“Hey, can you get me a ticket for the concert in Saturday?”

“You saw that, right?! That buzzer beater was really sick!”

“Look at the photo of this celebrity… He’s so handsome!”

“Yo, can I borrow your magazine?”

“Oh, I forgot, here’s the money I lent from you.”

“It’s your fault I didn’t get the first blood…”

“Hey! Show me your homework.”

“You see… Oxygen has two atoms in its free state.”

“I forgot how to get the distance formula… Hey, teach me.”

“The lesson is so boring…”

“What’s your rank now? I’m currently playing at the tournament.”

…

“These damn kids… I really hate this class.”

Well, since first year, this is my everyday “normal” days in school. You’ll see them asking if they have tickets, talking about the basketball game last night, bringing pictures of a celebrity for no reason, bringing magazine even though it’s prohibited, copying homework from others, talking about Combination Reaction in Chemistry, asking the equation for the Distance Formula in Math and a whole lot more.

And you know what? Our subject today is Music; I mean, right now.

I can’t even hear what the teacher is saying anymore. All I can do is sit on the back and copy lectures while observing every movements of our very infuriated Music Education teacher.

I always like the back seat because I can see the whole classroom and all of my classmates from here. As far as I can see, the only students looking on the board is Akaji Mashido, he’s the class rep, Murasaki Seo—Akaji’s bestfriend, Yugare-san, Kaminari-san and the rest of Anew employees; and us, the members of Art Club.

As expected, the two girls in our club will be quite surprised in this scene. They’re probably thinking: “How can they be like this?”

At any minute, our teacher is prone to walking out of our room because of annoyance and anger. This is a very usual scene. Teachers won’t bother scolding them because it won’t help one bit. Not even the words of our homeroom teacher affect them anymore. Any sermons or advice will just pass through their left ear out to their right ear and vice versa.

Yes, they have the brains, they have the knowledge. But what they lack is respect to others and to their selves, and discipline. In my own perspective, school is not an institution just focused on teaching academically, but also opening the eyes of the youth in the reality. And that is where they, my classmates, were heavily blinded.

To tell you the truth, no matter how smart a person is, but can’t understand other people and respect them has a road. A road so dark that not even light can pass through. Well, yes. They may see a light going towards them, but it’s probably just a truck that is going to hit them.

It’s tragic, I know. But it can also be a way for a person to change. But that change will only take place if one decided to change, and do the right acts. There’s nothing perfect in this world.

Today is October 23; Monday.

I just hope this chaos will end soon.

▪ ▪ ▪

It is time for lunch break and our group is currently eating our lunch on the school rooftop for a change. It has been really noisy downstairs and our ears might break if we sat on the table we usually sit on.

“So, this is the true nature of our batch, Gin?”

“Unruly, is it, Rin? The four of us had been enduring this chaotic bunch of students with faces of steel.”

“If I were to say, in just a couple of days, they’re reaching the apex closer and closer.”

“We do not know, Nacchi. Maybe their apex is way higher this year.”

“You have a point there, Jean. And that is why the school needs an immediate countermeasure as soon as possible.”

“Here, potatoes.

Ever since then, our batch is constantly called the ‘problem class.’ In the history of the school, no such section has ever done such disrespectful acts, but our batch is the first one to do that.”

“Already tapped on the school records, huh. That’s the principal’s son for you.”

“Just so you know, Nacchi, I didn’t sneak in just to look it up. Dad himself let me read through all of them.

Also, Gin. I have already been informed about the plans. You have my support.”

“Plans? What do you mean, Akira?”

“Sorry, it’s confidential. But you’ll probably know soon, Jean.”

“If I were to put it into words, ‘the game has already started’.”

“…?”

“One more thing, the lower years and other teachers even consider them as ‘animals’, but it eventually became a taboo to say.”

“What the two of you saw earlier this morning is probably just 70% output of them.”

“Be used to hear Gin talking sarcastically when the conversation is about this,” Jean added with a nod.

“Not to brag, but if not because of me, you may be involved in the troublemaking they’re plotting. You may have not known, but I have a principle I called ‘Minimal Exposure’. And it somehow affects people around me just like a virus. That’s also the reason why you get surprised sometimes when you don’t know I’m already beside you.

