Year 3010, Month of Septa — Arkan Calendar.
The classroom buzzed with chatter.
More than sixty desks filled the room, and the noise was a steady hum of overlapping voices.
The door opened.
A middle-aged man walked in with light, unhurried steps.
His quiet presence wasn't enough to silence the noise—until—
"Tok, tok, tok!"
The sound of a wooden eraser striking the chalkboard cut through the room.
Instant silence fell.
"This is your seventh year in school," the man said evenly, eyes sweeping across the room. "How many times have I told you not to make noise in class?"
No one answered.
He exhaled quietly, then continued, "We have a new student joining us this year. I expect you all to welcome him and help him adjust."
Murmurs rippled across the class.
"A new student?"
"Who?"
"Transfer student?"
"In the middle of the seventh year?"
"Seriously?"
"He's gonna fall behind for sure."
This was the only school in the village, and no one ever transferred in—especially not from the outside. For them, this was nearly unheard of.
"Come in," the teacher said.
A boy entered the room—calm steps, steady eyes, his expression unreadable.
He walked to the front without hesitation.
"Introduce yourself. This is your class now."
"My name is Kael Arda Tirta. Just call me Kael."
Silence.
No one spoke.
Only quiet thoughts swirled through the crowd.
[ "That's it? That's all? What kind of brat is this?" ]
"Kael, maybe tell us where you're from," said a familiar voice—Ruby—the only one in the class who already knew him.
"There's nothing special about where I'm from," Kael replied flatly. "A house near the lake."
"Sir, will this kid even keep up with the lessons?" a girl asked, her tone half-curious, half-teasing. "I heard there's a boy near the lake who never went to school. Is that him? Why start now—and straight into year seven?"
"Yeah, shouldn't he start from the first year?" another student called out from a window seat. "He'll be a walking joke, haha!"
Laughter spread.
Whispers followed—sneers, speculation, disbelief.
Only Ruby stayed quiet, his expression calm.
The teacher smiled faintly, glancing at Kael as if to say: Handle this your way.
Kael stared back, unreadable.
He already knew this would happen—Ruby had warned him a few days ago.
[ "If you speak clearly from the start, you'll avoid half the useless questions." ]
Kael sighed lightly and spoke.
"Do I need to prove that I deserve to be here?"
A soft groan came from Ruby—half amusement, half resignation.
[ "Yup, called it. He's doing it again." ]
The class erupted.
"Can you even read?"
"Can you count?"
"What about Arkanum theory?"
"Who skips six years of school like that?"
Noise returned in waves—until the teacher's firm voice sliced through it.
"Enough!"
He turned to Kael. "Find an empty seat, anywhere you like."
Then, addressing the class: "As for proving himself—let's see it over time. Kael is here because he's capable of being here."
Kael walked calmly down the aisle between the rows of desks near the windows.
At the back, he stopped and sat, his movements precise and unhurried.
There was still an empty seat beside him.
Ruby raised his hand. "Sir, may I move there?"
"If it helps Kael adjust, then go ahead," the teacher said with a nod.
Light murmurs rippled again, but the teacher shut them down quickly.
"That's enough. Let's begin today's lesson."
Ruby moved to the seat beside Kael.
The class settled.
Lessons went on.
To Kael, though, everything felt strange.
The theories, the structure—it all clashed with what his mother had taught him.
As the hours passed, his gaze drifted toward the window.
He didn't know who to ask, or where to start.
His thoughts weren't about the lessons or the classroom.
[ "Mom… where are you?" ]
[ "When are you coming back?" ]
[ "Do you still remember me?" ]
[ "Did you forget you had a son here?" ]
[ "Dad… why didn't you ever return?" ]
[ "Do you know that Mom disappeared too?" ]
So many tangled threads—questions without an end.
"Kriiiing!"
The recess bell rang.
Chairs scraped. Voices filled the room again.
Some ran outside; others lingered behind.
A few gathered around Kael's desk.
"What do you guys want?" Ruby said sharply before anyone else could.
"Relax," one boy said, his hair brown and eyes dark as ink. "I just wanna check something."
Kael didn't move, only glanced at them once before turning back to the window.
"Check what?" Ruby asked warily.
"Chill, Ruby. You his bodyguard or something?"
Ruby's lips twitched, glancing sideways at Kael.
The air thickened. Dozens of eyes fixed on him.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"What is it?" he asked, voice even.
The dark-eyed boy smiled—a wide, warm smile that didn't match his rough face.
"You don't wanna go out there?" He nodded toward the window.
Kael blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the boy's tone—it wasn't mocking. It was friendly.
He followed the boy's gaze.
