Dong, dong, dong, dong.

The sound of the clocktower striking a new hour echos throughout the dark, empty streets. The only one out there to hear it is a teenage boy. He looks up at the clock, noting that it is now two in the morning. For most, this is a time where things get dangerous, and other humans are the least worrisome. Not everyone can see them: the strange beings lurking around. They're there during the day too, but the most mischievous ones come out to play tricks under the cover of the night. They have many names, but they're all a sort of spirit. The boy doesn't fear them though. He's been seeing them for as long as he can remember, and they're quite easy to deal with in his opinion. They don't like to pick on Seers, humans who have the ability to see them, like the boy.

A silhouette moves in the corner of his eye, catching his attention.

There is someone out here...? He wondered.

He looks at the person closely and realizes it is a girl, mostly likely around his own age. Her flowing silver hair hung loosely, reaching to her waist. The pure white kimono with black lining she wears almost seems to blend in to her ghostly pale skin.

Silver hair... Is she a spirit? I can't tell what type though.

Perhaps sensing his presence, she turns slowly to look at him. A pair of striking imperial purple eyes met the boy's dark ones. He finds himself suddenly frozen in place and his thoughts become incoherent. In just a matter of seconds, which felt like years to the boy, she turns away from him and disappears as a white streak in the opposite direction. The boy blinks as he slowly regains himself.

