May 4th, 2018
Takayama, Japan — 8:00 a.m.
First day of school was new for me.
Standing before the school gate, I could watch, almost in slow motion, as students streamed inside. Some in groups, others alone. Maybe not all of them had good lives, and maybe I was assuming too much, but somehow I envied them a bit.
Contrary to what I had expected, when I went to see Horus, he had spared me his usual jokes. He just stared for a long while with those guilt-ridden eyes that had no real reason to feel guilty. As he went over the final details of the mission, his voice faltered, he kept fidgeting with his hands, unable to focus.
I would've preferred his usual mockery a thousand times over.
At least then I wouldn't be feeling so uneasy, and his wordless handshake given to me before I left wouldn't feel so icky.
Even after arriving in Takayama a week ago, I hadn't managed to rest the way I wanted. My stomach wouldn't settle. Not from hunger or acid, but from nerves. In that tiny house, barely large enough for my few belongings, every sound inside me was amplified the pounding of my heart, the churn of my insides, all of it blending into a sick symphony of uncertainty.
Whenever I felt like throwing up, I'd stand and go over the mission data again and again.
Valentin had two children — twins, both registered in Germany and Japan under his name: Kiera and Kaiser.
Kiera didn't have much of a reputation at school. She stood out only for her grades and her role as student council president. She didn't join any clubs and kept a predictable routine.
Kaiser, on the other hand, was the school's golden boy. Popular not just for his looks but for his athletic skills and spotless reputation. His grades weren't as sharp as his sister's, but he was still a model student. Sometimes he worked as a model for small brands, often seen hanging out to karaokes or bbq with different groups of friends.
Both of them seemed too normal. Too ordinary for anyone connected to a man like König. But normalcy itself can be the best disguise.
Before I knew it, I was standing at the entrance. My stomach burned. I'd forgotten to eat breakfast.
As I stepped inside to swap my outdoor shoes for the indoor ones, I could feel eyes on me, whispers rippling through the hallway.
"A new student?"
"A gaijin?"
"He's kind of scary-looking…"
The murmurs died out when a teacher's voice echoed through the corridor.
"Student Baek Junseo."
The name felt ghostly, foreign, almost hollow. I finished tying my shoes and nodded.
Being there made me feel naked. To meet the school's grooming standards, I'd been forced to cut my hair short, leaving nothing to hide behind. The uniform clung too tightly, made my breathing strange, and though the weather was mild, sweat trickled down my spine.
The woman whose face was mostly hidden behind thick-framed glasses, gestured for me to follow. As we walked, she explained the school rules, daily schedules, and a flood of minor details I absorbed automatically, like muscle memory.
By the time we reached the classroom, the bell had already rung.
I'd been close to death more times than I could count but in that moment, standing at the door, my calm façade cracked.All those smiling faces felt like they were mocking me, devouring me alive.
My tongue felt heavy, stuck to the roof of my mouth. No sound came out, as if someone were clawing at my vocal cords from the inside.
Before the teacher could comment on my silence, the door suddenly slid open with a loud thud.
"Oopsie, good morning."
It was him. Kaiser.
They had told me I'd share a class with one of the twins, but not which one so until now I was expecting.
"Ryokakku-kun," the teacher sighed. "You should be in your own class."
Kaiser flashed a smile perfectly polite, perfectly fake and bowed slightly.
"Kiera and I were running a bit late," he said smoothly. "She asked me to walk her here so she wouldn't get scolded too much."
He gestured lightly, and that's when I saw Kiera, standing behind him. Both were unusually tall for Japanese standards, their heads slightly hunched to avoid hitting the doorframe. Together they bowed in perfect unison, their apology melodious and practiced.
The teacher waved them off, clearly used to such antics. So Kiera took the chance to slip into her seat corner row, by the window.
They looked exactly like in the files.
And that thought pulled me back. This wasn't about blending in or making friends. I was here to work. Impressions didn't matter at all.
A soft cough drew my attention. The teacher was still watching Kaiser, who hadn't moved from the doorway. His face was unreadable, eyes fixed on me.
It wasn't uncomfortable or scary exactly, just… uncertain. Just plain lifeless eyes. I couldn't tell what he was trying to say with that look. So I met his gaze and held it.
Something in my expression must've amused him, because he smiled sideway. Then, after wishing the teacher a good day, he turned and left.
"Sorry for the interruption, dear. Go ahead and introduce yourself."
The teacher's tone was kind, patient, almost motherly. It eased me enough to bow slightly.
"My name is Baek Junseo," I said. "Please take care of me."
A few students clapped or murmured polite welcomes. Others just stared.
The teacher pointed me toward the only open seat, beside Kiera.
The first thing I noticed about her was her hair.
Every girl I'd seen so far had dark hair cut neatly to the jaw. But hers was long and chestnut brown, pinned up with a wooden hairpiece. A thin streak of white ran through her bangs like a brush of premature snow.
When I sat down, she glanced at me. I smiled out of reflex and she ignored me completely.
"Charming." I thought.
Now that I'd seen them both side by side, the resemblance was uncanny. I'd expected more contrast between brother and sister, even if they were twins, but contrary to what I had pictured they were identical. If Kaiser wore a wig like hers, I'd have trouble telling them apart just by face.
The teacher began class with a few announcements. I slumped against the desk, rubbing my eyes, yawning softly. I had no idea what to do. Well, yes I did know but actually doing it when surrounded by this surreal normalcy was somehow way harde than I'd expect.
All I could think about was food. I was so damned hungry.
The class dragged on endlessly. I couldn't bring myself to focus, not when I already knew most of what the teacher was saying. I leaned my head on my folded arms, lazily twirling a pencil just to look engaged. Should I just waste time the first day ?
A light tap on my shoulder snapped me back.
"Are you having trouble understanding?"
Kiera's voice was so quiet I instinctively leaned closer. She hid her face from the teacher behind a notebook, her red-framed glasses slipping slightly as they brushed against it. Her voice was cold, low, like stepping into winter air. Part of me wanted to keep hearing it; another part wanted her to just hush.
I rubbed the back of my neck with a sheepish smile, squinting as sunlight from the window hit my eyes.
Kiera's eyes were blue, so blue they looked almost gray, with a reddish ring around the pupil and a faint green halo above it. Unlike her brother's, her gaze felt somewhat kind.
"Japanese still gives me a bit of trouble," I admitted.
"I know the feeling," she said softly. "I can help you during break, if you'd like."
Bingo.