𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐍𝐎 𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋 ᵇⁿʰᵃ

11 ┃ 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝟏-𝐛 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞

━ ⭒─⭑━

The shrill blare of your alarm ripped through the pre-dawn silence, jolting you awake.

Groaning internally, you swatted at the offending clock, silencing its insistent screeches. Sunlight, still faint but determined, peeked through the blinds, casting long shadows across your room.

With a practiced sigh, you threw back the covers and swung your legs over the edge of the bed.

Stretching out the kinks in your sleep-stiffened muscles, you made your way to the bathroom, the familiar routine already in motion.

A quick splash of cool water on your face washed away the remnants of sleep, momentarily pulling you back to reality. As you leaned closer to the mirror, a pair of gleaming yellow eyes stared back at you, their vibrancy a stark contrast to your dark morning hair.

For a fleeting second, a genuine smile tugged at the corners of your lips, a rare glimpse of the person you might have been under different circumstances. But it faded as quickly as it came, replaced by the practiced, overly sweet smile you reserved for the world. The one that said 'approachable,' 'unassuming,' 'harmless.'

"Today's the starting point," you murmured to your reflection, your voice barely a whisper.  A pause. Then, with a glint of steel flickering in your eyes, you added in a more determined tone, "Set. Match." With a predatory grin splitting your face, you turned away from the mirror, the mask firmly in place.

☆
✩
☆

A flurry of activity filled the air as you tore down the stairs, your backpack already slung over one shoulder.

The crisp morning air hit you like a slap as you burst into the kitchen, where a familiar scene unfolded.

Your father, clad in his usual worn pajamas, sat hunched over the breakfast table, a steaming cup of coffee cradled in his hands as he wrestled with the morning newspaper.

Across from him, your mother, her face a whirlwind of nervous excitement, was practically chattering his ear off.

"And then Mrs. Tanaka said..." her voice trailed off as you cleared your throat, announcing your presence with a simple, "Good morning."

Mei's head snapped up so fast it looked like it might go into orbit. A gasp escaped her lips, and in a flurry of motherly fuss, she scurried over to you.

"Oh, Y/N! You look so grown-up in your uniform!" she exclaimed, her voice reaching an octave higher than usual. "Just look at you, so prestigious! Come stand still, sweetie, let me get a picture!"

Before you could protest, a camera materialized from somewhere in the depths of her apron pocket. Clicks filled the air as she snapped pictures from every angle, cooing and fussing over your appearance all the while.

Finally, with a satisfied sigh, she lowered the camera and wrapped a possessive arm around you.

"Now let me look at you properly! My little hero-in-training~" she declared, pulling you closer and scanning your uniform as if searching for imaginary lint.

Turning to your father, who hadn't bothered to look up from his newspaper the entire time, she practically shoved you towards him.

"Look, Winnie! Doesn't our precious daughter look so studious?"

Your father grunted a reply that sounded suspiciously like, "Whatever," before promptly burying his face back in the paper.

Rolling your eyes internally, you suppressed a sigh. This was the usual morning routine—a frantic mix of excitement and overbearing worry from your mother, and stoic indifference from your father.