The heavy wooden door creaked on its hinges, drawing every eye in the classroom toward the entrance. A boy stepped inside. He was of average height, his long, wavy black hair framing a face that was strikingly handsome—defined by a shy smile and a calm, athletic build that sat somewhere perfectly between lean and sturdy. He wore the Noble High uniform: a crisp white short-sleeve shirt, brown khaki trousers, and a dark blue tie knotted neatly at his collar. Miss Sonia looked up from her desk, her eyes narrowing slightly behind her glasses. "You must be our new student," she observed.
"Yes, ma'am," the boy replied, his voice steady.
"You're late," she said, her tone sharpening. "I'll pardon you for today, but understand this: I take punctuality very seriously. Do you understand?"
The boy's face flushed. "Yes... ma'am. Sorry." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, offering a small, apologetic grin that seemed to soften the tension in the room.
"Take a seat," Miss Sonia commanded, gesturing toward the back.
With a brief nod, the boy made his way to the far left corner. He sank into a chair near an open window, his gaze immediately drifting to the vibrant, sun-drenched garden just outside. The lesson resumed, and for fifteen minutes, the only sound was the steady drone of Miss Sonia's lecture. Then, static hissed through the overhead speakers.
"Is this thing on?" a booming voice echoed through the siren. "Good morning, students. I am Ryuen Nakamari, Principal of Noble High School. All first-years must report to the auditorium immediately for orientation. Have a good day."
Miss Sonia closed her textbook with a soft thud. "I have given you a brief introduction," she said, addressing the class. "But it seems the rest will have to wait."
"...I am Sonia Jelavic," the teacher added, her voice carrying over the sound of shifting chairs. "Class dismissed."
The students rose as one, filing out of the room in a steady stream of chatter and footsteps. Hidan Sosuke hung back, waiting for the crowd to thin. He was the last to reach the door, but as he stepped toward the hallway, Miss Sonia's voice pulled him back.
"Excuse me..." she called out. "What is your name?"
She was standing behind her desk, peering over a thick stack of manila folders—a comprehensive record of every student in her charge. "I don't think I have your file here."
The boy paused, turning back with a polite but guarded expression. "Um... Hidan Sosuke."
"Well, Mr. Sosuke," she muttered, her eyes scanning the tabs of the folders once more. "I'll search again, but you will have to visit the administration office if it isn't here."
"Okay," Hidan replied simply. He turned to leave, his footsteps echoing in the now-quiet room.
"And please," Miss Sonia called after him, "make sure to come to class on time."
"Sure, ma'am," he tossed back over his shoulder before disappearing into the hall.
Left alone, Miss Sonia sighed and began to sift through the stack again. She removed the files one by one, her thumb tracing the names at the top of each page, looking for 'Hidan Sosuke.' A flicker of frustration crossed her face as she set the final folder aside; it wasn't there. She began to check the perimeter of her desk, wondering if it had slipped into a drawer or under a book. Then, she saw it—a lone sheet of paper lying facedown on the floor behind her chair. With a small huff of relief, she picked it up. Turning it over, the name Hidan Sosuke stared back at her in bold print. It wasn't just a registration form; the file contained detailed background notes and a full report on his results from Japan's End of Basic School Examination (JEBSE). As she began to read the details of his record, her eyes widened...
As her eyes scanned the lines of the report, Miss Sonia gasped. Her breath hitched in her throat, and her eyes widened in pure, unadulterated shock. Whatever was written in Hidan Sosuke's JEBSE results was far from ordinary. Meanwhile, the auditorium was a sea of noise and color. Thousands of students filled the space—boys and girls chatting loudly, some standing in restless groups while others sat in disciplined silence. I found a spot and sat down quietly beside another boy, taking a moment to look around. The school was clearly wealthy. "Prestigious" didn't even begin to cover it. The auditorium was massive, designed to hold a staggering population of nearly seven thousand people. Blue and white ribbons were wound elegantly around the towering pillars and railings. Bright lights shone from every corner of the high ceiling, where fans whirred alongside the steady hum of five large air conditioning units.
