Chapter 2: Arrival in Kyoto

The bullet train sped swiftly toward Kyoto.

As the train raced by, it stirred up gusts of wind, and the scenery beyond the windows flew past in dizzying retreat, making one’s eyes blur from the speed.

“—We have arrived at Kyoto—We have arrived at Kyoto—”

This announcement sounded throughout the carriage, and the faces of the students lit up with anticipation. After all, the school trip had finally reached its destination—who wouldn’t be excited?

The train gradually slowed, and after two minutes, came to a complete stop.

“Please do not forget your belongings. Please do not forget your belongings.”

Again, a prompt rang out.

All the students rose to their feet, laughing and jostling as they crowded toward the doors. In stark contrast to the boisterous crowd was a single boy, whose expression betrayed a hint of timidity and whose brow was furrowed, as though pursued by some nightmare.

“Baize! Baize! We’re in Kyoto! Stop sleeping already!” A boy shook the shoulder of the slumbering student, who appeared to be named Baize.

“Is Chikada still not awake?”

“Hahaha! What an idiot—sleeping through the school trip on the train. Only Chikada could be such an idiot.”

“Well, what do you expect? It’s Chikada, after all.”

“Hey, you two, keep your voices down. If the teacher hears you, you’ll get an earful.”

“Hmph! Kojima, are you trying to protect Chikada Baize? You’re just like Mizukami. Why do you guys befriend such a timid fool? What goes on in your heads?”

Kojima shook his head and replied, “He’s my childhood friend, after all.”

The group burst into mocking laughter, shoving Kojima around, but he made no attempt to resist, only maintaining a forced smile as he suppressed his irritation. “Cut it out, cut it out—the teacher’s about to call roll!”

“Hey! You lot, hurry up and get over here!” A middle-aged man with black-rimmed glasses and a stern face waved his list in the air, calling out to the students.

“Yes, sir!” “Coming—” “On our way!” The group raised their hands and ran over.

Soon, the boys and girls were rounded up and squatting on the ground as the teacher began roll call.

Baize Chikada was called, and, together with Mizukami, joined the group. As he looked around at the other students and listened to the Japanese announcements on the PA, a splitting headache overtook him. Had he really transmigrated to Japan?

“Damn, my head hurts...” Baize squatted in a corner, almost invisible to the others. Even if anyone noticed his pained expression, no one cared—he was just Baize Chikada, an unnoticed presence in the class.

No, not Baize, but Qi Xi. He rubbed his temples, analyzing the situation. Judging by the fragments of memory within this body, it was soul transmigration, not physical.

Soul transmigration meant his soul had entered another’s body, taking up that life. Physical transmigration would have brought his own body into another world. The rarest was fetal transmigration—entering the body of an unborn child.

Typically, soul transmigration meant accepting everything of the host—memories would come flooding in.

Now, Qi Xi was receiving those memories. The sudden influx was overwhelming, hence the headache.

The name of the body’s owner was Baize Chikada. He had a younger sister named Yuxi Chikada. Their family struggled to make ends meet. If not for Yuxi’s persistent pestering, their parents would never have agreed to let Baize and his sister join the school trip.

Baize was painfully introverted, rarely speaking. Since elementary school, he’d been the scapegoat for bigger, tougher students, always running errands for them but never gaining their favor.

Though he hated it, he had no choice—refusal meant a beating, and he was too afraid to resist.

Years of this had warped his character, making him timid and fearful of strangers. His parents, frustrated by his cowardice, offered no comfort—only scolding and beatings. Warmth was a luxury Baize hardly knew.

Even his sister, Yuxi Chikada, often berated him, calling him useless and an idiot, addressing him by name rather than as “brother.” In truth, Yuxi was only eleven months younger than Baize.

Fortunately, not everything in Baize Chikada’s world was bleak. He still had two friends: Kojima Muramasa and Mizukami Jiro.

These two childhood friends had always been close to Baize, but over the years, his timidity had made their association with him feel embarrassing, and their interactions had gradually waned.

“Never thought I’d transmigrate into the body of such a coward. What a headache,” Qi Xi muttered, massaging his temples. His voice was barely audible, meant only for himself. “Since this is a mixed transmigration, then Watermelon is probably here by soul as well. Where could he be? He should be among these students.”

“Baize Chikada!” the teacher suddenly called out.

“Here!” Baize—now Qi Xi—responded without hesitation, raising his hand swiftly and meeting the teacher’s gaze with steady eyes, not a trace of fear.

Mr. Yoshida paused, surprised by Baize’s demeanor, as if he were a different person altogether. But roll call was more important, so he continued, “Yuxi Chikada!”

No response.

Qi Xi frowned. His sister wasn’t here? How could that be? Where had she gone?

“Sir—Yuxi just went to the restroom. She said she wasn’t feeling well,” a girl offered.

Unlike Baize, his sister was beautiful, lively, and outgoing, popular among classmates. Some students didn’t even know that Yuxi and Baize were siblings. In class, the two had never spoken a word to each other.

“Go fetch her back,” Mr. Yoshida instructed the girl.

“Alright—” she replied, lengthening her words reluctantly as she got up and headed toward the restroom.

Qi Xi scanned the boys, searching for Watermelon, but after several moments, there was still no sign of him.