Kailus soars among the wind, his sparkling wings blinding nearby pedestrians.
A child points at the sky. "Mommy, look—what's that?"
The mother puts her hand on her forehead. "Looks like a fallen star. Quick, say a wish before it's gone."
"Ooo~, I wish to be a soldier just like dad," the child exclaims, eyes sparkling.
The mother sighs. "I was praying he wouldn't say that."
Back:
Kailus glances at his body, squeezing his muscles. 'Father's harsh training really chiseled my body. I'll always be grateful for having a father like him. Mother would always scold him for pushing me "like a drill Sergeant". To me, he was more of a coach than the tyrant she thought of.'
He looks at his suitcase. 'Father made me fly laps with this packed with weights, concrete, and some other abhorrent stuff. I dropped it countless times. The day it finally broke, his face… I'll never forget it. He rushed it to a repair shop like it was a family relic. Why was he so obsess over a suitcase we've used for the last thirteen years? That should've been my birthday question.'
Flashback:
"Happy birthday, son!"
"Congratulations on living another day."
"Kailus, it's your 18th birthday and annual question time. Ask me anything you want, son!"
"Did you circumcise me at birth?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Back:
"But I guess I can't blame him. He was always clumsy, horrible at apologizing, petty, and at least on time whenever school was over. Even with these flaws, I still love you, Father."
Landing at his destination, Kailus enters its esteemed doors.
Solomon College:
The walls are coated in glistening marble. The red royal carpets span throughout the entire floor—evading the desks, statues, podiums, and artifacts. The college is like an open museum.
Among those far from the red carpet stand many infamous figures: Solomon and Archmillion, Michael Evangelical, Ghymenist, Dracula, etc. Paintings of various events coat the walls with rich history. Among all stands the Golden War, the Golden race's greatest triumph into superiority.
Kailus stands astonished by the interior. But one peculiar statue catches his eye, a statue of Lazuel in the corner, tucked far away from the others.
'The "Consequence" guy...'
Distracted by that particular statue, he accidentally bumps into a desk, drawing a irritating look from the receptionist below. Her long yellow hair hiding her face from view.
'Geeze, kids need to look straight these days. This is the fifth time,' the receptionist grumbles before letting a sigh. 'I have so much work to do.'
Kailus' halo burns pink at the sight of her. 'I already embarrassed myself this early. I'm such a damn idiot…'
"Do you require my service?" The receptionist asks.
Kailus lightly taps the desk. "Umm.. yes. I-I'm a new student here."
The receptionist's face scrunches at the sight of Kailus' finger. "Ugh, you're too bright. Give me some space at-least."
Kailus takes a few steps.
"Now, tell me your—"
Simultaneously, they both pause in their tracks. 'Wait, is that a Sun Fairy/Charged Genesis Angel,'
They study each other intensely, the area around becomes still.
After a while, the receptionist breaks the immersion. "Are you, by any chance, a Genesis Angel—and perhaps a charged one?"
"Ye-yes?" he stammers, his halo shifting an orange hue.
Her eyes brighten as sparks erupt from her hair. "A charged Genesis Angel?! The rarest race and a charged one?! Oh my, can I touch your wings?" she asks eagerly, shaking his hand erratically.
The commotion brings eyes onto them. Kailus tucks his head into his wings as his halo flushes a deep crimson.
Seeing Kailus fluster, she ceases her rapid movements in an instant. "Sorry, my Phylx was acting up. Phylx and coffee don't go well together with a sun fairy."
'How are you so calm?!'
She fixes her posture. "Apologies for my reckless behavior. Let's start over. Hello, my name is Carolice. Welcome to Solomon College, the world's oldest and greatest college. What's your name so I can designate you to your dorm?"
'Dorm? Roommates? I thought we'd have separate rooms. Oh no, what if I walk in naked? I don't want to wear heavy clothes every day—that would be torture. I can't do that.'
Carolice taps his shoulder. "Uhh, Genesis Angel??"
"Kailus Elevan Afton!" he snaps.
Carolice bends over to scan the files below. "Normally, I expect a girl with that name. Seems like we have to change your dorm… hm, da-da-da."
Kailus twitches at her comment. 'The audacity to say that so confidently in front of me.'
In the moment of silence, Kailus whistles a known song to pass the time.
