Goosebumps, they wrapped around my arms like sleeves while my heart practically stopped and my eyes thinned.

It really had to happen huh? Was I so stupid to think that someone who reincarnated into a new world would not be part of the main plot? I had kept my memories, so there had to be a price to pay no?

I hated it, but I also had no one to point my hate at, so I swallowed the fact that it was pointless to be mad.

Plus, I had an important issue to deal with at the moment, seeing as Claire Clutz the second heroine of A Cursed Blessing furrowed her pink eyebrows in response to me outright ignoring her.

Thankfully, the tactic seemed to work, and if what I remembered of her character was correct, she was never really outgoing. She always tried to be socially adept like my sister Citrus, but her Curse made it all but impossible. Claire had the ability to read minds, and the ramifications of such a power was mentioned plenty of times throughout the novel; She had witnessed the worst of what people could think about others, the nasty vile actions that were barely held back from reality, and the lies told by all.

Due to being subjected to such things, getting past those thoughts had become another obstacle she needed to cross to fulfill her dream of making friends, but I had to apologize in advance.

‘Claire, sorry about this but I have to ignore you.’ I thought regretfully as I continued to fake read the book in my lap.

Thankfully, the sky train departed with the pleasant chime of bells, the world outside the window blurring as it took off and curved upwards as if on a roller coaster track. We passed through the window barrier, and the floating city of Horris could be seen beneath us

It really did look just like London, but sadly I could not take the time to admire it, since I was too busy currently watching the very real 'fictional’ girl to my right.

Of course, it was with my peripheral vision, and I genuinely hoped she would forget about me.

However, it was difficult to gauge her thoughts, sunglasses blocking her eyes that I knew to be pink just like her bob cut hair.

Without seeing her eyes, I could not gleam any hints, so I had to focus on everything else.

The story told of how the MC could tell her thoughts by her eyebrows, and right now they were angled down in clear thought.

Then, I noticed her toe tapping, her index fingers swirling around one another, and her head slowly turning toward me.

Oh no, she was apparently mustering her courage to speak to me again.

Why, why must you want to make my dream harder to achieve? 

“Hey…” she practically whispered. 

My mind went into overdrive, and I swore I had never thought this hard in my life, each brain cell working in tandem as I turned to her and raised a single brow while thinking a single thought.

‘Ah, wow, she is pretty’

Claire’s fingers stopped circling one another, and her shoulders tensed as she undoubtedly stared right into my golden eyes. 

The first thing that happened was her face flushing the same pink as her hair, and then her head snapping away and she started to stutter incoherently.

What?

I had taken down by black field so she could read my thoughts, and since she should have met many males her age I went for something generic that she must have been bound to hear in her life before.

The events should have gone with her hearing my thoughts, realizing that it must have been a fluke that her power did not work on me, and we would awkwardly do small talk before I politely told her I wished to read.

Instead, her white skin was mimicking a tomato, and both soles of her feet were tapping fast enough to draw some glances from others.

This reaction…

Did I overthink it? The novel had made her character quite clear on how much she had gotten used to perverted thoughts from other people, calling her pretty should be in the same category.

Wait.

I mentally slapped myself, realizing I just recreated the first scene between her and the MC of A Cursed Blessing.

Since most thoughts she read from guys were down bad and usually were something sexual, a genuine compliment made her embarrassed. The MC had looked at her and thought she was pretty and would be a nice friend. It was in this innocence that their relationship started.

And, since I forced myself to only think that and nothing else, to her it seemed genuine and without anything more obscene.

I once again ran through all my options before whispering a weak “Excuse me” before making the decisive decision to put my book back in my bag, get up from my seat, and head toward the bathroom. Once I entered the compartment for men I sat down on the closed toilet seat and simply stared at the mirror above the sink to my right.

“You knew this would happen.” I told myself. “You have the meta knowledge to know it was inevitable. You should have been more cautious, especially for the first day of High school.”

I exhaled heavily, slowly ran a hand through my locks of cobalt blue hair, and just chuckled softly.

