The Ugly Love of Monster Girls Chapter 24: First Day

The hum of the taxi was steady beneath us, but my focus drifted to the glossy brochure in my hands. The school's crest glead faintly under the light, bold and polished, as if establishing its prestige. My fingers traced the embossed letters “St. Elms Academy” as I flipped through the pages, scanning the pages, color-coded into different sections.

My eyes traced the design on the pages. Three bold streaks of color slashed across the white paper, brown, blue, and black, like they were branding you before you even stepped through the gates.

The brochure dressed it up in polished words, talking about “individualized education” and “personalized pathways,” but under all the flowery language, it was just categorization. Neatly sorting students into where they’d see fit.

Nora’s voice broke the steady hum of the taxi. "Going through that brochure again?" she asked, her tone light, but I could feel her eyes on .

I shrugged, fingers still brushing over the raised letter. "Just… trying to wrap my head around it."

Nora leaned closer, her warmth brushing against my side. "It’s not that complicated," she said, plucking the brochure from my hands with ease. Her fingers tapped the brown streak. "You’ll be in Tera, that’s where they put the ta ones. They’re not too dangerous, if you can play nice in society. That’s where you’ll be."

I didn’t miss how she stressed that last part.

Her nail slid down to the blue stripe next. "Ferox. That’s for the ones who bite. Literally, sotis." Her lips curled slightly. "Predators. Monsters with an appetite and no self-control. You’re not gonna cross paths with them much, and that’s a good thing."

Her thumb brushed over the black slash at the bottom. "Eclipse," she said. "It’s for those with special abilities, people who have the potential to do sothing more. They guide us to understand and control our gifts better.

“It’s not just about power, though," she added, her voice growing warr. "It’s about refining what makes us unique. They believe that with the right guidance, we can reach our full potential and… maybe even do things no one else can."

I glanced at her, curiosity tugging at my thoughts. "And… what about your gift?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

Nora’s expression softened, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Still untapped," she admitted, her fingers idly toying with the hem of her skirt. "They say I have the potential for sothing… but no one’s really sure what it is yet."

She shifted slightly closer, her warmth brushing against my side. "It’s not like I can shoot fire from my hands or read minds." Her voice lowered a bit, like she was sharing a secret. "But they wouldn’t have placed in Eclipse if there wasn’t sothing special, right?"

As the taxi rolled smoothly down the road, I found myself staring out the window, scanning the horizon for any sign of the academy. All I saw were massive buildings stretching far into the distance, their sleek, towering forms blending into one another. It felt more like we were entering a city than a school.

I frowned, still not spotting anything that looked remotely like a campus. “Hey… where’s the academy?” I asked, glancing toward Nora.

She smiled faintly, like she’d been waiting for to ask. “You’re looking at it.”

I blinked, turning back to the window. “Wait… this? This is the academy?”

Nora let out a soft, amused breath. “St. Elms isn’t just so ordinary school. It’s basically its own district. Everything you see…” she gestured toward the rows of grand, sprawling structures, “...is part of it.”

I stared out again, trying to wrap my head around it. The roads branched out into endless pathways, each lined with buildings of varying sizes. Buildings, research centers, dorms, even what looked like a shopping district further ahead. The sheer scale of it left speechless.

“This place is as big as a city!” I blurted out, still struggling to believe it.

Nora laughed softly under her breath, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Well, when you’re accommodating different branches and thousands of students, a regular campus isn’t going to cut it. You’ll get used to it.”

Nora's fingers trailed up, brushing against my hair as she adjusted the strands over my forehead.

“Rember what I said earlier,” she murmured, her tone gentler now but no less firm. “Don’t get too close to people. Don’t stand out.” She tilted her head, scanning my face with quiet intensity. “It’s better that way.”

Her fingers lingered, carefully shifting my bangs until they fell over my eyes, casting a slight shadow across my face. “There.” She smiled faintly, but sothing about it didn’t feel playful. “Now you look better.”

My eyes glanced at the rearview mirror. If anything, I looked like I’d just crawled out of bed.

A quiet sigh escaped as I leaned back against the seat.

“I’ll miss you, you know,” I admitted.

Nora’s expression softened imdiately. Without a word, she leaned in, pressing a warm kiss against my cheek. The tenderness of it caught off guard, and before I could react, her arms wrapped around , holding close.

“I’ll miss you more,” she murmured against my ear. Her voice, usually so teasing or sharp, held a warmth that settled deep into my chest. She didn’t let go right away. Her embrace gradually tightened, “I’ve always missed you when you weren’t with .”

Her face closed in on again, giving another kiss on my cheek, this ti slower. "I’m really, really going to miss you," she said softly, her breath warm against my skin.

I shifted uncomfortably in her embrace, feeling the heat rise to my face. Out the window, a few students were already gathering near the school gates, chatting and laughing as they passed by. The sight made my pulse quicken. I could already imagine the stares if anyone saw us like this.

“Nora,” I muttered, trying to gently push her away. “People are gonna see…”

Instead of letting go, she only tightened her hold, her fingers curling possessively around my waist. A playful hum escaped her lips. "So? Let them." Her voice dipped lower, brushing her hand against my hip. "Or… are you embarrassed of , big brother?"

My cheeks burned hotter. "That's not-" I tried to create distance but her grip remained firm.

She laughed lightly, the sound low and sweet. "I am gonna miss how you get flustered too," she whispered, nuzzling her face against my neck one last ti before finally releasing .

