Hello, everyone. My name is Ashita Oashi.

  First daughter of Dustin Deust. You’ve probably heard of him—or at least his reputation.He’s one of the wealthiest and most celebrated Advocates in the state. The kind of guy who can stop a Demon before breakfast—and make sure everyone knows about it by lunch.

  If you’ve lived under a rock or something, let me clue you in: he’s basically the World’s Shiniest Warrior.

  He was a legend in the Advocate community. And, naturally, he expects me to follow in his footsteps.

  But here’s the thing about living with someone so great—you’re always stuck in their shadow. No matter how hard I tried, I could never quite live up to the impossibly high standards he set. Though sometimes I felt like he was harder on me because my Mom wasn’t around

  She passed away when I was too young to remember her, but from everything my dad has told me, she was an incredible woman. In time, though, I gained a new mom…... and a brand-new sister to go along with her.

  I was never really close with my new Mom though. Growing up, it was pretty obvious that their marriage was more of a business arrangement than an act of love—just another move to consolidate the Agency’s influence in the Advocate world. So she didn’t really want to deal with me.

  As for my sister? Let’s just say she’s been scheming for years to boot me out of the running as Dad’s heir. That blonde control freak was apparently a big fan of my dad, and was determined to prove she was the better candidate to lead both the Agency and its efforts.

  But Honestly?

  She can have it.

  My dad always said I was too unruly to embody the poise expected of someone in my position—and you know what?

  He’s absolutely right, and I’ll take that as a compliment.

  I would sooner lose my first kiss to a fish than spend another day with the endless hours of etiquette drills, gut-wretching combat training, and the unrelenting torture of wearing neckties all my life.

  That kind of life was just A Sucky Suck with a Capital A, S, S.

  If my sister wanted to spend her life sying demons while kissing up to my Dad’s shiny gilded cheeks? All the more power to her.

  I gdly stepped away from the prestigious academies and the suffocating expectations of high society for a chance at an easy life. And after a lot of convincing, my dad finally caved and let me attend a regur school—no uniforms, no training, just a simple, ordinary school life.

  For a while, it was everything I hoped for. Life was uncomplicated, I had friends I could genuinely connect with, and, for the first time in ages, I could finally breathe.

  Then I turned seventeen, and everything went downhill.

  A smug little angel descended one day from the heavens to "bless" me with my Role. The brat looked like a toddler, but I was ready to strangle the little shit for saddling me with a Role like that.

  To eborate, my Role isn’t bad, the powers I got were pretty sick. But if my Dad were to ever find out what I got, I knew I would be forced back into his hellish bootcamp.

  Naturally, I tried to keep it a secret, but my dear sister couldn’t resist ratting me out. Once my parents got wind of it, any hope of living an easy life was out the window.

  “Using your Role is crucial to the Grand Design, or whatever bh bh bh.” I was too pissed to really listen to my dad’s lecture as he made me open my Role Menu.

  One gnce and my dad packed me off to Sac High, Japanifornia’s #1 school for Role Education

  Oh, and guess what? My sister goes there too.

  Lucky. Me.

  Even on my first day, I couldn’t shake the question: Why did she go out of her way to drag me back into this world? I handed her the title of future head of the Agency on a silver ptter. So, why pull me back in?

  Spite? Amusement? Or maybe she’s just bored?

  Whatever her reason, it looks like I was stuck in this mess. Again.

  And, to rub salt in the wound, the family limousine broke down in the driveway. Not really interested in listening to my family’s endless bickering while repairs were underway, I decided to make a run for it and head to school, hoping to escape the nonsense.

  Unfortunately, I overlooked a minor detail—I had no idea where the school was and I ended up wandering aimlessly around town for an hour or so.

  Lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t notice the figure in my path until I collided into them.

  That figure being my test fascination: Mako Fisher.

  Initially, I didn’t give him much thought. I was already in a foul mood, still brooding over being lost and forced into a new school. So as far as I was concerned, he was just another creep ready to check me out. I nearly lost my temper on him for bumping into me, but thankfully, I caught myself before doing something I’d regret. The st thing I needed was anyone around here thinking I was some kind of thug, especially when I quickly found out he attended the same school I was stuck in.

