The harsh truth of reality.

"Cmon' bro, we're going to be late for school!" Mavis pulled my arm as we ran through the streets, heading toward the subway, where we could see many older people wearing tuxedos. It was only 6.30, but Mavis insisted on going. People usually go to work at this time.

As we enter the subway, I see an empty sit down the aisle. We rushed there and checked left and right before letting Mavis sit down.

I stood beside Mavis with a book under my grasp; it was the novel I had read. I started reading as the subway passed through stations. Mavis sits there while hugging her backpack tightly.

Nervousness envelopes us whole. We had never gone to a public school before, and an orphan school is a school for orphan children who we familiarized by living with them on a daily basis. That wasn't diverse, so the public school would be a new experience.

I love science, especially biology, while Mavis is an expert in physics. We both are the top scorers among the orphan children. We're not arrogant about it because The Holy Grimoire teaches us to be humble to each other.

<Entering Olta street in 10 minutes. Please be ready.>

The subway announces.

Olta street is a street filled with many house complexes and schools. It will be unlikely that any older men will drop here, except if they're teachers or staff at one of the schools.

My sister and I will have separate classes. I will be in 7-A while she will be in 7-B. We will have neighboring classrooms but separated nonetheless.

--

10 minutes later,

<Entering Olta street. Opening gate. Thank you for riding with us.>

The gate opens, and we go out. It appears that the station is clean, but I see that there are many cigarettes in the bin. Some of them still have smoke remaining.

"Crap. So the gangs are here already, huh?" I mumble. I take Mavis's hand and go toward the exit as soon as possible.

We go outside and see many trees and what appear to be students wearing the same uniform riding bikes in the same direction.

We follow those bikers and walk for around 10 minutes until we finally reach our school. In front of the gate is a considerable muscular student standing, laughing with other students.

I stop in my tracks, and my sister reflexively stops as well.

I then walk naturally with my head face down. Fortunately, my sister knows what's going on. She did the same thing, and we passed through the big muscular student who goes directly into school.

From what I deduct, I think that That student is a member of one of the gangs. They go to school at this time, huh? Hmm. This will be tricky.

"*phew* that was nerve-wracking, am I right, sis?" I say as I walk further into the hallway.

"Yeah..." She says with her eyes low-spirited.

'*sigh* She'll grow out of it. We live in a city where a couple of little school gangs wouldn't even be considered a threat. The significant threats are the big shots; yakuza, mafias, and other precarious organizations. School gangs are normal, especially in schools where they got their term 'school gangs' from.'

I think inwardly.

We walked until we met a stair which we went up. There is almost no one in the facility yet. Only janitors and roaming teachers walked left to right.

Our gaze stood proud, and our posture spoke of confidence. We open the door to our classroom at the same time, expecting something grandéur.

I look inside my classroom and see only seven people inside.

One of them seems to exist as a taciturn and always sits behind.

The others are just normies.

I sit beside the taciturn because I feel like he's the safest amongst others.

"Hello, my name is Desmond. What's yours?" I greeted him with my hands stretched as in offering a handshake.

He looked at me weirdly and ended up ignoring me.

"Ah. Okay." I exclaim.

'He's probably sleepy.' I thought, returned my gaze to the book under my grasp, and started reading it.

The taciturn then peeks at me. I saw a glimpse of the taciturn's bang-covered eye, glancing at my book. His hair covers all his eyes and reaches the nose. It was. I guess stylish in a way.

"Umm... Do you read?" I try to start the conversation.

"Hmm? Urgh... *yawn*" The taciturn ignored me once more.

I love public school already!

--

30 minutes later.

Almost everyone has arrived, and the class becomes more crowded by the second pass. Many girls and boys are conversing with each other.

The class will start at around 20 minutes. I saw many boys and girls already trespassing under school regulations.

Many boys had their arms tattooed. Girls had their faces filled with makeup.

'Am I wrong to erase Mavis's makeup?' I thought.

Many people pass by me; fortunately, no one pays attention to me.

I gaze toward the students trying to observe who to trust and who not to trust.