What.... was that...?

~~~

Tweet, tweet... Tweet, tweet.

The birds' annoying chirps force me into consciousness. A brief wish flashes through me. I wish I could throw something at them to make them shut up, but I know that would do absolutely nothing except exert unnecessary energy. I open my eyes, only to be blinded almost instantly from a small space in between my blackout curtains. Now I had sunlight in my face and birds making noise outside my window. My annoyance increases. I adjust my curtains to block all light again then slowly pull myself out of bed. Sunlight means morning, which means school is to begin soon if it's a weekday. I flash my eyes at my clock. It reads, "Mon, 6:45am." It was nice to hope for a moment there.

I sigh and head over to put on my high school first-year's uniform. The uniform was such a pain to put on sometimes. It consisted of a white button-up and knee socks and a black long coat, tie, and mary-janes. The skirt was black and white plaid, which I actually kind of liked. The school emblem displays proudly on the left side of my long coat.

Yin-Yang Academy — a private boarding school created only for specially selected elites as the mortals outside call us. Well, in the eyes of mortals, we were sort of specially selected, as born "freaks" that is. We are some sort of elite too compared to their version of normal. The majority of people in this world don't know the whole truth, and we would rather them not know either. It is not safe. Therefore, we assume the reputation of genius and talent-gifted students in a prestigious private academy. In those fields though, we are mostly pretty average.
I carelessly brush through my midnight black hair before walking across campus to the Dining Hall, already crowded with loud people. I sit down in my usual spot at a table in the corner of the room with my friends.

"Good morning, Miyamoto," says Ryuzaki Leo.

I look to meet his practically glowing green eyes. He is sitting straight across the table from me. I take in how neatly combed his light brown hair is and wonder how he manages to do that every morning. At the sound of a quiet groan, my eyes drifted to the floor near the wall behind him. A sizable though not gigantic dragon is sleeping there. Leo has a habit of taking his dragon partner, Ryujin, everywhere with him. It sometimes causes problems, but he insists on having it with him always. The teachers have long since given up on stopping him, but it has to rest quietly in the back when it's brought to class.

"Morning, Yuki!" greets the cheerful voice of the small girly-girl, Sakuraki Momoko.

Momoko is only about four foot eight inches feet tall and has quite the baby-face. It's no wonder that people often think she is only an elementary school student despite being older than I am. Her personality and the way she dresses doesn't make her look any older either though. She is always wearing a pink cat-ears hoodie or hat. She can't wear the hoodie with her uniform, so the hat is her substitute.

She pushes back her short, light blonde hair so that she could see me easier. I admired her round eyes and pink irises. They were something to be jealous of. Momo is cute. It is lucky that she takes no notice to most people, especially boys. If she did, she may get bullied by some of these jealous moronic girls.

"Morning Leo, Momo," I mumble, sounding a bit more tired and lazy than I meant to.

"Oh... Still sleepy?" Leo asks with a smirk.

"I'm not a morning person. You know this."

"Maybe Yuki would wake up easier if she didn't howl at the moon all night," Momo jokes.

"Not my fault. I can't really sleep well at night... And I don't howl!"

Leo and Momoko laugh.

"Hey, hey! Wha'so funny?" a voice speaks up from behind me.

The voice belonged to Mizu Ren; a carefree boy who hates formalities, often referring to people by nicknames.

"We were just discussing Miyamoto's bad sleeping habits," answers Leo, still smiling.

"Heh... Yuki didn't sleep well? How strange!" Ren says, jokingly.

"Shut up, Mizu Ren."

"Hey, hey... How much longer ya gonna keep callin' me by ma full name? Call me 'Sir Ren,' like a knight! Sounds cooler that way."

"No way."

We have had a similar conversation several times before. I called him by both his given name and surname when we met and now it's natural to me. I have considered dropping his surname and just calling him, "Ren." I just can't bring myself to do it. Despite his childish antics and carefree speech, I can't simply call him solely by his first name. I guess I still carry a deep appreciation for him from all those years ago...

"Yer so cold!" He cries, teasingly.

He pushes a breakfast tray in front of me anyway though before sitting down next to Momo. In the mornings, I often forget to get a tray, so he's always gotten one for me. It doesn't bother me too much if I don't eat for awhile, but it seems to oddly bother him. Surprisingly, despite the troublemaker he is, he never does anything to it, and it's always something I really like. Today, it's the breakfast classic: toast with jelly, bacon, and eggs.

I pick up the toast and nibble on it as I watch the three of them chat and laugh. It seems Ren is telling a story about his weird dreams again.

It's so early, yet he has so much energy... He mimicks a child...

His large blue eyes are bright and happy like usual; his blonde hair sticks up in all directions.

His appearance resembles a child as well...

"Ah..." Leo's voice suddenly interrupts, drawing my attention. "I hear there's going to be a new student arriving today. They'll be a first-year in the high school division, like you Ren, Miyamoto," he continues.

"Seriously?" Ren asks, excitedly, "Hope it's another dude! I want a guy friend to hang with!"

"And what am I to you?" asks Leo with a smile.

"I don't count ya as a real guy, 'course!" Ren says.

Leo keeps smiling, then there's a thud and Ren falls to the floor. I don't know if the others caught it, but Leo had hit Ren at an almost frightening speed before returning to his meal.

"I meant... that ya don't follow normal guy behaviors... that's all..." Ren says meekly from the floor.

Leo seems to pretend he didn't hear that, and takes a sip of tea.

"I hope it's a guy as well. I need a better male friend," he then says coolly.

"Wha?!" Ren exclaims, jumping up, "Oi! Yer not thinkin' 'bout replacin' me, are ya?!"

Leo-kun stays quiet, clearing giving him the silent treatment.

"Nah... There's no way that can happen, right? After all, ya depend on me a lot. Ya need me. I'm yer aid: yer right hand man: yer knight. Without me, yer like a damsel in distr-"

Leo kicks Ren's leg and he returns to the floor in pain. I stare at him sitting on the floor and holding his knee, while everyone finishes eating and starts to leave.

Just how much of an idiot are you...

"Oi! Wait fer me, will ya!" shouts Ren, using the table to stand up.

The desks in class seated two, and there were four of them spaced out per row. Momoko and Leo took their seats near the front, like usual. I walk past them and sit at the back near the window. It was my favorite spot. I sat in this location of the room in every class, every year. I never have any intention of moving.
Ren walks into class a few minutes later and scans the seating arrangements. He usually picked his seat on a daily whim, and, today, he chose a seat in the row in front of me. He never sits very far, yet he's also never sat directly next to me either.

"Everyone, you'll be having a new student joining you all today," announces their teacher.

I continue staring vacantly out the window, pondering whether or not I should even bother looking.

"Hello..." greets a soft boy's voice.

The quietness of the voice is unusual to me. Most people are always so loud. Before I even realize it, I'm slowly turning to look at the new student.

The one standing there at the front of class brings an unpleasant feeling. I focus on his face and soon find his eyes boring into mine.

This guy....