He watched as the girl walked into the school grounds with her bag slung over her shoulder. She looked just like any other student, but even just looking at her back anyone could tell that she was beautiful.

Even though she was not that tall, her figure looked proportionate with her proper posture. Her black hair was tied in a braid and her walk was swift and graceful.

After a few days of being in school, Vincent could tell that the girl didn't realize her own popularity. Every time it was recess, she would look around the class only to look dejected afterwards because no one approached her. She thought no one wanted to be her friend.

Being the one sitting behind her in class, Vincent could see everything. Her fidgety gestures in contrast to her cold expression, her look of longing when she glanced at a group of girls. Honestly, to him, she looked silly.

In the first few days, a bunch of classmates surrounded him every single day. They were quite a bunch. Even when Vincent only replied with short answers, they still gathered around him. But the number continued to decrease with time as they realized they should give Vincent some space. Or maybe because they thought he was unapproachable.

In one of those days, some of them talked about Gloxinia without him asking.

"I wish I sit behind Gloxinia too," one girl fawned.

The others around him, whether it was a boy or a girl, nodded in agreement. Vincent could guess that they somehow idolized Gloxinia. He knew she was beautiful, but he didn't think it would make other people like her this much.

Perhaps it was because of her charisma as a Spirit of the Lake, or perhaps it was plainly because their classmates adored beautiful people.

Vincent couldn't understand Gloxinia's actions. For him, being at this school was the only way for him to serve his punishment.

"And while you're at it, keep an eye on something for me," he remembered his superior say.

Vincent knew this punishment wouldn't be as simple as just going to school, but to think that he was appointed to watch over a person fated to become an angel of death in the future--

"If you do it well, you might even get your sentence reduced."

Vincent couldn't refuse. He didn't want to be here for long - being among the living just didn't suit him. He was Death, and he preferred to be among the dead.

This morning, he entered the class right after Gloxinia. There was still no one there because they were the earliest to come, so they just sat down on their respective desks without saying anything to each other. Somehow, that had become their code: to not bother with each other.

After a few minutes passed without any other students coming in, Gloxinia seemed to be growing bored. She suddenly stood up and went over to the window facing the front of the school.

Vincent glanced at her. He watched as she stopped right before the window and looked at the students coming in through the school gates. The sun shined on her, making it look as if she was in the spotlight. She wasn't even smiling, but the sight of her was enough to take anyone's breath away.

Vincent heard voices from outside the class and the door being opened. He looked at the door when it opened, revealing a few classmates who were talking to each other just now. They immediately went silent at the sight of Gloxinia by the window.

Vincent thought their faces looked quite amusing.

After that, their classmates started coming one by one and the class was filled with people. That was the usual morning in this school.

By the time recess came, Vincent would disappear to God knows where. No one knew where he was, but he was actually on the rooftop, watching the entire school.

Being Death himself, he didn't fear death. He stood on the edge of the roof without a care.

He didn't eat lunch in the rooftop--he actually never does--but he was looking out for something. The other purpose he was sent to this school, aside from his punishment.

From where he was standing, he looked at a boy sitting on a bench next to a tree. The boy had unkempt long hair and had his back hunched. His uniform looked so worn out that the white cloth started to turn yellow.

For the entire recess, Vincent just stood there watching the boy, and the boy just sat there doing nothing.

When the bell rang, the boy stood up from his position and went back into the school. Vincent took that as a cue for him to go back to class as well.

The next class was, once again, the Biology class. This time they were going to have an experiment, so they headed to the laboratory.

"Afternoon, Class!" the teacher chimed. "Today we'll experiment on frogs to look at their internal organs."

The class knew about it already but everyone still groaned nevertheless.

"The groupings will be... Let's see, how about we just the groupings from last week's quiz?" the teacher said.

That would mean Vincent would pair with Gloxinia again.

They didn't talk to each other after last week, so this would be their first time talking to each other again.

