One noon, he sat absentmindedly on the balcony, gazing down at the field below where students played, ate, laughed together in clusters. As for him—he held a carton of milk and a piece of bread, chewing as he read, eyes lowered to the book on his lap to avoid passersby’s gaze. He did not want anyone to know he was alone. Yet it seemed loneliness itself only drew someone’s gaze instead.
The boy was in Joanne’s class. His name was Grim. He approached to greet him despite his clumsy English, and that awkwardness made the corner of Joanne’s mouth twitch slightly—like some instinct surfacing without permission. Grim grew embarrassed and sat down, trying to explain himself, but his tongue tangled instead. The two of them burst out laughing together.
“Hahahahahaha.”
That laughter summoned others, who came to sit beside them, greeting Joanne warmly while listening to Grim’s accent and laughing along.
After that day, there was no longer a solitary student on the balcony. Because a certain teacher would come sit there at noon, listening to troubled students’ worries. Though it seemed he had arrived too late—the student in question had already moved down to the grass field below.
Because Joanne possessed a beauty poised delicately between boy and girl, and hair bright as sunlight, his classmates bestowed upon him a special name—
Golden.
And then, as if refining it into something rarer—
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Amber.
“I hear you’ve been quite the talk lately… May I ask what kind of books you’re looking for?”
“…Hm?”
Morning. The library was unnaturally quiet. No bells. No rushing footsteps. Students scattered freely throughout the school’s corners, as though time itself had slowed for the day.
“I like stories about families… especially ones like in your films, sir.”
His fingertips pressed a little tighter along the book’s spine. His gaze lifted only halfway—before lowering again.
Teacher Blue answered with a silent smile.
Before they realized it, they had been walking and talking the entire way, until they reached the cafeteria.
“Quite full of students… for a holiday.”
Blue said, his eyes sweeping around before turning to Joanne, who edged closer in an oddly hesitant manner.
“They… wouldn’t let me sit earlier.”
Joanne spoke softly, glancing toward a table across from them.
They sat down in silence, trays before them. Steam rose faintly from boiled chicken amid the noisy chatter surrounding them.
Blue did not ask about the Thai food Joanne had ordered. Merely seeing the quiet delight on the boy’s face as he ate with intent was enough to tell him—this one was somehow cooler than the other exchange students.
He watched him with warmth, yet could not help wondering why the long dining tables were divided by colors… and why the sidelong glances from both older and younger students alike stirred a faint unease within him. Still, he continued eating with Joanne.
Until a tall male student approached. Poised. Handsome. Wearing a blue cloak unlike the others.
By the time they noticed, it was already too late.
From the direction the young man walked, above him hung three large flags assigned to the long tables, folded halfway down. But the emblem above his head was unmistakable—
Just like the blue cloak he wore.
“The symbol on the flag… is an owl.”
Joanne knew immediately.
It was a house system.
Even he—its very origin—had never known it would exist in a place like this.
The school they had once attended, once studied in, once taught in…
What, truly, was it?