Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

『 Talking to the moon 』

『 Trying to get to you 』

『 In hopes you’re on the other side, talking to me too 』

『 Or am I a fool 』

『 Who sits alone, talking to the moon 』

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Rin Hattori wasn’t one to be swayed heavily by his emotions. 

Or at least, that’s what he believed about himself. It’s what a lot of people told him. 

He didn’t bat an eye at the judging stares that questioned his resolve, nor did he falter when he was told on the first day of class over a year ago that the Earth would be destroyed. And that they, as fifteen year old students, would have to kill the being responsible for such a threat. 

Some closer to him would call him out on his bluffs. They would say that he was a feeler, an empath at his finest. Someone who pretended not to be affected by the world, and had simply gotten used to burying the feeling of helplessness and injustice away. 

But that was maybe-thirty odd people against the entire world. Although it meant more than they knew for Rin, it didn’t change the fact that everyone else who had ever seen him in their life agreed otherwise. 

Rin could say, from past experiences, that he was a fairly level-headed person. 

He didn’t let things get to him too much, because that was his way of life. 

(Or at least, what he believed to be his way of life.)

Rin brushed his nose, hand pulling away to see red, blood red. 

Perhaps it was the sleep deprivation.

He brushed his hair away from his face (and the blood), grabbing some tissues from the side of his bed that were just within reach. He held it against his nose, accustomed to the action, and tilted his head upwards. 

Pray tell, what was the root of Rin’s unrest? 

Tired chestnut eyes flitted to the guitar case in the other corner of his room, black and plain, unassuming and average in all aspects. He recalled the day before, when the guitar had entered his life for the first time. 

“Nao had been saving up for quite some time,” Masato Kudo said, handing it over to Rin. “I thought it was weird that he suddenly wanted a part-time job, but he worked at a place where there was a professional workshop to make and design a guitar.”

Masato sighed, closing his eyes. “He probably wanted to make it in time for your birthday but didn’t finish it in time. When I asked him about it, he told me he wanted to find the perfect moment to give it to you.” 

“Since it was made for you, I thought I’d finish the job rather than have it sit at the back of the storage.” 

“...Even if you don’t play it, I hope you’ll take it.” 

A smile, sad and small, painted itself on Masato’s face. “It’s what Naoki would’ve wanted, lest he blame me, saying that all his hard work had gone to waste.”

Rin narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowed minutely, as if trying to stave off an oncoming headache. 

Why couldn’t you have given it to me yourself? He closed his eyes. Idiot. 

“C’mon, c’mon, lighten up! I’ll tell you what, I’ll teach you the guitar!” Naoki laughed, almost evil in nature. “Stop moping!”

“I’m not moping.”

“Don’t lie to me— you’re moping on the inside!” 

Rin stood slowly and made his way over to the guitar once the wave of light-headedness had passed. 

Perhaps it was selfish of him, cowardly of him, but he hadn’t opened it yet. Just looking at it made something stir within him, vaguely similar to anger, sadness, betrayal. A myriad of emotions that Rin didn’t even want to try and decipher.  

Who was he mad at? What was he mad at?

Even Rin knew the answer to those questions. 

This guitar, and the piano in the locked room – both were simply reminders of his oath, how he swore off music. 

Why did you go through the trouble? Rin huffed. He had told him so. In the end, it was all for naught. 

Although the air around him was kept at a constant, neither hot nor cold, he felt as if the temperature had dropped for some reason. Or at least, his skin felt heated against the air. 

The extra information from Naoki’s dad helped Rin piece together the story, just a little bit better. Back then, he had thought that splinters and scratches on Naoki’s hands were abnormal. Strange considering Naoki’s attentiveness and care of his hands, afterall, they were hands that held his beloved violin. 

In all honesty, Rin wasn’t surprised that Naoki would try to give him a guitar of all things. Even after Rin had said that he wouldn’t be associated with music ever again. 

Giving him a guitar was a very Naoki thing to do, and so he didn’t know whether to laugh or scowl. 

(At this point, he couldn’t even say he was mad at Naoki for blatantly trying to get him back into music. All he could feel is this hollow pit in his stomach.)

Naoki’s obvious efforts over the past few years didn’t faze Rin, although they were admittedly annoying at times. Similarly, Rin’s continuous refusal never deterred Naoki either. Rather, it invigorated his need. Rin would say that it was Naoki’s greatest desire – to bring Rin back to piano.

It wasn’t like Rin hated the piano anyway. He didn’t hate music. 

He would listen to songs and classical pieces on the train, in the park, sometimes when he drew and painted. Music was a big part of his life, and just because he wasn’t involved in it anymore, didn’t mean it would go away immediately. 

Back when Rin first stopped, Rin would lie down on his bed, thinking of a specific piece and run his fingers through the air, on an imaginary keyboard, hearing the phantom notes of sharps and flats, of scales and arpeggios, of octaves and chords. 

He loved the piano. He probably still did. But playing it, feeling his hands glide across the black and white keys— it became painful. When no one was sitting in that chair, right beside him, listening along to the tune, it struck a chord in him every time, until Rin had felt the string snap. 

Until Rin took his hands off and closed the lid for good. At first, it was a break from the instrument. But eventually, it became a permanent vow. 

But at this moment, Rin felt a tiny part of him chant— if you would come back, I would play the piano. If you come back, I will play. I will play it for you. I swear I will.

That part of him yearned, ears sensitive to every noise around him. Just once more— let me hear the sound of your voice. Once more— let me hear the sound of your song. 

Despite this, another part of Rin stayed frustratingly calm. It was times like these that Rin hated his composure, because a part of him twisted when he came near those black and white keys — bright and shiny, like the pearls of a clam, sparkling. The greed in him threatened to escape the moment he got too close, as if warning him to keep his promise. 

“What were you thinking?” He murmured to himself, eyes lost, dry. 

For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to cry. He couldn’t bring himself to weep over this loss, nor could he go about his life and leave it be. It was like an itch that he couldn’t scratch – a word that fell short of his tongue. 

But it felt like the world would weep for him. Rin liked to pretend that the rain was his tears, running down pale cheeks until they fell, drowning the world in sorrow. It felt like his heart would cry on his behalf, streaks of blood, blood and more blood, as his body broke down and started to protest, struggling beneath the grief.

On the floor, Rin held the guitar to his chest.

What were you thinking when you made this? Can you tell me? I know I said I didn’t care, but now, I want to know. 

(What was it that made you take your own life? What were you feeling? What could I have done to make it better? Tell me, please.)

Would you have lived, then?

Unlike the crescent moon that he had often gazed at, seemingly speaking of answers and truths – the hidden sun in the sky didn’t offer any solace. 

Even though it wasn’t cold, Rin couldn’t help but shiver. Even though his blood may still flow, his mind was frozen over, silent. Even though the melodies that used to flood his brain were never-ending, aggravating, especially when he didn’t want them— at a time like this when something, anything would’ve been better than nothing, empty, noiseless. 

For a moment when the sounds that would accompany him with every move had vanished, Rin forgot how it felt like to breathe.

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Ring, ring, ring. 

Obnoxious, his ears hissed. It wasn’t the sound they were looking for. Where was it? 

A few rings was all it took for Rin to swiftly pick up his phone and answer the call, even though he had been in a daze mere moments before. 

“...Hello?” 

“Rin,” a familiar voice entered his ears, appeasing them, just a little. 

But the concern laced in his name grated Rin’s ears. He had heard far too much of it to care for it, although he would appreciate the thought. 

“Isogai,” Rin breathed in, then out. He sat straighter, still seated on the floor with the guitar in his grasp. “Is there something wrong?” 

“I should be asking you that.” Isogai responded, hesitantly, “Nagisa called me and said you didn’t seem like yourself on Friday when you two met up… How are you doing?”

Rin narrowed his eyes. Maybe I’ve been a bit too careless. “Fine.” His answer was short, clipped. 

Nagisa was always more observant than the rest of the class. Rin was naive to think that the blue-haired boy wouldn’t have caught on to anything. 

“We both know that’s a lie.” Isogai’s face was clear in his mind. From the tone of his voice, Rin could picture his eyes – gentle eyes, compassionate and worried. 

“Want to tell me what’s really going on?”

And boy, it was tempting. It really was. 

There was always a microscopic part of Rin that thought, maybe this time it’s okay to share. Maybe this time, someone could help him ease this tension in his lungs, this pain in his throat. 

But as always, the words that might’ve had the chance of being voiced were swallowed by unending, relentless regret. And Rin didn’t need to say those aloud. It was enough for him to keep it to himself. 

Rin half-hoped that Isogai would just hang up, that the connection would be cut off, just to save him from the effort of searching for a suitable answer. However, Isogai was nothing if not patient, and Rin knew that they could be here for hours, even if he didn’t say a word. 

He knew that the entire class was already past being polite. Although people were still considerate and sensitive to each other’s emotions, they weren’t afraid to poke and prod if it would end in a better result. 

Well, having one person hound after him was better than having twenty. 

Rin brushed stray strands of hair away from his face, spinning a strand of dyed blue in his hand. He chose to give away the minimum. To talk about what he did. Nothing too emotional— just facts. Formed from his rational decisions. 

“I took a leave of absence from school.” 

If it weren’t for how downright shitty he was feeling, Rin probably would’ve laughed at how subdued his voice sounded. 

“...Why? Are you okay?” 

Oh, the million dollar question. He knew that it was customary to ask that, but it wasn’t like anyone would actually spill their troubles and conflicting emotions just at that, right? 

At least, Rin wouldn’t. 

Instead, he clenched his jaw, deciding to spare his friend the awkwardness he knew people felt when they had to have a conversation like this. “Someone close to me passed away.”

“...I’m so sorry, it’s a sensitive topic yet I forced you into sharing it with me." You didn’t force me, Rin wanted to say, but the words withered at his throat. 

“If you ever need to talk or need me to lend an ear—”

“Thanks,” Rin cut off, letting silence settle between them. 

He didn’t mean to sound harsh. Was that why Isogai had stopped talking? Did he come off as angry? 

He really didn’t mean to sound angry. 

“Thanks.” He repeated softly, exhaling. “It’s just— I just— need some time to sort things out. It’s fine.” 

As soon as his voice started to waver, Rin shut up, pressing his mouth into a thin line.

“...Do you need me to tell Nagisa to go over? He lives the closest afterall.”

Rin let a wry smile rest upon his lips. “If Nagisa lives close, then you may as well be on the moon.”

“Then Karma—” 

“That devil would be on Mars. Now that I think about it, don’t you think it would suit him? His hair would match – I mean, I wonder if green skin would look good on him.” He mused. Perhaps a thought for another day. 

“It’s not that far away,” Isogai insists, recovering splendidly from how he choked on a laugh. He coughed, clearing his throat to regain himself. “I can come over too! If you need some company.” 

Rin felt a tinge of warmth through his cellphone. Instead of pushing it away and warding it off with ice, he allowed his eyes to relax, letting the heat start to thaw the layer of frost around his heart and thoughts. 

What wonderful friends he had. He was glad he had them, truly. 

Instead of saying that, he chuckled. A soft chiming noise that gave away his exhaustion, yet was still pleasant to the ear. The laugh seemed to make the male on the other side of the call pause. 

“There’s no need to go that far, Iinchou,” loosening his upright shoulders and stiff neck, he let his head meet the wall of his bedroom with a soft thud. “I appreciate the sentiment though.”

“...Are you sure?” 

“One hundred percent.” 

“Then... I’ll let you have some rest. You sound tired, so get some sleep, okay? Sorry for disturbing you, you probably haven’t slept in days.” Rin’s former class president sounded sheepish, and Rin could imagine the boy’s apologetic smile. 

“Nonsense,” Rin let out a huff, allowing a small smile to lift the corners of his lips, “talking with you is a welcomed break.” 

A sigh sounded from the other end. “...You’re not even denying that you haven’t slept in days.” 

If anyone heard Isogai as he was, they would probably think that his dog had ate his homework. Except, Isogai didn’t have a dog, and they weren’t talking about homework. 

Why was that literally the only thing everyone would pick up on? Not even the fact that Rin was being abnormally soft and nice? Come on. 

 “Who knows?” Rin hummed nonchalantly, his facial muscles easing up to allow for a rare pout to show.

“You— just, take care of yourself.” 

“When have I ever not?” Rin retorted instinctively.

“ ......... ” 

Sensing something ominous, Rin hastily took back his words a little too quickly. “On second thought, don’t answer that."

Perhaps a little bit of panic bled into his tone, because Isogai laughed, that traitor. The former class president paused for a moment, as if he just thought of something, before continuing. 

“Don’t be too mad at Nagisa though,” Rin hummed noncommittally. “He sounded really worried, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Karma or Kayano knew about this. So don't be too frightened if they end up breaking into your house again.”

Sure, Isogai meant it as a joke. But a certain sleep-deprived person knew otherwise. 

That Satan spawn bastard— not on Rin’s watch. 

“Thanks for the heads up. I’ll be sure to brandish my pitchfork.” Rin replied dryly. “I’ll live, probably.” He sniffed.

Another laugh, though, this time it sounded more like a chortle than a laugh. “You’ll live.” Isogai confirmed. “Careful with Nakamura though. She would have your head.” 

Rin shivered inadvertently. “Don’t remind me,” he drawled. 

“Get some sleep, I’ve kept you up long enough. Although it’s still the afternoon, you should probably take a nap, or at least get some fresh air.”

“I should,” Rin whole-heartedly agreed, “thanks for calling. I’ll talk to you later.” 

“See you— remember to contact me if you ever need anything!” 

As soon as he heard the familiar sound signifying that the call ended, Rin let out a sigh that seemed to unwrap a little of what was once so tightly wound around his heart. For a second, it felt like he could inhale and exhale naturally, without the stuttering of his heart, or the burn of his nerves. 

However, the relief was short lived when the familiar walls of his room loomed, oppressing. 

…Perhaps he’s spent a little too much time in his room, as Isogai had said. And what kind of classmate would he be if he didn’t listen to the class president’s advice? 

Rin sat up. “Yeah… I’ll do that.” He muttered, changing into his favourite shirt, a crescent moon sweater that he got from Kayano for his birthday the year before, and loose black pants with a soft, comfortable belt. 

Where should I go? 

An art studio sounded appealing, but it was still enclosed. Maybe the park would be a good idea. 

Anywhere but here, his mind started spinning again, even if a little slower than his usual, unaffected self. He needed a change of surroundings to clear his head. 

Packing his things into his school bag was almost therapeutic. Rin should do this more often. His art pencil case, sketchbook, laptop, tablet, charger – what else? 

Going through a mental checklist was calming in a way. Surprisingly so. 

Scanning his room, his eyes landed on the guitar, his breath caught with it. 

He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off of it. And although he didn’t really want to touch it, leaving it at home out of sight didn’t sit right with him. 

After a moment of standing there, simply looking at the thing, Rin grit his teeth and decided to take the guitar with him, slipping the weight on his shoulders. His fingers trembled, and RIn didn’t know if it was his fatigue or something else. 

It’s light, he thought instead, trying to distract himself from the sensation of his limbs. Lighter than he expected. Rin always wondered if Naoki found it heavy to carry his guitar around with him everywhere. Now he guessed that he would experience himself, even if it was just for today. 

Looking around his room, he grabbed another jacket, just in case. If only to please the voice of his mom in his head telling him to add another layer. He stuffed it in his bag, in addition to grabbing some random hair clips and ties he got from Nakamura and putting them in an inner pouch. His hair was at a length where it was possible to tie the hair from behind his ears up, away from his neck on a particularly hot day, the front wasn’t quite long enough, hence why he had the clips. 

The patterns and decorations never really bothered him, especially when they did the job of keeping his hair away from casting a shadow over his sketchbook.

He put his headphones around his neck, checked that his phone, wallet and keys were with him before making his way to the full body mirror he had got from an antique shop a while back, edges vibrantly painted by him two months ago as part of an art project for the club. 

Standing in front of the mirror itself was a funny ordeal. He looked so ridiculous, it was almost amazing. Keyword being almost. 

To top it all off, he wore a black fabric facemask. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a fashion statement. No. If only it was one. 

It was September, nearly the flu season. Rin didn’t want to be catching a cold— he couldn’t afford to catch a cold. Especially with his luck. 

With a final glance towards his reflection – his black hair obscuring the dyed blue from sight unless the wind had a hand in it, and his mask covering the majority of his face, highlighting his soft brown eyes. 

Even with half his face covered, he still looked quite unwell. 

Of course, Rin didn’t expect much from himself. Especially with his skin tinting an unnatural white, the darkened bags beneath his eyes spelling insomnia. 

If mom saw me right now she would not be happy. 

But oh well, nothing Rin could do about it anyway. 

With a guitar on his back, his school bag held in one of his hands, headphones and phone in place, Rin turned away from the mirror and made his way to the door.

(If he wasn’t so out of it, he would’ve noticed how the glass of the mirror started to flood with a blackish green ink. 

He would’ve noticed the way that something seemed to call to him, beckoning him over.)

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Putting on the black and blue accented trainers was supposed to be an easy feat – the stuff he was carrying hindered his movement a little, but Rin was flexible. He adjusted his balance and stayed still until he was satisfied with the security of his laces. Standing up straight, he looked at a photo frame on top of the shelf. 

Dark hair, familiar smile – light grey eyes that seemed to encompass the world. 

“I’ll be off, dad.” 

And with that, he left his apartment, locking the door once he stepped outside. 

Before going into the elevator, Rin took out his phone and quickly opened his chats to send Nagisa a message, thanking the blue-haired boy for worrying about him. 

Only when he made it out of the elevator and his apartment complex, did he notice the late afternoon sun shining blindingly on everyone in the street. Usually he would’ve brought an umbrella out, or maybe worn a hat at least. But today, Rin supposed it was fine. Some sunlight would do him good, wouldn’t it? 

(“Photosynthesis! That’s it! Rin, you’re photosynthesising, aren’t you?” 

“Is that really your conclusion?”

“What if it is? Is there something else that Rin Hattori, the mysterious music prodigy, has to say about biology?” A smile stretched across that face, dimples forming on his cheeks. 

Rin sighed but couldn’t fight the smile off his face. “Then, does vitamin D ring a bell?” He played along. 

“Nope! Vitamin D? Who’s she? A new composer? A member of the orchestra?” 

Rin sighed, giving Naoki a look of exasperation. “The orchestra of nutrition— sure.”

Naoki made a face at the word, as if having war flashbacks. 

“I’m surprised that you don’t need to take any supplementary classes for biology.” Rin chuckled, amused.

“How rude, RinRin, I’ll have you know that I’m passing with flying marks!” 

“More like passing by the skin of your teeth.” Rin grumbled.)

Just as he stepped onto the stone side-walk to head towards the nearby park, he snapped out of reminiscing when he heard the clippity cloppity sounds of horse hooves. Turning his head around, he was met with the sight of a black carriage rushing on the street, a pair of intimidating black horses leading it with huffs and puffs. 

A horse carriage?  

Rin immediately felt something was off. He backed away from the edge of the street, looking around to see if anyone else was finding the appearance strange. 

Nothing. No weird stares, eyes widened in shock or confusion – nothing. 

No one else was noticing the carriage. 

He rubbed his eyes, blinking away the stars that entered his vision. Am I hallucinating? He had to be, right? 

Before he knew it, the carriage stopped right in front of him, opening the door to a black void, ominous and fear-instilling. 

Rather than striking terror in Rin’s heart, all Rin was trying to do was fight off the sudden crash of sleepiness, of black spots clouding his vision, of weakness in his arms and legs. Paralysis. Until finally – darkness.

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Sleep didn’t come easy for Rin, so even as he was losing consciousness, he could hear something whisper in his ear, making his skin tingle, hair stand up in alarm. 

—Ahh… my dearest beloved. 

—A lovely, noble flower of evil.

Rin wanted to move his hands, to open his eyes. To do something, anything.

What was going on? Who was talking to him? 

A ‘flower of evil’? Him?  

Was this another kidnapping? 

—Truly, it is you who is the fairest of them all! 

Rin’s mind was muddled, as if he was drugged. His lungs burned, a familiar feeling, like the gas on an island way back when – his memories resurfacing, of a duel of tricks, wasabi and mustard. 

—Mirror mirror, on the wall. Tell me, who is the……

The sound of wood creaked. He was really on that carriage, wasn’t he? The one he saw before fainting. 

Really, he needed to stop doing that. 

Focusing a little, Rin could hear the faint sounds of hooves crunching on dry leaves, of ghostly wind blowing by, twigs snapping and bending beneath the coach he was in.

—O, thou who hast been guided by the Mirror of Darkness. 

—Let thy heart’s desire reflect in the mirror and take thee by the hand…

What was this about desires and mirrors? Rin thought that maybe it would’ve been easier to just get hit by a truck and isekai’d to another world than to deal with this crypticness. 

—For me. 

—For them. 

—For you.

The voice was eerie, dark. It sent chills down Rin’s spine, something he definitely didn’t appreciate. 

Who?

—We are all running out of time. 

As if a spell was cast on him, Rin, who had been able to hear his surroundings for a brief window of time, felt the noise start to muffle. As if it was just a figment of his imagination, he slipped into slumber.

—No matter what, never let go of thy hand.

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Yuuma Isogai breathed a sigh as he hung up on the call. Staring at the contact on his phone screen, he couldn’t help but feel a seed of worry rooted in his chest. 

Rin is always like that. He told himself, reminded himself. 

He doesn’t look for help, even when he’s having a hard time. 

None of the class took it personally. They knew Rin’s personality and the way he did things. Everyone knew how to bypass that seemingly nonchalant exterior to get to that shining, considerate person that Rin was. 

No. Yuuma knew that it was a sensitive, and painful , topic for Rin. Thinking back on the conversation, he definitely didn’t handle it well either. 

Rin may say that he’s unaffected. And to most, he may look unbothered. But even Yuuma could tell something was wrong. Especially after Nagisa had tipped him off. 

Should he be glad that Nagisa was the one to see Rin on Friday? 

If it weren’t Nagisa— if it were Yuuma— would he have been easily fooled by Rin into thinking that the boy was fine? 

He would notice, wouldn’t he? If his friend was feeling off, or having a tough time. 

Calming himself from straying thoughts, he methodically sent some texts to a few people. 

Sorry, Rin. 

Distressed. That is what Yuuma would say is the best word to describe Rin as of the present. Agitated could be another. The person in question would deny it of course. 

But I can’t let you leave yourself alone. 

It was fine if Rin got mad at him afterwards. Yuuma would say he deserved it. But to sit in his room, half-way across Japan from his friend who said they wanted to be left alone? He wouldn’t stand for it, especially if Rin said that he wanted to be left alone.

Why couldn’t he be honest with them?

Seeing that his texts were answered almost immediately, he knew that the others shared the same heart. 

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Chapter Text

“Things seem to be going smoothly,” Crowley chirped, earning a look from Crewel. 

“I hope you jinx yourself, Dire.” 

“Today is but another glorious occasion for Night Raven College!” Crowley ignored Crewel’s stinging remark, earning a look of complete and utter annoyance from the latter. 

“The welcoming of a new batch of fledglings awaits us! Now, I mustn’t linger. The second and third years should be arriving soon.” 

And there he goes, gone like the wind. 

“What did you even come here for?” Crewel sighed. 

The man adjusted his gloves and ran his hand through his split-coloured hair. 

He paused in his work. “Something doesn’t feel quite right.” 

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The next time Rin was aware and awake, he was enclosed in some sort of box. The cushioning around him was comfortable, but immediately, as soon as he was able to form a semi-coherent thought, he panicked. 

But then, his head pounded, as if he was suffering from a concussion. In a sense, it awakened him. Made him hyper aware about the fact that he was in a very, very dark space. 

Massaging the areas that felt as if they were shot by a BB bullet didn’t help the steady and constant pain from his migraine. “Where am I?” He asked no one in particular, brows furrowing with a wince when he felt the guitar on his back bump into the side of the box when he tried to turn around. 

Numerous thoughts ran through his head.

Where was he? Did he faint as soon as he got out of the house? Was this some weird dream his mind conjured up to freak him out? 

It felt too real to be a dream, with all his stuff well and accounted for. Was he in a robe? There was a hood over his head, and the fabric felt different, textured in parts that suggested embroidering. Fancy embroidering.

Instinctively, Rin reached for something tucked in the most accessible pocket of his bag. Once he got ahold of it, he gripped it and didn’t let go, allowing it to hide in his sleeve for the time being.

Before he could readjust his position, he felt himself lose balance and fall backwards, leaning almost all his weight on the side that he was originally facing. The only side of the box that didn’t have velvet cushioning. 

And of course, the universe wouldn’t be satisfied unless they made Rin the unluckiest soul to ever exist in the living plane. 

The wooden door opened outwards, and Rin could literally feel his heart leap out of his chest and into his throat. 

Swallowing a shout of surprise, he fell out and immediately latched his fingers onto the edge of the coffin. Successfully holding himself up. A sigh of relief left him a little too soon because he struggled to keep himself away from the ground. His limbs were still weak, so he could only hold on for a few seconds before letting go.

Thankfully, those few seconds allowed him to gain more control and land on the floor feet down. No concussion, thank you very much. 

Brown eyes narrowed, adjusting to the bright surroundings fairly quickly. But before his sight had even assimilated properly, his ears were assaulted by hushed whispers from the crowds of people in the same room. Not being able to handle the overwhelming sense of buzzing noise around him, he knelt into a crouch, trying not to face-plant into the ground. 

Rin let out a small noise of pain. 

Not like it would be the first time that would’ve happened. 

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What was this unprecedented situation? Dire Crowley furrowed his brows behind his mask. It seems that Crewel has proven to be a rather good prophet. Maybe he should get the dog-lover to teach divination instead of potionology and alchemy. 

Although Dire may be questionable at times, he is by no means heartless. Seeing a soon-to-be student of NRC collapse in front of him, like a puppet with its strings cut. Seeing how the boy bends down to the ground with such sickly complexion— it stirs something within him. 

Even he wasn’t going to give a lecture and chide the boy immediately. 

Early. Too early. Surely, perhaps it was the student’s eagerness that resulted in their premature arrival. 

Did something go wrong? The thought had entered his mind but was quickly pushed aside. Because no, how could he question the Mirror of Darkness— who has never failed to guide prospective students to Night Raven College perfectly. 

Instead, he frowned. 

For a student to open their gate themselves, without a key. It was unheard of. Impossible. 

How peculiar. 

“My, to open the gate yourself, aren’t you an impatient one?” Dire approached with an amiable pace, tone of voice light and cheery. His words were spoken so as not to spook the boy who was clearly feeling the after effects of teleportation, as well as having nearly fallen and perhaps broken an ankle. 

Divus would turn me into one of his coats if that were to happen on the first day. 

On one of his steps forward— Crowley could feel it. As if there was a bell ringing, a bowstring drawn taut, the anticipation of a move. 

Pause. 

And that’s what he did, casually looking at the knife that had just slashed the air in front of him. 

Hostility.  

“Don’t come any closer.” The boy had wheezed, voice giving away either intense emotion or hurt. 

Bloodlust. 

Like an arrow that was ready to fire, this boy, hidden behind the shadow of his ceremonial hood, belongings in hand. And most of all, those eyes. Sharp and intimidating. The feeling only lasted for a moment, but Crowley didn’t think he could even be the tiniest bit intimidated by a mere child. A human child at that. 

Something is amiss. 

Something was off. 

Wrong in a sense – even though it shouldn’t, can’t ever be wrong. 

And although a part of Dire didn’t want to question it, it was undeniable. 

Something is wrong.

.

.

.

“Hey, did he just come out of the ‘gate’ himself?” 

“What’s going on?” 

“Why’s he carrying all that stuff? Doesn’t your luggage get sent to your dorm after you get sorted?”

“Don’t ask me! I’m just as confused as you are!” 

“I’m not asking you, idiot!” 

“Then who are you asking?!” 

“Should we do something?”

“Nah, there’s no point. The headmaster’s on his way already.”

“Guys! Isn’t there a theory about how the gates are ordered in how far away the place is? Wasn’t that gate at the very top?!”

“Stop being ridiculous, only you keep believing those weird theories.” 

A wave of nausea rushed through him. He brought his hand to his face, trying to contain the urge to vomit.

Vaguely, Rin could feel someone approaching where he was on the ground – quite silently at that. The voice started talking, but Rin couldn't care less about what was being said. It was the presence that freaked him out. 

Alarms in him were blaring, screaming at him. Danger, it shrieked. Caution, it cried. 

As soon as the person, being, came into his range, Rin reacted. Quick as lightning— quicker than the eye could catch, he stood abruptly and held a green knife dangerously close to the person’s neck. 

(Back at his house, just as he was about to turn away towards the front door where his trainers were, Rin spotted a nostalgic green blade on the edge of his desk, just within reach. 

Narrowing his eyes, he pursed his lips.)

The large hall seemed to be stunned into silence as a result of his actions, but Rin wasn’t paying attention to them. They weren’t important, not now, not yet. It was as if the world only consisted of Rin and the tall man in front of him, assassin and target. Who was who was yet to be determined. 

He swallowed the bile in his throat and spoke slowly, voice low yet clear.

“Don’t come any closer.” His throat croaked, quiet and apprehensive, protesting at its use. 

The warning was clear in the air. 

Step closer and you’ll get it. That was the message Rin hoped to convey, even as his arms trembled under his clothes. 

Unknowingly, his heart rate accelerated— adrenaline. His bloodlust spiked, just for a fraction of a second— just enough to make the man in front of him wary. Not enough for anyone else to notice at all. 

The man looked like a cosplayer, to put it quite bluntly. Top hat, black cape. He had it all. Blue fabric that seemed to be a mix between admiral and cobalt accented his attire, in addition to all the gold and jewelled accessories. 

Feathers, Rin noted with cold eyes. The gold claws on the man’s gloved hands tied the outfit together, but it also gave a sense of jeopardy. Risk. The gold glowing eyes and black mask seemed to consolidate the impression of a crow. 

The cane that the suspicious character was holding had a crow on it as well, with a metal bottom resembling a large key. Rin’s eyes shifted from the man to the coffin he was once in. In fact, all the coffins seemed to have the same key-shape. 

What was going on? If Rin was a weaker person, he would’ve already burst into tears. 

Of course, he didn’t. No matter how tempting it was. 

It seemed that the crow-creature raised his hands, an act of meaning no harm, in order to placate Rin. But all Rin could focus on were those chilling, inhuman eyes. The black-haired boy couldn’t get a read on the man, which wasn’t helping his growing anxiety. 

“Calm down, please,” the crow-man said. “I am not a suspicious person, trust me.” 

At this, a small snort of laughter came from the crowd. 

…A part of Rin wanted to do the same.

“Who are you?” He demanded instead. “Where am I? What is your purpose?” 

Wow, he sounded like one of those action movie heroes that had been taken to a villain’s lair after being knocked out, talking to the shadow in the dark. Generic questions, generic questions. Maybe he could’ve done a little bit better.  

“It seems that the spatial teleportation magic must have muddled your memories.” The masked man pondered to himself before clearing his throat. “Why are you here? Well, it’s because you’ve been chosen of course!” 

The hand that gripped the knife clasped tighter, Rin reluctantly lowered his from the previous threatening pose to listen to what the person was saying. For now, it didn’t seem like the person was trying to harm him. For now, he would listen to hopefully what would be the answers to this riddle. 

“As for your other questions, you are in Night Raven College, a prestigious academy for aspiring magicians to train in Twisted Wonderland.” 

Rin blinked. 

Magic?

“Students with exceptional magical potential are gathered from all around the world. I am the headmaster of this institution, Dire Crowley – appointed by the board chairman.” 

“The Mirror of Darkness,” the man— Crowley spoke, gesturing to the large mirror floating atop a fountain, “recognised your magical prowess and brought you here. Surely you remember a black carriage coming to pick you up?”

A black carriage… Beneath the mask, Rin’s lips quivered from both realisation and horror.

No way… did he jinx himself? Was this an isekai?? 

Crowley took the lack of a response as understanding, and so he clasped his hands together and closed the gap between them. Rin resisted a flinch. “Although coming through the gate yourself is forbidden and virtually unheard of in all my years of managing this school, I guess I can make an exception today. For I am a wonderfully generous person!” 

Ignoring the boastful talk, Rin’s mind was still reeling, as if it was trying to reboot, like one of Itona’s computers. Gate? As in, the coffins? 

“For a person like yourself who has arrived early, my, what enthusiasm we have here! I look forward to seeing what dorm you’ll be sorted into!” 

Things were moving too fast for Rin to even begin comprehending what the hell was happening. Dorms? Sorted? 

Seeing how the boy who had previously waved a knife at him was calmer, Crowley waved him off in the direction of a load of empty seats, like ushering a child away from a display of candy and sweets. Thankfully, the man didn’t make a move to make any contact with Rin, most likely a little wary of his previous display. 

“Ah, before I forget!” Crowley’s smile turned serious, “please hand over your weapon. I can’t in good faith allow a student to be carrying a knife around, of all things. It would be hazardous to the other students!” 

Rin took a deep breath and tried to focus on the situation at hand. Weapon. Hazardous to the other students. Maybe this person wasn’t as cruel as his initial impression of him was. At least they cared about the well-being of the student body. And since he mentioned Rin being a new student, that meant that the protection was extended to Rin too, if only until they find out that Rin doesn’t belong here. 

But this knife, this blade of his— it was something he wouldn’t let go of. No matter what. So instead, he simply held it out and bent it with his fingers, pressing the tip of the blade into his wrist to show that it was harmless. 

“I don’t think that will be necessary, headmaster.” Rin spoke smoothly, a protective mask covering the hint of raw emotions on his face. Before, Crowley could probably see the intense emotion in Rin’s eyes. But now, it was all hidden, as if it had vanished into thin air. 

“It’s just plastic.” 

(Those who were watching would’ve wanted to claim otherwise. Not just in disbelief. 

Because the new student treated that blade as a means of defence that could slice and cause damage. Not just a simple toy to wave around.)

Crowley blinked, almost owlishly. The sense of something deadly he had when dealing with this youth. The bloodlust instilled in that weapon of choice was still vibrantly clear in his mind. There was no way he would mistake it. And here it was— harmless?

When Rin bowed, head lowered in an apology, Crowley could see those sharp eyes never leaving his own form. The gleam of those willow-o-wisp eyes flickered, dimming a little. 

But in the end, the minute change went unnoticed by everyone else. 

“Apologies,” speaking formally came like second nature to Rin. “I was quite surprised by the situation, though, it doesn’t excuse my behaviour.” 

Perhaps those times he had to speak in the presence of Principal Asano were helpful after all. He would make sure to thank Gakushuu later. 

“...It’s fine.” Crowley coughed, cape swishing with the action. “Now, please be seated so that we can await the arrival of your fellow peers. The entrance ceremony is about to begin!” 

And so, Rin followed the principal’s words and sat down at the first row of empty seats. He probably didn’t need to worry about being killed here. The best thing he could do right now was probably wait for the right timing and talk to the principal about the mishap.

He shrugged his guitar off his shoulders, letting his bag rest against the leg of his chair. Rin let his own wobbly legs relax and rest on the cold, metal seat before repositioning the guitar to rest on his feet instead of touching the ground. 

Rin felt the corners of his lips turn downwards, ignoring the stares and whispers from what were presumably other students of this magical academy. 

If it were any other situation, he would have probably brought the headphones hanging on his neck up to his ears and just played some music to tune everything out. But he couldn’t afford that luxury— not now, especially, when every fibre of his being still felt like it was set aflame. 

What is going on? His thoughts echoed, confusion hidden from sight. 

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.

.

Things were going okay in Idia’s opinion. 

Not great but not too bad.

The entrance ceremony was by no means an exciting event. 

Sure, to some it may be interesting. A lot of times, students made bets about what dorms the new students would end up in. Candy, madols, even homework was on the table— up for grabs if you got it right. 

And so, Idia sat there, miserably, in person, all because his brother had convinced him to. Really, letting his tablet be there in his place didn’t mean he wasn’t attending!! He was still attending! Just… not physically there. 

Next year for sure, he promised himself he wouldn’t be attending in person. 

Ahh, he wanted to go home. Yellow eyes looked desperate, especially with his sunken eyebags and makeup that everyone in the dorm had to wear. 

You would think that being the housewarden would give you rights to forgo such a tradition. Wrong. 

The Savanaclaw Dorm Head sitting on his right yawned, making him flinch. The one on his left sighed at the former’s ungraceful actions. 

Idia groaned internally. What did he do to deserve sitting between these two of all people. With every second he could feel his health bar decreasing. 

Seriously, if he had known this would happen he would’ve levelled up more before facing the level bosses.

“Do mind the way you hold yourself, Kingscholar. We wouldn’t want the new students to get a bad impression of us housewardens.”

“Those new students won’t be arriving for another half-hour.” Leona cocked a brow, waving Vil off as his ears twitched in annoyance. “Seriously, they call us out so early to get us seated, and for what? What a pain.”

Yikes. 

The urge to go back to his room and pretend the outside world didn’t exist. The temptation, Idia lamented. 

Perhaps this was why the previous housewarden so readily handed over the position. Not just because they thought that he would be most fitted for the role. The dude probably didn’t want to deal with these ticking time bombs known as the other housewardens.

But Idia could agree with Leona. He remembered being a first year just the year before so he pitied the students that would enter the chamber with all eyes on them. Just the thought made him sick. 

With the whispering and muted chattering of students around them, it’s no wonder they didn’t notice what Idia did. No one but Idia, who was focused forward, waiting for this all to end, saw the event unfold. 

It was like watching a crash in slow motion, similar to how a game would feel when you just knew you should’ve put that last castle over there— The tiniest movement from the door of one of the farthest and highest coffins (the meaning of the gate was lost upon Idia) turned into a figure falling. And all Idia could do was watch. 

Surely, this wasn’t happening. Was it? 

His eyes twitched when the student that had arrived early— no one ever arrived early — hung onto the coffin for a second, letting the lid of the gate fall to the ground with a deafening clang.

“What the hell…” Idia couldn’t help but mutter. And judging from the expressions on the other housewardens, he wasn’t the only one. 

They watched as the student started falling once more, and from the corner of his field of vision, he could see Crowley prepare a spell to catch the boy. No doubt shocked by the suddenness of his arrival. 

Though, it seemed that the concern was unnecessary as the student simply landed on his feet ‒ gracefully at that, before kneeling down on the ground.

Idia couldn’t really blame the guy. Imagine falling out of a coffin floating over ten metres above the ground, in front of everyone. Someone may as well kill him in Idia’s opinion. 

And when the new student pointed a blade at the headmaster of all people, when the headmaster said that he wasn’t suspicious— Idia couldn’t hold back a quiet snort of laughter, which surprised both himself and the students around him. 

Idia tried to fight the flush that tinted his skin, ignoring Vil’s raised eyebrows. He tugged harshly on his hood to hide himself from the world. 

But now that he thought about it, that was such a main character thing to do, wasn’t it? Stand out in front of everyone, threaten the principal, appear early against all odds—

The guy didn’t look like a main character. Or at least, their figure didn’t seem like it, seeing how their hair and face were obscured from view where they were sitting.

The new arrival didn’t seem to have a powerful vibe, or even one that spelt ‘let me sacrifice myself to save the world’. That soul has no clue what is going on – probably doesn’t even have any plot armour. 

Idia grumbled internally. Well, perhaps this year’s ceremony won’t be as boring as the last. 

.

.

.

Rin could pass the oddly bright hair colours off as kind-of-normal. 

Afterall, his own class had its special edition of the traffic light trio too. Surely red, green and blue hair wasn’t that uncommon, was it? And who knows what happened with Itona’s white hair. 

No. It wasn’t that shocking when he saw at least three people arrive with white or silvery hair. 

A little weird for sure because what are the odds? But, it had the potential to be normal. 

Probably. 

But this— this.  

This all seems a bit too fantastical to be real. Rin thought dryly, nails digging into his palm as he watched another student walk out of a coffin with fucking antlers and ears on the top of their head where their hair was. 

This was where Rin drew the line. 

The worst part of all this was that the pain in his hand was enough to affirm that this was indeed not a dream, and that somehow, he had managed to get whisked away to this world full of magic. 

Shit. 

Someone back home was going to kill him. Murder him in cold blood only to revive him and kill him all over again. He could feel it. If not Kayano then definitely Karma. And if not Karma then definitely Rio. 

Karasuma-sensei wouldn’t even try to stop them. Just the thought of his former teacher standing at the sidelines, watching as the others hunt him down for sport made Rin feel mildly wronged. 

Rin was one to own up to his mistakes. 

Arriving here definitely wasn’t one of his.

The situation must’ve been an accident. 

Sure, he saw a carriage – but didn’t other people? He even stepped away from the thing, so how did he end up in it in the first place? He didn’t even have magic to begin with.

That’s it. The universe has abandoned him. Logic has left the chat. Sold his soul to whatever fever dream this was. 

Admittedly, perhaps he was a little too on edge when he arrived. He shouldn't have revealed his cards so easily, the whole fiasco with the headmaster drew way too much attention. It would’ve been better if everyone saw him as just a regular person, harmless and normal. 

Still, it was only when he sat down, and when the gazes on his figure lessened and were more focused on the incoming students, did he finally fully calm down and observe the place he was in. 

The spacious room was lit with warm, glimmering flames. The soft yellow of fire took off the ominous edge of the darker decor and walls. Large windows surrounded the place, similar to those within a church, except, instead of stained glass, the windows allowed bright moonlight to enter the chamber. The metal, vine-like metal supports reminded Rin of a haunted house, off-putting and stylish. It gave off a sort of charm that fitted the artistic design.

At least, it made the whole occasion seem more like a gathering of students rather than a sacrificial cult meeting. 

Coffins similar to the one Rin came out littered the air, like stars in the night sky, details on the lid glowing and reflecting light each time they bobbed up and down. And in the centre of it all, a large chandelier that adorned blue and white jewels, strings of pearls hanging above their heads.

Rin admired the purple luminous flowers that resembled candles on the chandelier. The electric chandeliers back in Japan didn’t hold a candle to the one here. Pun unintended.

Maybe he should request some pale purple lights in his own room when he gets back home. Rather than those dull grey nightlights that Karma had laughed at him for using. 

And of course, one couldn’t miss the enormous mirror right beneath the chandelier, even if they wanted to.

It floated above a fountain that was filled with a fluorescent green liquid. Creepy. The surface of the mirror was pure black, which didn’t help how disturbing it looked. 

Next, Rin switched focus to the sea of students, focusing on their outfits – a formal, extravagant ceremonial robe. 

Just looking at it made him think of the Harry Potter cosplayers in his new high school, on the day that everyone dressed up for the spring fair. 

Seriously though, those third years had marched into the school with an entire army. Rin wondered how they had even managed to rope so many people into doing it. 

Willing the thoughts away, Rin looked down at his own clothing. Thankfully, they hadn’t been changed, only an additional robe that was added on top of his sweater. Perhaps he had found the reason why the room was so cold. If others were like him, wearing thick clothes beneath the formal outfit, it definitely wouldn’t be comfortable with no air conditioning.

Who changed him?  

Rin didn’t know if he wanted to know, so he stopped thinking about it. Taking a closer look, the intricate details of the cloth caught his eye. 

The fabric itself was quite soft and comfortable. The black and purple outer and inner colours seemed to match the overall colour scheme of the school, or at least, what Rin assumed to be the school’s colours. It was the complete opposite of what he was used to. Kunugigaoka’s uniform was light grey and pale yellow. This was just… dark. Elegant yet somehow sinister. 

Something Rin noticed was that the embroidered patterns that were etched into the fabric in gold was hauntingly similar to the Mirror of Darkness that the headmaster had been talking about. 

Another thing it reminded Rin of was the mirror he had at home. And although the details were slightly different, there was something about it that gave the same feel. Though, there’s something else that bothered him.

Rin racked his brains, but try as he did, he just couldn’t seem to remember where he'd seen the mirror before. His headache wasn’t helping either. Sure, there was the mirror in his own apartment that bore some resemblance. But there was somewhere else… somewhere else he had seen it. 

God, why couldn’t his memory come in handy in times like these? Rin couldn’t believe he could remember the names and plots of almost all the anime he had watched in his life, but couldn’t even remember where the hell he saw this goddamned mirror which brought him here.

More and more people arrived, and the chattering was getting unbearably loud. Especially when it was right behind him. 

The more time ticked by, the heavier the feeling in his stomach grew. And when Crowley walked forwards to face the new additions to the hall, Rin could feel his heart sink to his stomach. 

“Now, first years, please stand and line up at the side so that the dorm sorting can commence!” 

Dorm sorting? Like, Hogwarts style??

Rin blinked as the other students his age rushed eagerly to be first, chattering in clear excitement as the first person walked up in front of the mirror upon Crowley’s signal. 

Just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, Rin got jump-scared by a face appearing in the mirror. Upon squinting his eyes, he realised belatedly that it was a theatre mask. Except, said theatre mask seemed to have a resting bitch face that rivalled Teresaka’s. 

There weren’t even pupils, just— dark voids staring into the depths of your soul.

Yep, this was great, this was fine. Rin stood slowly, ignoring the chill that made his hair stand on its ends when he looked at the mirror. Carrying his guitar and bag once more, he pretended he didn’t notice the stares he got from the others around him. 

Brown eyes shook at the sight of the long line in front of him.

Man, he was so fucked. 

.

.

.

Okay, maybe Rin was catastrophizing a little. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad, he thought, trying to convince himself. 

He was lingering at the end of the crowd of students, clenching his hands as he fiddled with the fabric of his ceremonial robe. Watching the line in front of him slowly shrink as people got sorted into dorms was a terrible decision. He should’ve just gotten it over with at the beginning instead of waiting in this agonising manner. 

Heartslabyul, for one. Octavinelle, for another. The student with the antlers got sorted into Scarabia, Rin noted. Other dorms were Pomefiore, Ignihyde, Savanaclaw and Diasomnia.

Peculiar names, Rin thought. How befitting. 

Accompanying the voice of the magic mirror was some groans and hisses in the other groups of students. One claiming to have lost half their yearly stash of candy, the other claiming to have won fifty madols. 

Definitely a different world, Rin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Madols? What even were those? 

Well, he supposed maybe he shouldn’t be too surprised. If an experiment gone wrong could vaporise over seventy percent of the moon… couldn't world-travel be possible? The idea was a can of worms that the Rin four months ago would’ve simply said "no, let’s not do this”. But now, did he have a choice? 

Before he realised it, it was his turn. The students that had been sitting in the hall when he had arrived started whispering again, as if they had forgotten about him, too preoccupied with the previous freshman. The sudden increase in volume from the upperclassmen distracted the new students who had arrived later than him, who had been sorted before him. Robbed of excitement, curiosity was left in place. 

Who was he to garner such a reaction? 

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Rin made his way up to the front. 

At best, it’ll sort him into a dorm. At worst, it’ll notice something wrong and not sort him into a dorm. 

Rin was hoping, praying for the latter. Just so that they could say that “oh, there must’ve been a mistake, we’ll send you back right away!".  

Just before standing where the previous student had stood, Rin made eye-contact with the headmaster. Plain brown met luminescent yellow. For some reason, Rin thought that he could see the metaphoric wheels and gears turning in the headmaster’s brain, coupled with anticipation.

Rin sighed internally, here goes nothing.

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.

.

Riddle getting sorted into Heartslabyul wasn’t all that surprising, Trey smiled to himself. 

Beside him, Cater snapped a picture of the both of them in their robes in the fifth row, waiting for the rest of the freshman to be sorted as he swiped through MagiCam. 

“Shouldn’t you be with the other Dorm Heads?” Trey asked with a wry smile, amused.

“It’s fine~” The other put out his tongue cheekily, “they won’t miss me.” 

All of a sudden, whispers grew in volume around them. Cluelessness only lasted for a second before Trey realised that the last person to be sorted was carrying a guitar on their back. 

Ah, Trey and Cater shared a silent look. The new student who pointed a toy knife at the headmaster. 

Looking at their stiff form, Trey initially thought that perhaps they would be like any other first year. Except, there was no excitement in their shoulders, no pep in their step. They walked slowly, almost too slowly. 

As if they didn’t want to be sorted into a dorm. 

That couldn't be. This was Night Raven College – why come when you don’t want to enrol? 

“I’ve got a weird feeling about this one.” Trey murmured, which made Cater blink. “It feels like something big is about to happen.”

Cater hummed contemplating. He leaned back with a smile, waving his phone lightly. “Do you think it’s worth recording?” 

His glasses slipped a little. “Why are you asking me that?” 

“‘Cause your hunches are usually right.” 

Trey sighed, “Isn’t it a breach of privacy?” 

“He’ll be a student, won’t he? We could always check if he wants it deleted later.”

Trey hesitated. Cater had a good point. 

He turned his gaze back towards the front where the student had just about arrived at the centre. Right in front of the Mirror. 

Well, it’s not like anyone in NRC were good people either. Maybe he should let this be for once. 

“Go for it.” He said, eyes narrowing as Cater complied. 

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.

.

Standing in front of the imposing mirror was intimidating.

Rin stared at the mirror, waiting for it to say something was utter torture. The mirror on the other hand, stared back. Quite judgingly too.  

…This was giving Rin some serious princess-movie deja vu. Specifically the one where a certain evil queen would ask a mirror “who is the fairest of them all”. 

The muttering of the seated students was starting to become uncomfortable, even for Rin. Just when Rin was about to open his mouth and state his name like everyone else before him, a deep, echoing voice sounded. 

“State thy name.” 

The hall fell silent. 

“...My name is Rin. Rin Hattori.” Thankfully, his voice didn’t quiver or shake. Even when some voices commented on his strange last name. 

At this, Rin felt a little insulted. What, so it’s okay to have a last name called Leech but not Hattori? Where was the reasoning in that?

The mirror seemed to furrow its brows— if that were even possible. It spent a good minute or two scrutinising Rin’s figure. As if it were trying to figure something out. 

That short period of time felt like an eternity for Rin, but nevertheless, he remained calm, collected. He didn’t let his nervousness show, even as the headmaster had taken one step closer to him. 

“Rin…” The mirror paused. Now, the moment of truth. “The shape of thy soul is……” 

The mirror trailed off, making an expression that Rin was sure even Crowley didn’t know the mirror could make. 

“The nature of thy soul……”

Could there be less dramatics? The students that went before him were told their dorm almost immediately. And here he was, five minutes into the sorting and still none the wiser. 

The mirror, whose face has fallen flat once more, finally responded fully. 

“O, thy beautiful, otherworldly soul…” What the fuck. Was that English??? “Thou hast come far from thy home.” 

Immense shock fell upon the crowd, and the stunned expression on the headmaster’s face made Rin narrow his eyes. What was this situation?  

(“Hmm,” A voice from the back was particularly clear in Rin’s ears. “Now, that’s a language I haven’t heard in a long time…”)

The mirror— it knew. Even though Rin was counting on it, it unnerved him – the fact that it was able to see that Rin was out of place here. 

“Thou hast a choice to maketh.”

Rin hissed quietly. 

What choice? A choice to go back home? A choice to stay? Was it going to send him on a quest to defeat a demon lord or something? 

“What is the Mirror of Darkness saying??”

“Isn’t that Old Trade?”

“You mean the ancient language of runes?” 

“What?”

“You second years wouldn’t know about it just yet. It’s taught at the end of the year, continuing on into the third year.”

It seemed that English wasn’t a language regularly spoken in this world, considering the explosive reactions from the students behind Rin.

Old Trade… he had seen the term before in a game that Karma had been playing. An ancient language, like that of Latin, one that is no longer taught or in daily use.

Why was the mirror speaking English when it was clear that Rin could answer in Japanese? Was there something special about the language? If he spoke in English, would he stand out? 

Of course he would. It would be strange, exceedingly so. 

He didn’t want to stand out more than he already did. 

Rin bit his lips, trying to think of a way to get out of the situation he was in. Answer or stay silent. 

Did it matter if he spoke a little bit of English here? He wanted to be sent home anyway. 

But, there was always a possibility……

“What choice do I have to make?” Rin said, voice clear, eyes unwavering, albeit uncertain. If the mirror responds, that would mean that using Japanese was fine. Better to be safe than sorry. 

However, even without responding in Old Trade, Rin’s response seemed to surprise everyone even more. ‘Did he understand the mirror?’ was now the real issue.

When the mirror began to speak again though, things were silent once more.

“A dorm befitting of thee⸺ the strictness of Heartslabyul, mindfulness of Scarabia, diligence of Ignihyde, or the persistence of Savanaclaw.” Rin listened carefully, cautious, even when the mirror reverted back to the original language it was speaking in. 

Was it asking him to pick a dorm…? No one before him needed to do so, so why him? 

Ignorant to Rin’s inner conflict, or maybe knowing his dilemma but choosing to ignore it, the mirror continued without pause. “Or perhaps Octavinelle’s benevolence, Pomefiore’s tenacity, or Diasomnia’s nobility.” 

“What is thy choice?” Its voice was loud, demanding in a sense. 

Rin paused, staring at the ground. He breathed. 

The fact that there isn’t a choice to go home… That could only mean one thing, right? 

“Is it possible to go home?” He couldn’t help but ask, voice a little weak. 

The mirror didn’t respond, simply gazing at him impassively. 

Rin felt as if his heart was wrung out, nailed to a board with a bunch of needles. 

“A word of advice…” The mirror echoed. 

“Hold fear close to thy heart, but doth not be afraid.” 

Rin blinked, goosebumps forming on his arms. The mirror spoke in an almost detached way, hollow and emotionless. The words didn’t sound anything like a threat, nor did it sound unkind, but to have fear yet not be afraid? What was it trying to say?

It seemed that the headmaster had similar thoughts. 

“What did you say?” Crowley asked incredulously, interrupting Rin’s train of thought. The crow-man looked towards the floating mirror as he quickly made his way to stand beside Rin. “This is absurd… Impossible! For the student to be given a choice as to what dorm they’ll be sorted into… it’s never happened, not even once!”

“And for what reason did you speak in Old Trade? What did you say?” His questions came off as a little bit hysterical, and honestly, Rin couldn’t even blame him. 

What was more frustrating is that instead of answering the headmaster’s questions, the mirror repeated its question. 

“What is thy choice?” It ignored Crowley’s protests and demands for answers, eyes dark and empty, fixated on Rin— and Rin alone. 

Rin did his best to think about it, but in the end, he grew tired of thinking, head throbbing from dull pain. Was there a point? If he couldn’t go home, what was he to do now? 

“Surprise me.” He said. 

Rin’s response shocked himself too. Many of the other people exchanged glances when he said that, some barking out a laugh, others bewildered by the progress. 

Could they blame him? In a moment of great brilliance, that’s what his sleep-deprived, tired, muddled brain that was still suffering from what might be the aftereffects of teleportation, had decided to supply. 

It may not have been his brightest moment, in hindsight, but it was good enough in his opinion.  

The mirror seemed to furrow its brows once more. It’s been doing a lot of that ever since Rin stood in front of it.

“If that is thy wish, the shape of thy soul is that of… Pomefiore!” It announced loudly, so loud that Rin felt like his eardrums were at the verge of bursting. 

I’m literally right in front of you. 

As soon as it said that, the face faded away, leaving just a black mirror and a hall full of confused students and a confused principal. Not even Rin knew what was going on. 

All of a sudden, the silence was broken and unbridled chatter filled the room. 

Fuck. What was all of this for? Rin stood still at the side, expression scarily blank as Crowley silenced the students. 

Was it easier to just slit his throat and take his chances? Maybe he would end up back in his own world then. Or maybe he was already dead when he arrived. He woke up in a coffin after all.

“Ahem!” The headmaster clapped his hands, eyes gleaming in the warm glow of the lights around him. “The entrance ceremony has officially come to an end! Now, Dorm Heads! Kindly guide the new students to the dorms please!” 

He turned towards Rin, metal accessories clanging with the movement. “Hattori-kun, please stay behind.” 

“Man, wasn’t that interesting.” A student with lion ears and long brown hair, the rich colour of dark chocolate, stretched. Eyes narrowed on Rin’s figure. 

Ears… Rin wondered how it felt like to have ears on the top of your head. When it twitched or flicked, was it intentional? Or was it instinctual?

He was getting distracted, he knew it, but he let it be. The students were leaving, he was staying behind to sort things out— there was no need to be as high strung as before. Rin didn’t realise how much stress he was under until the thing was over. 

As soon as he let his shoulders fall, tension released, his eyes locked with fierce green ones. Even so, Rin didn’t tense up again. He simply stared back. 

Neither of them made a move to avert their gaze, simply continuing to pick each other apart within their minds, Rin wondered what kind of physical differences someone with animal features would have. The other student’s thoughts, however, were undecipherable – well-masked by a stone-cold expression. 

Eventually, the student must’ve gotten bored. Yawning, he waved his hands to the first year crowd and started to move. “If you’re in Savanaclaw, follow me.” 