It is what it is. 

I won't change my goals because of the plot, I won't let it control me or make me suffer. I did enough of that already.

And so what? Who cared if I got dragged into the plot by the whims of fate, it didn't really change much did it? I would still do the things I wanted either way, and I would do everything in my power to achieve just that.

“Oh well, I will wait it out here.” I muttered aloud as I got out my book again and started reading. There were three male oriented bathrooms, if someone happened to knock I would leave immediately.

Unsurprisingly, the peace and quiet was quite nice.

So, still a little disoriented from facing something that was related to my previous life and correlation to me being reborn, I began to read to relax.

It was pleasant, slipping away from reality, enjoying a good story that made emotions come to you that otherwise would not.

It was unlikely I would ever experience war, so reading about the tactics, the hurdles the MC had to tackle, and the hardships he had to endure was a bit euphoric. Slowly, even if I did not realize it, I was putting myself in the shoes of the main character, traveling his path right alongside him.

Many minutes passed with my silent reading.

However, maybe because I had wanted to get my mind off my encounter with someone from the main cast, I did what any typical MC would do.

Something stupid.

The chime of bells signaling the sky train had stopped at a destination brought me from my musings, and I took note that if I was in one of the carts at the moment the sign above the doors would tell me the location, right now I did not know where I was.

I should have known the fact that I would have no way to tell when my stop was if I turtled in the bathroom to wait it out, a mistake that I was sure to sorely regret in the future.

Two bells had chimed beforehand but I had paid them little head, however Rose High was the first stop, which meant this was a terrible slip of the mind on my part had made me miss it.

Truly, either some being was messing with me, or fate did indeed exist. I quickly put my book away, strapped my bag on my shoulder while shaking away the static in my left leg, and swiftly exited the bathroom.

I read the sign hanging above the open doors with no reaction, since I already had a hunch where it would be.

~Current Stop: Golden Crown Academy Island~

I clicked my tongue and exited the sky train, seeing as staying on would take me halfway across the province. I would need to quickly get off, hop on a train heading back to Little Garden city where Rose High was located, and just deal with the fact I would arrive late to the first day of school.

A small price to pay, but enough of a punishment for my honest to God atrocious blunder, I deserved it entirely.

‘Head in the game,’ I told myself. ‘No more coincidences’

As I stepped out, I regretted the fact I had woken up today, perhaps I could have taken more precaution and faked an illness to get out of any possible situations like this.

Sadly, it was too late, and now I had to just try my best.

Greeting me outside the skytrain, was something I had only read about, but seeing in reality was entirely different.

There was an expansive cobblestone courtyard shaped in a semicircle, medieval esc houses surrounding the edges with angle roofs and barn like exteriors. Sashes of gold hung from lampposts, the iconic bear fountain where the MC had his first kiss was in the middle of the place with its mouth open spraying golden water. Other decorations were also present, such as rope and ribbons everywhere, and floating magical esc crystal balls that showed all colors of the rainbow. Countless moving bodies wearing the all too infamous Golden Crown uniform went about the open courtyard with bright smiles, an aura of divineness and joy spread about like a warm blanket as they did so.

It was beautiful.

The biggest floating banner I had ever seen held elegant white bold letters saying ‘Welcome First years’, while golden glitter fell off of it and dissolved before it could hit the floor. Students walked under it, happily going into taverns, listening to musicians playing the lute or piano, gathering at a few places where games were there for any to play, and chatting happily while they ate at the tables randomly placed about.

It was… a lot.

However, the thing that stood out the most was the huge castle not losing out to Hogwarts at all, set below a snow capped mountain behind the small village in the distance, evergreen forest trees dotted the entire area and gave the island the calming feel of a place kind of like Canada from Earth.

I had to pry my gaze from the spectacles, because it became fairly obvious from the stares of those around me I stood out.

Most likely, due to the fact that I was the only one wearing black in a sea of people donning white and gold. 

To top off my horrible luck, a voice I definitely did not want to hear spoke from the crowd.

