Chapter One - The Rival
I hated mornings. Not because of the alarm or the groggy feel, but because every morning reminded me of what I didn’t have. Breakfast at home was cold leftovers, my father shouting, my mother long gone, and my siblings acting like I was invisible. I shoved my bag over my shoulder, muttering a silent curse, and stepped out into the biting air of the city streets.
School was supposed to be my escape. My ticket out. Every scholarship I worked for, every extra hour I spent studying, was a brick in the wall I was building between me and my miserable home. Yet no matter how hard I pushed, Leo was always there, a constant shadow I couldn’t shake.
Leo.
Even saying his name made my teeth grind. He didn’t just float through life; he glided, polished and untouchable, a spoiled heir with a smirk that could make the world bend around him. Every exam, every quiz, every assignment—it didn’t matter how many hours I spent, he always edged me out by the slimmest margin. A margin that burned.
“Yuki, you’re late again,” came the sharp voice of one of my friends, Kenta. Loyal, dependable Kenta. Always there to pick up the pieces I couldn’t hold myself. He didn’t ask, didn’t complain. Just helped.
I nodded, not bothering to reply. We walked into class, and the room buzzed with whispers. Some students were too polite to glare openly at Leo, but most couldn’t hide their awe. He arrived just as the bell rang, perfectly timed, his hair shining under the morning sun, a grin curving over his lips like he owned the day.
The Watcher would note: Leo entered, commanding every gaze, completely unaware of the fury he ignited in those like Yuki—those who fought for survival rather than comfort.
I clenched my fists, trying to make my hatred small enough to fit inside me. It was easier than admitting that sometimes, I caught myself looking at him… studying the way his fingers tapped absent-mindedly on his desk, the careless flick of his hair, the arrogance that somehow made the world revolve around him.
And then there was Hiro. Always in the background. Calm, almost unnervingly still, yet aware of everything. I didn’t know why he lingered around me so much, always watching, always close enough to care but far enough to remain unseen. I had no time for him. My life didn’t have room for distractions.
The bell rang, and the day began. Lessons came and went, and whispers of Leo’s latest triumph—another perfect score—echoed around the classroom. My stomach churned, anger twisting into determination. I’d rise above him. I’d get to the university, scholarship or not. He wouldn’t win—not this time.
And yet… I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was always watching me, even when I thought I was alone.