A few minutes later, Carolice's voice rings out, "The boys' dorms are full, so you'll be in the same dorm I assigned you. Talk about prediction. Anyways, your roommates are: Akiro and Shalius—room 237. The girl dorms is down the hall to your left outside. Make sure to go to the left building—got it?"
Kailus nods. 'This must some type of humor from the administration. Why do I have to live in the girl's dorm?'
"The golden rules for the college are basic: no excessive noise, no non-college being on campus, no bullying, don't poop on the floor, yada yada—basic stuff."
"Oh, um… thank you," Kailus mumbles. "Uh, 'don't poop on the floor'?"
"Every rule has a story behind it," Carolice replies ominously.
"Oh.. goodbye then." Kailus departs from the main hall.
A while later:
Kailus stands at the front door of his dorm.
'There's a lot of loops and tricks around here. Is there any decent route because I don't like to have company with me in a girls dorm.'
Kailus shudders at the thought of girls disgusted at his presence:
"Ew, a guy in the girl's dorm?"
"Why are you here?"
"Are you a rotten slime or something?"
He pushes his thoughts aside and enters the room. Sprawled face-down on the couch in nothing but underwear is a Kitsuné. She lies face down in the cushions with her many tails swaying in the air in an elusive manner.
"Sup," she lazily mumbles.
Kailus blushes at the sight, averting his eyes. "Hello, I'm your… new roommate. You must be Akiro?"
"Yeah, that's my name." Akiro gets up from the couch, her back facing toward him. "I can tell you're a soft, innocent boy from that cute voice of yours. Why did they let an innocent little boy into a girls' dorm, especially in a Kitsuné dorm~? Is it because of population increase? If so, you're quite lucky—a powerhouse Kitsunéand an ancient fairy. You're collecting a harem of beautiful, strong monster girls, and I'll be glad to be the number one in it."
Kailus lies speechless. '…w-what…'
She stretches her arms and abdomen before turning toward him, "Now, let's take a look at y—"
She stops herself momentarily as her tails shot up and eyes widen. "OH MY, a Genesis Angel, and better yet, charged! In a room with a powerhouse Kitsuné and an ancient fairy, the jokes write themselves"
'Why does everyone say that? With how many in my family tree, we should be considered regular rather than some exotic species—except for the charged part. I mean, we are a minority in our own continent because of overpopulation but that's beside the point—'
While deep in thought, Akiro reaches out and lightly strokes his wings.
Kailus jumps back upon feeling her touch. "Hey!"
"I'm sorry, you're just so soft and squishy~," Akiro coos, nestling her face into the downy feathers. "It's like a personal blanket!"
'Is she flirting with me or is it a joke?'
"Um—Uhh… thanks? Sorry, if I'm being weird. It's that I'm not used to this."
"Weird? You're adorable when flustered!" Akiro says, pressing firmly onto Kailus' wings.
'I think she is. I don't want to embarrass or lead her on. It's best to just let her do whatever to me.'
Akiro keeps complimenting him: "Oh, these wings are so fluffy." "I could use this for my pillow." "So smooth!" "I love to have you glowing within me."
In the meantime, Kailus looks around the humongous room. There's an entire kitchen, a living room with a wall-mounted TV, and a laundry room. Upstairs, there are three doors, each with a sticker: "Akiro", "Kailus", and "Shalius".
While scouring the room, he spots two glowing white eyes gazing at him from Shalius' door.
Just as they make eye contact, the door closes gently with a soft click.
Kailus asks Akiro, "Is that Shalius?"
"Yeah, tried to talk to her, but she's as quiet as a Druid baby," Akiro says, still stroking his wings. "I wonder if she ever had a partner."
'I probably embarrassed her. I've been there before with people staring at me. It's common to make such mistakes. I should forgive her before she carries an eternal guilt just like me.'
Kailus moves away from Akiro and approaches her door. "Shalius, can I—"
Before he could finish his sentence, she pulls him inside.
Akiro smirks at the sight. "Lovers at first sight, or is it some native pact? Either way, your harem is starting, Kailus~."
'So she was joking all along? Why are Kitsuné jokes always so… forward?'
Inside, Shalius' room is a colorful sight: vibrant blossoms sprouting everywhere, a queen bed, nightstand, a vanity desk, three wool seats, and a magic circle nested in the corner
It's a lot to take in, including her appearance: her dull purple eyes sparkle in aesthetics, her cheeks smooth like boiled eggshells—her flowing white dress glowing with quiet grace.