  I figured he might be useful as my guide, and if we ran te, I could just make him my fall guy. At least, that was the pn until he had the audacity to try bming me at the same time. His nerve caught me off guard, but I couldn’t help but respect the hustle, much as I hated to admit it.

  He was still a shady character in my book though. To be honest, I didn’t think we would talk much after that.

  That was, until we started talking about Roles. I put on a fmboyant front, hiding my disdain for the whole situation, but the way he spoke about his Role—or rather, what little he let slip—suggested he was burdened by something heavy. As someone who also carried the weight of an unwanted, yet admittedly badass, Role, I could rete.

  Thinking about it, despite his shady vibe, I couldn’t deny there was something intriguing about him. He seemed like the type who got into all sorts of trouble—the fun kind. Plus, he smelled nice, which hinted at a decent sense of hygiene. Maybe I could give him a chance, if only to satisfy my curiosity.

  In the end, I invited him to lunch—not out of kindness, but because I was curious about his Role and what else he might be hiding. My parents always said I had a knack for odd fixations, and there was something about Mako that set off my radar. His evasive nature hinted at all sorts of intriguing possibilities, and I couldn’t resist the potential for some juicy gossip.

  After leaving Mako behind, I finally made it to css, only to be forced into introducing myself right away. As if arriving te wasn’t bad enough, I had already attracted enough stares just by barging in. The st thing I needed was more attention. At least my sister wasn’t in this css, so there was that small mercy.

  I kept my introduction brief, just wanting to get it over with, and headed to my seat. Things stayed quiet until the css ended, and then I was immediately swarmed by cssmates. It was obvious they were vying for my attention, most likely because of my looks. Thankfully, I hadn’t mentioned my st name, so no one made the connection to my sister. That spared me from dealing with people trying to suck up to me for my family status, especially in a room filled with future big shots. Any aspiring Advocates with my approval would be more than welcome at my dad’s agency, after all.

  But I wasn’t about to have any of it. Dad may have sent me here, but I was determined to spend my st year of High School my way. I was going to enjoy my carefree youth, damn it!

  After escaping the crowd of wannabe pickup artists, I darted into the girls' bathroom, hoping to avoid any further harassment. Slipping into a stall, I prayed those guys would lose interest and head to their next css.

  Things were quiet, and just as I was about to leave, I heard the sound of two girls entering, talking in hushed tones.

  “Hey Val, what was with your intro, girl? You didn’t seem like yourself,” one of them spoke with a thick valley girl accent. “Did you, like, pour expired milk in your cereal again?”

  “No, I'm not that stupid,” the girl, who I assumed to be Val, replied in an irritated tone. “I’ve just been in a bad mood because some pervert barged into my house while I was changing. I socked him pretty hard on the face though.”

  “How did that even… wait…” the other girl asked, lowering her voice, “Did this douchebag have bangs covering his eyes or something?”

  My ears perked up at that.

  Val sighed, sounding confused. “Yeah… How did you know?”

  I leaned forward in the stall, straining to hear more clearly. Were they talking about him?

  Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait long for an answer.

  “It’s probably Mako,” the Valley girl suggested as she loudly grinded her teeth. “You know, the asshole that I’ve been compining about on the phone?”

  “Wait, that was Mako!?” Val excimed, fbbergasted. “As in Bottom Feeder Mako? The same creep who ripped off your top in public!?”

  “Yup, the Bottom Feeding Shark himself, and you don’t have to say it so loud! Someone could hear you!” her friend confirmed, quickly shushing her “Like, I know you're new here and all, so you don’t know a lot of people, but if there’s one person you should avoid, it’s him. I wish I could’ve warned you sooner, girl.”

  “Yeah, I’ve already gotten to know him quite well this morning,” Val groaned. “That asshole said he forgot his homework, despite it being the first week of school. How gullible does he think I am?”

