In Mathematics, X is often used as a parameter represent a value, ideas, concepts or as a dummy.
X can be anything... just like the way Toshi could be anyone.
Toshi Ishii was a full-blooded Japanese boy from Saitama who moved to Tokyo with his family.
He was the only child in a middle-class family that lived in a rented apartment in the city. His father worked as a producer on film sets, while his mother was a modeling agent for magazine shoots—not particularly famous or anything.
Because both his parents were always busy with work and he was an only child, even though they hired a housemaid to look after him, the neighborhood was rough, and there weren't any decent kids around. So, Toshi had no one to play with.
However, there was one thing he liked to do that eventually became a habit—perhaps something to fill the loneliness. He loved to imitate people.
It started small, with TV show hosts.
He would observe the gestures and mannerisms of the actors and presenters, then mimic their tone and way of speaking with impressive accuracy.
His parents thought it was just a way to mask the trauma of growing up alone and isolated—but to Toshi, it was just fun.
And he was good at it. How good? Well, even when he lied to his parents and they caught him, he could use his acting, feigned innocence, and mock sincerity to slip away every time.
He could mimic anyone—from Japanese celebrities all the way to foreign stars.
This was what set Toshi apart from other kids. Most Japanese children struggled with English, and even those who learned it spoke it with a heavy accent.
But not Toshi. His mimicry practice let him speak with a flawless native accent, almost as if he were copying a voice recording.
And it spread like wildfire.
Soon, the maid, the uncle next door, and his classmates all fell victim to his impressions.
Toshi had a keen sense for studying how people of a certain gender, age, or personality type would speak, move, or even think.
This divine gift for impersonation gave him one particularly dangerous power—the ability to think like the person he was mimicking.
In other words, he could read people—what emotions they were feeling, what they might do next, and how they'd likely react in any given situation.
This made him a master of psychology.
Combine that with his practiced eloquence and his good looks (inherited from his model mother), and you had a boy with dangerous charm.
But even though he was charming and surrounded by people, he was always lonely.
That loneliness fueled his need for constant new excitement.
In school, he'd dated nearly every girl—no one lasted more than a week. Toshi got bored too easily. If someone stopped being "fun," he'd toss them aside.
Eventually, when nothing at school satisfied him anymore, he started looking for new thrills outside.
Tokyo, like Bangkok, transforms after sunset—a playground of neon for the restless youth.
Toshi was one of them.
He snuck out at night to clubs and bars, partying with older women as early as sophomore year of high school.
None of them knew he was still a teen.
Had they known he was under 18, those same women might have ended up in court... not to buy anything—but to face charges for corrupting a minor.
As time passed, something in Toshi began to change.
He became addicted to pleasure. Reckless. He used his talents for his own indulgence. A playboy leeching off older women's wallets.
But even that wasn't enough.
His life changed the day his power awakened:
Shapeshifting.
From that day, the fun really began.
He started crossing lines. He used his power for personal gain.
A middle-class kid from Tokyo's gray zones began toeing into the underworld.
He mimicked high society elites at clubs, using their appearances to access personal bank data through fingerprint or retinal scans.
His power wasn't complicated. All he needed was a DNA sample—from saliva, blood, hair, even a chewed straw.
He was having the time of his life. The more he did it, the better he became.
Until one night... at a high-profile banquet hosted in Tokyo, welcoming major foreign investors—including a famous businesswoman from Thailand...
Toshi infiltrated the rooftop gala in a sharp suit, blending in among the rich and powerful.
He couldn't decide who to impersonate first—so many options for identity theft and corporate access.
And then he saw her.
A woman in an all-black dress, with black hair and red eyes like gems.
She stood out instantly. The center of attention.
His instincts screamed not to approach. But his mind didn't listen.
He'd outwitted Yakuza—this was nothing.
He eavesdropped and learned her name: Annie Barrett.
He approached her, disguised as a young entrepreneur.
"Good evening, Ms. Annie."
"...?"
He extended a hand and smiled charmingly.
And then, it happened.
He couldn't read her.
