Chapter 5: Trial or Redemption

Kai stopped in front of the iron gate of Phoenix Academy. His breath was still ragged after running from the alley earlier. His chest rose and fell rapidly. Sweat dripped down his forehead and onto his cheeks, even though the morning wasn’t hot. He looked down at the black suit he was wearing. Wrinkled. Uneven. There were creases on the sleeves that should have been smooth. The bottom button didn’t align with the top one. His red tie was tilted to the left—or maybe to the right? He didn’t know which was correct. He had never worn a tie before. His whole life, he had only worn military uniforms, combat jackets, and bulletproof vests. A suit was a foreign object to his body.

Kai pulled at his tie, trying to straighten it. But the more he pulled, the more crooked it became. He sighed deeply. There’s nothing more I can do. This is my best effort.

He stepped through the iron gate of Phoenix Academy. The sight before him made Kai pause for a moment. The schoolyard was filled with dozens of students walking back and forth. Some sat on park benches, reading books seriously. Others laughed with their friends under the shade of trees. Some ran around chasing a rolling ball. Others sat on the stairs, chatting casually. Laughter and conversation mixed into one. The morning air felt fresh, so different from the stale air he usually breathed in his rundown apartment.

Kai had never seen a scene like this before. His life had been spent in military training camps, on battlefields filled with smoke and blood, or in dark apartments lit only by dim lamps. School was a foreign world to him. A world that felt too bright, too alive. He stood still for a few seconds, his eyes slowly scanning the yard. A boy bumped into his friend and they laughed together. Two girls walked hand in hand, carrying books. A teacher stood near the entrance, watching the students arriving. This... is normal life, Kai thought. This is what I never had.

He moved his feet again, walking along the path toward the main building. His eyes accidentally drifted to the right side of the gate. There, a woman stood near the fence. She wasn’t very tall, her black hair was shoulder-length and tied back halfway with a simple clip. Her face was clean, her eyes warm brown. She smiled as she returned greetings from passing students. Her voice was soft, not too loud, but clearly audible. That woman was the definition of calmness. The way she stood, the way she greeted, the way she smiled—everything looked natural, as if she was born to be in that place.

Kai stared at her a few seconds longer than he should have. There was something about her face that felt familiar. Like he had seen her somewhere before. But he couldn’t remember where. His mind was blank. Maybe it’s just my imagination. He shook his head slightly and continued walking. There was no time to stand still. He had to meet the principal immediately. The woman at the gate was just a glimpse, but for some reason, her image lingered in his mind. Her face... reminds me of someone I know. But who?

As he walked toward the main building, his thoughts drifted to the two students he had met in the alley earlier. The girl with shoulder-length brown hair who smiled even after being bumped into. And the girl with long black hair whose eyes narrowed with suspicion. I bumped into one of them, Kai thought, guilt twisting in his chest. I just said ’sorry’ and left. That wasn’t enough. That wasn’t polite. They must think I’m a careless man. He made a promise to himself. If I meet that girl again, I’ll apologize properly. This time, sincerely.

Kai kept walking toward the main building. He didn’t realize that several pairs of eyes were following him. Two girls sitting on a park bench stopped talking when Kai passed by. Their eyes widened slightly. One of them leaned toward her friend and whispered something. Her friend giggled while covering her mouth. Near the stairs, three other girls also stared at Kai with unusual looks—looks that were too long, too intense. One of them didn’t even blink as Kai walked past. Some smiled. Some giggled. Some nudged each other and whispered.

Kai caught all of it from the corner of his eye. Why are they looking at me like that? He lowered his gaze, examining his suit from top to bottom. Wrinkled. Crooked. Untidy. It must be my clothes. Maybe this isn’t appropriate to wear. Maybe I look ridiculous. He looked around, searching for another male student to compare with. A male student walked past with a neatly pressed suit, a perfectly straight tie, and well-combed hair. Kai compared himself to that student. Completely different. Much worse. He sighed. I don’t see anything wrong with my clothes... but maybe I’m not a good judge. He kept walking without slowing down, trying to ignore those stares. But they kept following him until he entered the building.

The main building of Phoenix Academy felt quieter than the front yard. Wide corridors with gleaming white ceramic floors. The walls were painted light cream, clean and well-maintained. At every corner, there were signboards with bold letters: Teachers’ Room, Library, Laboratory, Cafeteria, and at the end of the corridor, Principal’s Office. Kai followed the arrow pointing to the right. He walked along the quiet corridor, only the sound of his own footsteps echoing. Occasionally a student would pass by, glance at him briefly, then walk away. No one greeted him. No one asked who he was. He was just a stranger in a building already familiar to its inhabitants.

