It was bright and lively, reminding me of those predictable rom-coms the girls at my school always raved about.

Students had set up stalls with colourful banners, and the delicious aroma of Takoyaki wafted in the air. It reminded me of the cultural festivals back in my school.

I had glanced over my shoulder, pausing at the sight of the hellish landscape—a dense forest of lifeless trees. I turned back to the papery tear in reality and contemplated the stark contrast between the two.

"..."

"Shouldn't I be at school right now?" I whispered to myself; the question hung in the air, muddled by my confused feelings.

I peered further through the incision and noticed that the ground was much further down. Jumping from this height would likely have been fatal.

"I wonder how much thrill that fall would give me?" I asked myself, but then I noticed someone—or several people. They looked like students.

I wondered if I should shout something at them. But for some reason, I held back. An inexplicable hesitation stopped me.

The sounds of their chatter were soft but audible—a strangely soothing cacophony.

A strange feeling prickled at the back of my neck. It was probably the feeling of being caught between two different worlds.

"Can they even see me from there?"

I watched students enter the school. The navy blue blazers and white T-shirts they wore reminded me of my own school days.

Despite my family's reputation for having flawless memory, mine was never as perfect as others assumed.

Suddenly, a more intense feeling of being watched came over me, as if something—or someone—was getting closer.

I turned around, but there was nothing there; I could still feel the persistent stares from everywhere.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" I called out, but only silence answered.

I searched my surroundings and wondered how to get down safely. But my thoughts were interrupted when something pushed me through the gap.

As I fell, I could make out a silhouette—a woman with a demonic appearance. But all I could think about was how to get out of this predicament.

The wind rushed past me, almost caressing my face.

THUD!

I plummeted. But somehow I was alive and didn't feel anything, and I drew attention to myself; I heard gasps.

A concerned voice called out, "Oh my gosh! Is she okay?!"

"Is she alive?" Asked someone else.

"Someone take her to the infirmary!"

They were speaking over each other as they ran over to me. The situation was chaotic and frantic.

"Did Yukio like toying with me like this? He probably found it amusing." I muttered bitterly.

Not even three seconds later, five strangers were already around me. Their uniforms suggested that they belonged to the large school I had crashed into.

Exhaustion washed over me, and soon darkness claimed my sight.

---

"My back feels soft... must be a bed. It's so dark... Oh wait, my eyes are closed."

Upon opening my eyes, I was met with a white ceiling.

I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the brightness of the room, and groaned, feeling a dull ache in my head.

"Where am I?" I wondered. 

The room was small, painted pale blue, with a window offering a glimpse of the outside world.

I sat up, the sheets tangled around me, and realised I didn't recognise the room at all.

"Oh, you've woken up!" A female voice exclaimed, breaking the silence.

Turning to my right, I saw a silver-haired girl in a navy blazer. She looked concerned, as though she had been waiting for me to wake up.

"You're one of the students here, right? With the navy blazers?" I murmured, looking at the girl.

Her eyes, a deep shade of hazel, looked at me with concern.

"Yes, I am. What happened? How did you fall?" She responded softly, her voice filled with empathy.

Turning to my left, I saw about seven people dressed in the same blue blazers. They all appeared to be my age, suggesting I was in their school infirmary.

They seemed eager to speak but held back for some reason.

"Got distracted and took a wrong step, I guess." I lied nonchalantly; it was certainly the worst lie to even exist considering everyone saw me drop from the sky like a dead bird.

I could feel their sceptical gazes penetrating through me.

"You tripped and fell from all the way up there?! I'm glad you're alright."

"She... bought that?" I blinked in surprise. I never expected my lie to be so convincing.

I looked out the window to my right, near where the silver-haired girl was standing. Most would have enjoyed the sun's golden-pink glow reflecting off the windows and the nearby oak tree accompanying the outside.

Except, of course, when you're me and a massive rift floated in plain sight.

"Can't anyone else see that... thing outside?" I scratched my head and blinked, noticing the confused looks of the students.