“Ignihyde, follow me…” Blue flames as hair flowed behind the guy as a bunch of students followed suit, most silent as they exited the hall. 

Octavinelle, Heartslabyul and Scarabia took their leave too, a couple of them shooting questioning glances at Rin, who was still at the front near the mirror. Eventually, only Pomefiore and Diasomnia remained. 

“Let us take our leave as well, Pomefiore. I am Vil Schoenheit, your housewarden.” Vil’s eyes darted towards Rin before turning to Rook. If Rin didn’t have to spend a whole year trying to keep up with a creature that travelled at Mach 20, he probably wouldn’t have noticed the look he was given. 

“Rook, make sure that all the students are accounted for.” 

“Bien sûr, Roi du Poison!” Another student responded— was that French? The blonde’s eyes were sharp as they smiled widely. This one didn’t even try to hide the look that they gave Rin. As if openly announcing to the world that they found Rin interesting. 

The gaze seemed to be fixated on Rin for even longer than the student before him. And perhaps due to the fact that they had such sparkling, emerald eyes, Rin tilted his head and greeted the student with a nod and a smile. 

He watched as the student’s eyes widened before smiling back. 

Those were the eyes a hunter had when they set their eyes on their prey. Not unlike an assassin with their target, but still different. 

Rin's heart thumped in his chest as he watched them go with their robes swishing behind them. 

This place was bad for his heart. He was crying on the inside. 

All that was left was Diasomnia. The new students looked around, hesitant. Most of the second years had already left after being told that only the Dorm Heads needed to take the students back to the dorm. 

“My, was Dorm Head Draconia-kun not invited again?” Crowley frowned in an almost faux manner, looking around for the tall, black-haired Dorm Head. 

“Draconia… as in, Malleus Draconia?” 

“He goes to school here?!”

“It was a rumour back where I came from, but I guess it’s real!”

“Unfortunately it seems to be the case.” Another student sighed, exasperated. “No matter, I shall take the responsibility to lead them back to the dorm.” 

“Many thanks, Vanrouge-kun.” Crowley smiled. 

Only when no one but Crowley and Rin were left in the chamber, did Crowley finally speak. 

“It seems that we have much to discuss.” He started off, voice uncharacteristically serious.

“Though, perhaps we can start off with you telling me what the Mirror of Darkness said.” 

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Omake: 

The phone beeped before hanging up without ever connecting. 

Karma frowned minutely, redialing and waiting once more only for the familiar “this number is currently unavailable, please try again later” to sound out. 

Weird.  

Although Rin wasn’t the best at answering texts immediately, he almost always picked up the phone within five seconds. Something he was known for within the group. The fact that he wasn’t picking up meant that either his phone was out of battery, or that perhaps he left his phone at home.

The red-head ruled out the possibility of Rin sleeping— someone could probably call Rin at three in the morning and he would still answer the call. And it was highly unlikely Rin forgot his phone at home. That guy probably has a mental archive of things he might need on different occasions in his head. It was hard to imagine him ever forgetting anything. 

Did something happen?

Usually Karma wouldn’t worry too much about things like these. Maybe he’s just busy, was always a thought that people had when a call didn’t go through. 

But something about Rin not picking up unsettled him. Especially with Isogai’s texts into the group chat just a few hours earlier. 

Maybe Rin was sleep deprived and simply dead asleep. 

But Karma knew better than to count on the ‘maybe’ and ‘probably’. 

When he picked up his phone again, he called a different number. 

“Nagisa~” Karma sang after the call had rang for a few moments. 

“Karma-kun? What’s up?"  

“Rin won’t pick up the call,” he said as he fiddled with a pen. “Could you try calling him instead and see if he picks up?” 

“...yeah. I’ll do that.” Nagisa replied, voice strained. “I guess we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Maybe he’s asleep?” 

Karma snorted, “You think Rin of all people would be one to sleep at what, 8pm? I’m more concerned that he might’ve accidentally knocked himself out and is now collapsed on his bedroom floor.” 

Nagisa sweatdropped. “Alright, fair point.” 

There was a beat of silence. Something gnawing at the back of their minds. 

“...If he doesn’t pick up, text into the chat to let everyone else know.” Karma spoke, tone laced with something Nagisa couldn’t really identify. 

“Which chat?” 

Kamra hummed, thoughtful. But unfortunately, if Rin saw the face he was making, he probably would’ve thrown some salt on Karma to make sure he wasn’t possessed. 

A shame, really.

“Just send it onto the class group chat. Let everyone know Rin isn’t picking up. Don’t go into the details, I guess. Just make sure everyone keeps an eye out and calls him.” Karma replied, “who knows, maybe he’s still mad at me about that one time I broke into his house.” 

Nagisa laughed nervously, “Surely not… right?"  

“Who knows? Anyway, you do that whilst I ask Ritsu to take a look at his coordinates.” 

“Isn’t that supposed to be for emergencies?" Nagisa pondered.

“This is an emergency. Nagisa, think about what Isogai said about Rin.” Karma hissed, “And don’t look at me. He was the one who consented to it after Karasuma-sensei suggested it.” 

“A part of me wants to say that maybe Rin just wants some alone time. We all do.” Karma waited for Nagisa to continue, knowing that he wasn’t done. 

“But another part of me thinks you’re right. There is something off about this, even if Rin wanted some alone time, he wouldn’t outwardly ignore the calls. It’s like his habit to pick them up immediately.”

“You and I both feel like there’s something that doesn’t sit right. Isn’t that an emergency enough?” Karma questioned. 

It seems he’s made his point successfully as the other side sighed in defeat, Karma wholeheartedly agreeing with the action. Nagisa muttered a quick ‘talk to you later’ before hanging up. 

Karma sat there for a good while, waiting for word in the chat to give him the go ahead. As soon as he saw the notification, he swiftly turned his laptop on. 

“Well, Ritsu,” Karma smiled, turning to his laptop. “Why don’t you, me, try to find Rin?” 

“Already on it!” A chirpy voice greeted him. A girl with purple hair flickered alive on his laptop screen. 

If their worry is unfounded, if there’s nothing to worry about— and maybe Rin is just at home, chilling with his phone out of battery, that would be alright. Ideal, actually, with Rin’s luck. 

But if it isn’t— perhaps another visit to his house is needed. 

⸻ Karma’s mind halted when Ritsu brought up the map. He sucked in a shallow breath, lungs frozen at their core.

It’s not there. 

“Ritsu,” Karma called out, throat dry. “Could you tell Karasuma-sensei that Rin’s tracker is gone?” 

He paused. 

“And also, could ya pull up the records? I want to see where Rin last was when the thing was still working.” 

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Chapter Text

Every waking moment of his life, Rin wanted to ask, just what did he do to deserve this. 

Nothing apparently— most likely he offended some god in his previous life. At least that would explain his terrible luck.

He stood in front of Crewel, a member of staff at NRC as well as the medic for more serious injuries. Rin massaged his shoulders after gently dropping his belongings to the ground. 

The man in front of him looked as if they were going to have an aneurysm. To be honest, it looked kind of like the expression his mom would have when he forgot to dry his hair after taking a shower. 

If this was any other situation, Rin would’ve found it unbearably funny. But right now, he couldn’t bring himself to muster any semblance of joy. 

How did it come to this? 

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.

If Dire had any sort of expectation of how the entrance ceremony would go, it was effectively shattered by the last student who went up. 

When the boy had walked up to the magic mirror, Dire couldn’t help but feel a sense of genuine curiosity. What house would the boy be put into? To be the first human to shake up the entrance ceremony in the way that they did… of course he would look forward to seeing how things would go! 

Rin Hattori. What an enigma they were. 

An odd name, but Dire wasn’t so surprised. He’s seen many kinds of names in his years— at most, the name seemed to be from the far east. Rare, as most who lived in the east tended to stay in the east. For some reason, the magic mirror guided less students from those areas, even when it invited students from all over the world.

Everything was fairly fine. The magic mirror seemed to take longer than it did for others to ask the starting ‘state thy name’, but other than that, things seemed to be going decently well. 

It was only when the Mirror of Darkness started speaking in Old Trade, did things start to take a turn. 

It was useful to note that in all the years he’s been acquainted with the mirror, it has never, not once, spoken Old Trade. 

It was an old artifact, sure, but it was also one of the more stubborn ones. Many had come from all around Twisted Wonderland to further their knowledge of the dead language, but try as they may, none were able to make the mirror respond in the language. 

So, imagine his surprise when it does exactly that for this new student. What was special about Rin Hattori, that made the mirror speak the ancient language so readily? 

The mirror didn’t seem to speak very fast, but even then, Dire could only recognise a few of the words. 

Beautiful, soul, far, home, choice, maketh. 

His proficiency in the dead language could be considered top-tier, but by the will of the Seven, even he could not understand the words fully. 

Old Trade… the ancient language of magic – only taught to second years and onwards, though it's introduced as early as first year classes. Even so, many won’t recognise it as the language it is. 

To the present day, most of it still remained unknown and undiscovered. Even with the numerous connections Crowley had, he could count the number of scholars and magicians that understood even a fraction of Old Trade on one hand. And that wasn’t even touching upon the fact that the youth in front of him had spoken Old Trade so casually. So fluently at that.

Perhaps, was it possible? Was there a place in this world that still spoke it? 

Similar to the verbal spells that students could chant in Common, ancient runes and ancient spells mostly relied on Old Trade. To say that it was the fundamental basis of magic back in the old times was an understatement. Other ancient magical languages served a similar role in the culture, history and the development of magic in specific tribes and people, but none seemed to be as strong as Old Trade. 

When magic power was put into the words, the sentences would come to life, allowing for infinite spell-casting possibilities. Just as how a sentence could be worded differently into numerous combinations, casting magic with Old Trade was similar in that manner.

It may sound simple and easy, but it was anything but that. The amount of magic needed was finicky, and the pronunciation of the spells were shaky at best. 

Unfortunately, despite the lack of knowledge on Old Trade, many ancient spells are still used today. However, most of them originate from the seal script of the Shan people, as well as Latin rather than the dead language. And even then, seal script and Latin only worked for specific types of spells, Latin with chants and seal script with arrays. Without Old Trade, there was no longer as much freedom to create one’s own spell compared to the old days when people had been fluent in the language.

Dire had a hunch— an educated guess he would say —when he had heard those words from the magic mirror. But when the Mirror started listing the names and qualities of the NRC dorms in Common, Dire knew that he had guessed right. 

The Mirror of Darkness is giving Hattori a choice. 

It’s never happened before. And Dire could only say that it was probably never going to happen again. This once-in-a-lifetime unique soul appeared before him, one that even the magic mirror recognised — and what kind of educator would he be if he let this talent remain unseen? 

A terrible one, for sure. 

The magic mirror never really accepted vague answers from students, or any sort of refusal really. That was its job after all. 

Sometimes, Dire thought that the mirror existed, not only to be immensely helpful, but also to be immensely frustrating. So when Hattori had said ‘surprise me’, Dire had nearly sprung into action to stop the mirror from sending the child back home out of default.

Once again, expectations just couldn’t be kept when this child was around, as the mirror announced Hattori’s house – Pomefiore. 

And Dire thought, perhaps that was that. He would have an amazing student, one that might rival the Malleus Draconia. 

Rin Hattori was a soul with the potential of any of the dorms. The ways that he would grow— Dire couldn’t wait to see it. Not to mention, if Hattori was willing to aid the other students in their knowledge of Ancient Magic, it might just be a game changer for the long-standing rivalry between Night Raven College and Royal Sword Academy. 

Oh, but Sevens, nothing was ever easy. 

When he had asked Rin Hattori to stay behind, it was to question what the mirror had said as well as inquire into his background. If there was a place that had more knowledge about Old Trade, scholars would be salivating over it enough to drown the world in drool. 

He certainly didn’t expect the fact that Hattori wasn’t from their world, and that the child was trying to find a way to leave NRC, to leave Twisted Wonderland, as soon as possible. 

World travel… It would’ve been impossible to even imagine, much less see it in person. But some things didn’t add up. 

Hattori claimed to hail from a land named Japan, on a world called Earth.

If the boy’s words held even an ounce of truth, and that there was absolutely no magic in his world, how was the magic mirror able to sort him into a dorm? One needed to have magic in order for that to be possible. 

It was likely that although their worlds may be different, Hattori still had magic in him for some reason. Or perhaps, the people of his world possessed magic, but were simply oblivious to the existence of it. 

When Dire had asked about how the boy had learned to speak Old Trade— the boy had simply said that it was one of the most common languages in his world. In the terms of this world, it would be their “Common”. 

The child had also mentioned that there were over six thousand languages in their world, ‘English’, although being the most common, definitely wasn’t the most difficult. At least, that was in the boy’s opinion.

With the way that Hattori held himself, the way that he answered Dire’s questions, the peculiarity in the situation itself— there was no way this was a lie. It couldn’t be a coincidence, and as the headmaster of NRC, he has learnt to believe in his judgements. 

Further evidence that proved that this was most definitely not a joke was the items the youth had been carrying with him. Non-magical phone, laptop and tablet— brands he has never seen before. Perhaps Schoenheit or Shroud would be more familiar with the items and technology, after all, they were quite familiar with the industry. 

Answering the boy’s own questions proved to be quite simple. Most were related to ways to get back home, about how ‘no, there was no way to cross dimensions, or at least, safely’, and ‘no, other than the magic Mirror of Darkness, there were no other ways to teleport such long distances without accidentally losing a limb’. 

If this were any other child, Dire would perhaps expect tears to start flowing. But Hattori was slightly different, unsurprisingly. Although his eyes were tinged red, he didn’t cry. 

How very unfortunate, although Dire was quite a nice person, he couldn’t speak for the rest of the student population. 

He felt pity for this child. 

To have wandered into Night Raven College— Crowley wouldn’t wish it upon his most hateful enemies. 

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.

By the time his conversation with the headmaster had finished, Rin’s throat was drier than the Sahara Desert. If that was even possible. 

“Well,” He croaked, mind conflicted, yet quiet. Abnormally so. “I guess I’ll be off then.” 

“Eh?” 

He hoisted his belongings up and bowed to the headmaster, low, eyes watching the ground.

If there was no way to get back home here, then all he could do was leave and find a way to get back. If there was a public library or something, then it would be most ideal. That way, he could at least see if there were any past cases similar to his own. 

“Thank you for putting up with me. I know this has been a hassle, and I’m sorry for the commotion I’ve caused, but as it turns out, I don’t think I can enrol in Night Raven College.” Rin said before promptly turning around and making his move to leave. He was able to take a few steps before Crowley’s shrill voice filled the room, echoing. 

“Wait! Wait!!!” 

Rin paused and turned around, movement sluggish. The man had a hand reached out in Rin’s direction. 

Was there anything he had forgotten? 

Oh!  

“Do you want the ceremonial robe back?” Rin looked down at the outfit that he had forgotten was on him. Surely it was expensive, right? Upon reaching to set his things down and take it off, he was stopped by Crowley’s gloved hands, the man having closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.

The feeling of metal claw accessories were cold against his skin, but the craftsmanship was quite delicate and interesting. Looking up, all he saw was the black mask that Crowley donned, the top hat casting a shadow on Rin’s face.

They stared at each other, neither fully comprehending the other’s actions. 

Crowley pulled back quickly, straightening to regain some composure. The headmaster coughed, “just what do you think you’re doing?”

“Leaving?” Rin answered, “I’m probably going to see if I can find a weird blue police box or something.” He muttered.

“Child,” Crowley spoke quickly. “It’s quite dangerous to walk around at night when you’re unfamiliar with our world!” If Rin didn’t know better, he would assume the man was worried. 

Who would be worried about the well-being of a stranger? 

Rin hummed, face blank of any emotion. “I think I can manage.” Although this was a world of magic— a fantasy world, Rin could probably survive perfectly fine. The only real issue would be money and a roof on his head. 

And also, if it rained, he was effectively screwed, but Rin figured he could tackle that problem when it came. 

“Nonsense! Although you come from another world, as an educator, I would hate to leave a child like you stranded in a different world, without a cent to your name. I assume you’ve tried to use your phone to contact your guardians?” 

“Yeah. It didn’t work though,” Rin grimaced, “no service.” 

“Even more of a reason I cannot simply leave you alone! There has to be another…” Crowley snapped his fingers in realisation. “Solution!” 

Rin raised a brow, distrustful of whatever Crowley was about to suggest. 

That was quick. Almost too quick. 

“Since you arrived through the gates of NRC, it is the school’s responsibility that you are looked after.” Crowley stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Instead of leaving now, wouldn’t it be better to stay here and enrol as a student? This way, you would have the protection you need, and you would have the chance to learn more about the world.” 

“But, wouldn’t that be kind of troublesome?” Yeah, it would probably be troublesome for both sides. Especially Crowley— there was too much benefit on his end that it was unsettling. 

There was never such a thing as generosity without motive.

 “And what about tuition? As you’ve mentioned, I don’t have any of this world’s, uhh, madols?” 

“It wouldn’t be all that much work!” The headmaster insisted, shaking his head. “There’s no need to worry about the costs.” Crowley smiled brightly, “NRC is run by donations, as well as money made from the many events the school holds throughout the year, just so anyone with sufficient magical talent can attend!”  

“But…” Rin hesitated. “I don’t know anything about magic. Isn’t this a magic school?” 

“All the more reason for you to enrol! Wouldn’t it be helpful to learn more about magic? That way, you can at least defend yourself.” 

“I don’t think I can do magic though—” 

“If you didn’t have any magic at all, the Mirror of Darkness wouldn’t be able to sort you into a dorm.” He reasoned in a matter-of-factly way. 

“Not to mention the fact that you are eligible for all the dorms— Diasomnia even, which is well-known for their strong magical prowess. Even though you’ve been sorted into Pomefiore, you’ll fit right in!”

“But—” 

“NRC is also home to a magnificent library, with many restricted sections that are only available for fourth year students as well as world-class scholars!” Crowley kept this attack going, ruthless. He was effectively rendering Rin without a reason to protest the arrangement. 

And he was good— really good at it too. 

“Instead of struggling outside of this school, trying to find a way back home— why not attend for now and search for a method here? I assure you it’ll be safer. There will also be magicians and professors that can help you.” 

…Okay, the library was tempting. Rin had to admit. So was the idea of professionals being available.

If he was going to find anything about how to get home, it would probably be in this school. Not to mention the fact that though the Mirror of Darkness didn’t say that it was possible to go home, it didn’t say that it was impossible either. So far, the advantages of accepting this offer far outweighed the disadvantages. 

But Rin still shook his head, ignoring Crowley’s sound of surprise.

“I’ll admit, it’s very tempting,” Rin said, tightening his grip on the straps of his bag. “But I’m not one to take generosity as it is. I don’t like being in debt to people, and so this offer would only prove to be beneficial for me, and not for the school.” 

He looked Crowley in the eyes, unflinchingly. 

“To be honest, I’m not sure why you’re so readily promoting your school to me. Sure, maybe out of the graciousness of your heart,” he said, frowning. “But I don’t really like such wholesome reasons.” 

Rin spoke slowly, tone of voice even, even as Crowley fell silent with widening eyes. “If there’s something you need from me, now would be the time to say it.” 

“It would be easier for both of us.” 

This pressure. This feeling of command and demand. It was as if Rin was a different person— different from how earlier, Crowley had easily cut off his sentences. Rather, Rin probably allowed Crowley to cut him off. 

My, the headmaster hummed. 

Perhaps this child would be able to survive by themselves after all. 

Rin had hit the hammer right on the nail. There was indeed something that NRC could gain from Rin’s attendance. 

“Although I’m doing this mainly because of my beneficent character—” Crowley started off, putting a hand over his heart. 

Rin resisted the urge to roll his eyes at someone he should, in theory, show respect to. 

“I admit, there is something that only you can do, Rin Hattori, that will be extremely helpful to NRC.” 

“...What is it?” Rin let his shoulders relax a little, eyes losing the edge that he had gained over the course of the conversation. He knew it.  

Of course, there was something Rin could give. 

He didn’t hate it this way though. At least it wouldn’t be a one-sided deal. 

“You see, this ‘English’ you speak of, is called Old Trade in this world.” Crowley explained, “It’s a dead language here, spoken many, many centuries ago. And it forms a solid foundation in magic, specifically ancient magic that is still in use today.” 

Already, Rin had a faint idea of what Crowley was going to come to. 

“From what I could tell, you are fluent, correct?” Rin nodded silently in response. “The knowledge about Old Trade isn’t all that developed, nor is there much about the language itself— in regards to magic specifically involving Old Trade, all magicians do is chant the spell that has been tweaked through generations, when in reality, it has so much more potential in terms of spell creation!” 

Ahh, he could definitely see where the crow-man was going. 

“If you attend this school, not only would you be able to access resources many could only dream of accessing,” Crowley continued, a grin stretching across his face. 

“I could also potentially hire you as an official teaching assistant in ancient runes and spells.” No doubt, this offer was fool-proof, he thought. “Of course, you would be paid in addition to the benefits of being a student.” 

Crowley reached a hand out, offering it for Rin to take. “Wouldn’t this be beneficial for the both of us?” 

The words that Rin had said before, “it would be easier for the both of us”, came right back at him in a similar fashion. 

He stared at the outstretched hand, contemplating. 

There weren’t any issues Rin had with the offer anymore, so what was there to lose?  

He was lost. Stranded in a world that wasn’t his home. Helpless. 

But really, Rin was never helpless. His beloved teachers and friends didn’t teach him to be powerless— didn’t allow him to be vulnerable and easily taken advantage of. If he shook this hand, what would change? 

When his head started pounding again, when his vision blurred and left only the hand in his view, was when he finally accepted.

Just when Crowley started to get nervous, a hand shook his, a done deal. The headmaster brightened, shaking Rin’s hand enthusiastically, continuing to speak of how Rin would never regret it and would enjoy his time here at NRC.

Crowley grinned, tipping his hat off with one hand and holding it to his chest. “I look forward to working with you, Hattori-kun.” 

Something about the crow’s tone of voice sent shivers down Rin’s spine. 

“Uhm,” Rin spoke, still inwardly questioning the decision he had just made. He brought a hand to his face to take off his mask. “Just so I don’t forget…”

“Do you have a doctor or nurse on campus?” 

Crowley paused, tilting his head. “Of course! We have a trained nurse as well as a professor that deals with some of the more serious medical cases.” 

“Great, then could I—” Rin felt the familiar feeling of liquid trickling from his nose. 

Damn, he was doing so well too. 

“Hattori-kun, you’re injured?!” Crowley released Rin’s hands, black hair that tinged green towards the bottom swished at the sudden move that he made. He frowned, hands hovering around Rin’s figure, trying to see if there were any obvious areas of damage. 

“No, I’m not. It’s just—” 

“You must be examined immediately!”

Would this person ever listen to people when they were speaking?

Rin, somewhat accustomed to this kind of reaction, simply took out a packet of tissues from his bag and held it to his nose, allowing the tissue to be stained. “It’s not a big deal, it happens quite often.” 

Crowley shook his head, starting to lead Rin to what was presumably the nurse’s office. To be fair, he probably would’ve carried Rin to try and make it to their destination quicker if not for the latter’s blatant refusal. 

Nope, no way in hell. 

The jingling of metal was all that was heard through the hallway. Rin’s footsteps were silent, similar to Crowley’s. Unfortunately, Rin was feeling the effects of not getting enough sleep, and so with how his eyes stung, he couldn’t quite appreciate the architectural style of the building. 

Shame. 

“This better not be a frequent occurrence young man.” 

Rin made a face at that. 

If only it wasn’t. It would’ve made his life a lot easier.

.

.

.

Crewel wasn’t expecting a student injury this late into the night. The entrance ceremony had ended, all the students were back to their respective dorms for whatever their Dorm Heads had planned. Divus was simply preparing teaching materials for the first day of class— the day after tomorrow. 

A student didn’t manage to trip over a flight of stairs within an hour of arriving at NRC, right? 

He was sorely proven wrong when the door of his private office slammed open, nearly making him drop all the paper worksheets he had printed. 

Divus was going to wring that crow bastard’s neck. 

“Crowley!” The black-and-white-haired man hissed, “Have you forgotten your manners in the few hours I haven’t seen you?” 

The man in question held a hand to his chest, his other hand going up to adjust his black top hat. “My, I do apologise for my discourtesy! I have an emergency student injury here that I’d like you to take a look at.” 

The urge to brew a poison strong enough to— no. He needed to calm himself. Deep breaths. That crow wasn’t worth it. 

Exhaling, he focused his eyes on the shadow behind Crowley. The student, upon seeing that the attention was brought to him, stepped forward.

A boy with soft brown eyes came into Crewel’s view— a beautiful shade, considering the vibrant colours the other students had. Divus could say that this puppy’s eyes were by far the most easy to look at. Although seemingly dull as of the present, it was striking nonetheless. 

They were still wearing the ceremonial robes, carrying a load of items with them. 

However, as soon as Crewel’s eyes landed on the tissue that they held to their nose— blood —he quickly switched gears. 

“What happened?” He demanded as he guided the boy to take a seat, glaring at the headmaster, who stood to the side. 

Crowley shook his head, raising his shoulders in a half-shrug. “We were simply having the most delightful conversation, before Hattori-kun asked if there was a nurse on site. Then, he suddenly started having a nosebleed!” 

The deadened stare that the student directed towards Crowley was almost enough to make Divus bark a laugh. Instead, he frowned. 

The fact that Crowley brought this puppy to him… 

Usually, Crewel would say that he was overqualified to treat such an injury. If it was merely a nosebleed caused by a bump or if the student hit their nose against a wall, the nurse would’ve been sufficient. Instead, Crowley had brought the pup to Divus, who usually only treated cases such as poisoning, potion-making accidents, severe burns and fractures and the like. 

However, judging from the child’s sick complexion, dark eyebags beneath their eyes, it didn’t seem as simple as simply a nosebleed occurring on impact. 

The intense gleam he could see in Crowley’s eyes spoke of the man’s concern, and if he had less facial expression control, he would’ve furrowed his brows in confusion.

“My name is Divus Crewel, I teach the science curriculum in Night Ravel College,” Divus introduced himself fairly quickly. “Would it be alright to touch you?” 

Unlike Crowley, Divus has had manners drilled into him since the day he was born. Even if he was talking to a student, respect was necessary for trust to take place. 

When the boy nodded, wincing at the movement, Crewel wordlessly started examining the boy, letting his knowledge and experience take charge.

“Pup, move your hand away,” the puppy complied, surprisingly obedient. A lot of other students tended to be quite squeamish when they saw blood, even if it was just a little. In his experience, he had seen students who had scraped their knees go to the nurse with tears in their eyes. 

The child in front of him seemed to be used to it, quite unlike their seemingly delicate stature.

Did this happen often? 

Divus wasn’t liking the information he was receiving. Definitely not. 

As he examined the boy, the puppy’s hood fell off their head, revealing short, messy black hair, seemingly dyed blue on the underside. Although the puppy’s fur was quite messy, presumably from travel and from the hood, the signs of fatigue and tiredness didn’t take away from the puppy’s looks. 

“It seems like a case of fatigue.” Divus concluded simply after asking a series of questions. “You should learn to take better care of your body.”

“How long has it been since you’ve slept?”

Divus really wasn’t expecting the answer that would follow. 

“Five days, give or take.”

Divus could feel his mouth part. Out of the corner of his field of vision, he could see Crowley’s bewildered look, mouth forming an 'o' shape. The professor’s grey eyes narrowed, twitching. “And just what did you expect from not sleeping that long? Bad puppy! Of course you would have a nosebleed, it’s a surprise you haven’t fainted yet!”

Five days of staying awake wasn’t a big deal for Crewel and Crowley, or any of the staff at NRC in fact. Many had fae blood running through their veins, and there were always potions they could take to ward off fatigue.

From the looks of it, this puppy in front of him took none of those measures to stay up for that long and stay healthy. 

At least they had the sense to look a little embarrassed, else Divus would’ve really lost their patience. 

(Wisely, Rin decided not to tell the man that he had actually fainted once just two days prior. Nope, that was a choice of his. Not simply because this teacher intimidated him a little.

His friends called it a problem. He called it a lifestyle.

Of course, that didn’t mean he was promoting the idea of staying up for consecutive nights. It was a ‘do as I say not as I do’ situation. He couldn’t really help it.)

Divus tried not to sigh, but it was hard. “How many times has this happened before?” 

Rin’s eyes shook minutely. Divus could see how the temptation to lie was growing behind those orbs. But upon hardening his glare, the boy seemed to sigh a little. 

“It happens quite often.” The puppy replied weakly, honestly. Looking anywhere but those piercing grey eyes. Instead, he looked towards the headmaster. “It happens often enough that it doesn’t really bother me anymore.” 

Crewel fumed. “That is not the right answer…!” 

“Though I’m perfectly strong and healthy otherwise, I have a weak immunity, and so I get sick easily.” Rin continued, taking out a small organised box of pills he had always carried with him out of the house. “I have a hard time sleeping, so I asked whether there was a nurse’s office because I wanted to see if I could get my hands on some sleeping pills.”

Divus eyed the box of medicine, bringing his hand to his chin before speaking again. 

“Would it be alright for me to take a look at your medicine?” 

Quietly, Rin handed over the small, organised box of medicine that he always carried in his bag.

Divus frowned upon receiving them. “Pup, where are you from?” 

At this, Crowley stepped in, patting Rin on the shoulder. “Hattori-kun here is from another world!” 

…

“What?!” 

The puppy’s voice, saying ‘headmaster!’, mixed in with Divus’s. The poor child seemed to be shocked that Crowley had revealed presumably one of their biggest secrets out of the blue. 

Divus grit his teeth. Although he liked his job on rare occasions— this was one of the moments when he truly felt like he needed to get a raise.

.

.

.

After a particularly long and painful conversation with Professor Crewel, which ended with Crowley being forced to apologise to Rin, the crow-man was promptly kicked out, leaving only Rin and Crewel in the office. 

Focusing on the professor’s looks— in Rin’s opinion, he was the epitome of colour coordination and fashion. Black and white hair, black dress shirt and half-half vest, a pop of red for colour on the buttons, gloves and necktie— in addition to the black and white fur coat that had been laid neatly on the professor’s chair. 

Crewel wouldn’t even look out of place in a Vogue magazine. It was an aesthetic that Rin didn’t know he needed to see in his life. 

It reminded him of Cruella de Vil. Odd that such an interesting coincidence would exist in a different world. Did Disney also exist here? 

Rin closed his eyes. Fuck. 

The pain was getting worse. The lighting of the room wasn’t helping either, and it seemed that the man in front of him noticed too because he was handed a vial of liquid. 

“It’s a pain-reducer.” Crewel said, prompting Rin to take it. “It’s not harmful in the slightest, and the effects are small enough that there shouldn’t be an issue with you drinking it, even if you are from a different world.” 

The man in front of him reminded him of Karasuma in terms of personality. A little strict, but caring nonetheless. 

(Perhaps Professor Crewel actually had a life outside of work, unlike Rin’s former teacher, who was a workaholic at its finest. No matter how many times the man denied it.)

Swirling the liquid around in the glass, obediently, he did as he was told, ignoring the ‘although it’s fine because it’s me, you should be more wary about what people give you to drink in the future’. 

He appreciated the concern, but it wasn’t like Rin drank it without considering anything. Although the headmaster may seem kind of unreliable, the fact that he had told Crewel Rin’s background showed at least some signs of trust. 

And if Crowley trusted Crewel, Rin supposed he had nothing to lose to trust the man too at this moment in time. 

Recently, Rin’s choices seemed to centre around ‘having nothing to lose’ if he did a certain thing. And honestly, the people back at home would murder him if they ever heard his thoughts. 

After taking the medicine, which was disgusting by the way, Rin didn’t feel much different, which resulted in some more questions from Crewel and another few vials of different medicines. 

“It seems that a lot of the normally effective potions don’t seem to work as well on you,” Crewel said, jotting some things down in a black book. “Does this happen with your other medicine too?” 

“Yeah. Something to do with my family’s medical history that I’m not too sure about, just that certain meds aren’t as effective when we take them.” 

Crewel hummed, deep in thought. 

After a full medical examination, Crewel decided to let Rin off with some sleeping medicine and a warning. 

“I hope I don’t see you back here in the same manner, puppy, or else some punishment will be needed.” Crewel hissed. In his eyes, he probably saw Rin as a reckless teenager that was frail to boot. 

Wonderful. Just the combination he needed, Rin thought dryly. 

“Come back within the week so that I can do some more check-ups. And if you ever get injured, come to me directly instead of the school nurse.” The grey-eyed man instructed, and Rin couldn’t help but be compelled to nod along. 

“That featherbrained headmaster of yours may not be as concerned about this as I am, but as a professional, I’d like to get some more information before prescribing you with anything.” 

Now, don’t get Divus wrong. He trusted that crow-bastard. More than he was willing to admit. He could probably write a whole ten-thousand word essay of how much of an aggravating soul the man was— but Divus has been around the guy to know his ways. Therefore, the fact that Crowley had immediately come to Divus rather than the school nurse showed his protective side towards the puppy. 

A new student, unfamiliar, cautious, wary. Of course Crowley would show more concern than necessary, even if that concern was as warped as the rest of Twisted Wonderland. 

“Now, the only thing you should worry about is getting a good nights’ rest.” Fierce grey met Rin’s brown. “Have I made myself clear?” 

Chills ran down his back, but Rin couldn’t help but give a small, thankful smile.

Something about how much thought the teacher was putting into his situation made him feel comforted, even if it was just a little. 

“Yes, Crewel-sensei.” 

“Good boy,” Crewel nodded, not bothering to correct the form of address the child had called him. Clearing his throat, he glanced at the clock on the far right corner of the wall. “Tomorrow is an off-schedule day for students to assimilate with NRC. I myself am running a few sessions that explain some things about the school in much greater detail than what others can find online. It would do you good to come to them.” 

…Yeah, this professor was probably his favourite person he’s met so far. Useful advice!  

He could feel a part of his brain cheer in delight. 

Even though Crowley had made the offer of letting him enrol as a student, Crewel was probably the one he would put his trust in between the two. 

“It’s getting late,” The teacher points out, tapping a stack of papers upright to neaten up the pile, “and I suppose your Dorm Head won’t be too pleased with your late arrival.” 

Rin winced, remembering the two upperclassmen that he had seen at the entrance ceremony. 

“Come along now, I’ll walk you to the chamber of mirrors. It’s quite easy to get lost trying to find your way.” 

.

.

.

Huh. 

Apparently, they travelled through mirrors here. 

It wasn’t the form of transportation Rin had been expecting, but at this point, what were expectations? 

(He really needed to stop having expectations of this place. Maybe he should throw it all away – starting from scratch sounded more and more ideal with each moment he existed.)

“Crewel-sensei,” Rin called out, keeping his eyes on the curved pillars, wide windows and vast horizon beyond it all as they walked to the Hall of Mirrors. “Is it alright if I ask you to relay a message to the headmaster?” 

Crewel continued walking, eyes flicking to Rin. “Very well. What do you want to say to that boor?”

…Was it alright for Crewel to speak of Crowley like this? Wasn’t the crow-man still his boss? 

Rin’s respect for the man grew further still. If anyone back home called Principal Asano a boor, he would find out one way or another, and to be quite fair, Rin didn’t know if anyone would live to see the light of day if they did so.

Black hair bounced with each step, revealing the blue that was hard to see beneath. 

“Could you ask the headmaster not to tell the other staff members of my origins?” 

Although Crowley had apologised, and Rin had accepted it, the sudden dread he had felt when the man had revealed it without Rin’s consent bothered him. 

Crewel raised a thin, defined eyebrow. “Is that what you want?” 

His voice was slightly different from before, still low and nice— Rin couldn’t help but think how Crewel would sound in a choir, or in a band —but something switched. Something Rin couldn’t place a finger on had changed.  

Maybe because the topic wasn’t about Rin’s terrible health? Yeah… if Rin was a doctor and had to examine Rin’s case, he would probably be frustrated too. 

Was that what the sharpness in Crewel’s voice before? 

“Yeah,” Rin breathed out. “I think it’s for the best that less people know about it.” 

“Wouldn’t it make your life at school a lot easier?” Crewel pointed out, and Rin couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him at that. 

Upon seeing Crewel’s questioning gaze, as if it were a demand to elaborate about what was funny enough to elicit a laugh, Rin looked Crewel in the eyes. The warm light that lit the hallways reflected off Rin’s brown orbs, melting into a honey-gold colour. 

“I think I get what you mean, professor, but what part of my situation is easy?” 

(Truthfully, Crewel was taken aback by Rin’s response.)

“In my perspective,” Rin spoke lightly, as if his voice was a feather floating in the air. Tranquil despite the things he was thinking. “In a world you don’t know, a place you’ve never heard of, magic that seems impossible, and people I don’t trust—” 

“With questionable health that requires high demands, not a single madol— whatever that is —on me, and with no other place to turn but this school.”

Rin’s eyes hardened, glinting beneath the natural moonlight that shone on this part of the building.

“Pardon my question, but would you trust people in a situation like that?” 

Divus’s breath caught in his throat. 

“Respectfully, I don’t trust the people here.” 

His voice was quiet, brooding. Eyes shining with something foreign, something that didn’t seem natural in those pure light hues.

“With the headmaster, I was forced to trust him. With you, I was forced into a situation where I had no choice but to explain.”

Rin didn’t want to tell Crowley anything. But it was the only thing he could do to get information. The only thing he could do. 

Rin didn’t want Crewel to know about his background, but since Crowley had told it to the man on Rin’s behalf, he had no choice but to elaborate. 

“I may have a high opinion of teachers in general, but— and I don’t mean anything personally,” Rin brought his bag to his chest, hugging it like a source of support. “—that doesn’t mean I trust any of you.” 

His voice echoed in the empty school. Though he meant every word he said, he didn’t really feel like looking at the expression Crewel was making. 

“I don’t mean to be rude or anything, it’s simply the way I am. I don’t know any of you, and yet, I need to rely on you in order to be able to find a way back home. I don’t think it’s something anyone would like.”

“And I’ve been told that the knowledge I have of Old Trade is highly sought after here.” The way he spoke grew quieter, eerie and lost in thought. “With the things I’ve seen in my own world— I wouldn’t expect all magicians to be above human experimentation or kidnapping.” 

Divus bristled at that. 

Human experimentation? Kidnapping?

What kind of world did this puppy live in?

“I would like to expect that people don’t do that here,” Rin amended, hoping that he didn’t offend the teacher beside him. “But I don’t think I want to test it.” 

“So yeah,” Rin concluded, a tiredness that didn’t suit his age bled into his tone. 

“If you could tell Headmaster-san to refrain from speaking about my situation to the other staff, I would be extremely grateful.” He dipped his head in a bow, awkward with the way that they kept walking. 

The black-and-white haired man slowed to a stop.

Crewel knew Crowley. Of course, Crowley was protective of his students, no matter how irresponsible he seemed to present himself. 

But the child in front of him didn’t know that. To them, Crowley was probably just another eccentric principal who was as whimsical in his decisions as he was with the way he talked. 

“...Do you mind me knowing?” He asked instead. 

Rin hummed, turning slightly to look at Crewel. His eyes were pensive, absorbed. A look that seemed a bit strange on such a young child, yet, it looked at home on that unusually-wise face. 

“Not really.” 

Rin smiled at the way Crewel’s brows furrowed. 

Rin wasn’t blind. And he certainly wasn’t stupid.

From seeing the other students, from hearing what they said, from interacting with Crowley— Rin already knew that the people here were probably very different from how people were back on Earth.

People here were different. Different from the naturally eager-to-help Japanese people he was used to. Rin wasn’t one to judge based on first impressions— but people here didn’t really give off the vibe of being nice for no reason. 

And he supposed, he liked it that way. 

At least that meant that he didn’t need to worry about misunderstanding people, and that truly, there is a motive behind every act of kindness. 

So seeing Crewel, as someone who belonged to this world, this Twisted Wonderland, inquiring about Rin’s thoughts— it was nice. Rin had been in this world for less than a day, and already, he was tired of all this “reading into people” nonsense that he usually didn’t have to do that much. 

A part of him hoped that the rest of the time he spent in NRC wouldn't require him to use that skill of his. 

“I’d like to think that I’m a good judge of character, and that Crewel-sensei is a good person,” Rin said, stunning Crewel into silence. 

Divus has heard himself be called many names. People tended to regard him with either respect or disdain. No one ever called him a good person. Or more accurately, no one ever called anyone at NRC a good person.

“You might sound quite strict,” Getting mad and annoyed at Rin’s answers in regards to his health was intimidating. But Rin knew it came from a place of goodwill. “—But you go out of your way to help me with my prescriptions rather than just letting me be because it’s troublesome.” 

“To be honest, from the start of our meeting to the end, you’ve shown to me that I can trust you, or at least, believe that you will do as a teacher would do and help their student, simply because I’m a student at NRC.” 

Crowley made Rin go along with the flow, and although Rin didn’t entirely dislike that, Crewel had been thoughtful. 

Sure, that didn’t mean he distrusted Crowley— because they were both benefiting from Rin’s presence at NRC. Rin could admit. He liked Crowley. Just a little. For some reason, the man’s dramatic nature reminded him of a certain teacher of his. 

The latter had asked Rin whether it was okay for Crewel to examine him. Rin didn’t really care for it since Crewel was the medic in the situation, but the fact that Crewel had asked made it a bigger deal to Rin than may have actually been. 

Crowley had been helpful, no doubt. He had given Rin a solution to his troubles. But with Crowley, they both had something to gain. 

Crewel was simply doing what he did because of his sense of responsibility. And perhaps that’s why Rin trusted the man. It wasn’t because Rin was useful, but rather, Rin was a student, and Crewel was a teacher. And that was a connection that was different from a mutually beneficial relationship. 

When Rin had stopped speaking, simply waiting for Crewel to respond, he looked up, outside the large transparent windows, at the big, round moon. 

All of a sudden, his heart ached in a way he’s never felt before. 

Afterall, he never thought there would be a day where he would look up at the night sky and see a round moon again. 

And it upset him. 

(Just a little.)

Crewel walked past Rin briskly, almost in a hurrying manner, he told Rin to keep up. 

When Rin walked side by side with the man once more, he spoke in a calmer tone. “If your goal is to not stand out during your time at NRC, as a word of advice, you should keep those interesting thoughts to yourself.” 

“Hm?” 

“You're correct, puppy, in more ways than you can imagine. About this school and this world,” Crewel continued. Rin lagged behind a little due to the pace that they were walking at, which prompted Crewel to slow down a tad. 

“The students in this school are a bunch of hooligans— a pack of hungry wolves that won’t hesitate to devour you. So you best be careful.” 

The words were meant to be a warning, and Rin had thought Crewel meant it in the way that it was an eat or be eaten kind of system. 

“It’s okay. I can handle it.” 

And he meant it. 

If he could survive as a member of Class-E, why couldn’t he take on a bunch of potentially dangerous students? 

…It sounded a lot worse than it was.

“Thank you for worrying though.” The corners of his lips lifted. 

Crewel cleared his throat in response. That was quite out of character of him, wasn’t it? To give advice… maybe he was swayed by the way the puppy had spoken. 

(It didn’t feel tangible, somehow.)

“Let us make haste,” Divus said instead as they entered a room filled with large mirrors, each with a different dorm name above it. 

Upon seeing Rin’s face freeze at the sight of the mirrors, quite clearly hesitant about crossing, Crewel grinned. 

Now this — this was more like a child his age. 

“Come along now,” Crewel reached a hand out, sighing despite the amusement in his eyes. “What dorm are you in? If I am to send you, I may as well do so all the way. This must be the first time you’ve travelled with magic.” 

“Other than the Mirror of Darkness” remains unsaid but Rin hears it all the same. Inwardly, he grimaced. 

At the thought of the only other time he had travelled by magic, Rin quickly took Crewel’s hand, almost too quickly, which made Crewel raise a brow. The former could feel their cheeks warm. 

For there to come a day when he was afraid of a fucking mirror. Rin has truly seen it all. 

Ahh, the mortification. 

He could feel his soul weep miserably inside him. 

(Karma would have a field day. 

Rin could only hope the red-haired devil would never find out about this. It would be over his dead body.) 

“Pomefiore.” Rin answered belatedly, trying to shake off the jittery feeling in his stomach. 

Crewel hummed, “Unexpected, yet, not too surprising,” he mused. To think that the puppy was in the same house he once was. 

Looking at Rin, Divus didn’t quite think he gave off Pomefiore feels, but thinking back on their conversation, he supposed it was only reasonable. 

“Are you ready pup? We don’t have all night.” 

Rin pulled a face before sighing. 

“In the few hours that Crewel-sensei has known me, when have you ever felt that I was ready for anything?” 

A sharp smile stretched across Divus’s face. One that suited a member of the Night Raven College faculty.

“I’ll take that as a yes, puppy.” 

“Hold on, wai—!”  

.

.

.

Walking into a mirror and trying not to expect colliding into it was weird. 

Terrifying, he had to admit. Rin felt his arms shake as he brushed off the nonexistent dust from his clothes. 

Rin wasn’t afraid of many things. 

He wasn’t afraid of clowns, like Naoki was. He wasn’t afraid of bugs, like Suzu was. And yet this. A goddamn mirror. 

This is what gets him. 

He’ll be damned if he develops a trauma of mirrors after this whole thing ends. 

If it ends, a traitorous part of his brain supplies, but he wills it away. No point in staying negative. He needed to be realistic, not pessimistic. 

Pomefiore was built like a castle, giving off an air of nobility and grace. 

Purple roofs, the colour of dark irises, not too bright and in your face – something Rin appreciated. The plants and trees were well kept, trimmed to perfection, but still allowing for some natural beauty to shine through. The outer walls were off-white and grey, bricks that weren’t entirely even gave it a unique, rustic vibe. 

But something that caught Rin’s eye was a statue right next to the large metal gates. 

A woman who wore a crown, donning a long, flowing cape. She held a poisoned apple in her right hand, as if she would an oil lamp.

Hold up. Rin paused in his steps. 

Was that the Evil Queen from Snow White??? 

No. This couldn’t be. 

“That’s one of the Great Seven, the Fairest Queen, said to be the fairest of the land.” Crewel explained briefly. “You can find books in the library with her, along with the other six. I advise you to read up on them as they’re a vital part of the world’s history.”

“The dorms of NRC are based on them. Pomefiore for the Fairest Queen’s spirit of tenacity.” 

Rin licked his lips. His mouth was unbearably dry. 

Twisted Wonderland. 

…Now the name didn’t really seem like a coincidence after all. 

Was it a world which the villains won? 

How did this even work? Rin’s mind was spinning. This all just feels like a weird Disney-based game. A setting with a school based on the villains of Disney movies, with staff that are also villains and dorms based on the characters. 

No. 

He shouldn’t jump to conclusions. 

Rin deemed this as a problem for future-Rin and simply turned away, making his way with the teacher to the doors of Pomefiore dorm. 

As soon as the doors opened, a voice echoed towards them, familiar.

“It seems that they’ve finally arrived, Rook.” The dorm head, Vil Schoenheit, spoke, still in his ceremonial robes. “Accurate timing, it seems your guesswork has improved.”

“Guesswork? Non non! A hunter must always keep an eye on its prey, is all!” 

Hunter? This was not going to end well. Rin could feel it in the air. 

“Master Crewel, it’s lovely to see you,” Vil nodded his head in greeting, “I presume the fresh potato over there is the student that caused the commotion during the entrance ceremony?”

Crewel gave Rin a look, almost unimpressed, which Rin resolutely avoided. 

It wasn’t his fault the fucking Mirror of Darkness decided to speak to him in English…

All Rin wanted to do right now was catch a break. He even got his hands on sleeping medicine for this. Was it too much to ask? 

.

.

.

Omake: 

“Listen up freshmen,” Vil’s clear, velvety voice pierced through the amicable chatter of the students. “Although you may have been sorted into Pomefiore, do not let your naivety blind you.” 

His harsh words spoke volumes as the voices of the students fell into silence. Rook smiled to himself, eyes sharp, glinting. 

“Pomefiore houses the most beautiful of this school,” the blonde continued on, “and as your housewarden, I expect the students of this dormitory to brush up on your appearances.” Violet eyes swept across the students. This unsettled them, but there was a reason they were sorted into Pomefiore after all, as they looked at Vil with sparkling eyes. 

The Vil Schoenheit! An influencer with four million followers on MagiCam! They were standing in front of a celebrity!

“More of what I expect of you will be clarified tomorrow night when we’ll be having a welcome party.” The man waved his hand elegantly, “however, it is getting late, and one must get a minimum of seven hours of sleep to maintain beautiful skin and hair.”

His gesture prompted some of the second years to show the first years to their room. 

“Uniforms will be available for pick-up in the morning. If there are any issues , you can go to your vice dorm leader, Rook Hunt here.” 

Rook bowed, a hand in front of his waist. He smiled brightly. “ Le chasseur d’amour, second year, à votre service.” 

A few whispers sounded. ‘Wait, did he say Hunt?’ and ‘there’s a Hunt at this school?!’ was masked by the exhilaration of the students as they filtered out of the entrance, guided to their rooms. 

“No one has caught my eye so far from this basket of fresh potatoes this year. Can you believe it? None of them seem to know the importance of a good beauty routine.” Vil scoffed, face twisted in distaste. 

“Beautiful Vil,” Rook put a hand to his chest, eyes sparkling with glee. “Shall we wait for the last student?” 

Vil took one look at Rook, an elegant brow raised before he sighed. 

“Looks like the troublemaker at the ceremony has piqued your interest.” He frowned. “How unfortunate.” It was unclear whether he was talking about Rook’s misfortune, or the new student’s luck. 

“From what I could tell, he seemed to be quite ruffled.” Vil sniffed, taking a deep breath in as he remembered the messy hair of the boy at the ceremony. “It’s unlikely they’ll be noteworthy, but at least they have some manners.” He thought back to the polite tone that the early freshman had spoken to Crowley.

If Rook didn’t know better, he would’ve thought that Vil was reviewing the incident in his mind. Picking apart every instant the fascinating new first year spoke and looked. 

“Mon cher Roi du Poison! Your words may hold truth, but I must admit, that dazzling side view of the new student has enraptured me! Such a daring, unyielding back, against the headmaster,” Rook spoke dramatically, with great enthusiasm to boot. “Such an interesting fellow is worth a glance, no?” 

Vil hummed in thought, glancing at the clock.

“I suppose there is no harm.” Vil’s eyes shone, indigo hue sparkling under the well-lit light of the dorm. 

“Shall we brew some tea as we wait?” 

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Chapter Text

Unhealthy. 

That was the first word that popped into Vil’s mind when he saw the new student. 

Frail, sickly, weak. 

Seeing the boy now, with sunken eyes, jaw tightened and tense shoulders— it was the exact opposite of Vil’s initial impression, which was strong, daring, unyielding. 

Dangerous.

Now, this wasn’t to say he felt a hint of threat from the boy. Despite being roughly one-hundred-seventy tall— which wasn't the tallest of the bunch, but was definitely far from being considered short —they still managed to look like a withered plant that wasn’t getting enough fertiliser or sunlight. 

What had the freshman done to get himself in that sorry state?  

Vil felt a prickle of irritation. 

To Vil, not looking after oneself was equivalent to a heinous crime. 

But one thing that Vil could say took him by surprise were the pretty brown eyes that reflected the light from the chandeliers, accented by the beauty mark right beside their left eye. 

You would think that brown eyes would be plain, boring even, but no – brown eyes were rare. Exceedingly rare. 

(It was one of the reasons, albeit small, that Neige was able to capture the hearts of the audiences. Not just because of his darling personality.)

If there was anyone with brown eyes, the colour of creamy chestnuts in the sun, light and sharp, Vil would’ve noticed it already. The fact that no one he knew had such seemingly unassuming eyes spoke volumes. And Vil knew a lot of people. 

Sure, Neige had brown eyes, but Vil could say without an ounce of doubt that the ones in front of him were more striking. And he wasn’t biased. Not when it came to things like this. 

The boy had looks that were different from anyone Vil had ever seen. Once again, the resemblance to Neige, with the black hair and brown eyes, was uncanny. But somehow, they looked so different it was almost off-putting. 

It was hard to place where such a feeling came from. 

Afterall, such features were often associated with Neige – innocence, purity, kindness that was untainted by the world.

But the boy in front of Vil didn’t seem to give off that kind of feeling. 

Was it the dyed hair he could see peeking out from beneath dark locks? Was it the lack of blind trust in the way they looked and glanced around the room? Was it the exhaustion and seemingly on-edge nature that the new student in front of him had?

Or was it how the gaze that landed on him seemed to hold the world in their grasp, all-seeing, all-encompassing. How those eyes locked onto Vil’s figure and spoke of hidden wonders and mysteries. 

…Perhaps Rook’s poetic speech was rubbing off on him a little. A thought for another time, he supposed.

Someone with such unusual looks would be loved by the media. And despite the fact that he had to wait for this little potato, Vil could feel a part of his heart tremble with anticipation. 

He was going to polish this stone into a jewel. A project befitting him, no? 

“It seems that introductions are in need.” Crewel stated, glancing towards the freshman. “I’ll be on my way now. Do behave, puppies.” And with that, the professor was gone.

The air seemed to thicken when the dual-coloured man closed the door with a casual click.

The new student turned to look back at them— seemingly contemplating their life choices, which was a look Vil didn't get very often. Especially from a first year.

It was almost reminiscent of his own gaze when he looked at Neige, except, no hostility and dislike was in the student’s posture. If anything, it looked like he was troubled. 

“My name is Rin Hattori,” the black-haired boy greeted with a sigh, vaguely looking like they wanted to be anywhere but there. 

And with those eyebags, it was obvious to Vil that what was of utmost priority was sleep. 

“I’m the dorm head of Pomefiore, Vil Schoenheit.” He introduced himself for the third time today. “The fellow beside me is Rook Hunt, the vice dorm head.” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you officially monsieur!” Rook exclaimed, “Your display at the ceremony was simply divine! You may call me Rook!” 

Rin seemed to wince at the memory. However, he offered a small smile to the two of them shortly afterwards. “Nice to meet you, Schoenheit-senpai, Rook-senpai. You can just call me Rin.” 

Vil nodded once, eyes narrowed as he turned the new student’s words back and forth in his brain.

Vil didn’t mind not being called by his title, as long as respect was given. Except, even when he’s only been dorm head towards the end of his first year, it was kind of strange when he didn’t hear someone call him formally. All the other students called him “Dorm Head” or “Housewarden” so readily, and he got used to it quite quickly too. Some of the more ambitious first years this time round called him “Schoenheit-senpai”, with star-struck eyes and admiration flooding their tone. 

Yet, although the words were the same…

(It feels as if a line is being drawn.)

It was his imagination, probably. And even if it wasn’t, Vil didn’t really care much. After all, they were simply students in the same dorm, upperclassmen and freshman, dorm head and dorm member. It didn’t matter much that this boy didn’t want to get close to him. Vil knew he was beautiful, and definitely intimidating in his own way. Perhaps that’s what it was. 

It wasn’t much of a surprise either. Everyone at NRC has some sort of a guard raised up. No matter how high, or how impenetrable. This boy in front of him must have been the same.

“I’m aware you must be quite exhausted from your travels and the ceremony, not to mention the effects of teleportation.” Vil remembered what the headmaster had said during the ceremony, as well as how disoriented the little potato had been. “It’s getting quite late, and since I’m not a monster, you may head to your room and retire for the night.” 

Rin seemed relieved. Although, it wasn’t noticeable. Just the smallest hint of relaxation in his eyebrows. 

“Your uniform will be available tomorrow morning, so come out and pick it up when you’re awake.” Vil ran through his thoughts, recalling what he had said to the students that had come before this one. “Make sure to go to sleep immediately, after all, a minimum of seven hours is required for delicate skin and hair.” 

Rin seemed to look surprised, then confused for a moment, shown in how their eyes widened a fraction before narrowing. 

“Pomefiore is a dorm that regards looks highly— you really must do something with that hair of yours, ” Rin paused and reached a hand up to twist at a strand of his ruffled hair. “And as the housewarden of such a historical dorm, I expect no less from the students to do the same.”

“Got it,” Rin breathed, “thank you for the reminder. I have to say that I usually don’t look like this.” 

…If the little potato was only referring to his hair, Vil could understand. But that complexion wasn’t something that one could achieve within a day, which resulted in a small furrow of his brows. 

“Just answer me this,” Vil crossed his arms, “how long has it been since you’ve had some well-rested sleep?” 

The brown-eyed boy flinched, abruptly, minutely, as if not expecting the question. 

Rin was in a dilemma. To be honest? Or to save the dorm head from the annoyance? 

But the sharp purple eyes that were trained onto his every move made him aware that he probably couldn’t lie his way out of this. 

With a sense of defeat in his heart, he relented. Seriously, every second he spent here felt like he was losing his ability to lie properly. “Five days.”

Rook whistled. 