Kai stopped in front of an old brown wooden door with a small plaque that read: PRINCIPAL’S OFFICE. He raised his hand, ready to knock. But before his fingers touched the wood, a voice from inside the room was already heard. Clear. Firm. As if she already knew he was there. "Come in, Kai. I’ve been waiting for you."

Kai froze. His hand was still hanging in the air. How did she know I was here? I haven’t knocked. I haven’t said anything. He opened the door slowly. Inside the room, behind a large wooden desk, a woman sat calmly. One leg crossed over the other. Her right hand held a pen, her left hand supported her chin. Her face looked familiar—too familiar. Her black hair was shoulder-length, tied back halfway. Her dark brown eyes were sharp, staring straight at Kai without blinking. A faint smile played on her lips. It was the same face as the woman near the gate earlier—but there was a difference. This woman’s eyes were sharper, more firm, and the aura around her was heavier. Like someone who had seen too much death.

So she’s... the principal? Kai froze at the threshold. His breath caught. Old memories surfaced without permission. A woman in a white jacket, sleeves rolled up, her hands covered in blood—not her own. The same woman who had stitched his wounds without anesthesia. The same woman who had shouted "KAI!" every time he was about to die. The same woman who had saved his life dozens of times on the battlefield. But before him, that woman wasn’t wearing a white jacket. She was wearing a neat blouse and a long skirt. She was the principal. And her face... her face reminded Kai of someone. Someone at the gate earlier. But Kai didn’t have time to think about it further.

"Re... Reina?"

Kai’s voice was hoarse. His eyes widened. "What are you doing here?"

Reina—the principal of Phoenix Academy, former medical team member of the Grim Reaper, the woman known as the Angel of War—smiled wider. "Well, I’m the principal here. Is that a problem for you?"

Kai sighed deeply. His chest felt lighter, as if a heavy weight had suddenly been lifted. Without realizing it, a small smile appeared on his face—a smile that rarely surfaced, a smile that only came when he was near someone he trusted. "No. In fact, I feel more at ease. There’s an acquaintance in this school."

Reina stood up from her chair. She walked toward Kai with light steps, her heels clicking softly on the ceramic floor. She wasn’t as tall as Kai—she had to tilt her head up slightly to look at his face. Without permission, without warning, her hand reached for Kai’s red tie. She pulled it slowly, adjusting its position. Her fingers moved skillfully, straightening the creases, fixing the knot perfectly. Kai froze. He didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. His eyes looked away, avoiding Reina’s gaze.

"You haven’t changed, Kai," Reina said as she continued fixing his tie. Her voice was soft, but there was a hint of annoyance in it. "You can’t do anything without me."

"What can I say," Kai replied, his voice slightly awkward. His hand lifted, scratching his cheek gently—an old habit when he felt uncomfortable. "I’ve never worn clothes like this before."

"There, all done." Reina stepped back, observing her work with satisfaction. The tie was now straight. Neat. The knot perfectly centered. "Now let’s get to work."

She turned and walked back to her chair. Kai followed, sitting in the chair across from her desk. Reina looked at him with serious eyes. Kai stared back, waiting.

"So... what am I supposed to do here, Reina?"

"Nothing."

Kai blinked. His face turned confused. "Huh? What do you mean nothing? Isn’t this a direct mission from Leonhard?"

Reina smiled again—a smile that made Kai feel like a child being taught something he should already know. "Didn’t Leonhard already tell you what you need to do?"

Kai fell silent. His mind drifted back to that night. Leonhard sitting on the sofa in his apartment, the brown envelope on the table, photos scattered everywhere. Leonhard’s words echoed in his head. "It’s not about what you have to do, Kai. It’s about what you want to do." Kai sighed. "Leonhard said... I have to decide for myself."

"There you go." Reina stood up from her chair. She walked around the desk, approached Kai, then her hand grabbed his shoulder and pushed him gently toward the door. "So if you already know, go to your class and mingle with them."

"Hey—"

"Class IX-9, second floor, end of the corridor. Don’t get it wrong."

"Reina—"

"Now go."

The door closed in front of Kai’s face. Kai stood in the corridor with an expression half-shocked, half-resigned. He stared at the old brown wooden door for a few seconds, then sighed deeply. "Hah... I guess I have to do this alone."

