Chapter 13 Part 1: Adaptation.

After returning home, I changed into comfortable clothes.

And after eating dinner, I spent the entire day browsing the academy’s website until I fell asleep, preparing myself.

Since I had to attend the academy starting tomorrow, I needed to be thoroughly prepared.

Fortunately, there wasn’t much to pack.

At most, I only needed to bring writing utensils and a gym uniform.

The rest of the teaching materials were all on the academy’s website.

So, I just needed to download them, and there wouldn’t be any problems with attending classes.

Above all, the academy would provide various electronic devices in a few days, so there wouldn’t be any issues.

What I liked most was that there weren’t many regulations regarding attire.

It felt like anything was allowed, as long as it wasn’t too extreme.

I had become very attached to my accessories after wearing them for a while.

I was really happy that I could wear them at school.

And that day, I spent the entire day preparing to go to the academy and went to bed early.

Because I might be late if I didn’t.

Fortunately, I woke up early the next morning and had plenty of time.

Even if I missed the intercity bus three or four times, I could still get to school without any problems.

Of course, I didn’t plan on missing it.

“Did you wake up? Did something happen like yesterday?”

“No, I just woke up early.”

“Really? Your aunt prepared everything, so just eat and go.”

“Thanks.”

I yawned briefly and then stretched.

And, while sitting absentmindedly, I extended my right arm forward.

My aunt came with a health checkup kit, tied my arm, and began preparing to draw blood.

“You don’t have any problems manifesting the physical characteristics of a snake, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And the excessive violence is a thing of the past?”

“Of course. Shouldn’t you just ask the first question now?”

“Just in case, I’ll keep asking this question.”

“Okay.”

After drawing blood, my aunt wiped my wound with cotton and applied a character band-aid.

I smiled as I looked at it.

It was my favorite band-aid.

It’s a small, cute, chubby brown snake character, and I really liked it because it kind of resembled me.

Looking at my aunt’s expression, it didn’t seem like she put it on intentionally.

So I thought today would be a lucky day.

And so, I started my day on a good note.

I took a hot shower with a change of clothes.

I came out drying my wet hair and ate the delicious breakfast my aunt made.

I went back to the bathroom to brush my teeth, came out, and put on my uniform.

And after putting on all the accessories I usually wear when going out, I styled my face to look like a delinquent.

So that I wouldn’t get caught up in any troublesome situations if I glared fiercely.

With all the preparations done, I lifted the bag I packed yesterday.

And I slung it over my shoulder, said goodbye, and went outside.

Of course, there was no reply.

But I didn’t feel bad about it.

My aunt is very busy because she has a lot of things to do in the morning.

Rather, if I had heard her greeting, I could just pass by because she always sees me off.

“…Huh.”

On the way to the intercity bus stop, I didn’t see a single familiar face.

That was quite strange.

I didn’t expect to meet Siu or Sia, but…

I thought I would see at least some friends I had seen before.

It’s not like there were no academy students at all.

So I thought it was strange, and then I realized I had left too early.

The school start time was 8:30, and it was 7:00.

So, of course, I didn’t see any familiar faces.

They were probably getting ready to leave home now.

Well, it didn’t matter much.

I could just take the bus quietly and go to school.

So I waited patiently for the bus and sat in a corner seat near the front.

And I took out my phone and fixed my gaze on it.

Since there’s no one I know anyway.

No one would say anything even if I just stared at my phone.

Of course, no one would talk to me either.

…Come to think of it, it was strange to make noise on a bus, a public place.

Siu and Sia did make noise… but let’s just ignore that.

Those two would probably make noise anywhere.

They’re such a close brother and sister in many ways.

I smiled faintly, imagining the two fighting, and put my phone in my skirt pocket.

There wasn’t much else to look at, so I was going to look out the window.

So I slightly opened the curtain and fixed my gaze on the window.

And so, I kept looking at the scenery.

It wasn’t bad to see people moving around early in the morning.