Her face. Her eyes. He couldn't read her.
She shook his hand anyway, and he touched her shoulder with his other hand.
"Welcome to Tokyo."
"...Thank you."
Short, polite, perfect.
As he walked away, no one noticed the razor blade hidden between his fingers... which had just scraped a tiny sample of her skin.
A method he'd used many times before.
Razor blades were ideal—sharp, thin, silent. Combined with a misdirecting shoulder touch, she didn't notice a thing.
He calmly exited to the bathroom.
Once alone, he locked the stall door and activated his ability.
A white mask with a nose imprint appeared.
He smeared her DNA sample on it.
Gray aura swirled. The mask fused into his skin.
And he became her.
"Whoa..."
He admired the transformation.
"She's definitely not young, but this body... holy hell."
He explored the well-toned physique. Sculpted muscles, faint abs.
"A CEO with time to hit the gym? Unreal."
He adjusted the suit, unlocked the door—and froze.
"Hey there."
Heart. Dropped.
Surrounded by black-suited bodyguards.
All eyes on him.
And in the center—the real Annie Barrett.
"!!!!!"
One guard yanked his collar, pulling him to his knees.
Toshi trembled.
"...Wh-what is this?!"
"Is this the one, Madam?"
The woman stared at him. Cold. Expressionless.
"Yes. That's him."
No hate. No fury.
She dusted off his jacket collar.
"...What...?"
"You're a good actor."
Her voice was low. Calm. Not prideful. Not threatening.
Just... commanding.
Everyone listened.
She stood. That's all.
And yet... she owned the room.
Toshi sweated. Bad.
She adjusted his lapel carefully.
He shrank under her gaze. Couldn't look her in the eye.
He feared her, instinctively.
Like a mouse facing a lion.
"I have a son... about your age."
"...And he's a little thief, too. Steals from me all the time."
She smiled gently.
"...He reads people to provoke them. But you... read to imitate."
Impossible. How did she—?
"Aura particles. Gray ones... May I ask what you planned to do with my blood?"
She showed the nearly invisible razor cut.
Only someone with hypersensitive perception could've noticed it.
Toshi's breath trembled. Pulse pounding.
"This situation depends on what you say next. No pressure."
"..."
"...Do you... have powers too?"
She didn't answer.
She just smiled.
Pretending to be a coward didn't fool the woman.
Toshi had no choice left but to confess what he had done—in front of the lady herself.
"...Shape-shifting, is it? How interesting…"
Her female secretary stepped forward beside her.
"Ma'am, I've found the file. Tokyo's crime news network."
She handed over an iPad, which the woman took and examined carefully.
"…'Young businessman claims he never accessed the bank account—over 20 million missing. Bank officials confirm it was him. Everyone confused…' 'Popular actor denies sleeping with a 17-year-old girl, presenting proof and witnesses. The girl counters with photos and her own witnesses…'"
"…"
"Oh… so it wasn't just one person who got duped."
"…"
"They've even given it a name—'The Tokyo Doppelgänger.' Look."
She still had her sense of humor, zooming in on the article and showing it to Toshi.
"Looks like we've caught the root of the problem, haven't we? So, what do you say?"
She asked him. All he could do was hang his head.
The lady gave a soft smile and turned back to her secretary.
"If we handed him over to the police, what would happen?"
"It would cause a stir. The Japanese government invited you here. If they found out you were subjected to this, they wouldn't take it lightly."
"It's not Japan's fault, though."
"True… But if outsiders hear about it…"
"…Indeed…"
She looked at Toshi.
"He reminds me of my son…"
"He truly does, ma'am."
The woman made a decision.
"What's your name?"
"…"
"Thinking of a fake one?"
"!?"
"I told you before, but I'll say it again: what happens next depends on you. If you're honest with me, I'll be honest with you too."
"…"
"…Toshi… ma'am."
"Toshi. You're talented. But left unchecked, your skills can cause a lot of damage. The only reason I haven't turned you in is because you remind me of my son… So, help me out. What should I do with you?"
Liar… She's already made up her mind! What is she going to do with me!?
