They say love holds power unlike anything else in this world.

A true, pure love can defy death itself… and call someone back from the deepest pits of hell.

But… does every love story end happily ever after?

Sometimes, we pour our entire soul into someone—only to realize they were never meant to stay.

And yet… we keep them inside us—unchanged, unforgotten—in the name of our first love.

...----------------...

Author :-

Hello my name is Shyni Aie.

And this is a tale woven from fantasy, horror, and romance—a story where beauty and darkness dance together,

and love… might just be the most dangerous magic of all.

...----------------...

The Year 1987

......................

The orphanage where I grew up was small, cold, and full of whispers.

No one called me “child” or “dear.” I was the ghost girl, the cursed witch—

a face that could ruin a day.

The others left, one by one, carried away by smiling new families.

I remained.

Even the caretakers’ glances cut deeper than words,

as if my very presence stained the air with bad luck.

But that year… something shifted.

A miracle—if one could call it that—arrived in a sealed envelope.

Santella Academy.

A school cloaked in mystery, its name spoken in hushed reverence.

They said its graduates were destined for power, wealth, and influence.

I was not rich, nor brilliant, nor athletic.

I had only one gift—painting.

If beauty existed before me, I could trap it on canvas:

every shadow, every glimmer, every breath.

And somehow… Santella chose me for a scholarship student.

I still don’t know why.

Perhaps it was God’s hand.

Or perhaps… something else entirely.

I remember the day I left.

A single, battered suitcase in hand,

I stood in the orphanage yard and whispered to myself,

“Where will my fate lead me?”

For the first time in my life, I boarded a train—alone—bound for Tokyo.

I imagined a city of endless lights and labyrinthine streets…

a future I’d been told I would never deserve.

My parents had died in an accident just after my birth.

My remaining relatives, calling me a bringer of misfortune,

cast me away to the orphanage.

I avoided mirrors for years.

I didn’t need to be reminded why people feared my face.

Once, I heard the caretaker mutter,

“This girl is the embodiment of bad luck. Just seeing her ruins my day.”

I believed her.

And I made sure to keep my distance from everyone.

But one winter night, fire consumed the village church.

Through the smoke and screaming,

I carried a small girl into the cold air outside.

Her parents called me “savior.”

The priest took my soot-stained hand and said,

"Child, no one is born cursed. Misfortune is only the shadow of time.

The past cannot be undone, but the future… the future belongs to you.

Stop hating yourself. You are special—both to God… and to this world."

Those words lodged deep inside me.

For the first time, I wondered—

what if the curse was never real?

When I learned about Santella Academy—a place where graduates were handpicked for government service—I dared to try.

Admission was impossible for most.

First, one had to pass an unforgiving exam.

Then, the academy itself had to invite you.

With trembling hands, I sent my application and my finest paintings.

The day the letter arrived, my breath caught—

“Congratulations. You have passed the entrance examination. Welcome to Santella Academy.”

And so… my fate began to shift.

The train rattled through the night like an old beast dragging itself through forgotten dreams. Shizumi slept, cradled in the rhythmic clatter, her breath warm against the frosted window. By dawn, the sky was a pale bruised gold, and the train exhaled her into the crisp air of an unfamiliar city.

When the train finally reached the city,

She stepped onto the platform and froze.

The world here felt alive—

its colors are sharper, its air heavier.

She walked until the academy rose before her—an impossible vision. Its towering spires pierced the clouds, gilded light spilling over marble walls as if this were a palace for kings and Queens, not a place of learning.

Her lips curved into a bright, unguarded smile.

"Oh my God… is this an academy or the royal palace itself? You only see this in newspapers and on TV! Come on, Shizumi… today’s your lucky day. Everything changes from here. You’ll find friends. You’ll belong."

With that hopeful whisper.

Each step toward Santella made my heart pound with a strange mixture of excitement… and dread.

Was I truly worthy?

Or was I still the unwanted child in the corner of the orphanage?

But the moment her foot crossed the academy’s gates—

a chill unlike any winter wind curled around her spine.

