Capítulo 3: Chapter 3

The sunlight pierced through the window into Jin's room, signaling the start of a new day.

The alarm also rang to wake him, making him open his eyes with great difficulty.

Jin got out of bed while stretching.

Japanese schools start at 8:45 a.m., and since the clock showed it was around seven, he had just under two hours left.

He went to take a shower and prepare breakfast. While flipping eggs in the frying pan, he pondered what he needed to do in this academic year.

He studies at the prestigious Sabo High School, considered one of the best schools in all of Japan. Moreover, he had become the student council president.

In truth, he doesn't have much time for administration, but he was appointed by his friends and the school board, so he accepted.

Although it was only 7:30 a.m., it was time for him to leave.

Today was the welcoming day for new students, and he had many acquaintances among them, so it would be nice to see them after some time.

He had to thank the system for granting him unlimited energy, which made his life easier. Whether it was endurance, magical strength, or stamina, he was always at his peak.

He wore his black jacket, white shirt, and black trousers.

He tucked his necklace, shaped in a specific way, inside his white shirt.

It was a symbolic marker for the organization to identify each other if they happened to meet by chance.

He put on his headphones and selected a song to listen to as he walked to the train station.

Miko Yotsuya had to prepare for her first day as a student at Sabo High School.

So she woke up early, ate breakfast, and got ready to head to the train station.

Although it was early, it wasn't a bad thing. However, upon arrival, her excitement was entirely killed by the appearance of a ghost floating in the air.

She was cursed with the ability to see these creatures nonstop, which made her constantly terrified and feel as if her life was hanging by a thread.

The moment these spirits realized that humans could see them, they would devour them mercilessly.

The ghost kept floating around the people on the train, repeatedly asking the same question:

"Can you see me? Can you see me?" Humans lack the kind of eyes that Miko has, which allows her to see such creatures.

In general, supernatural powers are considered a blessing because they grant you the ability to protect yourself.

But for Miko, they are a curse.

Miko thought her life was about to end when the ghost approached her and started questioning her:

"Can you see me?" As it came closer to her face, she did her best to pretend indifference, pulling out her phone to play with it.

"I thought today would be peaceful too," said a boy sitting in the seat next to Miko while looking directly at the ghost.

Miko, who hadn't noticed the boy before, turned to look at him as he stared in the direction of the ghost.

"Can… can you see me?" screamed the ghost, making Miko tremble all over.

She wanted to stop the boy from answering the ghost because this would mean it would kill him, but his swift reaction surprised her.

"Yes, so did you take a nap for me?" Jin raised his hand and grabbed the ghost's forehead. A bright light spread, erasing the ghost from existence entirely.

Miko stared at everything that had happened, shocked, as she had believed these spirits were immortal and could never be destroyed.

"Are you okay?" She looked at her savior for a moment before reacting and thanking him for rescuing her.

"How can you—" Miko was eager to know about someone who could see and even eliminate ghosts, but Jin silenced her with a gesture, signaling her to remain quiet.

Miko wasn't foolish. She understood that the train had just stopped at another station, and more passengers were boarding, making it easier for their conversation to be overheard.

Apparently, the young man in front of her wanted to keep things discreet, so she temporarily suppressed her excitement.

Jin, on the other hand, kept flipping through his phone as he waited for the next station that would take him to school.

Looking at the enthusiastic girl next to him, who could barely contain her excitement, he wondered if it might be possible to turn her into a mage with supernatural powers.

Unlike Marin Kitagawa, he didn't mind telling Miko about the existence of the supernatural world because, whether she liked it or not, she had already become entangled in it after awakening her eyes.

Marin Kitagawa was just an ordinary girl; how could she have the strength to face such creatures?

But Miko, with her unique eyes, might hold unseen potential. If she wanted to venture into this world, he wouldn't mind introducing her to the organization.

However, everything depended on her willingness. The organization wasn't desperate enough for agents to recruit an unwilling girl.

