I stumbled through the hallway of Beacon. I kept cursing under my breath since I didn't have my contacts. If it was not for my excellent hearing from my cat ears, I would have ended up running into doors and another student.

My teammates will never know the real me. I stopped by the dorm room. It was empty, so I decided to take off my cloak to put on a hat to wear to cover my Cat ears. I'm not allowed to wear my cloak during the school day.

I heard footsteps and I pressed down on a button, Fated Hour extended the claws. "Oh, Good Booboo is alone," I swear this was a voice of a faggot. My silver eyes looked in the direction of this voice.

I sighed, recognizing the voice immediately. "Josh," I muttered under my breath as I turned toward the doorway, the claws of Fated Hour retracting back. My silver eyes caught sight of him standing there, his usual flamboyant grin plastered across his face.

"Relax, darling," Josh said with a wink, his tone playful as ever. "I'm just here to keep you company."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help a small smirk. Despite his over-the-top personality, Josh wasn't a bad guy. Annoying at times, sure, but he meant well. We'd known each other for a while, and though he had a habit of pushing my buttons, we were friends. He just didn't seem to understand-or maybe he didn't care-that I wasn't into guys.

"Shouldn't you be in class, Josh?" I asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible while adjusting the hat over my cat ears.

Josh sauntered into the room, leaning against the wall with a casual ease. "I could say the same for you, Booboo. But then, you've always been the brooding type, haven't you?"

I ignored the nickname, something he'd started using just to get a rise out of me. "I forgot my contacts," I said simply. "Needed to grab a hat so I can get through the day without everyone noticing the ears."

Josh nodded, his expression softening a bit. "You know, you don't have to hide them, Corey. It's not like anyone here would care."

"Maybe," I replied, not convinced. "But it's just easier this way. I've got enough on my plate without adding more You're the only one who knows my past"

Josh sighed dramatically, flipping his hair out of his face. "You are a piece of work, you know that? Always hiding, always keeping everyone at arm's length. I swear, one of these days I'm going to get you to relax, even if it kills me."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Good luck with that."

He flashed me another grin, then turned to leave. "Well, I'll be around if you need some company, Booboo. Don't be a stranger."

As he left the room, I couldn't help but feel a small bit of relief. Josh might be relentless in his pursuit to get me to open up, but at least he wasn't someone I had to worry about judging me. Even if he didn't always respect boundaries, he respected me. And in a place like this, that was more than enough.

I grabbed my bag, adjusting the hat one more time before heading out to face the day. With Josh around, things were never dull, that was for sure. But maybe, just maybe, his persistence would help me in the long run. I wished he didn't know my backstory.

Anyway, it was time for class. Josh is such a fag, and I hope he knows it. I'm glad that I can hide Fated Hour under my long uniform sleeves. I'm not a leader.

Dan looked at me. "I heard what Josh and you were talking about." All the color drained from my face. I was exposed. "You are so uptight and Josh knows your past."

"Well, my parents used to watch him as a kid when Fuwa was a baby. I got to know him a bit." I answered. I adjusted my hat a bit. I still can't see that well.

He helped me to the classroom. I seriously need to get my contacts after school. It was a boring day of lectures. Nothing out of the ordinary happens.

I kept focused on what Oobleck was saying about the War between Faunus and Humans. I knew about this stuff. I saw Ruby sleeping and Dan was uhm how do I put this, most respectfully, scratching himself.

The lesson on the war got me interested. I like history a lot. Sumire looked at me and Dan in the back of the class. Oobleck was running around like he was high on crack.

The day dragged on, punctuated only by Professor Oobleck's erratic pacing and rapid-fire lecture. His enthusiasm for the topic was undeniable, but his hyperactive behavior made it hard to focus. I managed to stay attentive despite the distraction. History had always been a subject I found fascinating, especially when it came to understanding the conflicts that shaped the world I lived in.

Sumire, sitting a few rows ahead, glanced back at me and Dan occasionally. Her violet eyes seemed to assess the situation, perhaps noting Dan's rather unorthodox behavior in class. He was indeed scratching himself with a distracted look on his face, probably daydreaming or lost in his thoughts.

Ruby, meanwhile, had long since succumbed to sleep. Her head was resting on her arms, and it was clear she wasn't getting much out of Oobleck's frenetic monologue. It was almost amusing, watching her try to keep up with the whirlwind of information while struggling to stay awake.

