Shot of Silence

Chapter 5: Change of Theme

"H-How...?" His jaw dropped. Henko did not expect such a drastic change simply from a change of clothes.

"Hmm?"

"How the fuck did you just transform from a nerdy dork to this?"

In his stunning transformation, Heath emerged in a crisp, tailored suit that effortlessly enhanced his once nerdy figure into a captivating and sharp look. The suit, expertly crafted from a luxurious fabric, draped his frame with precision and elegance. Its deep navy hue conveyed a sense of authority and sophistication, perfectly complementing his newfound confidence.

The jacket, meticulously tailored to fit his form, featured a slim cut and structured shoulders that accentuated his broadened physique. The lapels, sleek and refined, gracefully framed his face, drawing attention to his strong jawline. The crisp white dress shirt, flawlessly pressed, added a touch of refinement and contrasted beautifully against the rich, dark shade of the suit.

Completing the ensemble, a slim, silk tie in a complementary shade of silver or charcoal rested perfectly against the shirt, exuding a touch of modernity and style. The trousers, impeccably tailored to flatter his legs, were gently tapered toward the ankles, creating a sleek silhouette.

To complement the sharpness of the suit, he wore polished black leather dress shoes that exuded a sense of timeless class. Each step he took, the shoes reflected his newfound confidence and added a touch of sophistication to his overall appearance.

The make over is done, and now, Heath, who once perceived as nerdy, had transformed into a striking and refined individual, turning heads and exuding an undeniable charm. The combination of the crisp suit, meticulous tailoring, and his newfound confidence merged seamlessly, creating a captivating and sharp look that left a lasting impression on all who beheld him.

Or, well, it definitely has captured Henko's full attention.

The blond's stare was fixed on the brunet in disbelief, to which Heath chuckled before replying, "To what? Mr. Steal Your Girl? Come on, don't be shy, just blurt it out. I know I have that effect." He said, playfully flipping his non-existent long hair while silently thanking his former tutor for teaching him the importance of dressing appropriately in any situation, as well as his friend, Harumi, and his mother for teaching him how to sew.

Heath had also used a bit of magic to both finish and cover up some fine details of the reconstruction, which is why the customization work looked flawlessly done, as if it were done by professionals. The effects would only last for a while, wearing off after a few hours, but supposedly, it’s good enough as a makeshift outfit.

"I..." Henko pursed his lips, sighing as he rubbed his face a bit before saying, “Honestly, I don’t know what to comment. Your change felt rather drastic; I feel like an old man unable to keep up or something.”

Heath scoffed at that, "Heh, give yourself credit; this is still your outfit I used."

It was indeed the smallest suit among the three. It happened to be the first outfit Henko ever bought, so it was small enough, and the only one that fit Heath's figure without much tweaking. Henko was the one who handed Heath this pair, but it barely hung well on the smaller male's currently malnourished body. And knowing Heath's lack of skill in tailoring a suit neatly, Henko's reaction, as if Heath had his own fairy godmother, was not an exaggeration whatsoever.

"In any case, aren't you going to put on your glasses?"

Heath shook his head. "I accidentally stepped on them earlier." He then thought, 'It's not like the fake glasses were necessary anyway.' 

His parallel-self wore them to avoid drawing too much attention due to the bags under his eyes. Ironically, the fake glasses added to his already nerdy appearance, making him an even bigger target for bullying if anything.

Henko hummed, "By the way, since when did you learn to wear makeup? No, actually, where did you get those?" 

The brunet shrugged. "Found them under the table. It wasn't much. Just some foundation and a bit of powder. Was it your girlfriend's? Or did you secretly wear them yourself, Hen-Hen~? Not that there's anything wrong with it," he teased, causing the blond's cheeks to burn up a bit.

"Of course not. It belonged to my ex, I guess? She used to use the room you're now occupying. After all, some of her things are still in there," Henko waved his hands, dismissing the topic, although from the start Heath paid little attention as he was engrossed in doing the final touch-up.

"Okay, I'm done. We can go now~" Heath grinned, brimming with confidence in his appearance. His brown hair was neatly combed, reflecting his sharp intellect and keen mind. Though intelligence couldn't be solely judged by physical attributes, his well-groomed and distinguished brown hair added to the perception of someone who was smart, capable, and in control. It almost polarized his old look.

"I can't wait to see ladies and even gents dropping at your feet once we're out," Henko shook his head bemusedly, acknowledging that this make over had turned his cousin into an absolute hottie who would undoubtedly catch people's attention.

"My~ you flatter me. Please do go on~" Heath smirked, prompting the blond to roll his eyes at the retort.

"Whatever, let's just go, or else we'll be late."

And so, they made their way to the main building of The Stellar Beacon Academy, specifically to Aetheridge High School, where Heath discovered that he used to teach History for all grades. The payment was worth the pressure, but the constant harassment from the students and the contrast between his morale and the school policy, along with the lingering grief he hadn't fully processed yet, pushed the true owner of this body to the edge.

Heath also discovered more details about this world, especially regarding the facts surrounding his own life. He even learned how to operate a phone, which he found as fascinating as the existence of cars, in his opinion. In fact, he was so engrossed in these primitive yet advanced magicless technologies that he barely paid attention to the stares and comments he received while passing through the hallway filled with students.

‘Well, I'm here now.’ Standing in front of the Chairman's office, Heath knocked on the door. Unfortunately, Henko couldn't accompany him as he needed to prepare for his lessons. So, here he was, facing whatever lay ahead on his own.

"Come in," came the permission, and the brunet entered the room. Auburn hair came into view, followed by the stern gaze of the owner who noticed the difference in his behavior, perhaps due to his change in fashion.

"You look much refreshed now. I'm glad. It seems like the break was worthwhile," the Chairman remarked. Heath discreetly inhaled before smiling and replied, "Thank you, and good morning, Chairman Broad"

His greeting was met with a cold reply, "Good morning to you too, Sagara-san. You may have a seat." 

The use of "san" caught his attention. It sounded similar to how people in Nihonians addressed each other in his previous life. Perhaps Japan here was similar to Nihon after all. But that was a thought for later; right now, he focused on taking a seat next to a raven-haired foreigner woman who bore a resemblance to someone he knew.

‘Wait, she looks like Lancia... is she?’ However, as the dark-eyed lady extended her hand for a handshake, she introduced herself as someone else. "Lillian Miller, or well, Miller Lilian in Japanese."

'Ah, so just a look-alike then.' Or perhaps she is the same person with a different name in this world. After all, who knows?

Heath nodded, smiling, as he accepted her hand. "Sagara Heath," that multiracial introduced himself using the Japanese convention of stating the surname first followed by the given name. After the brief introduction, they both redirected their attention to the chairman.

—His personal mission for today is to get his job back no matter what. He can't possibly leech off his cousin forever, after all.

"Now that you have met each other, I'm sure you've heard from Musashi-san about why you're here today?" the Chairman asked.

Heath hummed in response, "I got the gist of it, yes. Transferring to a different classroom, was it?"

"That's right. From today, you'll be teaching Class I-9. And Miller-san here will be your new co-worker." The blond didn't even bother to cover his wicked smirk as he laced his fingers in front of himself. "Ganbatte, ne?"

Honestly, as long as it's not some human experiment like what one of his friends, Morgan, had gone through in his previous life, he would take any job any day. With that thought, an unexpectedly warm smile escaped his lips as he kindly replied, "Don't worry. This time, I won't let you down~."

Maybe he could give this new life a chance.