Eliminating the sound of my movements and erasing my existence, so to speak, is one of the fundamental basics of it. But I’m telling you. If this is used in robbery or theft, it will only backfire because you’re just dampening the sound of the movements of your body, not the things around us.”

“And that is why the two of you were hardly noticed in class.”

“That is also why I warned you two of not making contact with them. Sooner or later, Class 4A will be on a bumpy ride.”

“Now that Akira mentioned that he knows of something and Gin knows of it too… Does that mean Gin is working with the principal?”

“That, I could say. But everything is confidential.

Seeing the flow of our conversation, you’ll probably have a general idea of the principal’s main objective. Tenth is the former figure of the Exiles, and he’s one of the wisest person I have known.”

“Bell.”

“Oh? We better go down now.”

▪ ▪ ▪

The next day, I was asked by Ryou to come in their place on the 25th. It is probably a discussion about the current issue we’re presently dealing with.

Then the 25th of October came. After coming home, I quickly changed clothes and headed out to their place. They said they’re not in their company building and are staying in a residence.

I forgot Ryou lives in Queen Street, so it’s unavoidable for me to not see the exact place I was hit by a truck, and landed.

No traces of myself whatsoever. That’s to be expected.

While looking from house to house, I found one residence with the number 037. It is quite a big house with two floors. I think it was the right house where I should go to.

I pressed the doorbell once and called out to him.

“Yugare-san? It’s me, Sakato.”

After a few moments the door was opened by someone also from Anew. It was Ichika Mitsumi. Seeing her in this house with casual house clothes, I think it’s safe to assume that the five of them are living in one roof.

“Oh? Sa-ka-to-kun is here~

RYOU-KUN! OUR VISITOR IS HERE! YA HERE ME?!”

That’s quite a warm welcome. Ichika almost busted my ears with her shout.

“Mitsumi-san, can I come in now?” I asked while checking if my ears are not bleeding.

“Sure, sure~ Just leave your shoes there and use the slippers.”

Ohh… The vibe of Japanese culture is on my grasp now. Even though the house doesn’t look like Japanese at all, I can feel that people from the Land of the Rising Sun are living here.

“Hello, Sakato-san. Have a seat.”

“Seiza, huh. I wonder how long I’ll last.”

“Oh, Sakato-san. Do you want some tea? It’s quite cold today.”

“Yes, please. Thanks, Itori-san.”

~ ~ ~

“So, Sakato-san. We called you out for a meeting today. In the past few days, we gathered information about their soon to be initiated movements. Tomorrow, they are planning to do a prank that will involve the whole school.

Seven of the students in Class 4A are setting up a false alarm. You know who they are. I won’t name them.”

“Here, Sakato-san.”

Hina gave some sort of a printout. Actually, it kind of looks like a super detailed document that can’t be understood if you’re not working on a company. Well, she’s doing her job right now.

“So them… huh.”

“As seen on the papers, it is a big prank that they’re going to pull off tomorrow. I was the one who discovered their plan while on guard. They never said that there are more that will participate so it’s safe to say that the only seven students talking are the masterminds.”

“I guess you’ll all be forgiven after this project is finished. No more observations after this chaos, okay?”

“Continuing, the false alarm that they are going to do is spreading that there is a fire at the back of the old school building. But in reality, they will just start a bonfire.”

“Itori-san. You said at the back of the school?”

“Yes, I did.”

“If I can recall correctly, the back of the old school building is a storeroom for lumber and other types of wood from construction scraps.

If they are going to start a big blaze, they will need firewood and other materials to produce smoke. What I do know is the back of the school has the most amounts of light materials.

I see now… This may just be a mere prank, but I didn’t think it would be this bad. There is a possibility that their prank will backfire to them because accidents may happen. They may set the whole store room in fire and the neighboring houses and buildings depending on the direction of the wind.

Knowing the fact that the school was renovated a few months ago, I think the damage of a possible outburst of fire will be less than 30 percent, leaving 70 percent of damage. But that’s not the main problem. There may be houses nearby with mostly light materials.

And it was set at 10am… All students are having their classes at that time. One more possibility is a stampede on the corridors. Another situation prone to accidents.

I know I’m being really paranoid, but we can’t endanger the lives of students. I’m working with the principal of Blue Ink after all.”

