What nonsense!

I let out a sigh as I closed the book in my hands. I felt lost. Confused. I had just finished reading Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

"Everything alright?" Anthony's voice broke through my thoughts. He looked concerned.

"I don't get it."

"Get what?" he asked.

"Why Romeo and Juliet did what they did..."

Anthony chuckled. "They did it because of love."

"But why? Why would someone choose to end their life over a feeling?"

The thought seemed absurd to me. Ending your life simply because of an emotion was irrational. It made no sense.

Anthony nodded understandingly, his gaze returning to the road ahead. "Love is a complex thing. It can drive people to do irrational and sometimes destructive things."

I found his response perplexing, despite its apparent simplicity.

"Did you at least like the story?" Anthony asked.

I shrugged. "It wasn't bad."

I liked reading Shakespeare. I found he was very adept at describing human nature. Unfortunately, no matter how many stories I read, I still couldn't fully grasp why humans were the way they were.

Ordinary humans, with their intricate emotions, were a puzzle I struggled to comprehend. Despite my efforts to understand them through various means, their motivations often eluded me. Trying to understand human behavior was the farthest thing from logical. I liked logic. When something was logical, it was easy to understand. Simple to trace.

Science, Math, and Magic, I knew it all. These topics came naturally to me. But when it came to subjects like human nature, I hit a roadblock.

If I had to guess why I couldn't wrap my mind around these topics, it was probably because I didn't understand what emotions were. As far as I could recall, I had never truly experienced happiness, sadness, or anger. The most I'd ever felt was a fleeting sense of mild irritation—hardly enough to qualify as a true emotion.

Turning my gaze back to the road, I watched as the scenery blurred past us, the steady hum of the engine filling the silence between us. The car cruised along at a steady pace, the rhythmic thud of the tires against the pavement lulling me into a sense of calm.

"Shouldn't we be arriving soon?" I asked, breaking the quiet.

Anthony glanced at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well... We're about five minutes away."

"If you had driven faster, we would have arrived by now."

"Oh, come on... You could at least try to hide how badly you want me gone," Anthony teased.

I rolled my eyes. "This has nothing to do with you."

"You sure about that?"

"I am."

"I have to say," Anthony said as he glanced back at the road. "I don't think I've ever seen you this excited?"

Excited? The word felt foreign to me. It was a concept I struggled to grasp. But despite my uncertainty, there was a flicker of anticipation stirring within me.

"Yeah," I replied, my voice tinged with uncertainty. "I guess I'm ready for a change."

Anthony nodded, understanding glinting in his eyes. "I know it's a big step... Are you sure you want to go through with this? It's never too late to change your mind."

I hesitated for a moment, the weight of his question pressing down on me. But deep down, I knew the answer.

This was it—the beginning of a new chapter. A chance to start fresh.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Well then, I think you'll do great. Just be open-minded, and everything else will fall into place."

Anthony reached over and squeezed my shoulder. It wasn't the first time he'd done something like this. I was still on the fence whether it bothered me or not.

Although he and I had been acquainted for only a year and a half, we'd become quite close. Our bond likely stemmed from the intertwined nature of our destinies. He relied on me, and I relied on him. Without each other, it wouldn't take long for them to find us.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived," Anthony announced as the car began to slow down. He was being as dramatic as usual.

I rolled down the window to get a better look at the campus.

Towering oak trees lined the winding driveway, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. Even from this distance, I had a clear view of the school's main building. It was a massive stone structure that resembled a castle. However, it was nothing compared to the imposing white tower that loomed behind it. With twenty-five floors, it seemed incredibly large compared to the other buildings. My best guess was that it served as the dormitory.

Two security guards approached our car the second we pulled up to the front gate. Anthony handed over our IDs, which were promptly inspected before we were granted access to the campus.

The security guards seemed well-trained. They were probably ex-military. Given that the parents of the students here were some of the most powerful people in the world, it made sense for the school to invest heavily in security. In fact, the high level of security was one of the key reasons I had chosen to enroll in the first place.

As we pulled up to the main building, my gaze quickly fell on the lively scene around us. The parking lot was packed with cars and people. Especially parents, who were bidding farewell to their children. A typical sight for the first day of school.

Anthony parked the car in an empty spot near the edge of the parking lot, the engine purring softly as he turned off the ignition.

"This is it," Anthony said, his voice tinged with a hint of apprehension. Even though he was trying his best to appear confident, I could sense he was nervous.

"Yeah, I guess it is," I said, exiting the car. "Think you'll survive without me?"

"Pfft... I'll be fine. It's not like I'm being chased by a bunch of mercenaries."

Anthony was right. The two of us were safe. At least, for now.

Slightly over a year had gone by since we faked our deaths. And still, there were no signs of anyone tracking us. It seemed our plan had worked.

"Have you memorized everything you need to know about your new identity?" Anthony asked.

"Yes, I have."

It'd been just over a year since Anthony created my new identity. While it wasn't the ideal identity I had in mind, I had learned to make the best of it.

"Good," Anthony said, a hint of relief in his voice. "Remember, you're James Lee now. An orphan who was raised by his rich uncle... Keep that story straight, and you'll be fine."

"Yeah, I know."

A few meters away, I noticed a woman hastily wiping away her tears. Her eyes were locked on a blonde-haired boy walking toward the school entrance. He was carrying a backpack and two duffel bags. He was probably her son.

As I watched the scene unfold, I couldn't help but ponder what it would be like to yearn for someone's presence. The mother's tears were undoubtedly a manifestation of her separation from her son. She was going to miss him dearly.

"She looks like she needs a hug."

Glancing over at Anthony, I saw that he was looking at the woman as well. However, his expression lacked the same curiosity that mine held. If anything, it was troubling.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't even think about it."

"What are you talking about?"

He knew exactly what I was talking about. Feigning ignorance wasn't going to work on me.

"If I find out you're interfering with anyone involved with this school, I'm going to break your arms."

"Wait, what?! That's not fair!"

"Life's not fair," I replied.

Anthony shot me a brief glare before relenting. He backed off when he realized I was being serious.

"Fine," he sighed. "I'll behave... But I have a condition."

"What condition?"

"I want you to try your best to live like a regular teenager. Even though it might be hard at first, don't give up."

Most of the time, Anthony acted like an overgrown kid who needed constant supervision. Yet, every so often he'd surprise me with moments of unexpected maturity. It was times like these that left me feeling unsettled—when people I thought I knew acted in ways that were beyond my expectations.

"Very well then. We have a deal."

"Good." Anthony's expression turned serious. "Don't forget not to draw any attention to yourself. It's important to blend in, especially given... well, everything."

"The same goes for you. You need to lay low as well."

Anthony chuckled, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Yes... I'm aware..."

He sounded disappointed, clearly not thrilled about the idea of living a low-profile life. Fortunately, I knew he valued his life too much to risk getting killed.

"Where will you be staying?"

Anthony hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'll be renting a cottage, a couple hours north from here. I'll be laying low there for a while."

"Let me know if anything happens."

"Yeah, I will."

With one final nod of acknowledgment, we said our farewells, each of us heading in opposite directions—him to the quiet solitude of the countryside, and me into the bustling halls of Crestwood Academy.