Jin didn't know what to think when he woke up. The blurry image of someone's face began to clear. Immediately, his eyes jumped open in recognition.
Arael's daughter. Vaen Elise?! What is she doing here?
He had thought that no one would be coming down to the library. Kyle mentioned that practically no one even does anymore.
So why is she here in the first place? This time, instead of that formal dress he saw her in last time, she wore a more conservative outfit that was up to fashion to someone of her standing.
Shit, this is bad. The plan was to avoid meeting with someone like her as much as possible.
Jin doubted Kyle was even aware that Elise was currently here. Meaning, this wasn't an intentional meeting.
Dammit, I shouldn't have ended up falling asleep here. That was careless.
"Uhm... what...?" he let out, still processing the situation he was currently in. "Ya need something?"
"We've met before. You're Amakusa, yes? The boy staying here. You're the one who came with Officer Kyle."
"That's uh... correct. And if I recall correctly, ya name is Elise."
"Pardon?"
A brow popped up as she heard that. Her mouth dropped open but she didn't let out a sound before closing it again. Jin internally cringed, remembering what he needed to refer to her as. He quickly cleared his throat and slowly fixed his posture.
"Sorry, I mean... uhh, Vaen. Vaen Elise."
"...."
"..."
This was getting awkward. He's never once spoken to her before besides that time a week ago.
"You sure are a rude one. First what you said a week and now this? I see Officer Kyle hasn't done much to fixing that attitude of yours as promised."
An irked itched out from Jin.
"Yeah, uh, you still haven't answered my question."
"...Right, of course. I was simply curious of the large mess which a particularly rude boy had made in this library," Elise said while gesturing to the utter sight to behold that Jin had left.
Oops. He had forgotten to clean up too. Why is everything going so wrong today for him? Ugh, I've been so out of it since that argument with Kyle. Now I gotta deal with this.
"So, are you going to keep standing there or...?"
"Hmph."
With a huff, she prompted herself next to Jin, continuing to stay silent.
That didn't mean you should sit next to me, Jin thought.
"What are you studying for?" she asked, eyeing the books he had been previously resting on.
"...An entrance exam."
Not a direct answer? Oh well, Elise thought. I already know anyways.
"Ah, so Halcendre Academy."
That quick answer struck the nail dead and centre. Jin's surprise didn't go unnoticed as Elise explained, "There's not a student alive who isn't studying like a madman for that place. I for one am also applying for it too."
"Is that right? DId you go to this library so you can also study then?"
If the reason was that, it would make sense as to why she would be here. And, maybe Jin could maybe also further question her about when she'd be down here to avoid her.
Well, under the assumption he could get it out of her.
Elise's chin carefully was placed over her knuckles. Her gaze closing in on Jin.
"No. I'm simply here to relive memories. Unlike you, I've fully prepared for the exam. I've done everything possible to ensure that I score top marks. There's no need for me to come down here just to study."
Jin rolled his eyes internally. So she's one of those types as well.
"Is this the part where I praise how talented and hard working you are?"
"You're free to do that if you wish, I wouldn't deny it," she said, the corners of her lips rising.
"I'm sure your father would be proud."
They shared the same looks and annoying confidence. That really pissed Jin off.
The temperature immediately shifted. Her expression darkened. Her brows lowered as her lips pressed into a thin line across. That caught him off. What kind of face was that?
"My father isn't one to care about such," she grumbled. "His work is far more important."
She returned to her usual thin smirk. However, it was a stiffened one.
"Even if that's the case, you two seem alike enough."
"You're meaning this as an insult, aren't you?"
Jin averted himself as he blatantly said in the most bland tone possible. "I have not the slightest clue what you're talking about."
"I don't know what that's inclined to mean, but you speak as if you know him on a personal level."
"I wouldn't say personal but..." Jin blinked as he rested into a palm. "I've experienced enough. Especially since I'm doing all this because of him."