That’s when the sky darkened.

A shrill chorus split the morning—dozens, no, hundreds of crows burst from the surrounding trees, swirling overhead like a black storm given wings. Their cries were not random; they were sharp, purposeful, almost words. The air grew heavy, as though the world itself was holding its breath.

Shizumi flinched.

"What is… this feeling? It’s like something unseen is pressing against my skin. Am I the only one… or has the entire air shifted?"

She wasn’t alone. Four others within the academy froze as the same cold touch swept over them.

[Principal’s Office]

The principal’s hands trembled around a porcelain teacup.

"No… it can’t be." Her voice was barely a breath. "This atmosphere… it’s the same as thirty-seven years ago."

Her eyes—old, clouded, and haunted—drifted toward a portrait on the wall: her father, the previous principal.

"Back then, under my father’s watch, the academy nearly fell into ruin. Darkness walked these halls. So many… incidents. I have spent my life restoring this place to its glory. But if history is repeating…"

She stood abruptly, knuckles whitening on the desk.

"No. I will not let this academy fall again. Not while I breathe."

Elsewhere, two students—faces unseen—paused mid-step as the same strange aura coiled around them. They wore the academy’s pristine uniforms, but their eyes were far from ordinary.

From the shadows of the courtyard, one watched Shizumi at the gate. His gaze lingered, knowing. His lips curved in a slow, unreadable smile.

"It begins. The door that has been ajar for thirty-seven years… will be closed. But not without sacrifice."

The second student murmured under his breath,

"What’s happening…? Why does the air taste like fear?"

Far from the bustle of the main grounds, hidden deep within a forest of rotting trees, stood the remains of an old school building. Its gate bore a rusted lock wrapped in dozens of faded talismans. Each paper charm trembled, as if something was strained against them.

Inside, darkness pooled thick enough to drink. A boy wearing a grotesque mask knelt before a bowl of enchanted water, images rippling across its surface—images of Shizumi. His laughter was jagged, unnatural.

"Finally… after thirty-seven years, my free—"

A pair of crimson eyes flared open in the shadows.

"Yours?" a voice hissed.

The masked boy recoiled, then laughed mockingly,

"BOOOO! Ours, then… our freedom key."

Unaware of the web tightening around her, Shizumi skirted the restless crows and stepped inside the academy grounds.

"First things first… the principal’s office. But where is it? Maybe I should ask someone—huh?"

A loud commotion drew her attention. Students had gathered in a dense crowd, their voices bubbling with excitement. Her curiosity got the better of her. She pushed through, but as she reached the center, her shoulder slammed into someone.

She stumbled, grabbing for the nearest thing to stop her fall—fabric. Still, she crashed to the ground with a small gasp.

The noise vanished. An eerie silence spread through the crowd.

Rubbing her head, she blinked up. "Ouch… that hurt. Wait, why is everyone staring at me like that?"

She looked at what she still clutched. Then upward.

And froze.

A boy stood before her, battered and bruised as though he had survived some savage beating. Behind him… another boy—tall, with an expression unreadable except for the faintest smirk—was wearing pink bear-print shorts.

"What the hell—" she gasped, cheeks burning crimson. She snapped her gaze away, thinking frantically, "Oh no… oh no… I pulled his shorts! And I still fell! This is mortifying!"

Somewhere deep within the old school, the masked boy’s laughter echoed even louder.

"The game has begun."

a chill unlike any winter wind curled around Sizumi's spine.

Flinch

"It was like… something unseen was watching me."

And I did not yet know—

this was the first step into a story where beauty hides teeth,

where love can kill,

and where fate… demands a price.

...****************...

Shizumi’s mind went completely blank.

Not because of the pink bear-print shorts.

Not because of the boy’s sharply chiseled jawline or his stormy grey eyes — the kind that could destroy someone… or save them.

No…

It was because of the silence.

That kind of silence where the whole world seems to freeze — even crows would stop mid-“caw.”

And then—

“Move.”

The voice cracked through the air like a whip.

The boy in shorts didn’t look embarrassed, nor even startled.

