Chapter 7: The Hidden Life of Eve, the Professional Underachiever
Outside the police station, a man was pacing furiously. His face was twisted with rage—one could almost imagine steam rising from his head. If he hadn't been so close to the station, he might've ripped a street sign out of the ground and gone on a rampage, smashing every car in sight.
He gnashed his teeth, trembling with frustration and nowhere to vent it.
Unbelievable.
He—a criminal with a long list of serious offenses including murder, espionage, arson, and trafficking—had actually been scammed. Worse, he'd nearly been wrongfully accused thanks to some small-time con artist.
Just imagine it—of all things, a career criminal like him not being caught for any of his real crimes, but framed for a fake one!
Earlier that day, some old woman had deliberately thrown herself at him, pretending to be injured. When he refused to help, a crowd quickly formed and dragged him toward the police station, pressuring him to take responsibility.
He couldn't afford to get tangled up with the police.
Just as it looked like he'd have to cough up money for her so-called "injuries," one of the officers suddenly blinked in recognition. She'd seen that woman before—a known scammer with a lengthy record of fraud.
But before anyone could confront her, the old woman—perhaps sensing the shift in mood—politely excused herself… then bolted out of the station at a speed that would've shamed athletes half her age. Everyone stood there, dumbfounded.
The man who had been the most vocal about defending her—practically demanding compensation on her behalf—stood frozen in shock, his soul nearly departing from his body on the spot.
As for the rest of the crowd, realizing how thoroughly they'd been duped, all they could do was lower their heads in embarrassment and slink away in silence.
The man swore that once he obtained his mission's objective he would torture that kid for all the trouble he'd gone through.
—----
Near Elias's home, a car was parked in the driveway. In the passenger seat sat Eve. After ending a call with her brother, she turned toward the driver's side, where a woman with golden-rimmed glasses and a sleek bob sat behind the wheel.
Though she could easily be called beautiful, her sharp, no-nonsense expression was enough to silence even the boldest admirer. This was Miss Kim, the principal of the twins' school.
Eve watched as Miss Kim casually pushed up the sleeve of her suit jacket to check the time. Eve's eyes sparkled. This was the woman she admired most—her ultimate girl boss fantasy. One day, she hoped to be just like her.
Unbeknownst to her, the principal had noticed the starry-eyed look and nearly cracked her stern expression to laugh. The girl's awestruck face was simply too cute. If Eve ever learned what her idol was really thinking, she'd probably fall into a pit of despair and explode in embarrassment.
Miss Kim cleared her throat. "Is your brother coming soon?"
Eve nodded silently.
After a brief pause, Miss Kim broke the silence again. "What are your thoughts about what I asked you earlier?" she asked, adjusting her glasses.
Eve froze, biting her lip. She hesitated before answering.
"Miss Kim, I'm still thinking about it. And… you know my parents are missing."
"All the more reason for you to attend the Awakener's Academy College," Miss Kim replied, her fingers resting calmly on the steering wheel. "Whatever happened to your parents could just as easily happen to you. At the academy, we can offer you protection—and training."
"But what about my brother?" Eve asked, her voice growing anxious. "He'll be alone. Wouldn't he be in danger too? Can't he come with me?"
Miss Kim's expression softened slightly, but her tone remained firm.
"So you're worried about him. I understand."
She folded her hands neatly in her lap, her gaze fixed on the windshield for a moment before shifting back to Eve.
"But I've assessed your brother multiple times, and aside from an unusually high luck factor, there's nothing else particularly noteworthy about him. Luck alone isn't enough to qualify as awakened."
Eve looked down, her brow furrowed, her thumbs fidgeting against one another.
"Unlike measurable attributes like speed, endurance, strength, or intelligence," Miss Kim continued, "luck is intangible. There's currently no known way to quantify it reliably."
She spoke with clinical precision, as if reciting a familiar report.
"As for his other traits—they're average at best. Even if he dedicated himself entirely to training, he might never meet the academy's minimum thresholds… not even in old age."
Miss Kim sighed, the sound soft but deliberate, like she already anticipated Eve's protest.
"Because he has no awakening potential, he'll never be granted access to the awakened world," she said, voice lower now. "The law is clear: that world must remain confidential to all non-awakened civilians. Unless your brother were to join the military or civil service and rise high enough through the ranks, he'll never be permitted to know the truth."
She paused, her expression growing more solemn as her eyes locked with Eve's.
"Which means, Eve… he cannot go with you. And you are not permitted to tell him anything about this part of your life."
The words hit like a weight. Eve sat frozen, her mouth slightly parted. Her fingers clenched in her lap, knuckles white.
"But I can't leave him behind if he might be in danger," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please—can someone at least protect my brother?"
She turned to Miss Kim with pleading eyes. "I'll go with you if there's someone who can watch over him!"
Desperation surged as she reached out, clutching the sleeve of Miss Kim's suit jacket like it was a lifeline.