"Uh… w-would you please let me go, ma'am…? Heh… I swear I'll never bother you again… I-I'm only fifteen… I'll go home and focus on school…"
He knelt and pleaded.
But what he got in return—
"Ah-ah. Except that option."
"…"
His face turned even paler.
"If I let you go, you'll just disappear, won't you?"
"…"
"Toshi. You're like an uncut diamond… I could polish you into something better."
"…"
She let him sit there and think.
"…Ma'am. We've pulled up his full profile."
The secretary brought her the file with Toshi's real name and home address.
"Hm… So his name really is Toshi."
Then, she took out a business card and handed it to him.
"You can run. Or you can come with me. Either way… you'll have to accept the consequences. It's your decision. But if you want to join me… this is your opportunity."
On the card, a name was written:
Anong Wongpudee / Annie Barrett
"I'm flying back to Thailand tonight. Tokyo airport. Good luck with whatever you choose."
And just like that, she and her team withdrew, leaving Toshi kneeling behind.
"Wait—that woman was Roxxy's mother?!"
Sera clutched her chest in shock.
"Yep. Annie is the one who brought me in. She gave me a chance. Even my martial art, Dead eye—it was her who taught it to me."
"!? Your martial art was taught by Roxxy's mom?!"
"Yup. ☺"
"Quite the long backstory, huh? Ever gonna get to the point?"
Roxxy, fed up, interjected with a jab.
"…"
"…"
Her glare was incredibly intense.
It had been over nine months since Toshi accepted Annie Barrett's offer—half willingly, half not.
But once he got to know the Thrak organization, he realized… it wasn't as bad as he'd feared.
At first, he thought they'd experiment on him or something. Instead, he became a protégé.
Thrak was, in his eyes, the most sophisticated and efficient system he'd ever seen.
No wonder it had lasted over a thousand years.
Toshi's skills stood out. His powers and talents aligned with the "Stealth" Nova class like he was born for it.
He quickly became the top of his cohort.
But no matter how far he advanced… one trait stuck with him—his flirtatiousness.
And yes, even here, it continued.
Toshi flirted with most of the female agents in his cohort (with no strings attached). Even when not on duty, he'd go out "hunting" as usual. Don't worry—he always used protection.
Despite all the physical pleasures, his heart remained empty.
He didn't believe in the "Law of Attraction," the theory that like attracts like… but with how often it happened to him, he was starting to wonder.
Every woman he hooked up with in the organization saw him as just a temporary thrill—just as he saw them.
It was like a small sediment, gradually building up… No one had ever filled the void in him.
There were girls who genuinely liked him, sure. But he'd break their hearts in just a few days—because he got bored.
Toshi's reputation as a flirt was well-known in Thrak. But to his credit, he never let it affect his missions.
And then one day…
While walking into a conference room to see his supervisor, Jade—
"Jade, I read the mission brief and had a question—can I borrow you for a—"
That's when he saw another girl standing with Jade.
A petite girl with brown hair and soft golden highlights… only about 160 cm tall… but the thing that froze Toshi in place were her eyes.
The moment they met—those crimson eyes—he remembered them.
She looked grumpy all the time… and that alone made his heart pound.
"…Perfect timing, Toshi. This is a new Nova who was just accepted. She'll be joining you for this mission."
"…Oh… really?"
"…"
He couldn't take his eyes off her.
"This is Roxxy. Codename Ice Cube. Roxxy, this is your partner for this mission. Codename X. Just call him Toshi."
"…"
They shook hands. It was a solid first meeting.
While waiting for the mission—
"Hey…"
"…?"
"What's your power?"
Toshi gave her a smile, though a little nervous around her stern face.
"…Ice."
This girl wasn't much of a talker—that much he gathered.
"…What kind of ice?"
"…"
"…"
"…This kind."
She poured water over her hand. A red aura flickered, and the water instantly froze.
"Wow… That's amazing."
"…"
Roxxy said nothing.
The ice slowly melted back into water. She wiped it away, calm as ever.
"…Hey…"
"…?"
She glanced at him.
