The taxi pulled up in front of the gates of Seiji University. An entire month of seclusion and intensive makeup training had prepared Kiko for this moment. Her hands trembled slightly, but her face her masterpiece was still and flawless. As she stepped out of the car, the gazes hit her like a shockwave. They weren't looks of contempt, but of pure, undeniable admiration.
The invisible Kiko was officially dead.
In her first Introduction to Economics class, the seat next to her was a prize to be won something the old Kiko could never have imagined. That was how she met Momo and Akira, who literally flanked her.
"My god, are you even real?" Momo exclaimed, a spark in her eyes like she had just discovered the latest trend. "I'm Momo, and this is Akira. You *have* to tell us your name."
"Kiko," she replied, with a practiced smile that looked perfectly spontaneous.
From that moment on, Kiko was swept into the world of popularity. Momo was sweetness and gossip; Akira was sharp-witted with a keen sense of style. Kiko, with her mysterious charm and stunning beauty, was the center of attention.
They took her to the trendiest café on campus, where Kiko had to use all her wits to dodge questions about her previous school or invitations to activities involving sweat or water.
"Kiko, why aren't you in our study group?" asked one of the popular guys.
"I'm still adjusting. I like to study alone to make sure I absorb all the material," Kiko lied, her expression serious. The truth was that she could only study alone in her room, where she could take off her glasses and relax her facial muscles without the fear of exposure.
During lunch, as they laughed over some university gossip, Kiko felt an overwhelming sense of relief. This was the respect, the acceptance, the validation she had craved for so long. However, she noticed a strange contrast: in the middle of the courtyard, a group of students hurriedly moved away from a tall young man with dark hair and a reserved aura, who was reading a book under a tree. He was handsome, with a classic, intelligent beauty, but he was entirely isolated by choice.
"Who is that?" Kiko asked, nodding discreetly toward the guy.
Momo and Akira turned around.
"Oh, that's Hiroki," Momo sighed. "He's every girl's dream here. Handsome, super-intelligent, from an important family... but he's completely unreachable. He lives with his head in his books and disappears right after class. No one can get close to him."
"It's like he lives on another planet Planet Literature," Akira added with a cynical roll of her eyes. "Don't waste your time, Kiko. He doesn't notice anyone who isn't an ancient scroll."
Kiko watched Hiroki put his book away a worn cover with a title that looked far too serious. She felt a prickle of curiosity and a strange sense of familiarity. He wasn't drawn to status, and he wasn't fascinated by superficial beauty. He was the opposite of everything the new Kiko represented.
The day ended with Kiko at the top of the social ladder, but she was exhausted. Upon arriving home, she ran to her room, locked the door, and her first act was to clean her face. As the beautiful Kiko disappeared under the cotton pad, the plain Kiko sighed, feeling a mix of relief and dread. She knew she had to maintain this charade.
She had barely removed the mascara from her lashes when she heard a voice that rarely called for her: her mother's, in an exceptionally soft tone.
"Kiko? Are you home? Come eat! We made the nikujaga you like!"
Kiko froze, the cotton pad halfway to her temple. Her mother was calling her for dinner and mentioning her favorite food? This hadn't happened since she was a child.
Kiko stepped out of her room to find her mother in the kitchen, a small, tense smile on her face. Her father was sitting at the table, and even Kenzo, her younger brother, looked up at her.
"Your mother heard from the neighbor about the new college," her father said, sounding strangely proud. "It seems you made quite an impression, huh? That's what this family needs."
Her mother placed a steaming plate of nikujaga in front of her. "I heard you made two good friends. I'm glad you're finally fitting in."
The food looked delicious, but the forced praise and sudden attention were hard to swallow. It was the first time Kiko had received validation in her own home in years, and she knew it had nothing to do with who she really was. It was about the popular, successful Kiko her parents could show off.
"Yes, I made two friends," Kiko replied, keeping her voice neutral. She ate in silence, feeling the weight of this newfound attention. The transfer had worked, but success came at a price: now, she didn't just have to deceive the university, but her own family as well.
The next day, however, would bring an unexpected complication to her new and fragile reality, forcing Kiko to blend her mask with the real, dangerous world.