Chapter 51: BEAUTIFUL YET DANGEROUS BLACK

The morning began with sunlight sneaking in through the gaps in Kai’s worn-out apartment curtains. Golden rays fell right on his face, waking him from a fairly deep sleep. For the first time in a while, he didn’t dream about the past. No fire, no blood, no screams. Just peaceful silence.

Haaah... Kai sighed softly, his eyes opening slowly. He sat at the edge of the old sofa that was still his bed, stretching his body with slow movements. The springs beneath him creaked softly—creak...—as usual. The sofa was still the same as before, but Kai no longer felt uncomfortable. He was used to it.

He walked toward the bathroom with sluggish steps. Cold water flowed from the old rusted faucet, and he washed his face until the drowsiness completely disappeared. Sss... The sound of water flowing in the sink. He looked at the mirror—a twenty-four-year-old man with black hair that was starting to look neat, eyes that were no longer sunken, and a thin scar on his left cheek. There was something different about him lately. Something that made him look more alive.

After showering, Kai chose his clothes for the day. He took the black suit hanging behind the door—the same suit he wore every day. But this time, he straightened it better. His red tie he tied with a neat knot, no longer crooked like before. He was learning from his past mistakes.

Click! He locked his apartment door and walked down the stairs. Tap... tap... tap... His footsteps echoed in the narrow hallway. Outside, the morning air was still fresh and cool. A thin layer of dew still clung to the wild grass by the roadside. Birds started chirping in the trees, creating a soothing natural melody.

Kai walked along the sidewalk with lighter steps than usual. He passed the bakery that emitted a fragrant aroma—the smell of freshly baked bread that always made his stomach growl. Inside the shop, a woman could be seen choosing bread for her child.

"Mom, buy that one! The one with chocolate!" a small child called from inside the shop.

"Yes, yes, be patient," her mother answered with a smile.

Kai smiled slightly seeing that sight. He passed the small garden with flowers starting to bloom after last night’s rain. In that garden, some elderly people were sitting on benches while watching their children play. An old man was reading a newspaper under a shady tree, occasionally shaking his head while muttering.

"Ah, this world is getting weirder," the old man murmured softly.

Kai continued his walk, passing a group of children playing cheerfully in an open field. Cheerful laughter echoed in the morning air. Everything looked beautiful. Everything felt alive.

Tap... tap... tap... His footsteps grew faster as the gates of Phoenix Academy started to come into view in the distance.

Upon arriving at the school gate, Kai saw Leina already standing by the fence as usual. Her shoulder-length black hair looked fresh, tied half-back with a simple clip. She wore a white blouse and a long gray skirt, with a book in her hand—maybe an attendance book, maybe notes. Her warm smile immediately greeted Kai as he approached.

"Good morning, Mr. Kai," Leina greeted in a soft voice.

"Good morning too, Ms. Leina," Kai replied, stopping beside her. "Have you been here since early?"

Leina nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Yes. I’m on morning duty. Besides, I like seeing the students arrive with enthusiasm. Some of them always make me smile."

Kai smiled slightly. "You’re always cheerful. I envy that."

Leina laughed softly, her voice light like a bell. Hahaha... "You can be too, Sir. You’re already much cheerier than before. Before, you looked like... a walking dead."

Kai blinked, slightly surprised by Leina’s honesty. "A walking dead?"

"Yes," Leina said, her eyes sparkling. "You looked like someone who had no purpose. But now... you look more alive. There’s a light in your eyes."

Haaah... Kai sighed, unable to hold back a smile. "Maybe because of my students. They make me feel... meaningful."

Leina smiled. "That’s good, Sir. I’m glad you found a purpose."

They chatted lightly about various things—about the weather, about the sports festival that had just ended, about the students who were becoming more confident. Leina told him about how she saw the changes in Class IX-9 students, how they became more enthusiastic and confident. Kai listened with a smile on his face, occasionally adding comments.

"Mr. Kai," Leina suddenly said, her voice becoming more serious. "I heard there’s a new teacher coming. They say today."

Kai nodded, not too interested. "Yes, I heard that too. But I’m not really thinking about it. What matters is my students." 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

Leina smiled. "You’re really focused on your students, aren’t you?"

"Because they’re my top priority," Kai answered firmly.

As they were talking, some students started arriving through the school gate. They walked with casual steps, bags on their shoulders, and smiles on their faces.

"Good morning, Mr. Kai! Good morning, Ms. Leina!" greeted a female student with short hair and a wide smile.

"Good morning, Sarah," Leina replied warmly.

Kai also nodded. "Good morning."

That student walked in, followed by a few friends. A male student with thick glasses stopped in front of Kai and Leina.

"Mr. Kai, I heard your class won the sports festival," he said with sparkling eyes. "So cool!"

Kai smiled. "Thank you. That was because of their hard work."

"Can I ask for tips, Sir?" the student asked.

Kai laughed softly. "The tips are simple: work hard, believe in yourself, and never give up."

The student nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, Sir! I’ll note that down!" then he ran inside the building.

Leina, seeing that, smiled. "You’re starting to become famous, Mr. Kai."

Kai shrugged. "I’m just doing my best."

DING! DING! DING!

The school bell rang, signaling that duty time was over. BUZZ... The sound of the school’s speakers crackled before finally Reina’s voice was heard.

"Attention to all teachers. Please gather in the teachers’ room now. There’s an important announcement."

Kai and Leina exchanged glances.

"Seems like we have to go," Leina said.

Kai nodded. "Yes. Let’s go."

In the Teachers’ Room

The teachers’ room was already filling up with teachers coming from various corners of the school. They sat in the available chairs, whispering to each other about the announcement to be delivered. The atmosphere in the room felt a little tense, full of curiosity.