Miss Kim blinked once, slowly. Then, with practiced calm, she gently uncurled Eve's fingers from the fabric.
"Miss Graves," she said, voice steady, "awakeners make up less than 0.001% of the population—and that includes individuals we've never identified, or who've deliberately stayed under the radar. They are extraordinarily rare."
She straightened her jacket with a small, almost imperceptible tug.
"There simply aren't enough of us to assign someone as a personal bodyguard for every civilian, even one connected to a potential awakener. It's not feasible."
The car fell quiet again, save for the faint hum of the heater and the muted sound of traffic in the distance.
Miss Kim didn't want to sound heartless or cold, but it was the truth. They barely had the manpower to protect their own, let alone uninvolved civilians.
She slowly turned her steely gray eyes to Eve, her expression unreadable. The hum of the car's engine filled the silence between them.
"The best we can do is have the local police keep a closer watch on the situation," she said, her voice calm and even.
Eve didn't reply right away. Her fingers twisted nervously in her lap, eyes flicking toward the dashboard clock as if hoping her brother would arrive any second.
Miss Kim adjusted the cuff of her blazer, then continued, "If it brings you any comfort, there appears to be an awakener near your brother."
Eve's head snapped up, eyes widening slightly.
"She's not one of ours," Miss Kim clarified, glancing out the windshield, "so we can't give her any formal orders. But she seems to be a friend of his."
She rested her hands lightly on the steering wheel, her gaze distant for a moment.
"While she may not stay by his side constantly, he should be fine at school or when he's with her," she added.
Eve swallowed, her throat dry. "She's really… awakened?"
Miss Kim nodded. "Iron Tier. That level is more than enough to deter most threats—especially considering your brother's status as a non-awakened civilian."
She turned slightly in her seat to face Eve more directly.
"Awakeners are extremely rare. In some circles, even more so than within our organization. They wouldn't waste the resources to send one after someone ordinary. He's not a target."
Eve looked down, still worried, but a little of the tension in her shoulders eased. However she still didn't readily agree.
Miss Kim studied Eve carefully.
"You're still unsure?" she asked, her voice even. "What else is troubling you?"
Eve turned to face her again, hesitation still clouding her eyes.
"I think I know your concerns," Miss Kim said, her gaze thoughtful.
"You're worried about leaving your brother behind. But you've put your own future on hold for long enough."
She paused, then added, "Don't think I haven't noticed. You've been qualified to attend college since you were at least five years old. There may not be any official record proving it, but I suspect you deliberately lowered your academic performance—just enough to stay in the same grade as your twin."
Her eyes sharpened slightly.
"You didn't want to leave him behind."
Eve's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected her secret to be discovered—but she quickly composed herself.
The playful immaturity she usually wore like a second skin faded, replaced by a calm, almost cold maturity.
"So, you figured it out," she said quietly.
Her gaze sharpened. "You know, Miss Kim… I can actually remember my life in detail—even from when I was a baby. I've always known I was different, so I kept it hidden. None of my family ever noticed. But you managed to dig it up."
Miss Kim offered a small, knowing smile.
"That's not your family's fault," she said. "And while I may not be as gifted as you, I've always been known for having a keen mind and sharp eye."
"You're right—I can't leave my brother behind," Eve said, her voice soft but steady. "He's so fragile… but he always acts tough, trying to protect me like a proper older brother."
She gave a small, bittersweet smile.
"I know he's actually even more affected by our parents' disappearance than I am, but he hides it. He pretends he's fine so he can seem dependable. He's stupid and clumsy, sure—but he's sincere."
Eve's eyes shimmered with determination as she looked straight at Miss Kim.
"I may be smarter and more mature than I let on, but… it's always felt wonderful to have someone spoil me, protect me, like he does. How could I bear to leave him behind? Even if he can't match me—who cares?"
Miss Kim held her gaze, expression unreadable.
"Miss Kim," Eve continued, her tone gaining strength, "I've made my decision. I'll attend the academy—but not because I want to run from anything. I'm choosing to go because I know I'm weak. I want to become strong enough to protect my family... especially my brother."
A fire began to kindle in her chest.
"But I won't leave just yet. I'm going to finish the current school year here first."
She sat up straighter, a quiet resolve hardening in her features.
"You may not think much of my brother, Miss Kim," she said, her voice softening again, "but to me, he's the best and closest person in the world. I believe—no, I know—that one day he'll become someone incredible."
Her lips curled into a small, determined smile.
"One of the greatest lessons I've learned is that not everything can be measured or fit neatly into data. That's what makes life beautiful."
Miss Kim raised an eyebrow, still looking unconvinced—but then she gave a light shrug and smiled faintly.
"Well, if you're right," she said, "I look forward to him proving me wrong."
She didn't say anything else. Instead, she returned her gaze to the street beyond the windshield and waited in silence for Elias to arrive.