After a short while, the train reached the station leading to Sabo High School, and both Jin and Miko exited the station together.

"Go ahead, you can continue what you were saying now," Jin said, looking at Miko as they walked toward the school.

"Are you an exorcist?" Miko asked excitedly, receiving a smile from Jin, who shook his head.

"No."

"Then what are you?" Miko moved closer, her curiosity piquing Jin's amusement.

"Aren't you supposed to ask for my name first?" Jin looked at her playfully, causing her to blush slightly in embarrassment.

Basic manners dictate starting a conversation by asking the other party's name, but she had skipped over it entirely.

"Sorry, my name is Miko Yotsuya." Miko wanted to bow slightly to express her apology, but Jin stopped her.

"Don't take it so seriously; it was just a joke. My name is Jin Hiratsuka, and to answer your question, no, I'm not an exorcist."

"Then what are you, Hiratsuka-san?"

"A mere agent fighting against the supernatural."

"Are there many like you?" Miko asked eagerly. The more there were, the fewer spirits there would be.

"I think so? I'm not entirely sure about the exact number, but it's a good one."

"You told me to stay quiet earlier. Is it that much of a secret?"

"Yes. Normally, if you were just an ordinary human, I would save you and go on my way. But the reason I'm telling you this is that you possess eyes capable of seeing the supernatural."

Jin noticed the girl's sad expression and heard her mutter, "I wish I didn't have them," which made him shake his head in disapproval.

"Yotsuya-san, your eyes may feel like a curse, but they're also a blessing. No one knows what you might be able to do with them in the future, right?"

He knew his encouragement wouldn't make a huge difference, but it offered her a small sense of comfort.

Suddenly, Jin stopped walking as he remembered something incredibly important he could do.

"Hiratsuka-san?" Miko noticed Jin's abrupt halt and saw him slap his forehead for no apparent reason.

Out of nowhere, Jin approached her, causing Miko to feel flustered. She watched as he raised his hand and gently patted her head.

When she wanted to ask him why, she heard him say, "It's done," and lifted his hand. Her entire body began to glow with an intensely bright golden light.

"W-what just happened?" Miko asked in confusion, looking at Jin, who smiled faintly.

"A holy power. Since you're a student at Sabu High, just like me, you don't need to worry about spirits while you're at school. They fear me and vanish before even entering the school grounds." He paused, giving Miko time to process his words, then continued.

"Outside of school, I can't always be with you, so I've placed sacred energy on you. It repels spirits the moment they come near you and will last for a full day. I'll renew it for you tomorrow, okay?"

"Thank you, Hiratsuka-san." Miko almost shouted in joy but restrained herself to avoid drawing attention. Her slightly teary eyes looked at Jin with immense gratitude.

"No need to thank me. It's a simple thing to do." Jin wasn't boasting; with his power, it was effortless. Besides, he was like a mobile engine constantly generating energy.

For him, it was insignificant, but for Miko, it could change her life entirely.

Miko wiped her eyes and continued walking beside Jin. They resumed their conversation naturally.

She could never have imagined that going to school today would completely transform her life.

"What class are you in, Hiratsuka-san?" Miko asked, silently praying he was a first-year student like her.

"Second year." Miko felt a slight pang of disappointment, but she could visit the second-year classrooms during breaks to spend some time with him, right?

Unbeknownst to her, small feelings had begun to bloom in her heart, along with a longing to learn more about this mysterious senior.

"S-so, can I call you Jin-senpai?" Miko asked with a slight blush. Jin nodded in agreement.

Jin didn't care much about titles and would have preferred her to call him by his name directly, but Japan had strict traditions regarding seniority. Even if he wanted that, Miko wouldn't agree.

As they finally approached Sabo High, Jin felt a shiver run down his spine.

He didn't know the reason and didn't dwell on it, but the piercing gaze he felt on his back suggested that his school life was about to be full of unending events.