“Cade?”

Yeah, guess I should have expected this too.

A form cut through the crowd, flowing blue hair pulled into a tight ponytail, black glasses set on a small nose encasing exotic golden eyes, small lips now pulled up in a smile, a uniform with a red shield on her right shoulder signifying her second year status, a billowing black skirt cut at the knees, and slender legs elegantly moving in long strides before they stopped before me.

She was Cider, my sister, oh joy.

“Uh, Hi there sis?” I managed through my swirling questions of why I deserve any of this.

Cider was currently all smiles, but then it seemed her excitement at seeing her brother was swapped for a small glare.

“Why are you here? Rose High is in Little Garden? You know being late for the first day of school sets a horrible example right? Your teacher's will remember it, and I won't allow you to lie and say you were sick.” She regained her smile. “However, I am still happy to see you, how long has it been?”

I had no way to know my stoic sister would suddenly bring me into a hug, her mature attitude crumbling as she laid her delicate hands on my back.

“I missed you, I missed all of you.”

Like a taut string snapping, I let go of all other things and hugged my big sister back, no longer caring about whether I got pulled into the plot or not.

The feeling of someone I truly cared for in my arms was leagues more important, as not once in my old life had I ever been embraced like this.

Although this hug did not have the added effect of an energy boost like Citrus, it felt the same either way. With her rare act of showing care, I cherished every second until Cider pulled away and adjusted her glasses.

“Now.” She narrowed her eyes. “Explanation, give it.”

I sighed, subsequently closing my eyes and pinching my nose, “Would you believe me if I said this was totally not on purpose and a honest accident?”

Cider crossed her arms, “I said to explain, not tip-toe around the subject. Also, how could you miss the stop for Rose High, if I remember correctly it's the first one.”

I begrudgingly opened my eyes and pulled out my wild card that I hoped would be enough to satisfy her.

I shrugged.

 Cider clicked her tongue, “Very well, accidents and coincidences do happen, but I want you back on the skytrain heading to Little Garden immediately, I would hate for this to snowball into other's thinking less of you.”

I rolled my eyes, “Like I care what others think.”

Cider drew closer, raising a single index finger to point accusingly at me, “And that’s the issue Cade, we worry about you, your lack of friends or lackluster attitude is not something to boast about. Do you realize once you graduate and move out you will be alone?”

The chuckle that left my throat probably was not what she expected as her eyes widened in shock, clearly a little put off by my calm attitude.

“I know, I know. I just haven't met someone who understands me, people can be quite the handful.”

Cider rolled her eyes, “Tell me about it, being on the student council makes me want to let my hair down, can you imagine that?”

Cider with her hair down, it was as rare as me having friends, which said a lot. I simply nodded, taking out the ‘phone’ of this world which was just a rectangle of crystal with stone capped edges. 

I was called a CrystalCell, and it worked just like a regular phone, just a tad bit fantastical.

“Well Cider.” I pocketed my cell, “It was nice seeing you after so long but I have a train to catch or I will be more than just late.” I turned to follow the loading dock signs since I had not gone far from it, the path leading to where other sky trains were departing Golden Crown Academy.

However, I felt a tug on my arm, causing me to look back to see Cider holding my wrist. Worry was strewn across her stern features, and she readily met my gaze without faltering.

“Be safe.”

I smirked, “Always.”

With that, I headed toward the docks, eyes constantly surveying the area expecting some bizarre set of circumstances to keep me on the island.

Funnily enough, the answer came in something more… obvious.

A sign saying all trips to Little Garden had been postponed for another hour, meaning that I was actually stuck in the one place I did not want to be for a whole sixty minutes.

Plenty of time for shenanigans to ensue.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, and did something I would maybe regret, which was taking off my black blazer. The action left me just in a white long sleeved dress shirt. I stood out too much being the only one in black, but now I fit in somewhat easily, thankfully both schools had decided on black slacks as the bottoms.

“Well, what now?” 

