Chapter Text
Sunlight illuminated the courtyard of Sweet Amoris, reflecting off the large windows of the main building. The sky was clear and blue, and a light breeze gently rustled the leaves of the trees near the school gate.
A young man stopped in front of the entrance.
Vox Lux.
His short, slightly messy black hair contrasted with his pale skin. His dark clothes, full of punk and gothic details, fell over his slim, slightly muscular body. Thin chains, black fabrics, and alternative accessories gave him an unusual, almost theatrical air.
A presence that inevitably attracted attention.
Vox observed the building in front of him for a few seconds.
He didn't seem particularly impressed. His calm, attentive red gaze moved slowly between the windows, the courtyard, and the students entering and leaving the main entrance.
The school was full of life.
Groups of students were chatting among themselves, some laughing, others hurrying across the courtyard so as not to be late for class.
Vox took a slow breath.
Then he started walking.
The gate closed behind him with a soft metallic clang as he crossed the sunlit courtyard. Some students passed him, giving him curious looks.
It was hard not to notice him.
His dark clothes, alternative style, and especially his red eyes created a striking contrast with the bright surroundings of the school.
Vox seemed to completely ignore the stares.
He continued walking calmly to the entrance of the building.
As soon as he entered, the buzz of the corridors immediately welcomed him.
Metal lockers opening and closing. The overlapping voices of students talking to each other. Quick footsteps on the shiny floor.
Vox was observing the layout of the corridors when an adult voice stopped him.
“You must be the new student.”
The boy turned around.
Standing before him was the school principal, Principal Sweet Amoris. The woman looked at him with a friendly, professional expression.
Her gaze lingered for a moment on Vox's appearance. The dark clothes, the unusual style, the reserved air.
If anything surprised her, she didn't show it.
“Vox Lux, right?” she said with a kind smile.
Vox gave a slight nod.
“Yes.”
The principal nodded.
“Welcome to Sweet Amoris.”
She made a sweeping gesture with her hand, as if indicating the entire school around them.
“I really hope you settle in quickly here. Starting at a new school can be tricky, but I'm sure you'll find your place.”
Vox was silent for a moment before replying.
“Thank you.”
Her voice was calm, almost detached.
The principal continued in the same cordial tone.
“First of all, though, I recommend you stop by the student representative's office.”
She paused briefly.
“Nathaniel. He's a very reliable student and often handles school paperwork.”
She opened a folder she was holding and quickly checked some papers.
“He'll need to verify that your enrollment file is complete. It's just a formality, but we prefer to make sure all the paperwork is in order.”
Then she closed the folder and looked back at Vox.
“You can usually find it near the lockers in the main hallway. It shouldn't be hard to spot.”
Another kind smile.
“Welcome again to Sweet Amoris, Vox Lux. I hope this school will give you a good start.”
The hallway continued to fill with voices and footsteps around them.
Vox looked down slightly in the direction indicated.
“I see.”
He gave a small nod.
“Thank you.”
Then he turned and began walking down the main hallway, heading toward the student representative who would check his file.
Beams of light streamed through the large windows into the main hallway. The metal lockers faintly reflected the morning sun as students passed back and forth, talking to each other.
Vox Lux walked calmly.
His red gaze scanned the classroom doors and the nameplates on the walls until he found the one he was looking for.
Delegates' Room.
The door was ajar.
Vox knocked lightly with his knuckles and then entered.
The room was almost excessively tidy. A desk covered with papers, some file cabinets neatly lined up against the wall, and a stack of documents arranged precisely next to an open folder.
Vox stopped near the entrance.
“Excuse me,” he said politely, “could you tell me where the secretary is?”
Across the desk, a young man looked up from his papers.
He was blond, with light, neatly combed hair. He wore a well-pressed shirt and a blue tie. His yellow eyes had an attentive, composed expression, as if he were accustomed to handling responsibilities greater than himself.
He rose from his chair.
“That's me,” he said politely. “Nathaniel.”
He gave a small, courteous smile.
“What can I do for you?”
Vox took a step forward.
“The principal told me to come to you about enrollment.”
Nathaniel tilted his head slightly, as if he were connecting the information.
“I see.”
Then he seemed to suddenly remember something.
“Ah... so you must be the new student.”