"Are we cutting him up?" Gloxinia asked while pointing at the frog. Vincent nodded as he put on the lab coat. Gloxinia watched him, then followed after him to put on her lab coat. This was her first class experiment ever, so she just copied whatever Vincent did.

"Won't he get hurt?" Gloxinia asked again.

Vincent's hands stopped. He was about to cut the frog open according to the procedures.

He felt like he was getting questioned by a child who hadn't discovered the darkness of the world, so he fell silent for a while to think of what to answer her.

"Yes, but don't worry about him. He and all the frogs here are doing their best for the sake of everyone," Vincent said. He probably said some nonsense there, but he couldn't bother saying more.

He continued cutting open the frog and when he succeeded, he motioned Gloxinia to come closer to draw the internal organs.

"Hey," Gloxinia called out while drawing. "Aren't these frogs going to die? Shouldn't you bring them to the afterlife?"

"... That doesn't fall under my jurisdiction," Vincent answered.

There was a separate team of Angels of Death for animals because the way to handle human souls and animal souls is a bit different. The Angels looked somewhat different as well. Actually, one of them was already in the room right now, ready to pick up the frogs that were going to die. Vincent was sure Gloxinia asked that because she saw that angel.

"I see," Gloxinia said while finishing her drawing. Vincent then started preparing to suture the frog. He moved forward to do it as soon as Gloxinia finished the drawing.

Both of them finished earlier than the other groups, so they went forward to submit their worksheet to the teacher.

"Good job! I'll give you two an extra five points," the teacher said while scribbling on the sheet. "You two can go back to the class and have an early break, if you want to."

Vincent could feel Gloxinia's stare piercing him. He didn't dare to look at her. He muttered a thank you to the teacher and made his way back to the class.

When he glanced back, Gloxinia was one step behind him.

He decided to pay her no mind and just walked ahead.

Suddenly, someone bumped into Vincent.

"I'm sorry," the guy who bumped said. He had quite a plain face one would see anywhere, but the most memorable part of him was that he looked like he was being chased by a ghost. He looked so nervous.

Vincent noticed him taking a glance at Gloxinia before scurrying away. He squinted his eyes and frowned as he watched the guy ran away.

He gave him bad feelings.

Vincent still felt cautious, but he resumed his walk to the classroom with Gloxinia still tagging behind.

Vincent opened the door of the class and placed his stuff on the desk all tidied up. He was about to go out of the classroom again to have his break when...

"Oh," Gloxinia muttered. Vincent looked at her and she was rummaging through her pencil case.

Vincent could just ignore her, but that would feel wrong. She looked very troubled and he was the only one around.

"What's wrong?" he finally asked.

Gloxinia looked up at him and showed him her pencil case.

"My pencil is gone," she said.

Vincent stared at the pencil case. That's it? he thought. Now he felt like a fool for even worrying. He forgot that this girl had the mentality of a child because she grew up knowing nothing of the human life.

"I see," Vincent said, turning his gaze away.

"I lost my eraser and ruler too in the past week," Gloxinia muttered and tilted her head. "Did I leave them somewhere..."

It was either Gloxinia was very clumsy and kept on misplacing her stuff, or there was something going on.

But Vincent decided it was none of his business so he turned towards the door, about to head to his usual spot, the rooftop.

"Dea- I mean, Vincent," Gloxinia called out before he could go out of the class. He stopped walking and looked back at her.

"Thank you," she said. Her face was void of any expression in contrast to her sincere voice. If she said it to someone who was not Vincent, they probably would've thought she just said it for the sake of it.

But being an Angel of Death for years, Vincent could tell when someone was being sincere with what they were saying.

Thank you, the voice of an old lady echoed in his mind.

This was only the second time someone thanked him so sincerely ever since he became Death. Not knowing what to say, Vincent turned his back on her.

"... It's fine," Vincent said before leaving the class.

They say the same things, Vincent thought as he walked towards wherever his feet were bringing him.

No wonder they were friends.