"…Do you… not like me or something? You can tell me."
"…No."
"Oh… okay."
"…"
"Then why the grumpy face? Mad at someone?"
Naturally chatty, he kept trying to talk to her.
To his surprise, she answered every question… and little by little, the conversation flowed. He learned that her stern face… was just her neutral face.
They'd known each other since then.
Toshi had never felt anything like it before. He'd talked to countless girls. But none ever made him feel this way.
His heart beat faster every time he saw her scowling face. He liked it—a lot.
Time passed. Toshi turned sixteen.
Their relationship remained strictly professional. They occasionally ran into each other… but Toshi could sense Roxxy's feelings went deeper.
Every time they talked, she seemed awkward and avoided eye contact. Was she starting to like him?
Not surprising—they were both physically mature for their age… and they were at the right age too…
The answer came not long after, when Toshi was summoned by Grandmaster Anong for a private conversation.
Inside a high-level executive meeting room.
Not everyone could get in here.
Toshi stood, hands behind his back, awaiting orders from his mentor—the one who had nurtured his skills.
Annie Barrett.
"Thank you for making time, Toshi."
"It's nothing, ma'am."
"You don't need to stand so stiffly."
"…Understood…"
He relaxed, and so did she.
She didn't sit behind a desk or act high and mighty. Instead, she walked up to him like they were peers.
This was typical Annie—Anong Wongpudee. The Annie he knew never cared about rank or age. She cared about "thinking" and "intelligence."
Toshi respected her like a mother. He could speak freely with her—about anything, even politics.
"Remember when I first told you that you reminded me of my son?"
"Oh, I remember."
"I don't have just a son, Toshi. I have two children. The older one's my son. The younger… is my daughter."
"Oh… I see…"
"You may not have met my son. But you've definitely met my daughter."
"…Huh?"
Suddenly, every girl in the organization Toshi had ever met flashed through his mind.
Oh no—did I sleep with her?!
He turned pale. Sweat rolled down his face.
If one of the girls he'd slept with was Annie's daughter… he'd never forgive himself.
Or worse—she might snap his neck right here.
Annie, sensing his panic, laughed.
"…Look at you shaking like a leaf, Toshi. Heh."
"…"
"You think I don't know your reputation, Mr. Playboy?"
"…!?"
Toshi glared at her, stunned.
"Relax. You didn't mess with my daughter, Toshi."
She leaned against the table.
"I get it. Teenagers will be teenagers. You're just being who you are. That's not a crime."
"…"
He wiped his brow in massive relief.
"If you haven't figured it out by now, my daughter… is Roxxy."
"…"
"Roxxy is your daughter?!"
"…"
She smiled at him.
"The reason I called you here today… is personal. I want to ask you for a favor, Toshi. What would you like in return?"
"Nothing, ma'am. Just working for you is an honor."
"…Sweet-talker…"
"And this favor… it's about Roxxy, isn't it?"
She looked down, took a moment, then met his eyes.
"My daughter… has a crush on you, Toshi."
"…?"
"I found out from my son. He noticed something odd in Roxxy's behavior. He investigated and discovered… it's you."
"You're sure…?"
"Absolutely."
"...Gulp…"
"So I want you to do something for me."
"…What is it?"
"Pretend to date Roxxy. And after five months… break her heart."
If it were any other parent, Toshi might have been shocked out of his mind. But Annie? He had no idea what to think.
"…Why would you want that?"
"To teach her. My daughter still has a fragile side. Luckily, her brother looks after her—but even he can't do everything. Roxxy bottles things up. So this… is the best lesson. To teach her what pain feels like… when it comes from someone she trusts."
"…Are you sure this is okay…?"
"Why not, Toshi? You're a heartbreaker. And Roxxy isn't even your type. It shouldn't be that hard, right?"
"…Y-you know my type?"
"…Heh."
She chuckled softly.
"Roxxy is more innocent than you think, Toshi. At most, she'll just want to hold your hand. That's her limit."
"Don't say it like that! I'd never take advantage of your daughter!"
"Good… Toshi. Thank you."