"Alright, mysterious skydiver, what's your name?" A boy stepped forward; he looked ordinary, with ginger hair and a nice expression. But he was definitely hiding something.

"Yumiko... Yumiko Ohno." I answered.

"Well, nice to meet ya!" A short, green-haired boy said pumping up his thumbs.

One of the students, a petite girl with brunette pigtails, hesitantly stepped forward—I guessed she was the shy type—holding out a familiar-looking Takoyaki ball on a stick.

"Um, do you... want to try? We just made them for the festival."

I hesitated, glancing at the offered snack and then back at her earnest face, "Sure," I murmured, taking it. I took a small bite, savouring the taste. It was warm, with the octopus filling tender and flavorful. A brief moment of normalcy in a day that was anything but.

Well, it's not like my life was normal to begin with.

The girl's face lit up. 

"I'm Hana. Welcome to our school, even if it's... under unusual circumstances."

While Hana was introducing herself, my thoughts were entirely elsewhere. Who pushed me? Where was I going to live? Did I have to start enrolling here? Why didn't I feel any pain from that fall? And the rift—why did it feel like paper when I tore it open?

But the most pressing question was who. Who was that demonic-looking woman?

My senses sharpened as I sat up.

The infirmary was quiet, save for the soft chirping of birds outside the window. The silver-haired girl, watching over me, offered a comforting smile.

Around me, the curious eyes of the other students still held questions, but for now, they maintained a respectful silence, allowing me to gather my bearings.

The past events seemed like a hazy dream, yet the reality of my fall and the school setting was undeniable.

A few minutes had passed since my unexpected entrance into the school. Now, outside the infirmary, I stood at the entrance to my new class. I asked how I got enrolled so quickly or why they dismissed me just as quickly.

Students bustled about; some sneaked curious glances my way, some whispering among themselves.

The weight of the day's events hung heavily on me, but the immediate concerns were clear—how was Yukio going to destroy my relationships in this world?

Taking a deep breath, I was about to enter my class when someone bumped into me, dropping a book onto the ground.

"Sorry! Uhm, are you that exchange student? Y-Yumiko? If I'm correct." An attractive, tall, red-haired boy asked me. He seemed to be captivated by my appearance.

"Yes, I am. What do you want?"

"What's your home country?" He asked.

I stared in confusion. "Home country? Do you mean hell? Wait, that's not my home, actually. My home is currently being taken over by my brother."

"Uh... England. But I can perfectly speak Japanese." I lied again. 

"Wow, really? That's cool!" He genuinely looked surprised, "Is this your class?"

"Yes, I'll be going now," I responded stoically before opening the door to the class. I probably confused him.

"I didn't even introduce myself..." I could faintly hear him utter in a distraught tone.

He was also following me; I guessed we were in the same class.

All of the girl's stares were at the red-haired boy, and most of the boys' stares were at me.

Both the girls and boys were furiously blushing.

One particular girl, however, had her gaze directly on me, and she didn't look happy.

She had apricot-coloured hair, and everything about her screamed 'gal'. 

I didn't like where this was going.

"Everybody. This is Yumiko, an exchange student from England."

"Eh? What? How did he—"

It was just like that time with Beatrice and Lilith, when I somehow guessed their names right. And the lava pool.

I said I was from England not even ten seconds ago. Was he listening? Or did Yukio plan this?

"England?!" They said in surprise.

"Can she speak English for us?" A brown-haired girl asked.

Shit. I had no idea how to speak English. And if this really was a rom-com, then I didn't think this misunderstanding would go away anytime soon.

"I, uh, can't right now." I said, thinking that would get me out of this situation.

"You don't have to if you don't want to." The red-haired boy said, surprising everyone.

Why? Because he was touching my shoulder. From this piece of information, I think he had a tendency to not touch girls.

I could feel the cold glares from all the girls, but did I care? Not really.

I was more interested in how to inflict the most pain on people.

"Thank you." I responded. My twisted mind already plotting something.

