After I left the academy, the sky was black, and cold air struck me with relentless force as I walked down the sidewalk. I didn’t pay attention to the time; it had already gotten late, and the rail stopped running for the day. The dormitory for CT-A1 students was a few blocks away, and there was a shuttle for students that I’d also missed. My Proatrix guided me to the dormitory with yellow blinking lights that flashed on the ground every few steps.

I would never choose to walk the entire way, but when I tried to pay for a late-night transfer shuttle, my balance was declined. They’re carrying out the credit system for program students tomorrow, so I shouldn’t have any problem accessing my funds today.

Another icy breeze sliced at my legs, and I physically shivered. Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I scrolled down my contacts page, tapped ‘Mother’ with my eyes, and let it ring. After a few rings, the dial picked up.

“Hello, mom? Something’s wrong with my credits, and it’s freezing outside. Do you know what’s going on?”

“Oh… hello? Is that you, little Reina?” A woman’s voice asked through the other line.

That’s not mother, but I know that voice. It’s my mother’s secretary, Trae, I believe her name was. She used to stay at home with me overnight when my parents had to travel long distances for business. She was the closest thing I had to a parent until I transferred to Yenagree, despite her only being in her early twenties.

“Hey, Trae. Do you know where my mother is? I need to ask her something urgent.” I said.

“Oh! Uh! H-how’s Yenagree? I heard a bunch of super smart kids go there, right? You making tons of friends, Rei-Rei?”

I stopped walking and folded my arms. Usually, she’s very straight to the point despite her lax attitude. She gets chatty if she’s trying to hide something or is nervous.

“Yenagree is fine. Making tons of friends here. Where is mother, Trae?”

“She’s, uh… She’s out right now. But she said you’d call about your account or maybe your belongings at your last residence…”

“Go on…?”

“Well, erm… H-here’s a note actually… Ha ha…”

A note? So mother had something planned to say but couldn’t speak to me directly? What’s this all about?

Trae cleared her throat and hesitated to speak before taking a deep breath. “Unh, okay… I can… summarize it if you wan—”

“Read the entire thing,” I said.

“Okay… ‘Reina, you inconsiderate little girl. How dare you make a mockery of me and my company by accepting sponsorship from Homura Corp? First you get kicked off the prestigious Seya council, bringing shame to this household, getting recorded in the process, then this? I’ve had to explain your fatuous behavior to several of my stockholders. Do you know how ridiculous you’ve made me look?`”

“`And, please, do you think I care about you being accepted into Seya or their program for peasants of paltry intellect? You belong with those pitiful embodiments of low-class mediocrity, and such, you should live like them as well. You’ll no longer be supported monetarily by myself or your father, and I’ve already revoked access to your residence and suspended your account access. Good riddance, you selfish, childish bitch.`”

I couldn’t feel the wind anymore, and the once-black skies now appeared white. It was like my body was performing astral projection as I stared back at myself, unable to process my thoughts for the first time in my life.

“…—na …Rei— … Reina?” Trae said, her voice becoming clearer through the ringing in my ears. “I didn’t… enjoy reading that.”

“I know. Thank you for doing it, anyway.” I said.

Though I still couldn’t feel my legs, I could tell I started walking.

“Is that all? Or was there more?”

“Ah, no… That was all. B-but you said you were cold and you needed a ride. I could send you some credits…”

“No, thank you. If mother found out, she’d probably fire you. I don’t want to put your job in jeopardy. Thank you for all your support over the years. I guess this is goodbye.”

“Wait, Reina!—”

Before she could reply, I ended the call. She immediately tried to call back, but I let it ring while looking at the round-white moon.

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So that’s how she truly thinks about me. I thought maybe it was just stress from work or dad ignoring her and making her angry, but no… She really hates me. It felt like something inside me was crumbling. Something in my head, something in my chest, and the cracks spread into every crevice of my body. It hurt.

“… Hello ma’am. You’re violating curfew for academy students. Please register your name, school, and ID.”

A white-box-shaped drone with yellow eyes levitated by my side. It then tilted its head and blinked.

“Are you hurt or lost? If so, I can guide you to a nearby officer or contact an official from your school.”

“Shut the hell up,” I murmured.

“I’m sorry. What was that?”

“I said shut the hell up and get away from me!” I said, attempting to slap the drone away.

It dodged my hand and hovered in front of me. “You seem to be under emotional distress. I’m contacting a nearby enforcement agency to escort you. Please stand by.”

I pushed the drone out of my way and sprinted as fast as I could. The drone’s voice blurred with the cold air roaring past my ears and the maglev cars striding down the street. When my legs finally gave out, I fell to the ground and heaved with throbbing ankles and sore feet. Though my eyes were heavy with exhaustion, I looked up at a towering glass building with electromagnetic blue pulses surging through its several floors. My Proatrix beeped, showing I arrived at the Seya dormitory.

