Being a school for weirdos and magic and all, you would think that getting to Ciht would involve broomsticks or dragons. No, you just give the cab driver 20$ and he'll take you straight through the gates.
"Uh, Mr Zawa? Isn't all this too quick? What about my clothes? School fees? Books?"
Zawa fished his cigarette and looked out the window.
"Think of it as a... long-term investment kid. The school gives you what you need to learn and when you grow up, you give the school what it needs."
"That can't be profitable."
"Think of it what you want, I don't really care." He puffed out a ball of smoke.
"Do we get to keep our phones?"
"Only allowed to use em' during breaks of after school."
Mun nodded, he had promised to call his mother as soon as possible. Speaking of his parents...
...
"Hun? Call Mun down for dinner." Mun's dad said as he flipped a page of his newspaper.
Mrs Shie slowly turned around.
"Um... about that..."
...
"We're here."
Mun opened the door and got out of the cab. He could see people and hear their chatter on the rooftop of Ciht. Ciht looked like 3 modernized apartment buildings connected together by walkways.
"Looks very... normal."
Zawa flicked away his cigarette butt.
"Looks are deceiving, kid-"
"Mr Zawa. Pick that cigarette butt and throw it away properly." a voice rang out behind them.
Zawa sighed. "Here's an example."
Mun turned around.
"This is your Head of Student Welfare, Ali." Zawa bent down to pick up the cigarette butt. "Ali, Mun." He waved the cigarette to Mun. "Mun, Ali."
"Ali will guide you for today, then you're on your own kid." Zawa started walking away. "Make sure you don't cause unnecessary trouble." He called out.
Ali looked like a human. She had jet-black hair in a bob cut and thick round glasses. You could spot a few freckles on her round face and she was just a bit taller than Mun. To anyone else, she would just be someone. To Mun, she was his biggest challenge in life yet. Women.
Mun had never attempted to speak to any other woman other than his mom. I mean, why talk to girls when you could stare at plants instead? (at least he touches grass)
"You're Mun Shie, right? We're the same age, nice to meet you, I'm Alie, Alie Neye." She stuck out her hand.
Mun's central processing unit had fried by then. He still had to input the image of Ali into his head.
"Uh...Uh-Uhm."
Alie sighed and grabbed his dangling hand.
"Yes. Very nice to meet you. Come with me."
She turned around and started walking. Mun snapped back to his senses, stared at his hand for a while, and chased after her. They walked into the middle building, into a hall filled with doors on each side and students walking everywhere.
"I shook hands with a girl."
"...Congrats?"
Mun snapped his head towards Alie.
"D...Did I say that out loud?" He quietly asked as he started to turn red.
"Yeah." Alie continued walking.
Mun needed to clear things up. If not, this would haunt him for the rest of his days. He mustered up his pitiful amount of courage and...
"SORRY!" His voice echoed in the hallway. A few heads turned. He had dug an even deeper hole for himself.
"I MEAN- sorry." He muttered. Alie turned around and stared at him.
"Um... I don't talk to people much... I just hang around plants.. and stuff.." Mun scratched his neck.
A second passed. Then two. Then three. A laugh rang out and Mun looked up again.
Alie was chuckling.
"You're an interesting one, I'll give you that. Most students here at Ciht are typically more outgoing and loud-mouthed. I'm sure you had some nice conversations with plants. Come on, I'll bring you to your dorm."
She turned around and started walking. Mun silently followed.
All he could think about was,
"Her laugh was cute."