"Did you hear? There’s a new teacher, they say," whispered a male teacher with a thin mustache to his colleague.

"Yes, I heard that too. They say she’s beautiful," replied his colleague, a teacher with thick glasses.

"Beautiful? How do you know?"

"I heard from the administrative staff. They say she already came yesterday to process her documents."

"Wow, I’m curious."

At the front of the room, Reina was already standing tall. Her face looked serious, and there was something in her eyes that couldn’t be read. Beside her, there was a woman Kai had never seen before—a woman in a long black Gothic Lolita-style dress, her long black hair styled in a complex twistyle, and a headband on her head. She looked elegant, mysterious, and a little eerie at the same time.

"Good morning, everyone," Reina said, her voice firm. "I gathered you all because there’s an important announcement. We will be getting a new colleague."

Whispers started to be heard among the teachers. Some of them looked curious, others looked indifferent. But Kai remained silent, his eyes staring blankly ahead. His mind was still filled with his students—about how they would develop, about what they would learn today.

"Please, introduce yourself," Reina said, gesturing to the woman.

The woman stepped forward gracefully. Her black dress fluttered softly, and a mysterious smile appeared on her face. "Good morning, everyone. My name is Lydia Obsidian. I will be an assistant teacher at this school. Please guide and cooperate with me."

She bowed gracefully, then returned to her position. And at that moment, Lydia’s eyes met Kai’s.

Kai, who had been indifferent, suddenly froze. His eyes widened, and his facial expression changed drastically. There was something in that woman’s eyes—something familiar, something that made him feel uncomfortable.

But Lydia didn’t show any excessive reaction. She just bowed briefly toward Kai, then looked forward again with a calm expression.

Haaah... Kai sighed softly, trying to calm himself. What’s happening? Why do I feel like I’ve seen her before?

Reina, who noticed that brief interaction, looked a little annoyed. Her sharp eyes moved from Lydia to Kai, then back to Lydia. There was something in her eyes—something like jealousy, but also irritation.

"Alright," Reina said, her voice a little louder than usual. "Kai, you will be Lydia’s mentor. You will guide and introduce the school environment, until Lydia gets a class to teach. She will be your assistant."

Kai blinked, slightly surprised. "Me?"

"Yes, you," Reina said, her tone undeniable. "You’re the most suitable. You already know this school well."

Kai nodded, although there was a hint of doubt in his heart. "Alright. I’ll do it."

Whispers started to be heard from the male teachers in the room. They looked at Kai with envious gazes, clearly unhappy that Kai was chosen to accompany Lydia. But Kai didn’t care. He just wanted to leave that room as soon as possible.

Lydia walked toward Kai with graceful steps. Her black dress fluttered behind her, and the mysterious smile still adorned her face. "Please guide me, Mr. Kai," she said, her voice soft and smooth.

Kai returned with a warm smile, although his heart was still filled with curiosity. "You’re welcome, Ms. Lydia. I’ll help as much as I can."

Lydia smiled, then sat at the desk beside Kai with graceful movements.

Kai turned toward Reina. The principal’s face looked very annoyed—her eyebrows were furrowed, her lips were pursed, and her eyes were narrowed toward Lydia. But Reina couldn’t do anything. She could only stay quiet and hold back her annoyance.

Haaah... Kai sighed. Why does Reina look so annoyed? What’s going on?

But Kai didn’t dwell on it. He immediately stood up and turned toward Lydia. "Alright, Ms. Lydia. Let me show you around the school. I’ll introduce you to the facilities."

Lydia smiled, a smile that was mysterious and hard to read. "With pleasure, Mr. Kai."

The two of them walked out of the teachers’ room, leaving the teachers still whispering and Reina still looking annoyed.

In the Corridor

Kai and Lydia walked along the school corridor. Tok... tok... tok... Their footsteps echoed on the shiny ceramic floor. The atmosphere around them felt quiet, because most of the students were still in their classrooms.

"This is the main building," Kai said, his hand pointing to various rooms they passed. "Here we have the teachers’ room, the principal’s office, and the administrative office. On the second floor, there are classrooms for the students. On the third floor, there are laboratories and the library."

Lydia listened carefully, her eyes moving quickly observing every corner of the room. "This school is quite large," she said, her voice smooth. "I didn’t expect that."

"Yes," Kai answered. "This school is indeed quite large. But I’m used to it."

They kept walking, passing corridors that were starting to get busy with students changing classes. Some students looked at Lydia with curiosity, but Lydia wasn’t affected. She kept walking gracefully, the mysterious smile still adorning her face.

"Have you been teaching here long?" Lydia suddenly asked.

Kai blinked, slightly surprised by the question. "A few months. Not too long."

"But you seem very familiar with the students," Lydia said, her eyes looking at Kai sharply. "They respect you very much."

Kai smiled slightly. "They’re good students. They just need someone who believes in them."

Lydia smiled. "You’re a good teacher, Mr. Kai."

"Thank you," Kai said. "I’m just doing my best."

They kept walking, passing the beautiful school garden with blooming flowers. Whoosh... The wind blew gently, carrying the fragrant scent of flowers.

"Ms. Lydia," Kai suddenly said, "forgive me if I ask... have we met before?"

Lydia blinked, then smiled. "Why do you ask that?"

"I feel... like I’ve seen you before," Kai said, his voice careful. "But I can’t remember where."

Lydia laughed softly. Soft laughter that was gentle. "Maybe you’re mistaken, Mr. Kai. This is my first time at this school."

Kai nodded, although there was doubt in his heart. "Maybe I’m mistaken."

They kept walking, enjoying the bright morning atmosphere.

Behind them, in the corner of the corridor, Reina watched them from a distance. Her sharp eyes didn’t blink, following every movement Lydia made.