Instead, his gaze shifted away from Shizumi and landed on the battered boy lying on the ground.

A light, almost lazy, yet dangerous kick — thud.

The sound was unsettling.

The fallen boy curled in on himself in pain, like a broken puppet.

The crowd did nothing.

Not even a breath.

Whispers began to stir through the air—

> “oh no Itsuki is angry”

“He’s in a bad mood today.”

“Whoever he touches… won’t survive this time.”

Shizumi blinked — Itsuki?

And then—

Two more shadows cut through the crowd.

One had golden hair and eyes like molten gold,

The other had deep brown hair and eyes like storm clouds.

The whispers shifted again—

> “There Heavenly Princes together …”

“All three at once? Someone’s doomed.”

The three boys exchanged glances and faint smiles — smiles that carried traces of childhood memories, but also the thrill of a new hunt.

The First Heavenly Prince placed a hand on the Third’s shoulder, as if to say, let’s make this more interesting.

The Second Heavenly Prince looked directly at Shizumi.

“New?”

Shizumi simply nodded.

The Third Heavenly Prince *Itsuki Hayama* tilted his lips into a sly curve.

“Then… it’s time to teach you the rules.”

A cold shiver swept through the crowd.

Everyone knew—

When these three were together, their prey was never left alone.

Shizumi could feel dozens of eyes boring into her from behind, but no one dared to step closer.

She turned slightly, looking at the boy still groaning on the ground, when a sharp whistle echoed from ahead—

“What are you staring at? ~”

All three Heavenly Princes were looking right at her.

Itsuki— the one with that playful, wicked smile — started walking toward her.

“Newcomers… have to be taught the rules,” he murmured, eyes glinting with mischief… and something else.

He stopped directly in her path, close enough for her to feel his breath.

Shizumi wanted to step back… but didn’t.

“Scared? By the way… your hair hides your face. And the more someone tries to hide from me… the more curious I get to see them.”

He smiled, reaching out — but—

Smack!

Whether it was fear or anger, something inside her snapped.

She shoved him hard, and her palm landed straight on someone else’s cheek—

The First Heavenly Prince.

A red mark bloomed against his skin.

Silence fell.

So deep that even the creak of a far-off window echoed clearly.

Some students in the crowd literally held their breath.

“The First Heavenly Prince… got hit?”

No one had ever dared to imagine that.

The Second Heavenly Prince was stunned, the Third Heavenly Prince *Itsuki* bent over, laughing silently.

“Oh… this just got fun.”

But the First Heavenly Prince’s eyes had turned completely cold — dangerously so.

He stepped forward and gripped Shizumi’s hand with iron strength.

“Come.”

His voice left no room for argument.

He began dragging her down the corridor.

Shizumi tried to pull free, but his grip was like stone.

Her steps grew heavier — until—

“Wait.”

A deep, firm voice rang out.

The Principal.

White hair, a long coat, and eyes that seemed to see straight through a person.

His gaze flicked from Shizumi to the three Heavenly Prince.

“Go to class.”

Her tone carried a weight that made even the two obey without a word — they only exchanged faint smirks before walking away and the first heavenly prince glare at shizumi before walking away.

The Principal then turned to Shizumi.

“You… come with me.”

Inside her office, she saw old wooden furniture, heavy books, and a dusty, framed photograph on the wall.

It showed students from years past… but in one corner, a face was completely blurred, as if erased.

Shizumi’s eyes lingered on it.

The Principal said quietly—

“Don’t look at that.”

She pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to her.

“This is your enrollment from, and… remember one rule — never go near the old school building.”

Shizumi nodded, but inside, questions churned like a storm.

Why not?

What was there?

And why… after looking at that photograph… did she feel like someone had just whispered in her ear—

“Free...dom... Key”

---

The Principal’s pen stopped scratching across the page.

she glanced toward the open office door and called out—

“Siya. Come in.”

A girl stepped inside.

Her long, silky black hair fell neatly over her shoulders, and her uniform looked like it had been pressed that morning by a professional.