My [Black Field] was still down, so I was susceptible to some Curses. If I had my Gift on and someone was using some type of locator or way to affect others, they would find me rather quickly like a flashlight in a dark room or a drop of oil in water.

It was too risky, but who knew how many Curses in this place crowded with Gifted had stuff dealing with the mind. Then again, most of them were just slight improvements in one area or the tiniest advantage in another.

Only the main cast had the real heavy hitting Gifts, so I should be safe to wait around the docks, as most students were busy in the village entertaining themselves anyways.

Surprisingly, the festival was the opening ceremony of sorts for Golden Crown Academy, and I knew of it beforehand so I hadn't wasted time thinking why they were doing this instead of hosting a normal ceremony in an auditorium like most schools.

Extra was one word to describe Golden Crown Academy, and another would be exaggeration.The school always did things big, it was their hallmark, and because of this the main cast easily got wrapped up in its shenanigans.

My musings stopped there though, as my stomach suddenly shook and a quiet lion’s growl could be heard from my midsection. 

I slowly blinked a few times, but soon smiled wide and then nodded my head.

I would not fall for it.

If I was clueless like most protagonists, I would realize that I was hungry, decide that a quick meal’ couldn't hurt, and leave the area to explore the festival for food.

Then, all too predictably I would happen to run into other key characters and be put in compromising positions where we would open up to one another and have a history from the first day. Naturally, from there, more situations would make us gravitate to one another and bang, you have your school, slice of life, romantic comedy story.

Not a chance.

I knew how this went, but also knowing might be a flag in itself, but that was an abyss of thoughts that would never end well so I opted to place my interest elsewhere. My eyes looked around the loading docks like a hawk searching for prey, noticing that most people were students getting off sky trains and asking a few upperclassmen who were apparently guides about the festival.

After a few exchanges, they would be led to the festivities, where they could then mingle and such.

I made sure to put a good distance between me and the second years who lurked around the docks, not wanting them to mistake me for a student and next try to make me tag along.

Paranoia was a dear old friend, so taking countermeasures and letting doubt and anxiety take hold was easy, and in this situation it could actually help for once.

This was literally the place where A Cursed Blessing took place, vigilance was my best friend, and only when I stepped foot inside Rose High would I be safe to relax.

For now, I stood off to the sides, making myself look like I belonged and did extra work to not meet any gazes or make any sudden movements.

Thirty minutes in, I was doing quite swimmingly at this whole mob thing, and now that I had that train of thought I realized that technically since this world is real there really aren't any ‘main characters’. Everyone was in their own story right now, and maybe the novel I read was only about that particular one.

I technically was living in my own plot right now if one looked at it realistically, and who was to say my knowledge was even of the future? What was so bad about me being involved in it?

Oh yeah, because the MC didn't want to have a harem despite it being legal in this world, just very uncommon. So, he was dense through the entire novel, and only in the third year did his social skills level up and he finally noticed the fact seven girls were practically drooling to get a piece of him. Next, like the idiot he was, he picked a single girl and broke the rest hearts like there was nothing but trash to him.

The Queen had a harem of husbands, and so did prominent figures. So why did the MC have to choose one girl?

Coward… but i can’t really blame him if he truly loved only one of them.

What if… it was a dangerous idea… but what if I helped him see that he could love all of them. The author only made him choose a girl because of a popularity poll done on the heroines, and he just picked the most voted for one.

There was no author, this world was real, and I had changed some things no doubt by just existing.

So…

No, not worth the time, I’m not some guru who had to solve everything. Life was not fair, I knew that first hand, so I couldn't just do hurdles in my head to justify it.

I nodded, affirming my resolve to be a mob, I would dutifully stand out of the way and let things happen as they should.

The boring route was the best in the end, I was never good with complex emotions, and high school drama along with supernatural powers spelled disaster in bold letters.

Yeah, I will be a mob, and I will stick to the sidelines.

My resolve hardened again, and I started to formulate a plan, or well tried because as if the heavens wanted to make me suffer, I heard a mature female voice speak right next to me.

“You have a Gift.”