Hah? Vil’s face contorted into a myriad of emotions. 

The nerve of this freshman—

He furrowed his brows. 

Was it insomnia? 

Sleep deprivation wasn’t too hard to deal with, nor was it uncommon in a school like NRC, where students had immense stress in terms of their studies. Only if he had the right potions… The Pomefiore dorm head made a mental note to ask Crewel about it later. 

“Off you go now,” Vil clicked his tongue, letting Rin off the hook as he massaged the bridge of his nose, starting to walk in the direction of his own room. “Rook, if you please.” 

“My pleasure, Roi du Poison,” Rook bowed slightly, like how a knight would bow to a lord. “Now, monsieur, follow me to your room!” 

Such a talent wouldn’t go unnoticed. Vil wouldn't allow it. At the very least, not in Night Raven College.

Over his dead body. 

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Just end him now. Rin wanted to sigh, but with the emerald green orbs digging into the side of his face, for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to even breathe an extra breath.

Even so, he tried to keep himself relaxed— tried to pretend his nerves weren’t on fire, that his senses weren’t tingling, that the person he walked side by side with wasn’t dangerous somehow. 

Death would certainly be more desirable than this situation. 

Rin didn’t know what he did to catch the ire of an upperclassman, but he hoped it would be something resolvable if he just apologised, or even stayed silent. 

“Excuse me,” Rin hesitated, speaking up as he clutched his belongings closer to him. Rook turned to show his attention, “is there something wrong with my face? I know my complexion isn’t the best right now…” 

Perhaps it was how he reeked of death? A bit of an exaggeration, but in Rin’s opinion, he may as well look like it. 

“Of course not! Although you haven’t slept in days, the spark in your eyes and the grace that you hold is a sight to behold, beyond doubt! Certainly, your eyebags give the impression that you’re tired, and perhaps weakened— oh, but there is a certain charm in that too, don’t you agree?” The green-eyed student gushed, speaking quite dramatically in Rin’s opinion. 

He groaned inwardly, letting the words that Rook spoke fly over his head. 

Sure…

“Rest assured, you may not be as beautiful as Roi du Poison, you hold a charm that simply can’t be compared.” 

He responded after a moment of brief silence. “Thanks, I guess.” Rin chuckled, quietly. It was weird being called beautiful, and to be quite fair, Rin had thought of himself as quite plain— something that was oftentimes an advantage when it came to assassination. But he supposed if Rook Hunt had some peculiar views of beauty, he figured he’d take that. 

(A part of him thought that it might actually be better if people didn’t like him— thought he didn’t amount to much. That way, he wouldn’t be under the spotlight. 

But perhaps that was just wishful thinking on Rin’s part. Having made such a scene within an hour of his arrival at NRC, he figured that it was too late to be average. 

Nevertheless, who would Rin be if he didn’t try?) 

Rin thought back to the housewarden’s looks. It was as if the man was the embodiment of beauty. Blonde hair tinged violet towards the ends, strict, regal eyes the colour of amethysts— tall, and did the dorm head wear heels? 

Rin could never have the patience for that. Twice was enough, never a third time. 

“I think very few people would be able to match Schoenheit-senpai in terms of good looks, but you’re quite amazing too.” He said, evaluating the aesthetics of the person beside him. 

It was kind of ridiculous. From what he could tell back at the ceremony, was being good-looking a requirement for being dorm head? He could name a few former classmates that would be drooling at the looks in this school.

If he was Kayano, this would be the right time to lament how the injustice in the world was so corrupted— how god had deemed him too powerful to have both intelligence and looks so they nerfed him. Alas, he wasn’t Kayano. And honestly, he didn’t care too much that he wasn’t outstandingly pretty. As long as he wasn’t offensive to look at, Rin felt like that was a win. 

Hard to say, with how sickly he looked. It was weird how often people got offended by his poor complexion, as if he had any control over it. 

“Fu fu— how kind of you to say so.” Rook’s sly grin brought Rin out of his thoughts. The latter felt the urge to roll his eyes, but instead, they twitched at the sight of the teasing grin that Rook sported. 

“Anyway, is there a reason you were staring at me?” 

“My, I didn’t mean to bother you,” Rook spoke with an amused smile as they walked, “I was simply admiring you!” 

It was at this moment that Rin knew he was fucked.

Admiring him? If Rook was talking to anyone else, Rin might actually believe it.

There has to be something else. 

With suspicion in his voice, Rin couldn’t help but ask another question on instinct. “For what?” He asked, not actually wanting to know the answer to the question.

“Monsieur, surely you aren’t going to tell me that you don’t remember your gallant pose during the entrance ceremony!” 

Rin thought back and remembered how he threatened the headmaster with a knife. “I think it’s best if you forget about that.” He spoke dryly, resignation in his eyes as he turned away. 

“Certainly not!” The blonde’s eyes sparkled, hair swishing as he leaned forward a little to get a better view of Rin’s face. “Perhaps it is simply the inner hunter in me speaking, but that marveilleux display of yours was truly stunning.” He gushed, face lighting up like a child on Christmas day.

Oh god. 

“I can’t help but feel I’ve jinxed myself from a peaceful life at this school,” Rin grumbled to himself, immediately thinking back to Crewel’s tip about laying low. 

And of course, his misery elicited a chuckle from the person beside him. 

Okay, fine. This was his fault. He shouldn’t have been so jumpy when he arrived. Instead, he did the exact opposite and ended up attracting unnecessary attention. 

Great. 

“What fun is peace?” Rook brought a hand to his heart, “Doesn’t excitement spark something in you? Shake your soul? My, when I laid eyes on your smooth, experienced figure as you pointed that blade at the headmaster, it made me grieve the fact that I didn’t have a bow and arrow myself.” 

…Bow and arrow?

“You like archery?” Rin asked, inquisitive. He ignored the subtle hint towards the fact that the weapon might point towards himself if the circumstances were right. 

It was unclear whether he was talking about how he wanted to make Crowley on the receiving end of the arrow, or Rin.

Rook’s eyes glinted, mouth stretching into a smile. “Oui! I’m pleased to say that I excel at archery, for sport and hunting.” He hummed cheerfully, “sometimes, I see a target in front of me and grow so focused that my ears fall deaf to the sounds around me! It’s an amazing feeling to zero in one’s senses on a prey…” 

His eyes met Rin’s own, “...and see the arrow strike home.” 

Rin felt threatened. Vaguely. 

If he wasn’t so goddamn tired, he probably would’ve made an excuse about knowing where his room was and made a run for it. Instead, his eyes fixed onto Rook’s own, blinking once, then twice, slowly. Almost as if giving a response. 

Soft brown eyes stared endlessly beneath the bright lights of the hallway. 

“Well, I suppose you’re right.” Rin nodded after what felt like eternity. He allowed his gaze to wander off of Rook’s figure. “The feeling when a bullet hits the target is quite satisfying.” 

He thought back to the gun training his class had gone through, accuracy and precision training, knife practice— a smile rested on his lips before he knew it.

Rook looked surprised for a second, before his expression became unreadable.

“It seems that Pomefiore has another admirer of the fine art of hunting,” he mused in delight. Rin couldn’t seem to guess what was going through the blonde’s mind. “Another seeker of beauty! Monsieur Rin, if you don’t mind me asking, what do you find the most beautiful in the world?” 

(Rook was curious to see what the new first year would say. What were his values? What was his personality?

Who was this troublemaker— and in Roi du Poison’s own words, who was this potato that managed to shake NRC to its core on their first night here? Shocking everyone who bore witness to a situation that unfolded like a flower before their eyes. 

No one could take their attention off of the freshman. And Rook thought, for the rest of the year it would probably remain that way. 

If that was the case, surely the adorable first year wouldn’t mind an extra pair of eyes on him. He didn’t want to scare Rin Hattori off after all. 

Rook knew that his presence was less than desirable for some people. Most tended to avoid him for whatever reason, or try to wave him off and flee. 

Not that they would get very far.

In his opinion, one could tell a lot about someone from simply the way they answer a question. Not to mention the answer itself. Even if it was half-hearted in nature, even if it were lies that bloomed through words.) 

Rin pondered, and Rook waited, eyes still trained on the former’s actions. Absorbing every little movement. 

Usually, Rook would’ve been able to get a rather good grasp of what his prey was like at this point in time. The moment someone starts to think about something, they let their guard down. Thoughts no longer concentrated at keeping up walls, but rather, trying to unpick and decipher a question. 

But for some reason, even when it seemed like information was spilling from Rin, overflowing and unending, it was like sand in one’s palm. The tighter Rook tried to gather the specks and grains, the faster they flowed away, unintelligible. 

It was strange, how this person in front of him seemed to give so many tells, yet none at all.

Well, Rook wouldn’t be himself if he weren’t patient. It might be harder than expected, but that’s what made the hunt worthwhile. 

“The moon.” Rin answered simply, response curt and short. 

(Rook could already imagine the majestic sight of a fellow hunter beneath the moonlight.)

“Wonderful taste!” Rook laughed, “the noble moon, clear and true, calming thy soul beneath its light,” the second year continued on speaking animatedly, reminding Rin of Crowley. 

Just a little, he swore. Just in the way they spoke. 

The black-haired boy's face that was just about to relax into a small smile fell flat, back into an indifferent expression. 

It wasn’t discomfort— no. That wasn’t what he was feeling. There wasn’t really anything about the second year in front of him that made him feel uncomfortable. Sure, perhaps there would be danger between them, but Rin had already made up his mind to treat everyone around him as a threat in his mind.

The fact that the individual was Rook Hunt made no difference at all.

“I apologise if my responses are quite dry.” The assassin held in an urge he couldn’t place a finger on. But the current state of his being didn’t seem to be well enough for Rin to correctly assess the extent of the thoughts running through his brain. 

“I’m just tired, and I think it’s been a long day for the both of us.”

Even so, his speech was polite to the one who had kindly walked him to his room. “Thanks for walking me to my room, Rook-senpai.” 

Something bubbled within Rin. 

It was like something dawned on him. Just as the sun did. 

There was no need for him to involve himself with others here at Night Raven College. There was no point. So even if Rin found it curious, even if he wanted to figure out what was behind those almost-luminescent eyes— Rin pushed the urge down and simply bowed, a hand on keys that had been inserted into the doorknob 

Viridian eyes curved into crescents, and yet, Rin’s lips remained stuck in place. 

“It was my pleasure to escort you, Chevalier de la Lune. I hope to see your lovely self again tomorrow.” 

Inwardly, Rin made a mental note to try not to bump into this particular second year the next day. 

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Rin entered his room, shutting the door behind him slowly. There was no sound of footsteps leaving, which reminded Rin of the amount of people in this school that he had met who had walked without a sound. 

Sighing, Rin shrugged the guitar off his back and deposited his belongings on the floor. 

Chestnut eyes scanned the room. 

Pomefiore was a dorm with a particular aesthetic. It screamed noble to Rin, with the simple chandelier above his head, off-white walls lined in gold, the ceiling was a dark blue whilst the floor was closer to a reddish purple. Wine-red curtains were pulled back, showing off the large diamond-patterned window, red and purple lined with white. 

The bed was situated vertically against the wall in the left hand corner of the room. A fancy, white and gold frame that had been embellished with a red heart-like centrepiece. The board had deep blue cushioning, along with a white curtain that was attached to the wall, with a midnight moon and stars pattern on the inside. It had come pre-made with a standard set of bedsheets. 

Rin grimaced. The standard white bed sheets reminded Rin of his school’s infirmary. 

Right next to the large windows, the room had a simple desk and chair unit as well as an empty bookshelf beside it. A notable feature of the desk was the apple-lamp that looked like a large candied apple in Rin’s opinion. 

On the left side of the room beside the base of the bed, a large wooden closet stood tall, curved, almost looming, pressing against the wall. On the opposite side of the room was a door leading to a bathroom. 

All in all, it wasn’t too bad. At least it doesn’t give the same feeling as a hospital ward, Rin thought, even if it was unfamiliar. Either way he wasn’t really in the situation to complain. 

His muscles ached in misery. Rin was tempted to unpack his things, but his body didn’t obey as he simply flopped onto his new bed, an arm over his eyes. After staying there for a good moment, he digs through his bag to find his phone. 

Turning it on went well, and instinctively, he tried to tap into Ritsu’s new app. 

No signal. 

He knew he had checked earlier, and he didn’t know why he decided to do it again, but it was no less disappointing when he saw the empty bars. 

If only this was all just a dream. Rin sighed, sitting up to take off the ceremonial robes. Once the layer of fabric was off, he reached into his bag once more to get the sleeping medicine that Crewel had given him.

Fiddling with the small vial, Rin stood up and opened the window in an attempt to feel some fresh air.

Should I drink it? 

Would there be any side effects? 

Well, not that it mattered. 

Bitter, he thought as he drank the clear blue liquid.

Brown eyes peeked up at the undamaged moon. His heart sang a song of despair, but he paid it no mind. 

Koro-sensei, Rin inhaled slowly, blinking away the helplessness of the situation. 

This damned feeling wouldn’t rest, wouldn’t go away. 

What would you advise me to do?

The black-haired boy hasn’t felt this lost since that day nearly four years ago, waking up in a white-washed room with the sound of beeping monitors beside him and an ominous feeling rooted in his mind. 

Just a month ago, he didn’t think anything could faze him anymore. And yet…

The moon that was crescent in his memory was full again, right in front of him. It was unrealistic. Ridiculous. Impossible. And yet… his head throbbed in pain, very much real and present. 

(Rin had never felt a part of him missing more than at this moment.

Somehow, he could still hear the ghost of a violin playing between the stars, a phantom song, a soulless tune.)

What would you do, Naoki? The boy with dark eyes would hold shimmering glitter within their gaze. He would probably laugh it off and do their best to find the pros of the situation. 

…Rin didn’t think he would be able to do that though. 

(He felt the click of a lock in the back of his brain.)

His breathing settled, his heart rate slowed. All Rin could hear was the wind blowing outside, and his cold, stiff hands massaging his temples. He sat on his chair and brought the pillow from the bed to the desk. Leaning onto it, he closed his eyes, slowly feeling sleep lull him into unconsciousness. 

And despite the troubles in his head, ones that he had locked away temporarily, it was probably the most silent, dreamless rest he has had in a long time. 

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“There’s a new student that can speak Old Trade.” Dire Crowley had said upon summoning a staff meeting in the middle of the night. Although his voice was cheerful, a serious undertone invaded his voice. 

There goes my beauty sleep, Crewel sighed. 

Divus stood to the side, watching the various reactions of his colleagues. He had told the birdbrain to keep out the fact that the puppy was from another world, but since Crowley had offered the child a job, it was necessary for the headmaster to give the rest of the staff a reason for such a ridiculous situation. 

“Old Trade? As in, fluently?” Ashton Vargas furrowed his brows, hand to his chin, confused. “Is that even possible?” A sceptical tone bleeded in. 

Mozus Trein frowned, “Are you certain?”

Goth Ameld, the elderly man with greying black hair, hummed. “It’s quite unbelievable,” he commented, “even Vanrouge-kun can’t speak the language fluently, having only heard some old phrases in passing.”

Ameld was the one who taught ancient curses and incantations at NRC. The elder was not only the oldest of the staff, he was also probably an expert of Old Trade compared to the rest of the staff.

Hell, he was teaching in NRC when Divus was still a student. And if that wasn’t intimidating, Crewel didn’t know what was. 

“I am one hundred percent certain,” Crowley chirped, “the Mirror of Darkness had spoken to the student in Old Trade too, so there’s no mistake.”

Shock was followed by questioning caution.

All but one, of course. 

“How marvellous!” Light purple hair bounced in joy, green eyes curved in glee as they clapped their hands. One could never tell what Magnus Mim was thinking, but Crewel trusted the man. 

Trusted him in theory, he meant. 

“Now,” Crowley cleared his throat, “I assure you that everything I’ve said is true. And due to the student’s circumstances, it seems that it’s currently rather difficult for them to return home. So, as the wonderfully gracious person I am, I decided to offer them a job as a teaching assistant in some lessons that might focus on Old Trade.” 

There was just— ...way too much to unpack there. 

The masked man’s words were mainly directed towards Ameld, since they taught the part of the general magic curriculum that focused on ancient magic, which was more heavily entangled with the lost tongue.

“This way, we can also further expand our knowledge on the dead language! I’ve already received permission from the student.” He stated, like a child who got their hands on a lollipop. At this point, everyone in the room was already used to the headmaster making decisions without consulting the rest of the staff. 

This was just another one of those Classic Crowley Cases. 

Now that Divus thought about it— Sam probably ran a betting pool amongst the staff about whatever Crowley was up to. Thankfully, Divus wasn't one who liked to gamble in such an unrefined way. Especially when the bets were placed on Crowley of all people. 

“However, I must say,” Crowley took off his top hat, spinning it in his hand. “This student of ours might have commendable talent in magic, but it seems that the topics that he has learnt thus far in his homeland have been quite different to what the rest of the world have been progressing. It seems he hasn’t been taught any magic at all, and simply regards Old Trade as a second tongue.” 

Silent glances were exchanged between the staff. 

“What do you say, Professor Ameld?” Yellow eyes turned to a figure at the side.

“Well,” Ameld waved a wrinkled hand, nonchalant despite the twinkling speck of curiosity Crewel could spot in those aged grey eyes. “I don’t mind having a little teaching assistant. Even without knowledge of magic, having someone who knows Old Trade would be interesting.” He chuckled softly. 

Despite how nice the man sounded, Divus couldn’t help but shiver at the sound. 

“However, it seems that the teaching plan of the year might have to be reorganised. If we have an expert on ancient runes, things might go a little differently this year. It’ll lighten the room a little. Bring some excitement to second and third year classes, no?”

“Perfect! Then it’s settled!” Crowley clasped his hands together, smiling brightly. 

Crewel could only sigh. Dire probably hasn’t even spoken to the puppy after Crewel had delivered the message, and yet, to call a meeting so soon. 

The black and white haired man made a mental note to tell Crowley to inform Rin of his student-teacher role before heading back to the labs. 

Time to see what I can do. 

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Rin woke up in the morning feeling like all the sleep he has ever remembered having in his life was the most terrible sleep. Because somehow, even amidst his situation, in a room completely unlike his own, he slept like a log. 

He had woken up at the crack of dawn despite his mind’s urge to stay in bed— an urge that he’s forgotten over the recent months of tests and studying. It was a feeling he missed, and despite his situation, it made him feel just a little more alive. 

Slowly, he watched the sun rise from the window in his room, light glimmering beyond the horizon and starting to stretch towards the dorm building, past the colourful panes of tinted glass. 

Stretching his joints loose, he washed his face and brushed his teeth with the toiletries present, spotting a bunch of facial products that he felt were too intimidating to touch. After getting ready, Rin made his way out to the common room to get his uniform. 

That’s what they said, right? That the uniforms would be ready for pick-up in the morning. 

“Seems like we have an early bird,” a voice sounded when he stepped down the stone stairs and into the main room. 

Rin withheld the urge to bolt out of the place. 

“...Good morning, Rook-senpai.” 

The pleased smile that slipped into place on that unfairly-aesthetic face in question spoke volumes. “It seems your hair is quite neat today – shame. I did quite appreciate the look.” 

Now it was clear that the guy was just messing with Rin. 

Rin clicked his tongue, not bothering to wait for a response and instead, walking straight towards the cardboard boxes full of what were presumably uniforms. The blonde-haired second year laughed at the action, turning a blind eye at the way Rin seemed to be somewhat displeased at his comment. 

“Oh! I believe a size medium would fit your shoulder width perfectly monsieur.” He spoke gleefully. 

How did the second year know his shoulder width? 

“...Alright.” Rin said, resigned, ignoring the way that Rook probably found entertainment in the way that he made Rin question life, with the way those green eyes seemed to laugh in mirth. He picked up a few packets, including the medium-sized uniform, and gave a small bow before deciding that he had enough social interaction for the day to last the next month. 

It seems that although it was only the second day, the longer he stayed in this school— the longer he stayed next to Rook —he was growing more speechless and dumbfounded by the second. 

“Oh! Chevalier de la Lune,” Rin paused in his steps, eye twitching minutely.

That nickname again. 

“There are no lessons today, however, the first talk about student expectations and schedules is mandatory to attend. At nine-twenty!” The vice housewarden winked, “there’s also a glorious Pomefiore welcome party at dinner time, six-thirty, so don't be late!” 

“Thanks for letting me know,” Rin said, giving a slow nod of thanks before going back to his room to change and see if the outfit size that Rook had recommended was a good fit. 

In all honesty, a part of him hoped that it wouldn’t fit. Just so that he could reassure himself that no one else could guess his clothing size like Irina and Suzu could. 

(To Rin’s horror, it did in fact fit.)

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.

.

Rin exited the mirror chamber feeling jittery. 

Truly, one could never get used to such a feeling. Unfortunately, it seemed he wasn’t a big fan of teleportation. 

Pity. Magic, as interesting as it sounded, didn’t sit right with Rin in his brain.

Either way, Night Raven College was an absolutely enchanting place. Tall castle floors, neatly tiled roofs, expensive drapery and tapestries that hung from the ceilings of the great hall and the corridors— it really felt like a magic academy. 

(It really felt like a different world.)

Rin would’ve thought the school looked like a real life representation of Hogwarts if not for the modern lights and floor. As well as the fact that there were no headless ghosts going through the walls.

Even if he’s never read the entirety of Harry Potter, he’s bound to pick up the plot after sitting through a movie marathon with Naoki. He was always more of a Percy Jackson reader, though the movies left much to be desired. 

Rin adjusted the mask on his face, eyebrows furrowing as he wandered around with his bag on his shoulders. The only reason he decided to bring it at all was to carry his stationary and water bottle. 

The black-haired boy wore the neat black uniform of the institute quite well, with the crisp white long-sleeved shirt, black-and-white striped tie paired with a deep purple vest that was lined with gold thread. A dark purple armband, accented with a deep shade of red flowed with each wave of his arm. 

Oddly formal, yet artistic in a way. 

Principal Asano back at home would’ve sooner been held hostage at gunpoint rather than introduce even a semblance of colour into the regular school uniform. Rin chuckled to himself at the imagery. Both the gym uniform and yellow cardigan didn’t count. 

Other than the generic formal school wear, Rin wore the standard pair of black pants, a belt that had been provided— probably to maintain uniformity — and his black trainers because he didn’t have black leather shoes with him. Between the school blazer and the cardigan, Rin chose to wear the latter today, only because it looked more comfortable to move around in. 

He had picked out the size of the jumper after he came out to get another set of the uniform. Apparently, each student was to have at least three sets of the shirt and pants, especially in the case of an accident during a practical. 

It seemed that it happened enough to warrant extra clothing to be provided to new students. Rin didn’t know if he even wanted to know the circumstances that lead up to the decision. 

At the very least, Rin could say he was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the school had a familiar design when it came to the cardigan. Soft beige, tinting slightly yellow. Most important of all, it was warm. 

Rin could probably fall asleep in this. And it means a lot from someone who was always picky with the way clothes felt on his skin.

Rin didn’t know how he was going to do it, but if he— when he gets the chance to go home, he’ll take at least two of these jackets with him. It was non-negotiable. 

As he walked, his eyes flickered to the large glass panels as windows and took in the way he looked. At least his hair was neat today, with short sections framing his face and a few strands that were more annoying clipped up. The side section of long hair on his right was braided into a black midnight rope, his dyed blue hair staying as it was, hidden beneath the other layers of his darker hair unless he moved a bit too suddenly. 

A black fabric mask rested snugly on the lower half of his face, and he wore a set of black leather gloves that were provided by the school if desired, flexing his fingers and satisfied by the fit. 

Hopefully if he ever ran into the dorm head, he wouldn’t be grilled again for his sloppy looks. 

The hallways of the school were empty, not a soul in sight. Everyone was probably still asleep or back in their dorms. 

Was it a mistake to wake up so early? Perhaps he should’ve stayed in his room for longer. 

He has some time to kill, he supposed, so Rin decided to familiarise himself with his new surroundings. 

The cafeteria, the hallway of first year classrooms, the second year classrooms, gymnasium, an entire section solely dedicated to laboratories— Rin steered clear of the headmaster’s office, instead making note of the location of the infirmary when he passed it near the lower stairway. 

The courtyard was large, vast, and impressive. This school was probably bigger than Kunugigaoka’s main campus and Hoshizuki combined. And that was saying something.

Hell, the school even had a coliseum Rin could see in the distance, and was that a farm? A windmill??

The botanical garden looked really cosy. Rin was tempted, so tempted, but he didn’t want to accidentally fall asleep and miss anything so he promised himself to go later in the afternoon. 

Rin also made sure to note where the library was as he wandered around campus grounds— right next to the forest that spread behind campus. 

It wasn’t until Rin was at the main street, a little ways away from the giant castle of a school, did he pause in his steps, eyes flickering with an emotion he didn’t want to explain. There we go, lo and behold, what stood proud and tall before Rin were large stone statues. Clean and well-cared for. 

Walking slowly in the direction away from campus, he read the inscriptions on each statue, starting with the one he had seen outside the dorm the night before. 

‘The fairest queen of all, one who is always diligently striving to better herself. She utilised the powerful magic at her command to tirelessly pursue her ideals.’

Next, a familiar figure held a heart-shaped item in one hand, lifting their dress to curtsy with their other. Surrounded by a bed of stone roses, cold yet intricate. 

‘A queen who ruled over a maze of roses and brought the rule of law to a chaotic kingdom. Under her strict leadership, no rose was off-colour, nor was any playing-card soldier out of step.’

Rin went on and on. With each step, he felt his gut churn and his stomach drop. 

‘A fairy who reigned over a mystical mountain, wielding magical powers that included mastery over storms and thorns. Proud and refined, she cherished solitude even as she commanded her countless minions.’

‘A compassionate sea witch who dwelled in a grotto deep beneath the waves. To repent for past misdeeds, she devoted herself to helping troubled souls, guiding even seemingly hopeless romances to a true happy ending.’

‘A wise sorcerer of a desert kingdom who used his keen insight to obtain a magic lamp that granted him great power. He supported his king by regularly offering carefully considered words of advice.’

‘Through grit and determination, this king of beasts overcame his lesser claim of succession to rule over a vast savanna. He sought equality for all creatures—even those once banished from the realm.’

‘The lord of the Underworld, and guide to the wandering souls of the dead. He carried out his fearsome duties with diligence and care, motivating even the defiant to offer their aid.’

Rin forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat. 

So it wasn’t just the Evil Queen after all… There were so many others here. Disney villains, of course. 

And although Rin had always claimed to like the character of the villains better than the heroes in those endlessly cliche films, he didn’t mean it this way… 

Someone, anyone, just tell him this was all just a practical joke. Perhaps the headmaster liked the fairytales so much that he decided to carve their images into statue stone. 

A part of Rin knew what it all meant. All these signs, from the names of the dorms to the tapestries around the school. From the words Crewel had told him yesterday, to the figures in front of him, so hauntingly familiar. Ones that he had seen on screen just a few months prior when he was dragged into binge watching with the rest of the art club. 

The boy sighed, not knowing what to do with this flurry of information about this new world he was in. Everything was starting to remind him of one of those otome games that Suzu made him download where the MC was whisked away to another realm full of demons and devils. 

He willed the idea away, turning and heading back to the school. His posture was light and relaxed, but for anyone who knew him, his feet seemed to drag slightly. An amount that wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone else. 

Eventually, he arrived at the large lecture hall where the first year students were supposed to be for the talks. The rows and rows of clean wooden tiers reminded Rin of a university he had once visited. 

He took a seat in the fifth row, off to the very corner. Sighing, he brought his bag onto his lap and put his head in his arms, burying his face into the soft fabric of the jacket.

Solemnly, he waited for the students to trickle in, one by one. 

.

.

.

“Here at Night Raven College, students are taught five main branches of classes – humanities, sciences, mathematics, magic, and physical education.” Crewel spoke evenly, eyes sharpened on the new students of the year. In Rin’s opinion, it looked like Crewel was looking at hellions that had managed to raze his lawn to the ground. Children that he had been begrudgingly forced to babysit. 

Except, there were almost three hundred students, and that Crewel looked more disappointed in the new batch than anything. 

“In your first year here at NRC, you won’t be involved in anything that relies heavily on magic as most of your curriculum is core theory and knowledge.” The dual-haired man continued, easily ignoring the groans of dissatisfaction from the students. “If magic is used outside of class and without supervision, detentions will be in place.”

A few students looked as if they had just entered hell. 

Rin could relate, but probably not for the same reasons.

Although, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t relieved.

He was fine with textbook-heavy stuff. Sure, it probably wouldn’t be very good for his back to carry books that weighed the same as bricks around school, and his posture wouldn’t be ideal for sure, but it was something he could live with.

Even though he was usually quite good with practical work, non-practical work wasn’t going to be stressful. Afterall, he didn’t know a thing about the world and of magic. 

Simple knowledge was something Rin could always catch up with— truly, something his time at Kunugigaoka hammered into him —but experience wasn’t something Rin could fake, even if he wanted to. And if he wanted to seem like your run-of-the-mill NRC student, he had to be average. Decently good but not fantastic. 

With the first year consisting mostly of book-heavy information meant that he could catch up with the rest of the first years on basic common-sense by the time winter break rolled by. NRC seemed to follow the international school term breaks and schedule, so Rin could probably have the winter holiday studying. 

“Although first year classes are largely the same for everyone, there are still some elective choices to be made, all of you puppies should have already uploaded your choices to the school student application website.” A pointed look met Rin’s own, and he instantly got the message. “However, if you haven’t done so, there’s still time left for you to fill in the online form. Electives only start in the second half of term after all.” Rin didn’t exactly have a phone that could be connected to the internet. And his own phone probably wouldn’t even be able to access any websites and apps that the school required them to use. 

But the look Crewel gave him – subtle enough that no one else would notice, was probably telling him that something else could be done in his situation. 

Rin sighed minutely as Crewel continued on to talk about the rules and guidelines at Night Raven College, some of the bigger events and festivals (what was Magift??), as well as some of the ongoing clubs that were available for students to choose from.

Oh lord, if Magift was anything like the Quidditch of Harry Potter fans’ imagination, Rin would probably not survive this school. It sounded like a sport… The black-haired boy could only hope it wasn’t part of PE. 

“NRC boasts a proud selection of student-led clubs, with a few teacher-supervised ones, and although some of you may not like it, clubs are mandatory.” This time, some whispers sounded, likely in excitement. Rin watched in fascination as Crewel’s glare hardened, successfully silencing the students once more. 

“Choose a club by the end of the week and submit your forms to the club leader. Or if you can rally enough of your fellow littermates, you can establish your own club after a proposal has been approved.”

“That’s about all you need to know for now puppies. I suppose a part of the experience is figuring things out yourself along the way.” Crewel tapped the stack of papers on his desk to neaten them, “your general class schedule will be distributed to you at your dorms tonight.”

The man pondered for a second. “A school tour with Professor Trein will be happening at quarter-past one, so eat lunch and be sure not to be late.” With a wave of his red gloved hands, he dismissed the students.

Sharp grey eyes softened when they met Rin’s molten chestnut, as if speaking straight into his mind, Rin had the feeling that Crewel was saying “stay behind, puppy”. 

Rin did as he needed, waiting for everyone else to filter out of the room, not at all eager to be the last one left alone with the intimidating professor. 

What’s wrong with Crewel-sensei? 

Rin didn’t understand these people. Crewel was probably one of the most responsible people Rin had met so far – granted, he’s barely met anyone, but still. 

Just as Rin was going to leave his seat, a pop of silver beside Rin caught his attention, as he noticed the person who had sat next to him during the talk had fallen asleep. 

Unsure of what to do, Rin furrowed his brows and shook the boy’s shoulder lightly. 

“Hey,” a shift in movement, “the talk is over. You should probably wake up now.”

A sleepy groan sounded. The boy sounded so tired that Rin was tempted to just leave him be and let him sleep, with his head in his arms. Heck, he was tempted to join him. 

…But the piercing gaze from the professor at the front of the lecture hall stopped his thoughts from going further. 

This time, Rin shook slightly more aggressively, successfully waking his fellow freshman up. Upon seeing the pure confusion and disoriented look on the guy’s face, Rin couldn’t help but let out a small puff of laughter. 

“The orientation is over, Silver-san,” Rin spoke slowly, quietly so as not to spook the boy. He of all people knew how utterly grating loud noises would be right after waking up. 

The silver-haired boy blinked, dazed, as if trying to process the words that Rin had spoken — the information going in one ear and out the other. 

“Thanks,” he said, and only then could Rin admire the boy’s looks. Striking, strict, noble – it gave off an air of formality, a sense of sternness that Rin associated with the military. Eyes a shade of blue and purple combined, and for some reason, the colour seemed to soften his overall aura despite the downturn of his eyebrows. 

“…—how did you know my name?”

Rin paused at the question, quiet enough to count as a murmur. His mind reeled back in surprise. 

“Your name is Silver?” The brief bewilderment in his tone spoke on his behalf, as the guy, presumably from Diasomnia if the green armband was anything to go off of, looked so dazed. 

Rin smiled slightly, amused by the progression of this interaction. “It’s nothing. Something for me to know and you to find out, I guess.” 

Crewel cleared his throat, beckoning the black-haired boy to follow. 

Rin bobbed his head in an apology. 

“I gotta go,” Rin said quietly, readjusting the straps of his bag on his shoulders before he set off in Crewel’s footsteps, giving a wave of farewell to the last student left in the hall.

.

.

.

“I won’t hold you for long,” Crewel started to speak as they walked up some flights of stairs in the direction of his office. “It’s lunch hour, but I just need to hand you your personalised class schedule since that crow has decided to make you a student-teacher.” 

Rin hummed in acknowledgement. But the small furrow of his brow didn’t escape Crewel’s watchful gaze.

“Tell me puppy, you are aware of this, yes?” 

“...Yeah. It’s happening sooner than I expected, but it was part of the deal for me to stay at NRC.” 

“Dea— Deal?” The black-and-white haired man waved his crop, the red tip swiping swiftly through the air as the burgundy pet collar jangled at the other end. “You made a deal with that scatterbrain??”

Rin didn’t know it would warrant such a reaction. Did... Did he not mention this before? He was so confused that he couldn’t even tell if the professor was shocked by how he made a deal or how he made a deal with Crowley of all people. 

He could only respond with a hesitant nod. “Yeah,” he said, quietly. Not an ounce of regret was present in his gaze. 

“Why would you need to make a deal? Why would Crowley need to make a deal?” Crewel hissed, throwing Rin off-guard. He didn’t mind the interrogation – appreciated it, almost. It simply meant Crewel cared… probably. 

“The headmaster made a deal with me to stop me from leaving the school.” Crewel felt a vein bulge on his forehead. “I am to enrol in NRC as a normal student so that I would have access to the library and a roof over my head. The condition is that I help out with the subjects with ‘Old Trade’ in them?” Rin shook his head. “Didn’t know I’d start in term one though, since I’m not sure how helpful I’ll be if I don’t have any knowledge of magic.” 

Crewel pinched the bridge of his nose in what Rin presumed to be irritation, almost slamming the door to his personal office open.

“Back up little puppy— did you say you were going to leave the school?” 

…For some reason, Rin felt that he should answer with caution. 

“Yeah… it was after I told Headmaster-san about everything regarding my situation, and how he said there weren’t any other known ways for such long-distance teleportation other than the Mirror of Darkness.”

Crewel sighed, as if he couldn’t believe his ears. “Bad puppy! Decisions shouldn’t be made so rashly! It would’ve been better even without the deal for you to stay in the school.” Holding up a lavender-tinted folder, he handed it to Rin with care that echoed in his tone. “I may not know much of your world, but this world certainly isn’t the safest you’ve seen.” 

Rin nodded, not wanting to deal with another lecture. “I mean, in the end I decided that being a student-teacher was the most beneficial for the both of us – I get to earn some money, and Headmaster-san can get what he wants for NRC.” 

In an effort to change the topic, Rin opened the stack of papers to find his schedule and— was that a questionnaire?  

Noticing the perplexity in his eyes, Crewel changed the topic of the conversation. “It’s a health questionnaire.” 

Rin’s mouth parted behind his mask.

Wow, he hasn’t seen one of these in ages—

“Fill it out the best you can, if there’s any part you don’t understand, you can just ask after filling out what you do know.” Crewel said, and suddenly, like a spark of lightning that struck him, Rin remembered what he was going to ask Crewel to do for him. 

“Crewel-sensei,” Rin reached into his bag and brought out another prescribed bottle of pills, which rattled in his hand. “I know I already left my medicine box with you so that you can take a look at them, but could you also take a look at these?”

Crewel took the bottle into his red gloved hands and opened it. The white bottle was filled to the brim with green capsules, and so he picked one of them up and put it against the light, staring intently at it. 

Rin picked the colour himself. It was meant to be distinguished from his other medicine quite clearly, and since it was made specifically for him, he had the liberty of choosing the capsule colour.

“And if it isn’t too much trouble,” the black-haired boy stood straight, a deep breath, “could you make more of it?”

Crewel hummed, prompting Rin to continue. 

“The box of medicine that I gave you yesterday are the ones that I eat when I get sick. Like when I catch a cold or something.” He said. “If I don’t get sick, I don’t need to eat it.” 

Rin licked his lips. 

“I didn’t get to tell you this, but both the sleeping pills and the other medicine hold three to four times the effect compared to regular medicine in my world.” 

The man’s lips parted in shock, and really, Rin couldn’t fault him for it.

“Didn’t you say your family history made medicine only slightly less effective?!”

Rin didn’t tell Crewel this before, but he did mention that medicine tended to have less effect on him. Not only was his body extremely susceptible to getting sick, normal medicine didn’t work well on him either. Until high school it was usually just double, but after what happened in the most recent summer break, it got worse by leaps and bounds. 

Just his luck, he supposed. 

As a result, doctors were pretty much forced to prescribe medicine that was many times stronger than what they would usually give, and he had to go back regularly after recovering for check-ups. 

To be honest, when it came to his own natural immunity, Rin had his own theories. 

He had heard his grandpa tell stories about how their ancestors were shinobi, and though it seemed far-fetched, it might somehow be able to explain his resistance to some medication or poison.

At this point, a possibility is better than a mystery.

Shaking the thoughts away, he continued on, wanting to get this conversation over with. 

“The one you’re holding right now is something I need to eat more regularly.” Rin had been eating it for a couple of months now, so he was quite familiar with it. Not to mention the fact that he spoke regularly with the person who made it. “Each pill lasts about a week or so, and the times that I need to take it are fixed.”

Brown eyes wavered for a second. “Before you ask, it doesn’t have anything to do with my inherent health.” 

The way he glazed over the details was obvious, and Crewel could tell that it wasn’t the full truth. From the tension in the air, the latter supposed it wasn’t something the puppy was willing to further elaborate on. 

“I have around two and a half bottles. Since they’re important, I carry them around with me at all times in case I can’t make it back home for whatever reason.” The first year frowned behind his mask. “They can probably last me the majority of the year, but from the talk this morning, I think it’d be a stretch to say that it will last until the start of term three.”

“What happens when you don’t take it on time?” Crewel inquired.

“...For lack of a better example, I guess you can consider it as medicine that prevents seizures. If I stop taking it, my symptoms will reappear.” 

(What the hell…?

Seizures?!

Divus wanted to curse the world. 

He really had his work cut out for him, didn’t he?)

As if he could read Crewel’s mind, or maybe because his expression contorted into something that was a little too worried, Rin amended his previous statement with an impassive face. “Of course, the symptoms are wildly different. I don’t actually get seizures, and we don’t think it’s life-threatening. It just… kind of impairs my ability to think properly for a while.” 

“If I don’t eat it for too long, it’s more of a problem, but let’s just… hope it doesn’t get to that.”

(...Divus didn’t know if that was better or not. This kind of vaguely described condition was giving him a migraine, no doubt.)

“I’m aware that there are potions here,” Rin laced his fingers together, "...and probably magical healing spells that could potentially cure me… But I don’t think it’d be wise for me to rely on those when we don't know if there will be any negative side effects on my body. Especially when the circumstances that led to my condition aren't really easy to explain.” 

The professor let out an audible sigh. 

“I see what you mean.” He said, a hand on his chin in contemplation. 

“Although I have confidence in the effect of potions— after all, I’m the potionology teacher here, but the fact that we don’t know much about how the things over here will affect you is something to be cautious of. Not to mention your own health conditions.” 

Rin let out a short, humourless laugh. “It’s hard to say what the stuff over here will do to a normal otherworldly person, but me specifically? With already so much to consider in terms of medication?” He shrugged, “no chance. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” 

Crewel seemed to want to roll his eyes. “Normal otherworldly person? Great Sevens, pup, nothing about otherworldly beings is normal.” 

“I guess we’re all freaks then.” Rin muttered, and Crewel couldn’t help but smile a little. Oh, now he could really see the Pomefiore showing. 

“On the bright side,” Rin added, “if anyone here went to my world, you guys would be the ones who are abnormal. The colour of the hair and eyes over here says it all.” 

Crewel chuckled, “Perhaps such bright colours are unnatural in your world, but in comparison, your looks are considered rare here, little puppy.” 

…Did he want to know? 

“How so?” Rin deadpanned. He was going to regret asking. He could feel it. 

“Well, the colour of your eyes are quite distinct for one.” 

Was simple brown considered rare here? He grimaced.

Rin swore to high heavens, if anyone accidentally wandered onto Earth, they’d have the shock of the century. 

“Well, back on topic,” Rin didn’t want to think about his looks being considered special anymore. Was this the reason Rook was onto him and called him beautiful? Damn it. 

Crewel looked faintly amused, and Rin wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and sit in it. 

“After some thinking, I thought that sticking with the medicine from my world is probably best. So if there’s some sort of duplication spell… or if it doesn’t work, if you can figure out the contents and find this world’s equivalent, that’d be good enough.”

Rin knew the names of his medications by heart. 

Whether it was the syrups he ate in junior high, or any of his current pills, he remembered the components clear as day.

Part of it was due to his own caution, part of it was because he felt that maybe one day it’d be useful. But in another world with materials and different ingredients, potions and spells— whatever he knew was rendered useless. 

Inwardly, he was praying that Crewel wouldn’t ask about his detailed medical history (though, the questionnaire probably covered it). 

Right now, he really didn’t want to explain how it all came to this. Maybe some other day in the distant future, but not now. 

More precisely, Rin wasn’t bothered to explain it. 

If he were to talk about it, the conversation would probably last two days, and Rin didn’t want to explain how he went from being prescribed medicine that had double the effect of normal medicine to ones that were triple or quadruple the effects. 

There was some emergency medicine that he left in his room too – blue pills that were only to be eaten when there was no other choice, but Rin didn’t mention those because the chances he’d have to use them were slim.

Instead, he waited for Crewel’s response. 

The man in front of him simply shrugged off his coat and draped it over his chair. Sighing, he took a small plastic bag and placed three of the pills in, handing the rest of the medicine back to Rin, who breathed a little bit easier when it was back in his possession. 

“I’ll see what I can do, puppy.” Crewel was about to place a hand on Rin’s head before he stopped himself, disguising the action with a cough. The latter, with his head down, didn’t notice. 

“Although the information you’ve given me is scarce,” Rin lowered his head further, feeling a little sorry that he was asking so much of Crewel, but he couldn’t budge on this. Not for now at least. At least he was taking the professor’s words to heart— taking what he could when he could.

“But I’ll do my best, so wipe that look off your face.” The teacher gave a small, reassuring smile. “Though, if this doesn’t go as well as intended, I’m afraid you’ll have to tell me more about your condition.” 

Rin nodded.

His health was more important than his laziness. Even though it would be troublesome, he felt that having to deal with the consequences of not getting his medicine would be even worse.

Crewel paused, turning back to his neatly organised desk to fish for some unused paper. Rin watched curiously as Crewel jotted something down quickly. 

“Here,” accepting the paper from the professor, Rin realised what the contents were. “Some book recommendations to get you started on common-sense about this world.” 

Rin blinked, not comprehending for a second before he smiled, eyes shining with an emotion that was bright and muted, grateful. 

(Divus would look back and realise that he was momentarily stunned. Not that he would admit it of course.)

“Thanks,” Rin beamed, or at least, it was his equivalent, in which his eyes crinkled into crescents, gleaming. “I appreciate it, Crewel-sensei.” 

Crewel cleared his throat. “It’s only what I’m meant to do as an educator. And don’t worry about the elective choices. I’ll follow up with you on that when I can get the hardcopy of the form printed out.” 

“Thank you very much,” Rin bowed. “Then,” he continued as the professor arched a brow, “can I bother you with one more thing?” 

“Be my guest. It’s the responsibility of a master to take care of their puppies, so don’t hesitate to ask.” 

Internally, Rin felt that the description of masters and puppies was far too familiar to Cruella de Vil for his taste, so he willed himself not to linger on the thought. 

“Do you know where I should buy clothes and daily necessities?” Rin asked politely. “The dorms have some things, but not everything.” He explained.

Crewel clicked his tongue, “did that useless headmaster not tell you anything?” 

Rin let out a small breath of laughter. “Not really.” He admitted. 

“Well, need not worry pup,” Crewel stated with full confidence, “I’ll handle the clothes.”

“You’ll handle the clothes?” Rin repeated, befuddled. 

“I’ll have you know, I am well-versed in fashion and clothing design. The one who re-designed the school uniform is yours truly. I simply couldn’t stand the way that it looked back when I was still a student.”

Rin’s mind halted in its tracks. 

Crewel is an alumni of NRC???

“Making and picking out outfits won’t be difficult at all, especially if I already have your measurements.” He said in a matter-of-factly tone. “Though, I’ll take the liberty of choosing the style myself.” Crewel continued to speak as soon as he saw Rin try to protest. “I’m only joking. From your current attire, I can tell that you value comfort as much as you do looks, so I’ll see what I can do.”

“For other items, go to Sam’s Mystery Shop. Professor Trein will lead the tour and will pass the shop.” 

Rin mumbled quietly, “...But the money?” 

“There’s no need to worry about that little pup,” Crewel smiled, showing off his sharp canines. The grin he had made Rin feel kind of suspicious. 

“Charge it to the principal. Afterall, it’s his fault for not providing you with necessary items after the Mirror of Darkness brought you here. To be quite honest, I’d much rather you do your worst.” Crewel smiled, sending a chill down Rin’s spine. “That crow deserves it.” 

After a moment of struggling to control his expression, the black-and-white haired professor in front of him seemed to take his silence for reluctance and rolled his eyes. “From what I’ve heard, I’m well aware you prefer not to trouble that crow-bastard, but you are his responsibility. The school’s responsibility. In this world, you need to take what you can. So it’s best you accept without worries, got it puppy?” 

Rin didn’t hesitate this time to give a look of resignation before nodding obediently. 

“Good boy, now off you go to the cafeteria and eat something warm. Your complexion looks ghastly.”

“...Alright, thank you.” Rin bowed and left the room with the door clicking softly behind him. 

He touched his face, fingers ghosting the edges of his mask. 

Ghastly? Now that was a bit of an overstatement, wasn’t it? Crewel couldn’t even see half of his face! He grumbled internally.

Rin shrugged, placing the folder into his bag carefully, as if it were a precious and priceless object. 

Lunch? No. He wasn't in the mood for that. Instead, all Rin could think about was the supposedly world-famous library on campus. Just thinking about all the material and content from another world got his heart beating in anticipation. 

Calm down, his brain begged within him. He was there to get a basis of knowledge of Twisted Wonderland, not to read about the lore of this world like one would do with a fantasy web-novel.

No. He had excellent self-restraint, thank you very much. 

He’ll treat this like a formal research assignment, like those times he had to catch up with school content when he missed out on a month of lessons. It definitely wasn’t a field trip. Definitely not.

The former-assassin was just glad the library was conspicuous and that the signs leading towards it were effective in bringing Rin in front of those grand wooden doors. 

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Omake 1:

Silver didn’t intend to fall asleep during the meeting. It just somehow happened. 

He had arrived at the hall when the room was half-filled, quiet murmuring in the air. With students littered here and there, it was hard to find a place to sit that wasn’t bustling with noise.

But then, he saw a whole row left empty. The person who sat on the very edge of one end was the guy that understood Old Trade back at the ceremony. After arriving back at the dorm, Father had spoken about it a little, saying that the language had been lost to time. Yet, it was quite impressive that someone who could speak it arrived. 

The look on his father’s face was ominous— an expression the man would only make if he found something particularly interesting… or right before he started to cook. 

Silver made his way down the row and sat beside the boy who was seemingly asleep. His action elicited hushed gasps and whispers, but the silver-haired boy paid them no mind.

Was everyone scared? Intimidated perhaps. People were always scared of what was unfamiliar.

But Silver didn’t really care. Nothing would be scarier than Lilia’s cooking. 

He eyed the boy’s figure from the corner of his eye. 

For some reason…

Silver brought his arms forward and rested his head. 

For some reason, he was really sleepy… 

Omake 2: 

"The security camera footage doesn’t show anything strange." Karasuma listened to the person speaking over the phone, Irina standing to the side against the wall. “The elevator footage shows he left his house at around three in the afternoon. After getting out of the building, the footage from the closest lamp post shows him turning the corner, but in the next camera, he seems to have disappeared.”  

Some other voices spoke on the other line, and Karasuma listened intently. 

“Alright, thank you for checking. I’ll leave it to you. Please get in touch with me soon.” 

With a click, the call ended. 

“No luck?” Irina asked, already knowing the answer. 

“No,” the black-haired man furrowed his brow. “It just doesn’t make sense. The way that everything just stopped isn’t natural… unless someone has already tampered with the footage to confuse us.”

The man let out a heavy sigh. 

Irina bit the corners of her mouth. “I’ll let the rest of them know.” 

“That’d be the best course of action.” Karasuma said with a groan, sitting back down. “Let them know we have people on the case, and tell them not to panic and involve themselves. I’m afraid we might be dealing with something bigger than we expect.” He said, biting back a scowl. “Even though I’m aware Karma has already decided to look into the tracker, it’d be best for them to keep their distance on this one.” 

Irina barked a laugh. “You really think those brats would take that lying down?” 

“.........” 

The man leaned back and closed his eyes. 

“We’ve got no choice. I can only hope none of them do anything stupid.” 

Uncharacteristically, Irina snorted. “Only in our dreams.” She said with mirth in her eyes. 

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Chapter Text

Crowley wasn’t lying when he said that Night Raven College was home to one of the most magnificent libraries in the world. Probably one of the most splendid that Rin has ever had the pleasure of entering.

He was almost tempted to set up camp here. It was just that good. 

The large glass windows— something Rin really needed to get used to seeing —shone light into the space, brightening the room and softening the shades of earth brown and molten chocolate. Chandeliers adorned in dazzling crystal hung from up above, extravagant, yet not taking away from the historic beauty of the surroundings. 

The scent of paper and faint wisp of ink was soothing in a way. Although it was different from the smell of their school library, Rin thought that it had charm of its own. With Hoshizuki’s library having a fresher, more vibrant smell, this library had a richer, thicker aroma of ink and wood, which Rin didn’t necessarily dislike. 

If he was a book nerd before, now he is a book fanatic. Seriously, who could sit in a place like this and not get obsessed with reading? 

(Suzu would just call him a bookworm in spite of herself. 

In his defence, she was the one who could read a twenty-thousand word oneshot fanfic on the internet of a fandom she wasn’t even in. Rin once saw her binge-read a novel that was longer than the Bible in one sitting. 

He swore, if he threw the physical copy of that webnovel at someone’s head, it would definitely knock them out, no doubt about it.)

After giving a nod of greeting to the librarian, Rin went straight to the books seated snugly on tall wooden shelves that were engraved in floral patterns and curves. The brown-eyed boy scanned the aisles and labelled signs that signified the genre, searching for the right section to do his research on how to get back home, as well as the books that Crewel had mentioned. 

It wouldn’t hurt to start searching for a way back home. 

‘A Trip Through Time’, ‘Merfolk, Therianthropes and Magical Creatures' and ‘Marvellous Magic’ were the books he found himself reaching for first. ‘Tale of the Seven’, ‘101 Fun Facts About The World’, ‘Beauty of Language’ and ‘A Guiding Map’ followed closely afterwards.  

Eyes that darted from the hard dark covers to the fancy labels of the shelves glowed with unbridled curiosity. Merfolk existed here? 

He didn’t see anyone looking like they came from the sea during the ceremony… only beastmen. Or, perhaps they’d be called therianthropes here. 

Merfolk had fins right? Tails? Gills? Did they drink some sort of shape-shifting potion? What kind of physical differences do their human forms have in comparison to normal humans? 

Rin made a note to ask Crewel his questions later. Or perhaps he could hunt down one of the merfolk students if he was feeling extra social. 

The boy continued to gather books into a pile within his arms. As he went across and moved to the side with the sliding ladders, brushing his fingers along the occasionally velvet texture of the spines, a book on one of the farthest corners of the shelf caught his attention. 

Hidden away, it wasn’t as pristine and decorated as the others, and it wasn’t a very large book either, so if it was anyone else, they probably wouldn’t have noticed it with the way that the black seemed to blend into the shadows of the others. In actuality, it seemed more like a notebook than anything else. Nevertheless, Rin brought it down with him. 

He had to pry it open in order to see what was in it, as the cover was carefully blank – no author or title at all. 

It was weird though, Rin noted absentmindedly. It was as if the pages were stuck together, clamped shut by something, like there was a piece of invisible string or paper wrapper around it that Rin couldn’t see or feel. 

Something intangible was refusing to budge. 

Not wanting to ruin the book, thin defined fingers exerted force upon both sides of the book. Rin could say with great certainty that he had a fair amount of grip strength. Yet, here he was. Struggling to open a book. 

Did someone glue this shut as a prank?

He let out a small noise of confusion, furrowing his brows and trying again. 

With a snap— and Rin could’ve sworn he saw sparks come off the book —the cover revealed a yellowing sheet of paper. The words ‘What Lies Between The Stars’ were written finely on the first page. In English.  

Rin stared at it, the handwritten cursive of the familiar language swimming in his mind. 

Old Trade?

Rin glanced through the pages. Why would there be a book written in Old Trade here when no one could read it? Although the book wasn’t heavy, it felt weighted in the palm of Rin’s hands. 

Weird, but Rin supposed there wasn’t ever anything that wasn’t weird in this world. 

The book itself seemed so out of place that Rin felt like he was getting an inexplicable sense of deja vu. This felt like one of those anime scenes when the protagonist would get their hands on a mysterious scroll or sword. Except here, it was just Rin, a mob character in his own mind. 

Rin grimaced. This feels like it belongs in the forbidden section or something. Something that was legendary, ancient, rare. It didn’t seem like your regular ordinary library book. More like an old text that could potentially be used in research. 

Nevertheless, it seemed to be useful, so he placed it on the top of his pile before making his way over to an empty individual study desk.

Let’s see what this is all about. 

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Over the years of intense studying in one of the most competitive and prestigious private schools in all of Tokyo, Rin didn’t really know what he was expecting when he heard that Night Raven College similarly wasn’t for the faint of heart. 

Kunugigaoka was challenging back when Rin was still there, both physically and mentally. Physically because of his less-than-desirable health, and well, the attacks on his mental well-being were useless, most falling short of their original goal. But in his opinion, Rin had it better than the rest of his graduating class. 

At least when he was on the main campus, only a few students would pick a fight with him. Most would simply pretend he wasn’t there, not daring to breathe in his direction, staring at him like a monkey in a zoo, like a diamond on a necklace, like a rare animal, stuffed and on display in a museum. 

He was used to it – becoming nothing but an object of ridicule and awe. Rin supposed the second aspect was only due to Gakushuu. 

In his heart, Rin was hoping that NRC would be different at least in the competition between classes, if there was any to begin with. That kind of cut-throat system, where the strong get stronger and the weak get weaker was something that Rin just wasn’t bothered to deal with again. 

In the end, Class A had escorted them to that bus on the day of the graduation ceremony, where cameras were flashing, blindingly and incessantly. Rin never really blamed them for their actions, not to mention – if his friends had put the past behind them, what would he gain from clinging to it needlessly? But it didn’t change the fact that the whole experience was a hassle. 

So long as it didn’t get degrading, Rin would probably just roll with it. 

He didn’t feel the need to care for it, but it wasn’t a lie when Rin had said Hoshizuki was a welcome break from his infamous junior high. It was just as hard academically, but the teaching styles were wildly different. It felt more like a university than a highschool.

When it came to NRC, Rin thought that he’d have to get used to a new learning system. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to be the case, as Rin could see many resemblances between NRC and Hoshizuki, sans the students. 

Demanding. That’s what Professor Crewel had said when Rin asked about the subjects taught in the academy. As Rin looked at his new schedule and flipped through Marvellous Magic, a book with a deep purple cover and forest-green ink, he could tell that Crewel’s words held true. 

