Chapter 4 Chapter 4

The sound of loud knocking jolted me awake.

“Who’s that? Isn’t it too early?” I groaned, pushing myself up from the bed. My hair was a tangled mess and my mind still heavy from sleep. I glanced at the small clock on the desk.

“Damn.” It was already seven in the morning. Kael had said he’d come by early today. Of course it had to be him knocking like the world was ending.

I stumbled toward the door and pulled it open.

Kael stood there, looking infuriatingly awake and composed. His gray coat was buttoned up neatly, his dark hair slightly tousled in that deliberate, effortless way that made it look intentional. He was holding two cups of coffee and a paper bag.

“Good morning, Elena,” he greeted with a half-smile. “You look like you fought a bear in your sleep.”

I frowned, blinking at the sunlight spilling from the hallway. “Do you always insult people before breakfast?”

He handed me one of the cups. “Only when they forget I’m doing them a favor.”

I took the coffee suspiciously. “What favor?”

“Driving you to your new school,” he said. “Or do you plan on walking across town in those pajamas?”

I looked down and realized I was still in my oversized shirt and shorts. My face heated up. “You could’ve warned me before pounding on my door like that!”

He shrugged. “I did warn you. Yesterday. You just didn’t wake up on time.”

I groaned, setting the coffee on the desk. “Give me fifteen minutes.”

Kael smirked and leaned against the doorframe. “Ten.”

“Fifteen,” I insisted.

He raised an eyebrow. “Twelve, and I’ll even let you eat breakfast on the way.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet you’re still talking to me,” he replied casually, stepping aside as I slammed the door shut.

I changed as quickly as I could—black jeans, white blouse, and a gray jacket that almost made me look human. My reflection in the mirror still looked too pale, too composed. I practiced a smile, but it felt foreign, like trying on a face that didn’t belong to me.

When I came out, Kael was still standing in the hallway, scrolling through his phone. He looked up when he heard the door.

“Well, look at that,” he said. “You almost look like a college student.”

“Almost?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

He grinned. “Don’t worry. Humans will buy it.”

We left Mrs. Lira’s boarding house, and the morning air hit my face. The street was alive. Vendors shouting, cars honking, people rushing to work. Everything smelled like life and chaos.

Kael opened the door to a black sedan parked by the curb. “Get in.”

I slid into the passenger seat, holding the paper bag he’d handed me earlier. Inside were two sandwiches.

“You actually brought breakfast,” I said, surprised.

“I said I would,” he replied, starting the engine. “I’m not completely heartless.”

I took a small bite. It was warm, simple, but comforting. “So where is this university?”

“About twenty minutes from here,” Kael said. “Valleria University. Big campus, good reputation, and enough students that no one will notice one mysterious transfer student.”

“Perfect,” I muttered. “I’ll blend right in.”

Kael chuckled. “Try not to glare at everyone and you’ll be fine.”

“I don’t glare.”

“You do. Constantly.”

I shot him a look, and he laughed.

The drive was quiet after that. The city passed by in flashes of sunlight and noise—cafés, bookstores, a park full of children chasing each other. I found myself watching everything with quiet fascination.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Kael said softly.

I nodded. “It’s.. different. Loud, alive. But fragile somehow.”

He glanced at me briefly. “That’s what makes it worth protecting.”

When we arrived, the campus loomed ahead—old stone buildings mixed with modern glass structures, wide lawns full of students, and a fountain that shimmered in the morning light.

Kael parked the car near the front gate. “Welcome to Valleria University, Miss Elena Sine.”

I stared out the window, heart thudding. “It looks… overwhelming.”

He leaned slightly closer. “You’ll get used to it. Remember what we practiced?”

“Smile,” I said flatly.

“Exactly,” he said with a smirk. “Humans trust smiles.”

I rolled my eyes but stepped out of the car. The air was fresh, full of chatter and laughter.

Kael walked beside me as we crossed the courtyard. A few students glanced at us curiously, but most were too busy to care.

We stopped in front of the administration building. Kael handed me a folder. “Your fake records, ID, and schedule. You’re officially a literature major now.”

I flipped through the documents, impressed despite myself. “You really did all this?”

He shrugged. “I’m good at pretending.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said dryly.

He smiled faintly, then looked around. “I’ll stay nearby today, just in case. But from now on, you’ll need to handle things yourself. The less we’re seen together, the safer you’ll be.”

I met his gaze. “You’re not coming in?”

He shook his head. “You’ll be fine. Just don’t let anyone get too close.”

I frowned. “Why? You think I’ll bite them?”

His lips curved into a knowing smile. “You tell me.”

Before I could reply, he turned and walked back toward the car. The morning sun caught in his dark hair, and for a brief moment, I felt something tighten in my chest.

I looked back at the busy campus, clutching my new identity in hand.

“Elena Sine,” I whispered to myself.

And as I stepped forward into the crowd, I wondered how long it would take before this human mask began to feel real.