His smile became more cordial.
“Welcome.”
He turned to his desk and began leafing through some papers with quick but precise movements.
“Let's check your file right away.”
For a few seconds, only the sound of paper could be heard.
Nathaniel muttered to himself as he searched through the folders.
“Let's see... new files... registrations... forms…”
After a brief moment, he finally found the right folder.
He picked it up and glanced through it quickly.
Then he returned to Vox with a slightly thoughtful expression.
“I'm afraid your file is incomplete.”
Vox remained silent, waiting for an explanation.
Nathaniel checked the papers again.
“There's no passport photo,” he said calmly. “And also the ¥5 required for registration fees.”
He paused briefly as he turned another sheet.
“But above all...” he continued.
He looked up at Vox.
“The papers signed by your parents are missing.”
He carefully closed the folder.
“Those are mandatory.”
For a few seconds, only silence remained in the room.
Vox spoke in the same calm tone as before.
“I understand.”
Then he made a small gesture toward the dossier.
“Then I'll leave the dossier here. I'll come back when I have the rest.”
He was about to turn toward the door when Nathaniel stopped him.
“Just a moment.”
The blond boy shook his head slightly.
“The documents must remain under your responsibility.”
He took the folder and handed it carefully to Vox.
“You have to take care of it.”
Then he added in his usual composed tone:
“I'll make sure your registration form isn't mixed up with another file.”
He gave a small, kind smile.
“But don't forget to bring your passport photo and money when you come back.”
Nathaniel crossed his hands in front of him with the organized air of someone who takes his role very seriously.
“Without those, I won't be able to complete your registration.”
Vox left the delegates' room with the folder clutched tightly in his hands.
The corridor was still lit by sunlight filtering through the tall windows. Students continued to pass in both directions, some talking animatedly, others too absorbed in their own thoughts to notice the newcomer.
Vox took a few steps.
Then he stopped.
In front of him, right in the middle of the hallway, was a small group of three girls who were blocking most of the passageway.
The girl in the middle immediately caught his attention.
She was blonde, with long, wavy hair that fell to her lower back. Her green eyes sparkled in the hallway light, and her clothes had an elegant and expensive look. The dominant colors were blue, green, and beige, combined with a precision that made it clear that nothing was left to chance.
She had the confident attitude of someone used to being the center of attention.
To her left stood another girl.
Her hair was ash blonde, pulled back into a high ponytail that left her face uncovered. Her light brown eyes observed the scene with an almost detached calm. Her clothes were in shades of green and brown, and her slender figure made her the tallest in the group.
To the right of the girl in the middle was the third girl.
She was shorter, with Asian features and long black hair framed by straight bangs. Her dark eyes were focused on a compact mirror as she carefully applied lipstick to her lips.
She wore a red and gold Chinese-style shirt that stood out among the more subdued colors of the other two.
For a few seconds, none of the three said anything.
Then the girl in the middle looked at Vox.
Her green eyes slowly studied him from head to toe.
A subtle smile appeared on her lips.
“Well, well,” she said with an amused tone.
She took a small step forward.
“You must be the newcomer.”
Her voice was sweet, but there was something about the way she spoke that sounded more like an amused observation than a genuine welcome.
Vox remained calm.
“Nice to meet you,” he said simply. “I'm Vox.”
The girl stared at him for another moment, then let out a small laugh.
“Oh, we already figured out you're new.”
She crossed her arms with a vaguely bored look.
“Although, I must say...”
Her gaze slid back over Vox's appearance.
“...there's not much to be cheerful about between you and the newcomer.”
The girl raised her chin slightly and turned to her friends with a mischievous smile.
“Don't you agree?”
The girl with the high ponytail looked at Vox for a brief moment, her expression unchanged.
The one with the bangs kept fixing her lipstick, as if the conversation were just background noise.
Then the girl in the middle made a distracted gesture with her hand.
“Well, anyway.”
She took a step forward, followed by the other two.
As they passed Vox, they deliberately bumped into him with their shoulders.
The gesture was not violent, but abrupt enough to make it clear that it was no accident.
A light laugh echoed in the hallway as the three girls walked away.
Their footsteps were lost amid the noise of the students, and their voices gradually faded into the buzz of the school.