The outside had an elaborate exhibit of black-magnetic balls floating through large white-marble shapes, then lunging high into the air. Sakura trees, benches, and blue street lamps illuminated the area.

I stumbled over to the glass screen and pressed my Proatrix onto the ID panel, which flashed green. The door opened, and I walked into a spacious gray-checkered reception room. As I walked past, a young woman sitting at the front desk jumped from her seat.

“Hey! You’re late, young lady. What’s your name and floor?” She asked.

I glared in her direction. “What do you care? Just leave me alone.”

“Quite the stare. You must be Reina. Your friends were worried, and you’re the last girl on my floor to appear, so I waited here. You’re welcome, by the way.”

I walked to the elevator and pressed the up arrow on the panel. The woman strode over, canceled the lift, and tilted my face up by the chin. She was fairly young, with long ruby-brown hair wrapped in a ponytail that fell to her lower back. Her eyes sparkled like emerald gems, matching the green turtleneck she wore.

I jerked my head away. “Could you please just go bother someone else? I’m not in the mood.”

“You’re cold, and it looks like you’ve been crying. So no, I won’t go bother someone else.” She said, then pressed the elevator panel again. “You’re coming with me.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. If you refuse even more, I’ll write you up for staying out late. Seya takes violations seriously. You could be expelled.”

The elevator doors opened, and she walked in, dragging me by the wrist. After a few floors, the doors opened, and we walked down a secluded gray-tiled hallway with white-wood doors on either side.

“You missed the tour with the other students, but this will be your four-year living quarters at Seya. We have study rooms, a workout area, and even a late-night food vendor with many tasty snacks.” The young woman said.

We stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall. A holographic panel beside the door read ‘RA Madeline.’ She pressed her hand against the door, and it unlocked, continuing to lead me by the hand. The dorm room was neat and prim, with a kitchenette, living room, and three sliding barn doors on the dove gray walls.

The young woman kicked off her shoes and pointed at mine.

“I like to keep it clean. No shoes.” She said.

I slipped off my loafers, and she pulled me over to the island table, sitting me in a high chair. She walked inside the kitchenette, took a kettle pot from a cabinet, and began filling it with water.

“You probably already noticed from the room sign, but my name’s Madeline. I’m not used to it though, so just call me Maddy, like my friends do.”

She poured the hot water into a cup set with tea leaves and slid it in front of me.

“Drink,” Maddy said.

I didn’t particularly appreciate her ordering me around, but I was too tired to complain. As soon as I touched the cup, I noticed how cold my hands were. The room's heat hit my body in an instant, and I felt refreshed.

“Why were you out after curfew? And don’t lie. I’ll know if you are,” Maddy said.

“I was in a meeting with—”

I remembered Xochitl's words as I was leaving. Could I tell her about my meeting with Chairman Homura and her? Would that be giving too much information?

Maddy cocked her head. "You were in a meeting with…?"

“I stayed out late with friends and got lost on the way here,” I said.

Maddy scrunched her eyes. “Right. So, it should be obvious, but please don’t do that. If this happens again, I’ll be forced to report this to the school. Didn’t I say drink before?”

I placed the cup up to my mouth and sipped the green tea, letting it rest in my mouth for a moment. In a single gulp, the warmth coated my throat, and I performed a relieved sigh, then sipped again.

“This dormitory is partnered with several institutions in Yenagree, so you may meet other students while walking out. Try to make some friends, so if you get lost, you can call them and meet up. If not, you can call me, though I work at a research firm across the bridge, so I won’t always be here.”

“Research firm? You’re not a student?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m a student, but unlike you rich Yenagree kids, I have to work to keep my housing plan,” Maddy said, then refilled my empty cup. “I’m sorry, that may have been rude to say.”

“I don’t really care. That doesn’t apply to me anymore, anyway.” I said.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Can I go now?”

“You seemed to enjoy talking for a bit. I thought you needed some company.”

“Thanks for your concern, but I’m fine. It’s been a long day.”

Maddy sighed and swiped the air, causing a blue holo-screen to appear before me. “Those are the directions to your room. It’s just a few doors down. Your club friends asked me to room you with them, and since you had no prior arrangement, I had no reason to decline.”

I drank the tea and set it down, bowing my head. “Thank you. I’ll be leaving now.”

I walked over to the door and slipped my loafers back on. Maddy leaned against the wall beside me.

“I attached my phone number in that note I sent. If you ever need to chill, I’m here.”

“Right,” I said.

I unlocked the door and walked down the hall. Though I wasn’t cold anymore, it felt like my fingers were trembling.

… What the hell am I going to do?