Her smile was gentle — the kind that instantly made people relax — but Shizumi noticed the flicker of worry in her eyes.

“This is Siya,” the Principal said, looking between them. “She will show you around the academy and explain the rules. Follow them. Every single one of them.”

“Yes, Principal,” Siya said with a small bow.

The moment they stepped into the corridor, Siya’s smile returned — softer now.

“Come on. I’ll be your guide today.”

As they walked past tall glass windows and perfectly polished floors, Siya spoke with an easy kindness.

Her voice, however, dipped to a whisper whenever students passed by.

“I’ll start with the rules,” she said.

“Rule one: always attend classes. No excuses. Rule two: never, ever break curfew — after nine p.m., you’re in your dorm, no exceptions. Rule three…” Her voice lowered. “…stay away from the old school building.”

Shizumi tilted her head. “Why?”

Siya hesitated, glancing over her shoulder as if making sure no one was listening.

“You really want to know?”

Shizumi nodded.

Siya exhaled.

“Thirty-seven years ago, before the new academy was built, that old building was the original school. One night, thirteen students… never made it home.”

Shizumi’s steps slowed. “Never… made it home?”

“They were found inside the building. Or at least… their bodies were. The police searched for weeks — no weapon, no footprints, no fingerprints. Nothing.”

Her tone dropped lower.

“Some say it was an accident. Others say it wasn’t human at all. But the most common whisper?” She met Shizumi’s eyes. “That one of the students did it. A boy named Shisui.”

The name prickled at the back of Shizumi’s mind.

“They said… he didn’t just kill them. He planned it. Thirteen… all in one night.” Siya’s eyes darted away. “They found him, but not alive. And even dead, people swore they saw him walking the corridors after.”

They turned a corner, passing an archway where sunlight barely reached.

Shizumi noticed how Siya’s hand brushed her arm slightly — as if to keep them walking fast.

“Why hasn’t the building been torn down?” Shizumi asked.

“It’s locked. No one goes in. At least…” Siya’s voice trailed off. “…no one who comes back.”

They walked on in silence for a moment before Siya said, more quietly,

“You’re a scholarship student, right?”

Shizumi nodded.

“Then you should know — life here… it’s not going to be easy for you. Scholarship students are treated like… servants. The others here — they’re all from rich, respectable families. People like me.” Her lips curved in a bitter smile. “And even I keep my head down.”

They reached the courtyard, where sunlight poured over expensive cars lined neatly by the gates. Students laughed in small circles, their uniforms spotless, their watches gleaming.

“Why keep your head down?” Shizumi asked.

Siya’s smile faded.

“Because of them.”

Shizumi followed her gaze — and saw the three Heavenly Princes walking side by side across the courtyard.

Golden hair, stormy eyes, and that playful smirk from earlier.

Students stepped aside instantly, creating a path for them.

Siya’s voice turned almost urgent.

“You’ve already slapped the First Heavenly Prince, and that’s…” She bit her lip. “…that’s something no one has dared before.”

Shizumi raised an eyebrow. “And who exactly are they?”

Siya swallowed.

“The First Heavenly Prince's Name is Renjiro Kurogane— heir to the largest business empire in the country. The Second is Akihiro Senzai— from the most powerful political family. The Third is Itsuki Hayama— son of the military general who controls the entire southern region. Shizumi, you stay away from those three,” Siya’s voice trembled even as she lowered it to a whisper.

“They aren’t called the Three Heavenly Prince for nothing. If someone ever catches their eye… and they don’t like them…” — her gaze darted nervously around the corridor — “then that person’s life turns into living hell. No one escapes their cruelty.”

Shizumi glanced back at them. The First Heavenly Prince’s jaw was tight, eyes scanning the courtyard — as if searching for someone.

“They’re dangerous, Shizumi. Stay away from them if you want to survive here.” Siya’s voice was barely a whisper now.

“And if you can’t…” She looked directly at her. “…then pray you’re luckier than the last person who got in their way.”

...----------------...

The second morning at the academy felt different.