Vox stood still for a moment in the hallway, the folder still in his hands.
Vox stood still in the hallway for a few more seconds.
The laughter of the three girls had already faded away, but the feeling of irritation lingered like an annoying buzz.
He clenched the folder slightly.
He said nothing, but his gaze grew colder.
With a determined stride, he walked down the hallway to his classroom. If he had to fix that damn file, he needed at least something to hold the papers together. A paper clip, a binder clip... anything.
He opened the classroom door.
The room was almost empty.
Sunlight streamed in through the windows and illuminated the neat desks. The silence was broken only by the slight rustling of someone tidying things up.
Vox looked up.
There was a girl standing near one of the desks.
She had red hair and bright green eyes. Her clothes were shades of green and purple, colors that stood out vividly in the bright room. Her hair was braided into a sweet plait that fell over her shoulder.
When she saw Vox, her face lit up with a natural smile.
“Hi!”
Her voice was warm and friendly.
“You must be the new guy, right?”
Vox gave a small nod.
“Yes.”
The girl took a few steps closer.
“Nice to meet you, I'm Iris.”
She gestured toward the desks.
“We're in the same class.”
Vox looked at her for a moment.
“Vox.”
Iris smiled even more.
“It's a pleasure to meet you.”
His tone was sincere, without the slightest trace of irony or judgment.
Then he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall.
“Oh, I have to go.”
He waved a small farewell gesture with his hand.
“See you later!”
Vox returned the greeting with a slight nod of his head.
“Bye.”
Iris left the classroom with a light step, leaving the room silent once again.
Vox began to look around.
He opened a drawer in the desk. Nothing.
He checked one of the desks. Nothing.
He even tried an old pen holder forgotten in a corner of the room.
Not even a paper clip.
“Great...” he muttered to himself.
After a few minutes of fruitless searching, he sighed and left the classroom.
As soon as he stepped back into the hallway, he stopped.
Nathaniel was standing in front of him again.
The blond boy was arranging some papers he was holding in his hands. When he saw Vox, he seemed to suddenly remember something.
“Oh!”
He approached with a slightly embarrassed expression.
“I have to apologize.”
Vox looked at him silently.
Nathaniel picked up a folder.
“Your form got mixed up with other papers while I was checking some documents.”
He gave a small, polite smile.
“I put it aside to be on the safe side.”
He handed him the file.
Vox took it.
“Thanks.”
Then he added:
“Do you happen to know where I can get some passport photos taken?”
Nathaniel nodded immediately.
“Sure.”
He pointed vaguely toward the school exit.
“You can go to the bazaar downtown. It's a place where you can find just about anything.”
They began walking together toward the delegates' hall.
After a few steps, Nathaniel spoke again, in a serious tone.
“By the way... I'm afraid your registration cannot be accepted.”
Vox stopped abruptly.
He looked at him.
“Are you kidding?”
Nathaniel tilted his head slightly.
“Was it that hard to understand?”
Vox stared at him for a few seconds.
“That's a ridiculous joke.”
Nathaniel's face barely changed. He wasn't used to being answered that way.
He seemed slightly offended.
“I didn't mean to—”
But Vox had already started walking again.
He stepped out into the hallway, clearly irritated.
He had only taken a few steps when someone suddenly appeared in front of him.
“Hey!”
Vox jumped slightly.
In front of him stood a boy with short brown hair and a kind expression.
It was Kentin.
“Sorry!” Kentin said immediately. “I didn't mean to scare you.”
Then he smiled in a friendly manner.
“Have you explored the school yet?”
Vox shook his head slightly.
“It's big.”
He made a small gesture with his hand.
“I haven't seen everything yet.”
Kentin nodded enthusiastically.
“Well, it takes a while to get used to it.”
Vox gave him a quick wave goodbye.
“See you later.”
Without stopping any longer, he resumed walking down the hallway.
Vox walked down the hallway at a slower pace.
The buzz of the school continued around him. Distant voices, lockers closing, quick footsteps on the shiny floor. He paused for a moment near the lockers, distractedly observing his surroundings.
That's when he noticed something on the floor.
A small metal paper clip, almost hidden near the base of a locker.
Vox bent down and picked it up.
He looked at it for a moment between his fingers.