Night Raven College followed a standard five-day schedule, Monday across Friday. An-hour-and-fifteen-minute long lessons started at eight in the morning and ended at three-thirty, with lunch in between taking up forty-five minutes of the day. 

Just the sheer number of subjects would have Gakushuu’s mind spinning like a disco ball, and Rin didn’t even want to think about the fact that his basis in pretty much all of it was non-existent, maybe with the exception of chemistry or biology related classes. The fact that the school labelled it as mandatory to participate in extracurricular activities wasn’t surprising, but Rin could already see his desire for a healthy sleep schedule go down the drain. 

What spare time is there? Rin wondered. The schedule that lay loosely in his grasp mocked him openly. Perhaps most of his reluctance to think about the school subjects stemmed from the fact that he wasn’t sure what he was working with in terms of content knowledge. 

Contrary to popular opinion, Rin didn’t mind a busy schedule. Despite his occasionally casual and lazy self, the boy didn’t mind a heavy workload. In all honesty, the piece of paper in front of him was essentially a fantasy-like version of his own Hoshizuki timetable.

Creamy chestnut orbs flickered. The only salvation he could manage to see in the distance was the fact that he was just trying to be an ordinary student and not some academic genius. 

Perfection wasn’t the requirement. He just needed to be mediocre. Right in the middle, perhaps edging towards satisfactory. That’s where he needed to aim. Unremarkable and bland. 

In the past two hours Rin had been in the library choosing books, reading, rinse and repeat – the brown-eyed boy had managed to get through four of the eight books he had originally picked out. 

Tale of the Seven by Awesworth Mildred was the one he started with, reflecting the statues in the main street that were arranged almost heroically. 

So it really is Disney villains… The stories were distorted of course, showing those so-called bad guys in a good light, one to be worshipped and praised. And honestly, Rin didn’t know how he felt about it. 

Sure, the antagonists were more interesting to Rin, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be stuck in this Disney-fan fever dream.

He should’ve known those dorm names were too weird to be true. Seriously, how did he not recognise Savanaclaw and Octavinelle for heavens’ sake. 

A Guiding Map by Ophelia Flint was the second he went for as one of the books Crewel had recommended. Illustrations and detailed information about a variety of different countries (?) and cities in the world were given, and the way it was written almost seemed like a journal. Personal anecdotes and comments about the various places, culture and food were littered around like confetti.  

Some of the places he read about seemed almost too similar to countries of Rin’s world, but he paid it no mind. 

May as well treat this place as a mirror of my own, he sighed. At least Rin now had the confidence to say that he now knew enough about this world’s geography to not be called out when people asked him where he was from. He could probably make up most of his answer by saying he hailed from the East. 

If there were any gaps in his knowledge, Rin already decided that he’d pretend that the place he lived was quite sheltered and so they didn’t have lots of connection to the outside world, which would explain his ignorance. Generic, but what else was he to do? 

Rin had faith that he’d be able to cover most of it. 

Merfolk, Therianthropes and Magical Creatures by Lewis Fawn was the most entrancing. It definitely spiked Rin’s interest most, no doubt about it. 

Ears? Tails? Horns? Claws? Rin wondered how the animal physiology would change their behaviour, or how different types of therianthropes would compare with each other. Or how merfolk would differ from therianthropes, and how magical creatures could become familiars. 

In all honesty, despite the fact that Rin wanted to get back home as soon as possible, all of this information about this world was amazing. It made the neurons in his brain spark with fervour, made it seem like the stars were hung in the sky just for him.

Although it was interesting, Rin was resolved not to act on any of his interests here. His goal was to act as a normal student, painfully plain, and try to find a way home as quickly as possible. Even though this world was captivating, it would do him no good to get attached. 

He supposed indulging in some books would be fine. Ideally, he’d ask his classmates his questions, but Rin didn’t really feel like interacting with anyone new. And it wasn’t like he was going to go out and hunt a merman down Rook-Hunt-style, so he guessed that idea was off the shelf. 

The boy sighed, calming himself down by forcibly relaxing his shoulders. 

Marvellous Magic by Magnus Mim was the most recent book Rin had picked up, detailing the four Main types of magic. Rather than general knowledge, Rin supposed this was more necessary for his academic survival. 

Void magic, elemental magic, ancient magic and unique magic. Within those categories, there was summoning magic, runes and arrays, as well as many more types that Rin had only seen in anime. 

As he skimmed through the various topics within the book, Rin came across a page at the back with the title “Overblot”. 

“—Magic uses mana, which is the energy that is used to cast spells. From birth, the size of your mana pool is decided. However, people can improve their magic by learning how to effectively use that mana, although the amount can’t be changed. 

When a spell is cast, a certain amount of mana is used. With time, the used up mana can be recovered. 

One can think of overblot as the consequence of magic overuse. Blot is essentially a byproduct of magic use, seen as residual waste. The reasons for such still remain unknown, and most of the time, blot accumulates in a magician’s magestone. Eventually, it would dissipate after rest and self-care. 

Everyone has a different tolerance to blot, unrelated to the amount of mana one has. If the blot in the magestone exceeds the tolerable amount, the blot will be stored in the caster of the spell. 

If the amount of blot in a mage exceeds their tolerance, overblot can occur. Such cases are extremely rare, with negative emotions being at an all-time high, the situation can get extremely destructive and can result in many casualties, including that of the mage undergoing overblot.”

Rin pursed his lips in distaste. So in chemistry terms, blot would be like how carbon monoxide would be produced when the combustion of a fuel is incomplete? Blot doesn’t accumulate too much when someone is well rested, just as in excess oxygen, when a fuel is burned, carbon dioxide and water is made. Not great for the environment, but still relatively harmless when it comes to direct harm to the human body. But if blot is ignored and left to accumulate without sufficient rest, just as in limited oxygen, carbon monoxide would be produced, poisonous to the body. 

……Sometimes Rin resented the fact that his brain went directly to chemistry rather than some other simpler analogy. This just showed how much the subject had rewired and taken over his brain. Personally, Rin blamed the Chemistry lab write-up that the teacher had given him as an extra project for the kids in the class who were overachievers or were considering doing IB.

On the other hand, the fact that magic had its own set of consequences didn’t really surprise Rin at all. What was that line from Spider-man? 

With great power comes great responsibility. 

It was kind of like that, except the responsibility, or backlash in this case, came in the form of a destructive emo temper tantrum. 

And according to Crowley, Rin was able to use magic, so he really didn’t know if he’d appreciate this or not. 

He didn’t think he was the type to neglect his health with how particular he was with drying his hair and keeping warm, but now he really couldn’t afford to be careless. Instead of accidentally being admitted to the hospital for the nth time as a consequence, magic truly made it a life-or-death situation. 

Ahhh, how wonderful. Rin could feel the part of himself that wanted to not-give-a-damn rise to the surface, but resolutely, he pushed it down. 

The part with emotions growing out of control didn’t really concern him, so maybe it’d be okay…?

Goodbye, Rin offered a silent farewell to how he used to be able to stay up for a few days to finish a group project. Getting a nosebleed paled in comparison to losing his life, and although Rin didn’t really have a burning passion to live, if he somehow died, the people back home would never let him be. 

(Involuntarily, a shiver ran down his spine.)

Without realising, the grandfather clock beside the check-out desk ticked, turning the hour hand perfectly to rest on the next roman numeral. 

Rin closed the book in his hand and returned the books he had finished reading with ease. After picking out the rest of the books on Crewel’s must-read list, Rin made his way to the check-out desk. 

“Hello,” Rin spoke politely, voice soft to suit the relaxed ambience of the library. His expression was indifferent and unemotional, giving away nothing, and his eyes were almost glazed over, but the soothing tone of his voice and the warm hues of afternoon light that shone on him from behind diminished the sense of coldness that would’ve otherwise accompanied his face. “I’d like to check these out, thank you.” He set the stack gently on the counter and handed over his student card without any hesitation.

The librarian, who nodded with an impassive face, started to check the books out. For a moment, Rin closed his eyes. 

Nostalgic. 

The sound of the beeping machine and the muffled chatter of the students outside echoed in the air. For someone who was dumped in such an alien place, Rin found comfort in small similarities. Ones that tickled his ears and soothed the ache. 

Opening his eyes, Rin observed the librarian’s features. 

Ash grey hair bordering silvery-white, vivid and vibrant honeycomb eyes, the colour of thick, dripping tree sap, the kind that acted as resin. Their skin was dark, not in the way that someone would get tanned at a beach, but rather, it was inherent, original. From the current lighting, the colour was akin to that of charcoal and soot, but the bluish tint gave it a sort of rawness, of ethereal beauty that Rin had never encountered before. 

To say that Crewel’s looks stunned him was an understatement. To say Vil’s beauty was mesmerising was also an understatement. But if Rin had to say who was the most beautiful person he had encountered in his life so far— who Rin felt the artistic urge to draw and imprint their image into his memories— it would probably be this librarian. 

In Rin’s mind, it was as if they were the embodiment of nature. No, even Mother Nature would envy such beauty. 

(If Suzu was here, she would immediately want to use this person (?) as a model for her next painting. Rin had half the mind to do the same. 

The librarian reminded him of a lunar eclipse. Dazzling and powerful, the pitch-black darkness consuming every expanse of one’s vision was breathtaking. 

All of a sudden, his ears were itching. A melody had entered his mind as he looked at the fae-kind in front of him. Inspiration was striking him with a heavy metal club, but Rin refused to budge.)

Professor Crewel had said that such colours and looks were more common in Twisted Wonderland, and it seemed that he was right. The long pointed ears made Rin blink back to the page about fae-kind he had read, but also to the image of dark elves from games he had seen his sister fiddle with. 

“—Fae come in varying shapes and sizes, with some being as small as a human’s palm, and others taking on form quite similar to humans whilst still carrying those unique traits specific to their type of fae. They are distinguished by their pointed ears and youthful appearance, oftentimes showing physical and magical prowess greater than the average human.

Fae live much longer than humans, with life spans dependent on the type of fairy. As a result, they age slower and have a different perception of time than humans and therianthropes. When interacting with other species, some fae-kind often disregard the concept of age while some place a lot of importance on it.”

Vaguely, Rin wondered what kind of fae this librarian was. They looked so youthful… would it be rude to ask for their age? 

By the time Rin had come up with a whole list of questions in his brain, the peerless beauty had handed him a fabric bag full of his books as well as his student ID. 

“All school books must be returned within the week if not renewed.” The voice was stern— stone-cold in fact. But Rin didn’t sense any hostility so he paid it no mind. “However…” 

Rin tilted his head. 

“Some books are not as in demand as the others.” The librarian handed him his receipt. “These ones are the ones that can be taken out for two weeks.” A delicate finger with sharp nails traced the titles of books that were underlined. 

“I need not remind you to take care of the precious books and scripts of this library.” 

A harsh, warning glare was sent Rin’s way, gold-tinted irises flashing, but he simply nodded. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He commented and paused. “May I ask for your name?”

The sharp stare faded a little, as the fae’s pupils dilated for a fraction of a second. 

“...You can call me Willow.” They turned their head away from Rin and back to organising a tray full of books that were to be returned to their rightful place in this library. It was almost as if they were willing away Rin’s existence. 

Rin bent his eyes into crescents, his lips forming a small smile beneath his mask. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Willow-san. I hope you have a nice day.”

Rin may not want to interact with the students of this school… but he’d be seeing the librarian a lot anyway, so it would probably be more convenient to show his respect and know their name. 

And with that, Rin left the library with his bundle of books in tow. 

(At the back of his mind, Rin took note of the way that Willow’s face scrunched up a little when they got to the black-faced book. They had given Rin a complicated look before adding the book to the back without scanning it, having written the title down on a record book. 

Strange, Rin thought, narrowing his eyes on the text that sat on top of the heavy pile. 

Perhaps he’d ask Crowley about it when he inquired about the restricted section of the library the crow had mentioned in their first meeting.) 

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“I am Mozus Trein, professor of the humanities curriculum in Night Raven College.” The man who stood in front of the crowd of students had slicked-back greying hair, intimidating upturned eyebrows and a frown so weighted that Rin could feel a part of him wince inside.

Surely this wasn’t everyone, right? Rin could’ve sworn he saw more people this morning in the lecture hall. 

The place they met up was on the main street, surrounded by those statues that Rin had encountered before. The number of people who showed up couldn’t be considered little by any means, but it certainly wasn’t all of the first-years. 

(The boy with silver hair wasn’t there either, but Rin had the feeling the guy just fell asleep somewhere again.)

Even so, Rin met gazes with the dark grey eyes that scanned the group and noticed that they held not a hint of anger, as if the professor was used to this. 

It was now one-fifteen, on the dot. 

“You shall refer to me as Professor Trein.” His voice rang in the atmosphere, deafening, silencing the murmured conversations of the freshmen. “I will be the one leading the school tour this year, so follow along and don’t wander off.” 

“You may not see this tour as a necessity, but I shall remind you now that I do not accept tardiness in my lessons. Even if you happen to get lost, that is no excuse, and will of course, end up with a detention from me. Are we clear?” His low, strict tone sent chills down many student’s backs, and some even paled, having heard rumours of the nightmare known as Professor Trein’s detention sessions. 

“You may leave your belongings in one of the lockers, unless you desire to bring them with you.” 

(For a second, Rin thought that the sentence was directed particularly to him.)

Along with some other students, Rin moved to put the bag of books into a locker whilst keeping his light and mostly empty backpack. Carefully, Rin removed the key and committed the locker number to mind. 

Once the students returned, Rin returned to his original place, closer to the front than before. 

Hm?

Almost immediately, he felt something brush against his leg. Flicking his eyes down to see what it was, Rin’s mind halted at the sight of a chubby black cat with white tufts of fur at his feet, looking at him with what he could say was the most judgemental look that he’d ever seen a cat give him. Colourful yellow eyes stared him down, and Rin couldn’t decide whether to look away or not. It was as if the sight had entranced him, as if it would consume his very soul and being if he stared at it for too long. 

The cat meowed at him, a long and low growl. 

“It seems you have met my familiar, Lucius.” Trein’s voice quieted the crowd down once more, as some more curious faces from the back stepped closer to get a better look. 

The cat— Lucius —meowed again and stared at him, intensely. If he didn’t know better, Rin would think that it was in annoyance, but it was likely to be more of curiosity than anything else.

Wait a second… The more he looked at the cat, the more familiar it seemed to be. Now that Rin was seeing Lucius and Trein together, he was getting this inexplicable sense of deja vu.

Almost immediately, Rin averted his eyes, choosing to simply look ahead. Despite his poker face, if someone were to observe closely enough, they’d be able to see the way Rin’s eyes shook in struggle. 

Thankfully, Trein decided to officially start and picked Lucius up into his arms.

“Now, let us begin with the tour.”

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.

The gymnasium was the first place they stopped by, and upon looking at the large, green grassy field beside it, Rin immediately compared it to the plain, open area on the 3-E side building where Karasuma had given them their PE classes. 

The differences between the two were quite funny in Rin’s opinion. It was like comparing the old, worn-down 3-E building to the newly renovated Hoshizuki school building. At least, when he went to visit the school facilities, it felt like a slap to the face.

They really weren’t kidding when they said this place was prestigious… Rin could only look upon the large, well-kempt area with an aloof gaze. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw a few students running on the tracks. Upon hearing the shrill screech of a whistle, his eyes landed on what was presumably the physical education teacher. 

Gelled brown hair, sharp and defined brows, prominent facial structure and a chin nursing a beard. 

And what did it for Rin was the red shirt. The red and yellow colour scheme really did it for him – made that metaphorical light bulb come to life above Rin’s head. 

The fucking red shirt. 

Gaston. 

Gaston.

Of course, of all people, someone who looked like Gaston was the PE teacher. 

The fact that it wasn’t even a question as to who the PE teacher reminded Rin of was saying a lot. The recognition came almost immediately, and Rin didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh or cry.

First, he saw Cruella in Professor Crewel, then Lady Tremaine and Lucifer in Professor Trein and Lucius— and now it was Gaston in the PE teacher. 

Rin was ready to end it all. 

“This is the gymnasium and sports field. The swimming pool is located in the gymnasium.” Trein stated. “When you have your physical education classes, you will come here to change into your PE uniform before heading out to the field. The teacher in charge is Coach Ashton Vargas.” 

Rin withheld the urge to throw up and leave right then and there. The thoughts of how this world couldn’t be real, and how this world couldn’t be some sort of Disney knock-off fanfic plot— were crushed by the growing nausea he was feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

Oh, no. This was very much real. 

(Rin wasn’t one to ignore the evidence placed in front of him, but this was just too ridiculous to take seriously. It was physically painful for him to continue on.)

“Not a big fan of PE?” A voice commented from behind him, getting closer and standing next to Rin. “Ya look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Ironic, Rin couldn’t help but grimace internally. To think that someone would think that he didn’t like PE when he used to look forward to his lessons despite his lethargy… This was what world-travel did to a person. 

Rin wanted a refund. 

He turned his head a little, internally still trying to pretend that every single person he has met so far isn’t a fictional character and glanced at the new figure. 

The standard school uniform, black blazer and all was worn neatly, the sleeves rolled up to show the white long-sleeved shirt beneath the yellow vest. The lines marking the shoulder width of the jacket seemed to sag downwards a little, loose and perfect for mobility. A yellow striped armband was fastened on the guy’s left arm, with an orangey jewel attached to his blazer. 

Upon focusing on their face, Rin could only recognise what would be a mischievous smile on the boy’s lips, the way that dark brown surrounded their eyes as make-up would seem to make their eyes pop. Cool grey stood out amongst the warm hues of their skin tone. 

What drew Rin’s attention away from everything else almost immediately was the pair of large, round ears on the top of the fluffy sand-brown hair. In the corner of his eye, Rin could spot a tail of the same colour behind the youth. 

Pearl-white canine teeth gleamed in the blaring afternoon sun.

“It’s not that I don’t like PE.” Rin swallowed the lump in his throat, fighting his voice to maintain stability throughout his sentences. “I just don’t know how to feel having a teacher who looks like he eats five dozen raw eggs every day.” He muttered, more to himself than anyone else. 

It was almost as if Rin could hear the echoes of the song that Gaston sang in the movies— no one’s slick as Gaston, no one's quick as Gaston, no one’s neck is as incredibly thick as Gaston’s! He couldn’t forget it for as long as he lived with the number of times Naoki and Suzu had forced him, against his will, to rewatch the movie. 

The student beside him seemed to find what Rin said funny enough as he barked a laugh, entertained, yet also familiar for some reason. “Shishishi! What a statement from the troublemaker of the entrance ceremony.” 

Rin frowned into his mask, as if he regretted the decision to have woken up in the morning. Why did everyone seem to make it their goal to remind him of his mistakes?  

The black-haired boy didn’t even hesitate in his next sentence. 

“Look at him and tell me you’re a hundred percent certain he doesn’t eat five dozen raw eggs a day.” 

In sync, they both turned their eyes towards Vargas’s figure across the field. 

“......”

“......”

“Alright, I see where you’re coming from.”

Rin kept his face carefully blank if not for how the corner of his lips twitched a little in amusement from the way the person beside him seemed to shiver at the mental image of Vargas chugging raw eggs like taking shots. In fact, Rin didn’t want to think of Vargas doing so either, but the expression on the student’s face was priceless—

“Stop laughing.” The pair of fluffy ears twitched. When the student turned to Rin’s direction, Rin tore his eyes away from the ears and focused on the cool grey orbs that met his own. 

“I’m not.” Rin denied. 

“You are.” The Savanaclaw student deadpanned, to which Rin shrugged nonchalantly in response. 

“Whatever,” The guy scratched his head. “The name’s Ruggie. Ruggie Bucchi, but just call me Ruggie.” 

The fact that Ruggie introduced himself first seemed to have the same meaning as a peace offering. An olive branch, if you will. But still, Rin kept in mind to be cautious. He had to act like a regular NRC student. 

Not someone who was on-guard all the time, but still had the common sense to be aware and alert. 

If he was too defensive, it would seem like he had something to hide, so even though Rin didn’t really feel like giving his name, chestnut eyes that reflected the blaring afternoon sun narrowed. The sharpness hid his reluctance. “I’m Rin. Rin Hattori.”

A cheeky grin was sent his way. “I know.” He stated with a sigh, “You made quite a ruckus yesterday. I don’t think I could forget your name even if I wanted to.” 

Rin furrowed his brows in displeasure at the reminder. 

Ruggie laughed, snickering with a gleam in his eyes that Rin should probably be wary of. It was a look that Rin could recognise quite well. “Y’know, you should be more proud. After the stunt you pulled with the headmaster, and the fact that the mirror spoke in the dead language for you, you’ve become an honorary celebrity.” 

“......?” 

“In fact, I know people in my own dorm that want a photo with you. This morning, I walked by someone who said they wanted you to sign their arm so that they could get it tattooed.” 

What the hell. “You’ve got to be kidding me…” 

“It’s because no one really knows what you look like. You’re a mystery, and that’s what makes everyone want to know more about you.” Ruggie crossed his arms, “sometimes, I just can’t understand the brains of those students. I think they’re just desperate for some gossip— the nosy bunch —but it makes things easier for me.”

(Internally, Rin thought that, perhaps this was what Crewel and Crowley had meant, especially the former in the way that this world, this school was an ‘eat or be eaten’ situation. 

Perhaps, there’s no pure good-will, no generosity simply for the sake of wanting to be friendly, and there aren't the social niceties that Rin was accustomed to back in Japan. 

It made things simpler, to keep a guard up at all times, but it was tiring to say the least.

Well, if he was an assassin, he’d at least be able to handle this.) 

“How did you know it was me?” Milky-brown eyes searched for an answer, blinking slowly as they bore into Ruggie’s figure. “You knew it was me even before I said my name.” 

Instead of replying, Ruggie simply tapped his nose twice. “I’m a hyena, I’ve got a good sense of smell.” 

The part of Rin’s brain that wanted to ask some questions about Ruggie’s hyena traits was thoroughly chained down by the part of his consciousness that decided that he didn’t want to offend a fellow student on his first unofficial day at NRC. 

Instead, he spoke in a low tone, voice sceptical and perhaps a little bit of dread bled into his words. “...I’m not actually that well-known, am I?”

“What’s the answer you’d like to hear?” Ruggie shot back, tail swishing behind him. “Now, what do you say? Are ya in?” 

“What?” 

Ruggie sighed, exaggerating the action with the way his shoulders heaved heavily in tandem with his breath. “You’re not really bright, are you?” 

Rin was effectively left speechless. At this point, the whole conversation was flying right over his head. Shaking his head, Rin ignored the question and asked one of his own. 

“Where are you going with this?” He said in a monotone manner, if only to play along with Ruggie’s words. At this point, his mind had already settled enough to piece things together. 

“Wonderful things, Rin-kun. Believe me.” Ruggie replied, “It’d be even better with your autograph, but a photo will do just fine.”

Rin remained silent, choosing to face forward and keep walking. 

“Come on, Rin-kun. With the money I’ll get from this… shishishi, I’ll treat you to a meal.” 

Rin tried to maintain the side-eye he was giving but couldn’t help but let a light puff of laughter escape him at the absurdity of the words that hung in the air. Not even Gakushuu was this straight forward. And everyone in Kunugigaoka knew how much effort Gakushuu put in, trying to get him back to Class A. 

Upon hearing his laugh, Ruggie looked as if he was facing a great internal struggle.

“Two meals.” He offered, which made Rin shake his head. 

The expression Ruggie made looked as if he was constipated, which goes to show how unwilling he was to say his next few words. “Thirty to seventy, in my favour. That’s as high as I’ll go.” 

(Despite the fact that his hopes for a peaceful life was being tossed around like a ragdoll, Rin couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed. Even though his existence was being monetised a little, Rin was more intrigued by the person in front of him. 

For what reason? Even he didn’t know. 

Maybe it was the way that Ruggie was so blatantly getting close to Rin to take advantage of the situation. Motivated by money, and it was clear as day, not like those people Rin had the misfortune of encountering back then, all fake smiles and false words. People who hid their greed behind kind looks and considerate actions.

Instead, what an interesting fellow, Rin thought. But that’s all that it was.) 

“I’m not interested,” Rin said and started walking, ignoring Ruggie’s indignant squawk of surprise. He followed along the crowd of students as the tour progressed to their next destination, feeling the wind blow through his hair and shaking up the strands to reveal unending blue.

Ruggie frowned, catching up quickly. “Why not? And here I am, saying I’ll share the spoils of war.” 

“What’s stopping me from selling my own photos?” Rin stated, and he could already guess Ruggie’s answer. 

“You need a person in the middle, someone to jack up the prices and make the deal for you. And here’s your guy.” Ruggie pointed his thumb to his own puffed up chest. 

Rin didn’t resist the urge to roll his eyes this time. “I’m not interested.”

“Why not?” Ruggie persisted. 

“To have my picture passed around the school population – who’d want that?”

Ruggie clicked his tongue. “It’s a perfect chance in front of you. Can you really resist the temptation?” 

Rin shook his head stoically, “What’s stopping you from selling photos of me that were taken from afar?” 

Round ears twitched as the sandy-blonde waved his hand, “The students may be stupid, but they won’t fall for that. Else there’d be a lot of Rin Hattoris floating about the campus right now. Y’see, if we had a photo together, I can pass it off as having met you by chance and asked for a photo. They’d believe me if I said I recognised your scent, but it’d be even better if you had that green knife of yours.” 

The black-haired boy looked at the hyena-therianthrope beside him, staring into Ruggie’s eyes.

(Ruggie shivered as goosebumps rose on his arms. 

Somehow, those eyes seemed like they knew more than they let on.)

“Don’t think I don’t know.” Rin stated, smiling a little at the way Ruggie’s eyes widened, like a deer caught in headlights. For a second, he allowed himself to fix his expression into a glare, one that didn’t freeze over the atmosphere, but definitely made people feel uneasy. “After you sell the picture, everyone will think I don’t mind taking pictures with people, but when they actually ask me, I’d say no.”

“You’d tell them that I hate taking photos with others, but I might make an exception if Ruggie Bucchi, the only exception and my first friend in NRC were to ask me. And how would the students get you to ask for them? Well, all for a small price of course.” 

Ruggie looked odd when the word ‘friends’ came into the conversation, but Rin ignored it. 

“Some extra money is always nice, but I’d like to keep a low profile after what happened yesterday. So unfortunately for you, this won’t work out.” 

Ruggie shook his head helplessly. “Well, it was worth a shot.” He let out a low whistle. “Impressive, Rin-kun, you’ve really figured me out. First time that’s ever happened. But the fact that you want to keep a low profile after the stunt you pulled last night is beyond me.” He snorted sarcastically. “Good luck with that.” 

Rin kept silent for a moment with a complicated gaze. “...Is it really that bad?” 

Ruggie gave Rin a look, one that Rin was quite familiar with. “Dude… you pointed a knife at the headmaster—” and only upon seeing the look of dismay on Rin’s face, did the Savanaclaw student end his sentence heaving with laughter. “Shishishi! I don’t know what you want me to say, Rin-kun.”

“......”

“You’re one of a kind, for sure.” Ruggie rolled his eyes before saluting to Rin. “I only attended this tour because I was pretty confident that you were gonna be here. And I wasn’t kidding when I said that the students here are smarter than they look for the weirdest things, so with such a big profit in sight, there’s no way I’ll give up.”

A wild grin, one that Rin found strangely befitting of a hyena, was all that Ruggie left before he blended into a group of rowdy students that had just passed them by. 

Rin stared blankly. Was his opinion even worth anything at this point?

Really, Rin let out a breathless sigh. It was almost kind of funny, the way that Ruggie appeared like the wind and disappeared like it too. 

That definitely wouldn’t be the last he’d see of Ruggie, and all of a sudden, Rin had a bad feeling about all this.

(Rin wondered who was truly one-of-a-kind between the two of them.)

.

.

.

The tour was fairly simple after Ruggie had left. Professor Trein had taken them along the side street to the coliseum, brought them to the main school building and gave a rundown on which classes were situated where, showed them the botanical garden, alchemy workshop and the large lake next to it, and finally ended at Mr Sam’s Mystery Shop, which was right next to the Hall of Mirrors. Along the way, a few detentions were given out from misbehaviour, and although a few people caught his eye, Rin otherwise didn’t interact with anyone else. 

In the middle of the tour, Rin had felt the looks of some of the other students penetrate the back of his head, most notably from three Octavinelle students (recognised by their greyish purple armband). A few Savanaclaw students also looked at him in curiosity after seeing him talk to Ruggie, and occasionally when some people were losing focus and fooling around, a red-haired student that had walked in a way that was regal and authoritative glared everyone down. 

A particular pair of twins caught Rin’s attention, with one of them grinning, showing off two rows of sharp— shark teeth? When they made eye contact with each other, the tall student seemed to beam, and just as they were about to walk over, and no, Rin did not jump thank you very much, he was stopped by the simple wave of a hand from a boy with silvery white hair. 

The other twin seemed to listen to the white-haired boy, as they clasped their twin’s arm, as if physically restraining both his twin and himself from marching over to where Rin stood. 

Internally, Rin felt gratitude to the boy, but at the same time, a part of his mind reminded him of what Professor Crewel had said about the people in this school. 

No one does anything for the simple sake of being nice. 

Almost as soon as Trein had dismissed them, Rin swiftly made his way to the lockers in the chaos of everyone going in different directions. 

Not today, Rin repeated to himself. From afar, he could see the three Octavinelle students looking around, and Rin could only hope they were just trying to find one of their dormmates. The fact that the twin with the more loosely put-together school uniform made eye-contact with him was a coincidence, or at least, Rin could only pray that it was.

After gathering his stuff, he briskly walked back to where Mr Sam’s Mystery Shop was. The exterior of the store was neat, grey tiles complementing the dark brown bricks of the structure. Walking past the line-up of short statues, which reminded him of totem poles, Rin laid eyes on the store sign nailed to the front wall. 

The logo of the store, a skull and black top hat, immediately made Rin not want to open the door. 

Dr Facilier…? Seriously? 

Rin breathed a sigh internally. Whatever, he thought, might as well get it over with. 

(“Step right up to the Mystery Shack!”

Rin’s eyes twitched upon remembering one of his favourite cartoon shows, a small show of emotion that anyone else would’ve missed. 

The names were similar, and although this place may have some voodoo tricks involved, it certainly wasn’t like Gravity Falls with all the useless tourist souvenirs.

In Mr Sam’s Mystery Shop, the worst case scenario was either getting scammed or getting ripped off. And since Rin wasn’t paying for anything (for now), he supposed it didn’t really matter.) 

The chime of a bell greeted him as Rin stepped into the shop. What met him was the sight of trinkets and jewels, books and jars, ornaments and items lined up against the shelves and within the glass cases, disorganised yet artistic in a sense. Rows and rows of different things were on display, ranging from toiletries and toothbrushes to snacks and groceries. Behind the counter, a door led to a storage room, presumably full of other objects that Mr Sam had up for sale. 

The place seemed a lot bigger than what it looked like from outside, and the feeling the interior design gave off was unique. The centre light cast an electric green onto some of the walls, permeating the air and settling with a rustic yet spooky feel. 

A charming man with black-and-purple dreadlocks as well as dark brown skin painted with ivory patterns of a skeleton smiled in Rin’s direction, welcoming him to the shop. Magenta eyes honed in on Rin’s figure, accented by how the top hat allowed shadows to be casted on his face. From the way Sam’s eyes widened in interest, with brows raised and a white gloved hand stroking his chin, Rin could guess that Sam already knew who he was. 

“Welcome to Mister S’s Mystery Shop! Rin Hattori, I presume?” Upon seeing the nod Rin gave, Sam seemed to grow even more excited. He smiled, “Divus had mentioned that you’d drop by. Now, what can I do for you, my little imp? Anything you desire, my store will have, meeting the needs of anyone, from the tiniest frog to the wealthiest prince!” 

Rin faltered for a second, not expecting Crewel to mention him to Sam, but after a split second of hesitation, Rin carefully started to list out all the things he needed. 

“Could I get a first aid kit? Preferably two, one with extra supplies to keep in my room and a smaller one to carry around. Anything for headaches, nosebleeds and sore body parts that don’t involve ingesting medicine would be great.” Rin said, “extra band aids and bandages please.” 

“In stock!” Mr Sam clicked his fingers, and all of a sudden, Rin saw a shadow rush behind the guy. Blinking to make sure what he saw wasn’t an illusion, Rin frowned for a second before shaking his head. Nevermind…  

He really needed to stop getting so surprised at everything. 

When the shadow came back with the first aid kits in tow, Rin watched the items he requested float down to the counter in mildly-concealed awe. 

“Of course, I know that everything’ll be counted on Crowley’s head, so don’t hesitate! No need to even worry about the price.” Mr Sam winked, which pulled a small chuckle out of Rin’s exhausted self. “Anything else? Don’t be shy.”

It was almost as if the purple-clad shopkeeper was tempting him. Rin’s mind flashed back to the sinister expression Crewel made when he told Rin to go to Mr Sam’s shop. 

Surely, this wasn’t because Crowley was the one paying… right?

Rin pondered for a second, deciding to focus on what he needed. “Some bath and hand towels, cleaning towels, a bar of soap or two, cleaning supplies, some tissue— both the boxed-kind to put at home as well as the portable packet-kind please—” Rin watched several other shadows enter the storage room and come back out with his items. “And bed sheets, blanket sheets and pillowcases that fit the standard dorm beds.”

“Our store has a wide variety of patterns to choose from!” Mr Sam opened up a catalogue from literally nowhere and started to point at numerous designs. Rin inwardly grimaced at some of the Disney references in these images. 

Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Ursula… the list goes on. 

“Do you have anything space or galaxy related?” Rin asked instead, rubbing his eyes to rid himself of the image of a particular Alice in the Wonderland pattern. 

“You’re just in luck! We have this new set that just came in yesterday,” Mr Sam received the packaged sheets from a shadow and allowed Rin to spectate it. Dark blue fading into black, littered with stars of different sizes, shapes and colours. Opening the bag, Rin ran his hand along the fabric to feel the texture. 

“I’ll take it.” Rin replied, smiling a little. “Is everything matching?” 

“So long as you wish it to be!” Mr Sam beamed, setting the sheets aside together with all the other things Rin asked for. “Anything else?” 

 Rin couldn’t help but take a step back. It almost seemed like Mr Sam was a little too eager to sell Rin things, but it was probably him just being a good salesman. 

“...Could I have a lunchbox? Any design is fine, as long as it has multiple compartments and can preserve heat.” Rin said, “I’d also like a phone, one that’s practical and won’t break easily I suppose. It doesn’t have to be the newest model or anything. A computer and a tablet with an electric pencil… if possible? If not, a few notebooks will do just fine. Oh, and aside from that, even if I don’t get the notebooks, could I get some posted notes, sticky notes, and if you have any transparent and smaller ones in different shapes, I’d be grateful.”

Although Rin brought his phone, laptop and tablet, it was unlikely that any of the resources available would be useful in his situation. None of the apps and softwares of this world were accessible, and although he brought a charging pack, it was limited. In all honesty, his electronics were pretty much useless without the internet, so rather than try to tinker with them to get them to work, it’d probably save time and money to just get new ones. 

“We have a wonderful line-up of phone models waiting just for you!” Mr Sam exclaimed, “I recommend this one, although it isn’t the newest, shiniest model, it’s one of the more glamorous ones with all the commonly used apps already installed, coupled with lots of storage and clear camera quality! It’s also quite sturdy, with water-resistance too!” Rin, not really caring what exact model it was as long as he could use the internet to search things up, agreed easily. 

“As for the rest of your requests… A computer and tablet are a wonderful choice! Especially since my dear little imp, you’ll be acting as a student-teacher, won’t you?” A grin is sent his way. “Any requirements when it comes to electronics?” 

“Sturdy and fast? Probably more storage since I want to download some case studies and articles.” Rin replied after some thought, “For the laptop… Do you have a piece of paper? I’d like a laptop as similar as my original one in terms of size and thickness. Same with the tablet. Oh, and I need a charging pack too. Is there any sort of discount for this sort of thing?” 

Mr Sam clapped his hands this time and a piece of paper floated down to the counter. Slowly, Rin began to write out the rough dimensions and describe what the electronics from his world looked like. Thankfully, Mr Sam didn’t question why he needed new ones when he had his old ones. 

“Divus already told me to relay the message that, in his words, ‘that crow-bastard will be paying for everything, so be sure to bleed him dry little puppy.’ So don’t you worry your pretty little head over the price, little imp, I have just the thing for you!” A sly and confident grin slipped onto his face. 

Rin couldn’t help the way his lips bent into a curve in response. “Thanks. If it isn’t too much trouble, please tell him I appreciate the reminder.” He added, a little humorlessly. 

Mr Sam saluted, and vaguely, Rin could hear the soft snickers of something in the shop. 

“Ah-ap!” Mr Sam whistled, “My dear friends, don’t scare the little imp.” Intense neon purple focused back onto Rin. “Anything else, my dear customer?” 

“Hmm… can I get another black fabric mask? Like the one I’m wearing right now I suppose. Machine-washable please.” As he watched the shadows in the room gather everything from all corners of the shop, Rin continued to wrack his brains for anything else he needed. He thought about it for a while before the grocery section of the shop made him pause. 

“Do the dorms have ingredients in stock? If they do, do students have to pay for using it? Or do students have to buy their own groceries?” Rin questioned. In hindsight, he really should’ve just asked Rook in the morning, but back then he didn’t really want to prolong the interaction. 

Mr Sam let out a laugh, “The ingredients that each dorm has are ordered by the housewardens according to a budget. Pomefiore has a magnificent kitchen with an abundance of materials, so unless you’d like to try your hand at an exotic recipe, then it should be fine to simply use the ingredients available. Pomefiore may have less supplies for baking, unlike Heartslabyul, but there shouldn’t be any issues with simply making lunch.” The man winked. 

Mr Sam packed everything up into a reusable fabric bag, definitely putting the price on Crowley’s wallet.

“But if you ever find yourself missing anything, know that Mister S’s Mystery Shop is always open to you!” 

Rin couldn’t help but chuckle a little. That was such a smooth way to end that Rin couldn’t even find a single fault in it. “I’ll keep that in mind,” He said, brown eyes shining with muted joy.

Mr Sam tried to advertise a weight-diminishing bag, but Rin refused politely. Even though he wasn’t paying for it, if he didn’t need it, Rin didn’t think getting it would be very nice to Crowley.

And with a tip of that top-hat, Rin left the shop carrying bags full of items. 

(The upright piano with a music book and halloween props seemingly piled haphazardly on top remained in his view as he closed the door, but Rin ignored it.) 

.

.

.

When Rin stepped through the mirror chamber to enter the dorm, he couldn’t help but notice the number of people who were out and about in the afternoon. Some were chattering, some were waving about their magic and practising what Rin thought were wind and water charms. 

Once he arrived in his room, the first thing he did was set everything down and sort out the bed sheets. He took it down to the shower room where there was a room with dozens of washing machines, putting it in one of them, writing his initials on one of the paper slips. Then, he took the towels and soap he got from the shop and wiped everything in his room, desks, cupboards, floor, bed frames, windowsills – everything. The bathroom mirror was wiped down with some window-cleaner in a spray bottle. Once everything was clean, Rin went back down to collect the laundry that had already been tumble-dried. 

At least I’ll have a place to lie down tonight… Just a single night sleeping at the desk resulted in a neck cramp. 

After setting up the bedsheets and putting the pillows in their cases, Rin made sure to put all of the other stuff he bought in their rightful places. Electronics on the study desk with the chargers plugged into the sockets beside the window, toiletries in the cupboard beneath the sink in the bathroom, his sticky notes and stationary went in the drawers of the desk and the black fabric mask he got was put in a separate drawer. Then, Rin began tidying the stuff that originally belonged to him, with all the items that were important but unusable going in a larger drawer beside the table, his medicine kept in the same place he put his masks, whilst everything else either went in his school bag or the closet, which included his extra jacket and the other sets of the school uniform, including the dark ceremonial robes he had worn the night before. 

Once Rin finished, the room seemed just a little bit more livable. 

The one thing that stood out in the room to Rin was the black fabric guitar case leaning against the tall closet. 

What to do… Rin was at a loss. It didn’t fit in the closet, but Rin didn’t really want to leave it there in plain sight. With a long-suffering sigh, the former assassin decided that it would be a problem for future-him and flopped onto his bed in defeat. 

Reaching over to the phone and tablet on the desk first, he went through the regular process of turning them on, setting a numerical password along with activating the finger recognition access. Rin did the same for the computer but deemed it fine to deal with it tomorrow. 

After wiping everything sparkly clean with wet wipes, Rin turned on his tablet and found a number of note-taking apps already downloaded. In addition to what was already installed, he downloaded a few digital art apps, an app that looked suspiciously like Youtube as well as some scholarly apps that had a number of free and paid articles. Humming in satisfaction, Rin continued on to get a music listening app and tried to find the equivalent software for Google documents and Word documents.

With great difficulty, he managed to find something similar to Google drive. 

When it came to his phone… things got a lot more interesting. 

Hm? What’s this…? 

An app with a golden mirror design in front of a solid black base, in the middle with three circular shapes that both resembled Mickey Mouse as well as the lens for a camera. 

Clicking on the app, Rin was led through a tour of how to use it and sign up for an account.

Magicam? Once Rin made an account, he breezed through the interests section and ignored the part where it told him to invite and follow some friends. Is it like Instagram?

Almost immediately, Rin clicked out of it. There was a messaging app on his phone already, so there wasn’t really a need to have a Magicam account, though, at least he knew what it was now. If it was anything like Instagram, then if he claimed he didn’t know what it was, people would gawk at him in disbelief. 

With his phone in hand, Rin let out a soft groan as he lay down on his bed again, feeling his bones melt into the soft mattress, sore and creaking. 

(He tried, he really did. As soon as his phone was activated, he immediately went to the app-installer and tried to see if Ritsu’s app was there. 

Rin knew it wouldn’t be there, knew that it wouldn’t show up, but he couldn’t help it. 

Nevertheless, it didn’t stop him from trying, and it didn’t stop him from feeling the drop in his stomach, as if something was missing, hollow, empty, vacant. Like a bunch of maggots chewing away at his abdomen, like a leech was sucking the air out of his lungs, suffocating him.

He should’ve expected this, really.)

Now that he was alone in the late afternoon with nothing but the thoughts in his head to keep in company, with nothing to distract him, Rin’s mind strayed to his own world. 

Did his friends notice he was missing yet? 

Rin scoffed quietly, they probably did. If his phone was with him, it’s likely the GPS in it also dropped off the map. 

Rin couldn’t bring himself to laugh.

Imagining their concern and panic, Rin had no doubts that Karasuma-sensei would be involved. Ritsu would’ve contacted him the moment the signal was lost, or at least, she would’ve been alarmed. 

Yesterday, exhaustion had taken a firm grasp on his soul. Even today, he didn’t have the time to think much about himself and others. All he could do was follow along with this hectic world and try to make sense of it, distrusting everyone and anyone he came across. 

But in the silence of his own room, Rin couldn't help the way his eyes strayed to the guitar in the room, strangely out of place. 

Naoki… Rin felt a pang in his chest, as if someone was gripping his heart and restricting its movement. He couldn’t cry, nor could he weep. He couldn’t even get angry. All he felt was this intense emotion that washed over him like waves on a beach, endless and unrelenting. Nausea hit him like a truck, and he could hear his heart palpitating in his ear. 

Rin couldn’t see his family and friends at the moment, but he wanted to hope that he’d be able to in the near future. But Naoki… Naoki was different from Suzu and the rest. 

Even if he returned to Earth, they’d never meet again. 

And the thought of that pained Rin, like stabbing needles through his throat, as if he was swallowing a sword rather than taking gulps of air. 

Rin didn’t want to imagine a world without Naoki. The one who had accompanied him throughout his life, even in the toughest days when Rin had been bedridden in his hospital room, Naoki never failed to show up and brighten the room with Suzu, braiding his hair, playing cards, singing songs. He didn’t want to accept it, but it was unchangeable. 

He didn’t even get to truly feel what it was like, didn’t get to come to terms with this sense of loss and confusion, this sense of emptiness and hurt, before he was whisked away. 

If there was a world without Naoki, Rin wouldn’t want to live in it. Of course, Rin knew that was just an excuse for himself. 

Twisted Wonderland was different. No one from Rin’s world was here. And somehow, it made it less obvious that Naoki was the only one missing when nothing was familiar. 

Rin didn’t want to live in a world without him… but in his world, Suzu was waiting for him. His underclassmen were probably wondering what happened to him. His mom and sister were probably praying for his safety. Nagisa, Kayano, Isogai, Nakamura, Itona, Kanzaki, Chiba, Hayami, and even Karma and Gakushuu, as well as the rest of Class E were probably ripping their hair out trying to figure out what happened to him. Ritsu was probably scouring the internet, trying to find any sort of clue as to where he might be. Karasuma and Irina too, they were probably fearing for the worst and investigating his case right away. 

Rin may not want to bear a place without Naoki, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t attached, and it certainly didn’t mean he would leave it all behind so easily, not without a fight. Especially when rather than a world without Naoki, the Rin right now yearned for it as a world with traces of his childhood friend overflowing everywhere. 

(When he walked out the door, before he got abducted by that black carriage, Rin could see shadows of Naoki’s past in front of him. That time Naoki came to help him unpack his stuff, that time Suzu had made them walk down the street in lolita fashion for her art references, that time Naoki had performed to a bunch of stray cats the original song that he had badgered Rin to write lyrics for, and all those times Naoki and Suzu had woken up extra early so that they could walk with Rin to school, as they did when they were in primary school. 

When he had received the news, perhaps it was the shock that spoke and clouded his vision. Rin could smell his scent everywhere he went, could see his figure everywhere he roamed, and could hear his voice full of boundless enthusiasm everywhere he turned. 

And although it hurt, to feel that empty place next to him as he walked to school and back, how it stung to no longer hear his voice, and how the thought of ordering two ice creams with Suzu instead of three ached, Rin wasn’t going give that up— wasn’t going to let it go for as long as he lived. 

Just as he could see Koro-sensei in the crescent moon sometimes, just as Rin could hear the voice of his former octopus teacher beside him scolding him to rest adequately, Rin felt as if he would see Naoki everywhere, so long as the Earth still existed and the world continued to move.

Rin felt as if Naoki’s song of life wasn’t dead yet, as it was still resounding in the air, bouncing in the sky and carried along with the wind. 

Rin wanted to cling to that, no matter what.)

Rin closed his eyes to push the heavy emotions away. He was feeling more emotional than usual, but Rin chalked it down to having a rough day at school.

All of a sudden, he sat up abruptly.

Fuck, come to think of it… Rin furrowed his eyebrows, paling a little as he remembered that he had a study date with Gakushuu and Karma in a week’s time. 

In Rin’s opinion, Karma would probably be one of the first people to notice his disappearance, and is probably the only one who would actually try to check the GPS tracker they planted in his phone. If Nagisa had told Karma… Or even if Isogai had told the rest of the group… Well, Rin supposed it wouldn’t have been long for them to notice something off. Especially if someone called him again. 

An advantage of always picking up phone calls in under ten seconds, Rin smiled wryly. 

The moment Rin’s eyes landed on the stack of books he borrowed from the library, Rin’s eyes narrowed. 

Don’t fail any subjects and find a way home. That was what he was going to live by. Relax, but never lose his guard. Have an amicable attitude, but never let anyone in. 

Just like how this room, flooded with his own thoughts and emotions, was like an isolated place, in this alternate world, it was just Rin and his little bubble of detachment. 

Even back in his own world, occasionally there’d be passersby in his life, but none of them were seeds that were permanently planted into Rin’s heart. Not like Naoki and Suzu. Not like Class E. Not like his beloved assassination teachers.

What Rin needed wasn’t friends that could shoulder his burdens and make him breathe easier, but rather, acquaintances that may prove to be useful depending on the situation. 

(Rin hated thinking like this— in cost and benefit, in terms of worthlessness and usefulness. 

But it was a necessary skill for an assassin, as well as a necessary skill for survival.) 

Checking his new phone, he had a little over two hours until he had to start preparing for the Pomefiore formal dinner party. 

He could do this. 

After hardening his resolve, Rin opened a document in his new tablet titled ‘common sense’ and summarised everything he’s read so far, flipping back and forth in case he forgot anything. Once he finished that, he opened a new document named ‘no way home (bet)’, and turned over the first page of the book A Trip Through Time. 

(Rin loved films and movie references, so he thought No Way Home, a tribute to Spider-man was a befitting title for the document that would be the compilation of his search for a way to go back.) 

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Omake 1: 

Ruggie expected to be rejected, kind of. 

From the way the student held themselves, the way the student reacted to their surroundings back at the entrance ceremony— Ruggie knew that they’d be a tough nut to crack. 

When he first approached the guy, they seemed almost kind of gullible, so Ruggie had to admit, it lowered his guard. Rin Hattori was pretty much the same height as him, and yet, they still managed to look like they couldn’t hurt a fly. Especially with how sleep-deprived they looked, Ruggie almost felt bad for them. 

(Almost.) 

His motto was to take every scrap you can get. And he lived by that. It was befitting, as it wasn’t a hard thing to follow when you lived in the slums, impoverished and poor and with numerous mouths to feed.

It was the reason why Ruggie had decided to take the chance and talk to the guy— the person at the centre of all the rumours, who made a commotion on their first day at NRC. And at first, the guy seemed just like your average high school student, until the deduction show started of course.

(He should’ve known such a figure wouldn’t have been normal with the way they relied on their observation skills so smoothly and spoke so easily of friendships.)

But to think that they’d want to keep a low profile… Ruggie couldn’t help but cackle to himself once again, shoulders shaking with laughter, confusing his fellow dorm-mates. 

It was such a ridiculous sentiment, and it was good that Ruggie had good control of his facial muscles, otherwise he would’ve laughed in Rin Hattori’s face, sneering at their delusional mindset. 

Although his offer to collaborate to win some cash didn’t work out, Ruggie wouldn’t say the conversation was an entire waste of time. 

Throughout the entire talk, the atmosphere remained nonchalant and relaxed, just until the end when Ruggie’s plan had been exposed so easily. So Rin probably didn’t notice the fact that Ruggie had also been observing him. 

Every time my ear moves, their gaze follows it for just a second. Ruggie grinned, Rin had looked interested in him when he said he was a hyena therianthrope, with eyes glittering as like stars, holding back the burning fire of his questions. 

Bingo.

Those strange brown eyes may have been shining, but Ruggie saw that interest in therianthropes as a weakness. 

Bait. 

Ruggie smiled, waving off the disgusted and almost fearful looks of the people beside him. Geez, just because they didn’t notice the way he had pickpocketed pretty much half the dorm by the time morning came, didn’t mean they had to act like babies. He only stole from them because he thought the school fees had to be paid from pocket. It wasn’t until he read the handbook that he nearly had a heart attack. 

What if he got kicked out because of it?! Did he just ruin his chances of attending NRC?!?

At least the dorm head seemed semi-amused by him, and it was probably because of that (as well as the headmaster’s amazingly generous personality), that he managed to stay in the school. 

Ruggie rolled his eyes.

(Of course, that didn’t mean Ruggie didn’t swipe a few extra madols here and there, but he made sure they wouldn’t notice and wouldn’t miss it.) 

The Savanaclaw student licked his lips, well, for this chance laid out right in front of him, like a pig on a platter that had wandered into his plane of view, at least now he had a place to start. 

Omake 2:

Willow didn’t expect much from this job, but it was something Goth Ameld had requested of him four years prior, and who was he if not a filial son. 

The previous librarian had taken an indefinite leave – off to see the birth of his grand-children back in the Valley of Thorns. Without someone manning the library, things would most likely fall into chaos. The security of Night Raven College’s library was already top-tier, especially for the restricted section. In Willow’s opinion, it was impenetrable in a sense. 

But they needed someone to manage the library’s general section, books that the students could check out and return. And so, Willow was the one who accepted the job. 

The dark elf loved books, be it fictional stories, non-fictional texts or ancient scripts. It was part of the reason why he decided to take this position when his adoptive father offered it so readily. But there was just one problem. 

Willow disliked socialising. Or more accurately, the amber-eyed man had an aversion to interacting with the students of NRC. 

Father had always told him to make friends and interact with people his age, but he didn’t feel the need to when the students were loud, arrogant and distasteful. Occasionally, there’d be a few students he didn’t mind seeing around, but others were almost intolerable. 

Dark elves were rare, and that was a fact. Most of them lived in hiding, and many even thought that his kind were extinct. Not that Willow would know of course, afterall, he’s never met someone like himself. He had been abandoned as a child and was taken under Ameld’s wings. 

After the Great War between fae-kind and humans, dark elves retreated from sight, so Willow could understand the shock of the students in NRC when they walked into the library to see a figure of legend from more than five-hundred years ago. 

If it was only surprise, then Willow could accept it easily. 

Except, it wasn’t. 

Most students of NRC are self-centred, prideful and egotistical. And perhaps because they’ve never seen a dark elf before, some treated him as a museum display, a pet at a petting zoo that everyone had access to, to ogle at like the rare species he was. 

Others tended to stray away from him, as his looks were different. Too different. Although some people found him fascinating, it was only because they had never seen a dark elf before. Others, who discriminated against him because of his complexion and species, had reactions that Willow could understand but detested. It seemed that the world had its own beauty standards. 

Even among regular elves, dark elves tended to be scorned and hated as they were born on the night of a blue moon. Cursed beings were what they were. 

(Then there was that second-year student. Rook Hunt. 

Willow couldn’t help but frown at the thought of the Pomefiore student. 

A pursuit for beauty… but Willow just found it foolish the way Hunt had bothered him and stared at him from afar. 

Willow, a dark elf who was known to be seen as ugly according to the student population, was seen to be beautiful in the eyes of that hunter. But no, Willow refused to believe it. Inherently, a distrust for people built up over the years. He refused to believe that it came from good intentions, and refused to believe that it didn’t factor in that his looks were simply rare and nothing more.) 

Willow scared off a lot of students actually, as it seemed that dark elves were portrayed as some sort of nightmare creature, one born from the fear and negative emotions of others. Due to their dark, almost pitch-black skin, they were regarded as contaminated beings, stained with blot.

And perhaps it was true. 

Willow knew next to nothing about dark elves other than what Lilia Vanrouge had told him, the latter having met and fought alongside a few in the Great War. 

But Willow supposed, perhaps it was partially his fault for acting in a way that continued to provoke the students, with his cold demeanour and harsh scowls. He wasn’t friendly, but it wasn’t like the students here were eager to make friends either. 

Although he was still met with side-eyes and disdainful gazes, the moment Willow looked their way, they simply flinched and fled. 

Typical, Willow scoffed. People who didn’t have the guts to stand by their opinion weren't worth his time.

(They probably realised that Willow could kill them easily, without even raising a finger.)

Bothersome. And perhaps, a part of Willow was disappointed. Goth Ameld loved his students, and yet, Willow just couldn’t seem to see eye to eye. 

The students feared him, and Willow was fine with it. All he planned to do was stay as the librarian of this beautiful library until the old librarian came back, which would probably be about a few more years. The scale of time was always large for species who lived a long life. Ten human years for fae-kind could be seen as a single year, and so it was likely that it’d take a few more years for the previous librarian to return. 

Willow just had to steel his patience and continue what he’s been doing for a few more years. It wasn’t a big deal. He could just treat it as a work experience at one of the most prestigious magical academies in the whole of Twisted Wonderland. 

(He didn’t care, really. He had said this to his father when he checked in on him after a few of the students had tried to attack Willow, claiming it had been ‘self defence’. 

If Willow could have his way, he wouldn’t talk to anyone other than his father. Wouldn’t interact with anyone other than the staff and the fairies that managed the school. 

He didn’t get what this was for. His father had told him it would be a learning experience, but Willow couldn’t see how this was useful at all. 

All he could see was the part of humanity that all creatures had. The inherent nature that people had to isolate those different from them, and Willow really couldn’t say he was surprised.)

The face of the boy with molten chocolate-brown eyes invaded Willow’s vision. In all his years of living, and although he was considered to be quite young in terms of fae-kind, he had still lived for nearly two centuries, Willow had never seen eyes quite the same as this student’s. 

The student had entered the library on their induction day, at the time when students would’ve been having lunch at the cafeteria. 

For all four years that Willow had been the librarian of NRC’s library, this was the first time that someone had simply given him a nod of greeting and made their way to the books. The first time that someone stared in wonder at the library rather than at him. 

In fact, from the way the student looked at him when Willow was checking out their books, it wasn’t like they weren’t surprised by Willow’s looks, it seemed that the student simply didn’t notice Willow and his features closely enough before getting distracted by the texts. 

It was different from the prejudiced eyes of the people Willow had met before, and the way that the student had been taken aback by Willow’s looks was somehow different from the startled stares of the others. 

Their expression didn’t change throughout their interaction, except for maybe a polite smile that was directed his way at the end. 

