# Peaceful Academy.
"One thousand three hundred sixty-one."
"One thousand three hundred sixty-two."
"One thousand three hundred sixty-three."
Mikhail, swinging his sword at the Training Ground today as well, wiped away the streaming sweat and exhaled rough breaths.
A sword swung with only one purpose—to become stronger.
Thinking there was nothing better than this to clear his mind of distractions, Mikhail continued swinging his sword today, driving away unwanted thoughts.
"One thousand three hundred sixty-four...!"
After classes ended, to the training ground.
On weekends too, to the training ground.
Being able to sleep without worry after sweating was Mikhail's only hobby, so he couldn't easily give it up.
If only his dreams were sweet, that would have been nice.
"Are you still swinging your sword?"
Hannah, dressed in training clothes, approached Mikhail who was mindlessly swinging his sword, stretching her shoulders.
"You're really amazing. That's why your skills improve so quickly."
Wearing black tights and a white shirt, Hannah spoke to Mikhail after not seeing him for a while.
"Senior."
"..."
"Senior."
"..."
"Are you still angry?"
Mikhail shook his head. He had lost that day because he wasn't good enough, so it was regret over his defeat that kept him from easily speaking to Hannah, not anger toward her personally. Was it a matter of pride, or perhaps guilt for fighting with all his might without knowing Hannah's circumstances?
Unable to think of what to say, Mikhail let out a deep sigh and stopped his sword-swinging hand.
"No. It's just awkward to talk."
Hannah let out a small laugh and gripped her sword.
"Why? Because I won?"
"...No."
"You're lying."
Hannah thrust her sword powerfully as she spoke.
"It's because I have a good teacher. I met a teacher far superior to my father in both character and swordsmanship."
"..."
"The Butler is truly too good a teacher for me."
"..."
Mikhail couldn't agree with Hannah's words.
While he acknowledged Ricardo's skill, he couldn't accept that Ricardo was a good teacher. Mikhail had seen what Ricardo had done at the Academy.
-Is it Ricardo again...?
-They say he was near the fire scene this time too.
-He's always around whenever something happens.
-Why would he be there? Because he's the one who did it.
He knew Ricardo was skilled with a sword, but calling him kind irritated Mikhail.
With a slight furrow in his brow, Mikhail said to Hannah:
"No, it's because you're good."
"No. I could win because the Butler taught me. Before and now, everything was possible because of him."
"..."
"Without the Butler, I probably wouldn't even be able to hold a sword now."
"...Ha."
Mikhail had much to say but bit his lip and held back. It seemed nothing he said would get through to Hannah now.
If he's such a good person, why does everyone dislike him? As someone who had experienced Ricardo firsthand, Mikhail carefully said to Hannah:
"Ricardo isn't the good person you think he is."
Hannah's expression hardened as she replied. No matter what anyone said, Hannah would always take Ricardo's side.
"What do you think the Butler is, senior?"
"Huh...?"
"What did the Butler ever do to you that makes you say such things? At least to me, the Butler is a good person."
"I..."
Mikhail closed his lips and lost his words.
Wondering what kind of person he thought Ricardo was.
After thinking for a while, Mikhail answered Hannah. He could summarize his conclusion about Ricardo in this one sentence.
"He's the complete opposite of me."
"So what?"
Hannah spoke while steadily swinging her sword.
"You don't know anything about the Butler, senior."
Mikhail pressed his lips together and replied to Hannah's answer.
"...I don't want to know."
*
Inside the men's dormitory as darkness fell.
Mikhail, returning to his room after training, sat on the bed with an exhausted sigh.
"I should shower, but it's such a hassle."
Despite having a private shower right in front of him thanks to maintaining top grades, Mikhail couldn't easily get his tired body to move.
"Sigh... But I feel gross, so I should wash up."
Mikhail struggled to get up from the bed. Though he wanted to lie down longer, knowing there was no end to laziness, he forced himself to stand.
-Trudge.
While walking weakly toward the shower, Mikhail paused for a moment and looked at the mirror next to the wardrobe.
"I look terrible."
Sweat-soaked hair.
Damp training clothes.
Silver hair reaching the back of his neck.
Mikhail let out a hollow laugh at his appearance, which looked no different from a man's.
"Really... I look so plain."
In his early twenties, when most people care about their appearance.
Looking at himself in the mirror, Mikhail sighed at his terrible appearance.