And every time we arrived at a stop, academy students also boarded, so it was fun to watch.

Still, there were no familiar faces.

The bus stopped at a few more stops after that.

And the bus stopped at the last stop before departing for the academy.

I stared blankly out the window for a moment and found a familiar face.

“…Huh.”

I felt like I had been hit in the head with a rubber mallet.

I had no idea why my homeroom teacher was at this stop.

And while I was staring blankly, the teacher came inside the bus and tapped her transportation card.

Then, perhaps noticing my gaze, she slowly walked towards me.

Seeing that, my head became complicated.

No, I didn’t understand.

Why would a teacher at the academy take an intercity bus?

If you’re at the academy, and even have a position as a homeroom teacher.

Shouldn’t you be driving your own car…

“Excuse me, student.”

“…Yes, yes!?”

“May I sit next to you?”

The homeroom teacher smiled as she said that.

Of course, I didn’t have the guts to refuse.

Flatly refusing was too difficult for me.

That’s why I ran away yesterday.

If I talked a little more…

I thought I would end up getting caught and talking about various things.

Oh, dressing up like a delinquent was just a bluff.

It was hard to refuse, so I dressed like that to avoid being talked to.

…I realized how precious it is to be able to talk to people.

So I couldn’t refuse most requests.

If I refused that request, and I could never talk to them again.

That would be really terrible.

Of course, I only accept requests that I can handle…

Still, I didn’t want to refuse if possible.

“…Yes.”

“Thank you.”

The homeroom teacher said that and slowly sat down next to me.

And perhaps because she didn’t want me to be uncomfortable, the teacher maintained a straight posture.

Of course, that was quite uncomfortable.

Even though there was a little space left, the teacher was sticking right next to the opposite side of me.

…Besides, how could I sit with my legs crossed or something like that when the teacher is sitting next to me with such a straight posture.

So I also sat still with a straight posture and desperately fixed my gaze on my phone.

It was even more uncomfortable because it was a familiar situation.

It was something I had experienced often in the past.

“…Ah.”

I murmured like that and opened my mouth blankly.

The glass wall began to form.

And my vision began to slowly lower.

I tried to wake up from the hallucination, but I didn’t think I could do that here.

In the end, I had no choice but to turn off the screen of my phone.

And after putting my phone in my skirt pocket, I leaned my head against a suitable place.

I was trying to endure the hallucination while pretending to sleep.

…Strangely, my vision wasn’t that low.

So, I seemed to have grown a little older at this time.

Not 7 years old, but around 9 or 10 years old.

And I heard familiar voices around me.

I slowly looked around.

And I took in familiar faces.

My uncles and aunts in their younger days were smiling at me.

Only then did I realize something was strange.

“…This.”

There was a tray on the desk I was sitting at.

The food originally contained in this tray… was not something that could be called food.

A tasteless solid that only considered nutrition would be an accurate description.

But the food on the tray now… was a real meal.

I remember this day.

It was my 9th birthday.

…And it was also when my rights were expanded a little more.

Of course, it wasn’t something I needed very much.

Even if it was called a right… I wasn’t in a situation to use it.

I had been consistently managed as a test subject for several years.

Receiving unknown injections, taking medicine.

Diligently participating in experiments and training as instructed.

Acting like a pet dog, and barely interacting.

At the point where I was able to talk again, I gave up my freedom.

Humans are social animals.

Humans cannot live without other humans.

In the face of that cold proposition, my freedom was not important.

I clenched my teeth.

The hallucination of the researcher sitting right next to me began to appear.

Before recognizing him as an unknown older brother.

The researcher’s eyes were covered by two red lines intersecting each other.

A straight line… meant death in the line of duty.

An X meant disposal.

So the researcher in front of me is a person who has been disposed of.

And I think I know why that person was disposed of.

I didn’t want to think about it, so I slowly fixed my gaze on the tray.

Happy Birthday to You.

I smiled, looking at the cake that said that.