I noticed he was blushing slightly as well.

"Ahem." The teacher tapped the desk while frowning. And we both made our way to our desks.

And as predictable as it was. I sat next to the gal. 

"What's your name?" I asked, but she didn't respond.

"Psst, her name's Miyu. She's the most popular girl in school." I turned to my left. It was Hana. So I was sitting next to a nice, petite girl and a troublesome gal.

"Thanks." I replied with a hollow smile.

I could feel Miyu staring at me. She seemed envious. Maybe it was because she thought I was trying to steal her crush.

As class progressed, we were tasked with a group project.

Predictably, Miyu and I ended up in the same group. As we discussed, Miyu handed me a piece of chalk to write our ideas on the board.

As I began writing, the chalk crumbled, smearing white dust all over my hands and uniform. Giggles erupted from the class.

"Oops, my mistake." Miyu smirked. But before I could react, Daisuke handed me his handkerchief, looking concerned. 

"Are you alright, Yumiko?"

Miyu's plan had clearly backfired, only drawing more sympathy towards me.

---

Class ended, and it was awkward sitting next to a gal whose hobby was checking out women better.

I walked out of class into the active hallways.

"Hey! Wait up!" The boys and girls in my class ran up to me like a flock of chickens.

"Could you say something in English?" One student begged, and others nodded in agreement.

I had no way out of this. So I just said the only English word I knew in the most broken way ever: "Hello."

Everyone praised me, surprisingly. They called me amazing. 

I felt like I was going to become very popular very quickly.

I noticed the red boy standing behind the crowd. And I noticed Miyu behind me on her phone.

A smug grin formed on my face as I slowly walked over to the red-haired boy.

"Hey, uhm. I never got your name." I reminded him.

"Oh, thank goodness, I can finally introduce myself now." He seemed happy.

"My name is Daisuke."

I could hear whispering. They were probably spreading rumours about us. I might not have needed to do anything else to make her jealous.

Oh, and she was staring at us. She seemed furious.

"Why did I suddenly want to make her feel jealous?" I realised, looking up at the ceiling above.

"Well, there was no use dwelling on that. Pain is pain at the end of the day."

"Can we go somewhere else?" I requested. 

"Of course." He replied with a big smile. He seemed kind of average other than the fact that he was attractive; maybe he was good at sports.

But what did I know? My hobbies were inflicting pain on others and inflicting pain on myself.

"You didn't think twice about answering when I asked to go somewhere else. Why is that?" I asked while walking through the busy halls, feeling icy gazes from all the girls.

"Well, I'm always in a group of mostly girls or with Miyu. So being with a person other than Miyu was something I longed for." He admitted.

"Why are you so popular?" I asked, curious to understand the reason behind the icy gazes.

"Ah, well... I'm the student council president; I'm supposedly gifted at sports; I'm a genius, and I'm kind... Ah! Sorry if I came off as narcissistic!" He bowed repeatedly. I didn't know if I was supposed to chuckle at this or not.

But I felt someone staring at me. Without turning around, I peeked back. I expected it to be Miyu, but it was the ginger-haired boy.

He was staring intently, like he was observing me. He didn't seem to notice he'd been caught.

"Are... you okay?" Daisuke asked me, tilting his head.

"I'm... fine." I responded, deciding not to dwell on it much.

I decided to let Daisuke be. Taking a peek back, there were girls surrounding him—a lot of them.

I entered a vacant classroom and noticed Miyu and four other girls.

Something was definitely going to happen.

I decided to listen in on their conversation. I slipped the phone I got for enrolling in

this school out and activated its recording feature.

Hidden under the cover of my bag, it would capture every word and every incriminating phrase.

After their conversation ended, I stopped recording and entered the classroom.

Without a second thought, Miyu approached me with an angry expression.

"You think you can just waltz into this school and take everything? My position, my Daisuke?" She glared at me, her eyes filled with pure malice.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I responded calmly, trying to brush past her. But she shoved me against the lockers.

