The sun was rising.
Kuro sat stiffly on a wooden chair by a small desk, feather pen in hand. A half-written letter rested before him. Already dressed in his new school uniform, he glanced down at his writing.
"Dear Shiro, I've barely been here 48 hours, and I already hate this place. I despise your father for sending me here. The people here... they're animals. Pure scum. Yesterday, on the way to my new house, I saw something I can't even describe—something monstrous. The man driving me treated it like it was nothing."
He sighed and set the feather down, rubbing his temples. A sudden knock at the door interrupted the silence.
"Hello? Anyone home?"
Kuro furrowed his brow. He didn't know a single soul in Greyman, and no one should know him. Still, manners overrode suspicion. He stood and opened the door.
There stood a boy around his age, maybe a little older. Sunlight lit up his bright smile. Blonde hair, neatly brushed, framed a cheerful face with blue eyes that practically sparkled.
"Name's Hugo Pascal," he said, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you."
Kuro looked at the hand, then up at the boy's face. "What do you want?"
"Wow, okay. You're… blunt," Hugo laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not offended. I live just across the street." He pointed to a house that mirrored Kuro's in structure and upkeep. "Saw you arrive yesterday. Wanted to help carry your stuff, but I was tied up with my mom."
Kuro narrowed his eyes. This guy was too cheerful.
"Anyway," Hugo continued, "I came to escort you. To school, I mean. You're going to Callista Academia, right? It's the only one in town. Figured you'd need directions."
Kuro hesitated. The idea of walking with this overly energetic stranger wasn't appealing, but he did have no idea where the school was.
"Fine. I could use a guide."
The two walked through the eerily quiet streets. Greyman was strange—old stone buildings, mist clinging low to the cobbles, and an air of forgotten secrets.
As they neared the school gates, Kuro broke the silence.
"Why'd you bother? Escorting me, I mean. You gained nothing and even waited while I had breakfast. Doesn't make sense."
Hugo shrugged, eyes turned upward. "Because—"
But he stopped mid-sentence.
Across the street, three men surrounded a little girl—seven or eight at most. One gripped her by the hair.
"Let me go! Mother said she'll pay next week! She swore!" the girl pleaded through tears.
"Next week?" barked one of the men. "That's what she said last week. If we don't get our thirty bucks, we'll take something else instead."
All three men turned toward her with sickening grins.
Kuro paused, disgusted, but told himself not to interfere. It's none of my business, he thought. But before he could finish that thought, Hugo dashed ahead.
He placed a firm hand on the man's shoulder. "How much does she owe you? I'll pay it. Just leave her alone."
The men blinked in surprise, then snorted. "Sixty necroms. You got that, hero?"
"Not all of it," Hugo replied, pulling thirty-five from his pocket. "Take this now. I'll bring the rest tomorrow. Same place. Same time. Deal?"
The thugs inspected the bills, grinning. "Fine. But tell your mommy to keep you on a leash, kid."
The girl, still shaking, wrapped her arms around Hugo's legs, sobbing.
"Thank you, sir... If you hadn't come... they would've hurt us again."
"It's okay," Hugo said softly. He handed her an extra five. "Give this to your mother. Tell her it's over."
She nodded and ran off.
Kuro approached slowly, staring in disbelief.
"You're either very rich, or very stupid," he muttered. "Why give up your money for someone you don't even know? You could've walked away and lost nothing."
Hugo didn't flinch. He looked at Kuro with calm, earnest eyes.
"How do you define sin, Kuro?" he asked. "Is it just doing something wrong?, breaking the law?, causing harm to others?, well, I suppose so, but i believe that seeing an opportunity to do good and choosing not to do good but choosing not to,is just as bad as any sin."
Kuro didn't know what to say.
For the first time since arriving in Greyman, someone had surprised him,not with cruelty, but with decency. He could not tell if the man he was looking at was extremely naive or extraordinary.