August Blacc's life had been a blur of uncertainty. For as long as he could remember, he had called the orphanage home, with no memories or clues about his real parents. His existence had been a series of temporary placements, bouncing from one foster home to another. But on his fifteenth birthday, August decided he'd had enough. Under the cover of night, he left the orphanage, determined to forge his own path.

Six months had passed since his departure, and August had been working at a local grocery store. However, he felt an insatiable hunger for knowledge and a desire for a better education. August approached his boss with a request: he wanted to switch to a part-time shift so he could enroll in high school. His boss agreed, and the following week, August began his new part-time schedule.

With his newfound free time, August dedicated himself to studying. The school he hoped to attend had entrance exams scheduled for the next month, and he was determined to pass. August poured over his books, driven by a fierce determination to create a better life for himself

August had been attending in-person and online classes, preparing himself for the entrance exams of a school notorious for its challenging admissions process. Although it wasn't a private institution, its entrance exams were rumored to be fiercely competitive.

The day of the exams finally arrived, and August felt fairly prepared – or so he thought. He walked to the school, which was conveniently located near his place. Upon arrival, a staff member at the entrance directed him to the examination hall.

As August entered the hall, he was struck by its enormity. The room was filled with rows of seats and desks, yet only ten students were present. A few minutes passed before a man entered the hall, explained the exam format, and distributed answer sheets to the students.

"Only five of you will pass this year," the man announced bluntly. "The rest who don't rank among those five can try again next year." With that, he departed, leaving the students to their fate.

A massive screen at the front of the hall displayed the exam questions, signaling the start of the test. August focused on the screen, his mind racing as he tackled each question.

Halfway through the exams...

August glanced around the room, noticing some students were sweating bullets while others seemed calm and laid-back, as if they didn't have a care in the world. August thought to himself, "Why am I stressing so much? There are other schools, and I can always try again next year."

With this newfound perspective, August relaxed and completed the exams with a calm state of mind and an unusually good mood. When the exams concluded, the students were instructed to return home and come back the next day. Their scores and rankings, which would determine who passed, would be posted by the school's entrance.

The students dispersed, and August headed straight to work without noticing anyone around him. The next day, at 9 am sharp, August arrived at the school's entrance. He spotted a pair of students standing in front of a pillar and walked over to join them. Standing behind the pair, August gazed up at the paper posted on the wall, which read:

THE PASSING LIST

THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE PASSED THIS YEAR'S FINAL TRANSFER ENTRANCE EXAMS ARE THE FOLLOWING FIVE:

1. Yee Realm

2. Eden Topia

3. Gethsemane Topia

4. August Blacc

5. Maji Prince

CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE TOP FIVE STUDENTS WHO SCORED THE HIGHEST IN THE EXAMS. TO ALL OTHER STUDENTS, WE WISH YOU THE BEST.

As August finished reading the notice, he realized that the boy and girl he had been standing behind were staring at him. The girl's gaze was particularly intense, her eyes locked directly onto his. The boy stepped forward, positioning himself in front of his sister, and broke the silence.

"I'm sorry about that," the boy apologized. "My sister tends to stare at people a lot."

August glanced at the siblings, noticing their striking resemblance. "Must be those twins with the same last name," he thought to himself.

They didn't just share the same last name; Eden and Gethsemane bore a striking resemblance to each other. Their features were chiseled, and their presence was mesmerizing. August, a good-looking young man with brown hair and eyes, and a height slightly above average, felt almost ordinary in comparison. The twins' looks and physique could have sparked a war, but August kept those thoughts to himself.

"Oh," August finally managed to say, breaking the silence. "There's no problem; I was also looking back at her." His expressionless face and emotionless tone left the twins momentarily silent.

"I'm Eden Topia, and this is my twin sister, Gethsemane," the boy said, finally breaking the silence. August's response had been unsettling, but Eden's smile was warm and genuine.

"Oh, I see, you guys are twins, then," August replied, his tone still neutral.

Eden nodded, and August continued, "Well, I'm August, August Blacc." For some reason, Gethsemane's face lit up with a captivating smile, making August feel uncomfortable.

A girl in the school's uniform emerged from the building. "Students who passed the Transfer Exams, please report to the principal's office for orientation," she announced.

August, Eden, and Gethsemane made their way to the principal's office. Upon arrival, they found the door already open, so they walked in. Inside, they found two other students: a girl with striking blue hair and big blue eyes, who August thought was cute, and a boy with vibrant red hair and deep brown eyes, who August considered a good-looking fellow.

Just then, a towering figure entered the room. The man, who introduced himself as Ginn Levioux, the principal of the academy, stood at least 6'8" with a muscular build that was only partially concealed by his suit. His imposing presence made the students feel more intimidated than welcome.

"Welcome, new students, to our academy," Principal Levioux began. "I must inform you that we have a separate class for transfer students. The class is designed to help you catch up with our curriculum and adjust to our unique academic environment."

Principal Levioux paused, surveying the students before continuing. "Your class will be taught by Miss Tinah, who will guide you through the program. I expect you all to work diligently and adapt quickly to our academy's standards."

The academy started with twenty students in the first year and added five new students at the beginning of every school year. This resulted in a graduating class of thirty to thirty-five students, depending on the circumstances. Principal Levioux handed each of them their uniforms and informed them that classes would commence the following day. With that, the students went their separate ways.

August returned to work immediately, pondering how he had managed to pass the exams despite not taking them as seriously as he should have. "Must have been dumb luck," he muttered to himself as he entered the store where he worked.

Meanwhile, Eden and Gethsemane walked home in silence, an unusual occurrence since Gethsemane was normally quite talkative when alone with her brother. Eden broke the silence with a question. "Why were you trying to charm him?" he asked.

Gethsemane's expression turned innocent. "I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about." Eden let out a heavy sigh and said, "Alright then, keep lying. See where it gets you." He quickened his pace, leaving Gethsemane standing alone, watching him.

"I didn't charm him," Gethsemane called out, her voice slightly raised. Eden stopped and turned to face her. For a moment, it seemed as though she might cry. Then, Eden walked back to her.

"Or rather, I couldn't charm him," Gethsemane admitted, looking up at her brother. "It was as though there was no light in his eyes, and I couldn't get through."

Gethsemane's expression transformed completely upon hearing her brother's soft words of understanding. Her face lit up with a radiant grin, and she seemed happier than ever.

"August Blacc, you must be quite the interesting fellow," Eden thought to himself as he and his sister resumed their walk home.