I shot her a look, still warm with embarrassnt as I smoothed down my uniform. "I don’t know what to do with you," I grumbled under my breath, but the corners of my mouth twitched despite myself.

“And yet,” she leaned back against her seat, landing her head on my shoulder, “you still can’t get enough of ."

The taxi soon slowed to a stop near a sprawling courtyard, and Nora gave my hand one last squeeze before the driver pulled back onto the road. The driver glanced back, waiting to pull away, but she didn’t move just yet.

Her eyes faltered as they t mine. Then, in a quiet, almost reluctant voice, she murmured, “Take care… I love you.”

I squeezed her hand gently, eting her gaze. "I love you too," I said.

Her lips curled into a faint smile, but there was still that shadow of hesitation in her eyes. Before I could say anything else, I slipped out of the car, feeling the warmth of her touch still on my skin.

As I closed the door behind , the car eased back onto the road. I stood there, watching as her figure grew smaller and smaller until she disappeared around a bend, leaving alone in front of the towering academy.

The structures of St. Elms stretched high above , the sheer scale still making my head spin. I exhaled, turning toward the entrance. The lobby was grand, like I had just stepped into so resort rather than a school.

Sleek marble floors stretched across the hallway. Students bustled around, their chatter filling the space as I made my way toward a large map mounted on the wall. My eyes scanned over, trying to make sense of the layout. My class was supposed to be sowhere on the east side, but the twisting corridors and endless blocks made it a bit difficult to figure out.

Where am I supposed to go?" I muttered under my breath, squinting at the complicated display.

"You lost or sothing?" a voice chirped from beside .

A girl about my age stood there, grinning widely. Her light blue hair was ssy, cut short with uneven strands falling over her forehead. Round, furry ears twitched slightly on the sides of her head, and a thin, hairless tail flicked behind her.

She had sharp, twitchy energy, like she was ready to bolt at any mont, but her amber eyes glead with curiosity. Her uniform looked a little rumpled. With her rounded ears and hairless tail, I guessed she was so kind of rat girl.

I imdiately rembered Nora’s warning: Avoid people.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, trying to sound casual. “Just figuring things out.”

“Yeah, sure you are," she snorted, leaning in a little closer to the map. "You’re definitely lost. First ti here?”

I forced a smile, hoping this conversation wouldn’t last long. “Sothing like that.”

“Well, lucky for you, I’m a pro at this,” she declared, tapping the map with a finger. “2-C huh? It’s down that corridor, take a left past the garden thing, and you’re golden.”

“Thanks,” I said, shifting my weight and preparing to leave.

But she wasn’t done.

“Oh hey, wait up! I’m heading there too,” she blurted, already stepping in line beside . “Man, this place is a maze when you’re new. I had no clue where to go my first week, and the upperclassn love ssing with fresh faces. You are a new student, right? You gotta be. Haven’t seen you around.”

I bit back a sigh. So much for a quick escape. “Yeah… first day,”

Her face lit up with even more curiosity. “Nice! You’re joining Class 2-C, yeah? That’s my class. What’s your na?”

“Markus,” I answered, hoping she’d run out of steam soon.

“Cool, cool. I’m Kael. You picked a weird ti to transfer, though. Mid-term’s rough. What’s your deal? Parents work here or sothing? And seriously…” Her eyes squinted slightly as she leaned in, inspecting too closely. “What’s up with your hair? It’s all ssy.”

I knew it, I groaned internally.

I kept my steps brisk, hoping Kael would take the hint and leave alone. She didn’t.

"So, where'd you transfer from?" she asked, her tail twitching slightly as he strolled beside .

I hesitated. "Out of town," I said vaguely.

"Ooh, mysterious," she grinned, undeterred. "What, your old school not cool enough for you? Or did your parents pull so strings to get you in here? St. Elms is kinda elite, you know. Well, unless you're in Tera. They’re a bit more relaxed." She nudged my shoulder like we were already friends. "Guess that ans you're one of the chill ones."

"Guess so," I muttered.

"Man, you're all kinds of quiet," she mused, tilting her head. "Not much of a talker, huh?"

I shrugged, hoping she’d let the silence stretch long enough for to break free.

Kael laughed under her breath. "You're lucky you ran into , then. Most people here? Totally uptight. But ? I’m super understanding." Her voice took on a mock-serious tone as she gestured to herself. "Patient. Generous with my ti. I’m basically a saint."

Great, I thought, biting back a sigh. A saint who doesn’t know when to shut up.

“And hey, since I’m so understanding, I won’t ask too many weird questions,” she continued, like she was doing a favor. “I an, except for the hair thing, seriously, dude, what’s up with it? You got a rebellious phase going on, or what?”

“It’s just hair,” I said flatly, wondering if I could fake a sudden stomachache to escape her.

"Right, right, ‘just hair,’" she echoed, making air quotes. "Hey, no judgnt. You do you. I respect that."

"And if you need a guide, I’m your gal," Kael added, spreading her arms wide like she was offering a blessing. "I know all the shortcuts. Seriously, this place is massive, you could probably get lost for days. And trust , you don’t wanna stumble into the Ferox wing unprepared. Those guys? Freakin' wild."

I swallowed back another sigh and gave a stiff nod. "Noted."

Kael, oblivious to my suffering, just kept talking.

anwhile, I had already ntally checked out and was halfway through planning my dream vacation to a place where no one could talk to for the next 5 minutes.