I noticed Oobleck's energy level didn't dip at all, and his monologue about the Faunus-Human war continued at a breakneck pace. He was detailing key battles, significant treaties, and the social impact of the conflict, all while running around the classroom like a caffeinated squirrel.

Dan whispered something to me, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Hey, you alright back there? You've been quiet."

I nodded, though I felt more like I was trying to absorb as much as I could rather than simply being "alright." "Yeah, just really into the history lesson," I whispered back.

Dan gave a half-hearted shrug, obviously more interested in something else. His attention was divided between Oobleck's antics and whatever was going on in his mind.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of the class, Oobleck finally wound down his lecture with an enthusiastic flourish. "Remember, history is not just about the past-it shapes our future!" he declared before darting out of the room, leaving us to pack up.

I took the opportunity to slip out of the classroom quickly, heading straight for the campus infirmary to get my contacts replaced. The sooner I could see again, the better. My frustration from earlier was still simmering, and I needed to regain my composure.

As I walked, I couldn't help but think about the history lesson. The complexities of the Faunus-Human conflict had always intrigued me, but today's lecture brought a new layer of depth to my understanding. I resolved to keep a closer eye on the current developments and how they might affect my situation at Beacon.

Back at the dorm later, I would deal with the aftermath of the day's events and try to focus on getting back to my routine, but for now, I just needed to see properly again.

I sat on my bunk and took off my hat. Why am I hiding who I am? I let my ears out and laid back. Josh trying to get me to lower my guard, Dan almost knowing my secret, Sumire's semblance of Prophetic Dreaming, and Azu whatever she has going on. I don't know what to do. Maybe I should go back to being a White Fang and give up on being a Leader.

The door opened up and Sumire walked in. "Keep your ears uncovered, let's talk." Her Violet eyes looked at my silver ones.

I didn't say anything. "Listen, you're not going to tell Dan or Azu about you being a Faunus, why not let them in to get to know you."

"The path I walked is full of broken Dreams and Bullet holes." I rolled my eyes. "People aren't accepting of Faunus!"

My eyes looked around the room, I saw Dan standing in the doorway. Oh Shit, I exposed myself.

"Well, I didn't expect to see Corey and Sumire getting close." Dan's eyes looked at my bunk and my hat. I'm glad he's oblivious to my Cat ears.

I could feel the tension in the room spike as Dan's gaze landed on me. For a moment, I thought I might get away with it, but then his eyes narrowed. He wasn't oblivious; he was staring right at one of my cat ears peeking out from under my hair.

"Corey... what the hell?" Dan's voice was low, a dangerous edge to it that I hadn't heard before.

I froze. My mind raced for something to say, something to deflect, but I knew it was too late. The truth was out, and there was no taking it back. The very thing I'd been hiding from him-hiding from everyone-was now laid bare.

Dan took a step forward, his face hardening. "You're a Faunus? This whole time, and you didn't say anything?"

Sumire moved between us, her violet eyes flicking back and forth as she tried to diffuse the situation. "Dan, it doesn't change who Corey is. He's still our leader, the same person you've known since we got here."

Dan shook his head, his expression twisted with disgust. "No, Sumire, it changes everything. I don't trust Faunus. They're all the same-lying, sneaking around, pretending to be something they're not."

His words cut deep, but I held my ground, even as my heart pounded in my chest. "You don't know what you're talking about," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I didn't choose to be born this way, and I didn't choose to be your leader either. But I'm here, and I'm doing the best I can."

Dan clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "You should've been honest from the start. Instead, you've been lying to our faces this whole time. How am I supposed to trust you now?"

Sumire's voice was calm but firm. "Dan, you need to think about what you're saying. Corey's been through a lot. We all have. But we're a team, and that means we stick together, no matter what."

Dan's eyes flicked to Sumire, and for a moment, I thought he might listen to her. But then he looked back at me, his expression full of anger and betrayal.

"I don't know if I can do that," he said, his voice cold. "I need some air."

He turned and walked out of the room, leaving me standing there with Sumire. The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence that followed was suffocating.

Sumire sighed, breaking the tension. "He'll come around, Corey. Just give him time."

I didn't respond. Instead, I sat down on my bunk and stared at the floor, my mind a whirlwind of emotions. The one thing I'd feared the most had finally happened, and I had no idea what to do next.