For the first time, Shizumi wore the uniform properly, her bag neatly strapped on her shoulder, and a flutter of excitement beating in her chest.

"This is it… my real start. My academy life."

She walked into the classroom as the teacher led her in.

“Class, we have a new student joining us today,” the teacher announced.

“Introduce yourself.”

Shizumi bowed politely.

“Hello everyone, my name is Shizumi. Nice to meet you all. I hope we get along!”

But instead of warm greetings, the room filled with whispers.

> “That’s her… the scholarship girl.”

“She slapped him—the First Heavenly Prince.”

“She’s so dead…”

The air buzzed with curiosity and fear, eyes darting at her as though she was already cursed.

The teacher ignored the mumbling.

“Shizumi, you can take the empty seat by the window.”

Shizumi’s eyes sparkled. A window seat!

Perfect spot for daydreaming, perfect spot to start her new life.

But when she reached the desk, she noticed the boy beside it had his head down, resting on his arms, as if the world didn’t exist.

Still smiling, Shizumi placed her bag down and turned to him.

“Hello! My name is Shizumi. Nice to meet you.”

Slowly, the boy lifted his head.

Messy dark hair fell across his sharp, mischievous eyes — the kind of eyes that hid laughter, but also danger.

A lazy grin spread across his lips.

“Wow… so you’re my desk mate?”

The class went completely silent.

A chill ran down Shizumi’s spine as the boy sat up straight.

He was no ordinary student.

He was Itsuki Hayama.

The Third Heavenly Prince.

And now… he was sitting right next to her.

---

Shizumi forced a trembling smile, though her heart thudded painfully inside her chest.

“Oh no...no...no, The Third Heavenly Prince—Itsuki Hayama…?”

Itsuki rested his chin lazily against his palm, his eyes pinning her in place like a hawk watching prey.

That grin of his curved wider—lazy, yes, but edged sharp, like a blade hidden in velvet.

“So…” his voice was low, smooth, but chilling,

“How does it feel… to slap my dearest friend—the First Heavenly Prince?”

Gasps rippled through the classroom. Some girls pressed their hands to their lips, wide-eyed, while others exchanged glances full of cruel delight.

Shizumi’s fingers clenched tightly in her lap. Her throat went dry.

“I… I feel guilty,” she whispered, voice quivering.

“It wasn’t my intention. I—I didn’t mean to disrespect him. Please… could you tell him I truly regret what happened? I never wanted to hurt him.”

Itsuki chuckled softly. Light and playful on the surface, but underneath… there was a chilling darkness.

“Regret…” he repeated, dragging out the word like he was savoring it.

“Tell me, little desk mate—will your regret erase the sting of your slap from his face? Will it undo the humiliation he suffered… in front of everyone?”

Shizumi’s eyes fell to the desk. Her lips trembled, but no words came out.

Itsuki leaned closer, so close his breath ghosted against her ear.

“You do realize, don’t you? Actions like yours demand payment. And you committed the worst sin of all—not in secret, but in public. You shamed a prince before the entire academy.”

His voice dropped into a whisper, velvet but venomous.

“Scholarship students like you… they never last long here. Most of them break. Most of them vanish. But you…” his grin deepened,

“…you lit a fire on your very first day.”

Whispers spread like wildfire through the class. Laughter bubbled here and there. All eyes were on her—mocking, curious, predatory.

Then suddenly, Itsuki straightened, extending his hand toward her. That same poisonous grin lingered, charming yet suffocating.

“So then… shall we be friends.... Or enemies?”

His eyes narrowed, sharp and glittering.

“Remember—those who are my friends… are untouchable. But my enemies…” his voice dripped like venom,

“…they end in ways so very, very unpleasant.”

Shizumi’s body froze. Her lips parted, but no sound came. Finally, she managed to whisper, her voice shaking—

“I… I don’t want to make any more mistakes.”

Itsuki’s grin widened, eyes gleaming with amusement.

“Perfect,” he murmured, his words a silken trap.

“That’s exactly what I like… a doll on the verge of breaking.”

......................

~To be continue~