Chapter 4

[Bedroom 4:25(?) a.m.]

It was a lovely Friday morning. When Katsumi awoke, the sun's rays hit her room, causing her to squint from the brightness. The time was 4:25. However, it was quite bright outside for such an early morning.

Katsumi didn't give it much thought, assuming it was because she was in a different nation. She cleansed her face before going downstairs to get a glass of water. She still had approximately 2 hours to get ready, so she was taking it slow.

She wandered drowsily towards the ground-floor kitchen, yawning.

"Good morning, sis."

Kento's unexpected presence made Katsumi flinch in surprise, and the girl felt completely awake. She initially assumed someone had broken in, forgetting she had her brother with her.

"My God, Kento, just because you have access to my unit's password doesn't give you permission to scare me."

"Well, you have 10 minutes before I leave you."

Katsumi was noticeably confused.

"It's still 5 o'clock in the morning; what are you talking about?"

This time, Kento was visibly confused.

"No. What are you talking about, sis? It's 6:50. Classes start at 7:30. Did you forget?"

"6:50?"

And Kento was right! The time was 6:50, allowing her only 10 minutes to get everything ready. Katsumi began to panic because she hadn't packed her things, eaten breakfast, or cleaned herself.

Katsumi was unsure if she could prepare in the time given. She dashed to her room, her glass still in the sink. All she could think about was what she should do first.

"I'll be waiting for you in the car!" Kento yelled before leaving.

As she changed into her outfit, the first thing she did was brush her teeth. She then put dry shampoo on her hair and brushed it while she packed her belongings. Kento, on the other hand, calmly prepared the car.

Katsumi arrived a minute late and sat exhaustively in the passenger seat.

"That was intense," Kento chuckled.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I thought you were ready by the time I went to your unit."

Katsumi let out a sigh. "My alarm may be broken; I'll have to buy another or repair it somewhere."

As he began driving the car, Kento answered with a gentle snicker. It will take them roughly 30 minutes to get from their place to San-Ib High School. Katsumi's stomach growled on the way, loud enough for both of them to hear.

She had forgotten to eat breakfast before leaving her unit and had only a glass of water. Kento decided to give up his packed lunch after seeing his sister's upset expression. He reached into the glove box in front of Katsumi and removed the package from Holic Café.

"Eat this."

When she opened the package, she found a savory croissant she had purchased the day before.

"You didn't eat this yet?"

"I was planning on saving it for lunch to save money, but you need it more than I do right now."

Kento dislikes showing affection and believes he does not do so. But when he truly cares for someone, such as his family, his warm side shines through. Just as now, Katsumi was moved by his small acts of kindness toward her.

"Come on over here and give me a hug."

"What? No, sis. I'm driving; get away from me," he irritated replied.

[San-Ib High School, 07:35 a.m.]

When the twins arrived at their school, they noticed that there were few students present. It could be that it's already past 7:30 a.m. and everyone is in class. Kento quickly parks the car, and the twins jog to the principal's office, where they should have been five minutes ago.

The place looked exactly like the photographs Katsumi had seen on the school's official website. The interior is remarkably tidy and orderly, with backdrops in dark blue, dark yellow, black, and white.

She had discovered a lot about the institution simply by browsing their website. The identity of the principal, however, surprised the twin the most.

They entered the office once they arrived, and their aunt greeted them with a smile.

"Welcome back! It's great to see you both!"

"Likewise, Auntie! You haven't changed a bit since we last saw you," Katsumi said, smiling.

"I'll take that as a compliment; please sit down, both of you."

Principal Lee Emi is Mr. Yamaguchi's older sister. She was and still is a Yamaguchi, but after marrying a South Korean gentleman, her surname was changed to Lee.

She was intended to be the Yamaguchi clan's heir. But Emi's father, Keiichiro, had given her the opportunity to pick her own path. When she turned down the offer, the successor was taken over by today's successor, the twin's father.

And now for the present. Emi had decided to establish a high school in order to help children in South Korea develop their goals and futures. Which has been a successful institution in Seoul.

"Before I dismiss you to your classrooms, there are three important points and changes you should be aware of."

Point 1: Their surnames: The Yamaguchi Clan is well-known not just in Japan but also throughout the world, particularly in eastern Asian countries such as South Korea. And if they wish to live without being the focus of attention, the twins must change their names.

"So, from now on, your surnames will be Yamada Kento and Arioka Katsumi."

Point 2: Their background: They've worked hard to falsify and fake their background history with the help of Principal Emi's husband and son. This includes their family, prior school, date of birth, and any medical conditions they may have. This is done so that anyone interested in the twins and willing to look into their background will come across the false material.

Point 3: Their personality: It would be extremely beneficial if they acted as if they were nothing, as per their alleged personality. The three siblings have not been publicly shown to the rest of the world, thanks to their parents. Because of the mystery, netizens have speculated on their appearances and personalities based on information shared on social media.

Due to his profession, Kento is thought to have a cocky attitude and to go after girls. He does make fun of his twin a lot in a cold, cocky manner, but it is nothing like his true demeanor.

His grandfather has taught him since he was a child that everyone has their own boundaries that we must respect, including him. That is why consent is so crucial to him, and he always requires it before doing anything, especially if he believes his actions may make them uncomfortable.

He's cold but a very nice person.

Katsumi, on the other hand, is thought to have a mysterious nature. Someone who is quiet and intelligent but lonely

She is the only Yamaguchi clan child who is not well recognized by the general public. As a result, they don't know much about her job. The only time she got out in public was to rest at the beach and help Kazuha with the orphanage.

Although her predicted personality and her true nature may have some similarities, Katsumi has attempted to become the polar opposite.

"You are free to continue acting as yourself, but please be cautious of the people around you."

