The next morning, Haru walked through the school halls with a new sense of caution. After yesterday's confrontation, he couldn't ignore the patterns anymore. Every group, every whisper, every glance seemed calculated. The school wasn't just a place for classes—it was a battlefield of social power, and he had just entered the front lines.
During first period, Mina found him sitting alone. She leaned close and whispered, "You see that?" She nodded subtly toward a table in the back corner. Three students sat together, their posture perfect, their expressions unreadable. "They're the real top dogs here. Everything Riku does is beneath them—they're the ones who pull the strings."
Haru stared. "So… yesterday, Riku was just testing me?"
Mina smirked. "Exactly. That was a warning, not an attack. The moment you make a mistake in front of them, they'll notice. And trust me… that's when the real trouble begins."
Haru swallowed hard. He had thought surviving high school meant avoiding embarrassment and fighting bullies. Now, he understood that there was a system, and he had no idea how to navigate it.
During lunch, he tested his new body again. As Haru Kim—handsome, confident—he moved to the cafeteria and felt the change immediately. Conversations quieted slightly when he walked by. A few students stared openly, some whispered to each other, and even teachers seemed to take notice. His presence was commanding—but he felt exposed. Every glance was a judgment, every smile a calculation.
He sat near Mina, who watched him carefully. "Don't just flash confidence," she warned. "You're drawing attention, but that attention is dangerous. People will test you. You have to know when to push and when to stay quiet."
Haru nodded, but his mind raced. He realized he couldn't rely solely on his new body. His original self—the timid, overlooked Haru—was still part of him, and he had to learn when to be invisible and when to be seen. He had to master both sides of himself, or risk being crushed between them.
The afternoon classes only reinforced his new understanding. The students around him subtly shifted based on who spoke, who laughed, and who didn't. Even the popular ones had to watch their backs. Social power wasn't just about looks—it was strategy, influence, and timing.
By the end of the day, Haru had made a small breakthrough. He observed, he tested reactions, he learned tiny secrets about the hierarchy: who feared whom, who controlled rumors, who could sway teachers. Mina had taught him the first lesson in survival: understanding the battlefield was more important than brute strength.
Walking home, Haru thought about his two selves. One gave him confidence, attention, and the ability to push back against bullies. The other reminded him of humility, caution, and patience. Both were tools, but he didn't yet know how to combine them effectively.
He clenched his fists, staring at the school grounds in the distance. "This is bigger than I thought," he whispered. "And I can't afford to make mistakes."
For the first time, he understood: high school wasn't just classes, homework, and exams. It was a game of appearances, influence, and survival—and he was only at the beginning.