Leo Shen stood in front of the main gate of Qingchen High School, pulling his slightly worn suitcase behind him.
He looked up at the elegant stone sign engraved with the school name. The morning sun cast a soft golden light across the letters, making them gleam like some sacred symbol.
"…They said this was a normal high school?"
From the outside, it looked like a university. The red brick walls were spotless, the iron gate was automated and had a facial recognition system. Inside the campus, he could already see students walking around with tablets, robotic arms in the distance lifting weights, and what looked like a freaking drone soccer match happening on the sports field.
He adjusted his cap and sighed.
This was going to be way more intense than he expected.
Three days ago, he was still in his small hometown, helping his parents pack boxes.
A sudden job transfer had brought them all to this city, and with it, a brand-new life.
New apartment.
New city.
New school.
New everything.
Leo had promised himself one thing when they left:
> Stay low. Don't attract attention. Graduate in peace.
Now, as he stood at the gates of Qingchen High, watching a girl casually summon a mini flame dragon from her bracelet, he was starting to doubt that plan.
---
He checked his phone. The welcome message from the school glowed on the screen:
> [Welcome to Qingchen High School, Student of Class A-7. Your dormitory room is 403. Please arrive before 2:30 PM for the orientation assembly in Building B.]
With that, he tugged his suitcase along and stepped into campus.
It was… big.
Like "get lost in the hallway and cry in a bathroom stall" kind of big.
Seven teaching buildings. Three libraries. A music hall. Art center. Robotics labs. And two entire dormitory towers, one of which had—he swore to God—a student-run coffee shop on the fourth floor.
"Am I in high school or a sci-fi novel?"
It took him ten minutes and two wrong turns before he finally found his dorm.
---
Room 403.
The door opened with a smooth click.
Cold air drifted out from inside—someone had already turned on the A/C.
The room was neat and modern. Four beds, four desks, full-length closets, even a wide windowsill overlooking the school garden. Judging from the luggage and decorations, his three future roommates had already moved in.
But none of them were here now.
Good.
Leo dropped his bag on the floor and sat on the edge of his bed, finally letting out a long breath.
This was it. His new beginning.
No one here knew him.
No one knew he was terrible at sports, slightly introverted, and always got nervous around new people.
He could start fresh.
Maybe even… become someone a little cooler than before.
---
Around noon, he ventured out to explore the campus.
Students walked in small groups, chatting or reviewing notes. A few practiced basketball on the court. One girl sat on the music building steps with a guitar, softly humming a tune. Someone was handing out flyers near the art club with dramatic hand gestures.
The air smelled like coffee and sunlight.
For a moment, Leo smiled.
This place didn't seem so bad after all.
He passed by a glass hallway overlooking a koi pond. His reflection looked… okay.
Uniform fit well. Hair was alright. Not the worst start to a school year.
Just then, a message popped up on his phone again:
> [Don't forget the orientation at 2:30 PM. You'll be introduced to your class.]
Introduced?
Oh no.
Public speaking.
He could already feel the awkward tension building in his spine.
> Just breathe. You're not here to stand out. You're here to survive.
At least that's what he thought.
What he didn't know was—
By the end of today, three completely different girls would know his name.
And everything would change.