Classroom IX-9 wasn’t very big. The window on the left side of the room—right behind the teacher’s desk—was wide open, letting the morning breeze in along with the sunlight. Dust particles floated in the air, illuminated by the thin rays of light. The walls were painted dull white, slightly dirty in some corners. The ceramic floor was cracked here and there. The wooden desks and chairs were old, some chairs looking wobbly. On the back wall, a blank announcement board hung without a single piece of paper attached. No decorations. No posters. No student work. Just an empty, neglected wall.

The classroom door was on the right side of the room—facing the window. From the teacher’s desk position on the left near the window, Kai could see the entire room clearly.

In the first row, right in front of him, three girls sat in a line from left to right.

On the far left, near the teacher’s desk and window, sat Aria Sol. The girl with her black hair tied back was biting her nails, her eyes shifting nervously from Kai to her friends. A small bag on her lap—her "survival kit"—was clutched tightly like a charm. Occasionally she opened it, checked its contents, then closed it again. Her breaths were short, as if she was holding something back. When Kai looked at her, she immediately looked down, avoiding eye contact.

In the middle, right in front of Kai, sat Ella Virel. The girl with long black hair and sharp eyes was writing in her notebook. Her pen moved quickly, writing something. Her eyes sometimes looked at Kai, then down again, then wrote again. Her lips moved slightly, as if she was reading what she wrote in her mind. Occasionally she blinked quickly and touched the tip of her nose with her index finger—a sign that she was thinking hard. Her notebook was already full of scribbles and small notes that only she could read.

On the far right, near the door, sat Luna Ash. The girl with silver-gray hair sat quietly with half-closed eyes. Her gaze was fixed outside the window on the left—passing Kai, passing Aria—toward the leaves swaying in the wind. Her fingers tapped softly on the desk—a gentle rhythm almost inaudible. She didn’t look at Kai, didn’t show any interest. But when Kai mentioned the number "four" as an answer, her fingers stopped for a moment. Just a moment. Then continued again.

In the second row, right behind the first row, three girls sat in a line.

On the far left, behind Aria, sat Rin Scarlet. The girl with short red hair sat with her arms crossed, her face still pouting. Her eyes stared forward with a sharp gaze, as if still angry about what happened in the infirmary earlier. Occasionally she ground her teeth—a small "kreek" sound that only those nearby could hear. Her fingers tapped on the desk with an impatient rhythm. She didn’t look at Kai, but her whole body showed that she was observing the man’s movements from the corner of her eye.

In the middle, behind Ella, sat Mira Elno. The girl with shoulder-length brown hair smiled as usual while playing with the ends of her hair. Her eyes sparkled, full of energy, as if nothing could ruin her day. Occasionally she hummed softly while smiling to herself. When Kai looked at her, she responded with a wide smile and a small nod—like giving encouragement.

On the far right, behind Luna, sat Eve Neon. The girl with round glasses and light blue hair had already opened her laptop, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. She didn’t look up when Kai entered. Her laptop screen displayed lines of code that Kai couldn’t read. Occasionally she stopped typing for a moment—1 or 2 seconds—then continued without comment. Her eyes behind the glasses widened slightly when Kai began explaining the lesson, then returned to normal.

In the third row, at the very back, three girls sat in a line.

On the far left, behind Rin, sat Fay Winter. The girl with pale blonde hair was drawing in her notebook. Her drawings were unclear—abstract scribbles that only she understood. Occasionally she laughed softly for no apparent reason. Sometimes she mumbled quietly, talking to herself. When Kai explained the lesson, she looked up briefly, stared at Kai with empty eyes, then laughed again and went back to drawing.

In the middle, behind Mira, sat Iris Noah. The girl with wavy brown hair leaned back in her chair with one hand supporting her chin. A faint smile on her lips, her eyes moved observing Kai with curiosity she didn’t hide. Her fingers moved slowly on the desk, as if playing a silent piano. Every time Kai spoke, her eyebrow rose slightly—almost imperceptibly—as if she was noting every word that came out of Kai’s mouth.

On the far right, behind Eve, sat Nora Vale. The girl with long white hair sat upright, her back not touching the chair. Her eyes moved alertly, observing Kai from head to toe. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Her position at the back right allowed her to see the entire room—the door on the right, the window on the left, and every student inside. Occasionally her fingers moved toward her waist, an old habit hard to break.

