Miraii Highschool

"Can we trust you with this secret, Shinji?"

Far from the mainland, lay an island, home to a small village where life passed in peace. But one night, that peace was shattered.

"You sure this is the island?"
"Yes Head Commander!"

An armada of thugs, each marked with a dragon-shaped tattoo, stormed the island. Their blades flashed red under the burning sky as screams drowned out the sound of the waves.

"Where's Moeru Yona?!"

One of the thugs asked, pulled the poor dying villager.

"Cave-… Take-"

The villager said before collapsed, lifeless to the ground. The night burned with chaos, as homes crumbled and fire devoured the wooden huts, filling the air with smoke.

"Mom! Who are those people?!"
"Don't look back, Shinji!"

A mother desperately running through the dark forest, clutching her son's arm tightly with a duffel bag sling over her shoulder.

"Mom! We should help them, we hav-"
"No time to talk, darling! We need to go!"

She threw the duffel bag into the sampan and forcefully dragged Shinji in.

"Mom... We have Moe-"
"YES! BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE TO RUN AWAY!!!"

She puts the duffel bag aside and quickly pushes, moving the sampan.

"What about dad?! Anis?! The rest of the villagers?!"
"Im sorry honey! There's nothing we can do!"

They abandoning the island but Shinji clenched his fist, unable to accept.

"Im sorry mom!"

He grabbed the duffel bag but it was a little heavy for him.

"Ughhh!"

He shook his head and changed his plan. His mom turned and saw him trying to jump out.

"SHINJI!!!"

She dragged his feet back right before he get away.

"What in the seven seas you tryna do?!"
"Protecting our homeland, mom! If you cant do it, then I will!"

She flipped his body then choked his neck. Her expression mixed with fear and anger.

"Protect?! Don’t even dream about it! You are weak! You can't even win against Anis! You failed to save your father! And now you wanna talk about protect?! Wake up! Come back to reality! This is not a novel, you sun of a beach!”

He softly pushed her arm while being choked.

"Mo- aaak- akhh..."
"SEE? YOU CANT EVEN OUTSTRENGHTS ME! YOU WOULDNT LAST FIVE SECOND OUT THERE!!!"

She released him but slapped his face, then dragged him to her, hugging him tightly.

"I lost my husband! I lost my home! I don’t want to lose you, also!”

She patted his head, sobbing.

"Im sorry… Mom… I love you!”

He hugged her back, unable to hold his tears.

"You are not my blood-related child! That’s not your homeland! This is not your fight, dear! I love you too, son!”

After several days stranded in the sea, they found another island and decided to continue their lives there. With all the knowledge and experience, they can adapt easily.

Another Island
Midnight, 31 January 2012.

A heavy thunderstorm is hitting the island, with only a banana leaf as their blanket. They hugged each other under the roof made out of leaves and sticks, leaking everywhere.

"...Se… Cret… Da- (Morfonica, Secret Dawn)”

She sang her favourite song right before taking her final breath and passed away.

"Mom?"

Shinji raised his head.

"Mom! Don’t sleep yet! I want to hear more! Please! Wake up, mom!”

He shakes her shoulder.

"Mom! Let me hear it… Mom! Please… One more… Just one! Please…”

His tears flowed heavily along with the rain. He grasped her arm and pressed his forehead on it.

"Im sorry... Im so sorry… It's all my fault… But… I will avenge you!”

He tightened the grip.

"Mom! Dad! Anis! Everyone! I will become stronger! Even if I turn into a monster… Even if I become a demon… If it's meant to protect…”

Miraii Highschool
7:15 AM, 7 March 2016.

Students streamed through the main gate, their chatter mixing with the morning breeze.

Shinji stood in front of the main gate, holding a duffel bag in one arm and wearing an old watch on his wrist.

"Chapter One! Miraii High!"

He stepped forward into the school and stole's attention.

