Gabe looked at me for a long time without saying anything before leaving with Rarith in his arms. The little girl, still in his arms, waved at me as she was carried to class.

I tried to talk to Director Jai again that day, but he’d gone to a meeting and wouldn’t return to the school.

The next morning, I tried once more to reach the director’s office and succeeded. I’d always been a curious person, ever since I was a child. And that clearly hadn’t changed, as I barely slept from ...