  “Scumbags like him, who don’t do well in school, have remedial courses to regain lost credits. That limpdick’s story might seem solid, but his motives are, like, super clear. But don’t worry. Mako’s a Standy, so he won’t be anywhere near the Role Course Department. We won’t have to see him much anymore, girlfriend!”

  “I guess so…” Val scratched her head and let out a frustrated sigh, cracking her knuckles. “But, just so you know, if I run into him again, I’m sending him flying for real this time.”

  “Only if you let me take some pictures.” The two of them ughed in unison as their voices faded, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  The news I heard about Mako was… unsettling, to say the least. What they said painted Mako as far from an upstanding character in this school. Sure, she thought the guy was creepy, but was he really just a sexual predator like they implied?

  Then again, she almost thought Mako tried to look up her skirt when he helped her over the gate earlier. Not to mention, she swore he touched her butt when she fell. So maybe they were right.

  Yet, a part of her felt that didn’t add up. From her limited interaction with him, he didn’t seem like a bad guy—more of a shrewd imbecile with a good heart.

  “Was all that just to lower my guard?” I mumbled aloud, leaving the stall. “That could certainly be possible, but…”

  I shook my head, trying to push away the images of Mako’s stupid, hidden face that were starting to take up too much headspace for my liking. Whatever the case, it was clear he was suspicious.

  Whether he was a good guy or not, I was going to judge for myself. And I had the perfect chance to talk to him at lunch…

  Or so I thought until I accidentally ran into him during Gym css.

  Not gonna lie, it was pretty awkward seeing him again so soon, but I tried to py it cool, acting like nothing was wrong. It wasn’t easy, especially with him hanging around a shady character like Buddy.

  That pyful attitude of Buddy’s only reinforced the idea that Mako might be a creep, associating with people who seemed to share the same questionable mindset. Even when he tried to brush it off, it only deepened my own suspicions about him. And on closer inspection, I noticed an old bruise on his nose and a fresh one on his cheek.

  Was that where Val punched him? And where did the new bruise come from?I couldn’t press him further, though, as the Coach forced us to take our positions for Dodgeball.

  My focus wasn’t really on the game though, because the rumors about Mako still occupied the forefront of my mind. His dodgy behavior wasn’t doing the rumors about him any favors and I found myself watching him from the corner of my eye while casually catching stray balls before tossing them back. It was light work, thanks to my reflex training.

  He was chatting with Buddy again, and I caught snippets about Role Menus for some reason.Why they were discussing that in the middle of Gym css, I wouldn’t know. But I was snapped back to reality when a teammate knocked Buddy out of the game and aimed for Mako next.

  Judging by the way that guy threw the ball, he probably had an athletic role. So with Mako’s nky frame, he seemed like an easy target for the big guy.

  But then, the craziest thing unfolded before my eyes. Every time a ball was about to hit Mako,it inexplicably veered off course, hitting someone else instead.

  It was like watching an untouchable enemy in a video game dodge every attack thrown at him, and I couldn’t help but be a little impressed by Mako’s footwork. The final csh, though, was anticlimactic—Mako tripped mid-swing, and the big guy ended up hitting himself in the crotch.

  I couldn’t help but ugh, but my amusement was cut short when I felt another ball coming my way. Instinctively, I caught it and threw it back, but I was so focused on Mako that I ended up hitting him square in the face. His neck twisted at an awkward angle as he went down.

  Which brings me to now—sitting in the infirmary, waiting for Mako to wake up. The nurse was nowhere in sight, and the faint hum of the AC filled the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

  To be honest, I hadn’t pnned to skip Gym, but when I got hit in the face shortly after Mako was sent here, I realized I had an opportunity in front of me. So with a little acting, the coach bought my excuse for bandages, and I was able to leave.

  Now, with the two of us alone in the infirmary, I had the perfect opportunity to question him—no interruptions, no distractions. All I had to do was just wait for him to wake up.

  Though, as I sat there, I realized the fw in my pn—I had no idea when that would be.