This big house became surprisingly silent after what I have said. I continued on reading what is on the printout but no one is still speaking.

“Uhh… Did I talk really fast again to the point you can’t understand?”

“No, no, Sakato-san. I guess we’re just stunned at how much you have thought of the probable outcomes already…

Have you seen a possibility like this coming?”

Ayato’s question confused me a little, so I answered and followed it with a question.

“N-no… I just thought it up just now.

And the reason you looked surprised is because of that?”

“Hahh… I can’t compete with you in terms of brain processing…

Anyways, that’s all there is to it because you shortened the explanations already.”

“If you need more assistance, we’re still up for it.”

“Right. I’ll just inform the principal now.

By the way, is Ryuuya-san living with all of you too?”

“No, he’s currently living in a separate place.”

“I see…

Hello, Mr. Principal?”

“Any news, Gin?”

“Yes. I just finished a meeting with the people of Anew and I have-“

“Hey! What are you saying Sakato-san?!”

Immediately after I said the name of their company they attacked me from the behind. They covered my mouth, attempted to take my phone and held me like I’m being captured by the police.

I forgot to tell them that the principal already knew their identity. Wait, I remember Yugare-san telling me to reveal their identity.

“Gin, are you alright?”

“Just a second, Tenth. Don’t hang up.

…

Alright, alright. Your cover is already blown by the principal, you know. He already knew about your objectives, and he even knew about the Façade.

Anyways, Mr. Principal. I have information.”

“Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen the principal…”

“Me too, not even his shadow.”

I noticed that they are whispering in one corner so I decided to turn the loudspeaker on for them to hear what Tenth will say.

“Don’t even attempt to do a background check on me, my students. It will only lead you to nothing. I’m telling you.”

“Heeh?!”

“Enough with it. Now, what’s the information?”

“Let’s cut to the chase, first of all.

Tomorrow, 10 in the morning, seven students from 4A, doing a big prank as a fire false alarm, at the back of the old school building, bonfire, may result to a real outburst of fire and stampede.”

“Got it.

I’ll clear out the storeroom as soon as possible and I’ll add extra security tomorrow. Mandatory inspection of students’ belongings will be held tomorrow morning.

Ah, okay. We’ll announce that the security cameras will not be functioning but it will just be a way for them to have ease. We’ll turn the cameras off tomorrow but we will add more cameras in almost invisible places, on the contrary.”

“Oh… I get it now, a diversion. I kind of know the situation you’re aiming for.

Larger baits will attract the fishes more. As expected of the smart and good looking principal.”

“Shut it.”

“’Shut it’, you say. Alright then, bye!”

*beep*

“…Gin. We have questions.”

“Okay…?”

“How do yours and the principal’s brain function and process?”

“Is it different from other people?”

“Where did the serious vibe from you go?”

“Is my tea good~? Hehe…” Mitsumi-san was the one that actually asked.

“1. What?

Well, it’s just the same with other people. Just normal. The seriousness from me probably went home because he’s too worried. And, uh. Yeah, the tea is absolutely great. Thanks, Itori-san.”

“Buhhhhh…”

Am I seeing things, or did the room got darker? So is their faces too, and why did they become chibi?

“You’re no ordinary human. Please know that, Gin Sakato-san-kun-chan.”

~ ~ ~

The night on the same day, every material that can cause fire is taken away from the school and was stored into a warehouse.

Stealth cameras were also installed and all of the preparations are completely finished in just six hours.

With everything done, all they can do is to wait for the next day to see if the prank will really take place in the fixed time.

▪ ▪ ▪

In the next morning, while the guards are inspecting every belonging of the students, the principal held a short meeting with the faculty members in the Administrative Office, including me.

“I’m very sorry that I’m late by three minutes.”

“Mr. Sakato, please have a seat.”

“A student? Mr. Juushiro?! Are you out of your mind? Why would there be a student in a meeting for only teachers?

This can result to leakage of information!”

I’m well aware that other teachers will surely react after seeing a student just casually barging in the admins’ office and attending the meeting for teachers only.

“Please understand, my fellow teachers. This student, Mr. Gin Sakato holds the key to the success of our project. On the contrary, he’s the one giving us information. Without him, the preparations I made last night will never happen if not for his immediate report about the event his classmates are about to do.