"Duffel bag?"
"Why didn’t he use a normal backpack?”
"Badminton player, maybe?”

Several students whispered to one another but he ignored them.

Student Council Room
A male student adjusted his glasses as he read a transfer report from another school.

Kioku Highschool Student Report
Name: Takegawa Shinji 
Age: 16 years old
Class: 4D 
Height: 160 cm
Demerit: Over 100 

Details:
A problematic student with multiple cases of brawling, vandalism and several other discipline problems. Kioku Highschool administration has made the decision to expel this student from the school based on his demerit score.

“Why principal approved this delinquent? In my class on top of that!”

He sighed, adjusted his glasses again and left the room. 

Hallway
Shinji held a small note with directions to his classroom.

"Fork… I understand absolutely nothing!”

Another male student walked from the opposite direction, holding a sketch of a girl.

"At that time, I didn’t understand…”

Shinji crumpled the note while the other folded the sketch.

"They all died because of me…”
"She died because of me…”

They walked past each other, lowered their gazed, both whispered to themselves in unison.

"I cant live with this forking pain… Huh?”
"This is so painful to live with… Haa?”

They stopped, turned and exchanged a silent, curious glance. Not long after, they walked to their classroom together.

"Chrono Sterling! Student Exchange Programme from Malaysia!”
"Takegawa Shinji! Just call me Shinji! I just got here!”
"Same! I only here yesterday! Hahaha!”

4C Classroom
They entered the classroom. A male classmate, mid-bite into a chip, nearly choked when he saw Shinji’s duffel bag.

"That’s-?!”

Oblivious, they took their seats.

"That’s a dang big bag ya got there!”

Chrono moved his head a little, pointed at the duffel bag.

"This? It… Actually belongs to my parents…”

He placed the duffel bag down and the chip-eating classmate approached them.

"Yet you bring it to school? What are you, mommy boy?!”

Another male classmate overheard it and glanced but didn’t say anything. Chrono stayed silent while Shinji gentlely patted the bag.

"They passed away… Four years ago… This is the only memento they left me…”
"Four years ago?! I knew it! Huh! Mommy boy!”

Shinji, Chrono, and another male classmates flinched but no one said anything. He then walked past while munching on his chips.

"Why you didn’t say anything?”

Chrono glanced at Shinji.

"Cause I made a promise to the principal… Sometimes, silence is the best response…”
"Well I cant deny that bu-”

The door slid open and a female classmate entered the classroom.

"Goro! Stop eating in the classroom! Hiroshi, clean your desk a little! Rosey, Hana, class starting soon, pull your desk straight back again!”

She said but no one listening. Then the same bespectacled student from earlier stepped in and suddenly they did what she said.

"You good Mai?”
"Yeah…”

She shook her head and got to her seat while the glasses student stood at the front.

"Good morning, my classmates! My name is Habara, Im the 4C Class Monitor, also the Student Council Secretary! Yes, I said that cause we have another new friend joining us today! Please, introduce yourself!”

He adjusted his glasses while Shinji slowly stood up.

"Aaa… What should I start with?”

He glanced at Chrono.

"Huh? Don’t look at me!”
"Help me right here!”

Chrono frowned while glancing at him.

"The heck you mean help?!”

They stared at him confusedly.

"Your name, mommy boy!”

Goro shouted and Hiroshi shook his head.

"My name is Takegawa Shinji! I just got here and uhh… Where I live again?”

He looked at Chrono again.

"Why you asking me that?!”
"Is that guy for real?”
"How did he even forget his own home?!”

The class murmured while Habara pushed his glasses up.

"Aaa… Jus- just sit down!” 

Shinji sat back down and Habara continued.

"Anyway! The school sports event is next week and today will be the last day for registration! All teachers and student council members will attend a very long meeting today, so Mai! Please take care of the class while Im gone! That’s all!”

She nods and he briefly glances at Shinji before walking away.

"So that’s the delinquent huh?"