Composed, laid-back, casual. 

(It was the first time someone his age looked at him with such a neutral gaze.)

Pomefiore. Willow’s mind had echoed upon glancing at the student’s armband. The thought of the dorm made goosebumps rise on his arm. 

The same dorm as Rook Hunt. 

Willow shook the thoughts away and simply gave a light sigh. Surely the next time he’d see that student, their reaction would be different. Perhaps it was just today. Maybe it was just the astonishment that clouded their vision and made Willow misunderstand the intention behind those intense yet soft eyes. 

Willow was confident in his ability to sense people’s malice and disgust. It was something he had developed over the years and had gotten used to, even if the person had hid their views beneath fake pleasantries. 

Either way, Willow supposed that the next time he saw that student, their true colours would be revealed, no matter what. 

Omake 3:

There was a reason why although Rin was planning to bring the topic of finding a way home to Crowley, that he was already starting, trying to tread forward by himself. 

Don’t get him wrong. He trusted Crowley to a certain extent. Maybe not as much as he trusted Crewel— at least in terms of information —but he still trusted the man, however eccentric and bizarre his actions were. 

But Rin knew in the depths of his mind that he had to rely on himself to find a way home. 

In fact, it would probably be disadvantageous for Crowley if Rin were to leave immediately. It was almost certain that the headmaster would give the same words and same excuses, same rhymes and same reasons. 

For that same reason, the black-and-blue-haired boy felt that it’d probably be quicker if he started the search himself. Otherwise, he’d probably have to wait ages for Crowley to even think of Rin’s request. And although he wasn’t in a desperate life-or-death rush as of the moment, time was something Rin couldn’t afford to lose, especially with a limited amount of medication available for him.

The way Crowley spoke, the way Crowley acted— it reminded Rin of Koro-sensei, and Rin wanted to give Crowley the benefit of the doubt because of it. He wanted to trust that Crowley would scour the internet like Ritsu would, exhausting his resources, reading through every possible book imaginable, searching every nook and cranny, leaving no stone unturned. 

But Rin couldn’t be completely certain, simply because Crowley wasn’t desperate. 

Not desperate for everything to go back to normal, to how they were before, to when there were no anomalies, no strange appearances, no weird students that showed up from another world who spoke with the essence of magic.

Crowley didn’t feel the same tightness in Rin’s heart, didn’t understand the way that it would only get worse with each passing day Rin stayed in this world. Would anyone here understand his urgency? 

And well, perhaps Crowley really didn’t understand the importance of his situation. It’s not like Crewel understood it completely either, but the professor knew more than the headmaster since the former was now unofficially in charge of Rin’s health. 

(Perhaps he’d have to tell Crowley, without all the emotional implications, why returning home was something he had to make haste in doing. Even if he’d have to reveal little more than he’d like to, at least he’d stimulate Crowley’s ‘urge as an educator’ to ensure the well-being of his students.)

Crowley cared for his students, and Rin believed in this fact wholeheartedly. 

But who was Rin? 

Who would Crowley prioritise more? One in more than a thousand, or everyone else who would benefit from Rin’s presence?

And Rin hated that he was thinking of someone in such a way. Although the crow-themed man seemed outlandish at times, Rin was sure he was a good person with a heart in the right place. But Rin couldn’t deny the fact that the NRC would benefit all too much from keeping Rin here, at least until they wrung him dry of what they needed from him.

He could only count on his trust in Crowley not being misplaced. The headmaster wouldn’t go as far as hiding materials that could be useful… right? 

Rin wanted to go home, and that was an undeniable fact. 

He wanted to see that familiar room of his, wanted to see those familiar streets, advertisements and billboards, cars and buses. Wanted to see those blaring street lights and bustling people, wanted to hear the loud sounds of chattering and horns honking, overwhelming yet in place. 

Perhaps his life would have the addition of some paint guns and plastic knives, some small threats and petty arguments, but that was it. No magic, no brooms, no weird spelldrive. 

All of this was useless, pointless. Scrambling to catch up to people who’ve had a sixteen-year head start on him, trying to maintain his distance with everyone who doesn’t benefit him in any sort of way shape or form. 

Because unlike some others, Rin was painfully aware of the way that he cared, the way that he yearned for touch— a hug or a hand to hold, a lock of hair to braid, or simply a back to lean against to sort his thoughts out. 

However, to be familiar is to be vulnerable, that much was clear. And Rin didn’t feel like it was worth the risk.

Rin didn’t want to be in NRC studying subjects that he would’ve probably never encountered in his foreseeable future if not for this mishap. He wanted to be back in Hoshizuki, studying the subjects he had chosen and spent unending hours on. Hell, he even wished he could see the screen of the online politics course he registered himself for during summer break. 

A temporary leave from school to reorganise his thoughts… Was it too much to ask? 

Even though he had felt so restricted, so suffocated, right now, all he wanted was to be back with Suzu organising the art club and wrangling the student committee into being productive. 

Rin wanted to be there at their vacant home when his little sister returned from boarding school during breaks, call his mom in the mornings once in a while and tell her to look after herself and not get too carried away with her work. He’d text his junior high friends on the group chat weekly to assure them that he hasn’t gotten into a fight, if only for their own peace of mind.

Rin missed his daily life of walking to school with Suzu, having Naoki over and hanging around his place, babysitting the neighbourhood children at the park, and feeding the stray cats at the crack of dawn. 

If only things didn’t end up like this… If only Rin could have that moment of sadness, of despair and of regret. If only he could think, ‘if only this didn’t happen’. If only he could cry irrationally, just this once, and curse the unfairness of the world. 

But Rin wouldn’t be himself if he wasn’t level-headed, even in spite of his pain. 

(Rin longed for the sight of a hollow moon, gaping wide, reminiscent of a certain tie, a certain smile, a certain face that had been etched into Rin’s memories, engraved into his bones and marked into his life. Permanent and irreplaceable. 

Rin wished he burned the image into his mind so that every time he took a glance outside in this foreign land, he could pretend and pretend and pretend. Trick his brain into thinking things were fine, deceive his heart into believing that things would be okay.)

Rin hated the fact that all he could do was accept the situation and move on from it. He had to accept the fact that this was his reality, this was his situation, and for now, there was nothing substantial he could do to change it. 

But what’s worse was that he loathed the way that his brain had adjusted so easily, had continued on and worked like a robotic machine when all Rin wanted to do was pause and feel. 

To breathe a deep breath and take it all in. 

And yet, what Rin detested the most was the way that he didn’t hate this world. He didn’t hate that goddamned mirror that brought him here— even if he was a little annoyed —didn’t begrudge the cryptic and unconventional headmaster, and didn't resent this abnormal world. 

Although he wanted to be anywhere but here, Rin couldn’t deny the way he was intrigued, interested in the different species that didn’t exist in his world outside of novels and fanfiction and curious about the magic that only existed in fantasy.

Rin wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t hate his situation— this helplessness, this weakness, this lack of power, information and knowledge. But hopefully, he’d be able to change that. 

(And Rin wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t know that the longer he stayed, the more he would fall in love with this world and the people around him.

All the more reason to make a swift departure, and bid farewell to this world as if it were a dream.)

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Chapter Text

Bold and regal. That was what Rin would describe the Pomefiore dorm uniform as. Purple. Insanely purple. Aged as wine, vibrant as columbine flower centres, the particular shade reminded Rin of the bleeding specks of purple one would see in the starry sky, galactic, majestic and consuming.

The ceremonial robes from the day before already told Rin that Night Raven College was a school that prided itself in its uniforms, architecture and resources. With those intricate gold-embroidered patterns that spelled prestige, he supposed it was only natural. 

A black button-up long sleeve shirt with tips of a white collar. The sleeves were tight-fitting, the ends decorated with a ring of short embroidered lace and a finger loop to secure the sleeves in place. The purple outer layer had a high and open top, criss-crossing over in a way that wasn’t dissimilar to the way kimonos were folded. Part of the fabric that was presumably to be at the front was accented with a patterned crimson. 

The purple sleeves were long with a slit starting from the shoulders, opening up at the front. Beautiful flowery gold was lined symmetrically on the sleeves, accenting the lines of gold string for buttons. The way that the sleeves were cut and folded reminded Rin of a dress, black transparent silk added to the illusion of volume.

A black leather waistband with a thick red ornate rope, poisoned apple beads and tassels were of the highest quality, but all Rin could think of was how much of a hassle it would be to move in the uniform. 

Wasn’t this too excessive…? He frowned.

Glossy purple-black pants with fabric soft to the touch and black boots with a lot of gold accents tied everything together. With the dorm crest on the left, the entirety gave off a sense of royalty and nobility. 

When a second-year student came knocking on the door, Rin really didn’t know what to expect. 

Of course there would be a dorm uniform, Rin sighed internally. It wasn’t all that surprising with how fantastical the school was, but still, he didn’t expect them to be required to wear one so early. 

And most importantly, it was weird. It’s like that feeling you’d get mere moments before putting on a cosplay for an anime convention. The same dread that would sit in your stomach as you arrived only to find that you’re the only one who dressed up. Even though Rin had modelled for Suzu’s art projects and final pieces, just imagining himself in an outfit this flashy was giving him a headache. 

He was going to cringe so hard, and there was nothing he could do about it. 

Couldn’t he give the excuse that it didn’t fit and not wear it…? 

But it did fit, and that was the issue — the only one who could’ve known his uniform size was Rook Hunt. 

Rin shivered involuntarily. 

Fucking hell. What was his life? There were way too many people in his life who knew his clothing sizes, too many for comfort. 

Thinking on the bright side, at least it wasn’t lolita fashion. 

The black-haired boy could only comfort himself with the small solaces he could find. Suzu had made him and Naoki cross-dress in lolita fashion for her club’s fashion show project on Victorian clothing of the Rococo period. If he could handle that, he could handle this. 

It may be extravagant, but at least the design was aesthetically pleasing. 

(If it was lolita fashion, Rin would’ve noped the fuck out and gone to Crowley in an effort to transfer to a different dorm instead.)

As the time of the dinner approached, Rin started to change into the outfit with the caution that one would have when approaching a venomous snake. Begrudgingly, he smoothed out non-existent creases, buttoned every button in sight and fastened the shiny laces of his boots. 

The moment he finished changing, Rin looked at himself in the mirror of the bathroom and decided that he’d regret all life choices leading up to this very moment in time. 

Instead of saying “surprise me”, I should’ve just picked a dorm. Rin thought wryly in hindsight. Maybe the Savanaclaw dorm uniform would be less showy since they’re based off of Scar. 

(But he had to admit, a part of Rin’s mind wondered how Crewel had looked in his school days in the Pomefiore uniform. Or even his opinions on the current dorm uniform. 

It was hard to imagine the man without his monochromatic colour scheme.)

A voice at the back of his mind wanted to give up. Wanted to drop dead in the face of imminent doom. As Rin combed through his hair, fixing stray strands with the tiny star clips that Kayano had given him, an ominous knock of his door sounded within his room. 

Rin pursed his lips as he approached the handle. With a quick motion, like one would when they ripped off a bandaid, the door opened to allow the brightness of the hallway to filter into Rin’s dimly lit room. He didn’t even notice that it was so dark until now. 

A tall shadow adorning a feathered hat greeted him. Electric green eyes met his own, and the sparkling expression of his upperclassmen only fueled his next course of action as Rin instinctively slammed the door in the second-year’s face. 

“.........”

Deep breaths, the boy closed his eyes, in and out.

He was starting to understand that any time anyone in this school sought him out, it wasn’t a good thing. Maybe instead of sleeping medicine, he should’ve asked Crewel for some digestive medicine instead. 

Rin didn’t even try to hide the way his face contorted into a grimace. 

Relenting himself to his fate, he reopened the wooden door once more. Curved eyes looked amused, enhanced by the sharp eyeliner and wispy purple eyeshadow. Rook’s expression was all Rin needed to see to know that the blonde-haired boy was thoroughly entertained by Rin’s reaction. 

“Rook-senpai,” he acknowledged, the invisible sigh that accompanied his words only served to please the second-year even more. 

Rook smiled, the soft laugh contrasting the fiery spark in his gaze. “Fufu— what spectacular reflexes you have. But I must say Monsieur Lune, I’m a little wounded by your reaction.” Rook’s attempt to look downcast was pretty solid – eyes shifting to look to the side, a hand gently resting on his heart, as if trying to emphasise his pitiful state of being. 

But the way he grinned seemed a little too genuine to be strained, and Rin had seen this move way too many times for it to have the slightest effect. 

(And “Monsieur Lune”? Another nickname related to the moon? 

Is this why Rook asked him what he thought was the most beautiful? To use it in a nickname? 

And seriously, English was a lost language, yet French was spoken as normal here? What kind of logic was that?)

“Sorry,” Rin apologised with a blank expression, not a hint of sincerity and repentance present in his tone. “...I forgot something.” His will to live. 

Anyone from Rin’s world would’ve simply called him out on his lie. “You’re not even trying!” they would say. 

Instead, Rook merely shook his head and shrugged, as if he was expecting such a response. “I see the dorm uniform fits you perfectly, what a sight for sore eyes! The rich hues match your features quite well.” The blond-haired boy complimented with great enthusiasm. Rin could only stand in silence as Rook examined him.

“Ah,” Blunt bangs followed along the movement as the huntsman tilted his head, “but it seems you’ve tied the string incorrectly.” 

Rin looked down at the bow that he had managed to tie at his waist, brushing his gloved fingers over the butterfly knot. “There’s a way it’s supposed to be tied?” He furrowed his brows, eyeing Rook’s own uniform. 

Another pair of gloved hands appeared in his vision too quickly for Rin to anticipate. Immediately, the black-haired boy backed away from the contact with furrowed brows.

Rin levelled a disapproving glare only to see Rook’s startled viridian eyes. 

“.........”

“.........”

Rook’s hands retracted slowly from the position they froze in, this time, the smile that the upperclassman gave was more apologetic. “Worry not, I only wanted to fix your uniform, but it seems I’ve managed to startle you quite a bit. Apologies.” 

He bowed his head slightly with a hand across his chest, a natural smile never leaving his boyish face. 

Rin’s fingers twitched and fiddled with the ends of the sleeves in an attempt to settle his nerves.

“No,” He muttered, quietly. “It’s not your fault. I was just a little surprised and overreacted.”  Rin untied the rope at his waist and fastened it again according to what Rook’s rope looked like, painfully aware of the latter’s intense gaze.

“Why are you here?” Rin changed the topic in a perfunctory manner, eyes flat in disinterest, as if he was simply reading off a script of what he was expected to say. It was an attempt to dispel the awkward atmosphere in the air, like a truce of sorts, and Rook took it in a stride. 

“I’ve come to escort you to the great hall of course! For a new student like yourself, it’s quite easy to get lost wandering around the dorm.” 

Rin blinked in suspicion, eyeing Rook with an almost disgruntled look. “What about the other new students?” He asked, crossing his arms. 

“There are other second-year students tasked to guide everyone to the dining area. The fact that I’m here to collect you is simply a delightful coincidence,” Rook held his index finger to his lips, “I suggested this to Vil since I thought everyone would feel more welcome this way. What do you think?”

Rin remained quiet for a second before nodding his head slowly. “It suits the noble vibe of Pomefiore.”

Rook hummed, “I’m glad you agree! Now, let’s get going. I would hate for you to be late to your first dorm gathering.” 

A hand extended towards him, an action that Rin saw with Crewel in the Mirror Chamber. Absentmindedly, Rin wondered if all Pomefiore students were like this, doing this sort of simple, gentlemanly action so naturally that it didn’t even seem out of place.

Did he have to take the hand? It’s not like he’d die, right? 

It was okay with Crewel since the man treated him more like a child than anything else— most likely his health being to blame —but Rook was only a year older than Rin. 

The silence between them stretched on for longer as Rin contemplated a way to get out of the situation, yet Rook’s cheerful expression didn’t falter, simply holding out his hand patiently, still as a statue. 

Rin’s mind flickered to the moment when he had avoided Rook’s hand and let out a small puff of air escape him. Whether it was in ridicule of the situation or disbelief, it wasn’t clear. He took Rook’s hand lightly, a feathered touch and only a ghost of warmth felt through two layers of leather. 

“...Yeah. Let’s go.” 

.

.

.

Shortly after arriving at the great dining hall, Rook excused himself and left Rin to admire the lavish decorations of the room. Many others were already present, mingling amongst themselves and chattering away in excitement. 

Tall and wide ceilings had crystal white chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the illusion of well-lit candles brightened the room, only Rin didn’t recognise the familiar scent of wax in the air, suggesting that the candles were powered by something else. Gold-tinted metal lined the edges of the white walls surrounding the large church-like windows, gold patterns painted delicately upon the purple backgrounds of pillars, emphasising the Victorian style. 

Striking red curtains draped from the side walls, bundled up to allow for a beautiful view of the Pomefiore back garden. 

Three long and spacious tables were stretched from one side of the room to the other, the dark wood of the table surface had the addition of beautiful grey marbling of stone. The seats were lined up neatly and in front of each was a formal set of cutlery consisting of four forks, two spoons, three knives, a napkin and two glasses. Candles and flower vases decorated the surface with roses. 

The wood-planked floor was lined neatly, and the fact that Rin could see his own reflection in it showed how much it had been polished and maintained. The deep richness of the colour reminded Rin of wenge wood. 

It’s really a formal dinner, Rin noted as he slinked silently into a seat near the middle on the left table. Leaning his head against his palm, Rin found himself closing his eyes and listening to the white noise around him. 

A particular group of people entering the room brought him out of his daze, as he looked over to see a few students trailing behind a black-haired student, probably a second-year from the way the guy was leading the group with minimal attention to directions. 

“I still can’t believe Vil Schoenheit is the dorm head!” 

“It feels quite surreal.” Another student admitted.

“I know right?” The second-year chuckled. “It’s really amazing when you see him in person how hard he works. Every day I wonder to myself how he manages to balance school and his job.” The black-haired boy shrugged, crimson eyes glimmering in the soft candle-lit area. Ruby-red eyes darted around the room before landing on the table that Rin was at, and Rin could’ve sworn they made eye contact. 

“I thought NRC was supposed to be one of the most academically challenging schools out there.” A blue-haired student commented. “The fact that he can act in all those movies and shows yet still be one of the top students is terrifying.” They seemed to repress an exaggerated shudder. 

“It is,” The second-year agreed, leading the rest of the group to sit across from Rin. He sighed, “When I entered the school with Vil, it was an odd experience. Imagine seeing an actor that you’ve known on television growing up stand right in front of you? Some of us can’t get used to it, but we’re Pomefiore students for a reason.” He smirked, closing his eyes. 

“...What’s with that smile?” 

“What does that even mean…?” 

“ Wow! Senpai, you look like a scammer—”

“Nothing much.” The second-year cut off the blue-haired boy, and from the corner of his eye, Rin could see the way another boy clasped the latter’s mouth shut.

“I’m sorry about him.” The boy with a hand restraining the blue-haired boy said quickly. Bright orange eyes flickered with unease before turning abruptly to the blue-haired boy. The orange-eyed boy retracted his hand almost immediately, wiping his hand on his uniform with an irritated sigh. “Did you really just lick my hand— nevermind.” He sighed. The blue-haired boy stuck out his tongue playfully, and for a second, Rin could relate to the orange-eyed boy. 

“Ahh, youth.” The second-year student chuckled at the interaction, waving the apology away. “It’s just that I look forward to your first school day.” 

Well, if that wasn’t an interesting comment with no real context, then Rin didn’t know what was. 

Rin furrowed his brows as the group of students sat near the end of the middle table, continuing to converse about various topics ranging from school subjects, clubs and electives, to fun things to do and recent social media trends.

Was Vil famous? 

Yet another thing to catch up on, Rin sighed internally, social media influencers and famous movie actors… From the way the students of Pomefiore spoke of Vil, as well as the way the man carried himself, it was probably true. 

(Perhaps Rin could pass off his ignorance as due to him only recently getting a phone?

Ah, but Rin hated ignorance, didn’t he?)

A voice cleared within the amicable noise, echoing and successfully silencing the crowd. Vil stood tall and proud at the front of the hall, eyes commanding silence and attention. 

Truly, the housewarden of Pomefiore was breathtaking.

Vil’s dorm uniform consisted of a longer outer robe, a golden head-piece shaped like a crown, as well as high-heeled boots. Amethyst eyes locked onto awed expressions, a graceful smile forming on his lips. His hair was styled beautifully, shorter strands framing his face, hanging loosely over the crown with the rest braided and fixed into a low and elegant bun. 

(Rin had to give respect when it’s due. Heels were hard to pull off, especially with such a long and weighted outfit. In Kayano’s words, Vil was slaying the outfit.)

“Students of Pomefiore,” Vil started, and immediately, Rin could tell that the room was entranced. 

Such charisma. Rin couldn’t relate. It was as if the second-year had charmed everyone to have their eyes transfixed on his figure. 

“As of tomorrow, we will greet a new school year ahead of us. And although I’m sure this will bore you, as the dorm leader, I have some things I’d like to go through with everyone.”

Rook stood by his side, smiling as he watched Vil go on to talk about dorm expectations such as the curfew at 10PM. 

(Curfew at ten? Rin resisted the urge to laugh. Getting any sleep at all was already a blessing to him, and yet now he had to get at least seven hours?)

“In the garden, we have peacocks that need to be cared for by the dorm. A schedule of who is on duty will be posted on the lounge wall at the start of every month, so be sure to check it once in a while so as not to miss your turn.” 

Pet peacocks? Rin was about to lose his marbles. What kind of dorm had peacocks?????

“Both your vice dorm head and I don’t mind it when it comes to going out and hanging out with students of the other dorms,” Vil sighed, “however, chaos will run rampant if there aren’t proper procedures in place. If there is an emergency and you’re not able to make it back to the dorm in time for curfew, let us know.”

“Unless, of course, you’d like your vice dorm head to track you down.” His smile this time was edged, sharp.  

The second-years collectively repressed a shiver as the first-years looked a little off-put. 

Track them down…? The dorm head meant that metaphorically, right?

Internally, the second-years present could only shake their heads woefully at the innocent first-years. Truly, they haven’t experienced the terrors of a Hunt, much less Rook Hunt. 

“I see that you’ve all managed to make yourself semi-presentable today,” He continued, and Rin could see the way Vil ran his gaze along each student. Some straightened their backs, some tucked their hair behind their ears in an effort to make it less messy and some fiddled with the buttons and collars of their shirts. “The dorm uniform you’re wearing right now is to be worn during formal dinner nights like these, which we’ll have once a month.” 

Deep purple eyes glared at the first-years in particular, but a few second-years couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spine too. Rin had the vague feeling that being at the other end of Vil’s glare could effectively kill a man. 

…Metaphorically, of course. 

“Pomefiore prides itself in its honour and reputation. I won’t allow the image of Pomefiore to be tarnished, so as I’ve mentioned prior to tonight, everyone must maintain some form of beauty routine and pay attention to the way they present and hold themselves.” 

Rook stepped forward, spreading his arms with an excited grin, “There is beauty in everyone here! Pomefiore cultivates that beauty, and so if there are any questions, do not hesitate to speak with us.” 

The two go on to talk about the weekly sessions on facial care and style that they’ll be having, and all Rin wants to do is return to his room and try to get some sleep. 

Only when Vil raises a glass of grape juice, most likely a substitute for wine, does he breathe a quiet sigh of relief as the dinner starts and the silence is broken by excited murmurs and joyful laughter.

.

.

.

For Rin back at home, dinner was usually never a quiet affair. During junior high, he lived with his sister in their childhood house, Naoki and Suzu living close by, visiting and staying over more times than he could count.

Starting highschool, his sister moved to an all-girls boarding school, and Rin moved into a smaller apartment closer to the Hoshizuki main campus. Naoki and Suzu were also enrolled at Hoshizuki High, but they were usually at a separate campus since they took specialised programs related to their field of artistic interest. 

The only times his meals were silent would be during the times he’d stay at the hospital. Even though Megumi would try to eat with him most of the time, sometimes her club activities ran late. Even though Suzu and Naoki were resolved to maintain their streak of seeing him in person, sometimes, things were simply too busy. 

Some of the other patients often popped by to say hello, but in the end, what accompanied him was none other than silence. Even the sound of his breathing would be drowned out amidst the stifling pressure of the hospital ward. 

White-washed walls surrounding him made it hard for the sounds to echo, the only sounds that’d stay with him through the night after visiting hours closed were the voices of the stars and sometimes— depending on his luck —the beeping of monitors by his bedside. 

(Although he appreciated the ambience of the night occasionally, he much preferred the regular noise and playful voices instead.) 

So eating in the dining hall wasn’t really too bad in Rin’s opinion. Rin had always liked sound rather than utter silence. The black-haired boy mostly kept to himself, perhaps with the exception of answering the question “what’s your name” and getting some weirdly awed looks by those at his table. The looks that were sent his way reminded him of Ruggie’s words. 

“After the stunt you pulled with the headmaster, and the fact that the mirror spoke in the dead language for you, you’ve become an honorary celebrity.”

Thankfully, the others seemed to realise that Rin didn’t have the intention to engage in the conversation, and so they left him alone, only really stealing a glance his way once in a while. 

Once dinner was over, everyone left the room and were led to the common lounge in order for the students to mingle amongst themselves.

Since no one had left yet, the only thing Rin could do was stand to the side with a juice box in hand, watching absentmindedly as people joked around and socialised. He could feel stares from his fellow dorm members on him but he ignored it resolutely. 

“Oh my, what do we have here? Dearest Chevalier de la Lune, for what reason are you hiding in the shadows?”

Rin closed his eyes. There was only one person who called him that.

“Vice Housewarden Hunt,” Rin said dryly, watching as Rook schooled his expression into a scarily blank face, as if genuinely taken by surprise. 

Back when he first arrived at the dorm, Rin had greeted Vil and Rook normally — called them by their names instead of their position in the dorm. 

And already, he could feel a part of himself regretting it. 

It was only after hearing the other students talk about Vil and Rook did he realise that most of them referred to them as ‘housewarden’ or ‘vice housewarden’, with only some people calling them by their last name, and rarely their first. 

“Oh?” Rook made a pitiful expression, holding his hand to his chest in mock hurt that Rin knew was fake. “What happened to calling me Rook-senpai?”

“I’m sorry,” Rin responded immediately, voice blunt and void of emotion. In his mind, he really should’ve thought it through. Although Twisted Wonderland was wildly different from Earth, there was a similar level of mannerisms that were expected of everyone, echoing Japan. 

Rin didn’t really care for honorifics. They were too much of a hassle in his opinion, too many syllables and too much to take into account. Addressing people in such a formal manner could be endearing depending on one’s tone, but more often than not when Rin used them, it was like cementing the gap between them, reinforcing the line that was being drawn. And ideally, that’s what Rin wanted.

Well, it probably wouldn’t make much of a difference if Rin were to call them as he did, he was but one of many dorm students. 

Calling Rook by his last name was fine, but Vil definitely should be referred to with his dorm position, especially if he was a celebrity. Since he was going to call Vil formally, it was only natural he should do the same for Rook. 

Looking upon Rook’s hurt expression, Rin felt a bubble of apprehension rise within him. If it were anyone else, perhaps they would’ve given a look of dismay when someone went from addressing them by name to title, but Rook… more than disappointed, he looked beguiled, as if finding the mere idea of someone making that conversion immensely interesting.

“Are you embarrassed?” The tone of voice Rook used made Rin want the ground to swallow him whole. 

“I was acting quite unlike myself yesterday.” Rin deadpanned, “How could I possibly address the vice dorm head of Pomefiore so casually?” His expression was pinched, and from the laugh that Rook gave, he could only assume the latter was thoroughly entertained. 

Great, Rin wanted to cry, another person who found his suffering funny. 

“Please, there’s simply no need for such formalities. We are all fellow students of NRC.” The blonde said pleasantly with gleaming eyes and a smile that showed off his canines. 

Rin furrowed his brows. That didn’t really sound like a request. Wasn’t it more like a threat?

“...Okay, Hunt-senpai.” Rin said in a hesitant tone. Perhaps he’d be satisfied enough to drop the issue if Rin called him by his last name?

“Hm? Oh dear, pardon me, I didn’t quite catch that. Am I hard of hearing already?” Green eyes curved with joy. “Such a travesty. Monsieur, could you repeat that?”

Rin irked. Just a little. 

“...Rook-senpai.” He gritted out. 

“Yes? Did you call me?” The second-year chirped gleefully in response, as if he had won a lottery.

This time, Rin didn’t stop himself from lightly rolling his eyes, shifting his gaze from Rook to the room filled with people. 

Following Rin’s gaze, Rook slowly stepped closer and looked in the same direction, allowing a sense of tranquillity to settle between them.

Vil could be seen with a number of students around him, glittery stars as eyes and pure admiration within their every gesture. The dazzling lights seem to make him shine even more. In fact, it felt like his whole aura was lustrous.

“Not one for socialising?” Rook asked, an easy expression on his face.

Rin gave Rook an expression that he usually reserved for his past paper revision sets. “Why should I?” 

“Fufu— now now, there’s nothing wrong with that.” Rook commented in a deep and mellow voice, clasping his hands together. In all honesty, Rin felt like Rook was treating him like a child. A more accurate description would be a wild porcupine with its spikes up. 

“It’s just that those who are sorted into Pomefiore usually thrive in such environments. Like your fellow peers, wouldn’t you want an autograph from Vil? Perhaps share some information about yourself?” 

Rin paused and considered this for a second, lifting his head as if genuinely pondering the question. But it was obvious to anyone with working vision that Rin was only pretending to contemplate. And he didn’t even make an effort of hiding it with how quickly his response followed. 

“I’m not really a fan, so why would I need an autograph?” 

“Not a fan?” Thin and defined eyebrows raised upwards. 

“Not at all.” Rin replied, short and clipped. 

“Hm. Well, I suppose the appreciation of beauty all boils down to personal taste.” 

Rin wasn’t eager and Rook had picked up on it. 

Rin shook his head, hair swaying with the motion. Blue peeked through the midnight strands, catching light like the way the surface of the sea would on a particularly sunny day. “Housewarden Schoenheit is beautiful. That’s not really something anyone could argue against. I appreciate his work,” not that I’ve watched any, “but that doesn’t mean I want to get closer to him.” 

Rin looked towards Rook, as if making a point. “I mean, what would I do after getting closer to him? Sabotage him? Brag about our friendship? Seduce him?” The black-haired boy waved his hand languidly. 

“You overestimate me.” 

Maybe the face he made was kind of weird, because Rook let out a small puff of laughter, a stark contrast to the way he’d usually laugh boisterously. 

“Pfft, ahaha— excusez-moi,” Rook stifled a chuckle, “I didn’t mean to say that you’d get close to him with ulterior motives. It’s just rare.” 

In a school with people that only did things for their own benefit, it’s rare that Rin wanted no part of it, was what Rook meant, and Rin heard it all the same. There were probably prior instances when people had intended to use Vil to boost their own popularity, and judging from the way Rook spoke about it, they probably didn’t succeed. 

Rin shook the thought away and leaned against the wall, eyes tracing the swirling patterns on the rug beneath their feet. 

For a moment, he let the silence stew into something calmer, quieter somehow, even with the way all the people around them bustled and conversed.

“Expectations regarding stuff like this are meaningless.” Rin settled on saying, rolling the apple decoration at the end of his rope between his fingers. “I don’t really see the point in it.” 

When Rook didn’t say anything, as if prompting Rin to continue, the black-haired boy took a few seconds to formulate a response that would probably get Rook off his back. 

Hopefully, a response that would spell out please leave me alone. 

“It’s never been my nature to put my hopes on something that is external to myself. I don’t hold any expectations for what Vil views me as or what our relationship is when it doesn’t really matter.” Rin said, “Dorm head and dorm student. That’s what we are, and that’s what we will be.” 

“Either way, even if we’re in the same dorm and go to the same school, I’ll be living my life, and he’ll be living his. I doubt a lot of our time will overlap, so what’s the point of expecting? I don’t need Vil’s friendship and attention, nor do I want it. I appreciate his consideration as a housewarden to a student under their care, but that’s about it.” Rin forcibly managed to relax his brows from where they were furrowed above his eyes. “Nothing will change that.” 

(It’s suffocating.) 

Something burned within Rin, white-hot and celestial, as if spinning and vibrating like a ball of pure energy, pulsating and glowing. 

A nameless background character. That’s all Rin wanted to be. And as a background character, what was he allowed to expect? It would be more beneficial if he didn’t try to expect anything at all. 

Rin Hattori didn’t need to expect anything else. He didn’t want to expect anything else, otherwise that would defeat the whole purpose of raising his guard and having others leave him alone.

“If you don’t get it, then let me ask you a question this time.” Rin sighed, trying to think of an analogy that wouldn’t make everything more confusing than it may already be. 

“Do you ever act on your need to own the beautiful things in the world? If something is lovely, must it belong to you?” 

“...Non, I suppose it depends.” Rook pondered with a grin, “I seek beauty as one would as they look at the sky with yearning. An abstract appreciation is simple, and it doesn’t matter if it isn’t mine.”

“Of course, Beautiful Vil inspired me to become beautiful, but beauty is more fun to admire when it isn't yours, no? Doesn’t it make it more enchanting? Afterall, doesn’t everyone sing praises about the sun, the moon and the stars? But who could ever dream of owning them?” 

The blond hunter’s words made Rin’s lips quirk upwards in a sort of half-smile. 

How poetic. Rin couldn’t help but find the way Rook viewed the world interesting. It was well-phrased and well-expressed, reflecting Rook’s opinion quite wonderfully. 

Sometimes, getting closer to someone can lead to biases, and so, the way to truly admire beauty alone would be to admire it from afar. Or at least, that was Rin’s opinion. But to Rook, beauty was more than just looks. It was character, poise, perseverance, pride, love, hate and all that fell in between. 

It was the amalgamation of the state of being human. 

“As I thought, you’re really something else.” Rin murmured before speaking up a little, “I’ve met many antique collectors back where I come from, and I guess your mindset is quite fresh in comparison. But either way, my point,” Rin tilted his head before straightening his back. As he flexed his shoulders back and forth, an audible crack vibrated from his joints. 

“To me, Vil is a shooting star.” Rin interlocked his fingers and brought it forward in a stretch. “To be honest,” he murmured quietly, blankly, “you’re the same.” 

Rin didn’t bother paying attention to Rook’s response. All that was left were these weighted words that tumbled from his lips, that spilled out without any effort, as if eager, practised despite his brain fighting to come up with the right words, right phrases, right lines and right tone. 

“Something I acknowledge as the majestic existence it is, but in the end, as a particular comet that I’ll only see once in my life. We’ll pass each other’s peripheral view, but never collide and never reunite.” 

“There isn’t a need for more,” Rin glanced at lidded forest-green orbs, “Don’t you agree?” 

Rin left the lounge with searing bubbles surrounding his heart, heated glass and molten sand, it wrapped around him and cooled. 

Hopefully that was enough. He was banking on it to be enough.

.

.

.

Ahh, how interesting. Rook couldn’t help but think to himself as Rin walked away, side-stepping expertly between a couple of first-years that were walking across the room. 

Rook Hunt wasn’t fazed at all when Rin Hattori had avoided his hand when he picked the first-year up at his room. Many of those in his own year did, and of course, Rook found it quite amusing. 

This time it was no different. Sure, it was a sudden gesture, but not at all surprising. Since the moment Rin had landed in NRC (which to be fair, isn’t very long), it was an understatement to say that the boy was cautious. 

Of course, Rook wouldn’t be Rook if he didn’t make people uncomfortable without even trying to do so. Ah, but this time he was just teasing! A petty little revenge on his part, if it could even be considered as such. 

Holding a hand out as an escort, if it was extended to any other person, Rook would expect to be refused bluntly and possibly sneered at. Roi des Lions would definitely threaten to knock his jaw off its hinges. Monsieur Magicam would simply laugh it off good-naturedly. 

It was a spontaneous decision, a spontaneous falsehood he told. 

Rook could only say he was curious how Rin would respond. To take or not to take, that was the question Rook was posing, and that was the question the second-year could see swimming in Rin’s shimmery-brown eyes. 

Watching Rin contemplate and only manage to make his decision with great reluctance and heaviness— the corners of his lips tugging downwards a little, as if already regretting his decision —was more than enough. His heart delighted, warming at its core and feeling a wave of glee wash over him. 

Rin Hattori was truly different. The way that the longer Rook knew him, the more he was changing, warping to fit into NRC’s standard was fascinating. Shifting from tiredness and a dazed nervousness to an ethereal vigilance, Rook wondered what Rin was truly like. Which was true, which was false? 

Or was it both? 

(It was as if Rin Hattori was clay, a moldable canvas. Absorbing whatever information was in the environment and painting it onto the mask he was developing at a rapidly fast pace.)

As everyone stood in the spotlight, eager to be the centre of attention like any good-old Pomefiore student was, Rin had retreated to a corner, watching everything go on like a predator did prey, like a defensive and intelligent magical beast. 

Rook could tell that there were many in the room who wanted to talk to Rin and get to know him— after all, a particular second-year dorm member came to mind —but it seemed that Rin had made it clear that he didn’t want to interact with anyone. To save Rin from where the second-year seemed to watch Rin with a fascination that even Rook couldn’t quite pinpoint, the green-eyed boy approached him with a cheerful bounce in his step. 

And immediately, Rin was learning. Setting a distance between them, Rook could only question in his mind, what’s making you back away? 

Aloof coldness, emotionless wall. Although it matched the way Rin seemed to be a lone hunter, a man of the hunt, something irrevocably felt wrong. 

Of course, this made it hard to resist teasing the boy. Another piece of revenge that Rook could claim as his own victory when Rin had relented to referring to him with his name, just as the boy had done before. 

Even with the ice in Rin’s tone, Rook couldn’t help but be stunned by the younger’s words. 

There have been many people in the past year who had approached Vil with not-so-great intentions. Thankfully, both Rook and Vil were observant to say the least, so it never really posed too big of a problem. Still, for someone to liken them both to a shooting star that they’d acknowledge but never desire to meet, Rook couldn’t help but feel something stir within him. 

“Doesn’t everyone sing praises about the sun, the moon and the stars? But who could ever dream of owning them?”, it was like he was using Rook’s own words against him. 

For the first time in a long while, Rook was unsettled by this conversation. 

It was as if the boy had danced a merry song with misfortune, and spoke in verses with death.

Transcendental, indescribable and vague. So many things that Rook wanted to unpack but wasn’t given enough time to properly do so. It was like a car crash of information that was burning and sinking with every passing second. 

A smile formed on his lips— one that would probably terrify anyone that had the pleasure of witnessing it. 

From everything that Rin had said tonight, Rook had gotten the message. Despite how he may act, Rook was the best at reading between the lines after all, it was to be expected of a hunter. 

‘Leave me be, I’m not interesting or special’ was what Rin had left him. And Rook couldn’t hide the shake of his shoulders as he laughed. There was no way he was going to leave Rin Hattori be. 

Chevalier de la Lune was as lonely and detached as his name would suggest, pushing people away for some odd reason, and Rook was determined to figure out what. 

He always welcomed a mystery after all, a discrete investigation that made his blood boil in anticipation. In his humble opinion, it made the hunt much more worthwhile. 

Not just him, Rook mused, but Vil too. 

Vil had an eye on Rin, and for better or for worse, only time would tell. 

.

.

.

This day made Rin conclude that interacting with other people was beyond exhausting. 

Seriously, Rin sighed, slumping forward in his chair. A part of him wanted to just sleep and never talk to anyone ever again, whilst the other part of him was wide awake and alert. 

If things went his way, then Rook would relay the things Rin had said to Vil, and collectively, they’ll treat him just as they would any other student. If things didn’t go his way, then… Well, Rin thought that was a problem for future-Rin. 

It was an hour until curfew, and Rin could only marvel at the fact that the dinner had taken so long. The waxing gibbous phase of the moon was surrounded by dotted stars, a sight that was rare in cities like Tokyo and more commonly seen in the suburbs. Greyish clouds that lay around the moon made the gleam of starlight all the more piercing. 

Since he wasn’t going to fall asleep any time soon, Rin sat up and brought the small black book he had borrowed from the library right in front of him. 

What Lies Between The Stars. A befitting name for a night like this. 

Rin started reading, flipping from to the first page after the title, allowing the dense, cursive handwritten text to fill his vision. 

It looked to be a diary of sorts rather than the usual type of academic essays that Rin was used to, but he supposed he had to make do with what was available. 

This was going to be a long night.

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Omake 1: 

“I saw you chatting to the small potato,” Vil mentioned as they walked towards their respective rooms. For a moment, the only sound that could be heard between them was the clacking of shoes against the polished stone floor of the hallway. 

“Fufu— Monsieur Lune and I had the most wonderful conversation.” Rook smiled, “ah, but it seems that he wants nothing to do with us.” He sighed woefully. 

Vil frowned, “Is that so?” 

“Very much so, but I’m inclined to do the opposite in fact.” 

Vil scoffed, brushing a few blonde strands of hair away from his face and behind his ears. With confident eyes that spoke of not a hint of pity, Vil folded his arms in what would be a helpless shrug if not for the grin on his face. 

“Well, it’s a shame it’s not up to him.” 

Omake 2:

What Lies Between The Stars was a journal, a diary of sorts. Like a notebook compiled of little scraps collected over the years, of bits and pieces that were put together. Some didn’t quite fit each other, whilst others mended seamlessly, as if they belonged, whole. 

The book was thin, full of Shakespearean English and written in cursive. At least the pages were crisp and untainted — surprising considering how old the book was. 

Apparently, from what Rin could decipher, it was written by a mage who could use English, in this case ‘Old Trade’, to perform magic. After some sort of old war, it seemed that people with knowledge of Old Trade became scarce, having gone into hiding or having been hunted down for their ability to create spells through the ancient arts.  

“Our mother tongue is the voice of the world, the breath of life that flows through everything and that persists and exists. 

Mine brothers and sisters, the few who still knoweth this language that speaks of desire, envisions love and walks the path of death. Tread carefully amongst these dark hours. Did hunt and did kill, did seek after and beseeched. The war hath taken a toll and we art but soft fading. 

Those who seek this ancient language within hath been steady in their vile efforts. Living in hiding is all I can doth, and I’m mine most humble apology. But coequal amongst the dunnest of nights, I pray. Let this voice of mine pray that a love for the world wilt remain. Let this voice of mine be lost so that one day our voices wilt be heard. 

I channel all of mine magic and all of mine being, as I sayeth these words beneath the rubble and dirt that I lay beneath. From last I received news, all of our ancient texts and records hath been destroyed. As of anon, I heareth voices and the sound of wild flames, yet running is of nay useth, so instead, I sacrifice this mortal soul of mine. 

As a fire that wilt nev’r cease, an ice that wilt nev’r melt, and a seal for thousands of years— for mine kin who cometh across this book, I give thee the ancient arts and the ways of our spells. For better or for worse, I desire the future wilt be kind to thee, the one who will set us free.”

The fact that people were essentially hunted down by those who wanted to be able to create their own spells made Rin feel that staying in Night Raven College was probably the best choice he could’ve made. Of course, it would’ve been better if he didn’t speak English in the first place, but now that it was already like this, Rin was thankful that Crowley had made him the offer to stay here. 

A school would likely be more focused on academics and furthering their knowledge of the language rather than trying to obtain the power for themselves and threatening Rin into revealing all that he could.

It was a little weird that Rin was probably the last person who spoke English in this world, but he supposed he could use this to his advantage. So long as he taught the dead language as a student-teacher, things should be okay.

Looking warily at the rest of the book that definitely detailed the ‘ancient arts’ mentioned in the first few pages, Rin could only pinch his nose-bridge in an attempt to alleviate the headache that was slowly forming. 

Rin was going to be helping teach Ancient Curses and Incantations wasn’t he? So did that mean he had to learn this? But even if he read it, it would probably be of no use since Rin didn’t even know what the fuck magic was. 

Not today, Rin concluded as he shut the book, placing it neatly onto his desk. He could figure it out in another week or two. Just not today, or any time in the first week in fact. 

After eating his regular sleeping pills, laying down on his newly washed and dried bed sheets, closing his heavy and strained eyes, Rin let his muscles relax, felt his heart slow into a steady yet calm pace. With his mind slowly lured into a state of sluggishness and unconsciousness, Rin let himself rest. Afterall, tomorrow was going to be absolute hell. 

Omake 3: 

“What do you mean he’s missing?” Megumi scowled at her phone, a harsh glare dominating her dainty and soft features. Long black hair tied messily into a bun accented the dark bags beneath her grey, glowing eyes. A hint of red could be seen tinting the edges of her irises. 

The screen in front of her flashed, emitting a faint blue light as the words ‘game over’ repeated, the words tumbling on top of her in-game character like sand weights. 

With an exasperated sigh, the black-haired girl ran her fingers through her hair and held her head, trying to mitigate the growing unease at the pit of her stomach. 

“Excuse my language, Karasuma-san, but how the fuck do you lose a whole person? Didn’t you guys put a GPS in his phone?” 

“ We did, but it’s dropped off the charts, which means it’s either destroyed or— "

“—or something is actively preventing the signal from being reached.” Megumi hissed, “so, what are you guys going to do right now?” 

“We’re going to try and figure out how that brother of yours disappeared into thin air just around the corner of the block,” A heavy sigh could be heard from the other side. “We’ll see if there are any traces within the system and look up some case studies of such things happening in the recent years and months.”

Megumi furrowed her brows, expression pinched with worry. “Why is it always him?” She muttered. She could tell that Karasuma felt the same. 

“ Rin’s emergency contact is your mother, but the call didn’t connect so we called you instead to let you know about this. "

Megumi fiddled with her hoodie straps, restless. “That’s because mom is on a flight from Australia back to New York. Her phone’s probably switched off.” 

“We figured. Apologies for the rather crude way we’re breaking this news,” Megumi could relate to the weary tone that Karasuma had adopted. Honestly, she felt the same. “We just needed to let you two know that Rin Hattori has been officially declared as missing, and that you two should be careful when going outdoors. If whoever targeted Rin Hattori seeked him out for the same reason as last time, they may come after you two.”

I’d prefer it if they came after us, Megumi thought. But it wasn’t like they were resistant to drugs the way Rin was, so it would’ve been pointless for them to target Megumi and their mom anyway. 

“I’ll let my mom know about this, so if she calls you back, then please redirect her to me. It’d be better if I told her about it beforehand.” Megumi stated, voice fairly even despite the way her hands shook. 

" We’ll leave that to you then. I can’t imagine your mother will take this very well. "

The corners of Megumi’s mouth twitched upwards in a wry smile, “Well, it won’t be great but it certainly won’t be the first time this has happened, so we’ll manage I guess.” 

Wincing at her own words, Megumi shook her head. “It’s fine. I have my brother's apartment key, so maybe I’ll drop by his place and see if there’s anything off? Or I can give it to you and Irina-san.” She paused for a split second. “You two specifically please.” 

“We’ll come pick it up from your dorm the day after tomorrow.” The man replied, pausing to speak with someone next to him. A short period of time passed before Karasuma spoke again, “Would two-thirty be a suitable time?” 

Megumi flipped open her calendar and timetable. “Two-thirty works. I’ll try to stay within the school grounds then.” 

“Some of your brothers’ friends already know about his disappearance, and I’m sure you don’t need me to remind you about the safety protocols regarding this sort of situation."

“You don’t,” She confirmed. 

Wait, but what about Suzu-nee? Did she know? With what happened recently with Naoki-nii… 

Instead, she scratched her head and spoke slowly in an even tone. “...Does Asano-san know? I heard from my brother that he was going to meet with Akabane-san and Asano-san soon for a study group. And also… Suzu Ohara. My brother’s childhood friend. I think it’s only right to tell her since a lot’s been going on recently. She’ll probably know by tomorrow that Rin is missing since he always responds to phone calls, and it’ll only stress her out like last time if she isn’t involved.”

Karasuma seemed to mutter a few words in frustration before exhaling in great restraint, as if trying not to curse in front of her. Megumi commended that level of self-restraint. Just a moment ago even she had given up. “I’ll deal with that. If there’s any other emergencies or anything else you know, feel free to ask Ritsu or contact me.” 

“Got it. I’ll be sure to let you two know if someone weird is following me if I end up going outside the school, of course, not alone.” Megumi bit the inside of her mouth, “Thanks for the trouble. Please update me regularly, even if there’s no progress.”

“Will do.”  

The click of her phone told her that the call ended. With concern etched across her features, she brought her head into her arms and let herself remain in silence. 

Only when her phone flickered from a notification from Ritsu signifying the creation of a new group chat, did she let herself uncurl her legs and focus. 

First things first, contact Suzu-nee. 

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Chapter Text

Rin woke from his welcome, temporary and painfully short oblivion quietly. The room was still relatively dark but he could already see a few small rays of sunlight shine through the cracks and crevices of the burgundy curtains. Staring at the black-ish blue ceiling with bleary eyes, Rin sat up groggily and rubbed his eyes in an attempt to rid himself of the haziness that cloaked his mind. 

With a slow drag of his arms, Rin opened the velvety curtains, wincing at the sudden brightness of the room. The day had only just begun, the sun only just starting to peak over the horizon. The sky was fading, from midnight to a pale yellow and light blue. 

A soft alarm rang from the phone that lay charging on the wide marbled stone in front of the window. The area had been hidden by the curtains before, but there was more than enough space for one to lounge comfortably on the large windowsill. Just enough space to sit and lean against. 

Perhaps after getting his first paycheck he’d buy some cushions and thin blankets to maximise the comfort, after all, if he was going to stay in this room for the foreseeable future, he may as well make it liveable. Megumi had always told him that having a nice room made it easier for him to fall asleep— in her words, made it more homely —and even though this wasn’t a home, he supposed it was an investment that his body would approve of. 

Bringing his arms forward, up and across into a wide stretch, feeling the crackling of his joints and the popping of his bones, Rin got out of the now galaxy-themed blankets and started to prepare himself for the day ahead of him. Brushing his teeth, washing his face and changing into the uniform, it was as if he was on autopilot, methodological and automatic. 

His hands that were once warm turned cold upon exiting his bed, so the yellow school cardigan he had taken a liking to was a blessing for him. Making sure that his hair was presentable, a long braid tied on his right side as always, Rin slipped on his black facemask and fastened the laces of his trainers. 

Once he made sure to pack his new tablet, phone and some other necessities into his backpack (including his PE uniform, according to his timetable), Rin left the bag in his room and headed straight to the kitchen with a lunchbox in hand. 

(“Rook-senpai,” Rin said, voice low as they walked down the stairs to the dining hall. “Is the dorm kitchen open to students?” Sam had said that the dorm had its own ingredient budget and all, but Rin just wasn’t sure if it’d  be open to students so soon. 

“Oui,” Rook replied amicably, “Pomefiore has a wonderful kitchen, and unless there’s a note claiming ownership, the ingredients and tools are free to be used by everyone!” 

“Is it open in the morning?” 

“Hmm. It is, though, not many use it in the morning and prefer to eat breakfast at seven in the school’s cafeteria.” The blond-haired boy waved his hands, “there’s a cook on campus every month for the monthly dinner gathering, but otherwise students tend to eat on the main campus.” 

A sly grin stretched across his face, “Oh? Are you planning to use the kitchen in the morning? Perhaps I could joi—” 

“—No.” Rin cut off, pausing before clearing his throat. “No thanks. I prefer to work in solitude and peace.” Not necessarily a lie but certainly a little bit away from the truth. 

“Fufu, I’m only kidding, my dear.” 

Rin didn’t think Rook was joking, but wisely decided to stay silent. 

“Anyway, if there’s anything you’re missing in the kitchen, as long as it stays within the left-over budget, you can simply tell Sam to charge it in the dorm’s name. Of course, there’s a sheet down in the kitchen that you’ll have to fill to state what you’re going to be purchasing.”)

Upon arriving at the Pomefiore kitchen, Rin marvelled at the clean and pristine white-marbled table-tops, copper drawers beneath the workspace. White shelves and cupboards filled with ceramics and cutlery, copper, non-stick and stainless steel pans hung from the walls whilst pots were kept in transparent cupboards near each of the four sinks. The room was spacious and well-cared for, without a chandelier in the centre of the room, the place felt a lot more modern. Three silver fridges lined the back of the room, a crate of potatoes sat next to them neatly. 

After washing his double-tiered bento box, Rin opened a bunch of drawers near a sink in order to get a feel of where everything was and what was available. Opening the fridge doors, Rin scanned the ingredients and immediately relaxed when he saw the familiar orange meat with white marbling. He retrieved a small fillet of fresh salmon, gathered two tomatoes, a single cucumber and four eggs as well as some spring onions and garlic. Grabbing two medium-sized potatoes and a cup of rice on his way back to the counter, Rin set everything onto the table.

There wasn’t enough time to cook anything fancy or anything that needed to be rested and marinated, so Rin had to make do with some simpler recipes. 

Perhaps he’d have to start prepping ingredients for the following day instead of winging it like he was today. 

With the way Japanese schooling was, Rin got used to eating home-packed lunches or fresh bakery bread early on, so it only felt natural to bring his own food to school rather than eat at the cafeteria. Besides, a homemade lunch saves him time from waiting in line for food, and he can eat wherever he wants without interacting with the other students too much. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say. Rin could only hope the saying worked for people as well. 

He had to get up to prepare it early today, but it wasn’t like a single nights’ sleep was going to rid himself of the fatigue that had been building up for the last week, so it wasn’t like it was too much of a hassle either. 

Salted salmon and soy sauce onigiri, tomato and egg stir fry, herb-fried potato wedges and sliced cucumber. 

Rin didn’t really have an appetite so he chose some foods that hopefully he wouldn’t throw up. There wasn’t any seaweed in the kitchen but the onigiri could live without it. He’d be grilling the rice-balls anyway. Whatever was left over after packing his lunch, he’d eat for breakfast. 

After organising the counter and setting a cutting board on the surface of the table, Rin turned on the stove and put a pan on the heat, drizzling a little bit of oil to coat the bottom of the steel in order to grill the salmon. Starting with the task that would take the longest, which was getting the rice cooker going, he then washed the vegetables and picked a knife from the knife-drying rack. Rolling his sleeves up and out of the way, Rin let the calm sounds of cooking flood his senses. 

Some things weren’t too bad, as in the end, some things were the same no matter where you were. Rin could only find solace in these little similarities, like the beeping of the check-out machine in the library, and the sounds of water boiling and metal against wood.

(Rin could only exhale a sigh of relief when he saw the presence of soy sauce and other familiar ingredients in the fridge. 

At least this wasn’t like one of those typical adventure isekai anime where the protagonist goes to a world with different food and monster meat instead of the normal beef, chicken and pork. The black-haired boy wouldn’t have known how to react if that happened to him.) 

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Rin didn’t think he would start the day off with a staring competition with a cat, but he supposed his life was never really as simple and generic as he would’ve liked to believe. Isogai always said that Rin had the capability to make anything and everything more complex than it could be. And for the first time in a while, Rin was inclined to agree with the statement that he had bluntly refuted all those months ago. 

Perhaps he was cursed to live life in the most unconventional and eccentric way possible. 

The familiar black cat sniffed once, twice, white snout wrinkling in interest. Flat yellow eyes stared at him from his desk, and with all the whispering around him, Rin wanted nothing more than to yeet himself out of the fucking window. 

Why is it always like this? His mind lamented as he stared blankly at the cat in front of him. 

Charcoal-black fur, luxuriously brushed and smooth, puffed with each slow, drawn-out breath the cat took. White tufts stood out on his snout, chest, end of his tail and the tips of his twitching ears. A low meow echoed. 

As his classmates whispered, Rin wondered, faintly, what he did in his past life to deserve this. 

The cat— Lucius —if his memory wasn’t failing, continued to stare blankly at Rin. And at this point, even Rin was beginning to feel a little unnerved. 

Twice. 

Once could be considered a coincidence, and usually the saying went that three times would spell an intention. However, from what he knew of cats, a second coincidence so close to the first was by no means reliant on chance. 

Sure, Rin occasionally fed the strays near his house, but he didn’t have any cat food and treats on him now. All he had was his usual bag and his lunch. And surely even if the cat was attracted to the salmon and soy sauce onigiri, it shouldn’t warrant this level of attention when practically everyone else had spent time in the cafeteria eating breakfast. 

(Naoki and Suzu had always complained when cats approached him on the side of the road or in the park, saying that it was because he was a cat in his previous life, and that they were “greeting their own kind”.)

Lucius didn’t seem like a normal cat, and he didn’t seem exactly like someone’s pet either. He didn’t paw for food nor beg for pets. The way that those eyes looked at him was very strangely human – as if he was distinctly aware of the discomfort he was causing Rin.  

And yet, Rin didn’t avert his gaze like last time. Simply and steadily, he returned the cat’s stare with a melted-chestnut gaze of his own. 

For a moment, the world seemed to halt, and Rin could feel his expressionless face tug into a small, almost-unnoticeable frown. 