Any complaints?”

“Those students, from Class 4A… They’re really rotten.”

“I will agree to your statement, Sir Ramone. Indeed, they truly have a rotten behavior, disrespectful and they lack discipline. But our number one priority in Blue Ink is to assure the safety of every student here. We do not want to reproduce any more danger like what happened last April.

At any rate, we shall avoid any casualty inside the school.”

“It’s as Mr. Sakato said. But I’m well aware that this project is imperfect. But the objective of this project is solely focused on the rehabilitation of Class 4A. We, the teachers still need to guide the students to the right path.

After this event, we do not know what could happen anymore.”

“Question, Sir Juushiro. If this countermeasure succeeds, will you still continue this project?” a teacher asked.

“It will not depend on me, but the students. The project will be considered effective if we observe changes to them and their behavior.

Even I don’t know when the project will last. I repeat, it is imperfect and has flaws. And ironically, we are relying on the students to see if we will have progressions or not.”

“I hope this may serve as a lesson for their acts…”

“Alright, dismissed.”

▪ ▪ ▪

The time is ten o’clock and currently, there are seven students missing in the third period. They are probably on the way to the back of the school.

“Ha! Luck is on our side this time. Cameras are under maintenance but it sucks that we need our things to be inspected earlier.”

“Nah, it’s good. That won’t back us down in this prank.”

“I want to see the scared faces of the teachers and students while running. Hahaha!”

“But then they’ll be extremely terrified because of a bluff!”

“Hahahahaha! Come on now, let’s hurry!”

~ ~ ~

*Ping*

I finally got a notification from the office. This is my queue to leave the classroom.

“Approximately 5 minutes and they will be at the yard. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Ma’am, I need to go to the washroom.”

“Do what you need to do.”

Approximately five minutes. That’s the only time I have before they are at the area of their plan.

But before that, I need to put a portable camera behind the stage. There’s a spot that is probably not covered by the cameras installed last night. Just to be sure, I placed a small action camera somewhere hidden there and make it so that it can record now.

I only have two and a half minutes. If I ran at full speed, I can get there in less than fifteen seconds. But I need to take it slowly or else they’ll get suspicious of me.

“Well? Let’s immediately start this mess and get the people frightened.”

“Alright, the two of you get some wood on the store house. Don’t pick big ones or else we’ll be in trouble.”

“C’mon, isn’t this way too easy for us. Just nabbing wood without anyone seeing us is really lucky of us to start a scare.”

“Let’s just think that this is a single opportunity. Cameras will probably function again tomorrow.”

“There’s no way we can tell. Let’s just get moving.”

The two accomplices went and opened the doors of the store room. But what they didn’t expect is not a single bark of wood is present inside the storage room.

“Oi… You’ve gotta be kidding me…”

“Where in the world is the wood gone?!”

“Hey… seriously. Why on earth is the store room empty?!”

It’s finally time for me to show up. The only thing I need to do is to act, and act, and act. I need to be more cautious about my next moves.

“Oh? What’s this? Why are there students in this time of the day?”

“Wha- Sakato?! Why are you here?!”

“Ah, I was asked by the Disciplinary Committee to check every corners of the school. They’re giving tasks on the students of our class to do inspections. I’m also on daily duty today.

So, would you mind telling me why are you all here at the back of the old school building?”

“D-D-D-Don’t get the wrong idea! We just need something from here and we came to… get… it…”

Just after I made my appearance, they already failed their plan and lied. They’re only focused on the storeroom that they didn’t notice that there is literally nothing at the back of the school as of right now.

Aside from clearing out any material that could be affected by fire, they took the opportunity to clean the whole school in the duration of the clearing operations. So unnecessary rubbish was thrown out and other things were organized.

“I’m sorry but you just showed an act of lying and skipping classes. I’ll be calling the committee no-“

“No, you won’t!”

One came running and is about to throw a punch on my face.

But it’s quite simple. The punch will connect at the cheekbone if I get hit. Seeing that he’s right foot is on the front and his left fist is tightly closed, he’s a left-handed.

First, I need to dodge. I also need to wait for his left arm to extend and do a slow turnaround while shifting my feet and grabbing his left wrist while it’s still extended.

I need to position behind him and quickly grab his other wrist so his upper body will be immobile.