It wasn't exactly what he had been looking for before... but it was still useful.
He opened the folder and calmly arranged the papers in the dossier. He used the paper clip to hold them together, making sure they stayed in order.
Then he closed the folder.
This time everything finally seemed to be in its place.
With the complete dossier in his hands, Vox returned to the principal's office. The hallway was a little quieter than before, and sunlight continued to illuminate the school's light-colored walls.
He knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Vox entered.
The principal, Principal Sweet Amoris, was sitting behind her desk, busy reading some documents. When she looked up and saw Vox, she calmly put down the papers.
“Ah, Vox Lux.”
Her tone was friendly.
“Did you bring the file?”
Vox approached the desk and handed her the folder.
“Yes.”
The principal took it and began checking the papers one by one.
The silence in the room was broken only by the soft sound of paper as he leafed through the dossier.
After a few moments, he nodded with satisfaction.
“Perfect.”
He closed the folder and placed it neatly on the desk.
“Thank you for getting everything sorted out so quickly.”
He looked up at Vox with a kind smile.
“I'd say we're done for today.”
He made a small gesture with his hand toward the door.
“You can go home.”
His voice remained calm and professional.
“We'll see you tomorrow for the start of classes.”
Vox nodded slightly.
“All right.”
He turned and walked out of the office.
The hallway was quieter now, while the sun continued to shine through the school windows. Vox slowly crossed the building, walked out the main entrance, and left the school behind him.
Vox left the school building while the afternoon sun still lit up the courtyard.
The air was calmer than before. Many students had already left, and the buzz of the school was slowly dying down.
Vox was about to walk through the gate when he noticed someone leaning against the wall of the building.
A tall boy.
Messy red hair. Dark jacket, punk clothes, and an air of indifference that seemed almost studied. He had his arms crossed and was staring distractedly at the courtyard as if nothing around him was really interesting.
Vox stopped in front of him.
“Hi,” he said calmly. “I'm Vox.”
The red-haired boy barely looked at him.
His expression clearly showed that he wasn't in the mood for conversation.
He remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he sighed.
“Castiel.”
The way he said it sounded more like an obligation than a genuine introduction.
Vox looked down at his T-shirt for a moment.
The symbol printed on the fabric was familiar to him.
A skull with stylized wings.
Vox looked up again.
“Nice shirt.”
Castiel barely raised an eyebrow.
“Winged Skull,” Vox continued. “I didn't think anyone here listened to that band.”
This time Castiel's attention really shifted.
“Do you know them?”
“Sure.”
Vox shrugged slightly.
“Alternative rock with metal influences. Their second album is the best.”
Castiel looked at him with more interest.
“Not bad.”
He stepped away from the wall.
“Usually when someone sees this shirt, they think it's just a design.”
Vox gave a half-smile.
“That happens a lot.”
For a few minutes, they talked about music.
Rock, metal, old albums, concerts. The conversation flowed surprisingly naturally.
Then, suddenly, Castiel nodded.
“Follow me.”
Without explanation, he began walking toward the school entrance.
Vox looked at him for a second.
Then he followed.
They climbed a flight of stairs.
Then another.
And another.
Vox was beginning to wonder where they were going when Castiel spoke.
“We're going somewhere that's off-limits to students.”
He said it in an almost amused tone.
Vox watched as the red-haired boy pulled something out of his pocket.
A set of keys.
Vox narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You stole the keys from the teachers' lounge.”
Castiel gave a half-smile.
“Borrowed.”
They climbed the last flight of stairs to a small, almost empty corridor.
At the end was a small metal door.
Castiel stopped in front of the lock.
One of the keys turned with a small click.
The door opened.
A gust of fresh air blew into the corridor.
They climbed one last step.
And found themselves on the roof of the school.
Before them, the city stretched out under the bright afternoon sky. The roofs of buildings, the streets, the trees scattered among the houses.
The wind gently ruffled Castiel's red hair.
Vox approached the edge of the roof and looked out at the view.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.
Castiel leaned against the railing.
“Not bad, huh?”
Vox looked out over the city from above.
The sun was slowly beginning to set, bathing everything in a golden light.
“It's beautiful.”
They stood there in silence.
Looking at the view.
For once, without saying anything.