36

I entered the room, feeling a faint aroma of incense. The bright daylight flooded the room through the huge windows. I sat in the empty chair and sent a smile to the woman across the table.

"Bervely."

"How’s it going, Ryuuji?" she asked kindly. "I was called out because of your long absences, Ryuuji. You know that Fox Academy has zero tolerance when it comes to absences," she reminded, not losing her composure.

"You probably already know, but I’ve had a lot of work these past few weeks," I replied, crossing my legs and sighing deeply.

"You must be having fun," she retorted, raising one dark eyebrow.

"I love how well you know me," I commented, smiling, but Bervely just stared at me.

"Aside from the absences, I’m on top of my duties and assignments. It’s not like it’s affecting my grades. You know that’ll never happen," I declared, shrugging.

Bervely grabbed one of the folders and opened it, long seconds of silence passed as she read it carefully.

"And just to make it clear, I’ve stayed out of fights on campus," I added, even though I knew it was a lie.

"That’s true, it surprised me quite a bit," she said, making me smile. "Even with good grades and no fights, the teachers still call my attention. Make an effort to attend classes, okay? Even if it’s just to sleep in them," she asked gently.

"You’re the best, you know that?" I complimented, but Bervely didn’t change her expression.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked before I could stand up.

"Okay," I agreed, curious.

"If you hadn’t been born a Hataki and weren’t in the Hebi, what did you want to be when you grew up?"

I frowned, completely confused by the random question. I had never imagined myself being anything other than the leader of the Hebi.

"I don’t know," I finally answered.

"You never thought about it?"

"Why would I?"

"Because it’s part of life, Ryuuji. We don’t always have just one dream, and it can change over the years as we grow and mature," she answered, leaning back in her chair, looking at me intensely. "Didn’t you ever wish for anything other than the Hebi?" she insisted, making me uneasy.

"Everything I do is for the Hebi. I was born for this," I declared, noticing disappointment take over her face.

"It’s a shame. You have a lot of potential," she said, without her beautiful smile. "We’re done here, Ryuuji. You can go back to class," she ordered, turning her attention back to the folders.

I went to my first class with her question still lingering in my mind, wondering what I could become if the Hebi had never existed. However, that thought quickly dissipated—it was impossible to imagine my life without the Hebi.

***

The classes went on as usual, and I ended up dozing off only once during History class. At lunch, I was disappointed to find no sign of Matias anywhere. With the end of classes, Kenji took some of the members to eat at the snack bar, and Shin went out with Artemis for coffee. A pang of jealousy gnawed at me, but I forced myself to ignore it and went home.

After a cold shower, I changed into my light clothes for a white kimono and went down to the training room. I wasn’t surprised to find Sensei waiting for me, drinking tea.

"Warm-up," he ordered without looking at me.

I took a deep breath and began the warm-up under his analytical gaze. I followed the choreography until I was allowed to stop. After a brief rest, Sensei handed me a dagger. The blade was silver and sharp; it had been a long time since my last training with them, which ended up causing two superficial cuts on my forearm and another on my shoulder.

Sensei mocked my carelessness and made me train for another two hours to make up for the injuries.

When we finished, the other Hebi members arrived to begin the night training. Shin and Kenji were among them, but I sat in the corner resting and watching them. To my surprise, Artemis arrived late and was still finishing putting on her kimono. Sensei didn’t reprimand her and simply told her to join the formation.

At the end of the training, everyone felt exhausted but awake. Fruits and hot drinks were served in the hall, and we ate and chatted until it was time for everyone to go to their rooms.

"Hey, Ryuuji, help me study," Kenji asked as we left the hall.

"Sure, I still have time," I agreed. In the doorway, I looked back for Shin. "Is your brother coming?" I asked, but I found him sitting on the floor with Artemis.

"No, he’s staying with his girlfriend," he replied, pulling me toward the stairs.

After my shower, I sat on the floor in the room. Kenji had placed all his books and snacks on the coffee table. I helped him review some subjects and catch up on overdue homework.

"I told my dad I’m gay," I said suddenly, catching his wide-eyed stare.

"And what happened? Was there a lot of blood, shouting, and death threats?" he asked, stuffing a snack into his mouth.

"He just acted like it was no big deal."

"Because it’s no big deal. Who cares who you fuck? Has that ever interfered with the Hebi?" he asked, making me smile.

But my smile started to fade as I remembered Matias’s secret and what Gabriela might do to him if she ever found out.

"But it’s not always like that," I said, spinning my soda can. Kenji kept chewing, watching me with interest.

"He asked me to bring him to the Hebi," I commented without needing to go into details.

"I think so too," he agreed without hesitation. "Who knows what secret things you tell him after a good fuck? It’s better if he stays between us so we can keep an eye on him," he declared seriously, but I could feel his amusement.

"Go to hell!"

"But seriously, you should bring him to the Hebi."

"That’s never going to happen," I commented, leaning back on the couch, feeling the air conditioning cool my exposed skin.

"Why not?" he insisted, curious.

"He’d never agree. I think he’d rather have his throat cut than be part of the Hebi," I explained, closing my eyes. The memory of the blade against his throat made my skin crawl.

"That kid’s as dramatic as you," he retorted, making me laugh.

"Shut up and go back to studying. I still need to go see him," I warned, glancing at the clock on the wall—it was already past midnight. Maybe I’d still find him awake.

"You’ve been out all day, are you sure it’s a good idea to go out now?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I like to sleep with him," I confessed without thinking. My dreams had changed after that conversation.

"Are you in love with him?"

"I’m obsessed with him. It’s different," I corrected him, closing my notebook before getting up.

"For you, obsession and love are the same thing, Ryuuji," he reminded me, making me freeze for a second.