"Hello, my rare angel friend," she says. Her voice, sweet and gentle, accompanies her body to perfection. "You are by far the most impressive thing I've seen throughout my entire life. What is your name?"
Kailus, awestruck by her beauty, stammers in her presence. "Uh, hello, Shalius, I'm Kailus. I want to say I forgive you for staring at me. I understand that my body is unique, so to say—"
She tilts her head. "Staring? I was… admiring, yes, but I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You didn't embarrass me."
'Now, I sound just like my old self. I need to go before I embarrass myself again.'
Kailus faintly mumbles an excuse. "I-I need to go pack my room."
Before he can leave, Shalius grabs his arm. "Don't worry, we all misunderstand situations, including me. Sit with me for a while, as I have some words for you."
Relieved, Kailus' halo shines a bright yellow. "Thank you for that, I feel a lot better."
Shalius smiles. "Now that I have your attention. I must ask you something."
"What is it?" Kailus questions as his halo shines a blue hue.
"Can you tell me about your ancestors?"
Kailus' body tenses immediately. "It's family only," he says defensively. "Do you know how sacred it is, and to many others who harbor theirs? It stays in the family."
Desperate, she explains, "But I want to know if you're the one who saved my lineage. During the Takeover War, a Genesis woman saved my ancestors' life by sacrificing her lifespan. I've been searching for her offspring for the longest time. At least tell me your ancestors' names for goodness sake!"
"Oh, Byzel and Walzer Afton from my father's side, and Sophiel and Dumos Eros from my mother's," he replies reluctantly.
Shalius gasps in shock, hugging him tightly. "Byzel Afton! You're her great, great, grandchild! I am forever in your debt. Tell your parents of my blessing."
Kailus accepts her hug in silence. 'I didn't know my ancestors saved hers. Their books never mentioned it, not even in their bragging pages. I guess it's nothing to brag about; I can do what they've done—better and faster—without sacrificing much. But I am charged, so I really can't argue if I lucked out in the gene department.'
Shalius gives Kailus his personal space. "Well, these years will be interesting with you, my savior."
"Well then, I'll be going. I'll catch you later," Kailus shoots with a grin.
Shalius waves as he departs from her presence.
"I hope I made a great first impression on him," Shailus mutters to herself.
Kailus' room:
When Kailus enters his room, he finds his luggage neaty arranged in the center with Akiro sitting on his bed. "Looks like you charmed the fairy, pretty boy. Are you going to go further or what?"
'WHAT! Who says that randomly?!'
"N-no!" he sputters.
"Took too long to answer," she laughs, getting up. "Listen up, Lucy, I don't mind if you love her—just don't be noisy and ruin my precious sleep. Otherwise, I might join in on the fun!"
Her words further his blush; but before he can reply, she leaves the room.
'Aside from leaving a warm spot on my bed, at least she brought my luggage here.'
He checks the surroundings: a double bed, two wardrobes, a nightstand, and a vanity desk.
'I was hoping the comfy chairs came with it. Why did Shalius even decorate her dorm so elegantly? We only stay for a few years. But I can't daydream the whole time, I gotta get something done.'
After a while:
Kailus lies in bed, exhausted after decorating his room.
'Well, this was a strange day. I expected an energetic Kitsuné and a quiet fairy; but instead, I got a bubbly fairy and a clingy kitsuné. College starts tomorrow, and I hope I don't embarrass myself just as Mother warned.'
Images of his mother smiling flash before his eyes.
He stares at the ceiling for a while.
'Wait—Carolice didn't give me tommorrow's schedule. Eh, I'll follow them and hope for the best… unless our classes are different. But hey, what's the worst that could go wrong?'
Suddenly, vivid flashbacks return in a colossal wreck: "I said it's MINE!" "Teacher, he hit me." "Hey, let's avoid that kid." "You're a brat! You know that?" "Don't associate with him." "Run, the teacher's pet is here!" "I'm sorry, Kailus, but I don't wanna be friends with you."
"No!" he yells, clutching his autobiography.
'Oh no, I hope nobody heard that.'
He hides himself underneath the covers.
After a while of silence, he puts his eye mask on and drifts off into slumber. As time goes by, he begins whispering something. "I'm so sorry."