Outside was a wide open field filled with students—some kicking a ball, some running, others lounging with snacks in their hands.
[ "What's the point of being there?" ]
"Don't overthink it," the boy said cheerfully, grabbing Kael's arm. "You'll get it once you're out there. Come on."
"Siro, wait!" Ruby called.
That was his name—Siro.
A face that looked fierce, but a heart overflowing with warmth.
[ "Why am I walking with them?" ]
Kael's heart tensed.
He didn't know why he couldn't resist the invitation.
He hated crowds, but something inside him refused to say no.
Before he realized it, he was standing at the edge of the field.
"Step inside the line," Siro said with a grin, tossing a ball his way. "If it comes to you, kick it as hard as you can."
Kael barely nodded. Then everything blurred into motion.
He ran. He chased. He kicked.
For the first time, he wasn't thinking about anything else—only the ball, the sound, the moment.
And when the others cleared the way, letting him shoot—he didn't even notice.
He just kicked.
The ball soared—
Goal.
Cheers erupted.
Hands clapped his back.
Laughter and warmth surrounded him.
Kael stood frozen for a heartbeat, lost in it all.
It was the first time he had felt something different—something outside the quiet world of his home.
"Kriiing!"
The bell rang again. Recess was over.
The children trickled back into the building, laughter fading in the distance.
Ruby came up behind him, resting a hand on Kael's shoulder.
"So? How do you feel?"
"I don't know," Kael said softly.
He stared ahead—at the moving crowd, at the rhythm of feet, at the echo of voices that somehow didn't feel foreign anymore.
The rest of the day passed quietly.
Kael sat by the window again—but this time, his mind wasn't empty.
[ "What are friends?" ]
[ "What is play?" ]
[ "Is happiness the same thing as laughter?" ]
The questions came one after another.
For a boy who'd spent years hidden among books and training blades, this was the first time he began imagining a different kind of world.
---
The bell rang again—end of the day.
The hallways filled with rushing footsteps and chatter.
Kael stayed seated, watching the stream of students until the room nearly emptied.
"Aren't you going?" Ruby asked, standing beside him.
"Ah… I'll wait till it's quiet. I don't like squeezing through people."
He barely turned his head, eyes still on the window.
Ruby sighed, sitting back down. Together, they watched the last few students disappear.
When the school finally grew still, Kael spoke—quietly.
"Tell me the truth."
Ruby didn't answer immediately. His gaze stayed on the window.
"Are you gonna go quiet now of all times?" Kael muttered, irritated.
"I don't know," Ruby said with a small laugh. "I just realized I talk more to statues than people."
"Are you kidding me!?" Kael snapped.
Ruby flinched at the sudden outburst.
Then Kael exhaled sharply. "Forget it."
He stood and walked toward the door, frustration flickering in his eyes.
"Kael, wait!" Ruby ran after him.
"It wasn't my idea," Ruby said quickly. "It was my mom's. She told me to stay close to you. That's all I know."
Kael didn't reply. He just kept walking.
"This is why I said it feels like talking to a statue!" Ruby laughed awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood.
He kept talking—about anything, everything—while Kael listened in silence, their footsteps echoing down the path toward the gate.
Kael started to jog; Ruby followed on his bike, keeping a small distance.
"Why are you still following me?" Kael asked as they reached his yard.
Ruby grinned, eyes closed, pointing toward the house. "Guess."
Kael frowned but opened the door.
He stepped inside without removing his shoes.
Then froze.
"What? Why are you here, ma'am?" he said sharply.
"Welcome home, Kael," said Mrs. Lina—Ruby's mother—her tone gentle and warm, like a mother greeting her own child.
"Put down your bag and come eat. Everything's ready."
Moments later, Ruby came in behind him, looking sheepish.
"Ah, is dinner ready, Mom?" he asked loudly.
"Is that the kind of manners I taught you?" she scolded lightly.
"Ah—sorry, Mom," Ruby muttered, smiling. "I'm home."
"Wait, what's going on?" Kael demanded. "Why are you all here at once?"
He clenched his fists, eyes darting between them. "I know Mrs. Lina's been sending food and checking on me secretly—but why now? Why so openly?"
"Because a promise is a promise," Lina said gently. "You went to school, just as your mother wanted. So now, I'll tell you what you've been waiting to know—whatever I can."
"But first," she added, her smile soft yet firm, "sit down. Eat. Don't make me waste a single bite that shouldn't be wasted."
Her words struck Kael like a bell.
He froze, a flicker of déjà vu stirring deep within his chest.
[ "I've heard that tone before…" ]
[ "From her." ]
The room fell still, the air warm with unspoken ghosts of memory.
—To be continued—