After school ended, half the students had already left the building. The rest were still lingering, caught up in club activities or just killing time. Me? I had other business.
I made my way down the hallway, dodging a few sleepy third-years and a pair of underclassmen giggling over something on their phones.
And then... here I am.
"…Excuse me~" I called out as I pushed open the door to the teacher's room.
A few heads turned, eyes scanning me like I was some new exhibit. Curious for a second. Then, nothing. Interest gone. Eyes back to papers, screens, and whatever stress-fueled routines kept them breathing.
Fair enough. Everyone looked busy. Or at least, they looked like they wanted to be.
"Ahh~ Rey, there you are… here!" Ms. Ayu's voice rang out, cutting through the dull buzz of paperwork and whispers.
She stood up, waving both hands like she was calling a dog, not that I'd say that out loud. Her smile was too genuine to be annoying, though.
"Ms., I'm here to collec—"
"Yeah~ I know, here. Take it," She said before I could finish, handing me a neatly packed bag. It was heavier than it looked, probably full of all the 'necessary' stuff for school life: textbooks, schedules, maybe a disciplinary handbook I'd never read.
"Thank-"
"You transferred at a bad time, you know?" She cut in again, leaning against the desk. "Middle of the semester's always rough. If you have any trouble adjusting, talk to me, okay?"
Wow. Not even one full sentence out of me.
Don't give me a chance to talk, huh?
What is this? Teacherly dominance?
"…Can't help it," I said with a shrug. "Something happened at my old school. I couldn't stay there"
Her smile dimmed just a little, still warm, but now with a flicker of curiosity behind it.
Did she take the bait?
"Oh~ I know it. The Principal told me. What is it... Fight or something?" Ms. Ayu asked, trying to sound casual. Like we were just gossiping over lunch instead of discussing why I had to start over in a new school mid-semester.
Ahh~ She wants to appear natural. Good move.
Too good, actually. Her voice was light, but her eyes? Watching. Measuring.
"Something like that," I replied, tossing the words out like breadcrumbs. Let her guess which ones mattered.
Survival Rule #11: When under fire, answer with fog. Never let them pin you down.
Ms. Ayu didn't bite right away. But then-
"I read it from your file," She said, her voice light. "You're an excellent student, huh? Academics, sports… What is it... For women?"
She wore a teasing smile, like she was playing around. But the words? Weighted. A question wrapped in laughter.
"Ahaha~ More or less," I replied, scratching the back of my neck. "But teach… Aren't you digging a little too deep here?"
Survival Rule #10: When under pressure, don't be afraid, don't back down.
Especially when the one pressing is above you. Give ground once, and you become their toy.
Especially if they're like Ms. Ayu... Someone who thinks they already own the board.
I kept the smile on my face, but there was something sharper behind it. Something I didn't bother to hide.
"It's not that I don't want to talk about it…" I leaned in just slightly, dropping my voice to a quiet murmur. "…I just don't want to talk about it to someone like you. Especially someone like you"
Her smile cracked, just for a second.
A flicker in her eyes. A blink. A breath. A glitch in the matrix.
Gotcha.
But to her credit, she snapped back fast. Tilted her head. Smirked like she'd found something amusing instead of offensive.
"Fair enough," She said, brushing off the dust. "You're sharper than you look"
I gave her a slight bow. "I get that a lot"
And with that, I turned on my heel and walked out of the teacher's room, my bag heavier than before, and not just because of the books.
Did I win? No.
Did I lose?
…I still don't know.
--------
#Ms. Ayu's POV
An exceptional student had arrived at our school.
An interesting one.
An enigma.
From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he wasn't like the others. Not just in grades or behavior. No, it was something deeper. Something unsettling.
The look in his eyes was sharp and detached. Observing everything, reacting to nothing. He didn't look human in the way most students do. Not really.
It was as if he didn't live in the real world, but in a Game.
A place where everything had rules, roles, and risks, and he'd learned how to play it far too well.
