Blackstone Academy

"You are a disgrace to our family!" I've been hearing this exact sentence for years. I yawn in boredom but immediately wince as pain flares from the wound near the corner of my lips. Another fight, another lecture. My dear, balding principal complained to my dear, so-called father for the nth time. And now, here I am, getting slapped around like always. "I've had enough of you. You're going to Blackstone Academy. I've already spoken to the principal-your transfer is finalized. Pack your bags. You leave tomorrow morning." Blackstone Academy? Never heard of it. What difference would it make? It's not like I'm suddenly going to change. Still, I decide to push Mr. Ken Kurosawa's buttons. "And if I refuse?" He smirks, his voice sharp and final. "Then you'll never see your mother again." My hands ball into fists. Every muscle in my body tenses, but I force myself to look down. He turns on his heel and leaves without another word. I head to my room, collapsing onto my bed with a sigh. My mother... she's the only person in this world who ever truly cared about me. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever known, not just in looks but in kindness too. The last time she hugged me, she collapsed in my arms. I was eight or nine. She's been in a coma ever since. I visit her every weekend. It's the only time I feel at peace. But no matter how much I think I understand her, the truth is different. She was never happy. She was sick. She was suffering, and I didn't even know. I failed her. And yet, she loved me unconditionally. I don't want to leave. This house is the only place where I feel her presence. But I have no choice. My father is a man of his word. If he says I'll never see her again, he means it. It's fine. Schools, academies-they're all the same. There's not much difference between them. I'll do my thing there too. Maybe, if I cause enough trouble, my father will get fed up again and call me back. The Next Morning came too soon. Before I knew it, I was standing at the gate of our house, waiting. Our butler, Kenji Tanaka, stepped forward, carrying my bags. He set them down before facing me. "I'm sorry, Mr. Eiji. Your father doesn't want to see you off. I'll load the bags, please get in." I clenched my jaw, looking away in frustration. Typical. That old man really has a lot of issues. Without another word, I yanked open the car door, threw myself into the backseat, and slammed it shut. As the car moved, I finally asked the question that had been bothering me all night. "Where is this Blackstone Academy?" The driver's hands tightened slightly on the wheel. "Mr. Eiji, the academy is located in Kuroyama District." "What?! Kuroyama?" My eyebrows furrowed. "Where is that? I've lived here my whole life, and I've never heard of it." Silence. The driver said nothing else. A strange unease settled in my chest. I almost felt like I was being kidnapped. How could a place exist in my own city, yet I had never even heard its name? Where the hell is my father sending me? I turned to the window, trying to memorize the route, but at some point, my eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted off. The car came to an abrupt stop. My body jerked forward, and I woke up instantly, disoriented. "We're here, Mr. Eiji." I rubbed my eyes and stepped out as the driver opened the door for me. My gaze immediately locked onto the massive structure in front of me. The building stood tall, its dark stone exterior towering over the landscape like a fortress. The academy's name was carved into a massive sign at the top, giving off an intimidating presence. It had multiple floors, high walls, and an eerie sense of isolation. I looked around. Nothing but grass, dense trees, and shadows stretching into the distance. The place was surrounded by forest. Is this really inside the city? My head throbbed slightly. What kind of school is this? "Welcome, Mr. Eiji." A smooth voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to see a man standing a few steps away, dressed in a crisp white shirt, black pants, and a matching blazer. His dark brown hair was neatly combed, and his sharp, polished look didn't match my mental image of a principal at all. "I am Osamu Sato, the principal of Blackstone Academy." I blinked. This guy looks way too young to be a principal. I thought they were supposed to be old, balding, and grumpy. But this man? He was smiling. Too much. Why the hell is he smiling so much? I shoved my hands into my pockets and gave him a blank stare. "Eiji Kurosawa." His smile remained fixed in place. "You are our final student for this year. Everyone is waiting to welcome you. Please join us for your welcome party." I let out a short, amused scoff. A welcome party? For one student? For a split second, his smile faltered-just a flicker of something behind his eyes-but it returned just as quickly. Weird. Everything about this place is weird. "Let's see what kind of 'welcome' this party of yours is." I said, my voice laced with sarcasm as the Principal began walking ahead. He didn't even glance back, clearly expecting me to follow. I trailed behind, my eyes scanning the surroundings with sharp curiosity. We approached a tall iron gate where two guards, their faces emotionless, stood like statues. Their uniforms were sharp, almost militaristic, with the Blackstone emblem gleaming on their chests. Without a word, they stepped aside and opened the gates for us. My eyes quickly darted across the crowd, noting the distinct differences in their attire. Every student wore the same navy-blue blazer, but their ties varied in color-red, black, brown, and green. Each section seemed to group together, their colors acting like invisible borders between them. "So, they've got a system here," I muttered under my breath, eyes narrowing slightly. It wasn't hard to guess the ties probably signified something-rank, hierarchy, or maybe just cliques. A group of students near the entrance stopped talking and turned their attention toward me. Their gazes were sharp, predatory. A boy with a red tie smirked, elbowing the guy next to him. I caught the tail end of his whisper: "That's him. Kurosawa." Great. So they already knew who I was. The Principal didn't seem to notice-or care. He strode ahead confidently, his shoes clicking against the stone path as though he owned the place. He probably did, in a way. "Keep up," the Principal said without looking back. I clenched my jaw and followed, ignoring the growing number of eyes tracking my every move. Whatever this "welcome party" was, I had a feeling it wasn't going to be a warm one.