I gaze toward a guy sitting to the right of me. He has rings on his fingers, and I see that his hands are bulky, a sign that he has fighting experience.

'Nope! That guy is a guy to be avoided.'

I gaze in front of me. I see a boy wearing glasses, surrounded by many other boys who seem to be picking on him.

'First day and already bullying, happens in Domina Country only. I wonder what Mavis is thinking. She will probably feel disappointed after all those excitements to go to our first public school only to be filled by brainless delinquents.'

--

2 hours later,

The classes are suitable, though I noticed that the teachers had zero energy and always looked depressed. It's manageable. I'll adapt to it.

Some of the students don't pay attention to class, and those who don't pay attention are those who I should avoid.

Currently, the bell is ringing, signifying our recess time.

I immediately go out with my wallet on me to the school's canteen. I stood in front of 7-B, waiting for my sister. I peeked at the classroom's window and widened my eyes in terror.

That big muscular guy from before is sitting right next to Mavis.

'He- he's the same age as us? I thought he was from senior high.'

He has brownish black hair, a stern face, and bulky arms that is probably bigger than my thighs.

This school has a senior high too. It's located in the building right next to the junior high. Seeing a senior high student go to the junior high's facility is not abnormal. But to see such a notable person as a junior high. I can only pray about what's next to expect.

Mavis saw me peeking from the window and lifted her head with a smile. I gestured for her to come, so she took her wallet from her bag and went straight to me.

"How are the first 2 hours of school?" I ask.

"I must say there are not many smart people here like the school pamphlet says." Oh no. She is talking sophisticatedly. She must be disappointed.

"Ah... I see." I lowered my voice, "Is that guy sitting to your right bothering you?"

"Hmm? Oh. Do you mean Madoc? He has yet to bother me directly, yet his chattering bothers me indirectly."

"Hmm... If he bothers you in any way. Call the security guard or report him to the principal right away. Okay?" I said in a low voice while walking toward the canteen with Mavis beside me.

"Umu." She nods.

Thinking about what food will be served in the canteen, we descend the stairs to the canteen, where we can see many senior high or junior high students lining up to buy food from various stans.

"I'll cover up a seat for you. You go order something, anything you like." I say. Mavis left me to go to the stans. I walked and searched a sit everywhere, yet anywhere I looked was packed with many students.

Then, I see the taciturn from before. He sits alone in the canteen's back corner, eating slowly.

I go straight toward him. He notices me but soon ignores me.

"Hello. You're the boy that sits beside me. Haha, what a coincidence we meet here, too. Is this seat open?" I ask with my smile full of merriment.

The taciturn nodded and went straight back to eating.

I sit in front of him and look around to see where Mavis is, and I see her buying from what looks like a noodle stand.

I wave my hand up and high to make contact with her. She noticed me, took her noodle, and walked toward me.

I then pass her toward the stans to buy a meal.

After securing my meal, I returned with a noodle with segmented white chicken breast spread around it. I smelled the alluring aroma drifting to my nose and my mouth drooling subconsciously.

I sit back beside the taciturn. I was too distracted by the noodle's aroma. I didn't notice that Mavis somehow managed to gain the taciturn's interest and converse in discussion with him, and I was awed in pride.

'My little Mavis has grown! To not need my assistance in starting a conversation. *SNIFF* Hah... It might not be long till' she leave me.' I thought while keeping my merry smile as I spoke,

"Hello! You met Mavis; she's my twin sister. I'm Desmond. Nice to meet you!" I offer a handshake.

"Umu. My name is Tokinawa Koku. Your sister and I seem to have a similar interest align." Koku says.

'He finally opened up! Good job, Mavis!' I thought.

"Wow. What is this interest?" I ask.

"Anime," Koku says.

'Hmm? I didn't know Mavis is interested in anime.' I look at Mavis, who is blushing with embarrassment. 'Oho? I know what this is... A hidden personality, huh? I read that cliché in novels a lot.' I thought and grins. 'That blushing face of yours is inviting me to tease you. Hehe, the rest of the recess will be so... much fun.'