Stepping out of that house, I felt a rush of freedom I’d never known before.
Sure, there was a nagging worry about what came next—where I’d sleep, what I’d eat—but that was a problem for future Yuehan.
For now, I was done. That place wasn’t home anymore, not by a long shot.
I’d just turned eighteen, too. Perfect timing. Walking away felt like the clean break I’d been itching for—a fresh start.
“Yuehan? Another fight with your folks?” A voice stopped me in my tracks. I turned to see Bai Yu, the bombshell next-door neighbor with a figure that could stop traffic.
She’d been living beside us for years, and we’d gotten pretty close. She was like the big sister I never had—always looking out for me.
The first time I stormed out after a blowout with my parents, Bai Yu had taken me in, let me crash at her place, and even smoothed things over when I went back. She was kind-hearted.
“Not exactly a fight,” I said with a sigh, letting some of the pent-up frustration bleed out. “More like a final split.”
No way was I about to dump my anger on her, though. She didn’t deserve that.
“Final split?” Bai Yu’s eyebrows shot up, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. But she didn’t miss a beat, grabbing my arm like always and tugging me toward her place.
I didn’t argue. Where else am I gonna go? I hadn’t figured out my next move yet. Worst case, I’d crash with her until Witch School’s acceptance letter showed up.
Still, even with how thick-skinned I could be, sponging off her for too long didn’t sit right. I was an adult now, after all.
“So, Yuehan, spill it. What happened?” The door clicked shut behind us, and Bai Yu dropped the poised, graceful act she wore outside.
She flopped onto the living room couch, sprawling out like she’d just clocked out of a long shift.
Her chest bounced with the motion, and my eyes—traitors that they were—did a little earthquake of their own before I forced them back to neutral.
I’d seen this routine plenty over the years, so I recovered fast.
This was the real Bai Yu, the one I knew. Outside, she was all polish and charm; inside, the second the door closed, she turned into this laid-back, messy version of herself. It meant she didn’t see me as some outsider, which was nice.
Her bedroom was a chaotic nest—clothes strewn everywhere, bed unmade—but the living room? Spotless. Probably because it was the first thing you saw when the door opened. Gotta keep up appearances, right?
“What else? College applications,” I said, leaning against the wall. “Guess which school my dad was dead-set on me picking?”
Bai Yu tilted her head, thinking it over. “Knowing your parents… Zombie School? No, wait—Demonspawn School, right?”
“Bullseye. Demonspawn,” I confirmed with a dry laugh. “Free tuition, room and board, plus a fifty-grand signup bonus. Pretty sure Dad’s drooling over that cash more than anything else.”
“Ugh, seriously?” Bai Yu grimaced, sitting up a little. “I swear, your dad doesn’t even see you as a person. Demonspawn Academy? That place is a death trap. No one comes out of there in one piece.”
“Exactly! Like there’s such a thing as a free lunch,” I said, throwing up my hands. “So I bolted. I’m gonna have to crash here for a few days, if that’s cool. Promise I won’t be a pain.” I clasped my hands together, putting on my best pleading face. Not that I needed to—she’d never turn me away—but it felt right to at least play the part.
“No problem at all,” Bai Yu said, lounging on the couch. She kicked one leg over the other, smirking like she was about to enjoy a good show. “But how long are you planning to stay? From the look of it, you’re waiting on an acceptance letter, huh?”
“Something like that…” I mumbled, a twinge of guilt creeping in. Getting called out by Bai Yu made me squirm. A guy like me heading to an all-girls school? I could already picture the side-eye.
“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. “Care to tell me, your big sis, which academy you picked? I remember you saying your score was… what, 586? That’s not exactly prime real estate for the top-tier places.”
“Uh… Can I maybe not say?” I tried, dodging her gaze.
“Spill it!” She shot back, her tone flipping from playful to commanding. “Let me check it over for you—I’m not letting you stumble into a mess!” She’d locked onto me now, no escape.
“Fine, fine…” I sighed, caving. “Just… don’t laugh at me, okay?”
I gave her the preemptive warning. Bai Yu was closer to me than my own family—practically a sister, minus the blood tie. Telling her this didn’t feel wrong.
Besides, I’d made my choice. I’d have to live with it eventually—hiding it wouldn’t change a thing.
“I won’t laugh,” she promised, stretching out on the couch like she had all day. “As long as you didn’t pick some total disaster, your score’s not bad enough to ruin you. Any school’s about the same at that level.”
I nodded, steeling myself to come clean.
Well, my mediocre grades weren’t entirely my fault. The whole “mental case” label had screwed me early on.
Growing up, I’d missed out on the basics—skipped the foundational stuff—because I didn’t care. I was a transmigrator, right? I figured I’d coast by on that alone.
It wasn’t until I learned this world had real power—transcendental stuff—that I panicked and threw myself into school.
By then, my parents had already checked out, focusing on their shiny new kid. They didn’t want me starting late, but Bai Yu stepped in, convincing them to let me try.
So, the last few years before the exams? Pure cram mode. Meditation theory, spell basics, elemental fundamentals—that’s what propped up my score. Language? I got by as long as I could talk my way through it.
“Okay…” I took a breath, voice dropping low. “I applied to… Witch School.” Saying it out loud felt like peeling off a bandage—equal parts relief and embarrassment.
“What?” Bai Yu blinked. “Say that again?” She bolted upright, staring at me like I’d grown a second head.
“Witch School!” I blurted, throwing caution to the wind. “I signed up for Witch School, and they already accepted me!”
Her eyes flickered with something—surprise, maybe?—but she masked it fast. Sinking back onto the couch, she regained her cool. “Witch School, huh? How much do you know about it?”
“Not much,” I admitted, testing the waters. “Do you know something?”
She grinned, leaning back with a lazy stretch. “Oh, me, your big sis? I’m a Witch School alum. Seriously, though—how’d you end up picking that place?” Then her brow furrowed. “Wait, no—Witch School’s still a top-tier academy, even with its reputation. Your score shouldn’t have gotten their attention. How’d you pull that off?”
“Uh…” I rubbed the back of my neck, sheepish. “Someone from their admissions office called me not long ago. Asked if I wanted in. I said yes, and… boom, I was in.”
“What?!” Bai Yu’s jaw dropped, then she laughed, incredulous. “This year’s recruitment must be rough if they’re scraping the barrel like that.” She shook her head, but the reality was undeniable.
She made me pull up the application system to double-check. When she saw “Witch School – Admitted” glowing on the screen, she let out a long sigh.
“What’s wrong?” I asked cautiously. “Is Witch School some kind of trap?”
“Not exactly,” she said, standing up and walking over to me. She clapped a hand on my shoulder. “But for you? Might as well be. Once they’ve got you locked in, they don’t let go easy.”
Her tone shifted, mimicking that admissions lady’s chipper voice: “Oh, right—Welcome to Witch School!”
Hearing her echo those exact words sent a chill down my spine. This was starting to feel… off.
“Don’t overthink it,” Bai Yu added, reading my face. “When your letter shows up, I’ll go with you to Witch School. That’s the last bit of help I can give you.”
She walked off, leaving me standing there, totally lost. I still had no clue what I was walking into. Were the witches at Witch School just that intense?
Guess I’d find out soon enough.