Thankfully, Trein entered the room right when the clock’s small hand shifted to eight. 

The older man stood straight, and although he wasn’t by any means tall, the pressure he exuded from his strict stance and upturned brows made Rin think of those strict etiquette teachers that he’d see in film series. Either way, the man successfully silenced the rowdy bunch of students in the room. 

Long and flowing maroon robes draped across and over a neat grey suit. Lucius got off of Rin’s table— much to the latter’s relief —white gloves picking him up and into steady arms. The turquoise pendant fastening the man’s white jabot gleamed, and Rin couldn’t help but take in the sight of his new teacher. 

An experienced college professor would be what Rin would have described Trein as. Greying hair slicked back, sharpening the stern features of the professor’s face, defined eyebrows that seemed to be fixed with the unapproachable glare that he levelled the rest of the class with. The seemingly-permanent frown etched onto his lips made Rin correct his posture subconsciously, mindful of the way he presented himself in front of someone who did the same. 

A pointed stare was directed towards two students at the back of the class who had yet to develop the social awareness to realise that their teacher had arrived. The room turned suffocatingly silent, as the students in questions paused and sweated beneath their skin. “Good,” Trein said, voice even, betraying not even a hint of anger. “It seems that everyone has settled down.” 

“From the school tour, most of you should know my name. If due to some unforeseeable circumstances, you were unable to attend the tour, I am Mozus Trein, professore of the humanities and you shall refer to me as Professor Trein.” 

Rin could safely say that a shiver must have run down the spines of numerous students. 

“You are my new homeroom students, and before we begin, I believe it would be beneficial for me to go over some expectations I have.” Trein put Lucius down on the front teaching desk and started to open up a clipboard. “I am your History of Magic teacher, which will be the first official lesson you have in Night Raven College this year.”

“I grade based on classroom behaviour as well as quality of work so it’d be in your best interest to not get caught sleeping during my lessons.” Trein flipped to the next page, ignoring the way a few students looked pale, almost sickly in Rin’s opinion. “Tardiness will not be excused and I expect all of you to arrive at class on time for roll call. Is that clear?”

A couple of intimidated nods could be seen. Rin glanced around subtly, finding that the seat beside him was noticeably empty. 

Floyd Leech was the name of the person who was assigned to the desk on his left – at least, according to the seating plan on the blackboard. Almost immediately, the Octavinelle dorm colours and a vibrant teal colour crossed his mind.

Unsurprisingly, with all the new people at the entrance ceremony, Rin couldn’t recall a face successfully. 

Willing it away, Rin tried to focus. Seriously, the names of students in this school were truly throwing him off. 

“Now,” With a fountain pen in one hand and the register in the other, Trein looked up and pinned everyone in their spot.

“Let homeroom commence.” 

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History of Magic was just as one might expect. Definitely more focused on the history part rather than the magic part if the thick textbook that was distributed had anything to say about it. Even so, Rin supposed he appreciated it despite the way Trein’s voice shifted into a monotonous tone within the first ten minutes of class. 

Not many interactive questions for the students, so Rin could see why some might not be able to resist the urge to sleep. In fact, from the corner of his field of vision, Rin could see a few students lean against their table, holding their book up in front of them in an effort to hide their drowsiness. 

Youth, Rin shook his head internally before pausing, sighing at his own words. Kayano always said he spoke like an old man, and at this particular moment in time, Rin couldn’t really blame her for saying so. 

Still, the professor’s pronunciation was clear and clean. Since he was listening carefully, the explanations that Trein was giving were easy to understand, even for fools. 

Yesterday Rin had skimmed through A Trip Through Time by Marigold Ramzil so for most of Trein’s speech about the discovery of magical energy in mines, Rin didn’t have much trouble recalling supporting information within his mind. Although some parts of the lesson drew a blank in his brain, Rin supposed that sitting through a class not being able to understand some things was a simple experience of highschoolers, so he paid it no mind and made sure to note down the areas that he didn’t understand so that he could look it up later. 

At least he had that going for him, Rin scribbled into his new tablet, making brief notes of keywords, definitions and phrases. 

After all, Rin Hattori had survived Kunugigaoka’s hell exams, survived Asano Gakushuu’s study sessions, sat through a lesson taught by Asano Gakuhou. If anything, this class was more like understanding the backstory of a setting in a game. This was world-building lore effectively. To someone like Rin, memorising such solid facts should be a piece of cake. 

The back-end of a pen from the left of his view prodded his arm, which brought Rin’s attention to the obnoxiously tall student slouched over the table next to him. 

(“Let homeroom commence.” Trein had said with finality in his tone, yet almost immediately, the door slammed open to reveal one of the tallest first years Rin has seen in his entire life. 

Teal-coloured hair caught Rin’s attention first, a darker strand framing the boy’s right cheek and shorter bangs above his forehead. Mismatched yellow and olive-green eyes curved in a playful crescent, angled downwards and shining dangerously with the glint of razor-like teeth from the smile on his face. Cerulean diamond earrings swung with the forceful movement as the student took a lazy step forward, uniform worn loosely, casually and all. 

With a metaphoric snap of a string in his brain, Rin watched with mild dawning horror as a face finally matched the colours in his mind. The same face that he had seen in Trein’s tour, and the same heterochromatic eyes his own gaze collided with.

With a harsh glare, Trein sighed. “It is the first day and you are likely unaware of my expectations for students.” 

Rin almost felt sympathy for the man from the way the student grinned and looked around the room casually despite being reprimanded. A few students murmured quietly to their desk neighbours, but a simple look from Trein shut them up. 

“I shall not punish you today for showing up late to homeroom, but do be aware that if this happens again, you won’t be getting out of detention. Please take a seat.” 

As soon as the student’s eyes landed on Rin, yellow and olive clashing with steely brown, the black-haired felt as if his blood was flowing backwards, running cold at the sight of the new arrival. 

With sheer effervescent glee, the teal-haired boy stalked towards Rin’s desk. Rin had to remind himself that this was a classroom setting and that no, he couldn’t simply run from his first lesson of the day. 

There are other empty seats in the class. Rin tried to comfort himself— please, at least not beside him —but the look on the student’s face said otherwise, and Rin could only watch helplessly as the student approached rapidly. 

Much to the safety of Rin’s mental stability, Floyd Leech breaks into just one more grin, his eyes arched in a way that spelled amusement. It was as if the student was a sadistic toddler that had managed to find a new toy to abuse to its limits at daycare, which made Rin involuntarily suppress a shudder. 

Swiftly, the Octavinelle student took a seat to the left of Rin, hooking his bag on his chair as he extended his leg forward in a slight stretch. When he turned to try and meet Rin’s gaze once more, Rin calmly turned his attention to the front of the class.)

Fuck me, Rin wanted to cry as he stubbornly kept his head facing forward, as if refusing to acknowledge the person sitting beside him. His eyes darkened and shook as Floyd continued to poke at his arm, each action more aggressive than the last. And my life. He groaned internally. 

What would happen if it just continued on like this? Vaguely, at the back of his mind, Rin knew that this wouldn’t end nicely, but what else could he do? 

With a sigh lodged in his throat, Rin glanced at the clock and wished that time would simultaneously pass faster as well as slow down. If this class didn’t end, at least he wouldn’t need to deal with having an actual conversation with the boy beside him.

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How lucky, Floyd couldn’t stop the predatory grin that warped the lower half of his face. His eyes locked onto a face that he had engraved into his memory just the day before.

When Azul insisted they attend the school tour to scout out the area and make some connections, Floyd complained the whole way through. 

It was so plain to walk around and listen to Akaika-sensei talk about the history of the school buildings and areas. 

As the tour progressed and the trio had drifted from the start of the group to the middle of the pack, mainly with Azul and his brother greeting others and Floyd wandering off by himself, they regrouped only for a calm and quiet voice to catch their attention. The voice had a hidden edge to it the way that Jade’s voice often took on. What they were saying was barely audible, and yet Floyd focused in on the sounds and quieted the insignificant noises. 

“I’m Rin. Rin Hattori.” The boy said lightly, continuing to converse with the student from Savanaclaw. 

Azul narrowed his eyes as Jade’s widened in surprise. Floyd couldn’t help but run his tongue along the edges of his teeth in delight. 

Black hair that weaved into a long braid on the right, edges of blue beneath the black hair was pale and soft – wildly different from Floyd’s own greenish-aquamarine hair. The boy’s features were defined yet passive in a way, a looker for sure. Pale skin and sand for irises, Rin Hattori’s eyes were the most memorable that Floyd had ever seen. And that was saying a lot considering his own eyes. 

Something about Rin Hattori’s aura had garnered their attention yesterday. It was something neither Azul nor Jade could pinpoint accurately, which definitely sparked curiosity within all of them. 

To think that they’d find Rin Hattori so soon after what happened at the ceremony… What a stroke of luck, Floyd giggled lowly, not minding the way the others around him inched further from his proximity. Anticipation was frothing in him like a bubbling cauldron ready to overflow. 

Things were getting too peaceful for his taste, so it was perfect timing. 

Just as he took a step towards the pair’s direction and opened his mouth, a gloved hand slapped across his face, another restraining his arm, fixing him in place. “Now, now.” Jade tilted his head, eyes bent in a ghost of a smile that Floyd knew held the same amount of excitement as him – if not more. Familiar mismatched orbs that mirrored his own sparkled in barely concealed joy.

“Patience, Floyd.” He said, like a hypocrite. Floyd hissed mildly in irritation – well, as mild as he can be anyway. The way that Jade eyed Rin Hattori from the corner of his searing look spoke volumes. 

Trying to pry the fingers away from his lips wasn’t easy, especially since both Jade and Floyd were pretty much evenly-matched when it came to physical strength. But eventually, he managed. 

“Oiiiii, what’s gotten into you, Jade?” Floyd pursed his lips, flashing his sharp teeth, displeasure evident in his tone. “What was that for?” 

“Fufu. Apologies,” Jade waved his hands in front of him as a placating gesture, “but in my opinion, perhaps it’d be wiser for us to wait until after the tour to speak with Rin Hattori-san. After all,” his twin smiled a somewhat sinister grin, “we wouldn’t want Hattori-san to be intimidated by us, would we?” 

“Jade is right,” Azul sighed, fixing his glasses as he released Floyd’s arm from his grasp. “We shall seek Hattori-san out some other time. It’d look terribly poor if we were to approach him right after Ruggie-san, especially if we want to become business partners, it’s better to leave a good impression.” 

Floyd furrowed his brow, face morphing into an unwilling pout. 

The rest of the tour seemed to continue on without much disruption, the Savanaclaw student left and Rin rejoined the front of the group. Even with Azul’s words still firm in his mind and Jade’s hand steadily resting on his shoulder, Floyd couldn’t help but allow his gaze to stray towards Rin Hattori’s back profile. 

His frame wasn’t really small. It couldn’t really be called that in Floyd’s opinion, but something about the Pomefiore student seemed oddly frail and weak. 

Yet, surely the boy was anything but weak from what they saw last night. Senses that focused on every movement were honed, the bloodlust that Rin Hattori had emitted for just a split second didn’t go unnoticed by them. After all, they were familiar with such intents to kill in the murky depths of the Coral Sea. 

So it was weird in a way. Strange, like bait, or a feint. A lie of some sort, a facade yet to be torn down and broken at its hinges. 

When the tour ended shortly afterwards, as if sensing his inquisitive stare, the black-haired boy turned directly in their direction, eyes coincidentally meeting Floyd’s own. 

Clenching his fists, Floyd beamed brightly, drawn in by those sharp brown jewels as eyes that turned away from him almost immediately. And yet, Jade kept a firm hold on his shoulder, and Azul lifted his hand as a sign to stop what he was doing. 

“Ah.” Floyd clicked his tongue as they watched Rin Hattori disappear amongst the crowd of students. 

“Ugh, this sucks.” Floyd complained, stretching out his groan of frustration. 

“I’d have to agree there.” Jade sighed regretfully. “Good job Floyd.” His brother clapped in a perfunctory manner, “Well done.” 

Jade’s voice was cheerful, yet Floyd could immediately detect the well-hidden sarcasm behind his words. “But if I see Anko-chan around again, neither of you two can stop me from giving him a good squeeze.”

“That defeats the whole purpo— nevermind.” Azul shook his head, hand rubbing his temples as if to alleviate an oncoming headache. “Let’s just get going. We need to inform the headmaster of our plans.”

What a bore, Floyd slumped on his desk, brows furrowing in displeasure. Akaika-sensei stood at the front of the class, going on and on about the discovery of magestones in the Dwarfs’ Mine, yet, his overall mood remained undamped by the tedious lecture. After all, the target from yesterday that he had set his eyes upon was sitting right next to him. 

Not to mention the fact that both Jade and Azul weren’t here to tell him what he shouldn't do! 

The merman spent the majority of the first period staring at Rin Hattori’s side profile. With most of his face obscured by a mask, all Floyd was really able to look at where those shining brown orbs reflected the faint light of the tablet. The way that those warm eyes flitted up and down to look at Trein in between making notes, the way that they seemed to dilate occasionally during the small pauses between his writing. 

The way those eyes twitched and glanced at him, looking away as quickly as possible was hilarious, a mix between confusion, caution and annoyance. When their eyes did meet, Floyd didn’t break eye contact, and it was almost as if he could see the cogs turning in Rin’s head before they eventually silenced when the black-haired boy turned back to the front of the class. 

The moment Akaika-sensei dismissed the class, the black-haired boy started packing his things up in a haste. Turning slightly to look at Floyd’s face directly when the latter continued to stare.  

“Leech-san,” Rin said dryly, and Floyd could imagine the small frown that would’ve settled on the boy’s face if it was visible. “Is there something wrong? Care to explain why you’ve been… observing me?” 

“Hmmm,” Floyd stood, swaying on the spot as he took a step towards Rin, looming over the Pomefiore student’s shorter figure. Carefully, Floyd savoured the flinch that his action elicited. 

How fun. 

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“Leech-san,” Rin wanted to perish. “Is there something wrong? Care to explain why you’ve been—” Watching? Staring? “...observing me?” 

Floyd’s expression cooled down into a blank canvas. It was almost disconcerting how fast the change happened, but as an assassin, this sort of sudden mood and expression switch was natural. The way the teal-haired boy slouched forward, heterochromatic eyes closing in and locking onto Rin’s own made him straighten minutely, standing his ground and resisting the urge to back away. 

The surroundings quieted, and for the time being, Rin couldn’t tell whether it was because people had filtered out of the classroom to make their way to the labs, or if they were simply waiting for something to happen between the two students – curious and tense, as if watching a plane lose control right above your head. Either way, he didn’t have the spare energy to be able to focus on that when someone who was clearly oozing bloodlust was standing right in front of him. 

For someone who was nearly two metres tall from what Rin could tell, the single step forward brought him right to Rin’s face, intruding upon his personal space. 

Scrutinising the Octavinelle student’s figure, the corners of Rin’s lips tugged downwards in a contemplating frown.

Was it too late to leave? 

Floyd grinned, sharp teeth, menacing smile and all, laughing lightly in a way that Rin could only describe as endlessly enthralled by Rin’s mere existence.

“Floyd’s fine, Anko-chan~”  

…Anglerfish? Like, the type that has wide, gaping jaws? The one from Finding Nemo??

What was with people giving him nicknames??? 

And hold on a second. The voice of the boy in front of him was oddly familiar. Sing-songy and dragged out, taking on a permanent, somewhat grating tone of amusement. 

“‘Anko-chan’?” Rin said instead, raising a tired yet questioning brow. With his entire body echoing his thoughts, “explain” was what he got across. Rin was getting an extreme sense of deja vu right now. This feeling that was emerging within him once more was hauntingly similar to the flash of emotions that he’d try to keep in check when Rook called him any name other than his own. 

“An~ko-chan.” Floyd enunciated pleasantly in a cheery voice, “can I give you a nice squeeze?” Floyd asked, taking another step towards Rin, ignoring the latter’s prompt to elaborate on the name. 

The black-haired boy stood dumbfounded by the direction of the conversation. Instead of getting answers to his queries, the boy in front of him was just creating more questions by the second. Not to mention the fact that being “squeezed” sounded extremely ominous. 

“No thanks… I’ll pass on that?” 

Don’t merfolk have stronger physical capabilities compared to humans? Rin pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off his exhaustion, even as Floyd tilted his head, still smiling at the action. It was only nine-seventeen in the damn morning and already Rin wanted to go back to Pomefiore and sleep. Does “squeezing” mean hugging? Or does it mean crushing the person’s ribcage?

The worst thing was that Rin couldn’t even tell which one it was from the way Floyd had stretched out his arms. 

“‘s a shame I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer.” His words were still expressive and bouncy, yet Rin couldn’t help but feel like a single thread was holding the situation together, drawn taut and ready to snap. It was like a perfectly balanced scale with a single feather floating down on one side – an impending tilt to witness.

“...then, Leech-san, perhaps another time?” Rin deigned to suggest a compromise instead, “we have to head to our next lesson right now, so I’ll let you… squeeze me later during lunch?” The tone of his voice towards the end lifted slightly, effective in telling of his confusion. 

A horribly high-strung atmosphere descended upon the room. Sparing a small glance towards the door, Rin could see other students hesitating to enter the class due to them. Trein had left the room at some point to get who-knows-what, so really, Rin couldn’t rely on some sort of authority figure to break things up if the situation took a turn for the worse. 

“Hmmm,” Floyd seemed to ponder for a second before brightening, sparks shining in his mismatched eyes. “Fine then, Anko-chan. It’s a promise.” Floyd’s voice dropped a few pitches, deepening with the promise that seemed more like a threat. 

Although he had managed to avoid the situation for now, Rin couldn’t breathe a sigh of relief. Something in the air didn’t quite settle down the way it should’ve. 

“Nee, Anko-chan. Didn’t I tell you to call me Floyd? How come you aren’t doing it? Keep this up, and I might just squeeze the life out of ya later.” He chirped, grinning widely and maniacally. 

Rin’s jaw tightened. “Well, we don’t really know each other that well, so it feels a bit odd to call each other by our first na—” 

“Anko-chan.” Floyd cut off, a smile falling from his face entirely, which made goosebumps rise on Rin’s arms. “You know, you’re starting to get on my nerves. Do I have to say it again?” Rin furrowed his brows. “Perhaps it’ll be better if I wring you instead.” 

“...alright, Floyd-san. You’ve made your point.” 

And all of a sudden, the two-metre tall man returned to his oddly exuberant self. “My point?” 

Respectfully, what the fuck just happened.

“Nevermind, it’s nothing.” Rin waved off as he picked up his bag and exited the class, walking along the corridor without waiting for Floyd. “We need to get to our next class.” He muttered, speeding up his footsteps the moment he turned a corner. 

Floyd followed him easily, catching up to Rin quickly, much to the latter’s dismay. 

“Ja, if it’s weird callin’ me Floyd because you don’t know me well, there’s no point being so hung up over it.” Floyd hummed lazily, falling into a steady walking pace. 

At the back of his mind, Rin knew that the next thing Floyd would say wouldn’t be a good thing. And yet, as with Rook, all he could do at this point was ask. 

“...What do you mean by that?” 

“We have class together, so I’m sure Anko-chan will get to know me a lot more in the future.” Floyd snickered, as if he could hear the way Rin’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.

Did this mean he had to deal with— with this for the foreseeable future?

Rin kept his head low and allowed his face to contort into a somewhat pained expression behind his facemask. 

Can I just…… not?

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“Puppy,” Crewel locked eyes with Rin as he shooed the other students away to their next class. “Stay behind for a second.” 

Rin nodded, packing up the two extraordinarily heavy textbooks he had received into his bag. Alchemy and Advanced Alchemy.  

Starting from scratch in his second lesson of the day wasn’t as bad as he thought. 

Well, almost. 

There were definitely plants, poisons and terms that Rin recognised, so it wasn’t entirely going into the subject blind, but the uses of the herbs in potions and alchemy were completely foreign to him. In addition to the herbs he recognised, like rosemary, thyme and sage, there were countless more that Rin had never even heard of before, like graveroot, ember seeds, and Yizhu saplings. Even the grey-ish yellow algae plant that grows on top of water called dusk angels. 

Names were one thing. Function, uses and characteristics? They were a separate matter. 

The moment Floyd left the class— of course, not before giving Rin another look that said “remember our promise~” —Rin felt the muscles in his shoulders loosen and relax. 

“I see that you’ve failed to take my advice,” Crewel muttered, eyeing the door with an almost exasperated look on his face. “I assumed you wanted to lay low. Well, as low as you can even in spite of what occurred at the ceremony. Was I mistaken?” 

“You’re not mistaken,” The corners of his eyes crinkled, at a loss of words. His wry smile was obscured by his mask, but Crewel could probably tell what emotion he was sensing vaguely from the way his eyes mimicked the energy of his smile, exhausted. 

“You attract the most interesting people, little puppy, it’s only the first day of school and already you have one of the Leech twins on your tail.” The black-and-white haired man clicked his tongue as his hands tidied up the pile of worksheets the class had just handed in. 

“...You say that as if you already know it’s a bad thing,” Rin commented. He knew that Floyd Leech was going to be a wrench in his plans as an average student, but maybe the interest would wane soon. 

Just like everyone should, slowly, people will realise that Rin isn’t a very talented nor interesting person. And hopefully, that would do the trick. 

(Or at least, Rin wasn’t a very talented and interesting person… if he didn’t show off specific skills. As long as he kept certain things strictly to himself and was careful not to slip up, it should be okay.

…In theory that is.)

“Anyway,” Rin shook his head, trying to get rid of the sense of looming dread for lunch to arrive. “You wanted to speak with me?”

Cool grey eyes flitted to brush past Rin’s features, dark wispy eyeshadow emphasising his bold, black eyeliner. 

“It’s nothing big,” Crewel dismissed with a wave of his crop. The jingling of accessories at the end of the teaching tool tickled Rin’s ears, but otherwise, the boy remained focused on the professor’s words. “Although we met yesterday, I wanted to check in with you again. Did you manage to find the books I recommended?” 

Rin nodded, a faint smile that resonated a little more genuinely sparkled in his eyes. “I found them in the library after I met with you. Thanks for the list, it’s been really helpful so far.” He said softly, “‘Merfolk, Therianthropes and Magical Creatures’ was most interesting to me since my world doesn’t have such things.” 

“Fascinating,” Crewel breathed, taking a seat in his chair, “is there no magic at all?” 

“Nope. The only magic we have are regular magic tricks. Ones that rely on optical illusions and sleight of hand more than anything else.”

“Hmm. I’d understand if magical creatures didn’t exist in your world if there is no magic, but to think that merfolk and therianthropes don’t exist either… how peculiar.” 

Rin snorted quietly, “It’s not that we don’t have them. They’re not alive, but there’s a lot of literature and mythological records of mermaids and sirens. Magical creatures like griffins and manticores were mainly a part of fantasy novels and games. When I read through the section on magical creatures, I was pretty surprised by how many were also a part of mythology back in my world. Ten out of ten, would not recommend.” 

“Such strange parallels. I’m sure it was quite an experience.” The grey-eyed man chuckled. “It’s nice to see that a student is taking the initiative to learn more about such topics.” His face fell flat as his brows furrowed, “unlike the rest of the hooligans in this school.” 

The black-haired boy tilted his head, “I’m just reading common-sense knowledge though. Stuff that everyone already knows, which is why I have to catch up quickly.” 

The professor chuckled lightly, “It’s good to have enthusiasm, but it wouldn’t be wise to rush the acquisition of knowledge, even if you’re in dire need of it. With the curriculum at Night Raven being so competitive, as well as your role as a teaching assistant, getting through the books I’ve recommended in the next few months would already be considered significant progress.” 

“.........next few months?” Rin blinked owlishly. 

“Yes, puppy. Months. Some of the books I mentioned are actually taught alongside high school. Many of the writers are famous researchers and magicians.” 

“.........”

An awkward pause settled as Crewel’s eyes snapped back to Rin’s own, glaring at the latter with suspicious, dawning realisation.

“You finished reading them, didn’t you.” He stated more than asked. 

Rin shrugged lightly before stilling beneath Crewel’s harsh stare. 

“...I did.” He admitted, licking his lips to try and find a way out of his current predicament. “But I’m only half-way through ‘A Trip Through Time’ and ‘101 Fun Facts About the World’.” He amended, but it didn’t seem to be helping his case from the way the dual-toned man inhaled sharply, holding his breath for a few seconds before exhaling. 

“Answer me honestly,” He warned, “how long did you spend and how long did you sleep?” 

“Eight hours and… five-and-a-half hours? Respectively.” 

“Puppy,” Crewel’s voice darkened. “It’s supposed to at least be the opposite way around.” Red gloves the colour of wine pinched the bridge of his nose. “At least tell me you ate to refuel.” 

“The Pomefiore dinner was delicious.” 

“What about the cafeteria lunch that I told you to eat directly after our talk?” Crewel fired back at him. 

“It was good too.” Rin lied instinctively, holding Crewel’s unconvinced gaze for a moment with clear translucent eyes, light reflecting from the window. 

“What did you get?”

“...Spaghetti.” 

The man fumed. “Don’t try to lie and get away with something like this. I’d much rather you be honest.”

Rin knitted his brows, eyes contemplative. “What gave it away?”

“The school doesn’t sell spaghetti on Mondays.” Crewel grit out, seemingly at the limits of his patience as he muttered in a language Rin didn’t recognise. 

“Moving on before I get an aneurysm,” Crewel sighed, and suddenly, the left wall of the classroom looked quite intricate and detailed. “Have you gotten a new phone? 

Rin hummed in confirmation. 

“There’s a school app called ‘NRaven’, and on the contents page, there’s a link to student subject information. Once you open it, there will be an explanation about the different subjects in NRC and the available electives. All you have to do is read through them and fill in the online form.”

The boy nodded along, promising to deal with it during lunch. 

Ripping off a piece of paper from a small notepad, Crewel scribbled some numbers and handed the slip to Rin. “Here’s my phone number. Contact me if you have any pressing issues that simply can’t wait.” 

Rin took the paper with a small laugh. “Wouldn’t this be favouritism, Crewel-sensei?” 

“Professor Crewel to you now, puppy.” Crewel reminded. “Your situation is special, and being one of the only two people in this world who know of your little secret— the other being that unreliable headmaster of yours —it’d be more efficient to give you my number so that you can contact me in case of emergencies.”

“Fair enough.” 

“Now, off you go to your next lesson. I’m sure your next teacher won’t mind too much that I’ve held you up for a while. Remember to eat lunch and go to sleep. We wouldn’t want you collapsing within the first week of school.” Crewel scowled at the thought before smoothening his expression out into a smile. 

Bowing his head and suppressing a shiver, Rin waved goodbye and ran down the stairs.

Ancient Curses and Incantations. The subject that he’d be involved in as a teaching assistant. 

As a result of his speed-walking, soon enough, Rin found himself in front of a large chocolatey-wooden door. Twisting the silver handle of the door open, the first thing that greeted him was a middle-aged man with greying black hair. Some wrinkles yielding from older age appeared in the corner of those grey eyes as the man smiled, turning to face Rin.

“Welcome.” 

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Omake 1:

“Lucius,” The elegantly dressed professor flicked his lead-grey eyes onto his familiar. Lucius perked up at the sound of his name and turned from where he was lazily lounging on the teacher’s desk, basking in the molten sunlight. “It is now twice that you have willingly approached the same student, without being for animal language exercises during class.” 

“Is it because you’re curious about the ancient language? Or is it something else?” 

Lucius’ tail swung casually as the black cat sat upright, releasing a low, guttural meow. 

Mozus Trein frowned lightly, puzzled. “Pardon me?” 

The cat yawned, whiskers twitching. “Mrrrrow.”  

“A weird feeling you say…” Mozus trailed off. 

It wasn’t often that Lucius took the initiative to seek out humans other than himself. With all the years that the cat had been Mozus’ familiar, Trein could say with great certainty that he was fairly familiar with the cat’s personality. 

Usually, Lucius complied with helping with the Animal Language classes that Trein taught, conversing with the students as practice alongside the other animals kept in the far left side of the botanical garden. But without prompting, Lucius tended to stay away from most students. Or perhaps at most, he wouldn’t mind them if they existed near him, as long as they didn’t try to interact with him. 

But with Rin Hattori— the student that can presumably speak Old Trade —Lucius had approached him twice. Once during the school tour, and another time this morning during registration. 

What part of him is drawing Lucius in? 

Cats were curious creatures. There is a reason why the saying “curiosity killed the cat” exists after all. But for some reason, Mozus couldn’t shake the feeling that it was something else about Hattori that made his familiar behave in such an odd manner. 

“You’re saying that something feels weird about Hattori-kun?” 

A growl rumbled from Lucius’ throat. 

“Different? Not weird, but different.” Mozus stared blankly, but his eyes never lost their intensity.

“Mrrrrrr.”

It seemed that Hattori being “weird” and being “different” was considered as distinct and separate in Lucius’ perspective. The former echoed a sense of unease or being unaccustomed to the strangeness, whilst the latter could exist more peacefully as merely a different air that wasn’t necessarily unpleasant. 

“Hm.” Trein pondered, different thoughts and ideas swarming his mind. Was it because of Hattori hailing from a place far from here? Was it because of the child’s personality? 

Sighing, Mozus waved his theories away when Lucius meowed once more. “It’s fine to treat Hattori-kun the way you are currently if that’s what you wish. But be sure not to go overboard. He looked quite uncomfortable this morning.” He remarked, earning a small wheeze from his familiar. 

At least Hattori seemed to be a relatively good student, he thought, a vague shadow of a smile ghosting the corners of his lips. Thinking back to the student’s piercing and concentrating brown eyes that focused on him throughout his lesson, Muzus couldn’t help but have high hopes for this unique student. 

Looks like there’s more to that child that meets the eye. Trein brushed his aged hands over Lucius’ beautiful and healthy coat. 

Omake 2:

Short, neatly styled black hair fixed into place by a plastic clip, red acrylic cherries – the colour of his eyes. Pale features twitched upon detecting the aroma of food from the dorm kitchen. 

Someone’s cooking? He tilted his head to peek through the gap of the door where artificial light was peaking into the slightly darker hallways. 

Ah, Beau withheld a whistle. It was the famous first year of their dorm. One that caused arguably as much ruckus as Draconia the year he entered the school.

Beau had seen Rook escort Rin Hattori towards the dining hall. And he could’ve sworn the second year in question took the long route. And well, Beau couldn’t suppress his curiosity towards the new student, especially if they’ve garnered Rook’s attention so easily. 

Well, Beau was going to approach the boy anyway from what happened at the ceremony, but he supposed Rook made it easier to identify the first year. He hadn’t talked to Hattori yet, but he did make sure to sit somewhere he could inconspicuously spare a glance towards Rin Hattori’s seat. 

Debating whether or not he should walk in and start up a conversation, Beau eyed the bags under the boy’s soft brown eyes, saw the concentration in the blank expression of the student, and merely shrugged to himself. 

Perhaps the conversation would be saved for a later date, he mused, walking away as quietly as he came. 

Omake 3:

Yule didn’t know what he was expecting when he entered the classroom. The fact that his homeroom teacher was Professor Trein didn’t make it much better. He had heard stories from the second years in Scarabia about Trein’s strict nature, so he couldn’t help but feel nervousness bubbling in his veins.

Swinging the door open half filled with dread, Yule lifted his head and noted how whispers filtered across the room. Conscious of the protruding antlers on the top of his head, branching upwards, Yule bit the corners of his lips. 

However, this time, it seemed that none of the voices were directed towards him. 

Following the eyes of everyone in the room wasn’t difficult, and eventually, Yule gazed upon the person who had garnered such a reaction from his new classmates. 

A boy with black hair sat in the third-to-last row, one seat away from the window. A long black braid hung neatly at his side as the boy paid the murmurs around him no mind, instead focusing on the cat that had perched on his desk. 

Professor Trein’s familiar…? Yule’s light green eyes widened. And this scent……

Many people notice the way deers flick their ears and pause, as if their hearing had picked up on something in the distance, but many also forget that deers have a keener sense of smell compared to their hearing. 

Rin Hattori. The student who invoked a rather unique response from the Mirror of Darkness. 

Yule had to admit – it’d be a lie to say he wasn’t wary of this fellow classmate of his. That display with the headmaster really was something.  

But he supposed his caution was mixed in with his curiosity as well, and surely everyone else was the same. 

Yule glanced at the blackboard and noted the position of his seat mentally before making his way quietly to the fourth row from the front. Glancing back at the masked boy, Yule shifted his eyes to the cat that continued to stare, undeterred. 

Wasn’t there the saying that people who animals liked were good people? Yule pondered to himself. Perhaps he’ll reserve his judgement for now. After all, wouldn’t it be better to get to know the guy before he formed a solidified impression of him. 

Looking back at the boy, Yule caught a glimmer in those creamy-chestnut eyes that resembled the beautiful marbling of a polished riverstone. Unmistakably, those eyes were soft, kind in a sense. A word that Yule didn’t think he’d use to describe someone who had pointed a knife at the headmaster. 

Rin Hattori had a look on his face— well, his eyes, since Yule couldn’t really see the rest of his face —that resembled the neighbourhood children when they found a stray cat. Resisting the urge to pet yet still moved by the cat’s presence. 

What a… good person. That’s what his instincts were telling him, and Yule supposed that once in a while, it wouldn’t be that bad listening to his gut. 

Omake 4: 

Scoop, fold over, tighten, shape, repeat. 

Rin turned the triangular onigiri in his hand around with practised ease, having long grown used to the sensation of hot rice against his bare skin. The familiar motions comforted a gnawing itch in his mind, a part of him settling, if only for a while. Wrapping the rice ball in plastic wrap as he used to do for Megumi’s lunchboxes, Rin started to arrange items within his own newly-acquired lunchbox.

The sight of dishes so well-known to him that he could probably cook them in his sleep is a welcome sight. A part of him feels grim, looking upon this physical evidence of home. 

Even if it’s the same food, inevitably, some things are different. For one, he couldn’t find any sushi vinegar available and had to make do with his makeshift apple cider vinegar and sugar substitute. 

Rin hoped that it was a simple issue of stocking. Perhaps people in this school weren’t familiar with sushi, or perhaps they weren’t fond of the taste. Or maybe they just weren’t inclined to make it themselves. 

What Rin would give right now for some simple miso. What he’d give for some mirin. Even the rice tasted different, but he supposed he’d have to get over it.

And literally, ginger? Why wasn’t there any ginger in this kitchen?? 

After some digging around, Rin had eventually found ginger in the fridge, but had immediately put it back upon giving it a feel. It was a wise decision on his part not to use the ginger. 

(He shuddered, not knowing how he should react to cold and sickeningly squishy ginger.)

Putting away the final parts of his lunch, Rin ate the leftovers slowly, gaining his appetite little by little as he progressed through the meal. The flavours he had eaten time and time again contrasted against the western style of dinner that he was presented with last night. 

After doing the dishes, washing them clean before drying them with a tea towel, Rin made his way back to his room, putting his lunchbox in his bag, ready for the day. 

Sitting on the window sill, Rin couldn’t help but glance at the students that were starting to rouse and leave the dorm for breakfast at the cafeteria. As more and more students filtered out of the dorm, Rin felt as if time had come to a stop. 

A small sparrow— or what looked like a sparrow —landed on the ledge of his opened window. Chirping once, twice, it flew away with brown eyes trailing in its wake. 

With a sigh spoken from his heart, Rin couldn’t help but slump his shoulders in resignation. 

The first school day was going to begin.

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Chapter Text

“Welcome.” An amicable smile was directed towards him. There was a hint of something behind that gaze that Rin couldn’t quite pinpoint, but if he had to put a name to it, he’d say that it would be curiosity.

A lingering question, a persisting and crackling interest. 

The professor of Ancient Curses and Incantations wore a cream, knitted turtleneck with black pants and a chocolate-brown blazer. Black gloves and black shoes shone under the natural light from the windows, with the silver-rimmed glasses gleaming where they rested on the man’s face. 

Neat black hair that fell short right about the shoulders had streaks of grey starting to show. If not for the prevalence of wrinkles that started to show on the man’s skin, Rin would’ve thought that it was an aesthetic decision. His hair was half-up half-down, fixed into a bun cleanly with no stray strands. Grey eyes were soft and friendly— something that made Rin immediately wary —but there was something familiar about the look that the professor was giving. 

Vaguely, it reminded Rin of the elderly man that sold tofu a few blocks away from where he lived. 

“You’re just on time. You must be my new teaching assistant.” A soft and deep voice sounded. In contrast to the pleasant voice, the content of the sentence made Rin grimace internally. 

What teaching assistant? Rin wanted to beat himself up for allowing this to happen to himself. He didn’t even know the subject thoroughly enough to warrant being a TA. 

Although Rin briefly scoured the internet for an overview on Ancient Curses and Incantations knowing that it would put him in the spotlight the next day, admittedly, he put more focus on areas of knowledge that were common sense to those who inhabited this world. He was more concerned about the regular and little things rather than whether he’d be able to help teach the subject. With how unfamiliar he was with magic, knowing more about the subject probably wouldn’t have helped him much anyway. 

English was key in the subject, something that Rin had absolute confidence in. But anything other than that would be his meagre attempt at winging this whole fiasco. 

Rin’s walnut-coloured eyes flicked to the seats in the lecture hall where Crewel had held the basic introductory information session. More people showed up than the day before, but perhaps that was due to it being an actual class with attendance to be taken rather than an optional talk about NRC. 

Scanning his eyes across all the first years, Rin recognised a few familiar faces, including a pair of teal-haired twins that Rin knew he had to deal with later, noting with growing dread the sinister smiles that stretched across their faces when the professor spoke. The boy with silvery-white hair that sat next to the other twin looked at him with mildly-concealed interest, which Rin didn’t really know whether to appreciate or not. 

Other than the three Octavinelle students, Rin recognised a particular sleepy student from Diasomnia he encountered the day before, as well as a particular hyena therianthrope that gave him an unreadable look, pursed lips, furrowed brows and all. When their eyes met, the Savanaclaw student gave Rin one of the most aggravating smiles known to man. 

Clicking his tongue internally, Rin gave a nonchalant yet polite nod towards the professor, ignoring the murmuring that had started up once again.

The elder smiled, “I’m glad you were able to get here without any trouble. My name is Goth Ameld. You may call me Professor Ameld. And your name is…?”

The knowing smile implied that he knew, yet the fact that he still asked for Rin’s name made him think that perhaps this was the professor's unique way of explaining to the rest of the students in his year why he was the teaching assistant when he was a freshman like them. 

“Rin Hattori,” he replied, not giving a damn anymore. Even though he expected it, the room burst into noise. Chattering filled the air and echoed against the walls relentlessly. 

It wasn’t like he could hide his name from his teacher, Rin exhaled, resigned. Especially the teacher he’d be helping. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Ameld said, oddly cheerful. At the sound of his voice, the room quieted down significantly. “Now, go ahead and take a seat. Front row please. It’s a little lonely to have everyone want to sit so far back.” He laughed heartily. 

Rin stared blankly at the first row being awkwardly left empty and was inadvertently reminded of assemblies where the first row would always be left unused and neglected. 

Helplessly, Rin did as he was told and set his bag on the seat next to him. Leaning back and folding his arms, the black-haired boy resolutely ignored the piercing stares brimming with curiosity from behind him. 

“Alright everyone,” Grey eyes crinkled in unspoken wisdom. “Shall we begin?” 

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Such an aura was hard to achieve, and Goth would admit this aloud without hesitation. 

Rin Hattori was the boy that shook the inhabitants of Night Raven College to their core. Not once had an individual that spoke Old Trade ever arrived at the school. Goth could count on a single hand the number of people who knew a mere handful of common phrases in the dead language. The fact that a boy so young could understand and even speak it left many questions unanswered. 

Single handedly, the boy had become both an object of apprehension and fascination. 

(A small portion of fear was reasonable as well, but it was as reasonable as one’s natural instinctive fear against the unknown. 

That kind of fear was unlikely to last long, and it certainly wasn’t the same type of fear students associated with the heir of— as the locals would call it —Briar Valley, rather than the Valley of Thorns.

No, because it wasn’t that instinctive terror that one experienced when they faced an opponent who was leaps and bounds more powerful than they were. And no, it wasn’t that bone-crushing, heart-palpitating, adrenaline-driven fear that arose when it all boiled down to prey and predator, to eat or be eaten, the fight for survival.

It was the fear of someone who was simply shrouded in mystery, unable to be determined as a personal ally or foe.)

Black hair looked well-taken care of, resembling the lustrous black silk Goth had seen old-fashioned merchants collect in his travels. One of the highest quality exported-goods from the Valley of Thorns was fabrics and thread after all, and Goth could remember the many times he had visited the land of faes like it was only yesterday. 

Briefly, Goth wondered if the boy was sick with the way he wore a facemask. Even so, he brushed it off. 

Kids these days and their fashion choices. He mused. 

(Perhaps his age was finally catching up to him)

Hattori’s brown eyes were odd, not in the sense that they were ugly, Sevens no. It wasn’t like brown eyes never existed before. The popular actor from Royal Sword Academy had brown eyes and black hair as well. 

Rather than the colour of those piercing orbs themself, Goth found the cold firmness and unimaginably observant gaze behind those eyes quite peculiar. Yet inexplicably, there was a sense of dead calm within his posture that killed any inkling of feeling that Rin Hattori was uneasy. 

It was strange to see such a look on a student, so young, too young. Goth expected it from students like Kingscholar and Draconia, but never a human child. 

“It’s good to see everyone turn up today,” He started off slowly, as if trying to ease his mind into the regular way classes were introduced. There wasn’t any need to overwhelm the little children, was there? “As you know, I’m Professor Ameld, in charge of any and everything to do with ancient curses and ancient incantations at NRC.” 

Goth smiled, “Many of you must be wondering why this class is so large compared to your other courses.” 

A few murmurs sounded in agreement, which Goth took as a delightful sign to continue talking. “This is mainly due to the nature of the subject.” 

“With many of your other classes, practical application of your knowledge is often required. However, with this course, the first years are more focused on learning what exactly curses and incantations are, as well as what exactly magical spells, in and of itself, are. As opposed to the second year classes which are split into two groups, more focused on casting and performing the spells.” The man explained, turning his back to draw on the blackboard before continuing on. “Now, it’d be a lie to say that ancient curses and incantations is an easy course, but perhaps understanding why exactly we study it would interest you youngsters a bit more.” 

‘Words have power.’ He wrote, the tapping of chalk clicked but didn’t screech. The sound bounced across the tall ceilings and around the room effortlessly, as if deliberately carried further by wind sprites. Underlining the words twice, he turned to face the crowd of teenagers. “As this implies, and as many of you may have heard when you were younger – there is power in words itself. With a strong enough intent and concentration, magical power can be used to manifest that power into reality.” 

“It is said by historians that people of ancient times, those belonging in the time of magic, created magical spells by accident. Simply by offering an honest prayer to the god that they worshipped at that time.” Goth grinned, “The language of those ancient spells was Old Trade, which had died out during the First Great War, shortly before the Age of the Great Seven.” 

The First Great War. The major war between fae-kind and humans was bloody and devastating as any and all war is. Many innocents were killed, with much of the history that could be taken from those who survived the massacres and from the barely-standing stone walls and carvings yielding to be quite scarce.  

Not much is known about the period before the rise of the Great Seven, only that people used magic in an inherently different way from how they used it in modern day. 

Many of the students looked towards Rin Hattori, curiously wary of the boy. For students like them, it was hard to even imagine a time before the Great Seven, which made it all the more puzzling that someone would be so closely connected to a language so old. 

And for students like them, this was a rather tame reaction. Goth had long since gotten used to the way that those who attend NRC, much to Crewel’s chagrin, were never friendly creatures. Although everyone seemed to view Rin Hattori with sceptical confusion, Goth eyed some interested and rather… overjoyed expressions.

His new teaching assistant kept his eyes resolutely on Goth, which made the latter restrain a light chuckle from bubbling from his throat. 

“Although the ancient language of runes was said to have died out, with much of the ancient texts burned in the chaos, other ancient languages from isolated populations of different cultural origins build the basis of what we know of ancient magic. Most of NRC’s syllabus focuses on Latin and Shan seal script. However,” The older man grinned. “Rin Hattori-kun here is rather knowledgeable about Old Trade.” Goth ignored the faint glower that Hattori sent him, visible to no one but himself. “More so than I am, which is why the headmaster has decided to change the curriculum a little to match our upgrade in human resources.” 

He glanced at Hattori, smiling apologetically at the burning attention from his peers. 

(Latin???? So French being called French wasn’t a thing but Latin is fine???)

The history and scarce number of spells available of Old Trade was a common unit to teach regarding ancient relics and arts. The oldest tomes and grimoires were recorded in Old Trade, yet much of the texts found from the ancient eras were too damaged to decipher. 

If the fact that the language was a lost language wasn’t bad enough, there were small sections of cursive scripts that had barely survived through the centuries that Goth had come across in his days as a researcher of the forbidden and ancient arts. Any sort of evidence for Old Trade was priceless, but the texts were nigh unreadable. Furthermore, any attempt at recalling the memories or the remnants of those who contacted the damaged grimoires had exploded a whole underground facility, thankfully without any deaths, so it was never from a lack of trying. Simply put, it was too dangerous to meddle with the ancient spells of the past, not knowing the hidden powers within any wrong move. 

“Of course, we’ll be able to make use of Hattori-kun’s knowledge much better at a later date after we get through this introduction.” Goth coughed, continuing. “Words and phrases used to invoke magic are called incantations. Although there are some basic spells that can be casted non-verbally, the heavily personal nature of magic results in the magician’s imagination and emotional health playing a heavy role in the effect of the incantation over complex spells. The more appropriate the incantation, the better the effect. The more complex the spell…” 

Goth flicked his wrist, his magic pen following the motion with a tell-tale gleam. Immediately, an orb of water the size of a person’s head appeared in the air in front of him. 

Letting the droplet fall to the basin he had prepared ahead of time, Goth spoke in a clear and steady voice. “Hyades, those who watch over nature’s natural cleansing, hear my prayer and bestow upon us the blessed rain.” A dark puff of cloud formed above the large basin and steadily, rain started to pour from the cloud. 

“The more complex the spell, the more advanced the incantation.” Goth repeated, “simply conjuring water into existence from the moisture in the air can be considered straightforward, however, creating a rain cloud or a storm would be much more difficult if you tried to do so mentally.” With a quick swish, the cloud disappeared into nothingness. 

“Not to mention the fact that verbal incantations ‘give life’ to the spell and show stronger intent than simply keeping the incantation to oneself.”

Pausing, he wrote two more words on the board: universal and personal.  

“There are ‘universally’ accepted incantations, such as the common ‘fireball’, and there are incantations that are more personalised to the individual. Due to magic being closely linked to emotion and intent, the way that spells work often stem from having a unique meaning to each magician, which requires and allows them to tailor more elaborate spells to their own needs.” The elderly man that looked no older than forty years of age clapped his hands. 

“In this class, for now, you’ll study both universal and historically significant incantations of past magicians, how to decipher Latin and seal script, as well as the meanings behind unique incantations of past magicians.” At the mention of unique magic, most of the students perked up a little. 

“Understanding incantations is the first step to developing your unique magic, if you haven’t already done so.” Goth noted the way Rin sat unfazed by the mention of it. 

“Unique magic incantations must have a personal connection to the magician, and can be as long or short as needed. Understanding the way incantations work will help both your practical magic skills as well as aid the progress of finding your unique magic.”

“Now, I’ve talked for long enough. As a class, discuss with your peers and we’ll come back to this question in ten minutes. Those who’ve developed unique magic, as long as you’re willing, share your experience and your experience with the incantation itself. How did it come about? Those without unique magic or are not quite comfortable sharing your UM, think back to any spells you’ve performed. It’s helpful to recognise the difference in how mental incantations and verbal incantations work in the long term.” Goth beckoned Rin over with his hand. 

“Hattori-kun, let us discuss a few things while we wait, shall we?”

The reluctant look painted on Rin’s face made Goth chuckle. Students were all different flavours of problem children and Rin Hattori was no exception. Nonetheless, Ameld wouldn’t have it any other way. 

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“I heard from Headmaster Crowley that you have no experience with magic, yes?” 

Rin nodded without any semblance of hesitation. The extra chair he sat next to the blackboard was too conspicuous at the front of the room, but he supposed he had to make do. 

Such information regarding his lack of magical experience was pointless to hide from the teachers. It was easy to catch such a simple lie, even with the amount of background reading he’s done so far, the lack of actual experience is what’ll catch him out. Instead of trying to bulldoze and bluff his way through, insisting that he was familiar with magic, it’d be safer to simply be honest and say that he didn’t learn anything to do with it due to where he grew up as well as having thought to have been magicless his whole life. 

Afterall, only ten percent of the human population was capable of using magic. All fae are able to use magic, and perhaps roughly thirty percent of therianthropes, including mermen, were able to use magic. NRC housed the cream of the crop so to speak. 

“Interesting,” Ameld smiled, eyes contemplating in a way that sent a shiver down Rin’s back. “So, what do you think about magic so far? From what I’ve said about spell incantations, what’s your take?” 

Rin paused for a moment, letting the question sink in and digest, settling in the pit of his stomach, fizzing and dissolving as he picked it apart piece by piece. 

“It all kind of reminds me of singing.” Rin settled on a basic answer that rang true for him, “for most songs, the lyrics tend to match the emotions and message.” 

“You’re right,” the grey-eyed man laughed quietly, fascinated by how well Rin was taking to the concept, enough that he could come up with his own analogy. “I’ll say this to the class again in a moment, but to put it simply, magic is just an advanced form of autosuggestion. In a way, it’s a word association game with your imagination. In fact, the ancient runic language should, in theory, be the most efficient for achieving this.” 

Rin raised his brows, “does that mean singing in Old Trade with enough emotion and intent can trigger a spell?” 

Ameld smiled, “bingo! Or well, that’s the theory since no one’s ever been able to do it. What you said with singing being similar to magic makes a lot of sense if you think about it this way, as it’s likely that the first appearance of magic was discovered this way. However, due to the language being wiped out, most modern spells are in Common rather than Old Trade.”

“So… if you sang in Common and had enough intent and emotion, would you invoke a spell?” 

“Not exactly,” Ameld, despite his age, gave the look of someone who was just given free licence to talk about their favourite topic without consequences. 

… Not that the man would have any consequences in rambling due to being a teacher. 

“It is unsure of what exactly the reason is, but Common doesn’t seem to be as powerful as what was recorded for Old Trade. From ancient grimoires from later on in history, written in common, or even Latin and seal script, it’s said that the same spells in Old Trade require less concentration and yield a better result compared to chanting in Common. No unnecessary syllables to waste magic on.” The professor explained, “no books written in Old Trade were safe from the purge of old magic texts, which is why the only things we know about Old Trade are through generations upon generations of spells that have simply been passed down as common knowledge.”

Rin gave a weird look internally, thinking back to the small notebook from the library. 

If there weren’t supposed to be any more books in Old Trade left, then what the hell was that? The literal book written in English that he had opened right in the middle of that library. 

And what did it mean for him if he was able to speak, read, listen and write Old Trade? 

……Suddenly, Rin felt that he had charged Crowley too little for his deal. 

“Is there anything in particular that I should help with for future classes? According to my timetable, I’m supposed to sit in with the classes of students in the years above us as well.” Rin questioned, a bit put off by Ameld’s benign smile. 

“Well, Crowley already let me know that you approach Old Trade as just another ordinary language, so perhaps if you have the time,” Rin didn’t have spare time, but what could he say? “Maybe read up a little about Ancient Curses and Incantations. We’ll approach this slowly and make use of your knowledge fully. It might be interesting to teach Old Trade as a language and have the lesson split, half with you taking charge whilst the other half, I’ll improvise and work with whatever you cover and everything that’s relevant or important on the syllabus.” 

With how nonchalantly the man was speaking about changing the whole year's teaching plan, a part of Rin’s mind didn’t think there even was a specific syllabus they had to follow. 

Rin nodded his head up and down gently, tilting his head. Even so, it didn’t sound too bad. It wouldn’t be much different from the times he had to tutor his classmates with English. 

“A bonus for me would be that I’d get to learn everything alongside the class, afterall, I presume we won’t have the time for a one-on-one crash course of Old Trade considering how complex it is, but if we mitigate that by having you send me emails or voice recordings of things you discover as you broaden your knowledge on this……” The older man stroked his imaginary beard, and all of a sudden, Rin felt that perhaps the professor’s true intentions were coming out. It seemed that the man’s desire to learn more about Old Trade made him willingly relinquish part of his authority over his students to Rin, and actually make himself a student of Rin. 

“Something like research logs?” Rin hesitated, receiving a bright smile in return.

“Yep,” Ameld relied, “you don’t have to worry about it being professional or anything. Just hearing about your thought process as someone who knows Old Trade but not anything about magic would be ground-breaking.”

I’m going to kill myself, Rin thought darkly, the thought lingering at the back of his mind knowing full well his words were jestful in nature. 

“Time’s up children.” Ameld clapped his hands, with the noise falling still almost immediately. Rin frowned. The fact that the term wasn’t directed towards him specifically made him feel slightly better. 

It was strange how he didn’t quite cringe over being called ‘puppy’ but was finding it mildly off-putting to be addressed as ‘children’.  

Fifteen is still a child, Koro-sensei had chided, which was repeated once again by the therapist he’d started to see after what happened during summer break, only the number was just one bigger. Although Rin had to admit to the fact that it was true, it didn’t make him any less disgruntled at being treated as such.

The professor turned to Rin, silvery eyes snapping onto his warm brown orbs. “You can go ahead and take your seat, Hattori-kun. I wanted to give you an introduction of the subject today, and although I’m sure it’s rather overwhelming, it’ll make things easier for the both of us in the long run.” 

Give me an introduction…? What about everyone else? Rin stared blankly. Would this be considered favouritism if Rin was technically a teachers’ assistant?  

He shook his head, tired, finding no point in trying to comprehend anyone in this school.

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The class ended rather smoothly at five-past twelve, with students packing their stationary and chatting with no-longer muted fervour. Usually, and contrary to popular opinion, Rin appreciated lunch break. The clattering of pencils and the fumbling of zippers made the mounting dread that Rin was experiencing slightly more bearable. However, as people started to filter out of the room, he began to feel the lump in his throat build up, especially with the almost-glowing look that a certain teal-haired merman was giving him from halfway across the hall.

(The professor had long since left the room, which meant that Rin really did need to keep his promise and have a one-on-one with Floyd’s ‘hugs’. He couldn’t even use the excuse that Ameld needed to speak with him urgently during lunch. 

To be fair, all that would’ve done was push the meeting back until after school, another hour or two later, but at least Rin would have more time to think about the approaching conversation.) 

As Rin put his tablet and water bottle back in his bag, letting out a world-weary sigh, his eyes met Ruggie’s, who had come down the stairs beside Rin’s seat to make it towards the door. The boy had stopped right beside Rin, watching as the latter stood up slowly. 

Whether the choice in route was intentional or not— Rin had a faint idea at the back of his mind of which it was. 

The hyena beastman looked at Rin, glanced at Floyd, before visibly suppressing a shudder. 

Thanks, Rin felt the urge to deadpan, levelling the Savanaclaw student with a horribly blank stare. That sure gave him a vote of confidence, knowing that he’d have to face off the trio from Octavinelle in a moments’ time. 

Ruggie slung an arm over Rin’s shoulder abruptly, pulling him in for a hushed conversation despite the way the Pomefiore student immediately tensed, instinctively wrapping a tight grip onto the invading arm. 

“As much as I don’t want to involve myself with whatever’s going on with you and those three,” he said, shaking his head, “maybe I wouldn’t mind lending a hand if…” A fanged grin came into view. He trailed off but Rin heard his words all the same. 

Rin scoffed quietly, which sounded like more of a huff than anything else. “Dream on.” He said blandly, gripping the boy’s arm and removing it from his shoulder. 

“Not one for touch?” Rin glared, one that didn’t hold the heat that it would if it were a serious warning, but the message behind it was clear as day. It still made Ruggie’s nose twitch, ears flicking in the corner of Rin’s vision, and he supposed that was a win either way. 

“Fine, fine.” The boy wearing the bold yellow uniform vest held his arms up in mock surrender, likely taking the fiery look as a sign of angered annoyance. “Suit yourself~” He sang as he finally left the room. 

Rin watched Ruggie go and let a breath that he didn’t know he was holding out, a little on edge from the short exchange. Though, with his guard up high and strong, it made Rin feel slightly more equipped to deal with whatever Floyd had in mind for lunch. 

All of a sudden, the fresh scent of ocean air surrounded him as he felt a pair of long arms encircle his torso. 

…… Scratch that, he wasn’t prepared at all. Not one bit. 

No sound and no sign of approach had tipped Rin off, and immediately, Rin felt the alarms in his head go off at the same level of urgency he experienced during the entrance ceremony. 

