“How is your life in Janiga Academy?” was what she asked instead.

Hugh was startled at the question, but decided to give a proper answer. “Not really going well, honestly.”

She gestured at him to continue.

“My classmates are awesome, but being the only shapeshifter in town - no, maybe the whole world! - I feel… left out? Lonely?” he shook his head. “I don’t know what’s this feeling, but it’s been plaguing me. Like I don’t belong anywhere.”

Instead of nodding in sympathy, she asked him to wait there as she went to buy something from a roadside stall run by a sea elf. Coming back, he saw it was a hash brown that was fried to perfection. She handed him one.

“To be honest, I don’t understand that feeling, so I can’t sympathise.” She shook her head in apology. “I myself am always in the middle of things, like standing in the eye of a hurricane. I keep myself grounded while the world around me turns about in disarray.”

“Wow, that sounds pretty interesting,” Hugh gave her some praise.

“Not really. It’s whats expected of me.” She chewed on the hash brown, then asked another question. “I understand Janiga Academy runs on the concept of clubs. Do you not feel welcomed in your club?”

“No, see, that’s the thing,” he admitted. “I’m not in any club. Yet. I was thinking the Biology Club, but that’s only because of my shapeshifting magic.”

“Can you elaborate on the last part?” she enquired.

“Shapeshifting magic? Well, you see, I have to have a clear mental image of what I want to change into before doing the change. And it’s not just about the appearance - I have to have basic knowledge about what the bones look like, how the muscle is structured, where all the organs are. Stuff like that. I take all that knowledge and just… shift my body to become that image.” Hugh gave an awkward chuckle. “It’s a little gruesome, sorry.”

“Don’t apologise. Especially for who you are.”

“Oh, uh, sorry?” they stood in awkward silence, then both of them let out a laugh.

She continued the conversation. “So why not the Biology Club?”

“Well, they keep looking at me like they want to dissect me or something. And it doesn’t help that they work at the Natural Histories Museum… I just get the feeling they want to stuff me to put me on display.”

A smile graced her lips at his exaggerations. “There’s nothing wrong with joining them because of your magic, and there’s nothing wrong with not joining them as well. But I understand you have to had chosen a club in the first month?”

“Yeah, I was given an extension because of being from another world and getting used to things in Izgaea and stuff. They were very gracious considering I am the only one in my class who hasn’t chosen a club. Though really, I’m only left with one week to think about it.”

“I see.” She made a thinking sound. “Perhaps you can consider joining a club that fits your hobby?”

“Uh…” he had a very awkward look at that question. “I don’t really have any hobbies, not really interested in anything, even in my magic and stuff. I’m kind of a boring person.”

“I see.” Her response was curt, as if dismissing him. She threw the oily paper into the bin before turning to him. “If you truly believe you are a boring person, then I see no reason why I should continue this conversation. You become what you believe in, so if you decide that’s who you want to become, then I have no further interest in you. I hope you think about my words.”

With that, she promptly left him without Hugh being able to say a word. Being so suddenly exposed like that left him speechless and insecure.

After a moment, he too threw his oily paper in the bin and turned to look at the overcast sky. “I’m what I believe in…?”

The days that followed seemed to slog on and rush on at the same time. It was perhaps similar to what a death row prisoner feels like, at least, that’s what he thought to compare to. He continued going to class, continued to read biology books and encyclopedias, and continued to ruminate on the nugget of wisdom that was given to him. Yet he did not arrive at any concrete answer.

Eventually the day before the deadline, Hugh decided to give in and join the Biology Club. With the application form in hand, he approached Miss Athy to submit it. She looked at his answer, then looked at him.

“Is this your answer?” she looked disappointed in him.

What came to him at that moment was not anger or sadness, but indignation. “I-!” but no other words came out. He was sure the frustration in his face was plain to see. One answer though was clear at this eleventh hour.

He didn’t want to join the Biology Club. Or any other club.

So he took the paper and tore it in half. Then quartered it for good measure. Tossing the remains into the nearby basket, Hugh made a statement.