  I sat in silence for a while, staring at Mako’s dumb face as he drooled in his sleep. Despite what I thought was a serious neck injury, he seemed fine, sleeping like a baby as if nothing had happened.

  As he continued to snooze, I finally had time to reflect on why I was even doing this. Initially, I just needed a guide—or maybe a patsy—to help me get to school. Our interactions had been far from ideal, and the rumors swirling around him, along with the so-called evidence I’d gathered, painted Mako as a walking red fg. He was interesting, sure, but undeniably shady.

  But now, thinking about it more clearly, it struck me as odd that I was going to such lengths to learn about him. I know I’ve said I had the weirdest fixations, but even I was starting to think this was strange, even for me.

  I gnced at the ceiling, half-expecting that weird toddler who gave me my role to pop down and provide an answer. Unsurprisingly, that didn’t happen.

  I pouted, shifting my gaze back to Mako’s face, mostly hidden beneath his messy bangs. Even in sleep, those tufts of hair managed to obscure most of his features. It was mysterious, annoying, and downright irritating the more I thought about it. Why was he hiding his face? Was it just to look creepy, or was there something more?

  “... Now that I think about, he’s out cold right now...” A sudden thought popped into my head. “He wouldn’t mind if I snuck a peak, right?”

  A mischievous grin spread across my face as I reached out, my fingers gently brushing against his bangs. For a moment, I hesitated, wondering if I was about to uncover something grotesque. Was he hiding a horribly scarred face, some ugly birthmark, or something equally unsettling?

  Did I really want to look that badly?

  I shook off my doubts, steeling myself as I carefully pushed his hair aside.

  And the moment I saw what was underneath, I froze, utterly fbbergasted.

  My eyes widened like dinner ptes, and I could have sworn my jaw hit the floor.

  Mako wasn’t ugly.

  He didn’t have any scars or strange marks—nothing at all, aside from the bruises from earlier.

  No.

  This man was just drop-dead gorgeous.

  Blood rushed to my head, and my face turned a bright shade of pink. My eyes swirled in a mix of shock and disbelief, and I felt something drip down my nose as I stood there, utterly gobsmacked by how ridiculously handsome this guy was.

  His lightly tanned skin glowed with a subtle radiance,almost giving him an ethereal shimmer, like a pristine statue under the morning sun. The soft shadows cast by the messy locks of ash-brown hair framed his face impeccably. His lips, slightly parted in his unconscious state, appeared soft and inviting, like those of a slumbering prince awaiting a destined kiss to rouse him. But it was his eyes—or the tantalizing glimpse of them closed shut—that held me spellbound. They were sharp, brimming with the promise of a sunken treasure beneath the sea, just waiting to be discovered. And for a fleeting moment, I could almost swear I heard a choir singing in the background, as if Heaven itself was awestruck by this beautiful man.

  He looked like the epitome of a bishonen, straight out of those thumbnails promoting Yandere Boyfriend ASMR… not that I’ve ever indulged in listening to those in my free time.

  I nearly lost myself, mesmerized by Mako’s stunning features, when suddenly, he started filing and mumbling in his sleep. Snapping back to reality, I jolted upright and tumbled onto the floor. As I scrambled to gather my thoughts, I realized my nose was bleeding, and I quickly fished some tissues from my pocket to stop the flow.

  Seeing that Mako was about to wake up, I hastily returned to my seat beside him, trying to compose myself. I attempted to look as natural as possible, though I must’ve looked anything but—still gawking at him in confusion over his strange episode, with a tissue pressed awkwardly to my nose.

  Fortunately, he didn’t seem to suspect anything, allowing me to finally engage in conversation with him, none the wiser. Yet, despite the lengths I’d gone to reach this point, I found myself awkward and fidgety, knowing the breathtaking face hidden beneath his bangs. I struggled to remain calm, trying to steady myself enough to ask the questions I’d pnned.

  Sadly, Mako quickly picked up on my awkwardness and effortlessly took control of the conversation. I was utterly baffled by how smoothly he read not only my actions but also my vulnerabilities.

