The sun rose gently on the horizon, enveloping the city of Monor in a golden light. Birds sang cheerfully, diurnal animals woke up, while nocturnal ones retreated to their hiding places. Nature seemed peaceful, as if it was unaware of human troubles.
In a small meadow, under the shade of a majestic tree, a young boy lay on the vibrant green grass. His clothes, simple yet elegant—a green silk pant—contrasted with his exhausted look. Sakolomé slept deeply, his face half-hidden by his disheveled brown hair. Slowly, he opened his red eyes, still heavy with sleep. He brushed his hair aside with a mechanical gesture and, after a moment of hesitation, sat up abruptly.
Sakolomé: "Huh? Did I sleep under the stars?"
He sat cross-legged, scanning his surroundings to ensure he was alone. A sigh mixed with surprise and resignation escaped his lips.
Sakolomé: "Incredible… I was so exhausted yesterday after training that I fell asleep here without even realizing it."
He stretched his arms slowly, savoring the cracking of his joints as they released accumulated tension. Leaning against the tree behind him, he closed his eyes for a moment to enjoy the gentle morning breeze that caressed his face and danced with his hair in the wind.
Sakolomé: "I've been training too much lately… And without taking time to rest. No wonder my body gave up last night."
After a few moments of reflection, he finally stood up and dusted off his clothes.
Sakolomé: "Okay… I need to go home and get ready for school."
Three years had passed since the events that had turned his life upside down. Sakolomé was now 15 years old. His older brother, Bakuzan, was an 18-year-old young adult, while their younger siblings, Bakuran and Salomé, were 11 and 9 years old, respectively. Together, they had faced trials that would have broken many families, hoping to become better people despite the weight of their heritage.
Two hours later, Sakolomé entered the school gates. As soon as he arrived in the main hallway, he felt the heavy gazes of his classmates on him. Disdainful looks he knew all too well.
Sakolomé: "Could you look elsewhere?" he said in a neutral but firm tone.
A mocking laugh erupted behind him. It was Oscar, a classmate he had known for three years.
Oscar: "Haha… How can we not look at you, man? You're a killer!"
Sakolomé slightly furrowed his eyebrows but didn't respond immediately. It had been three years since he shared this class with them, and yet nothing had changed. The disparaging whispers persisted. Perhaps the incident related to his time in prison continued to fuel their disdain? However, Madame Alia had explained that it was all a misunderstanding… But apparently, no one wanted to believe it.
He sighed before replying:
Sakolomé: "So what? Where's the problem?"
Oscar burst into laughter again, while Leyla intervened with a trembling but angry voice:
Leyla: "The problem? After everything your clan has done to ours, you dare ask? You shouldn't even be among us!"
This remark sparked a wave of approval among the other students.
"How dare he respond? This son of a devil!"
"What nerve!"
"Damned creature!"
Sakolomé observed them with apparent indifference, though deep inside, a profound weariness settled.
Sakolomé: "Still that old record… Can't you change the tune? It's been three years since we've shared this class, and I've never caused you any harm. So why keep judging me for things I'm not responsible for?"
But Leyla wasn't about to back down:
Leyla: "Shut up! If you hadn't done anything wrong, you wouldn't have been sent to prison! And that story where Madame Alia defended you… We all know it was a charade to protect your reputation."
At these words, Sakolomé slightly lowered his head. His gaze darkened as he murmured:
Sakolomé: "I see..."
Without adding another word, he continued on his way to his classroom. Behind him, Leyla watched him leave with an ambiguous expression—a strange mix of disdain and compassion.
(No matter what I do… My family and I will always be hated by this world.)
As he entered the classroom, he felt the hostile gazes on him once again like invisible arrows. The whispers resumed:
(You get used to it eventually…) he thought as he sat in his usual isolated seat.
But deep down, he knew he was lying to himself. You never truly get used to constant rejection.
Just as he was sinking into dark thoughts, a sudden noise jolted him out of his stupor: a hand had forcefully slapped his desk.
Surprised, he raised his head to see who had dared do that. A girl he had never seen before stood before him. She had long, straight pink hair framing a delicate yet strangely confident face.
??? : "May I sit next to you?" she asked in a clear but firm voice.
The entire class held its breath at this unusual scene. Sakolomé slightly furrowed his eyebrows before nodding:
Sakolomé: "Uh… Yeah… Why not."
The young girl sketched a strange—almost unsettling—smile before pulling her chair and sitting next to him.
"Thank you very much," she said, ostentatiously moving her chair closer to his.
She then plunged her piercing gray gaze into the boy's:
"What's your name?" she asked with curiosity.
Sakolomé hesitated; he knew what would follow once he said his full name. Nonetheless, he finally replied:
Sakolomé: "I'm Sakolomé… Sakolomé Killer man."
To his great surprise, instead of the rejection he expected, the girl placed her hands on his shoulders and gently shook him:
"Nice to meet you! I'm Sally Liuly! I feel like we'll get along really well!"
The whole class was left speechless. The name "Liuly" resonated like a legend; this clan was known for its immense wealth and unparalleled prestige. Why would a girl from such a family pay so much attention to Sakolomé?
Sally continued more calmly after capturing everyone's attention:
"Sakolomé Killer man… Do you want to be my friend?" she asked sincerely.
Sakolomé remained stunned for a moment before slowly nodding his head.
(She wants to be my friend? But does she really not know who I am?)
The rest of the class passed in a strange atmosphere where Sally was warm and incredibly brilliant. Despite the respect the class seemed to instinctively show her, she seemed to have set her sights on Sakolomé… He remained perplexed but preferred to wait before drawing hasty conclusions.
(I'll observe her a bit more...) he concluded internally as Sally continued to smile beside him, as if nothing could disturb her good mood..