After several steps outside, the whole classroom turned into a supermarket, eating, arm-wrestling and gossiping.

"Hey new guy! Wanna buy insurance?”

One of their classmate approached Shinji.

"The fork is that?” 

He explained the insurance plan but the price is absurb.

"Aaa, I guess I wil pas-”
"This is for your own goodness! A good investment!”

Shinji looked away only to see Chrono holdng his laughter.

"Help me right here!”
"I will give you a discount! Just sign here!”

He then glanced at Mai.

"She’s sleeping?!”
"A long term investment!”

Chrono slammed his desk while laughing.

"Welcome to C Class buddy!”
"This is worse than Kioku Highhhh!!!”

Cafeteria
10:30 AM, Shinji sat with only Mila, a chocolate milk drink in a can, at hand, watching Chrono enjoying the meal while his stomach growled with hunger.

"You should just say no buddy…”
"I forking said that like 10 times!”
"11 to be exact…”

A group of students walked past them.

"I heard someone rented House of Mizera!"
"That haunted house?!”
"Yeah, bet they couldn’t last three days!”

They laughed and Shinji glanced at Mai, taking a seat but the rest of the students at the table walked away with their foods.

"That’s Mai, our class assistant monitor, in case you wondering…”
"Why the-”
"Im your senior by a day so Im just as clueless as you…”

Chrono leaned his back, tapping his stomach in front of Shinji.

"You sun of a beac-”

Meeting Room
At 2:30 PM, the principal closed a file and dismissed the meeting.

"Alright, that’s all for today! Thank you!”

Teachers and student council members exited, leaving Habara behind.

"So, what you wanna ask, Habara?”

The principal took a sip of coffee while Habara clipped some papers together.

"With all due respect sir, Im not questioning your decision, I just wanna understan-”
"Is it about the new student in your class, Habara?”
"Yes sir…”

The principal put his cup down and Habara continued.

"I heard you personally approved his enrollment despite strong disagreement from all the teachers… I just wanna know why…”

The principal stood and gazed out the window.

"Habara, why you come to school?”
"To learn sir, to gain knowledge for my future!”
"Exactly!”

He turned slightly, his tone calm but firmed.

"We cant change our past, we cant choose our fate, we cant see our future, but we can decide our next move! I didn’t say that, he did!”

The principal looked at Habara.

"Everyone made mistakes Habara, and they deserves a second chance, but only a few willing to offer it! If we didn’t give him that, then who will?”

Habara nodded slowly.

"I get it now… Thank you, Mr Principal! But, why C Class? He was from D Class…”

The principal chuckled, returned to his seat.

"Shouldn’t you, the C Class Monitor, would know that better?”
"Yes sir! Thank you for your time!”

Habara picked up the files and left.

C Class got some interesting students, Habara!”

Habara flinched slightly and the principal smiled, finished his coffee.

End of Chapter 1…

Extra 001:
Student Council Room
10:45 AM, 30 March 2016.

Chrono entered the room and saw Habara all by himself, reading something.

"I know you rigged my class placement…”
"Chrono Sterling, an excellent student in both academic and coccuriculum, somehow managed to fail the entrance exam…”

Habara adjusted his glasses. Chrono locked the door from inside and leaned his back against the door.

"I tryna stay low, complete my mission and return to my country…”
"You don’t like this country?”

Habara adjusted his glasses again while Chrono looked away.

"Not that… Just… Something personal…”

He breathed deeply and lowered his gazed.

"Why C Class?”
"C Class got some interesting students…”

Habara glanced at him, fixing his glasses.

"The heck does that even mean? None of them looks interesting at all!”
"You will figure that out sooner or later… Anyway, to make up for it, I got something for you...”
"Im not interested!”

Chrono twisted the knob and opened the door.

"It’s related to your ‘something personal’, Chl-…”

Chrono was left stunned at the door. 

THANK YOU FOR READING!!!