Kai observed everything in silence. Each girl had her own way—the way she sat, the way she moved, the way she looked, the way she breathed. They were all different. But they all shared one thing: they were the families of the nine people he had killed eight years ago. He took a deep breath.

"Sorry," Kai said for what felt like the hundredth time. His voice was soft, almost inaudible. But all the students heard him. "Let’s continue the lesson."

Kai stood in front of the blackboard. Chalk was still in his hand. The board still had half an explanation of linear equations that hadn’t been finished. Before him, nine girls stared at him with various expressions. The classroom atmosphere felt awkward after the incident in the infirmary earlier. Kai paused for a moment. His eyes moved slowly, observing every corner of the room and every student before him.

He began explaining again. About x and y. About numbers moving to the other side. About plus signs turning into minus signs.

But before he could continue, the classroom door opened loudly.

"Bam!"

All heads turned toward the door on the right side of the room. A man stood at the threshold. He was around his thirties, tall and thin, with a curled mustache above his thin lips. His hair was thinning on top, combed neatly to the side. His eyes were small and always narrowed, making him look like he was looking down on something—or someone. He wore a neat beige suit, a perfectly straight dark blue tie, and shiny dress shoes. In his hands, he carried a stack of papers and a thick book. The man stepped in with a confident stride. His eyes moved quickly, scanning the room, then stopped at the students with a contemptuous expression he didn’t hide.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Kai." His voice was smooth, slick, with a tone that sounded polite but felt fake. He clicked his tongue before speaking—"tsk"—a habit that made others uncomfortable. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Claus. Claus Code. You can call me Mr. Claus."

Kai blinked. He was slightly surprised by this man’s arrival, but quickly nodded. "Good afternoon, Mr. Claus."

Claus walked toward Kai’s desk on the left side of the room. His steps were slow, deliberate, as if he was walking on a stage. Along the way, his eyes stared at the students with undisguised contempt. He placed the stack of papers and the thick book on Kai’s desk. "I’m bringing the student data and attendance book for this class. The principal entrusted them to me."

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Claus." Kai quickly took the data and attendance book. His chest felt slightly relieved. Finally, someone is helping. Maybe this is what Reina meant by "mingling"—building relationships with other teachers. He placed the data and attendance book in his desk drawer, then smiled slightly at Claus. "Thank you for bringing them. I really appreciate it."

But Kai’s smile immediately faded when Claus returned his smile with a different smile—a cynical smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Claus stared at Kai with narrowed eyes, then his gaze shifted to the nine girls in the room. His look was full of contempt. He touched his mustache with his finger, feeling satisfied with himself.

"It must be tough, Sir, teaching this class of outcasts."

Kai froze. The smile on his face vanished. His eyes widened slightly. What did he say? He wasn’t sure he heard correctly. But Claus’s words were clearly heard throughout the room. The students looked down. Some of them clenched their fists under their desks. No one spoke. Rin, who was usually quick to anger, remained silent, her fists clenched tightly on her desk. Nora sat still, her body tense. Aria bit her nails harder than usual. Mira wasn’t smiling. Luna wasn’t looking out the window. All eyes were on the floor.

Claus smiled smugly, as if enjoying the silent reaction from those girls. He patted Kai’s shoulder casually, as if they were good friends sharing a joke.

"I heard Mr. Kai is recommended by Mr. Leonhard, right?" Claus continued without waiting for an answer. "Rather than teaching in this class, it’s better for you to teach in a regular class. I can help you talk to the principal."

Before Kai could answer, Claus kept talking. "Why would you teach a class whose students are incompetent like these? They’re not even worthy of being called students. They—"

"Mr. Claus."

Kai’s voice was soft. But there was a tone in it that made Claus stop. A tone Claus didn’t recognize. The same tone Kai used when speaking to an enemy he was about to kill.

Claus turned to Kai. "Yes, Sir?"

"It’s better if you don’t say things like that in front of the students."

Kai tried to smile. But his smile felt stiff. Under the desk, his hands clenched tightly. He remembered Reina’s words: "Mingle with them." He remembered his own words: "I will be a good teacher." But his blood was boiling. Anger he had buried long ago began to crawl up. Calm down, Kai. Calm down. You’re not on the battlefield. This is a school. There are children here.