"Understood." They both responded.

"Good! I'll call your advisers; in the meantime, you can relax in your seat."

It didn't take long for the twins to wait, and soon enough, Principal Emi brought their adviser.

"These are our two new students, both of whom transferred from Japan; please assist them if they require assistance."

"Yes, ma'am."

Katsumi was assigned to Mr. Ahn's class, while Kento was assigned to Ms. Park's class. Once they were introduced to their respective classes, they were dismissed.

Katsumi was a little nervous as they walked to their different classrooms. This means she'll be separated from her brother, which made her even more anxious.

When was the last time she went to school? Her previous school experience was in Japan; now things are a little different. She had to make new acquaintances, achieve high grades, and not worry about her family background while living in another country. It will be difficult at first, but Katsumi is determined to succeed.

Mr.Ahn instructed Katsumi to wait outside the classroom until he called her in. While waiting, Katsumi leaned against the wall as she prepared her introduction lines.

It's important for Katsumi to introduce herself without stuttering or eating her words. She does not want to be mocked or laughed at on the first day of school.

On his route to their respective classrooms, Kento ran into his sister. She appeared nervous and worried. He expected his sister to feel this way, given that they'd waited so long to start school.

Without the teacher looking, as they walked past her, he flicked her on the forehead, receiving a groan from the lady. Katsumi was furious when she realized it was her brother who had done it.

But her rage quickly subsided when she realized they were neighbors. As the teacher went inside, he was left outdoors.

"How are you not nervous?"

"I am... just a little bit."

"Then show it, stupid," growled Katsumi.

"Ms. Arioka, please enter."

Mr. Ahn called out, and the more anxious Katsumi became,

It was either now or never.

Katsumi inhaled deeply while holding the door handle. It took some time, but she eventually opened the door and entered.

"Good luck."

Just hearing Kento's voice soothed Katsumi's anxiousness a bit, and with that encouragement in mind, she stood in front of her classmate.

"Please introduce yourself."

"My name is Ya-Arioka Katsumi, and it's a pleasure to meet you."

She bowed.

'Shoot, I screwed up,' she thought. As she stood straight, she couldn't look at her classmates' reactions. She felt embarrassed. Despite all of her rehearsals, she still managed to botch up her lines.

Mr.Ahn remarked, "Katsumi, please sit next to Yejoon," and "Yejoon, please raise your hand."

A man with large, adorable glasses and curly hair raised his hand. He reminded Katsumi of Namgyu but with a softer, more feminine appearance. Katsumi bowed before heading to her assigned seats.

On her way, she could hear her classmates gossip and soft laughter. Was it because of the mistake she made at her introduction a while ago? Is her opportunity to make friends over?

Katsumi sighed dejectedly.

When she looked over at her seatmate, she noticed him shifting his gaze back and forth, as if he were hesitant to approach her. Perhaps her chances aren't over. Katsumi leaned forward to greet Yejoon personally as the mentoring lessons were being discussed.

"I hope we get along."

Yejoon only responded with a bashful nod. His actions were very cute to Katsumi, and she couldn't help but snicker softly. It seems like he and Katsumi could somehow get along with each other.

She was thrilled to experience the class at this school and what they had to offer. Is it going to be any different than in Tokyo?

Her answer is no. The first, second, and third subjects were all identical to the ones taught in Tokyo. It was still boring and difficult to understand for her.

It felt like she was in college. After a brief description of the subject, the teacher would go on to the next slide of the presentation. But Katsumi wasn't a fast learner, nor was she a fast writer.

She lets out a frustrated sigh. Was it this difficult to study? She pondered.

"You have 10 minutes to solve these three problems written on the board."

Katsumi thought it was absurd that she had only 10 minutes to answer three questions. Because of the teacher's rapid pace, she was unable to fully comprehend the lessons. She required 10 minutes for each question, not 10 minutes for all three!

As she struggled to follow the teachings with the notes she had taken, she noticed a small, fragile-looking hand at the corner of her vision, handing out a notebook. It was Yejoon. It had a short message on it that said, 'Feel free to utilize my notes.'

The notebook was filled with important parts of the lecture, and it was written neatly. Despite the fact that mathematics was Katsumi's weakest subject, she could easily understand the notes Yejoon took.

It was a miracle.

A guardian angel. That's how Yejoon appeared to Katsumi at that moment. And surprisingly, she was able to solve all three questions before they got to check their answers.

Katsumi received a perfect score!

At lunch break, Katsumi approached Yejoon before he lost sight of him in the hallway.

"Yejoon!" she exclaimed.

"I-is there a problem?" he asked, flustered.

It was either now or never. Katsumi thought.

"I just wanted to thank you for your assistance," she bowed, which placed the boy on edge. "I couldn't have answered those questions without your help."

"It's nothing; anyone would have done the same thing."

It was now her opportunity to nurture her chance to level up her status with Yejoon.

"Can I join you for lunch?" she inquired.

Yejoon wasn't expecting such a question from a new student. At the very least, he expected to be the last person in mind to be accompanied. Normally, it would have been with the class president, not some random guy you met.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course! I'd like to be friends with someone with whom I feel somewhat at ease."

"You're comfortable with me?" he inquired, surprised.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"N-no." He gave out a deep sigh.

He could tell by looking at Katsumi that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. He didn't mind, but it was his first time eating with a woman he'd only just met. And being given the responsibility of taking care of the new student put pressure on him.

"I'll be eating with my friends. Are you okay with that?"

"That is no problem, Yejoon"

"Then...let's go."

Katsumi was overjoyed on the inside and out. She was glad she was the one who approached someone. Thanks to her courage, she was able to make new friends.

Everything appeared to be going as planned, and she didn't need to be concerned after all.