At the front, a stage had been draped in a plush, dark blue carpet. A wooden podium stood at the center, equipped with a standing microphone. Suddenly, a girl stepped up to the pulpit. She was dressed in a light blue short-sleeved shirt, a short khaki skirt, and a dark blue tie. Her long blonde hair caught the light as she moved, and her polished black heels clicked sharply against the stage. She was followed by a boy in the same uniform, though he wore khaki trousers and sleek black sneakers. His curly black hair was combed back neatly, and he wore a pair of plain white glasses that gave him a sharp, intellectual look. The two of them took their positions—the boy on the left, the girl on the right—leaving a deliberate space between them. Over their uniforms, they wore black coats, each sporting a silver Noble High badge pinned proudly to the lapel. They looked like the very definition of student authority. The two student leaders wore dark blue sashes across their chests, embroidered with yellow lettering that identified them as "HEADGIRL I" and "HEADBOY II". They were both tall, though the girl stood slightly taller than her counterpart. As they scanned the crowd, their eyes began to glow a haunting, luminescent yellow. They smiled down at us, but there was nothing warm about it—it felt wrong, eerie. A palpable, intense aura radiated from them, heavy enough to make the air feel thick. The student body began to react. The constant roar of voices died down to a murmur as people started to take their seats, though a few rebellious groups still tried to ignore the pair on stage. Then, another boy walked onto the dais. The shift in the room was instantaneous. His aura didn't just rival the other two; it utterly eclipsed them. The remaining noise vanished, replaced by a suffocating silence as every student in the auditorium was forced down to their knees. I found myself pinned to the floor, my lungs straining as I found it difficult to even draw a breath. Around me, my peers were shivering and drenched in a cold sweat. The silence was so absolute that the only sounds left in the world were the rhythmic click-clack of his footsteps and the steady sound of his breathing. He emitted a staggering amount of power. This boy wore a black coat adorned with a golden Noble High badge, and a blue-black sash that read simply "HEADBOY" in shimmering gold letters. He was taller than the others, but the differences didn't stop there. His aura was unique—overwhelming and terrifyingly vast. He turned his head, his own golden eyes glowing with a predatory light as he smiled down at the kneeling crowd. A jolt of pure fear shot through me. And then, I noticed something else—something that set him apart even more: pinned to his chest was a second golden badge. He spoke with a terrifying level of confidence, his voice cutting through the heavy silence of the auditorium. His long blue hair fell in sharp contrast against his shoulders, and as he began his address, his golden eyes burned with an even brighter intensity. Beside him, the eyes of the other two leaders continued to glow in a haunting yellow hue.
"But there were some diamonds in the rough," the Headboy announced, his voice projecting without the need for a microphone. "A beautiful queen to be my right: Hori Nakamari. And the most gallant of knights to my left: Tobi Kisaki. I cannot forget the band of great leaders, the Prefects, who stand behind me..."
He paused, letting the weight of his presence sink into every student pinned to the floor.
"Let us all play our roles responsibly," he continued, his tone shifting to one of command. "And make Noble High as majestic as the Heavens. HAIL NOBLE HIGH!"
As if breaking a spell, the crushing pressure lifted.
"HAIL NOBLE HIGH!" the crowd roared back in unison. The auditorium erupted into thunderous applause. We praised him, our voices joined in a feverish chant that shook the walls. As the cheers continued, I watched the Headboy's eyes fade from gold back to their natural light blue. Hori and Tobi's eyes dimmed as well. Suddenly, we were back in control of our own bodies. I stood up, my muscles aching and my mind reeling with confusion, yet I was more aware of my surroundings than ever before. I looked at the stage, watching the figures in their black coats and golden badges. Such power. I could still feel the phantom weight of it on my shoulders. I want it, I thought, my heart hammering against my ribs. I want to become a Headboy!