Claus chuckled softly, unaware of the change in Kai’s expression. "Students? They don’t deserve to be called students. In fact, they don’t deserve to be in school." Claus’s voice grew louder, more confident, as if he was giving a speech. "If it weren’t for Mr. Leonhard, they wouldn’t have a place in this world."

The class fell silent. Completely silent. No one spoke. No one moved. The students looked down. Rin, who was usually quick to anger, remained silent, her fists clenched on her desk. Nora sat still, her body tense. Aria bit her nails harder than usual. Mira wasn’t smiling. Luna wasn’t looking out the window. All eyes were on the floor.

Kai looked at the students. They didn’t fight back. They didn’t defend themselves. They just stayed quiet and accepted the insult. As if they’re used to it. That feeling pierced Kai’s chest. Not anger. But something deeper. Guilt. I killed their fathers. I made them orphans. I caused them to live in humiliation. And this man—this man with a curled mustache and a cynical smile—dared to insult them in front of him. I can’t let this happen.

Claus didn’t stop. He faced Kai with an even wider smile. "Look, Sir. Why don’t you come with me to the principal? Let me help explain so you can be transferred to a regular class. I know the principal well. I can—"

"Sorry, Sir."

Kai cut in with a flat voice. His eyes stared at Claus without blinking. "It seems you have no business in this class anymore. You may leave now."

Claus blinked. "Eh, Sir—"

With an open hand, Kai pointed toward the door on the right side of the room. His gesture was firm, non-negotiable. "Leave."

"Sir, our conversation isn’t—"

"I SAID LEAVE!"

Kai’s shout echoed throughout the room. His voice was loud, deep, and filled with something Claus had never heard before—a tone only possessed by someone who had killed dozens of people. The students flinched. Rin lifted her head. Nora tensed up. Ella stopped writing. Even Eve lifted her head from her laptop for the first time. Kai stood up from his chair behind the teacher’s desk—the desk located on the left side of the room near the window—and stepped forward. His eyes stared at Claus with a look that made the man step back half a step.

"You talk casually about them," Kai said in a low voice, trembling with the anger he was holding back. "And you talk casually about this class. As the homeroom teacher, that means you casually insult me."

"Eh, that’s not what I meant—" Claus began to stammer. His face turned pale.

With a quick movement, Kai grabbed Claus’s suit collar. His hand gripped tightly, pulling Claus’s face until it was only a few centimeters from his own. Kai’s eyes burned. There was no more control in his eyes. No more "good new teacher." What remained was The Death—a war machine that had killed dozens without remorse.

"Leave my sight now," Kai whispered with a threatening voice. Every word came out like a snake’s hiss. "Or I’ll kill you, you bastard."

He shoved Claus hard. The man stumbled back, almost falling. Without a word, without looking back, Claus Code ran out of the room. The door on the right slammed shut behind him. Bam!

Silence. Class IX-9 was silent. Only the sound of wind coming through the window on the left remained.

Kai stood at the front of the class, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His anger still flowed through his veins. His hands were still clenched. His eyes still burned. Then he realized. There are children here. Nine girls. They saw everything. Slowly, awareness crept into his mind. He had just shouted. He had just threatened to kill someone. In front of his students. On his first day of teaching. Kai turned to face the students. His expression changed. The anger in his eyes was replaced by panic.

"I will be a good teacher.""I will mingle with them.""I will protect them." His own words echoed in his head. And he had just done the opposite. He had frightened them. He had made them see his dark side.

"Uh... well, everyone..." Kai’s voice sounded awkward. He scratched his cheek gently—an old habit when he was nervous. "I just wanted to—"

"WAAAAAH! TEACHER, THAT WAS SO COOL!"

Mira’s shout cut off Kai’s words. The girl with shoulder-length brown hair, sitting in the second row middle, stood up from her desk, her face glowing. Her smile returned—wide, bright, and contagious. She clenched both fists in front of her chest with exaggerated enthusiasm. "COOL! MR. KAI IS SO COOL! MIRA HAS NEVER SEEN A TEACHER WHO DARED TO CHASE MR. CLAUS AWAY LIKE THAT!"

"Eh?" Kai blinked. His face was still confused.

"All this time, no teacher ever wanted to defend us," Mira continued, nodding slightly. Her eyes sparkled. "They just stayed quiet when Mr. Claus insulted us. Or even joined in the insults. But you just now... wow!"

"Mira is right."

Another voice from behind. Eve, sitting in the second row right, lifted her head from her laptop. Her round glasses slipped slightly down her nose. "We’re usually only given basic textbooks. From the start of school until now, those books have never been replaced. No teacher has ever wanted to teach us properly."