Automatically, the black-haired boy grabbed a hold of the outer arm with one hand as an anchor, using his other hand to elbow the person behind him. Before the blow could land, the arms around him tightened, lifting him off the ground as they shook him around, crushing his rib-cage in a way that almost hurt.

“Anko-channnn~” A sing-song voice became the focus of his attention fairly quickly as the taller boy rested his chin on Rin’s head, smiling widely with sharp and gleaming teeth as he squeezed Rin to his chest like a glorified rag doll. “Ne, this was what you promised, wasn’t it?” 

Vaguely, Rin felt the urge to sob tearfully in a manner that wasn’t dissimilar to Koro-sensei’s antics. 

It wasn’t like Rin would ever do it— it didn’t fit his personality, and he didn’t think he’d be able to do it anyway. But the urge was almost too great. 

Floyd may very well, through his own efforts alone, give Rin a trauma of hugs. And he’d be damned if that trauma would follow him back to his world. 

“Floyd,” Rin’s chestnut brown eyes flickered, wheezing as he forgot the honorifics. He grunted, lungs strained of air. The realisation of what was happening made his thinking slow as he allowed his arm to drop, not entirely letting himself relax. His sudden lack of resistance could be attributed to the fact that he had quickly given up trying to escape, knowing that he was the one who suggested this in the first place.

Rin dug his own grave, and now he simply had to lay in it as he said he would. 

He was usually more careful to make sure he wouldn’t be put in such a situation, but it’s not like it’s the first time something had backfired. Saying ‘surprise me’ to the Dark Mirror clearly didn’t go well with how flashy the Pomefiore uniform was. 

In his defence, it was the only alternative suggestion he could think of that would persuade Floyd, especially with the volatile mood he was in. Even though the result left much to be desired on Rin’s part, it was no big deal. 

“I promised,” Rin confirmed, keeping his tone even and unprovoking. When dealing with people like this, it’d simply be best to keep opposing comments to the minimum. 

His previous lack of response only drew the Octavinelle student’s arms tighter together, and as much as Rin wished he could faint and leave his problems behind, he’d rather be awake in the presence of these three, lest something actually dangerous happens. 

“But a little lighter would be appreciated.” He tapped Floyd’s arms gingerly and gently. 

In a sense, it was kind of like coaxing a baby into handing over a grenade that happened to be their favourite toy. 

Being in such close proximity with Floyd made goosebumps rise all over his arms, but as of the moment, he could only suppress the feeling of wanting to get away, get away, get away and try to make Floyd let him go, or at least loosen his death-grip.

“Don’t wanna.” The boy whined, inhaling Rin’s scent. That action alone drove a frosty chill down the latter’s spine. The tone of Floyd’s voice made it seem as if he was a toddler instead of a teenager reaching nearly a hundred and ninety centimetres tall. 

“You smell strange.” Floyd lifted his head before sniffing again. “Suuuper weird.”

Thanks, Rin wanted to just— not. 

“Good to know.” He replied dryly. Would it be too much to simply say it was the result of the provided shampoo at Pomefiore and call it a day? 

“What my brother means to say is that it’s a unique smell. Unlike anything we’ve encountered before.” The other twin commented sagely. 

That doesn’t make me feel much better. Rin grimaced. 

“Floyd,” a smooth, velvety voice rang in the empty lecture hall, outside Rin's line of sight. “Perhaps now would be a good time to let Rin-san down.” 

When did all the students disappear?  

“Fufu. It’d be rather unfortunate if he passed out before we could even introduce ourselves.” Another voice sounded, and Rin could sense the grin in the tone, even if he couldn’t see them. 

Why did it sound like they couldn’t wait to see Rin pass out…?

“You should be glad that Rin-san hasn’t demanded you to let him down yet.” 

At first glance, the words sounded as if they were supporting Rin, but in reality, Rin could hear the ‘you should probably listen and be a little gentler, but you definitely don’t need to let go since he hasn’t demanded it yet’. 

Knowing Floyd’s personality, even if only slightly from how the boy acted earlier in the day, Rin hesitated for a second. But then again, he was only one against three. And if the need arose to fight or flight, he rather be able to make the choice whilst he was standing on the ground and able to carry out his choice. 

“No, I’d like to be let down, thank you very much.” Rin said bluntly before trying to turn around to face Floyd. His neck aches at the angle, but Rin could catch a glimpse of Floyd’s chin and ear. 

“I kept my word, and you’ve had your fun, now I’d be grateful if you let go of me.” He stated.

A moment of silence passed before the first voice cleared their throat, “Ahem. Let him down, Floyd. The sooner you do, the sooner we can get on with our business.” 

Floyd clicked his tongue with a faint snarl, the sound a little too close to Rin’s ear for comfort. “Fineee.” The boy dragged out as he set Rin down with the reluctance of a child being told to put down their tablet during dinner time. 

Thank god, Rin sighed inwardly, rolling his shoulders. A voice of reason. 

The moment his feet touched the ground, Rin felt his will to live flow right back to him. 

If he were to keep up his whole ‘don’t get within five feet of me’ facade, at this point, he’d deliberately make a show of brushing off his clothes where Floyd contacted. However, knowing that it could perhaps lead him to being squeezed again— a fate worse than death —Rin refrained from doing so. 

Instead, with an internal ‘fuck it we ball’, as Karma would say, Rin turned on his heel to face the two new people to add the the list of people he never wants to interact with ever again, even if it was just wishful thinking. Whatever their names were, it would fit perfectly under Floyd and Rook. 

The first yet again flawless face he was met with was one with features that were all too similar to the person whose arms Rin had just been dangling in. 

It was weird, in a way, how the features Rin’s brain had just started associating with fierce playfulness and alarming danger, were looking at him with such a polite and dignified smile. 

Bright and cropped teal hair that was a mirror of Floyd’s own haircut framed the boy’s fair skin. Short bangs and a long darker strand that framed the boy’s left cheek accented his jawline. Despite the fact that they were essentially mirror images of each other – Floyd’s hair was combed more messier, giving it a nonchalant, youthful look. Whereas his twin’s hair, combed back neatly with barely any stray strands that stuck out awkwardly, gave off an air of formality and elegance. 

Compared to Floyd’s rather sloppy and casual way of wearing the uniform— with the white sleeved-shirt untucked, vest and blazer unbuckled, collar loosened, bright-coloured socks on full display and no sign of NRC’s striped tie anywhere —the way that his brother dressed reminded him of Gakushuu in a way. 

And perhaps the almost sly smile contributed to that feeling as well. 

Taking in the towering figure that seemed to loom over Rin, heterochromatic siren eyes locked onto his own. Jewels of yellow and olive-brown squinted, and it was a look that Rin was intimately familiar with. 

What a curious thing you are, were the words that seemed to ooze into the atmosphere, like honeyed-sap and syrupy goo. 

Turns out that silently screaming “ignore me” still attracts attention. Who could’ve known? 

Rin shuddered. The eyes were the most different, that was for sure. Without an ounce of doubt. 

Floyd, with his vibrant yellow eye on his right and his olive eye on his left, had down-turned eyes. Eyes that dropped at the corners but were no less wide and excitable. Instead of seeming bored, due to the wide smile on Floyd’s face that made it seem like Rin had hung the stars in the sky for him, it gave off an air of mischief and delight. 

Jade, on the other hand, had mismatched eyes the opposite way around. Eyes that were slightly slanted upwards, sharp and only the slightest bit curved. When he smiled, with narrowed crescents, it was as if the object of his attention was the only thing that existed, being picked apart, peeling off the outer skin of a human like that of an onion. 

Even now, as they stared at each other, the Octavinelle student was picking him apart. Trying to poke and probe, not unlike Rook’s random questions to test the waters.

Calculative fox eyes. Rin concluded, more like eel eyes, he thought wryly as the colour scheme of the twins standing side by side reminded him of a certain under-the-sea pair of eels. 

When the staring contest continued on for a while too long, Rin tore his eyes away from the taller boy, albeit reluctantly allowing his back to face the boy. Instead, he came face to face with a strikingly handsome student. 

(He’s been saying this kind of thing a lot lately. And every time he came across someone, he’d say something similar, but it was true. 

Be it Divus Crewel, Willow the librarian, Vil Schoenheit, Rook Hunt… or Floyd and his fellow Octavinelle schoolmates.  

Or even Ruggie’s racoon or bear-like charm, despite his thinner stature. 

The type of beauty they gave off was inherently different. Each with a style of their own, and each with a melody that rang unique to them. 

Each of them were so different that, when Rin said they were ‘the most beautiful person he’s ever laid eyes upon’, he spoke from the bottom of his heart. A comparison couldn’t even be made between people so distinct.) 

The boy with glasses had fair skin that almost seemed illegal. Silvery-grey wavy hair was swept to the left, with the ends curling up stylishly, bangs positioned neatly across the left of his forehead and a longer strand framing his left ear quite nicely. The boy’s undercut fit him well, accenting his jaw and neck. 

Behind titanium-framed rectangular glasses, deep silvery-blue eyes bore into Rin. The small beauty mark below the left side of his lip followed the stretch of the boy’s modest smile and almost apologetic smile. 

Rin knew that if Kayano was here with him, she’d bemoan the good looks of the student population with him. 

“It’s an honour to meet Rin Hattori-san, whom we’ve heard so much about.” The boy with glasses said, emphasising Rin’s name in a way that resembled a mocking tone but didn’t quite reach it. “My name is Azul Ashengrotto, a first year in Class C.” 

“My name is Jade Leech, first year in Class E. Although it’s such a shame that I haven’t been blessed with Floyd’s luck of being assigned to the same class as you, but no matter. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of joint classes together, and I look forward to our acquaintance.” 

Floyd snorted with a laugh, commenting offhandedly in a high-pitched, teasing voice, “Anko-chan, your face is hilarious right now.” 

“You’ve heard a lot about me?” The brown-eyed boy questioned before mentally face-palming. Of course they’ve heard of him. From the stunt he pulled at the entrance ceremony, it was hard to believe there was anyone who didn’t know about him. 

(Seriously. That entrance ceremony was going to continuously come back at him like a fucking boomerang, wasn’t it?)

“Fuck my life.” Rin murmured, muffled by his facemask. At this rate, his eyes were going to go blind from how shiny everyone was. And although he spoke quietly enough to be considered a simple thought that slipped his tongue, Jade seemed to pick up on it quite easily. 

Judging from the way Azul stepped a few steps closer, Rin could guess that he had heard it too. 

Were they really mermen? Was it really enhanced hearing? A part of Rin wanted to know how much, exactly, was their hearing more sensitive. 

And it was only after Azul had moved closer did Rin realise the boy’s shoulders were broader than his own. 

“Is something the matter?” Azul gave a smile that looked a little too business-like to be genuine. Fixing his glasses with black gloved hands, he brought his hand to his chest and placed it over his heart in a manner that Rin definitely recognised as fake empathy. 

“Did Floyd hurt you with his squeeze?” Jade asked thoughtfully, amused. “Humans are truly weak, Floyd. You’ll have to be careful in the future.” He said pleasantly. 

Floyd rolled his eyes, “I barely put any strength in, ‘s not my fault he can’t handle it.” 

…For some reason, a bubble of indignation rose in his throat before Rin pressed it down. 

“Now now,” Azul sighed, “this isn’t the time. Otherwise, Rin-san, is there something bothering you?” The silver-haired boy looked delighted at the prospect of Rin being troubled by something, and for a second, Rin was almost tempted to knock that smug expression off of his face. 

“No, it’s fine. I didn’t get hurt or anything. There’s nothing bothering me,” other than you three. 

“Azul makes a valid point. If anything is troubling you at all, we’d be glad to help. After all, Octavinelle is built upon the merciful and benevolent heart of the Great Sea Witch.” Jade added, and all Rin wanted was to curse his former self for even speaking. “…If only for a small price.” 

Nope. Rin shook his head. The simmering irritation died out in the face of the familiar line from a familiar movie. That was a can of worms Rin didn’t want to open even with a ten-foot pole. 

“Are you certain? You look awfully tense.” Jade commented. 

By gods, would they please just move on? 

His mouth moved before he could even second-guess what he was saying. 

“......It’s nothing. I’m just not used to seeing someone so good-looking.” Rin said without a care, tilting his head towards Azul. 

He may as well observe Azul’s reaction. At the very least, it would tell him what level of enemy he was facing. 

The way the boy spoke and acted professionally suggested he was a man interested in business. It was a different feeling compared to Jade’s cunning way of speech that aimed to poke and prod, grating on one’s nerves with ease. 

If Azul took the compliment and didn’t show signs of visible confusion, if he responded in kind and returned a compliment with a compliment, if he acted arrogant, if he acted bashful— you could tell a lot just from the way someone responded. 

(To be honest, this kind of trick was wasted on Rin. 

It would work best if one’s guard is already lowered, and Irina had always said the best way to lower a man’s guard is through seduction. 

Rather, it would probably work better with Rook, someone who spoke with such intensity of emotion. In fact, you’d expect something like this from Rook, someone who waxed poetry as easily as he breathed, someone who’d sing ballads and tunes of beauty as easily as he existed. 

But with Rin being the one speaking such words, and in such an emotionless tone, it wasn’t really an attempt per se. Rin always paid attention to people and how they reacted. This was no different. 

It’s just that Irina’s words had come to mind. To take every piece of information one can get in order to prepare for the kill— that is what it means to be an assassin.)

Grey-ish blue eyes widened, round in shock, and his glasses tilted comically as if he’d never heard a compliment to his looks in his entire life.

As if. There was no way Azul didn’t get compliments daily. If this school was a co-ed school, he’d be getting love letters in his locker and all. 

With growing redness in his cheeks and a persistent heat in his ears and neck, Azul flushed, features tinged red in embarrassment. The way he spluttered, fumbling over an acceptable and poised response only to be unable to string together the right syllables, made Floyd grin. 

Eyeing Jade in the corner of his eye, Rin noted his shoulders shaking in supposed laughter. 

Is it really that big of a deal? Azul’s reaction felt a little over-the-top. If he had to describe it, Rin would say that it was an amateur reaction. 

It was good for Rin, since it meant that Azul wasn’t much of a threat if he could be shaken this easily. 

But disregarding danger or not, with the way the boy was reacting— it almost did seem like he’s never heard such a thing before. It was as if the sheer ridiculousness of the statement had stunned him. 

It wasn’t embarrassing for Rin to say someone was good-looking. And it wasn’t like he was lying to butter someone up. He was simply being honest and admitting that fact. 

Surprisingly, it wasn’t an unfamiliar reaction that Rin had gotten with similar words. But Rin had always just counted that towards the typical Japanese behaviour of being flustered with compliments. 

In fact, it was a good reaction. Adorable, as his sister would coo when she pet the cat he’d been feeding in the neighbourhood. It made Rin think of the underclassmen in Hoshizuki Junior High that he’d meet occasionally when he went to find Suzu and Naoki. The kids a year or two younger would call him Rin-senpai in such an endearing manner, and the students he’d pass on his way where Suzu usually inhabited would blush furiously if he so much as looked at them for too long. 

(He was Suzu’s model, both fashion-wise and art-wise. 

Since Suzu was rather famous in Hoshizuki, with many of her original online fans attending the school, he supposed their reactions towards him were only reasonable. It was like seeing one of Suzu’s artworks walk around in broad daylight, making you question whether you were dreaming or not, so he never really paid it any mind.) 

Despite how Rin wanted to smile at Azul’s visible struggle, a part of Rin hoped it caused Azul as much mental confusion as he felt when he was approached by Floyd earlier in the day. The fact that the comment broke the boy’s poker face was a win in Rin’s book. Bonus points since it gained such a nice response.

“A-Ahem. As I was saying,” Azul mumbled, breathing in and out before composing himself. 

Despite the Octavinelle students’ effort to regain a sense of control over the conversation, Rin noted, faintly bemused, that Azul’s ears and neck were still red, the colour of cherries. 

(It made Rin want to take a bite to see what it would taste like.)

With how easily the boy flushed, perhaps there was a reason he wore gloves. People who blushed easily could also have reddened fingertips when they were embarrassed. 

“— fufufu, ahahaha. Truly, Azul is quite dashing, isn’t he?” Jade chuckled, unable to hide his laughter. 

“Bet he wished he brought his octopus pot with him.” Floyd snickered, “hehe~ didn’t think he’d last long anyway.” 

And with friends like them, who needed enemies? 

Rin couldn’t help but feel the corners of his lips twitch when Azul glared at them, readjusting his glasses with a frown that seemed to say ‘we’ll talk about this later’ and ‘this isn’t over for you two yet’. It didn’t seem like Azul would be able to live this down at all, so Rin supposed taking his revenge this far was more than enough. 

“As I was saying,” the dark blue-eyed boy stressed. “I sincerely hope we haven’t made you uncomfortable. It m-may seem like we’re cornering you, but we want a simple conversation with you.” Azul said lightly, regaining his confidence by simply ignoring Rin’s previous words as well as the twin’s mocking comments. 

“We couldn't possibly ask you to skip lunch, so why don’t we talk over a meal?” Azul smiled a superficial grin. 

Unfortunately, with the two Leech twins flagged on either side of him, it didn’t seem like Rin had the option of saying no. 

.

.

.

Fuck me with a chainsaw. Rin wanted to leave. 

It was a phrase that Suzu had adopted when she had broken her sewing machine three days before her exhibition project was due last year. Now, he was using the exact same expression to describe how he was feeling, sitting right across Azul, with Floyd in the seat right next to him and Jade in the seat diagonally across. 

There’s a silver lining to every cloud, people would say. But truly, Rin couldn’t find one. 

Not only was he sitting with these three Octavinelle students, he was also sitting right next to the wall in a rather inconspicuous corner of the cafeteria, slightly secluded from the ambient buzzing of the other students. It was like he was caught in a trap that blocked off all his escape routes— the obstacles blocking him being three mermen. 

(Due to the blatant staring, Rin didn’t realise that a part of the attention was due to his lack of facemask. 

It was the first time they’d seen the enigma known as Rin Hattori without a mask, afterall.)

It should be illegal to look that good, Rin took a bite of his onigiri, vaguely lamenting his fate of being the only average-looking squid amongst the godly beings that were Azul, Jade and Floyd. 

It was like sitting at the same table as Vil and Rook. And as much as Rin didn’t care of outward opinions, it would make walking down the hallways a lot more pleasant if there weren’t eyes drilling into the back of his skull. 

At this point, Rin was seriously starting to think that being good-looking was a prerequisite to get into NRC. 

“No wonder you didn’t get in line. I thought you were gonna swim away!” Floyd cackled, “What’ve you got?” 

“…Just some regular soy sauce and salmon onigiri.” Rin said after swallowing, “tomato egg stir-fry, herb-fried potato wedges and lightly pickled cucumber.” 

“Did you make it yourself?” Azul asked, considering.

Rin nodded absentmindedly, cautiously eyeing the way Floyd’s eyes sparkled even more at the reveal. 

“Let me have some~” The boy’s teeth were on full display, and Rin pushed down the instinctive question of how many teeth do you have in favour of staring at Floyd blankly. “I’ll trade a bite of my club sandwich.” 

“It’s impolite to bother Rin with such a request,” Jade said, but the gleam in his eyes suggested he didn’t find it impolite at all. 

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.” Rin said quickly, not wanting to be squeezed by Floyd again. Separating a piece of his grilled soy sauce onigiri, Rin held it up in his chopsticks out of habit. 

When he realised who exactly his chopsticks were pointed to, he froze, but taking the chance without faltering, Floyd opened his mouth and bit onto Rin’s utensil, chewing in delight.

“………”

“………” 

“………”

Jade’s eyebrows were raised, not expecting the action. Azul’s mouth parted, equally surprised by Rin’s actions.

(They had watched him brush Ruggie’s touch off after all, and had watched him scowl at the Savanaclaw student for slinging his arm so carelessly around him. Rin didn’t complain about Floyd’s squeeze but had requested to be set down as soon as the opportunity arose. They had assumed Rin’s lack of negative reaction afterwards was due to not wanting to annoy Floyd. 

Not to mention the fact that the boy wore a facemask. If not to prevent other people from getting sick, as it didn’t seem like Rin himself was sick, it must be to prevent him from getting sick from others. 

If the boy was a germaphobe, his previous behaviour would’ve been completely understandable. Not from a mer perspective of course – things were different in the murky waters of the Coral Sea, but Azul had read about some people having an aversion to germs. 

Yet what was this? 

A rather casual act of feeding someone was done so easily. If it were any other student displaying this behaviour, Azul wouldn’t have even batted an eye, but with Rin Hattori of all people. 

It was hard to believe the person who glowered at Ruggie and the person in front of him were the same person.)

 “It’s good, nice and crunchy~”, and for a second, Rin couldn’t rid himself of the mental image of Floyd gnawing through bones and saying the exact same words. 

“………” 

“………”

“…good to know.” Rin said, once again feeling the urge to simply leave. 

Over the past few years, Rin had developed a habit of feeding others without much complaint due to Megumi and his friends sometimes being too lazy to move. 

At first, it had started off with pocky, chips, crackers, and other snacks. Especially when Rio and Karma were playing against each other in a game and had their hands occupied, Rin had fed them the snacks upon their request. 

Later on, knowing that Rin didn’t mind, didn’t question it and wasn’t going to refuse spoiling them, they started to ask for food even when they weren’t occupied with a task. 

And perhaps his days bedridden in the hospital was part of the reason he didn’t mind nor question it.

When he was younger and got sick at the drop of a hat, his parents had often refused to let Rin feed himself if they could help it, using the excuse of his body being too weak, or the IV shouldn’t be jostled despite Rin being ambidextrous. As a result, he had simply grown used to accepting food from others easily, which to be fair, may not be the best habit. 

When he grew older, mainly in his second and third year of junior high, it became Suzu and Naoki, and even his sister Megumi, who fussed over him not holding a spoon. After his dad passed away in a car accident and his mom started to do guest lectures all over the world— although she wanted to stay in Japan to care for him, Rin had vehemently refused that notion with every fibre of his being. 

He was fine on his own, and he knew his mom loved her job, so he simply insisted he’d be fine. And it was true, he was more than capable of surviving in the hospital without starving. 

For some reason, it seemed that everyone was under the impression that if left to himself, he wouldn’t eat properly, or would simply skip meals out of it being a hassle. 

Somehow, and now in hindsight, his mom must’ve said something to Suzu and Naoki because when he finally thought he’d be able to eat the hospital meals by himself, Suzu and Naoki would barge in and insist on feeding him. 

Be it fruits such as the overwhelming number of peaches Naoki’s grandparents had sent him during the summer, to side dishes and soups that Suzu’s parents had made with the preconception that hospital meals, although healthy and nutritious, tasted terrible. 

(It tasted fine, and he always told them as such. But now then again, Suzu probably told them he was trying not to trouble them.)

Jade sighed almost wistfully, “I’d be careful, Rin-san.” 

Careful of what? Floyd’s teeth? 

As if sensing his question, Azul huffed. “If you spoil Floyd too much, he might get used to this treatment.” He clarified as he took a bite of his beef stew. 

“.……..” Rin wanted to crawl into a hole and perish. 

“It's a force of habit.” He forced out, taking another bite of food, chewing and swallowing before continuing. “I guess I’ll just have to heed your advice.” He said, a little too genuinely to be a joke. 

Swiftly, something moved in the corner of his vision. Right next to his cheek, a small square sandwich came into his line of sight, and instinctively, he took a bite. 

“……….”

“……….”

“……….” 

With his mouth full as he turned forward only to see twin looks of incredulity, only then did he realise that Floyd had the one to feed him. 

Just kill me now, Rin wanted to cry. 

Once he finished eating the sandwich, gulping it down despite the bile that rose in his throat at the thought of such a slip up in a place so dangerous, Rin took a sip of water before he turned to look at Floyd. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you.” He stated impassively, unimpressed. 

The eel in question whistled cheerily in lieu of an answer.

“……How’s the flavour?” Jade smiled, making a show of twirling his fork in his spaghetti and lifting it up in front of him. “Perhaps you’d like a taste of mine too?” 

Rin frowned, and Azul couldn’t stop the roll of his eyes. 

“I’m good, thanks.” The black-haired boy took a bite of cucumber. The sourness of the quick pickle soak he made in the morning felt like a refreshing smack to the face that gave clarity. “Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about, Ashengrotto-san?” 

For a second, Azul gave Rin an odd look before he composed himself. 

“Wonderfully straight to the point,” Azul looked thrilled, a business smile slipping into his face, looking right in his element. “And please, just call me Azul.”

“Azul-san then. What do you want to talk about?”

The Octavinelle student cleared his throat. “We have made a proposal to the headmaster regarding opening a school cafe in Octavinelle.” Azul said, smooth voice guilelessly allowing the words to flow. “And on the side, we plan to have a consultation business for the students who need help with anything.” 

All of a sudden, the trio’s previous fixation on Rin’s troubles made sense. He hummed, “is it specifically to help with school work? Or can other things be requested?” 

Silvery-blue eyes curved into crescents. “Requests can be made so long as we deem it possible to complete, and so long as our clients can pay the small price for our assistance.” 

…Rin had a feeling that the price to pay wasn’t as small as Azul made it seem. 

“Okay, continue.” He said instead, “what does this have anything to do with me, an average run-of-the-mill Pomefiore student?” 

The look that crossed Jade’s face was priceless. But the fact that they gave him a weird look resembling the one Ruggie gave him when he said he wanted to lay low, also meant that they didn’t think he was an average student, which, to be fair, Rin hasn’t been doing a very good job at. 

“Well, to put it simply, we’d like your assistance in your knowledge of Old Trade, so to speak.” Azul unfurled his hands, palm up in a casual gesture one might make during a presentation. “Although we have plans to create the ultimate study guides for students, it would be pointless for Ancient Curses and Incantations if the lessons and curriculum is changing right before our eyes. Past references such as practice papers can only do so much when, due to your input, the field is going to change rather drastically. Not to mention that it’s only a matter of time that someone comes to us in hopes of being tutored for one of the most difficult, not to mention competitive, courses NRC has to offer.” 

Azul glanced at Jade, who picked up the flow of the explanation flawlessly. “Rather than waste our efforts trying to form a study guide of what goes on in class, which appears to be quite flexible, and to avoid disappointing our customers in not having a means to help them in their struggles with the subject, we decided to approach Rin-san and ask for your cooperation.” 

“…How exactly would this cooperation look like?” 

“Why, it’d simply be helping us with creating the study guide for Professor Ameld’s class, as well as help tutor the students that come to us for aid in the subject. It’s something that you, as a teaching assistant, are able to do without an issue.” Silvery hair was jostled with the movement of his arms fixing his glasses. “Of course, you will be properly compensated for your time and work. Be it through monetary compensation, or wish-granting services, feel free to suggest anything— so long as it’s reasonable enough for us to accomplish.” 

Rin stared at the boy in front of him, a facade so confident, so well-rehearsed that it felt like it was truly a well thought-out business proposal. 

Instead of answering immediately, Rin moved his chopsticks to pick up a piece of fried potato and popped it in his mouth, chewing slowly in an action that simply said ‘give me a moment to consider the offer’. 

In reality, the job wasn’t anything too different from what he used to do for his friends and underclassmen, both back in Kunugigaoka, and in Hoshizuki. Re-organising notes so that they would be better understood by the people he’d lend it to, organising study groups for different subjects in preparation for midterms and finals— it wasn’t something that took up a lot of Rin’s time. 

Even with how much he was behind on a lot of Twisted Wonderland subjects, it probably wouldn’t be much different from the recordings that Ameld had just asked Rin to start making. And since he had to make teaching and homework material anyway for the classes he’d be assisting, it wouldn’t increase much of his workload other than finish those materials a lot sooner than he initially expected. It would simply mean that Rin would have to plan and create all of his teaching material for the whole year, and then use that to help the three Octavinelle students make a study guide. 

From what Rin could infer from Ameld’s lesson, the ancient arts were special, which meant that unless he wanted to unleash unbalanced power and potentially trigger what would equate to the instructions to create a nuclear bomb in his world, he had to be careful with exactly what he’d give as study material. If they simply wanted his knowledge of ‘Old Trade’ as a language, he had his previous English notes during junior high to fall back on, as well as a couple of dictionaries downloaded on his laptop.

He’d just avoid particularly destructive words

All in all, it wasn’t a bad deal. Rin swallowed his mouthful before wincing, feeling a rising nausea in his throat – a sign that he wouldn’t be able to finish his meal. This situation was making his appetite go away at a record pace. 

But would it be worth it? Was it useful to him? 

For Azul to make this offer… there’s a level of surety that they’d surely be able to grant Rin’s wish. 

“Your plan is, as you say, doable for me.” Rin stated, packing his lunch away as he ignored their barely-concealed incredulity. It was a look Rin was familiar with, albeit more hidden than he was used to, saying ‘is that all you’re going to eat?’. 

True to his observation, Floyd clicked his tongue. “Is that all you’re gonna eat, Anko-chan? No wonder you’re so weak.” 

…Rin could feel a stab of annoyance, but at this point, could only choose to ignore it due to the person the comment came from. 

His friends and family were a lot more open with their judgement. They deliberately made it so that Rin would know about their displeasure at seeing him eat so little. 

“And it doesn’t sound like a bad idea for me.” The black-haired boy said, tilting his head. “If you can agree to my conditions.” 

“Conditions?” Azul repeated numbly. “Ah, you mean your compensation?”

“Yeah. If you can’t fulfil anything I ask for, I’ll have to decline.” For the first time in the entire meal, Rin gave a smile. One that he used mainly with journalists that asked insensitive questions, or Gakushuu, when he tried to convince Rin to re-join Class A. 

“Name your terms,” Azul said, weirdly defensive, likely sensing from Rin’s expression the incoming trouble. 

Jade smirked diagonally across from Rin, narrowing his eyes as he zoned in on Rin’s answer. Even Floyd didn’t hide his interest in what exactly would be a make-or-break must for Rin. 

Rin couldn’t ask for a way home. That would be impossible for three freshmen to accomplish. Furthermore, it would expose him as someone who was still ignorant to Twisted Wonderland and its ways. 

And despite his lack of literally anything other than his belongings and the stuff he bought from Sam’s shop— for example, no passport or identification, no medical records, no money —Rin didn’t need any more monetary compensation. 

Apparently, according to Ameld, Rin’s job as a teaching assistant pays well. Extremely well. 

When he saw the numbers that Ameld had discreetly discussed after asking the students to pair up again and complete an activity, knowing vaguely that Rin didn’t have a single madol on him and was using Crowley’s card to pay for any needs until his first paycheque, he had raised his brows slightly, surprised. 

It cemented, in Rin’s mind, that NRC was either extremely rich, or that they were trying really hard to keep Rin here, knowing that he could very well transfer to another school or research institution. As such, Rin was likely being paid as much as a regular and new staff member than a normal student-teacher. 

Now knowing how much of an asset he was, as well as how deep Crowley’s pockets were, Rin was partial to the conclusion that both were true. 

“I want two main things,” Rin said, tone even and professional. Even so, his eyes gleamed in the bright cafeteria lights. “The first being information.” 

Azul blinked, arching a silver brow. He stuck his smile back on in a haste. ”Information? What kind? Depending on what type of information, it shouldn’t be too hard for us to handle.” He said, tense shoulders easing slightly. 

Relaxing too early is not the way to go, Rin mused. 

“Information about the people at NRC.” The brown-eyed boy said, holding his chin between his thumb and index finger in a show of contemplation. “Stuff like names, class and dorm, personalities, unique magics. As many students as you can, and teachers too. Probably have everything sorted by importance in paying attention to, most to least.” 

“…That would be quite a difficult task,” Azul’s gaze sharpened. He rubbed his temple with a troubled expression marring his features. 

“May I inquire into the reason you need this information?” 

Rin tilted his head. “As much as no one seems to believe me, my only wish is to lay low in NRC, and of course, I’d like to stay out of trouble. Due to my strict upbringing,” He lied with ease, mixing the truths with the false to make things seem more convincing. “I’ve never really practised any practical magic. In case anything happens, I’m more concerned about magical attacks rather than physical ones, despite the rule against using offensive magic outside of class and without supervision.” Rin recalled some of the general guidelines students needed to adhere to from the school app. 

As much as he didn’t want to get into a fight with anyone, Rin was aware that sometimes, it was inevitable. Especially in a school where teenagers are given free reign over magic through their little pen-wands. 

If he were to get into any sort of fight, it would be likely that magic would be involved, and as a person who has had pretty much zero encounters with magic other than the fucking Mirror of Darkness, Rin would be at a disadvantage that he wasn’t too keen on seeing through. 

“Although I don’t really want to get into that sort of mess, it wouldn’t be bad to know people’s UMs as a safety precaution for who to be careful with.” 

“I see.” Azul’s eyes flickered. “I’ll have to let you know right now that we won’t be able to get information on everyone.” He warned. 

“That’s fine,” Rin waved off. “I don't need everyone’s information. Just as many as you can is fine, though, I’ll have to put my faith in your service.” With a polite smile, Rin’s eyes curved into crescents. “I do hope you’re as good as you claim.” 

Azul narrowed his eyes, steel behind his gaze confronted the challenge.

The silver-haired boy coughed politely, “of course. It’s not something that’s out of our abilities. We will do our best to satisfy your request. What was the second thing you required?” 

“At any point in time, I want to have three favours with no questions asked.” Rin said without even batting an eye. “Essentially, it’s information and three wishes that I’m asking for.” 

Azul pushed the bridge of his glasses up and met Rin’s eyes, considering him, before sighing emphatically. 

“It’s a rather tall order you’re asking of us, Rin-san.” 

“Is it?” Rin let the smile slip from his lips. A neutral face regarded them. “In my opinion, I’m already being very lenient with compensation.” 

“I don’t think I’m asking too much, when I’m the one who’ll be sacrificing my time when I could be doing other things. I could perhaps decline your offer, or simply get compensation directly from the person who wants to be tutored rather than go through you three. Rather than ask for a portion of what your client pays each time, isn’t it a good thing that I’m only asking for this.” 

Azul’s brows pinched for a split second before easing. He looked towards Jade, receiving a slight head tilt and a nod. A shrewd smile taking over the silver-haired boy’s expression, with an edge of sharpness rooted in the smile. 

“Very well, you’ve made an excellent point. We accept your terms.” Azul put a hand out, which Rin met with his own gloved hand after a moment of simply looking at the hand like it had wronged him. “You should drop by Octavinelle tomorrow after I draft up a contract.” 

“Alright.” Rin thought for a moment. “I’ve only just met Professor Ameld, so it may take a while for me to finish making all the new teaching material for the whole school year and go over it with the professor. He mentioned that most of the theory is going to stay the same, including the necessary knowledge of Latin and seal script. it’s just that I’ll be providing more information on Old Trade, and likely some spells that people haven’t been able to figure out quite yet.” 

“I see…” Azul grinned, “take your time. It’s likely that the study guides will only be introduced next year, and according to various alumni, people only start desperately seeking tutoring about three weeks before mid-term exams.” 

Rin shivered, you really have this all thought out and planned, don’t you? 

The black-haired boy rolled his shoulders, pleased as the faint soreness disappeared with a crack. 

“A ha!” Floyd hiccupped, “lookin’ forward to working with you, Anko-chan~” He grinned as he leaned all of his body weight onto Rin, wrapping his arms around Rin’s shoulders again. 

The Pomefiore student winced at the contact, looking towards Jade with a dead fish stare as if trying to telepathically communicate  the message ‘control your brother properly’. 

He was met with a fake smile and a helpless shake of the head. 

Rin truly wondered what he did to deserve meeting these three. 

“Get off.”

Floyd tilted his face and with a threatening pout on his lips, he glared down at Rin with all the wrath of a deeply unamused cat that had been denied treats. “Make me.” He whispered, achingly soft.

For a second, it seemed like Floyd did actually want to see Rin try and push him off. Like how one might want to see a prey struggle right before a meal. 

Rin could feel his jaw click, throat dry as he wisely shut up. Floyd, noticing his silence, simply cackled. 

(Faintly, he could already feel himself regretting accepting the deal.

But it was to use and be used. Even if he could collect the information himself, or perhaps sell his soul to Ruggie and have him do it instead, it probably wouldn’t be as fast as the three Octavinelle students. 

People here apparently smelled weakness like a shark to blood, a falcon to prey. 

Use or be used. 

This wasn’t Japan, it wasn't Hoshizuki, it wasn't Kunigigaoka. 

Get a grip and push forward. Act like a jerk, act like a sly student who simply wants to get the greatest benefits for an easy transaction. 

Rin was always a harsh person, despite contradictory opinions from his friends. He wasn’t a good person. Just like Karma, he wasn’t afraid to play dirty and use tricks to get what he needed. NRC was full of those kinds of people. If it weren’t for the fact that he didn’t belong to this world at all, Rin would’ve thought that this school wasn’t a bad match. 

It got his personality right, at least. 

More than anything, use and be used. 

This wasn’t like his home. These people weren’t his friends. They weren’t people he could trust with his life and bare his heart to knowing they wouldn’t take advantage of his trust. These weren’t exactly people Rin wanted to crack jokes with and share dry humour with. 

These weren’t the people Rin loved, never love, you can’t allow yourself to love here. 

Use or be used. Kill or be killed. To be or not to be. Except it wasn’t really a question. It was something Rin had known from the beginning, and had no qualms accepting. 

Rin supposed that in a school like NRC— this is as much as he can hope for.) 

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With an aching migraine, Rin approached PE like it was his sole saviour, his comrade-in-arms, his silver-lining of the horrid day. 

After seeing the Pomefiore dorm uniform, Rin was a little sceptical about the PE uniform, which he hadn’t had the chance to try on yet. Which is why when he put on the Pomefiore uniform he had packed in his bag, Rin was somewhat satisfied with the fact that it wasn’t completely horrendous. 

It didn’t make Rin immediately want to commit seppuku, which was a win in his books. 

The Kunugigaoka PE uniform had two shades of blue, and was similar in the track-suit style. 

The NRC uniform was pretty much all black except for the short-sleeved purple shirt that matched one’s respective dorm colours. Additionally, there were a lot more little details, such as Rin’s student number printed bold black-on-white above his left breast-pocket, the Pomefiore emblem stitched onto his right breast-pocket, the small pocket on his right upper arm for his magical pen, purple fabric on the shoulder of his tracksuit, and the red-and-purple striped armband on both arms. Rin’s gloves had stayed on, but his mask had been removed for the sake of proper exercise. 

Since it was still kind of chilly, Rin wore the long-sleeved jacket and pants, however, Rin knew that there was a summer alternative too hung in his wardrobe. 

Unlike what many may assume when they looked at Rin’s pale complexion and thin stature, Rin truly enjoyed physical activity. Even though he had to be careful about not sitting under air conditioning right after sweating a bunch, lest he risk getting sick, he enjoyed the stress-relief that exercise brought. 

It’s been a long, long day. And it was something Rin desperately needed right now.

(After spending those seemingly endless days in the hospital, with clean white walls, the smell of antiseptic, the muted sounds and regular beeping— it was only after his first memorable hospital stay when he was six that he came to appreciate the wide expanse of colour, the full smell of the world, and the sounds that enriched the soul. 

You never know how much you miss something until you can’t have it for a while, his dad would say, brushing his hair and tying silly little braids into the longer strands in an attempt to keep Rin from dying of boredom

“Which is why you have to be careful in the future, or else you’ll be missing out on stuff out there”, his dad had said. And it was a great motivator for mini-Rin, who wanted nothing more than to leave the hospital and never return.)

Rin tuned out Coach Vargas’ enthusiastic introduction. It was a little funny how everyone looked so daunted and insulted by the man’s words, about how they were feeble and weak, and that we were children that were going into magic like trying to run before walking. 

The moment Vargas had spoken of his muscles and his diet of raw eggs was when Rin snorted internally. If the man used the same introduction with everyone, Rin could only lament the fact that he couldn’t see Ruggie’s expression upon learning that Vargas did in fact eat raw eggs. 

“To become a great mage, you need a great physical constitution! So give me twenty laps and a hundred push-ups!!” Vargas yelled, clapping his hand loudly when he saw the two classes groan in misery. “Chop chop! Get moving, time’s a wastin’!” 

With grumbles of dismay, the group of students started to jog on the running track, with Rin following along and ending up between the people at the front and the people in the middle. Setting a manageable yet not too easy pace for himself, Rin felt his shoulders relax. With the tension gone from his shoulders, he could feel himself breathe a little easier. 

“Umm…” A voice sounded from his left, soft and hesitant. 

Rin turned to the side, and immediately, deer antlers drew his attention. The same ones that he focused on during the entrance ceremony. The one who got sorted into Scarabia. 

Antlers that were roughly thirty to forty centimetres tall protruded from the boy’s head, with parts branching off from the main stem, curving slightly. Drooping brown ears with white tufts underneath hung from both sides of the boy’s face. Both ears had two silver-ringed piercings that shone beneath the scalding afternoon sun. 

The boy was slightly taller than Rin, excluding antlers. With rosy cheeks and a cluster of freckles splattered across his nose and cheekbone, the Scarabia student had long and wavy light-brown hair paired with light-green eyes. It was the colour of dewy grass rather than the rich and intense colour of emeralds, and for some reason— and perhaps it was a trick of light —the boy’s eyes looked moist, as if tearing up. 

“...Do you need something?” He said carefully. It felt like if he said the wrong words, the boy might very well burst into tears. 

“W-Well…” The deer therianthrope stuttered, flushing red. Despite his strong running posture and his straight back, Rin felt like if they weren’t running right now, the boy would’ve probably been fidgeting and hunching his shoulders to look tinier.

“My name, um, my name is Yule!”  He blurted out. “Can… can we run together…?” 

The green-eyed boy looked at Rin with puppy-dog eyes. Or well, perhaps it would be more accurate to say deer-eyes. 

(Oddly enough, it was the same expression that Suzu’s underclassmen looked at him with, begging for help on a homework assignment or to be a model for their fashion showcase.

……It was also the same expression his sister had given him when she was four, demanding a piggy-back ride back home.)

“...It’s not my track.” Rin sighed internally, moving his eyes back forward. “You can run wherever you want.” 

“W-What’s your name?” 

The brown-eyed boy raised a brow. “You don’t know it?” 

“No! I mean, I know it!” Yule stumbled over his sentence, “It’s just…” 

“What is it?” 

“...I thought it’d be nice to get your name from you properly. My dad always told me we have to have proper introductions first, or else bad luck to be friends.” 

Friends. The word ached, singing the tightness in his heart and constricting it. 

Pushing the feeling away, Rin felt a part of him want to laugh in amusement. “That’s rather unique.” He commented absentmindedly. “But I think your dad is just kidding and saying that to get you into the habit of being polite.” 

He shook his head. “Well, it’s Rin Hattori.”

“Then, can I call you Rin-san?” Yule asked politely. It seemed that the nerves had been eased out by Rin’s casual attitude. “If it’s okay…”

Inwardly, Rin cringed. He had never liked honorifics, but for the sake of setting a distance between people, it was a handy addition. The fact that this boy was acting in such a way and making such a request so shyly meant that Rin should probably shut this down at its core. Nip the bud before it can begin to grow.

But it was weird though. When Azul and Jade had said his name like such, he didn’t feel the need to wince at the address. Perhaps it was because everyone else so far had simply called him by his last name, or had called him ‘Rin-kun’ or simply ‘Rin’. Or perhaps it was because the formal tone suited the two Octavinelle students’ personalities. 

With Azul and Jade, since the way they spoke seemed almost too polite in general, the honorifics didn’t bother him much. But something about someone his age, who honestly seemed kind of weak-willed and shy, saying his name so formally put him off. 

“Nevermind that,” Rin sighed. Fuck it. “Just call me Rin.”

“Eh?” A small sound of stunned confusion sounded. 

“I’m not a big fan of honorifics.” 

Rin sped up his pace, which made Yule lag behind a few metres. But once Yule broke out of his stupor, he quickly caught up and matched Rin’s new speed. 

“Rin…” Yule tested before a bright and beaming smile stretched across his face. “Then, please just call me Yule.” 

“Alright,” Rin felt a small smile tickle his lips, his heart warming despite trying to squash down the emotion that suddenly welled up inside him. 

(It had been a while since someone had called his name so freely, so loosely. 

It was so hauntingly familiar. So desperately similar. It was reminiscent of those he yearned to see the most.) 

“It’s— um, it’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“Likewise.” 

But he supposed it was fine. 

Rin thought he’d last longer than this, but ultimately, as his sister said, when it came to people who seemed like they were likely to cry, he was truly powerless. 

(Seriously. It was just a bad matchup. 

Nothing more, nothing less.)

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Thankfully, Biology wasn’t much different compared to Earth. The general syllabus was still the same— cells, plants, ecology, human physiology, etc. Alchemy classes focused on herbs and potion theory, whilst potions classes were essentially lab work sessions for alchemy. It was a pleasant discovery that Biology was pretty much the same other than some of the equipment. 

It was also vaguely interesting how similar the equipment was. Low-grade magical stone-powered microscopes and magic-powered Bunsen-burners… would they still be called Bunsen burners? Who created it? 

To be fair, Rin wondered how much of Earth’s knowledge and inventions would be pretty much useless here. 

Long-distance travelling? They had mirrors apparently. Greenhouses? They had fairies regulating the temperature. 

It seemed that it was this world’s sustainable and renewable energy. From the books Rin has read so far, and from Professor Trein’s lesson today, magical stones were mined primarily from the Dwarves’ Mines. They can be used for a long time as rather than storing magic, it’s better to say that it processes the natural mana in the surroundings to channel it into magic. 

Rin had to say— it was kind of a shame that Earth didn’t have it with how much the planet was being destroyed through global warming and greenhouse gases. Imagine a self-sufficient, self-sustaining and eco-friendly power source. 

What people back in his world wouldn’t give to have it. 

Crewel, who looked as strict and poised as ever, taught very well. His lesson about cells was well planned-out and organised, leaving ample time for students to make notes and ask questions to clarify any misunderstood information. 

Although Rin had learnt this all before, it was a good refresher and served as confirmation of to what extent Biology was the same. So far, it seemed to be mostly the same, in terms of structure of the cell and all. There was mention of cell theory, surprisingly, especially with the way magic could simply duplicate objects. The fact that cell division wasn’t explained as a result of magic was intriguing. 

Perhaps when it came to living organisms, maybe magic wouldn’t be able to just duplicate stuff, with how complicated organisms were. Just duplicating a cell would require a clear picture in one’s mind, and it would be hard to imagine something as small as a cell individually. 

Even if they were able to heal people with magic in this world, it was likely just accelerating a person’s own recovery speed. 

When it comes to non-living objects… Perhaps it was possible to convert mana into matter??

Maybe Crewel could answer his questions later after class. Rin thought, writing down key bullet points to ask about. 

He’d ask after class. And then he’ll probably go to Sam’s shop to pick up some more groceries, having already checked their kitchen fridges and leftover budget. 

Ginger, Rin shuddered at the thought of the dorm’s squishy, soft and weirdly-dry-and-wet-at-the-same-time ginger. He needed to buy ginger. 

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Omake 1: 

The moment Rin Hattori opened the door and took a step into the room, a susurrus of quiet murmurs sounded within the class. 

Ruggie didn’t see the boy when everyone else had filed into the room, even though it was a class with the whole year. So was the boy running late? Already met some trouble on the first day? 

When Ameld had all but announced him as a teaching assistant, and basically forced Rin to introduce himself in front of the whole class— Ruggie couldn’t help but snicker, alarming his fellow Savanaclaw classmates that had taken a seat left and right of him. 

Rin Hattori wanted an average life, but wasn’t it funny that after this class, everyone would be able to match his name to face? Wasn’t it hilarious that he wasn’t going to be known as just the entrance ceremony enigma, or the Old Trade student, but also, student-teacher for Ancient Curses and Incantations. 

Ruggie supposed it wasn’t much of a surprise to him. With how the subject still had many unknowns due to limited material, it wasn’t a surprise that the school would want to recruit Rin Hattori. 

(Ruggie wondered what the headmaster offered him to get him to agree.) 

The hyena beastman supposed that it probably would’ve been easier for him as a side hustle to make use of Rin’s knowledge rather than the mystery behind him. Since everyone knew what he looked like now, his earlier plan was basically scrapped. People were going to start taking hidden photos or strapping cameras everywhere. 

Some may think that such a reaction was over-exaggerated, but students at NRC tended to take caution, but also interest, in the unknown. 

With how weird Rin was, and how unique he was, Ruggie had heard some people in the hallway proclaim his brilliance, scoff at his mediocrity, praise his abilities, and treat him like the nineteenth great wonder of the world. 

Ruggie wouldn’t be surprised if two groups arose after today. 

One who wanted to push Rin down, finding it favouritism from the teachers and ignorant to Rin’s usefulness to the field of ancient research. One, consisting of people with more tact and more understanding on the matter, would probably praise Rin and worship him like a mysterious being, a figure of god. Someone who shouldn’t have been able to stand the test of time, as Old Trade had died out many many years ago but was here. 

He didn’t know whether Rin was lucky or unlucky. 

Just by existing, Rin was going to have an established fanclub. And Ruggie was sure that Pomefiore wouldn’t sit still either, if one of their own was touched. 

Things were about to get messy. 

Perhaps, with how much Rin wanted peace, Ruggie could strike a deal with him about keeping people off his back in exchange for something. But to be fair, even Ruggie didn’t feel very motivated to involve himself in something that would very quickly progress into an avalanche. 

As he left the room after class, Ruggie took one last look at Rin, who was struggling in the grasp of Floyd Leech before halting— for a second Ruggie thought his lack of movement meant he was either dead or unconscious —and the Savanaclaw student shivered. 

Judging from the sharp and almost predatory shine in Floyd and Jade’s mismatched eyes, Ruggie could tell they were completely enraptured by Rin’s existence. From the way Rin stared blankly and looked like he wanted the ground to just swallow him whole and bury him six feet under, the boy was completely addled at the situation. 

Ruggie felt a chill go down his spine. 

The Rin Hattori effect was dangerous. It was too strong. And although Ruggie wanted to laugh, he couldn’t help but grimace. 

As long as Rin Hattori was in this school, these years would probably go down in NRC’s history books. 

Omake 2: 

To Jade, it was hard to say a lot of things were truly interesting. 

Mushrooms, terrariums, the natural world— Azul, his brother, and the poor unfortunate souls that manage to cross his path, trembling in terror and badly-concealed fear at his towering height and jagged teeth. 

There were things he found endlessly intriguing. Stuff that he could do that would make him lose all track of time. 

Despite Azul looking at him with faint apprehension, and Floyd rolling his eyes at him, when they finally entered the ceremonial hall, Jade could feel his cold heart beat with anticipation. 

They knew what dorm they’d be sorted into. It wasn’t a difficult deduction. 

And when it came time for Rin Hattori to get sorted, it was an amazing thing to witness. For someone who so clearly wasn’t a mer and wasn’t raised in the Coral Sea to have such a magnificent bloodlust… Jade felt a primal part of himself twinge in excitement. 

Jade had always been the gentler, politer, and more humble-spoken one between him and Floyd. But to be fair, Jade was simply more subtle with his interests, and he was highly self-motivated as well. 

So, in order to restrain himself from approaching Rin Hattori on the induction day, Jade focused on stopping his brother from doing so instead. 

Now’s not the right time, he had to repeat mentally, over and over. If I can’t go then neither can you.  

So when he finally had the pleasure of speaking with Rin Hattori, it took all of Jade’s willpower to not tear him apart. 

Those hazel-brown eyes that were brighter than supernovas, brighter than the bluest of flames— the steady stare that met his own, the lack of breaking eye contact —it was brilliant. Rin didn’t hesitate, didn’t pause, didn’t falter. It was as if he knew the laws of the deep sea, instinctively, intimately.  

To turn away is to admit defeat. To avert one’s eyes is to expose your neck. A single second of miscalculation could lead to death. 

If Jade so wished to, he could cast his unique magic on this boy, unveil all of what was hidden behind those worldly eyes and observant glare. 

But this wasn’t the sea, nor the jungle. When the boy turned away from him and looked upon Azul, Jade could tell that a part of Rin’s attention was still kept on Floyd and Jade. Split between the two effectively, as if leaving no stone unturned. No blindspots to have out in the open. 

He wanted to challenge the boy, to threaten and sink his teeth into curious-scented flesh. But he had to be patient and nice. It was something he could understand, but it didn’t mean it was something he appreciated. 

However, Rin’s reaction to meeting them and seeing Azul made up for any discontent he had felt in his heart. 

A fashion designer could probably send Azul on a runway, name him the ‘Embarrassed Figure of Disbelief’, and it would be considered high fashion, modern art. 

As the conversation in the cafeteria progressed, Jade could tell that Azul was getting more and more on-edge about Rin Hattori. 

The boy wasn’t anything they expected. 

To be surrounded at all sides, pressured by two intimidating presences, namely him and Floyd, and to be provided no escape route yet still be able to name their own terms and put their own conditions on the table— truly impressive. 

Faintly, Jade was almost certain that Rin would’ve refused the offer. In fact, throughout their whole interaction, other than being on guard and defensive around them, the boy looked resolutely bored, not wanting to stay a second longer, be it out of discomfort or irrelevance of the subject to him. 

In fact, when Rin had called Azul ‘Ashengrotto-san’, Jade’s mind halted. And he could tell that Azul did the same, unable to determine exactly what tone Rin was using. 

The polite speech that Azul had adopted was superficial at worst, grating at best. The impression that Jade’s way of speech gave off was shady despite the respectful language. The two of them both used ‘-san’. And Floyd— well, he tended to give his own little nicknames. 

What caught them off guard wasn’t Rin’s similar use of the same honorific, but rather, the emphasis on the single extra syllable to their name gave a sense of unease. It was like the brown-eyed boy was saying, ‘I’m onto you’ or ‘I know what you are’.  

Although it didn’t bother Jade all that much, as it wasn’t like he was truly trying to hide his sinister undertones, it certainly agitated Azul a bit.

At the same time, the way Rin spoke was as if he was trying to convey the message of ‘Remember who you are, and remember who I am. I don’t want to cross you, and you don’t want to cross me, so leave me alone.’

And well, a part of Jade felt the warning behind the unspoken words. A part of his survival instincts that had been honed to perfection back in the Coral Sea, wanted him to back away. To not agitate this sleeping predator disguised as prey. 

But truly, Jade Leech wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t simply pursue what he was interested in with a focus worthy of the devotion of the great Sea Witch. 

With another individual so interesting, so worth studying and picking apart— Jade licked his lips and ran his tongue over the edges of his teeth. 

When Azul had turned to him in confirmation of accepting Rin’s terms, Jade nodded without hesitation. 

Run and hide as much as you can, Jade smiled. Perhaps Rin Hattori had made those conditions thinking that they would either reject it out of not being able to complete the condition, or out of not wanting to take such a big risk of giving three favours with no questions asked. 

However, Rin Hattori seemed to have underestimated them. 

We won’t let you get away. 

Omake 3: 

“Oh là là,” Rook laughed, holding a hand to his lips. His vibrant green eyes were fixed in a certain direction, as if finding a particular sight incredibly amusing. 

“It seems that Chevalier de la Lune has managed to find themself in quite a predicament.”

Vil, surrounded by a group of second year Pomefiore students, followed the hunter’s gaze to see the table Rin was sitting with the three other Octavinelle students. Although he couldn’t really make out Rin’s expression, the fact that Rook chuckled in a low voice meant that something unsavoury or strange had happened. 

(Rook couldn’t help but feel giddy at the sight. 

To think that Monsieur Lune would willingly feed someone with his own utensils… after hesitating for so long on whether or not to take Rook’s hand, the blond-haired boy couldn’t help but want to hold a hand to his chest and wax poetry about the betrayal. 

When he spotted Rin take a bite out of Floyd Leech’s sandwich without an ounce of hesitation, Rook couldn't help but click his tongue and shake his head in disappointment. 

It seemed that their little freshman needed to be reminded that they shouldn’t eat a stranger’s food, even when offered. It seemed that he needed some lessons on the threat of students in Night Raven College. 

Especially from those in Octavinelle.)

“The Leech twins and an Ashengrotto of all people,” Vil frowned, sighing as he rubbed his temples. Amethyst eyes glimmered, and his face contorted into a mild look of distaste. 

“Such a troublesome little potato.” 

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Chapter Text

After the rather hectic day at school, Rin wanted nothing more than to go back to his dorm and pass out. 

From meeting Floyd to suffering through classes, from getting chewed out by Crewel for skipping lunch the previous day to eating lunch with the three Octavinelle students— Rin felt like he had his work cut out for him. 

Despite his tired soul and sore muscles from PE, there was just one more thing he had to do before he could go back to his room, study for a while, prepare for tomorrow’s lunch and sleep. 

Rin entered Mr Sam’s Mystery Shop and let the faint jingle of the bell above the door announce his presence. 

