After joining the martial arts club, everything went smoothly. Time seemed to fly by as I gradually adapted to the routine of school life.
Every morning, I would wake up, get ready, and head to school with John and Arthur. After classes ended, I would spend my afternoons training in martial arts. Despite my lack of experience, I practiced diligently, learning both punches and kicks.
Day after day, time passed quickly.
One week.
Two weeks.
Three weeks.
Before I knew it, an entire month had gone by.
By then, I had mastered martial arts—or more accurately, I had mastered the basics of martial arts. After all, what fool would expect someone to truly master it within a single month? For an average person, it would take around five months just to reach this stage.
But let's not compare me to average people.
You can simply consider me a genius among geniuses.
Naturally, this made some of my fellow club members feel both envy and admiration. To make matters worse, the coach personally invited me to participate in an upcoming tournament to gain experience and eventually become one of the school's representatives.
I understood their feelings.
Anyone in their position would feel the same way.
If I were one of them, I would probably say:
"A mere beginner, yet he dares to receive all this attention?"
It was a thought that people rarely voiced aloud, yet almost everyone secretly entertained it.
"Why isn't it me?"
That is simply human nature.
I couldn't blame them.
Many people ask themselves questions such as:
"Why don't I have his talent?"
"Why don't I have his intelligence?"
"Why don't I have his looks?"
"Why don't I have his status?"
Foolish questions.
Questions everyone asks despite the answers being painfully obvious.
Is it because they are too stupid to understand the answer?
No.
Of course not.
It is simply because they understand how cruel reality can be.
What value is there in obtaining answers if you lack the ability to use them or comprehend their true meaning?
Talent.
Intelligence.
Beauty.
Status.
What are these things?
Hahaha...
They are nothing more than excuses created by the weak to place the blame for their shortcomings on others.
Such things do not truly exist.
Or rather...
I refuse to acknowledge their existence.
If they are walls that seem impossible to overcome, then all one must do is break the wall.
If they are towers too high to climb, then one simply builds a staircase.
That is my mentality.
No one will stand between me and the person who killed my sister.
I will find them.
And when I do, I will kill them.
And if I cannot, then I will throw them behind bars.
After spending so much time reflecting on everything around me, I realized that martial arts had not only strengthened my body and fighting skills.
It had sharpened my mind as well.
It had made me stricter.
Wiser.
---
The following day, I woke up as usual.
However, unlike usual, I had overslept.
Fortunately, John owned a limousine.
Honestly, life was unfair.
Whenever I remembered the days when I had to walk to school, waking up late would either result in missing classes altogether or receiving a warning from the administration.
When we finally arrived, we were slightly late.
Not wanting to miss class, I immediately started running through the hallways.
Unlike certain people whose names shall remain unmentioned.
After all, we had arrived in the same car.
As I ran through the corridor, I approached a corner.
Just as I turned it at full speed, someone suddenly appeared beside me, walking in the opposite direction.
It was a girl.
A girl I had never seen before.
She was so beautiful that words failed to describe her. Beauty itself seemed insufficient to define her appearance.
For a fraction of a second, time appeared to stop.
My eyes met hers.
Dark black eyes.
Like polished pearls embedded within the night.
Many women possessed beautiful eyes, but those glittering black eyes stared directly into mine.
At that moment, I noticed nothing else.
Only those eyes.
Then, just as suddenly, she disappeared.
Time resumed.
She passed by me and continued running in the opposite direction.
I stood there for a moment, stunned, watching her retreating figure.
Her blonde hair fluttered behind her.
The feeling was unfamiliar.
Strange.
Something I had never experienced before.
Well...
It didn't matter.
She was just another girl, like any other.
At least, that was what I told myself.
Gathering my thoughts, I hurried into the classroom and apologized for my lateness.
After taking my usual seat, I found myself thinking about that girl.
"Is she a new student? I've never seen her anywhere in school before."
As if answering my question, the classroom door suddenly opened.
A tired-looking girl entered.
It was her.
The same girl from the hallway.
For the first time in my life, I found myself interested in a girl despite my usual indifference toward them.
Well, let's not exaggerate.
It was merely curiosity.
It's not as though something ridiculous like love could happen.
Hahaha...
That would be absurd.
The girl walked into the classroom wearing the school uniform.
She had blonde hair, black eyes, and flawless pale skin.
A firm and determined expression rested upon her face.
Upon the teacher's request, she stepped forward and stood beside the blackboard before turning toward the class.
Keeping her eyes lowered to the floor, she introduced herself.
"Hello. It's a pleasure to meet all of you."
"My name is Louie Maria."
"I recently moved to London and transferred to this school."
"So... please take care of me."