Kai stared at Eve with wide eyes. Basic textbooks? From the start until now? He remembered the textbook Reina had given him this morning. Its contents were indeed too simple—equivalent to middle school material, not high school. No wonder I felt something was off with that book. They were deliberately given inadequate materials.

"But you looked really cool earlier," Iris added from her desk in the third row middle. The girl with wavy brown hair smiled faintly, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "I feel like getting closer to Mr. Kai now."

"Iris!"Ella scolded from the front middle. But Iris just laughed softly.

Beside Iris, Nora, sitting in the third row right, clicked her tongue. "Tsk." But no words came out of her mouth.

Kai observed each of the girls’ faces one by one. Rin, who had been pouting earlier, now seemed to relax slightly. Her lips turned into a small smile—a smile she quickly hid when Kai looked at her. Luna, who usually stared out the window, now glanced at Kai from the corner of her eye. Fay smiled to herself while holding her drawing book, her eyes drifting toward Kai. Aria stopped biting her nails, her eyes no longer restless. And Ella—Ella just stayed quiet. But in her hand, her pen moved quickly across her notebook. Her eyes moved up and down, from Kai to the book, from the book to Kai. She was writing something. Revising her notes. Adding something.

"Kai Arden. Defended class IX-9. Threatened to kill Claus Code. Promised to teach with proper materials."

Kai saw Ella writing. From a distance, it looked like random scribbles. But Kai didn’t know that behind those scribbles, there was an ongoing investigation.

Who is he really?Ella thought as she continued writing. Why was he so angry when they were insulted? Why did he threaten to kill someone so naturally? His eyes... his eyes changed when he was angry. Not a teacher’s eyes. A killer’s eyes.Ella stopped her pen. She looked at Kai from behind her lashes. I will find out.

"Mr. Kai," Mira called cheerfully. "So you’re really going to teach us seriously? For real?"

Kai looked at Mira. The girl smiled widely, her eyes sparkling with hope. She trusts me. They all trust me.

"Of course," Kai answered. His voice was soft, but firm. "I promise."

Mira smiled even wider. From behind, Iris whistled softly. Rin leaned back in her chair with satisfaction. Nora crossed her arms, but no longer tensely. Eve had already started typing again. Luna went back to staring out the window, but there was a small smile on her lips. Fay laughed again. Aria placed her hand on her chest, relieved. And Ella—Ella closed her notebook. She looked at Kai with eyes that no longer held full suspicion. There were still questions there. Still curiosity. But there was also something new. Something that resembled... respect.

Kai reached for the chalk on the blackboard. He wrote the first lesson material—the material they should have learned since the beginning of the semester. He turned to face them.

"We’ll start from the beginning," he said. "But this time, the right way."

Kai turned back to the blackboard. His hand raised the chalk.

But before he could write, his eyes caught something outside the window on his left. In the schoolyard. Near the gate. The same figure—a woman with shoulder-length black hair and a warm smile. The woman he had seen this morning. The woman whose face was familiar.

The woman was looking toward class IX-9. Exactly toward Kai.

Then she smiled.

Not a friendly smile. Not a greeting smile. But a smile that made Kai’s skin crawl.

That smile... I’ve seen it before. Where?

The chalk in Kai’s hand fell to the floor.

Clatter.

The sound broke the silence in the class. All the students turned toward Kai. But Kai didn’t move. His eyes were still fixed on the figure outside the window. The figure was still smiling. Still staring at him. As if she knew something. As if she was waiting for something.

Then the woman turned and walked away. Disappearing behind the fence.

Kai couldn’t breathe. His chest felt tight.

Who is she?

And why... why does she make me feel like this?

He didn’t know. But one thing he knew: that woman wasn’t just a teacher or school staff. There was something deeper behind that smile.

And she looked at me as if... as if she knows me.

Kai looked away from the window. He turned to face the class. Nine girls stared at him with various expressions. Mira looked confused. Rin curious. Iris smiling faintly. Ella narrowing her eyes.

"Mr. Kai, what’s wrong?" asked Mira from the second row middle.

Kai shook his head.

"Nothing. Let’s continue the lesson."

But in his heart, one question kept spinning.

Who is that woman?

And a strange feeling began to creep into his chest.

I shouldn’t have come here.

This isn’t my place.

And there’s no turning back.