“Ah! My little imp, welcome!” The man behind the counter, dressed fully in purple. The skeleton pattern painted onto his skin almost glowed. “It’s lovely to see you again. What are you looking for today?” 

Rin nodded in greeting, allowing his eyes to smile— corners crinkling in a charming way. 

“I’d like to purchase some extra groceries.” Rin looked around. The place was surprisingly big compared to the outside, “is there a way I can just take a look around? I’m not completely set on what to buy yet.” 

“Of course! Just take a left turn and it’ll be the third aisle and across.” Sam grinned, “take your time, and if you need anything else, my friends from the other side can sort it out just fine.”

The shadows that had been mostly hidden the day before when Rin visited popped out from behind Sam, giving a small wave and a tip of its little shadow hat. It seemed shy, constantly peeking out behind the counter. 

Sam laughed. “It seems my little imp here is quite the individual.” He said without further expanding on his statement. 

Rin paid it no mind, and instead, stepped slightly closer to look at the little shadow. 

Adorable, Rin couldn’t help but sigh internally. It was probably half of Rin’s height, and Rin, being as tired as he was, simply saluted to the little shadow. “I’ll be counting on you, then.” He said before he waved, grabbing a shopping basket before he sauntered off to see what ingredients were available. 

Upon arriving at the right place in the shop, Rin walked along the nearly organised baskets of fruits and vegetables. Picking and choosing items to put in his basket was calming, the process of which was rather methodological and soothing. 

Something Rin realised during lunch was that the cafeteria lunch wasn’t free, as Crowley had implied with how he said that expenses would be handled so that all capable students could attend. Although the tuition was covered for students in need of financial aid, other necessary expenses needed to be paid for by yourself. However, cooking one’s own meals came from the dorm’s food budget and whatever else you purchased to supplement the supplies in the dorm. 

Aside from the haul of basic necessities he got by putting the expenses on Crowley’s name, after Biology, Crewel had handed him an envelope with some money for food from Crowley that Crewel had threatened the man for forgetting. The science professor had made sure the money would be more than enough for meals at the cafeteria for both breakfast, lunch and dinner, making his own meals was probably going to be cheaper either way. 

Rin was thankful, but he tried to push away the image of Crewel’s stinging glare warning him to just use the money and not skip meals. 

(He skipped a meal one time, and Crewel would probably never let him live it down.) 

The dorm already had celery and broccoli, unsurprisingly, but Rin chose to simply buy whatever he needed for the next week, disregarding what was at Pomefiore except for the spice, sauces, condiments, and maybe rice and processed carbohydrates such as noodles, pastas and breads.

Celery, broccoli, onions, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, white radish, garlic, spring onions, chilli peppers, eggs, milk, tofu, chicken, pork, cod, shrimp, more tomatoes, seaweed etc. The fruit section was bountiful, but Rin decided that the large amount of fruit back at Pomefiore would probably be fine. Additionally, he grabbed a piece of ginger from the pile, making sure it wasn’t as depressing as the one back at Pomefiore, which, to be fair, Rin didn’t think one more sad than the one he saw in the fridge existed. 

When Rin came across the eggplants and the cucumber, he left his basket on the ground next to his feet to try and examine the quality. 

After putting two eggplants in his basket and ruminating over the cucumber, a hand taps him on the shoulder. 

Turning around suddenly, Rin was greeted with a head of green. His short and slightly messy hair with side-swept bangs was cropped to frame his ears. It was moss-green, forest-green, the deep and rich colour of evergreen. It wasn’t the lighter, more neon-ish tint that Kayano’s hair had, and for a second, Rin was lost in thought.

The boy in front of Rin wore his uniform neatly with his black blazer unbuttoned, showing off the crimson red Heartslabyul vest underneath. Unblemished skin was complemented by a dark clover painted onto the boy’s left cheek, right beneath warm, pure hazel eyes, black full-rimmed glasses and thicker eyebrows. 

The Heartslabyul student showed a smile, casual and kind, and immediately, Rin noticed a distinct difference between the way people looked at him. 

Crewel looked at him with mildly exasperated fondness, Rook looked at him with sheer passion, Floyd and Jade looked at him with sharp eyes, Ruggie looked at him like he was strangest person he had ever met, and Yule looked at him with yearning to be friends and a wobbly look that suggested he might cry. 

This person looked at Rin the most normally. In fact, the way the boy looked at Rin kind of reminded him of Japan— the way his upperclassmen looked at him when he just woke up from a nap. 

“Hi there,” the boy’s voice was smooth with an obvious undertone of mirth. Rin felt his ears heat up a little, dancing and brushing his cheeks, thinking about how he must’ve looked so ridiculous standing in front of a tray of cucumbers and trying to pick the best one. 

The other student chuckled, smiling, and Rin’s breath caught in his throat. 

Although the green-haired boy wasn’t show-stoppingly beautiful, he had a charm in and of its own. There was a more masculine beauty in his face, how his cheekbones, nose bridge and jawline were sculpted gave him almost none of the delicate look Azul and Vil had. But it was stunning all the same, especially when those eyes lit up in amusement and curved in barely-concealed humour.

(The fact that the boy didn’t look as if he came straight out of a high fashion runway made the tension bleed out of Rin’s heart. And perhaps the school uniform played into it, but that didn’t stop Azul’s shining looks from almost blinding Rin. 

But even so, the boy was still handsome. 

Seriously, there were too many good-looking students in this school.) 

“Do you need any help choosing?” The boy smirked, raising a brow as if impressed. “You’ve got quite the haul there.” 

Rin looked at him blankly, before looking at the cucumbers that he had been struggling to pick from for the past eight minutes. 

“…Sure.” Rin sighed, defeated. “Only if it’s not too much trouble.” 

Tree-boy takes a step closer, glancing over the fresh produce and picking one that Rin had been debating over between another. “This one’s probably better between these two. The little pricks are taller and well, not really sharp, but similar enough. The texture seems okay and it doesn’t seem soft or too old so it probably won’t be bitter.” The boy places the vegetable in Rin’s basket. 

“Are you cooking meals for yourself?” He asked, good-natured and gentle.

Rin nodded, tilting his head. “I’m used to eating my own food, and the cafeteria food doesn’t really suit my taste.” He glanced at the green-haired boy’s one basket that had two cartons of eggs, figs, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, cream cheese, apples and four bottles of milk. “And you?” 

“Heartslabyul has a tradition where we throw an Unbirthday party at the start of the year within the first month. I bake most of the sweets so I’ll be trying out some new recipes, and I figured we were running low on some ingredients.” The boy replied. 

Rin smiled internally at the idea of an Unbirthday party. Dormouse sleeping in the teapot, jam in case they awaken— it was easy for Rin to hear the phantom cheerful tune of the Unbirthday song. 

“What are you planning on making?” He asked instead. 

“Probably trying to perfect my strawberry tart recipe, since I know a new addition to my dorm would probably like it. I’ll make a cheesecake too for those who don’t quite like sweets. And maybe a banana bread, fig tart, scones, and a fresh cream berry cake. I haven’t decided on what the pie should be, and we need another type of tart as well.” 

Rin smiled lightly, and Trey could probably see the way his eyes curved above his mask. 

“Impressive.” 

Trey grinned, waving his hand. “It’s not that impressive. Desserts are pretty easy, especially tarts. My family runs a bakery, so it’s not that hard for me.” 

“It’s still pretty cool to bake that much for the party,” Rin sniffed, “Could this be called housewife material?” He asked, not really expecting an answer. 

Trey’s eye twitched, taken off guard at the metaphorical brick that landed on his head. The out-of-the-blue comment from someone who was presumably a first year made him laugh out of shock. 

(He didn’t know whether it was a good or bad thing that he couldn’t tell whether the Pomefiore student was joking or not.

Cater had often said the same statement, jabbing him in the ribs teasingly as he gave a frilly lace apron for Trey’s birthday last year. It wasn’t a joke he was unfamiliar with, since the more rowdy of his classmates had likened him to a mom or an older brother with how he acted. 

But for some reason, it made his heart stutter for a second this time, as if jarred by the abruptness of the joke. 

The boy’s original, cold and uncaring impression melted in Trey’s mind. So the boy had a sense of humour… Trey withheld the urge to smile.) 

“Housewife you say?” Trey recovered fairly quickly. Smiling, he tilted his head, “Aren’t you making packed meals? I think I would consider that more housewife behaviour than me baking.” 

Rin huffed, “Touché, but I’m not the one considerately taking into account the preferences of my dorm mates and making sweets that cater both to those who like and dislike sweets.” 

“………”

“Housewife material,” Rin reiterated with a knowing look, picking his basket up and starting to walk around. 

Trey followed closely behind, shrugging with an unsaid and amused ‘you got me there’. 

“I’m Trey Clover, second year in Class E.” he said, talking beside Rin as they made their way back to the counter. “You are?” 

Rin felt the urge to bang his head against the wall upon hearing Trey’s name. Trey? Literally three? Clover? The three of clovers???? 

And people here had the audacity to call Rin’s name strange??? 

The black clover painted beneath Trey’s eye reminded Rin of the playing card suit all too much, but since it was a dorm based off of the Queen of Hearts, Rin thought that it was just a dorm thing. But the fact that this was probably a dorm thing as well as it matching so well with Trey’s name made Rin want to call bullshit. 

There’s no way this is real, Rin thought faintly. 

“Rin Hattori, first year Class D.” Rin dipped his head in a small head-bow, trying to hide his frown. “Thanks for the assistance earlier, Clover-senpai.” 

Trey looked rather surprised, taken aback by Rin’s presence, and by this point in time after a full day of being subject to whispers and not-so-subtle glances, the latter was used to it. 

“So you’re Rin Hattori…” Trey muttered dryly. He sighed, a small smile slipping into his lips. What was that emotion behind his eyes— relief? “Sorry, I just didn’t expect to meet the famous first year so soon. I thought I’d have to track you down or something.” 

“…Track me down??” Rin repeated, eyeing the boy warily. 

Was he wrong in assuming that the second-year had good intentions? Or rather, no intentions?

 “Hold on, I didn’t mean it like that.” Trey’s face twisted into a grimace at his prior words. “During the entrance ceremony,” Rin winced at the mention, “my friend took a video and it managed to catch your dorm sorting.”

……What?

“I wanted to find you and ask you if you’d prefer it deleted or not.” Trey scratched the back of his neck, a little abashed by the situation. 

“…You guys managed to capture that shitshow on camera…?” Rin murmured, voice taking on a vaguely incredulous tone, and Trey snorted in response. 

“That’s certainly a way to call it for sure.” 

Rin pinched the bridge of his nose, wanting to forget the memory altogether. Even so, with the damage already done, erasing the video would be of no use. Instead, he could probably send the recording to Ameld as and give a vague translation of what the mirror said and call it a day. 

“There’s no need to delete it,” Rin sighed, “rather than that, could you send a copy to me? Professor Ameld would probably appreciate it since he wasn’t there in person to witness it.”

“Professor Ameld?” Trey arched a brow.

“Yeah. I’m his teaching assistant.” Rin said, voice even despite the way Rin wanted to just smash his head against a brick wall. 

Trey probably picked up on his internal thoughts, because he laughed again, deep and melodious. 

“Alright then, I’ll be sure to let my friend know. We’ll find you some other time, or tomorrow after school when the club fairs are running.” 

Rin nodded, thankful and satisfied with the plan. 

So much as happening in so little time, but he supposed that if anyone could handle it, it would probably be him. 

“How was your first day, Rin?” The green-haired student paused, “Is it alright if I call you Rin?” 

Rin shrugged, having partially given up after spending a whole hour exercising with Yule, who took every chance he got to say Rin’s name. “It’s fine, Clover-senpai.” 

“Just call me Trey,” the hazel-eyed boy smiled, “Clover makes me sound old.” 

“You’re not? Grandpa Clover, you forgot to tie your shoelaces before leaving the house again.” Rin commented mildly in an impassive tone. 

Trey choked, instinctively looking down at his shoes to check if his shoelaces were truly untied. 

Upon seeing his laces in perfect condition, Trey muttered under his breath. “Oi.” He gave Rin a withering side-eye, but clearly couldn't fight the smile on his face as the corners of his lips twitched. “Seriously.” He let out a puff of laughter, mentally exasperated at himself for falling for it. 

Rin chuckled, mild mischief evident in his tone. 

“Anyway, back on topic. How was your first day? Anything exciting happen?” 

For a second it was like Rin’s life flashed before his eyes as scenes crossed his mind like a video tape. It was only a day worth of encounters, so why did it feel so long?

“Too much happened,” Rin shuddered internally whilst maintaining a world-weary expression. “Everything that happened today is nightmare fuel for the rest of the week.” He added wryly. 

Trey chuckled at his dramatics. “It can’t be that bad… come on, list it out for me.” 

Rin shook his head, “I don’t know, I think it might cause brain damage.” He said, but a part of the statement rang true to him. 

It certainly felt like it was causing brain damage.  

“Let’s see then. Give it your best shot.” 

Rin smiled, taking a deep breath. “I woke up early to make breakfast and lunch, and I found the most horrifically squishy and depressing ginger at the bottom of the fridge.” Rin rubbed his temples. “When I cut it open it was literally orange.” 

“……..Pffft.” 

“Don’t laugh at me,” Rin hissed softly, as if wanting to emphasise the sheer level of disgust and stress a sole piece of ginger put him under. “It was terrible.” 

“Alright alright. What else? That can’t be it.”

If only, Rin wanted to sob. 

“I had a staring contest with Lucius, a cat, which, in hindsight, was probably the nicest part of my day.” Rin said, “I sit next to Floyd Leech, who’s kind of sadistic and insane. Crewel-sensei reprimanded me after Alchemy for skipping lunch yesterday and gave me a fifteen-page long health questionnaire to fill out because something was wrong with my medical file.”

“I entered Ancient Curses and Magic and all the attention was drawn to me and now students can match a face to my name. Even though it was kind of inevitable, still.” Rin did not whine. He never whined, especially not for something like this. It was more like he was grumbling over his words. “The Leech twins and Azul Ashengrotto jump-scared me and kidnapped me to the cafeteria where I was forced to stay at a table with them, and then I exhausted my social battery talking to someone who was nice but apparently determined to be my friend. And… Biology was alright I guess?” 

“……………” 

“My reaction exactly.” Rin deadpanned at Trey’s wince. “And after I get back to Pomefiore, Rook-senpai will be there.” Rin lamented his fate as Trey shivered inadvertently, which made Rin laugh a little at. 

“You really have it tough, don’t you?” Trey said empathetically, but this time, compared to Azul’s superficial tone, Trey definitely sounded more genuine. 

“I know right?.” Rin muttered. 

Trey laughed lightly, a little apologetic and feeling sympathy for Rin’s plights. 

“It’s okay.” The second-year comforted him. “It’ll probably only get better from here.”

“…With my luck I kind of doubt that.” 

.

.

.

When Trey went out for groceries, he didn’t expect to meet the boy from the entrance ceremony. 

It was kind of odd that although technically everyone was at the entrance ceremony, when someone said ‘the boy’, people knew exactly who they were talking about. 

He had entered the shop before Rin, picking up the fruit before walking over to the dairy product section of the next aisle. When he came back through to walk back to the counter to check out,  he found a boy with black hair, shades of blue peeking out from underneath in a peek-a-boo style, hesitating between two cucumbers. 

Stifling a laugh, Trey walked up to the student who regarded the vegetables as if they had personally offended him somehow. The boy’s expression seemed fairly neutral, if not borderline empty. Somehow, even with a sense of pure serenity radiating from the Pomefiore student, Trey thought that they were probably having a tough time. 

When he tapped on the boy’s shoulder, the boy whirled around at lightning speed, as if an electrical shock just ran through him. Deep and swirling brown eyes widened minutely, startled, as if taking in Trey’s height and notably his hair. 

Hm. Brown eyes were rare, but Trey didn’t pay it any mind. It did give him a sudden craving for chestnuts though. 

They talked for a while, and it seemed as though Rin Hattori, although blunt and odd at times, was rather normal. After parting ways, Trey walked through the Heartslabyul mirror with a heavy feeling rooted in his chest. 

Confusion towards his own actions was the primary emotion he was experiencing. 

Rather than saying he’ll find Rin with Cater some other time, he should’ve just gotten Rin Hattori’s Magicam handle and let Cater send the video over. But he guessed a part of him wanted to see the mysterious freshman who managed to make even that mirror speak Old Trade. Besides, Cater would appreciate a free opportunity to talk to the famous first year. 

He’d probably have a field day, though, Trey supposed he’d probably have to give Rin fair warning of Cater’s love of taking photos. Trey didn’t peg Rin to be the type of person to like taking photos, but he’s only known the boy for a little less than an hour, so perhaps he’d be wrong and it’d be a match made in purgatory. 

“I wonder if he has a club in mind…” Trey mumbled to himself, placing the bags of groceries on the floor.

Perhaps the boy would join the science club.

“Wonder who has a club in mind?” A cheery voice sounded right behind him as a pair of light hands landed on his shoulders. Trey flinched, nearly jumping out of his skin despite knowing the person who was behind such a scare. 

“Cater,” Trey sighed, smiling wryly as he rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the sudden tension in the muscle. “Give a guy some warning, would you?” 

“That would ruin the fun!” The orange-haired boy smiled before tilting his head, hand brushing his cheek as he contemplated before shrugging with a good-natured smile. “I think Lilia’s rubbing off on me.” 

“So? Who are we talking about?” Cater asked, leaning an arm on Trey’s shoulder as an armrest. He patted the green-haired boy’s arm for good measure. 

“There is no ‘we’ in this.” Trey pushed the arm away playfully as he set all the stuff he bought into the counter. Cater followed suit without being prompted to do so. 

Here goes nothing, Trey sucked in a breath. It wasn’t that he was nervous or anything, but it was just that he felt like he could already predict what kind of reaction to expect. It was like the agonisingly slow moment between the point in which a child dropped their ice cream, and them actually starting to cry. 

“I met Rin Hattori today.” 

“What?!” Cater shrieked, and Trey reeled back, holding a finger to his mouth in an obvious sign of lowering their volume. “No way!!” Cater exclaimed, whispering. “Aww I really wanted to meet him. You can’t be for real! This isn’t one of your jokes is it…?”

Trey felt vaguely unimpressed. “You think I would joke about this?” 

“I mean, your sense of humour is always sort of a fifty-fifty y’know—“ 

Trey rolled his eyes at the subtle jab to his pride. Fifty-fifty…? His jokes weren’t that bad… were they?

…Alright, Trey mentally sighed, recalling a multitude of memories. Perhaps he could see what Cater meant. 

Trey wrinkled his eyes at Cater’s damaging words. It felt like a pillow smack to the face. And not the type of soft and fluffy pillow— more like the harder pillows his grandpa opted to use that were filled with sand and beads. The kind of hit that would make your nose instantly scrunch in a wince. 

“Where did you meet him?”

“Just at the mystery shop. He was also getting some groceries.” Trey clicked his tongue teasingly, “It’s a shame you said you were too busy to come with me.” 

The green-eyed boy shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “If I knew he was going to be there I would’ve ditched paperwork and just followed you.”  

“Hey, not even to help me carry stuff? I’m wounded. What happened to us?” 

“LOL. Those are some funny words, magic man. Trey-kun’s a big strong baker, I know you don’t need help.” Cater grinned, patting Trey’s arm again as if to prove a point. “Anyway, what did Rin-kun do for you to say ‘I wonder if he has a club in mind’ so wistfully? Is he really like the rumours say, that he was so beautiful his face is all you can see even if he’s not there?” Cater gasped deliberately, a little too jolly for Trey’s sanity. “Did he really manage to beguile the Trey Clover? What happened to us? How could you?” 

…Trey didn’t even want to begin picking that apart. 

“Wow, a wonderful plot twist, with Cay-Cay turning the tables on Trey! How will Trey Clover react to such words that strike home?” Cater narrated, and Trey felt himself lose a brain cell or two. 

“It’s nothing like that,” Trey rolled his eyes again. Simultaneously, he felt a little lost. The hazel-eyed boy ignored the scrutinising look Cater gave him and the whispered comment ‘hmmm, Cay-kun doesn’t know, that sounds kinda…’. 

“We just chatted a little, and he said we could keep the video as long as we sent it to him as well.” Trey interrupted in an attempt to change the topic. 

Sevens, he felt too old for this. 

Cater hummed curiously, tapping his finger on his arm. “Why would he want the video?”

“Apparently Professor Ameld wants it, and he’s the teaching assistant for Ancient Curses and Incantations now.” 

“Hm.” 

Trey inclined his head. For someone who didn’t know him, it could’ve been seen as lazy, but since it was Trey, it simply looked like he was open to hearing an explanation. Like someone on the opposing side of the argument willing to hear you out. 

“You don’t sound very surprised.” 

Cater shrugged with a smile. “It’s not hard to piece it together. The first years that came back before you were talking about Rin-kun being a TA. And you know what Professor Ameld and Professor Mim are like with their research.” He shrugged again, as if helpless, but the grin on his face spoke of his delight in guessing right. “If he asked for the video it’s only anyone’s guess what he needs it for.”

Trey laughed, his voice light and relaxed. “You’re really incredible sometimes, you know?”

“Only sometimes?” Cater faked a sob. “Why must you hurt me so?” He shook his head, wiping a nonexistent tear out of his glittering eyes.  

But then, as if reminded of the topic of the conversation suddenly, Cater pouted, sighing as if he had just dropped the last slice of pizza and was mourning for the loss. “This is totes unfair,” He bemoaned. “You’ve got to tell me everything. What does he look like? What’s his personality? What did you guys talk about? I wish I could meet him. I found his Magicam and requested to follow but he hasn’t responded.” Cater rambled, and Trey just shook his head in amusement. 

It seems Rin’s popularity precedes him. 

“You can figure all that stuff out when you meet him. I told him we’d find him some other time for the video and stuff.” 

All of a sudden, like a sunflower that had been given a sun, Cater perked up, bouncing over to Trey and wrapping his arm around Trey’s neck in yet another head-lock. 

“OMG! Trey, have I ever told you that I love you and that I appreciate you for everything you do for me every single day?” 

The green-haired boy let out a throaty laugh. “Yeah yeah. Usually you say it every time you try to make me go to the Housewarden meeting in your stead.” 

Cater winked, smiling brightly. “Not my fault you’re my wonderful, excellent vice housewarden.” 

“And the vice housewarden doesn’t attend the meetings.” Trey retorted. 

Cater looked at him funny, as if he had a sudden revelation. “You still haven’t answered my question~” 

Trey let out a questioning hum. “What question?” 

“Why you want to know what club Rin-kun wants to be in of course!” 

Trey sighed, “You’re reading too much into this. I was just curious about what kind of club he’d be interested in. If he doesn’t have one in mind then maybe I can try to get him to join the science club,” Trey smiled, a smirk resting on his lips naturally.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Cater exclaimed, scandalised. “Not if I recruit him for the Pop Music Club first. If we have him in the band, getting more members is sure to be a piece of cake!” 

Trey gave a look of disbelief and defeated mirth. 

“You don’t even know if he plays an instrument.” He protested weakly, smiling nervously. 

“He can sing!” Bright green eyes twinkled, determined.

“But— you know what, knock yourself out.” Trey rubbed his forehead. “I guess the game is on.” He said, half-kidding. 

“You bet!” Cater cheered, and although his voice was bouncy and cheerful, Trey considered himself quite observant. And he could clearly tell that Cater was, in fact, not joking. 

Trey felt a chill rise on his skin and couldn’t help but try to sooth the goosebumps that had risen. 

…… Sorry Rin, he apologised mentally in advance. I think I might’ve started something. 

.

.

.

Back at Pomefiore, the first thing Rin did was go to his room with bags full of ingredients in hand. On a couple of pieces of yellow paper left over from his sketchbook collages, Rin drew a complex talisman with a red brush-pen based off of a recent Chinese drama that Suzu had forced him to watch so that she had someone to talk about it with. 

Rather than writing a note that said it was Rin’s, this method tended to be more effective in preventing anyone from touching your stuff. 

After putting the items he didn’t need at the moment— each bag, each carton, each bundle of leaves and each packaged meat wrapped in yellow talisman paper —in the fridge, Rin set the ones he was going to be using onto the kitchen counter. 

For tomorrow’s breakfast and lunch, Rin planned to make fried chicken with some boiled broccoli, cherry tomatoes and tamagoyaki. Karaage and white rice went well together, and thinking about it, he could probably finish it. 

If the Leech twins weren’t at the same table as him, of course. 

As for dinner, he could probably eat his leftovers from lunch, as well as some extra he had set aside in the fridge. Additionally, he could get a pear from the bag of fruits students were welcome to help themselves to and call it a day. 

With a roll of his shoulders, Rin set up the chopping board next to a stove, clipped his hair back to prevent it getting in the way and started to prep the ingredients. Ideally, he’d also fry the karaage, but there would probably be more students soon so Rin decided to simply fry the chicken tomorrow.

Brown eyes flashed on the sharp metal knife. 

Time to get to work. 

.

.

.

Rin’s room was quiet, with only the faint, soft whirring of the wind against the stained-glass window. The diamond-patterned red and purple shone like crystal ores in the blissful moonlight. Coloured shapes reflected onto the desk and floor, contrasting against the dark, polished surface of the table, and the opaque plum of the carpet. 

Turning on the apple lamp with a muted click, Rin took his prescriptions before sitting down and opening up the health questionnaire Crewel had given him. It was more of a booklet than anything else. If Rin didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought it was a test paper than a simple health check-up form. 

If he was being honest, filling in the health questionnaire was the last thing Rin wanted to be doing. To him, it felt like a waste of time when he could be using this time to research his way back home. 

Although his paranoia had granted roughly a years’ worth of time when it came to his regular medication, even that wasn’t ideal. In reality, Rin was supposed to have check-ups once every two weeks. Having someone in the know about his current state of health was necessary, but at the same time, there wasn’t any need to go into the nitty gritty details. Rin supposed, it was for the sake of his greater good, and for the sake of their greater good as well. 

Filling in the basics was easy. It wasn’t anything unfamiliar. 

Name, age, date of birth… It was as if it were muscle memory. He filled it the best he could, occasionally searching up some words when asked whether he had used certain medications. When he encountered a substance he didn’t recognise, he looked it up on his phone, read a description of what the drug did, before adding a note of whether had used something similar in his world. 

What is your medical history? List all the medications you’ve been prescribed regularly in the past and their purpose. 

Do you have any health complications to take note of? Describe in detail any illnesses or disabilities. 

Compile all incidents you’ve been through that may have affected your health in the long term. 

What can NRC do to help you? 

Rin let out a small puff of air that rose in his throat. The questions seemed oddly specific in terms of medication and explanations of what those drugs were, as if the person who wrote it knew that there may be medicines Rin took that weren’t found here. The black-haired boy could imagine Crewel writing these questions with a firm look that demanded honesty. 

If he gave a vague answer, surely Crewel would pull him aside with his crop in hand and ask him very politely, and kind of intimidatingly, to clarify. 

So as best as he could, he answered the questions with as much detail as he was willing to expose, which to be fair, wasn’t a lot, but it was enough. 

Medical history? He wrote the names of all the drugs he had been previously prescribed by date, as well as their function. Health complications? He had a weak immune system, and if he got sick, it could easily develop into pneumonia if he wasn’t careful enough. 

Incidents he’s been through that might have negatively impacted his health? Hm. 

Rin supposed that counted the car accident he had been in at the end of his first year of junior high. And it definitely included that incident that made the doctors triple his medication dosages. 

How wonderful, Rin grimaced. 

He wrote about the first incident objectively. When it came to the second, he paused. Eyes flickering with hesitation, his hands slowed and hovered lightly over the designated writing space. After a moment, he wrote a brief, extremely simplified and heavily toned down overview of what happened and its impact. 

All he could do was hope that Crewel didn’t admit him to a hospital immediately. He’d rather not be admitted to an ICU within his first week, and he needed to stay at NRC to have even the slightest chance of getting home. If he had to undermine stuff, then so be it. 

Rin knew in his heart that it was a serious event. He had been told many times, especially when he tried to brush things off. He knew, definitely, absolutely. 

But there was a reason for this— this watering down of the story. And Rin wasn’t going to make it deliberately hard for himself, was he? 

(If Karasuma found out that he was doing this, Rin didn’t know what exactly the man would say. Would he glare at him disapprovingly for doing so? Would he nod his head begrudgingly, not exactly pleased but understanding that it was the only logical option?

…Rin didn’t know if he wanted to know.) 

After answering the full fourteen-page booklet, Rin moved on to retrieve his tablet from his bag. Plugging the charger in, Rin opened up a new document, intending to create a lesson plan for Ancient Curses and Incantations. 

The sooner he did this, the better. It would mean less work for Rin in the long run, not to mention that despite the fact Professor Ameld said it was okay to wing everything and leave it as a surprise for him, Rin preferred to consult the man on a teaching plan. Not to mention the fact that the sooner he had a teaching plan ready and approved of, the more he’ll hold over Azul when time came for the three Octavinelle students to uphold their part of the deal. 

Ancient Curses and Incantations. 

From his first lesson of the subject today, Rin found it quite easy to understand what was going on and how Old Trade played a role in magic. It was like one of those isekai anime where the main protagonist was able to use Japanese to cast magic spells, or use kanji to draw arrays. 

A part of Rin wanted to test it out. Ameld had said that for some reason, spells and arrays in Common weren't as effective as Old Trade. The man had emphasised the power of words. How our imagination could shape our words, and vice versa— how our words could shape our minds. It was mutual, in a sense. Word association, how one’s mind played as much of a role as the spoken chant did. The fact that the professor said that more complex spells required a more advanced incantation suggested that words reinforced intent.  

Or at least, that was what Rin interpreted it as. 

Universal and personal incantations… This meant that anyone could technically chant anything, and as long as they had enough intent and imagination, it would count as a ‘personal incantation’. 

—Except it wasn’t that simple. Incantations and spells could fail. And apparently, according to people on the internet, getting a grasp of magic control was tricky. A fine-tuning process, an ongoing trial-and-error project. 

What kind of incantation would work? What kind of intent needs to be portrayed? How much magic is needed?  

There was a reason why many used ‘universal’ incantations rather than personal ones, with the sole exception being experts or an individual’s unique magic. It seemed that compared to an already pre-existing incantation that was passed down through generations, refined again and again, personal incantations for regular magic just couldn’t compare. 

Afterall, there was no point in using personal incantations if the effect was less than the universal ones, and they often weren’t as efficient with mana consumption and blot production. 

Old Trade made all of this personal incantation stuff easier. But if magic heavily relied on one’s own interpretation and association towards the words being spoken, Rin doubted that English would aid anyone’s magic, unless they were at a proficiency in which they could think in the language and no longer needed to translate back and forth. 

Rin breathed in, deep. Cool and refreshing air filled his lungs, and Rin let his ribcage follow the movement of his muscles, expanding and contracting. 

He focused and emptied his mind. All that existed was himself.  And whatever surrounded him. Empty space, dark void— except it was different. 

Perhaps the whole trip to another world messed with his sense of perception, because the air that touched his skin burned. It itched and sweltered invisibly, as if something was threatening to get out, or demanding to be let in. Maybe this was what was known as atmospheric mana, and maybe what flowed inside him, heating up his mind and warming his blood vessels, was magic. 

This was it, wasn’t it? Rin could feel a vague sense of anticipation bubble within him. It could’ve been nervousness at the prospect of doing something that seemed fake, impossible, outside the realm of plausibility and physics. 

(A part of Rin hoped what he was about to do wouldn’t work. A part of him prayed that the mirror had been wrong, and that Rin was in fact— magicless. 

Because if it wasn’t wrong— if he did have magic— Rin wouldn’t know what to do with himself. Even without magic, he was someone who was weird, surviving the impossible. 

Wasn’t he already a freak of nature? Someone who should be dead but was somehow, against all odds, still alive and breathing? 

If this were to succeed… people with magic… were they even human in Rin’s world? Would the ability to use magic disappear when he returned to Earth?) 

Rin exhaled slightly, closing his eyes and imagining an orb, round and soft, yet bright all the same. Glowing like a night-light rather than a flaming torch or the scorching sun. Instead of a blinding light that singed the hairs on one’s arm, imagine the gentle twinkle of a star. Instead of the heat that one associated with an open flame and light bulbs with their heated metal strips, imagine a moonstone, or an opal— luminous and cold to touch. 

“Shine.” Rin muttered, willing a fragment of what ran in his veins towards his hands. 

Opening his eyes, within the centre of his palm, a radiant sphere, blurred around the edges as though it were vibrating, formed. 

Rin stared at the orb with his mouth parted slightly in disbelief. 

No way…

A weird feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, and it wasn’t clear what exactly it was, just that it felt like a door had been opened. A gate that had been previously kept under chains and locks had loosened and allowed him to take a peek. The notebook that he kept on the small bookshelf buzzed, flying out and onto the desk. The pages were flipped dramatically before landing on a page of regular spells in English. 

Rin looked at the book, which at the moment, seemed to have a mind of its own. 

(What was the saying? The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche had said, ‘Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process, he doesn’t become a monster. For if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.’

The open pages of the book looked like gaping maws of a voracious predator.

So why did it come to this?) 

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.

.

After class, Rin had left Hoshizuki and walked down the street calmly, a sense of ease evident in his shoulders and the way he held himself. He passed by children, elderly, and women who went out grocery shopping. Occasionally, there were other students who passed him by, businessmen who were on their way to a meeting, and a foreigner or two wandering the stalls with barely-concealed fascination. 

『 I’ve been reading books of old 』

『 The legends and the myths 』

He sang quietly, a low hum of a sound, gentle. Like the soft caress of a feather, like a light brush of water rippling outwards. With only one of his earphones in, Rin was able to hear his volume and adjust, but with the natural bustling of the street, with various shops and stores open and customers flowing in and out, it wasn’t like he was being very loud anyway. 

『 The testaments they told 』

『 The moon and its eclipse 』

『 And Superman unrolls 』

『 A suit before he lifts 』

Music was always his escape, his beloved sleep. No matter where, no matter when. The fact that he didn’t play the piano anymore didn’t change that. 

Especially after recent events, Rin felt the desperation clawing in him. He felt the urge to unlock the piano and let it be tuned for the first time in nearly three years— to play to his hearts’ content, and allow his ears to drown in the notes and tones. Even so, he didn’t have the guts to do it, so he didn’t. 

Even so, perhaps what happened pushed him out a little. Previously, he would only really hum some occasional verses, but it seems that singing quietly like this was also fine. It didn’t trigger a wave of chills and shivers, it wasn’t what his heart so intensely desired… but it was something. And it ached the sting in his chest just a little, like a cool cream on a bruise, a cooling spray on burnt skin. 

It was comforting. Like a lullaby to soothe a child’s anguished cries, a fairytale to lull one to sleep. Personal, a silent chant, a wordless noise that blended into the background. 

Rin tilted his head backwards, leaning, as if basking in the fresh and crisp air that autumn had brought. The yellowing leaves and the drying breeze spoke of ripened parting. He was like a bird revelling in the feeling of flight, like a feline lounging in the warm, cosy light. 

Peace. It was peaceful, perhaps. It was strange since it didn’t feel right to call things peaceful after all the chaos the past few weeks had been. 

『 But I’m not the kind of person that it fits— 』

『 She said, where’d you wanna go? 』

Along the way, his footsteps came to a halt when he saw two of the street cats he’d been feeding, the slightly pudgy furballs automatically coming up to his leg, rubbing their bodies against him and pawing at his shoe to beg for treats. His voice softened further, words almost breathless in a sense.

『 —How much you wanna risk? 』

『 I’m not lookin’ for somebody 』

『 With some superhuman gifts 』

Rin grabbed a small pouch of treats from the outer pocket of his bag and placed it on his hands palm-up. He twirled a strand of hair in his other hand, absent-minded. 

It was the first time he’s been able to go out alone since summer holiday had begun, and a part of Rin didn’t know whether he missed it or not— the ever-present company, the never-ending thrum of syllables, spoke fluidly and cheerfully, so lively that it seemed to breathe life into Rin himself. 

Even if it felt kind of odd to walk alone, it was a rare occasion, so he may as well enjoy it. 

『 Some superhero 』

『 Some fairy-tale bliss 』

『 …Just something I can turn to 』

『 Somebody I can miss 』

『 I want something just like this 』

Rin hummed a few notes, continuing the song for a few more seconds before stopping. He brushed a hand over the cat’s head, and it was as the feline arched its back, leaning into his touch, when a voice addressed him. 

“The neighbourhood cats still like ya the most, aye?” A rough, bemused voice sounded, and Rin’s eyes sharpened, slowly moving his head to glance at the man who had walked two steps out of his shop to comment on Rin’s presence. With hands on his hips, the man gave a wide and familiar grin. 

Rin jerked at the voice, his hand halting in position above the cat’s head. Turning to stand and face the man, Rin willed his body to move— to relax a little, to be at a slight ease. 

(But this was how it started last time, wasn’t it? A conversation over cats, a meeting perchance. 

And Rin had to remind himself that— no, —this wasn’t five weeks ago. It wasn’t the same, it wasn’t. 

This man knew Rin, but Rin also knew him. It wasn’t the same, wasn’t the same, wasn’t the same.

It wasn’t the same.)

“It’s not really something to be proud of.” Rin clenched his jaw, muttering as he tried to move his legs without accidentally stepping on a tail or paw. A cat that managed to cling onto the fabric of his pants was brought into his arms, effectively satiating its desire to climb Rin like a cat-tree. Rather, he rubbed comfortable, indulgent circles into the tortoise-shell cat’s belly, eliciting a low rumble of satisfaction. 

“It only brings trouble.” Rin said, almost lamenting in a way. And he supposed the shift in tone was his attempt at forcing his body to adapt and accommodate to the amicable mood. 

(The fur his hands were buried in hid how much they shook. But otherwise, it was a no-show. Other than a select few, Rin doubted anyone could recognise the agitation that riddled his body, automatically, like a reflex.)

The man shook his head with a sigh. “Not a surprise with how much ya feed ‘em.” 

“Those little rascals have found the weakest link when it comes to getting food.” The man laughed whole-heartedly, waving a fan about despite the cooling weather. “I haven’t seen ya for a few weeks and I've been gettin’ kinda worried. Usually ya show yer face at least once a week.” He paused, and Rin could tell how the man’s eyes brushed over his figure. 

“You’ve gotten skinnier, and ya cut yer hair! It looks good.” The shopkeeper reassured quickly, as if noticing the way Rin tightened the fingers curled around a few locks of his hair, emphasising the significant loss of length.

“Have ya been takin’ care of yerself?” And for a second, Rin couldn’t help but feel his heart tingle at the words. 

Automatically, he wanted to reply with a simple, rather indignant, ‘I have’. But he thought better of it, instead saying a reasonable ‘I’ve been working on it’. 

Despite the strain in his muscles from keeping a relaxed posture, Rin felt the corners of his mouth arching into a small smile. The tofu-seller’s shop had been one his parents frequented. Naoki and Suzu’s parents did the same after having been recommended by Rin’s mother. In a sense, the man in front of him had watched him grow up, and it showed from the way he immediately noticed Rin’s disappearance, as well as his new appearance. 

Afterall, his looks had changed quite a bit. He was paler than before— if that were even possible —his hair had been cut asymmetrically right at the middle of his neck. 

If Rin had seen himself a few months back, even he wouldn’t recognise himself. Or rather, he wouldn’t believe it to be him. 

(And Rin missed his long hair, the way it flowed smoothly and tied up nicely. The way it swung slightly, the way it went down to his mid-back. 

Even though it was a hassle to blow-dry, a hassle to braid, and sometimes just so troublesome that Rin contemplated taking his kitchen cleaver and just hacking it off to rid himself of the burden— now that it was gone, Rin missed it.)

“If you say so,” The older man let the matter go with a friendly smile. Rin stared for a brief moment, mind blanking at the sight before recalling something. 

“Could I have two blocks of regular tofu?” Rin pondered for a moment, “and a box of silken tofu please.” 

“Comin’ right up.” The man grinned, using a large metal spatula to cut two cubes of tofu from a large block. Placing it in a plastic bag, the man went further into the shop to retrieve a wooden container. “Is Kudo-kun and Ohara-chan having dinner with ya?” 

Rin raised a single eyebrow, throat dry against his will. “Yeah… How did you know?” He asked before immediately realising the answer to his own question. 

“I treat my regular customers very seriously.” He waved his hand with a smile, as if brushing the question off for how ridiculous it was. And to be fair, knowing the older man, it was a laughable question. “Kudo-kun likes firm and regular tofu that can be used to make mapo tofu. Whilst Ohara-chan likes tofu in soup. If yer buying both, they’re probably both comin’ over to pester ya to cook.” 

“...Seriously,” The brown-eyed boy smiled wryly. “They’re so picky.” He said, fondly, allowing his tired and burning eyes that were originally trained on the man’s figure, to fall shut. 

The tofu-seller chuckled, “Yer the one spoilin’ them. Those kids’ll eat anything ya give ‘em. Ohara-chan can’t eat peaches, but if ya gave ‘em to her, she’d probably still eat it.” 

Rin rolled his eyes, “More like she’ll hold it over me for next time so she can extort a favour.” 

“Now that’s a spectacle to look forward to.” The man smiled slyly, voice teasing. “As if she needs a favour to get the two of ya to do anything.” He commended offhandedly. 

Rin thought about Naoki’s willingness to help and involve himself in random situations, and he thought of Suzu’s well-developed puppy-dog eyes that were manufactured and adjusted specifically to work on them. 

Yeah, Rin admitted with a small laugh in his mind. That’s kind of true. 

“Ya know the drill,” The shopkeeper said as he accepted the exact figure of money, handing over the bag and container. “Just bring the container back whenever ya can.” 

Rin nodded in thanks. “Got it. Thanks, Okumura-san.” 

“Don’t mention it!” A fire lit in his eyes, “Make sure to burn as many of Kudo-kun’s taste buds as possible. Ya better do my tofu justice.” He warned, and Rin could faintly tell that he wasn’t the least bit joking. 

“Roger,” Rin smiled, making it his personal mission to accomplish what the man had asked of him. He set the cat in his arms down, giving it one last ear scratch as he waved a short goodbye to Okumura, accompanied with a lazy salute, before he turned to the direction of his apartment complex and resumed his journey.

(And it was nice to return to some semblance of normality after chaos. People around him have tried to make him as safe as possible, and whilst that isn’t unwelcome, it wasn’t the same. And he guessed a part of him missed it. 

Although it’s hard to ignore what has changed, hard to pretend he hasn’t changed— this made it slightly more bearable, the way that some things, some people, would stay the same, no matter how much different he came back.)

.

.

.

Rin didn’t sleep. 

Even though he liked to sleep, as seen with how his friends back home liked to joke about not being able to wake him up in the morning, right at this moment, it was more like he couldn’t sleep. 

But it’d be a lie to say he didn’t sleep at all. If an hour counted as ‘sleep’ rather than a nap, then he definitely slept. 

You’re going to send yourself to an early grave, he remembered what Megumi had said to him just two days before he arrived in Twisted Wonderland. 

Despite how quickly he fell into quiet slumber, and how quickly he awoke to his alarm, Rin felt a fogginess cloud his brain. Muffled sounds, blurry sight. He sat on his bed, staring into nothingness, trying to blink the sleep out of his strained eyes. 

He couldn’t remember it. What was it? What had he dreamed about? 

It wasn’t bad. No. He didn’t wake up in cold sweat and chills dancing along his skin like a warning sign, an omen. 

And Rin didn’t get nightmares. Those weren’t nightmares— no matter how unpleasant they were. Because to Rin, the definition of a nightmare was associated with fear. But Rin wasn’t afraid. 

It was simply a bodily response, is all. 

(It didn’t matter if he woke up with a startled jolt, as if he had just been chased mere moments ago. It didn’t matter if he could feel his consciousness returning to him, but he couldn’t move his limbs, as if he was trapped in his own body, adhered to his own bed like a specimen of a butterfly collected for lepidopterology.

And it certainly didn’t matter if he could feel the ghost of metal and prickling stabs across his arm and neck.)

This was different. And although it took him a moment to adjust, eventually, the black-haired boy went about to prepare for his day, bringing himself to the kitchen to prepare his meals. 

Boiling the broccoli in a pot of water and washing the rice, Rin set the pot into the rice cooker and let the machine do its work. Taking the marinated chicken he left in the fridge last night, he took the talisman off, careful not to rip it so he could reuse it. Whilst he dredged the chicken in eggs and flour, Rin heated another pot of oil. 

The rather tranquil atmosphere made him feel a little better. It calmed his nerves, in a sense. 

After a while, just as the temperature of the oil seemed to reach the right temperature, the door opened with an audible click. 

At first, he did his best to ignore the person who had entered the kitchen. To be fair, this wasn’t just his space, it was a shared kitchen amongst all the Pomefiore students. There was more than enough space to safely have ten or more people cook at the same time and still not feel too crowded. 

But it was only when the other student seemed to stand in place, staring intently at him, did Rin turn around. 

Several things happened at once. One, the rice-cooker beeped, signifying the cook-time had been completed. Two, a shiver ran down his spine. Three, ruby-red eyes bore into his own, curved and playful. 

This was the boy that had sat diagonally across from him during the dorm welcoming dinner. The second year that had led a bunch of other first years to the dining hall. Hair the colour of coal was cropped short, an undercut that highlighted the boy’s jaw and neck. Pale skin was smooth, like freshly-fallen snow that had yet to be trampled on and disturbed. 

What struck Rin most— as always —were those eyes. A deep and bold shade of carmine, one that reminded him faintly of blood. 

If vampires were to exist, Rin thought faintly, this would be it. In fact, back on Earth, vampires were often portrayed with red eyes. A beauty of its own, like a sparkling ruby, a vermillion jewel. 

The cherry-themed hair clip matched the boy’s eyes, and in a way, it made those eyes seem less dangerous. More cheerful and playful, but not in the way Floyd’s eyes took on a rather sadistic gleam. 

Even so, Rin felt a part of him wilt internally. 

Shit, why was it always him? 

“Rin Hattori...” And immediately, the brown-eyed boy cringed. The smile on the boy’s face remained amicable and friendly, which put him off the most. It was almost like Jade, except this one was actually trying to not scare him, which Rin didn’t know if he appreciated or not. And he certainly didn’t know if the older boy’s efforts had any use. 

“Rin-kun, right?” The smile on the second-year’s face seemed mildly apologetic, but also unremorseful and assertive, as if saying ‘I choose what I’m going to call you, so, sorry but not really’.  

For a brief second, Rin pondered whether it was too late to just go back to his room and sleep. 

.

.

.

Beau Flare had woken early, which, in and of itself, wasn't very unusual. He was always more of a morning person than a night person, more of a day person than a night owl. He’d laugh in the face of the scorn-filled, jealous looks his dorm mates would throw at him, knowing he could survive past the first and second period without any caffeine in his system. 

Caffeine is bad for your skin, they’d say, it dehydrates it, so be careful! And when Beau commented that he didn’t drink caffeinated drinks… well, if looks could kill, perhaps he’d be dead six times over. 

As soon as he got dressed, Beau wandered around in the direction of the kitchen, hearing the sounds of crackling oil and steam being released from the rice cooker. The moment he realised he wasn’t the only one awake— other than perhaps Rook Hunt, who was lurking in the shadows who knows where —and knowing that at this hour of the day, the only one who could be in the kitchen was that boy, Beau’s steps bounced cheerfully, a buoyancy to his aura. 

And there he was— lo and behold, the boy of the rumours that had managed to somehow unite a good quarter of the student population into dedicating time and effort into uncovering his cryptical secrets. 

Black hair like his own, pale and delicate skin. It felt like if the first year was left for too long out in the sun, he’d burn to a crisp, or be carried away with the wind. 

(Or maybe he’s just too used to seeing all those muscle-heads in Savanaclaw run around the school field. Or the general population of NRC students being rather tall and well-built. 

It wasn’t like Rin Hattori didn’t have any visible muscle on his arms, but it seemed less pronounced. If Beau had to describe it in a single word, he’d say that the boy looked ‘sickly’.)

The way the boy manoeuvred himself between pots and pans and his station and chopping board made a smile rise on the corners of his lips. Graceful and smooth, no excess movements wasted. Befitting of a student belonging to Pomefiore. 

Beau opened the door, and for a second, it seemed like everything would come to a halt. Yet the boy paid him no mind and continued to work. 

Not really minding the wait, Beau closed the door and stayed right where he was, continuing to stare at Rin Hattori. It was only when the boy seemed to have had enough, and turned around to face him, that Beau smiled brightly, saying the name he’d been wanting to address since he attended the entrance ceremony. 

“Rin-kun, right?” He asked, and with the way Rin’s face scrunched up minutely, almost noticeably if not for the fact that the expression was fleeting, a blink and you miss it sort of thing, he could tell that the boy was displeased. 

Well, Beau shrugged internally, helpless. If he left it just up to Rin, it’d be a millennia until the boy would consider them close. There was no choice. He had to be bolder for this little brown sparrow that seemed so skittish and disdainful of everyone else. The image of a cute and fluffy bird in his mind was so similar to the boy in front of him, with his metaphoric feathers puffed up in caution and warning made Beau chuckle. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you officially.” He said instead, voice hiding none of his mirth. 

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.

.

“...Who are you?” Rin questioned, paying no mind to the blatant use of his first name. “I saw you at the Pomefiore dinner… didn’t I?” Rin said these words without any emotion, nothing betraying his thoughts. 

(Rin preferred people his age or roughly the same age as him using his first name. Calling him ‘Hattori’ sounded off, impersonal in a sense. And he never cared for honorifics. But right now, that was all he needed, yet the people in this school seemed to completely disregard his wishes. 

Other than Yule, and perhaps Rook and Vil, he had never told anyone else to call him directly with his first name. And to put it simply, it was a little suspicious that someone was trying to be so friendly with him. With how cutthroat Crewel had described the student population as, this felt like Rin’s encounter with the three from Octavinelle all over again. 

This second year wanted something from him… didn’t he?) 

“You’d be correct to remember me from the welcoming party. I’m Beau Flare, 2nd year class D.” The red-eyed boy smiled. 

“...What do you want?” Rin kept his words clipped and stony, but it didn’t seem to deter Beau at all. Rather, it seemed to motivate him somehow. 

“Nothing! I just saw that someone was in the kitchen quite early, and there was an absolutely wonderful smell in the air.” Beau praised, and Rin couldn’t tell if he was lying or not. “What are you making today?” 

Why do you want to know? Rin thought rather critically. 

Sighing internally, he answered, this time without an ounce of hesitance so as not to betray his dismay. “Fried chicken, broccoli, tomatoes, tamagoyaki, with rice.”

Beau visibly brightened, “Sounds wonderful. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Rin furrowed his brow, “No.” He paused. Wait. “I appreciate the suggestion,” he added slowly, “but I’m good on my own.” 

“Then can I watch?” The boy laughed, undeterred when he caught sight of the sceptical side-eye Rin gave him. A smile seemed to pull at the second year’s lips, a sly grin coming to the surface briefly, like the flash of a camera, a ghost of a memory. “Perhaps a certain someone would be able to find a way to help you. I’m sure you know who I’m talking about. Vice Housewarden Ro—” 

“You can watch.” Rin cut off, grimacing internally as his voice came out as more of a hiss than anything else. “Don’t say his name like that. It’s like summoning a demon.” 

Beau let out a small chortle at the comparison. 

Rin sighed. “I don’t need help, but you’re free to stay. It’s not my kitchen anyway.” He muttered, going back to his task. So long as Beau left him alone, he’d be fine. Or at least, that’s what he convinced himself. 

The second year watched him for a while, smiling faintly. And Rin did his best to simply ignore it. It wasn’t until he had finished making everything, did the boy speak again. 

“You’re good at cooking~” Beau said, voice accompanied by a faint lilt. It was infuriatingly blasé. The boy took a seat on a stool and watched as Rin waited for the food to cool, simultaneously eating a piece of fried chicken that had just come out of the oil.

Being the only one eating felt weird. Rin concluded, pondering hesitantly before reluctantly pushing a bowl of fried chicken atop some white rice forward, arranging a handful of vegetables and two pieces of tamagoyaki on another small plate. 

“Help yourself.” Rin said, tone clipped and seemingly unwilling. Or at least, he probably gave off the impression of wanting Beau to ‘eat quickly and leave’. 

Something flickered in those wine-coloured eyes before the second year visibly plastered on a smile. Rin winced. 

“How kind of you.” Beau giggled. “I didn’t expect to freeload a meal. Otherwise I would’ve truly insisted on helping you cook.” 

Rin rolled his eyes lightly. “There’s no need,” He said, getting himself a bowl of rice. 

They both dug into their meal, and for a brief while no one spoke. Beau seemed to visibly brighten upon biting into the chicken, and vaguely, Rin was reminded of how the owners of some stalls at some festivals he went to gave Naoki, Suzu and him freebies when they were kids. Like a single candy-coated strawberry on a stick, gifted to the adorable six-year-olds who waddled around the fair like baby penguins, cheeks puffing in obvious bliss upon biting into the crunchy candy and sweet-sour fruit. 

Except, Beau Flare ate gracefully. Not like the way kids would stuff their faces full of what they loved to eat. The second year Pomefiore had a shine in his eyes, but his actions were still very much poised and still. 

Rin eyed the boy just as the boy had eyed him. 

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If he was so blatantly observed, Rin had the right to return the favour. 

“Do you have something you want to ask?” Beau smiled, piercing a tomato with his fork as he placed a hand on his jaw coyly. “I promise I’ll answer you honestly.” He grinned, as if sensing Rin’s doubt. 

I don’t have anything I want to ask you. All I want is for you to go away. Rin wisely didn’t say that. Instead, he breathed through his nose, calming himself before he said something that would bring him a mountain of trouble. 

“What did you mean back at the formal dinner?” 

“Hahaha, I’m afraid you’ll have to be a bit more specific.” 

Brown wooden eyes bore into vibrant jewels. “...You said ‘some of us can’t get used to it, but we’re Pomefiore students for a reason’, and that you ‘look forward to our first day’.” Rin took a sip of water. “What did you mean by that?” 

It had been lingering in his mind, slightly. If Rin wasn’t so determined to stay away from everyone else in the dorm, he would’ve asked Beau after the dinner when everyone was still mingling in the common room. 

Now that the boy was right in front of him, and he wasn’t going to be left alone for the time being, it was the prime chance to ask about it. 

“There’s not really anything deep behind it.” Beau commented, fiddling with a strand of his hair. “Some students don’t ever get used to the idea that Vil is attending the same classes as them.” 

Rin sighed, a little exasperated. “That can’t be it.” 

“Oh?” Beau simpered, leaning forward as he blinked slowly. A gesture that reminded Rin of the way cats would blink slowly in the face of the afternoon sun and the prospect of a nap. “What makes you so certain?” 

“Nothing. It just doesn’t seem like that’s all you mean. Especially when you changed the subject to a completely different topic, about how you looked forward to our first day.” 

“You’ve been watching me quite closely.” Beau chuckled. “Did I inadvertently catch the attention of the infamous Rin Hattori?” 

“Get to the point.” Rin answered coldly. 

“Alright alright,” The red-eyed boy raised his hands in mock surrender. “What I meant was that, within the first years, some end up dropping out or repeating the year.” He shrugged, smiling as he explained. 

“The jump between middle-school difficulty and NRC-level difficulty academically is hard to adjust to. Not to mention what you deal with depending on your dorm. For example, Savanaclaw has their annual initiation ceremony, which is their way of saying people beating each other up for dominance.” 

……Suddenly, Rin was glad that he let the mirror choose his dorm. If he got sorted into Savanaclaw, it probably would’ve been hard to stop someone from murdering him, or worse, stop himself from murdering someone else. 

Perhaps, and Rin dreaded to realise this, Pomefiore wasn’t the worst dorm. Even with its horribly saturated dorm uniform, with a vibrancy so strong that it made Rin look even paler in comparison, perhaps it wasn’t the worst dorm he could’ve found himself in. 

“Since it’s NRC we’re talking about, everyone’s dream school and all,” the boy smiled, eyes curving into gleaming crescents that bore into Rin’s soul. “People would rather die than drop out.” Beau snorted, but a hint of distaste seemed to brush over his expression. 

“If the academics don't get you, the other students definitely will. Pomefiore has been a little more tame since Vil ascended the throne in the middle of his first year,” He joked, “but that doesn’t mean one should let their guard down. When someone so brilliant is studying alongside you, and is getting such good grades despite doing so many extracurriculars… There's bound to be jealousy lingering amongst the students.” 

Way too much to unpack, Rin grimaced internally. But he supposed this wasn’t much different from what Crewel had told him. 

“...So you look forward to the first-years getting beaten down metaphorically and literally?” Rin deadpanned, only half-serious. You’re horrible, he didn’t say but the words seemed to be heard all the same.