Elise froze. Her knuckles clenching to white. A part of her clenched jaw popped out. "I see... so father is actually showing interest in..."
"Hey, what's with that look?"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she leaned forward slightly just as if she was studying him with a new light.
"Tell me, Amakusa. How... no, what could you have possibly done to earn that?"
"Earn what?"
"His attention."
Jin scoffed. "Trust me, I wasn't trying to do that."
Elise's gaze sharpened before letting out a small, humourless laugh.
"You're complaining about being personally prepared for Halcendre Academy?"
"So what if I am?"
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Ugh, you're unbelievable. Do you have any shame? Relying on others is a sign of the weak."
"Where'd you get that idea I'm weak? I'm just complaining about him."
"Careful," she said quietly. "That's my father you're speaking ill of."
Jin shrugged, rolling his eyes. "So what? Doesn't sound like he's exactly watching you either."
Silence fell between them. The argument itself was clearly boiling. Jin knew that. So, why is he making it worse when he knew he should be trying to not stir this much trouble? Is this what Kyle meant?
Was he seriously this bad?
Elise pushed the chair back, standing up from her chair as she turned away from him. "...Amakusa, I was initially curious about you."
A pause.
"But it seems I overestimated your worth. You're simply... disappointing."
That one really landed with Jin.
"I won't lose to someone like you."
With that, she left in silent anger.
Jin, bewildered and agitated, rubbed two fingers against his temple.
Get a grip, Jin, he thought. Get a fuckin' grip.
Click, click, click.
Footsteps came from above minutes after Elise had left the library.
"How... long have you been there?"
"Since the beginning," Kyle answered, emerging from the shadows. "I couldn't find a place to intervene so I deduced the best option was to wait for you two to finish."
"..."
"...I know this is the last thing you want to here from me, but we need to talk."
***
Elise stomped through the hallway with annoyance filling her heart.
"Why would father take an interest in someone like that?" she spat.
That rude, unrefined boy, barely keeping up with his studies.
She is in every way better than the boy named Amakusa Jin.
Yet father never spared a glance toward her achievements. Not even once.
And now, that boy recieves personal instructions from Officer Kyle as well?
She clicked her tongue.
Just you wait, father. I don't care if you approve of him.
It doesn't matter.
You will approve of me.
Even more than him."
***
Jin didn't answer immediately.
He remained seated, elbows resting against his knees while the scattered books across the floor formed a messy ring around his chair.
This silence streteched long enough to become uncomfortable, even for Jin.
Eventually, he couldn't even bare it, relenting out a huff.
"...You listeened to the whole thing, right?"
Kyle didn't deny it. He was there since the beginning. "I've heard enough."
Jin's tongue clicked the roof of his mouth quietly. "Figures."
For a moment, neither of the two moved. Kyle leaned against one of the nearby shelves, arms folded. His gaze swept across the disaster Jin had turned the library into before settling back on the boy.
"That argument proved my point."
The bottom lid of his eye twitched upwards.
"That being?"
"The one I tried explaining to you the other day."
Kyle gestured vaguely toward the door Elise had left through.
"That attitude of yours."
Jin couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "Of course you'd take her side."
"I'm not taking anyone's side." Kyle's voice remained calm. "I'm just telling you what happened."
Jin leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.
"She started it."
"No,"Kyle said. "You escalated it."
That earned him a small glare.
"Did you even hear what she was saying," Jin snapped.
"I did. And I also heard what you said. Don't forget, you're the one intruding in her home. You can't go around saying whatever you want and expect you can get away with it."
Jin's mouth opened, then closed again.
Kyle continued.
"Lord Arael holds a well established position on the Halcendre council, putting the Vaen family as one of the seven major families in Halcendre. And, their family has funded infrastructure to a lot of what you see in the first layer."
There was a short pause before Kyle hit Jin lightly at the top of his cranium with the hard cover of a book.
"It's also a fact that Lady Elise has a hidden level of respect which she has for her father. And you decided the best response was to insult her father."