Though he claimed not to care about his looks, his true feelings were different.
Today especially, Mikhail hated the mirror that reflected his seemingly inadequate self.
"..."
Looking at himself in the mirror, Mikhail muttered in a voice too quiet for others to hear.
'...What am I?'
He lowered his head, releasing a voice filled with deep doubt into the empty room.
'Neither woman nor man.'
Mikhail questioned himself as he unbuttoned his shirt. What exactly are you?
'I can't go back now either.'
To go back would mean giving up so much, so why was he having these meaningless thoughts? Even Mikhail thought himself foolish for asking such questions.
Still.
There was an unavoidable desire.
Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Mikhail said to himself:
'I want to...'
Wear pretty clothes.
Put on makeup.
Dress up nicely.
Mikhail bit his lip and stopped unbuttoning his shirt as he dreamed of things he couldn't do. His current appearance was heading in the completely opposite direction.
His body soaked in sweat and smelly.
His hair short, making him look like a man.
Today more than ever, Mikhail felt utterly plain and without charm.
Even though this was the path he had chosen himself.
Mikhail thought he didn't care about such external things. Or perhaps he was just deceiving himself. He had been so focused on chasing his goals, pushing himself forward without giving himself time to think.
"Haah..."
Mikhail moved his hand again.
With a 'pop,' the buttons came undone, revealing pale skin, and the bandages wrapped around his chest began to unravel.
As he let go of the stubbornness that had started from his own desire, Mikhail raised his head and looked at a single garment hanging on the wardrobe door.
A white dress.
Looking at the dress he had bought wanting to show someone special, Mikhail pressed his lips together and had an impulsive thought.
The thought that 'Maybe just once, I could wear it.'
Muttering softly, Mikhail carefully took the dress from the wardrobe door with a bitter smile.
'Yes, just once...'
The Academy shirt and pants fell to the floor.
Mikhail threw his clothes to the floor like shedding a shell, and with a deep sigh, began to put on the dress he had never worn before.
"..."
The flowing dress, as if custom-made, neatly hugged Mikhail's body, creating an elegant appearance.
It was a dress he had bought wanting to show that boy someday, and Mikhail couldn't help but smile like a child at how perfectly it fit.
"It's beautiful..."
Excited, Mikhail twirled in front of the mirror to look at himself. He awkwardly smiled, slightly lifted the skirt, and even burst into laughter while imitating actions he had seen female students do.
"It's really beautiful."
Mikhail was enjoying his true self. Perhaps he was enjoying what should have been an ordinary part of his daily life, but Mikhail was enjoying it hidden where no one could see.
Excited.
Feeling thrilled.
Mikhail smiled as he savored the sense of liberation he hadn't felt in a long time.
Unfortunately, that feeling didn't last long.
The moonlight, previously hidden by clouds, began to reveal itself, illuminating the dark room.
His reflection in the mirror gradually gained color.
Looking at the mirror that revealed his short hair and rough legs in the moonlight's play, Mikhail's slight smile faded.
"Ah..."
The smile disappears.
His face contorts.
Looking at his complete reflection in the mirror, Mikhail thought to himself.
Ugly.
Just like a man with breasts wearing a dress and getting excited. He clenched his fists and stared at himself in the mirror. Despite the reality being completely different, despite possessing the beauty of a fairy tale princess, Mikhail could only see himself as terrible.
Mikhail erased his gentle smile and made a tearful face.
"...What kind of woman is this?"
Mikhail hurriedly tried to take off the dress. If he stayed like this any longer, he would feel even worse.
Crumpling the dress, Mikhail said in his heart:
'I'm sorry.'
'I thought it was pretty, but it wasn't.'
I wanted to show a beautiful appearance.
'I showed something that shouldn't be seen.'
Mikhail tried to stuff the crumpled dress back into the wardrobe with an awkward smile, and just as the flowing dress was about to fall from his reluctant hands—
-Ding.
A cruel alarm tickled Mikhail's ear.
-A quest has appeared.
[Q. Your True Self.]
·
·
·
1. Show Ricardo your true self. (0/1)
2. Go on a date with Ricardo. (0/1)
3. Hear Ricardo's true feelings. (0/1)
Reward: Lee Min-hyuk's survival.
Failure: None
Mikhail clenched both fists and stared endlessly at the blue window.