Chapter Text
“This is a joke, right?” The woman asked incredulously, as she looked through the folder in front of her. She was dressed professionally, in a dark suit with a white blouse, the skirt ending just above her knees as well as shoes with a slight heel.
“I assure you, this is no joke.” The man sitting behind the desk replied. “You are the best fit for this operation.”
The woman would have asked for the man’s name, but meetings like this were always easier without bothering. She knew this man was authorized to provide her with orders, and that was enough. Not that she was happy with the situation, the more she flipped through the pages of the folder provided to her, the more outraged she became.
“I speak five languages, have successfully infiltrated organizations that wish to cause domestic disturbances, spent years in training and on operations, and my assignment is to infiltrate a high school?” The woman asked loudly.
“Quiet.” The man said firmly. Then he calmly explained, “This is not infiltration. Your objective is to monitor the school and provide whatever support it should need as a student. You are one of the few individuals we have that can appear young enough to fit in. You have additionally been chosen due to your reliability.”
“Otonokizaka High School.” The woman read aloud.
“It is a school that is slowly failing, they will be down to only three classes this coming year. It would be troublesome to provide direct assistance to them, but it is essential to us they stay open.” The man explained.
The woman thought to ask why, but knew she would not receive an answer to that question. “I’m 25.” Was all she said at first, then added, “I think I’m a little too old to pass for ten years younger.”
“You are mature for your age, that is all.” The man replied.
The woman sighed, exasperated, “This is my legend, I assume?” She looked through the folder some more, it was a complete biography of the girl she was supposed to be when she attended the school. Not only that, it had a copies of several documents stating prior residences, previous schools, and even details of the relationship with the identity’s family.
“You are just a girl who moved around with her parents many times and are now living by yourself to attend high school at a single institution. It is common enough it should not cause you any trouble when others realize you are living alone.” The man explained.
At least I can live alone. The woman thought. They probably do not want to expend additional personnel on this operation to act as parents. “Any major personality traits?” She asked.
“We will leave that to you. Just try to avoid having any visible hobbies that would be too adult for a girl her age.” The man said.
“Fine.” The woman said. She flipped the papers in the folder back to the beginning, “Nozomi Toujou.” She said aloud, “I suppose it is not such a bad name.” Trying to find something she liked about this entire situation. Of course I get sent to repeat high school, it’s like a bad nightmare. She thought.
“The school year begins in three weeks, which should be enough time to study your legend.” The man said.
“Three weeks is plenty.” The woman said.
“Dismissed.” And with that, the woman walked out the door, prepared to begin her new life as Nozomi Toujou.
----
It was two weeks before classes began. Nozomi had by now noticed the budget for this operation was surprisingly generous. They gave me parents who were doing well enough to provide a more than sufficient income. Maybe there is something important about this after all. She thought as she rearranged the new furniture she had brought into her apartment.
Otonokizaka school uniforms had already been provided, as well as a wide range of clothing suited to a first year in high school. Unfortunately this clothing posed a problem, it would have been better suited to ten years ago when she was in high school for the first time rather than current fashion. As she looked through her closest she said to herself, “Looks like I’ll have to go shopping for clothes too.”
She had also started the process of making herself physically look the part of a first year student. Her hair had been dyed purple and she bought some hair extensions to give the illusion of having much longer hair than she did. A few changes in how she wore makeup completed the rest of the physical appearance changes she underwent in preparation for her new life as Nozomi Toujou. This body does look a bit too mature for a first year student, but it can’t be helped. She thought to herself.
Nozomi did wonder how she would fit in with the other students. Nobody seemed to plan for that issue. She did smile, however, as she looked at the two tarot decks on her table. The two possessions that had underwent the same journeys and trials she herself had been through. “I’m sure plenty of students will come to me if they have problems if they know I have these.” she said. A piece of her true self that she could have no matter where she went. It was a risk, to have a personal item like that, but the benefits of keeping two small possessions for her own sake outweighed the risks they posed.
Perhaps the biggest concern Nozomi faced was also the one question she couldn’t figure out an answer to right away, “Why is this operation happening?” Nozomi had two more weeks before her new school life began, but a great deal of work to do in that time.