From this day onward, Aurora Perish felt like she was stepping into hell once again.
Well, maybe not hell—more like a prison. After all, she had never experienced high school in her past life. It wasn't until she turned twenty that she finally had a stable income and enough savings to pursue her education. With hard work and focus, she managed to skip grades and enter college by the time she was twenty-two.
However, it wasn't unusual at that time. Many older students were still attending college, so she didn't stand out much—it was fairly common.
Aurora Perish wondered why she kept recalling her past life. She couldn't help but sigh.
Suddenly, Sky Perish knocked on the door, even though it was already open. Leaning in, he grinned and said, "You look so beautiful! Just like me, hehe."
Aurora Perish and Jamie Osorio both ignored him as if he were nothing more than a passing breeze.
Jamie Osorio glanced at his daughter, who looked so much like him, and smiled. He was proud that she had inherited good features from both him and Sky Perish.
Jamie Osorio glared at his husband, who always found a way to make silly remarks whenever he could. Rolling his eyes at him, he turned his head to the side, where Aurora Perish's reflection was visible in the mirror.
Aurora Perish turned to look at the mirror. Standing before her was her reflection, dressed in her school uniform—a crisp white polo shirt, a neatly tied black tie, and a black blazer with white accents. Her long, black pleated skirt swayed slightly as she moved. She knew that many people envied school uniforms like this in her original world—including her.
Her downturned eyes, grayish-blue hair, and soft gray eyes complemented the uniform she was wearing, making her look both elegant and composed.
"The food's ready now," said Sky Perish, who had been teasing his daughter—unsuccessfully only to end up getting a smack on the butt from his husband instead.
Sky Perish whimpered and rubbed his buttocks, earning an eye roll from both his husband and daughter.
Aurora Perish had just been dropped off by Sky Perish, who reminded her—rather quickly—of what not to do before speeding off. Sky seemed to be in a hurry, likely rushing to coax his husband after their earlier spat.
Earlier that morning, Sky Perish had managed to piss off Jamie Osorio, who then gave him the cold shoulder during breakfast and afterward. While indoor, Sky Perish began wondering whether Aurora Perish should have driven herself manually instead—which earned him a sharp glare from Jamie Osorio. In the end, Sky Perish reluctantly parted ways with his husband.
Now their daughter was left behind—at the school gates. Or as Sky Perish jokingly called it, hell. But Aurora Perish didn't really think the school was hellish. In fact, it had once been her dream to study at a place like this. Unfortunately, she had only ever gone to a modest college—nothing as massive or grand as this.
In front of her stood a towering gate that looked more like the entrance to a castle. The buildings inside, unlike those in public schools, weren't connected—they stood apart from each other, giving the whole campus a more prestigious, almost intimidating feel.
Aurora Perish approached the guard and showed her ID. The guard gave her a quick nod, allowing her through. She began to walk—or more accurately, wander—as she suddenly realized she had no idea which class she was supposed to go to. This school was huge.
"Wait, how did they even afford this?" she thought. The original's parents didn't seem like wealthy people, and the original owner of this body wasn't exactly a genius either. Academically, she was just average. So how did she end up in a prestigious school like this?
Aurora Perish was so lost in thought, trying to piece everything together, that she didn't notice someone approaching her from behind—slowly and silently.
Suddenly, a hand touched Aurora Perish's shoulder. She was still lost in thought and didn't react at all.
Hyacinth Chua, who had been trying to startle her, blinked in confusion. "?"
Five seconds later, Aurora Perish's body jolted as the delayed realization finally hit her. Hyacinth stared in surprise, then burst out laughing.
"What was that delayed reaction? Pfft!"
Aurora Perish rolled her eyes at Hyacinth Chua.
She glanced behind Hyacinth, expecting to see Sora Winslow and Soren Hallow, but they were nowhere to be found.
"Where's the rest?" she asked.
Hyacinth Chua replied casually, "Probably still sleeping."
"What? They're still sleeping?" Aurora echoed in disbelief.
Hyacinth shrugged. "They're always late to class."
With that, Hyacinth Chua started walking, and Aurora Perish fell into step beside her.
"This school is really huge and pretty," Aurora Perish thought, glancing around. "As expected of fiction."
She stopped looking around, worried it might arouse Hyacinth Chua's suspicions.
After all, the original owner of this body had been studying at this school for years.
Suddenly, Hyacinth Chua came to a stop.
Aurora Perish blinked in confusion.
Hyacinth Chua was staring off to the left, but from Aurora Perish's angle, she couldn't see anything. Curious, she decided to use her height to her advantage and leaned slightly to get a better view of whatever Hyacinth Chua was looking at.
Trees lined the sidewalks throughout the school, and up ahead, there was a lot of activity. A group of students was playing soccer, and others were scattered around, chatting in small groups. Amid all the noise and movement, Hyacinth Chua was staring at a particular spot beneath the shade of a tree.
There, standing out even in the shadows, was a girl with dark pink hair that swayed gently with the breeze. Her olive-toned skin made her even more noticeable. She was in conversation with another girl standing in front of her.
Aurora Perish couldn't clearly see the person Hyacinth Chua was staring at, because the tree leaves and branches were blocking her view. Aurora Perish, lost in thought, absently stared at that person for a moment before losing interest and looking away.
The girl with dark pink hair seemed to notice that someone were staring at her. She glanced around and spotted Hyacinth Chua and the girl standing beside her, Aurora Perish. While she barely acknowledged Hyacinth Chua, her gaze lingered on Aurora Perish.
Hyacinth Chua noticed this and furrowed her brows. She quickly pulled Aurora Perish along.
"Huh?" Aurora Perish blinked in surprise as she was tugged.
She didn't resist. After all, Hyacinth Chua was the main character of this novel.
Hyacinth Chua and Aurora Perish continued walking ahead until the girl with the dark pink hair was no longer in sight.
Once they were out of view, Hyacinth Chua released Aurora Perish's arm. She didn't look at her or speak, and they simply walked at a slower pace than before.
Aurora Perish didn't mind.
She might be unknowingly drawn into a plot filled with danger ahead, but she didn't question why Hyacinth Chua had acted that way.
Aurora Perish inhaled deeply, taking in the refreshing scent of the environment around her. She couldn't resist; she truly liked this place.
Hyacinth Chua, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke up. "That person was—"