"Lia Vulcan, hurry up, girl." "Oh Allah,I'm coming. The bus hasn't arrived yet, so be patient, for patience is beautiful." "Since the day I arrived,you've been repeating that sentence of yours and never stop. The bus is almost here, and you're still dawdling… I'm leaving now, lock the door well behind you." With that,I left the dormitory and sat on the waiting benches. I sighed in annoyance; Lia and tardiness were inseparable companions.

"Late again?" I turned toward the soft,gentle voice. No mistaking its owner. "Did the sky and earth collapse for Lia to be ready early?I understand your suffering with her, Aisel. And here we are waiting for the last bus — imagine if it were the first one instead?" Aisel lifted her eyes from her book and smiled faintly.Ah, ah, beauty so pure it stings the eyes, even if concealed beneath a hat and glasses. This beautiful albino girl — I could almost melt. Her eyes, like exquisite rubies, paired perfectly with her pale skin and silver hair. A painting from the Creator to admire every morning. "If we were waiting for the first one,she would’ve simply woken up earlier, finished all her tasks, and put on her clothes at the last moment — exactly like now. Tardiness isn’t her companion;it runs in her blood."

I chuckled softly and turned to see if Lia had come out yet, but she hadn’t. Instead, I saw three people on the other side. It was Nyar and his two dormmates. Something caught my attention, so I turned to Aisel and asked: "Do you have siblings,Aisel?"

Aisel turned to where I was looking earlier. "Ah,that’s my twin brother, Aster. But I must ask, do you have a twin? That red-haired boy looks quite like you from a distance." "And from up close too.We’re two sides of the same coin — but he’s not my twin, just so you know. Our parents are different." "Wait,different parents? How so? I thought you were twins or at least full siblings. Unlike Aisel and Aster, who differ in eye color – Aster’s eyes are like amethyst – you two look identical. If you cut your hair short and straightened it, no one would be able to tell you apart!"

Lia’s voice cut in as she sat down. Was our conversation loud enough for her to jump right in before even sitting? "Nyar and I are like…partial biological siblings. No,wait — is that right? How was it explained to me again?"

Oh, dear! This is complicated. How do I explain it to them? "We’re biologically siblings because the percentage of shared DNA between us is higher than that of half-siblings,but lower than that of full siblings."

Nyar answered calmly as he sat on the seat across from us. Cold-hearted as ever! This was the first time I’d seen him since our arrival a week ago, yet he neither greeted me nor asked how I was doing. "Exactly.That’s how it is. Our fathers are brothers on both sides: my mom and his dad are siblings, and his mom and my dad are quasi-identical twins, with each one resembling the other. The result?A house full of nearly identical human copies."

"You know what, Joyce? I don’t want to even try understanding it. The important thing is that you’re siblings in the end."

"It’s not that hard to understand, Lia. They’re siblings from different parents because one of their parents has DNA almost identical to the other’s parent." Aisel seemed to enjoy this kind of intellectual puzzle.

Minutes passed before the bus arrived. We boarded quietly and sat at the back. "Why is the bus mixed? I’d wondered about this for days."

I asked in confusion, for the bus was divided — the front for males and the back for females. "They used to be separate buses,but they changed that a few years ago. They said having a mixed bus is safer. In exchange, males are forbidden from crossing the middle of the bus, even if that means piling on top of each other in the front." "I don’t understand.Safer? In what way exactly? What a lousy excuse!" "Oh,come on, don’t you know what happened a few years ago? A girls’ bus was attacked, resulting in injuries and deaths. Since then, they changed to mixed buses. Most of the male students are armed because of their study tracks, unlike the girls, who at most carry knives."

"Are we even allowed to have weapons? Why haven’t I been told this until now?" "Umm,obviously your brother has a gun. Haven’t you seen it?"

I glanced at Nyar standing among the students. How had I not noticed this before? He had a holster with a gun strapped to his waist!Why hadn’t he told me? I shot him a mildly angry look. I know,I know — I have no real reason to be mad, but still… ah, he’s infuriating! We’d been looking at each other’s faces for hours on the way to the academy,and he couldn’t grant me even one piece of information? I’m just the fool here— the radio that never shuts up around him, that introverted idiot with his blasted headphones.

---

Ding-dong. Our first week at the academy had come to an end.

I collapsed onto my bed after a long day, but didn’t stay there long. I got up,took a shower, then packed my backpack to head home.

Half an hour after classes ended, Lia knocked on the door. I granted her permission to enter,and she gave me a once-over, eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Joyce Arman,are you that eager to go home? I thought we’d have a girls’ night together."

I was about to answer, but Aisel, sitting behind her, spoke up in my place: "Don’t you see what she’s wearing,Lia?" She tilted her chin toward me, then added, "Can’t you see the black covering her?Clearly, she’s going back for something important, not out of longing for her family."

I appreciate your reasoning, Aisel, but that stings a little. I do miss my family— I’m just used to their constant absences.

I fidgeted a bit before replying, rubbing my neck slightly. "I have to go back for a family funeral."

Their expressions shifted, so I quickly added: "It’s not recent.My uncle — well, I call him uncle to outsiders, not Bayram or grandma son — he passed away two weeks ago, but his body was only brought back yesterday. That’s why the funeral will be held tomorrow, after the body is officially handed over to us."

"Oh my Allah, may He have mercy on him, and Allah is the Most Merciful of the merciful… If you don’t mind me asking… were you from that city?"

Aisel kicked Lia’s foot and commanded sharply: "Hush,Lia! That’s neither polite nor considerate."

"Yes, we were from there. He was the unit’s leader… so he stayed behind with those who stayed. He wanted to face death head-on, not turn his back on it — or so he always said."

Their faces darkened further, but I quickly changed the subject: "What about you two?Won’t you be heading home?"

"I’m not going. How could my heart bear to return to that den of men and leave beautiful Aisel here alone?"

"‘Den of men’? You mean your father and brother, Lia. And besides, I’m used to staying alone since I first joined the academy."

"So what if they are? I’m practically turning into a tomboy because of them! Still,I want to keep you company here."

Aisel was the first of us to join the academy, back in middle school, but she says she hasn’t left since. Strange girl…but I won’t ask why. Her body language told me it’s not a topic she’s willing to discuss.

After an hour of chatter, I shouldered my bag and set off. Leaving the dormitory,I found Nyar waiting for me.

Unlike my formal attire — a black dress with light embellishments at the edges — he was dressed in a black hoodie and black pants. On top of that,he wore a cap and a face mask, looking almost like a masked man.

Oh dear, your red hair stands out unless you hide it properly.

We walked along the main road until my uncle’s car drove by, and then we continued on our way.