CHAPTER 12 - 12 – SCHOOL

Chapter 12 – School

By now, Jack had already repeated the same attack hundreds of times. With each repetition, he could feel his body growing more accustomed to the movements—his muscles gradually memorizing the flow. It was slow, but the rhythm of it was seeping into him. That was his goal all along: to engrain the sequence into muscle memory so that it no longer required his full concentration. Even with his unique abilities, this would take time.

As the golden morning sun filtered in through the window, Jack finally came to a halt. He let out a long breath, his chest rising and falling steadily. His skin was drenched in sweat, a testament to his relentless training. With a casual swipe of his hand, he wiped his face, then turned his gaze toward the window.

"It's already morning," he muttered.

'I've been at it for almost four hours. My stamina's holding up well, so I'm not complaining. I'm not quite there yet with the muscle memory... but one more good session should do it.'

Satisfied with his self-assessment, Jack turned toward Lune.

"I'm stopping for now. School starts in about an hour and a half."

"Mmm, pity," Lune said, hovering beside him with a slight pout. "I've been enjoying the show for quite some time now. It's unfortunate it has to end."

"If I keep this pace, I'll be ready by the time the Skip happens," Jack said with a nod.

"Your progress is unbelievable. I still can't wrap my head around how quickly you've learned that technique," Lune remarked, running a hand through her silvery hair in mild disbelief.

"I don't know how," Jack replied plainly. "I just do it. Maybe you can research it later."

Without another word, he picked up his towel and walked off toward the bathroom.

"Research?" Lune repeated, tilting her head. Then, a mischievous grin curved her lips. "Hehe... I guess I will need to do plenty of research~ I can't wait for that."

After a quick shower—and only after forcefully kicking Lune out for trying to sneak a peek—Jack changed into his school uniform and headed downstairs for breakfast.

Felicia sat alone at the dining table, sipping from her coffee mug while watching the sunlight spill across the floor through the wide window. That was her usual morning ritual. She loved coffee and the quiet calm of early hours. It was her moment of solitude before the chaos of the day began. Her husband, as always, took longer to wake.

As Jack entered the room, Felicia turned her head and gave him a soft smile.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," Jack returned the greeting, his voice neutral as he took a seat.

"How did you sleep?" she asked, watching him closely.

"Not bad," he lied effortlessly, not missing a beat. Lying came to him as naturally as breathing.

"Did you get your schoolwork done over the break?"

"Yes. I finished it on the first day."

'It barely took thirty minutes,' he added inwardly.

Pouring himself some milk and grabbing breakfast, Jack ate quickly. He was in no mood to linger, especially with the risk of running into his father. He wasn't afraid of confrontation, but at this point, the thought of hearing the same tired lecture again made him want to slam his head against a wall.

So, within minutes, he'd cleaned his plate and slung his bag over his shoulder.

Lune trailed after him, floating through the air with visible curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

The moment they stepped outside, she spun around slowly, taking in the neighborhood like a child at a fair.

"Woah... This is my first time seeing the outside world," she said with wonder. "It's quite... intriguing. Very different from Aevum."

Jack glanced sideways at her. "What's the biggest difference you noticed?"

"Hm... Definitely the complete lack of Time Essence in the air. That's the obvious one. But beyond that... it's more peaceful here."

"Peaceful?" he echoed with a raised brow.

"Yes. In Aevum, there's always this underlying tension—no matter where you are. That constant hum of danger. Here... it just feels calmer."

Jack said nothing, but his gaze lingered on her for a beat longer than usual. 'Funny she says that when this world is anything but peaceful. Maybe Aevum is so much worse that even this chaos feels like serenity in comparison.'

"We've got our own share of war, death, and cruelty," he said eventually. "It's not as safe as you think."

"Oh really? Hah, I'm not surprised. Chronists are as evil as any Aevum native. They're not completely out of place in my world, you know." Lune grinned.

They continued walking down the street, chatting lightly as they went. Jack found himself explaining mundane things—things Lune had never seen before. Each time something new appeared, she'd dart toward it like an overexcited tourist.

"Jack, Jack! What's that!?" she gasped, pointing up.

"Hm? That's a billboard."

"A billboard?"

"Yeah, it's basically a giant screen that displays advertisements. Commercial stuff. Promoting products or services."

Her eyes widened. "That's... so odd!"

Watching her react to everyday things with such open wonder stirred something unfamiliar in Jack. Amusement, maybe. Or something close to it. He wasn't sure.

'She's like a child seeing the world for the first time. And oddly enough, I don't mind it.'

He shook the thought away.

'An ancient being with terrifying power... getting excited over cars and billboards. The universe sure is funny.'

After about ten minutes of walking, they turned a corner and Jack's school came into view. Students in matching uniforms were already pouring in, chatting animatedly as they crossed the front gate.

"Woah... Is that your school?" Lune asked, her eyes wide.

"Yeah."

"It looks really expensive."

"It is. One of the most prestigious schools on Earth. Only the rich or the academically gifted get in."

"Did your parents pull some strings?"

"No," Jack said. "I took the entrance test like everyone else. Didn't want influence involved."

"Ooh, and how did you do?"

Jack glanced at her as they neared the gate. "What do you think? First place. Perfect score."

"..."

Ignoring her stunned silence, he walked through the gates and down the pristine pathway leading to the main building. Lush gardens flanked both sides, still glistening with morning dew.

Inside, Jack changed into his indoor shoes and headed to his classroom. The halls echoed with laughter and greetings—it was the first day after winter break, and students were eager to catch up.

Everyone, that is, except Jack.

He moved through them like a shadow, never sparing a glance. Reaching his seat, he pulled out his notebook and started reviewing his notes. No one spoke to him. No one approached.

From her invisible perch beside him, Lune watched the classroom dynamics unfold. Then she turned toward Jack.

"Don't you have any friends, Jack?"

"No."

"...Why?"

"I don't need them."

"O-oh? But you're so cool, my love! Surely you could make some if you wanted to—"

"I said I don't need them." His voice cut through her words, firm and cold. "They're a waste of time."

"..."

Lune blinked at the sudden sharpness in his tone. 'Hmph... Future Jack wasn't exactly Mr. Popular, but he wasn't this closed off either. He had a few friends, at least.'

She studied him—his posture, the empty expression on his face. Surrounded by laughing peers, yet completely alone.

'I don't think he truly hates the idea of friends. Maybe... maybe things just didn't go well for him in the past.'

A//N: Power stones would help a lot. If you like the Chapter, please give it some PS :) Thank you!