Half a year had passed since the Seal War ended.
The academy was peaceful again. No—more precisely, it was *pretending* to be peaceful. Classes had resumed, the sealing practicum room had been renovated, and every morning the headmaster announced over the intercom, “The future of Yokai Academy is bright.” Every time she heard it, Lee Ha-eun wanted to pull her blanket over her head.
But today was different.
“A school trip?”
Lee Ha-eun stood there blankly, holding the notice. Beside her, three goblin fires circled around it. Their names were Red, Blue, and Yellow. Lee Ha-eun had named them, and for the past six months, the goblin fires had been grumbling that they didn’t like their names.
“It says Japan,” Blue said.
“I have eyes.”
“It says Kyoto. Night Parade Academy,” Red added.
“I can read.”
“Then why are you just standing there?” Yellow asked.
Lee Ha-eun didn’t answer. She read the notice again. It clearly said:
*Yokai Academy × Night Parade Academy International Exchange Trip* *Schedule: Four days, three nights / Location: Kyoto, Japan* *Eligibility: All students (Grade 2 or higher in sealing practicum)*
“I qualify if it’s Grade 2 in sealing practicum,” Lee Ha-eun muttered.
“Obviously. It’d make no sense for the student who caught the boundary beast during the Seal War to be only Grade 2.” Red snorted. When a goblin fire snorted, sparks crackled from its flames.
On the day of departure, the area in front of the academy’s main gate was chaos.
A gumiho student with a suitcase was failing to stuff all nine tails inside it, a male water ghost student had already made a puddle on the ground, and a grim reaper teacher was tying a scythe to a rolling suitcase while muttering, “Why isn’t this allowed as carry-on?”
Lee Ha-eun sighed as she watched the scene.
“Are we really going on this trip?”
“We are.”
The voice came from beside her.
When she turned, she saw Kang Iseo, the only half-human, half-yokai student in her class who spoke with Lee Ha-eun. Thanks to her human mother and mountain-spirit father, she had always occupied an awkward middle ground at the academy, but she had earned quite a bit of recognition since the Seal War.
“That’s all your luggage?” Kang Iseo asked, looking at Lee Ha-eun’s small backpack.
“It’s four days. What else would I bring?”
“It’s Japan. You have to go shopping, too.”
“Yokai go shopping?”
“Yokai shop, too,” Kang Iseo said as though it were obvious. “I exchanged money for yen last night.”
Lee Ha-eun paused at that. For some reason, the fact that Yokai Academy students were exchanging money for yen felt profoundly unreal.
The special train to Kyoto traveled along a route invisible to human eyes.
The sea stretched out beyond the window. The Korea Strait. Lee Ha-eun rested her forehead against the glass and watched the waves. The three goblin fires had crawled into the luggage rack above the seats and fallen asleep. Every so often, sparks crackled.
“Is this your first time in Japan?”
Kang Iseo asked.
“Yeah.”
“Mine, too.” Kang Iseo looked out the window as she spoke. “My dad doesn’t travel abroad much since he’s a mountain spirit. He says his energy weakens when he leaves the mountain.”
“Are you okay, then?”
“I’m half-human, so I’m fine.” Kang Iseo smiled. “If anything, my human side seems more excited.”
Lee Ha-eun smiled before she realized it.
The train entered a tunnel. It grew dark for a moment, and when the light returned, the scenery outside had changed. The sea was gone, replaced by mountains. Lush green mountains, with rows of red torii standing between them.
“Looks like we’re here,” Kang Iseo said.
Lee Ha-eun gazed out the window. Kyoto. It was a landscape she had never seen before, yet somehow it didn’t feel unfamiliar. It felt as though she had visited once, a long time ago.
Then an announcement came over the train’s speakers.
*“We are arriving at Night Parade Academy Station. Passengers getting off, please prepare to disembark.”*
As soon as the announcement ended, a crackle came from the luggage rack.
“Are we here?” Red emerged, rubbing its eyes.
“We’re here.”
“I wonder what the Japanese yokai look like.” Yellow’s voice was full of anticipation.
Lee Ha-eun picked up her backpack. The train doors opened, and the scent of cherry blossoms drifted onto the platform.
And at the far end of the platform, the students of Night Parade Academy stood in a line, watching them.