be there with him. Maybe they could even help each other out somehow during that time. It would be great if that was the case. All of the instructors and the staff were keeping the details of the shakeup. During the week they were preparing for the next synchronization attempt, Minato became even more insufferable to him. It was honestly making Kazuki really angry. It was a snide comment here, a trip while walking there. Every so often he heard racist comments coming from him. A sabotage of his chores was the last straw. Minato made the crate of rations that he had to carry to the storage room. That was what made Kazuki blow up at him. He was about to square up to him for a fight when he saw him smirk. An officer approached.
Not willing to fuck up his position, Kazuki had to stand there and take it. He was reprimanded by the officer on the scene. Minato was smirking at him when they were not looking at him. Both of his fists were balled and tears pricked at his eyes. When he was finished telling him off, he told Kazuki to pick all the rations up by hand and place them in a pile on the counter. After doing that, he scurried away to his bed and flopped on it. Crying was all he could do at that moment. He felt absolutely powerless. He had never felt like this before. Ryuga and Jiro did their best to console him. Ryuga pat his back and said "Minato's an asshole. We have your back. "You know what!? I think I can help. We teased you for having that red hair, right? I dye my hair all the time. Let's make your hair black or brown. I'm sure you'll love it." Jiro said. Kazuki rose his head and shook it angrily! "No! My hair is red! He has fucking white hair like an old person! What the fuck is up for that!?" he yelled. Aito had arrived by then. "I mean, the hair isn't really the problem. He's Japanese. You're only half Japanese." he said.
From that point forward, he did not want to do anything with Minato. He did not attend the mental conditioning sessions. It was an optional activity for new partners to get used to each other. The partners would only get better and better the more they did it together. The time blocks for exercise and chores each day were mandatory. It was a rough few days for everyone involved. All but the smug Minato. He was having a good time. When the time came for the attempt, Kazuki seriously considered being a no show. He soon decided against it. The instructors would be all too ready to punish him and put demerits on his record. That would not be the right way to get what he wanted. Kazuki wanted to get off of this base as soon as possible. No one had stood up for him at all. He appeared near the end of their session so that the others could do their simulations first. Minato was not happy that he had to wait so long. Kazuki could not care a single bit. He walked past the miffed boy to check up on the rest of his squad's results. Eiji and Ryuga succeeded. Jiro was able to Top Aito this time.