“Sorry, but if all of you are to persist, I need to lessen your movements.”

I could only hold him for a short time, but with his arms being unusable and being placed on his back, it will probably be numb for at least a couple of seconds.

Now two of them are going to attack me. It seems that it will be a two-side tactic where I can’t escape in either my left or right. I guess I need to output a bit more agility, then.

I was right, but I only need at least two seconds to make their other accomplice face them by turning around with who I’m holding.

As expected, they stopped and tripped at the same time.

“Hello? Yes, Gin Sakato.

I need assistance from the closest teachers now. I can’t handle seven people on my own.

Yes, please. Thank you.”

*beep*

“They will be here at approximately one and a half minute and counting, people.

But first, I have some questions, my fellow classmates. Why is the door of the storeroom open? And opening it without permission, I suppose? That adds up as another violation.

Were you trying to get something from inside there? It only has wood inside, but it’s empty today.

Were you trying to pull something off that needs you to get something from the storeroom?

Or do you plan to start a fire?”

~ ~ ~

With that, they all told the truth. But it’s quite difficult. Not even the guidance counselor can’t make their mouths open immediately.

As soon as they told everything, the punishment given was a week of suspension adding a few more days.

And right now, I ended up my way being inside the principal’s office again.

“What we are doing is no easy task, Gin.”

“I’m well aware about the situation. They’re fortunate to have spent the remaining time until dismissal.”

“But the ‘game’ is not yet finished.”

Tenth gave me a stare but it’s very different. His eyes were like suppressing something aggressive. But the sudden change of the characteristic of his stare is not the one that surprised me.

The iris of his left eye turned to color gray.

“What the…”

“I see that you’re surprised. This isn’t something you could see anywhere except from when you look on a mirror.”

“Hahh… I didn’t expect to see such a thing…

Mind telling me about my right eye, if you know something?”

I can’t help but to show my right eye in its different appearance too. It feels like… no, he definitely knows something about this eye.

“Oh? So yours is blue, huh.

Alright, I’ll tell you everything.

I was the same as you when you were ten years ago. Well, it will be twelve years ago in your case. I was also used as a tool when I was five years old, and that is the point where I became an Exile. I was thrown away since I was a failure.

But after some years staying underground with the leader before me, my left eye suffered pain for a little time and that is where I discovered that my eye is randomly turning to gray from the start.

What is this eye, you ask. This is more of a projection than a manifestation. It’s just a proof that one’s visual perception is greater than average humans. Have you ever thought why your observation skills are off the charts? But I’ve never seen a brain that functions in such speed like yours.

It was the effect of what happened to us after the events when we were five. The color of the iris changing has no clear connection to our vision. As I have said earlier, it’s just a projection.”

“Now it makes sense. Well, if I didn’t enter the Room, I’ll probably just rot away but I ended up amplifying the speed of my body’s movements and functions.

For example, my ability of talking when I just got back from the Room. There are times where I spoke so fast to the point it was not understandable.

Now I understand, but to think that they are already conducting ‘that’ in the past, it’s infuriating. I’m starting to remember it now.”

“Yes, it is. And all of us became blind after the ‘research’ ended, but I’m the only exception.

Also, he’s not the one who handled us as he’s also probably young at that time. I think the one that supervised is already deceased.”

“So they all became blind…

Let me tell you something, Tenth. The cruelty in my time when I’m in the hands of that man is way worse. You wouldn’t dare see what I have seen right in front me. But that’s the only thing I can recall.”

“We share the same pain, but let’s set that aside for now. You do know that we are not aware of what’s next, right?”

“I know that well. And as you have said, our movements are not flawless and are imperfect. We’re not someone who knows what’s written in the future.”

“All we can do is to wait for tomorrows to come by and we’ll see what will happen.”

▪ ▪ ▪

1:37am, October 26, Thursday.

The security guards who were on the night shifts are doing night inspection on the entirety of the school.

“Rooms are checked, cafeteria is checked too, library, clubrooms…

Oh, the back of the stage is the last one.”

In the faintly lit grounds of the school, the security guard made its way to the back of the stage to inspect it along with his flashlight…

Only to see tragedy.

“Hey! Guys! Hurry up!

I found an unconscious student at the back of the stage!”