That morning, I arrived at the classroom much earlier than usual—maybe even before the duty students.

The rarest part? Xinran and Keling walked to school with me! Before, our schedules never aligned. I’d always leave first, then Xinran, and finally Keling.

Usually, Xinran would bike Keling to school. But today, they skipped the bike and each hooked an arm through mine as we strolled.

Thankfully, the early hour meant empty streets. Otherwise, I’d have been blasted by a suckerpunch of envy—my vision would’ve flooded with darkened titles again.

*Sigh.* It felt oddly warm. Ignoring everything else… this was what family harmony looked like, wasn’t it?

Inside the main building, we split up on the first and second floors. Keling headed to her first-floor class. Xinran climbed to the third.

Her Class 2-1 was the first room on the third floor. But right after it wasn’t our Class 2-2—it was Class 2-3. Only our class got shoved to the very end of the second floor. We jokingly called it "Room 222." Downstairs sat "Room 111" (Keling’s class). Upstairs was "Room 333." Together, they were the "666 Classrooms." I’d been in 111 last year.

This arrangement seemed random. Our class wasn’t special… wait. *Wasn’t it?* Our classmates were all abnormal!

Other classes had no nicknames. Only ours did.

Were they gathering the weirdos?

Who did this? The Principal?

Right—the Principal was Lily’s mom. A Succubus. Non-human… Was she isolating anomalies?

But why was *I* here? I couldn’t see weird stuff before!

…Digging deeper felt dangerous. Better to pretend I saw nothing. Stay ordinary.

*Wait.*

Mirrors hid my own title. Window glass hid others’. So… glasses would block them too?

I’d get non-prescription lenses this Saturday.

Lost in thought, I reached the end of the second-floor hallway and slid open our classroom door.

I expected to be first. Instead, two people were already there.

One was the headache-inducing Jilianbing. The other was Lan Hua—the girl branded "Stalker." *Huh?* Her title was grey. And that expression… pure resentment?

Why look like that at dawn? Bad dreams?

*Don’t get involved.* I slid into my seat, backpack thudding on the desk. Our corner was the only occupied spot in the huge room. Strange.

Jilianbing, who’d ignored me since yesterday noon, seemed cheerful again. She smiled.

"Good morning, Master Cheng."

I kept it flat. "Morning."

She blinked, then smirked. "Oh? So eager to greet me? Do you like me now?"

"Sure. Whatever." I rolled my eyes, tone dripping with sarcasm.

"*Huh?!*"

That gasp came from Lan Hua beside her.

Why so shocked?

…Her grey title meant jealousy.

*Clue one:* Jilianbing asked if I liked her.

*Clue two:* I brushed her off.

*Clue three:* Lan Hua’s startled reaction.

Her inner monologue probably screamed: *‘How dare this jerk dismiss Sister Lianbing?!’*

Wow. Jilianbing’s *that* popular with girls? (Yawn.)

My guess was right—girls didn’t avoid her out of dislike. They idolized her.

…Has Jilianbing ever dated a guy? Could she be into girls too?

*Oho.* The school queen’s a lesbian. Big scoop.

"You’re thinking something rude, An Juncheng."

"Nope."

"Hmm~ Really?"

"Yep."

Same deadpan reply. She’d lose interest now.

She did… until after two classes.

I headed for the Master Cheng Pavilion as usual. But rounding the corner by the science building, near the basketball court—

Jilianbing blocked my path.

*How?!* She was still in class when I left!

"Ah~ What a coincidence, Master Cheng."

"Bull. You waited here."

She stepped closer, hands behind her back, gazing up with those bottomless black eyes. I froze.

"Right. I waited. For your answer."

*Answer.* About yesterday’s confession. Fine. Rip the bandage off.

"Sorry. Like I said—we’re not a match."

"Why refuse so fast? I’m serious! You’re making me cry~"

"*Serious?* You’re lying."

"Lying? You think I’m lying?"

*Tch.* Of course. Her title was only green. And that "confession"? Sounded fake to anyone.

