When the alarm filled the room, Souta opened his eyes. There was no panic, no rush. He just stared at the ceiling. He took a deep breath, feeling that familiar, invisible weight settle in his chest.
"Here we go again..."
He got out of bed and stood before the mirror. He splashed cold water on his face and looked at his reflection. 1.85 meters tall, shoulders sculpted by sports, and a wheatish, tan complexion... The ideal mold that people saw as "reliable, dominant, and a leader."
But the eyes in the mirror were tired.
Curling his lips upward, he rehearsed that fake, confident smile. He masked the fatigue at the corners of his eyes with a sparkling gaze. Perfect, he thought. This is my role for today.
He put on his school uniform, rolling the sleeves up slightly to accentuate his arms. This was a show, and he was the lead actor. The moment he stepped out of the house and closed the door, the real Souta stayed inside.
He didn't slow his pace as he walked through the school corridors. He was late, but he knew well how to turn a mistake into an entrance. When he opened the classroom door, all eyes turned to him with a mix of the teacher's anger and the students' curiosity.
Souta didn't look like a guilty student; he looked like a charming culprit as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Traffic, teacher... Would you believe it? I got stuck in traffic even while walking. People were so slow, I thought I'd have to fly."
Giggles rose from the class. The teacher shook his head, laughing despite himself, and signaled for him to take a seat. Simple, Souta thought as he walked to his desk. Give people something to laugh at, and they won't question you. Entertain them, and they won't wonder who you really are.
His eyes scanned the room in a split second. The target was clear: The back corner. Far from the door, far from the window. A strategic point where he could see everyone, but no one could watch him from behind. As he sat down, he felt as if he had stepped behind an invisible shield.
In the next seat sat a thin boy with slightly slumped shoulders. Souta analyzed him in seconds: Shy, agreeable, easy to guide. The perfect screen.
He dropped his bag and turned to the boy. His face held the warmth of a forty-year-old friendship.
"Hey, is it always this quiet here? or did we accidentally stumble into a library?"
The boy looked surprised, then relaxed and smiled. "I guess... Since it's the first day."
"Good. I'm Souta." He extended his hand.
"I'm Kaito."
Souta made a mental note: Harmless. If I keep him close, I won't look like a 'lone wolf,' and no one will bother me.
When the recess bell rang, Souta raised the curtain on the second act of his "social guy" role. He needed to form a group before the class energy dispersed. "Come on, let's get some air," he said, dragging Kaito along.
He walked toward a group of three girls he had set his sights on, his demeanor as relaxed as if he had known them for years. That bright smile hung on his tan face.
"Hey everyone! I'm Souta, and this is Kaito. The silence in the class was suffocating, so we decided to escape and take refuge with you."
The girls looked surprised but pleased as they assessed them. Souta had already dominated the atmosphere. But just then, his eyes locked with the girl in the center of the group.
She was petite, probably around 1.60 meters. She had pale skin and hair that shifted between orange and a sun-kissed blonde. But what made Souta pause wasn't her appearance; it was her gaze.
While the others looked at Souta's "cool guy" image with admiration, this girl... was inspecting him. It was as if she was scanning beneath his mask like an X-ray machine.
"I'm Himari," the girl said. Her voice was calm, but she was acting too. Souta felt it instantly. Just as a predator recognizes another predator in the forest, Souta recognized her. She's like me, he thought. She's playing a role.
The cheerful girl next to her jumped in. "I'm Mei! And this is Ayame!"
Mei immediately started digging. "So? You guys just popped up out of nowhere. I admire your courage. Or is this your plan to pick up girls with Kaito?"
Souta shrugged, grinning without breaking character. "A plan? I'm not that smart, Mei. Life is too short to wait. Besides, Kaito insisted."
Kaito coughed in surprise, but he played along with the game Souta had set up.
Himari rested her chin on her hand, sizing Souta up. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that so? To me, it seemed more like... an overly organized popularity stunt."
Alarms went off inside Souta. She's reading me.
He widened his smile and leaned in a bit closer. "You're taking me too seriously. We just wanted to meet."
Himari's lip curled into a mocking smirk. "We'll see."
When the conversation inevitably turned to the cliché topic of "ideal types," Mei had already backed Kaito into a corner. The poor boy was melting away in front of Ayame, turning beet red.
Souta decided to draw the attention to himself to save Kaito. He leaned his back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. His tan skin glowed faintly under the fluorescent lights. He locked his eyes directly onto Himari.
"Come on, give the kid a break," Souta said. "I'm pretty clear about what I like. Short, cute... but girls who look a little dangerous. You know, the type that looks innocent but actually knows everything."
This wasn't a description; it was a challenge to Himari. I see you, he was saying. I see your mask.
A look of acceptance, not surprise, appeared in Himari's eyes. She had accepted the challenge. She tucked her hair behind her ear, dropping the innocent girl pose for a moment, and spoke in a sharper, more mature tone.
"Is that right? What a coincidence..." Himari let her gaze wander over Souta's broad shoulders. "...I like tall guys with tan skin. But..."
Souta raised an eyebrow. "But?"
"But looks aren't enough," Himari said, choosing her words carefully. "He has to be smart. And most importantly... he has to know when to stop acting."
The fatigue inside Souta vanished for a moment, replaced by a strange, dangerous excitement. For the first time in years, someone was scratching behind his wall.
"Tough criteria," Souta said, lowering his voice to a tone only Himari could hear. "If you find someone like that, let me know. I'd like to meet him too."
"Maybe he's very close," Himari whispered.
As the bell rang and everyone dispersed amidst the shy glances between Ayame and Kaito, Souta looked back one last time before leaving the room. Himari was there. Looking at him. Souta gave her a subtle wink. Himari rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the small smile on her face.
By the time school ended, the sun was setting. After dropping Kaito off at the bus stop, Souta headed to the vending machines in the backyard of the school. His energy was drained. Carrying the mask was a heavier burden than carrying a physical load.
He bought a cold black coffee. As he cracked open the metal can, he heard a voice from the side.
"Black coffee? Isn't it a bit bitter?"
Souta turned his head. Himari was leaning against the wall, holding a carton of strawberry milk, watching him. But this time, the "sweet girl" posture from the classroom was gone. She was more relaxed. More real.
"Sweet things make me sick," Souta said, feeling no need to put on his mask. His voice was quieter.
Himari poked her straw into the milk carton. "I think you're lying. Just like that 'friend to everyone' attitude in class."
Souta took a sip of his coffee and leaned against the vending machine, a little distance from Himari.
"You're not much different yourself. That 'innocent, curious girl' act? Mei and Ayame might have bought it, but..." Souta raised the can slightly toward her. "...I don't."
Himari smiled. This time, her smile wasn't mocking; it was appreciative.
"It was weird being noticed," she said honestly. "Usually, people just look at my orange hair and move on."
"People know how to look, but they don't know how to see," Souta said. Then he paused, plastering that flirtatious smirk back on his face. The mask was back. "Anyway, you said tan and smart, right? I think you owe me a coffee."
Himari rolled her eyes, but she tossed the strawberry milk in her hand toward Souta. Souta caught it in mid-air by reflex.
"Coffee keeps you awake," Himari said, throwing her bag over her shoulder and starting to walk away. She waved without looking back. "See you, Liar."
Souta looked at the pink carton in his hand. Then at the back of the girl walking away. The smirk on his face slowly faded, replaced by a genuine, tired, but pleased expression.
"See you," he murmured to himself. "Little Witch."