He spoke politely, smiled when needed, but every move was calculated. As if he were rolling invisible dice behind that calm face, weighing the odds of every word I said.
Students like him? They're rare.
Students like him… Are dangerous.
But also fascinating.
And I wonder...
Who taught him to look at the world like that?
And who, exactly, does he think he's playing?
The protagonist?
The side character?
The antagonist? A supporter? Or worse… the one who writes the rules of the game?
From his perspective, from the way he carries himself, it's clear he views life as something designed, structured. A board. A field. A system.
And his stats?
Well balanced.
Academics. Sports. Social maneuvering. Observation. Defense.
He's built like someone preparing for something more than just high school.
It's fascinating. Deeply fascinating.
Without even realizing it, a rare smile curled on my lips. Small, quiet, but there.
This school has seen its share of brilliant students, bright minds, prodigies, troublemakers with hidden gold, but him?
He's different.
He's not here to fit into our world.
He's here to see how our world fits into his.
"…This year," I murmured to myself, the smile still there, "will be an interesting one"
--------
#Rey's POV.
Without realizing it, I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
Did I give her too much information?
Did I pick the wrong dialogue option?
That conversation felt like a mini-boss encounter. Not lethal, but definitely not easy.
This school's level is way too high.
The students are sharp. The teachers? Sharper.
And Ms. Ayu... She's not just a background NPC. No, she's something else. A hidden event trigger? A quest-giver? Maybe even a late-stage obstacle disguised as early-game support.
Tch.
I need to adjust my strategy.
This isn't the kind of place where you can coast. Every step, every word, it matters. Especially when everyone's wearing a mask, smiling like it's part of the uniform.
I tightened my grip on the bag she gave me.
Survival Rule #12: Always scout the map before rushing in.
Looks like I walked into a dungeon without checking the threat level.
But it's fine.
If the game's harder than expected…
Then I'll just have to level up faster.
But… what is this feeling?
Happy? No, not quite.
Excited? Closer.
Like standing on the edge of a cliff, not knowing if you'll fall or fly, and somehow wanting to jump anyway.
This has never happened before.
This school is hell on a different level.
Dangerous? Absolutely.
But it's thrilling.
Like the game just changed genre, survival mixed with a psychological thriller.
And I… I might actually enjoy this.
"You... What's with that expression?"
"!!!"
I turned, startled.
Standing just a few steps behind me was Akia.
Sharp-eyed. Calm voice. But there was something unreadable in the way she looked at me.
Did I pass her without noticing it?
Are my feelings showing on my face unconsciously?
I instinctively raised my hands to my face, palms covering my mouth like that would somehow rewind the moment, erase whatever expression she'd seen.
But I think it's already too late.
"…Akia?" I tried to soften my voice. Play dumb, play calm. "What's wrong with my expression?"
She tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing, not aggressively, but precisely. Like she was measuring something.
"It's too late to cover it," She said, voice low and almost too casual. "What are you after?"
A direct hit.
I blinked once.
That's the kind of question people ask when they already know you're after something, but want to hear which version of the truth you'll offer.
Survival Rule #3: When questioned by a sharp mind, answer with a sharper lie... Or a disarming truth.
I lowered my hands slowly, giving her a sidelong glance.
"…Can't a guy just be happy to transfer to such an… Entertaining school?"
Her eyes didn't budge. Still watching. Still waiting.
"Entertaining," She repeated, tasting the word. "That's what you call it?"
I shrugged, feigning innocence. "Could've said 'chaotic.' But I'm trying to be positive"
She didn't smile. People like her didn't smile. Just folded her arms and stepped closer.
"Be careful," She said quietly, almost like a whisper, not meant for anyone else.
"People like you... The ones who start enjoying the chaos... They usually forget who's bleeding"
Then she turned and walked away, smooth, precise steps echoing in the hall.
I stood there, letting her words settle.
Did I win? No.
Did I lose? Also no.
But I just unlocked a new boss.
....
...
..
.