“I won’t be shoehorned into a last choice. I will make my own place here in this world.”

His words were honestly gibberish, but Miss Athy seemed to be able to pick up on what he was trying to say. She smiled and, instead of pointing out that his words didn’t really solve the conundrum, simply said:

“I want you to meet someone.”

She took him to a quiet cafe in the university section, seeming to purposefully choose the most secluded seats. They sat in silence for awhile, leaving Hugh to stew in his own confusion. A good thing though was that his insecurity and lack of direction was gone.

He knew his goal, but didn’t know a way to get it.

Miss Athy seemed distracted, constantly looking out the far window. Due to that, he didn’t have the heart to ask his questions.

Just as he reached for his coffee, someone sat opposite of him and Miss Athy. The red hood with gold trimmings was unmistakable; it was the woman he met a few days before.

“I’m glad you’ve taken time off your busy schedule to come here,” Miss Athy said.

“You’re my teacher Miss Athy. I know you would not have called if it wasn’t important,” she answered.

“Let me introduce both of you. Hugh, this is Ruth Gawain, the Student Council President of Janiga University and of Janiga Academy overall.”

As Miss Athy introduced her, she removed her hood. Long locks of hair tumbled out of the hood, and what truly drew attention was that it was a soft pink. Immediately Hugh recognised her as the one who, at the time of their arrival to this world, debated with the other presidents and principals on where the class should go.

“Oh, I didn’t…I mean…” he actually didn’t know what he wanted to say. The woman - Ruth - saved him from that by holding up a hand.

“I wish to start with an apology to you, Hugh, for hiding my identity the last time we met.”

“Oh, it’s okay, I mean-” he paused, then looked at his teacher. “What’s going on? Am I in trouble?”

She barked a laugh. “No no, actually you might be in good hands. Just consider her offer, okay?”

“Offer?” Ruth nodded and took over the conversation.

“I told Miss Athy about what we discussed when we met, and that if you showed even an inkling of following your own path, that we would meet again.”

“Uh, okay? I mean, it’s great to meet you again, but… what’s that about ‘following my own path’?”

“I’m talking about the club admissions. You said, and I quote,” Ruth read from her smartphone: “’I won’t be shoehorned into a last choice. I will make my own place here in this world.’”

“Ah, did you have to read that out loud, that’s embarrassing…” Hugh’s face burned at the memory of saying those embarrassing words.

Ruth gave a soft smile. “You should be proud of yourself for saying those words. That means you want to step out of being a ‘boring’ person, right?”

At that Hugh floundered, decided to take a deep breath, and answered looking straight at Ruth: “Yes.”

“I can give you an opportunity to do that,” Ruth offered: “You can become my ‘aide’.”

At his confused look, Miss Athy took over. “ The Gawain family has a tradition of taking on someone to become what is basically their third hand. As the word suggests, an ‘aide’ is someone who helps them.”

“It’s not a servant,” Ruth clarified. “It’s more like a companion, a friend. And this would be a trial period, to see if both of us are okay with each other.”

Hugh thought a bit, then asked “How does that help me about the clubs problem?”

“Good question,” Miss Athy praised. “Being the aide of a member of the Gawain family is actually recognised as a kind of political activity, just like a teacher assistant is recognised as en educational activity. That is to say, it’s considered a club all of it’s own.

The Gawain family’s influence in Janiga City is no joke. You’ll have a lot of opportunities to experience both the city and the academy, should you wish to accept. This will also give you time to think about what you truly want to do.”

“I hope,” Ruth emphasised, “that by being my aide, you will be able to experience many interesting things and grow to become your own person, to become the ‘Hubert’ that you aim to be.”

At Hugh’s silence, Ruth quickly added, “You don’t have to answer now, you still have one more day-”

“Yes!” Hugh answered loudly, then quieted in embarrassment when other patrons turned to shush him. “I mean, yes Miss Ruth, I accept the offer to become your aide.”

She smiled. “Drop the ‘miss’ and you’re accepted.”