"You might have everyone else fooled, but not me. I know what you're up to." Her voice was icy.

An idea formed in Miyu's mind. "How about this? Let's settle this with the singing competition tomorrow during the festival. Daisuke is the judge. Let's see if your voice is as enchanting as your lies."

I frowned, "What's the point of that?"

"Winner takes all," she whispered menacingly. "You win; I'll leave you alone. I win; you leave the school."

"I have nowhere to go other than this school..."

Before I could give an answer, the challenge was set.

---

The next day was met with activity; the singing competition was the highlight of the festival.

Students practised in every corner, preparing to showcase their talent.

And then there was me, who couldn't hit a note if my life depended on it.

"How did I get into this?" I groaned at Hana, who had graciously offered to help me.

"Everyone's excited, though! The queen bee versus the new girl? It's like a movie!" She chirped a bit too enthusiastically.

The silver-haired girl stood beside her, trying to calm her down.

We headed to the auditorium, where the competition would take place. The room buzzed with excitement. Miyu, surrounded by her entourage, gave me a confident smirk.

Daisuke was already seated at the judge's table.

Hana leaned over, "Remember, just have fun. And try not to break any glass."

"Thanks for the compliment." I rolled my eyes.

Before I could say anything else, the lights dimmed, and the competition began.

One by one, students took the stage, pouring their hearts out.

Finally, it was Miyu's turn. With a voice like honey, she mesmerised everyone. I could hear whispers, wondering if there was even a point for me to go after her.

When she finished, she bowed gracefully and shot me a challenging look.

I walked on stage, and the crowd fell silent.

As I cleared my throat, whispers erupted from the audience. Everyone was waiting, expecting the unexpected. I swallowed hard, preparing myself for whatever would come next.

I looked at the lyrics displayed on the screen. To my surprise, it was a popular British song.

If I could fake an accent, maybe—just maybe—I could pull this off.

Taking a deep breath, I started singing. And, as anticipated, it was a disaster.

My voice cracked, I missed the rhythm, and the high notes were... well, let's say a bunch of cats fighting would've sounded better.

As I finished my own comically dreadful performance, I could see a mix of amusement, pity, and confusion on the faces in the audience.

"Hey, at least she's brave!" one student remarked.

Daisuke approached with an encouraging smile. "Well, that was... unexpected. But it takes courage to stand up there. Well done."

I shrugged, trying to shake off my embarrassment.

Miyu's face was a mixture of smug satisfaction and anticipatory triumph. Her eyes sparkled with a hint of malice as she took a step closer, her voice dripping with faux sweetness.

"Well, Yumiko, we had a deal. Time to pack your bags."

"A deal? I don't remember agreeing to anything," I retorted, challenging Miyu.

Miyu smirked. "We had a deal, remember? You lose, you leave."

I stared at her for a second before bursting out in laughter.

"What's so funny?" She asked, trying to sound confident.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the audacity of her challenge and the sheer presumptuousness of it all. It was almost amusing. Almost.

"Did you actually think I'd leave the school?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow. 

W-What...?" Miyu scoffed, clearly agitated, "You lost! Why can't you just admit it and leave?"

I smirked, "If you think a little singing competition is enough to drive me away, then you really don't know who you are dealing with. Besides... The winner was never announced."

One of the students spoke up, "Isn't the school council supposed to decide on transfers or expulsions? And besides, she's only been here a day. Give her a break."

Daisuke nodded in agreement, "I don't think anyone should leave the school over this. Let's just let bygones be bygones."

Miyu looked visibly frustrated, her fingers clenching into fists.

Her face contorted, frustration evident. Her gaze bore into me, "Fine. But don't think this is over, Yumiko. You've made an enemy today."

I met her gaze unflinchingly, a sardonic smile playing on my lips. The weight of our shared animosity filled the room.

"And that enemy is easy to deal with…” I mused, my fingertips stroking the phone in my pocket as a reminder of the evidence I held.