  It was embarrassingly frustrating to watch this handsome devil pyfully mess with me when I was supposed to be the one interrogating him, damn it!

  But before I knew it, he had learned more about me than I had managed to discover anything about him.

  He even had the gall to say that my usual self was far more interesting.

  I mean, I appreciated the compliment, but it was unsettling to hear from someone who might be a potential creep. And it only made me feel even worse because, the more I talked with him, the more I started doubting those rumors. He didn’t seem like a terrible guy—just incredibly unlucky, as I’d seen during the dodgeball game.

  Could all those actions really have been pure coincidences?

  No, that couldn’t be possible.

  Nobody was that unlucky, right?

  Was Mako truly a shameless, lecherous man, or had I simply believed a few passing remarks about him too easily?

  Mako seemed to notice my confusion when he asked if I was okay or not.

  Not particurly interested in pursuing those rumors anymore, out of guilt and confusion, I told a half lie about me stealing his thunder earlier, hoping to change the subject.

  Then, out of nowhere, he twisted his head like some kind of owl, making me jump out of my seat.

  Honestly, the more I learned about this guy, the more I was both fascinated and terrified by what he might do next—like a local freakshow at a carnival. The deeper I went into this rabbit hole, the harder it was to look away.

  Yet, in some strange way, it was fun for me. And before I realized it, I blurted out that we were friends when he said he didn’t have many.

  I wasn’t sure why I said it, but it felt right, like a puzzle piece snapping into pce. And suddenly, everything clicked, revealing an undeniable truth that even I hadn’t realized before.

  The truth was, I wasn’t just passionate about learning more about Mako out of curiosity—I wanted to be his friend. Or, at the very least, have someone I could genuinely talk to.

  Ever since I was forced to leave my old school and spend my senior year in this fancy new one, everything had felt like a drag. From past experience, schools like this were filled with people who were either full of themselves, reluctant to socialize, or too intimidated by my family’s influence to even approach me.

  It was lonely, but when I left that toxic environment behind, I found some relief. Now, being thrust into an setting like Sac High, I feared I’d spend my final year isoted by my peers again.

  But then I met Mako, and I realized maybe this final year wouldn’t be so bad. He wasn’t like those snobs in the Role Course. He was… normal. A bit of an idiot and a little attitude, sure, but in a charming way that reminded me of my actual friends. And knowing that, I felt compelled to investigate those rumors, hoping to either confirm or dispel them.

  In a way, I wanted to believe there was hope for at least one normal person, even in a pce as dreary as this.

  Okay, maybe "normal" wasn’t the right word—especially since he was grabbing at air like a senile old man—but that didn’t change the fact that he was decent compared to those elitists who were constantly hitting on me.

  I looked away from his antics, both embarrassed by how weird he was and to hide my own flustered face after he suddenly flipped his bangs open to look at me. I really couldn’t stare directly at his sparkly face without feeling all hot and bothered.

  Fortunately, I was saved when the nurse finally appeared, allowing me to escape with most of my blood still in my body. Though part of me wondered if Mako would be alright, considering I suspected the nurse might’ve been a bit too fond of certain substances. Mako assured me she was fine, but a small part of me couldn’t help but start doubting his character again.

  Shaking those thoughts away as the school bell rang for third period, I headed to my next css with a little pep in my step. At first, it seemed like my final year of high school would pass by miserably for me, but now I was gd there was at least one person here who I could chat with casually.

  It’s a shame I didn’t get to learn much about Mako, but I still had lunch to seize that opportunity.

  …Though, now that I thought about it, wouldn’t that technically count as asking him out on a date?

  The image of Mako’s gorgeous face fshed in my mind, and a deep shade of pink spread across my cheeks.

  No! I’ve only known him for half a day; there’s no way things are escating like that so soon! I’m not some floozy who jumps at every hot guy I see—I have standards!

  …

  …Still, lunch could come a bit sooner.

  Charlie_Bones