"What else could it be?"

"*Sob.* You’re cruel… I really like you…"

I braced for her to drop the act. Reveal her real goal.

She didn’t.

Tears streamed down her face like a heartbroken girl. Her title flushed *pink*.

*Wait—WHAT?!* Did she actually like me now? Or was my power glitching?

*Uh…*

Was this real? *Seriously?*

I stood dumbstruck. Should I comfort her? If she truly liked me… should I say yes? But her title—

My thoughts tangled.

"Uh… sorry, I just thought—"

"*Fooled. You.*"

*Huh?*

"Hehehe~ See? When I feel real emotions, you can’t spot my lies."

Her title snapped back to green. Tears vanished. In three seconds, she switched from weeping to grinning.

*What IS this woman?!* She controls her own emotions?!

Terrifying.

"Finally showing some expression?"

"…"

I shouldn’t have engaged. Should’ve ignored her from the start.

Scowling, I shoved past her toward the pavilion.

She skipped after me. "Mad? Don’t be~ Come, I’ll show you a treasure~"

*Don’t say creepy stuff like that!*

*Ignore her. She’s baiting you.*

"Really not curious? This photo might matter to you~"

*Photo?*

Pfft. Childhood pics? I’ve got no embarrassing history. No cringey phases. Nothing shameful. At worst, it’d be baby photos.

"Tsk. Pity. I’ll mail it to your father then. He’ll thank me."

*My dad?* Family photos?

She read my panic like a book. I felt toyed with.

"Let me give clues. First: a bathroom."

*Bathroom…*

"Second: you and your little sister."

*Me and Xinran…*

"Third: reverse rear-entry position."

*REVERSE WHAT?!* Like… her hugging me from behind?

*Thud.*

Cold sweat beaded on my forehead. The mental image hit hard.

I spun around, grabbing her wrist, nose almost touching the photo.

"HOLY CRAP! HOW DOES THIS PHOTO EVEN EXIST?!"

One glance shattered my sanity. My brain felt shredded by vampire claws.

The photo showed me shirtless, pants down. Xinran—nearly naked—clung to my back, gripping my…

*AAAAAH!*

They’d even added a mosaic! It wasn’t like that at all!

And why white liquid?! Photoshopped! My pee isn’t white!

This looked like… siblings doing something *very* wrong!

"What is this?! How’d you get it?!"

I couldn’t stay calm. My darkest secret, captured forever.

I was losing it.

Jilianbing smoothly swapped the photo to her other hand, pressing it to her lips. "Ah, after school yesterday, I had my Maid trace your address… Who knew such a *treasure* awaited?"

"Your Maid does break-ins too?!"

Unnoticed? She’s more ninja than maid!

"Hmph. How she got in isn’t the point. This photo… is *very* problematic."

"It’s just—"

"Just what?"

"Just…!"

*Think, An Juncheng! Think of an excuse!*

Jilianbing covered her mouth, feigning heartbreak. "Tsk tsk… Such moral decay. Siblings doing such filthy—"

"GIVE IT BACK!"

"Hehe. Come take it~"

I lunged. Logic said grabbing it was pointless—she’d have copies. But rage made me stupid.

Worse? I *missed*.

As I stepped forward, Jilianbing nimbly dodged my outstretched hand and tripped me with her foot.

Just as I was about to face-plant, she grabbed my wrist and yanked me back, sending me stumbling from the recoil.

Jilianbing caught me before I hit the ground, my head resting against her chest.

I looked up and swallowed hard; she gazed down, licking her plump, red lips.

“So, do you know what to do now? Classmate An Juncheng… no, Master Cheng? Hehehe~”

D-Demon…

She’d actually caught my biggest weakness…

That ominous premonition had invaded my life as misfortune far too soon.

I could already see my future spent in misery under exploitation and coercion…

Sorrowfully, I closed my eyes and resignedly declared my submission to Jilianbing.

“At your service, Young Mistress…”

The future is truly bleak…