Jin's expression scrunched. Not this again. How many times has he heard this already? "How would I know that? Besides, it's not like I lied."
Kyle exhaled through his nose slowly. Jin could hear the breath through his helmet.
"Just get it through your head already. This isn't Osvain anymore."
Jin didn't respond.
"At Halcendre," Kyle started, "half the students will come from families just like Lady Elise."
"Arrogant ones?" Jin replied.
"Powerful ones," Kyle corrected.
Kyle crossed his arms again. "Do you know what happens when someone like Elise decides she doesn't like you?"
Jin shrugged. "She already doesn't. Besides, I'm not gonna bow my head to people like that," he muttered.
Kyle's gaze tightened on him for a moment. "No one asked you to."
Jin frowned. "What?"
"You think this is about etiquette lessons and politeness."
"Isn't it?"
"No." Kyle's voice grew firm. "It's about making sure you survive in this society. You're walking into a school where reputation, alliances, and influence matter more than test scores."
"And here I was told test scores were everything in that academy."
"For the exams, yes. However, for the most part, it's all about your connections."
Kyle met his gaze.
"It'll be a nice and easy trip until the wrong person decides to look into you," Kyle explained. "And the moment your Ordinary status is revealed, everything will fall apart, even if you perform well."
Jin looked away. Kyle's vocie softened. "You won't be able to protect yourself under the guise of the Vaen family when you're at the academy."
Jin stared at the floor for a long while. The library felt quieter than before. Yes, he knew that. He knew and understood all of the risks.
"...You think I don't know that? Whose fault is it I'm even in this situation?!"
But, what was he meant to do? He was no different from some dog with his leash tied tightly around a pole.
"I didn't ask to be thrown into this stupid situation," Jin quietly continued. "You all just decided it for me. Just because I happen to have something unexpected!"
"I know."
Jin looked up, surprise by the lack of argument.
Kyle sighed.
"I don't enjoy forcing this on you. I'm doing this because if you keep acting like that... eventually someone pushes back. And you won't be lucky enough to escape with your life."
His gaze flickered toward the door again.
"And not everyone will stop at words or simple threats."
Jin understood what he meant. Families like Elise's had power. Real power. Not the kind Jin could simply ignore. He ran a hand through his messy blonde hair.
"...So what are you trying to say?"
The enforcer waited.
"That I should just pretend?" Jin asked bitterly. "Pretend to respect them?"
"No."
Jin blinked.
"I'm saying you learn the rules," Kyle added, "before you decide which ones are worth really breaking. That's what you did in Osvain, right? You don't act until you understood everything. Didn't leave it to luck."
That answer caught Jin off.
"You don't need to like them. You don't need to admire them. But if you walk in swinging at everyone you meet, you'll never even get the chance to prove yourself."
Jin stared at him with widened eyes. The logic was annoyingly solid.
After a long breath, he groaned and rubbed his face.
"This is so stupid."
Kyle raised an eyebrow. "That's not exactly the response I was hoping to get out of that."
Jin sighed again. "...Fine."
Kyle tilted his head. "Fine what?
"Fine. I'll do the stupid etiqutte lessons," the reluctant boy grimaced. "And... I'll try not start fights with anyone I disagree or don't like."
"That would be a good start.
Jin muttered something under his berath that sounded suspciously like an insult. But Kyle ignored it. Instead, he reached down and picked up one of the fallen books, setting it back on the table.
"Since we have reconciled that, sit up. We're starting over. From lesson one."
Jin stared at him in disbelief. "You're joking."
"Back straight."
"Can't I get a break?"
"You had one for a whole day. This won't kill you. Now back straight."
Jin wanted to argue but he thought it'd be pointless given he already agreed. So he adjusted his posture accordingly.
"Good."
"I hate this," Jin scowled.
If he could see behind Kyle's helmet, the expression he was making, he would see the faintest hint of a smile.
"You'll survive."