The Art of Good Fortune

Not even two months had passed since high school began, yet for the first time in her life, Felicity experienced a strange mix of fear and excitement as she faced the school building that morning. To the outside world, she appeared to be just an average schoolgirl, but a great secret set her apart from her peers: she possessed an infinite and continuous streak of luck—not just her, but her entire family. This luck had been safeguarded and passed down through generations, and now, it was her responsibility to carry its burden.

Because it was a burden. This immense luck would only stay with its bearer as long as they actively transferred a portion of it to society, depending on their stage in life. What was merely a part-time duty for Felicity at sixteen—granting one moment of good fortune per day—was a full-time commitment for her parents. That was her future as well, and in part, already her present. But no one could ever find out. This secret isolated her, preventing her from forming truly close friendships.

People were naturally drawn to her, but her innate luck acted as an invisible hand, shielding her from questions about her life outside school or from anyone wondering why everything always seemed to go her way. Or why she was always there when something good happened to someone. Unconsciously, this was why she was popular among her peers, yet never to a degree that would disrupt her mission.

Adjusting the fake glasses on her nose—part of the invisible barrier she had built between herself and the world—she took a deep breath and stepped toward the entrance. Somehow, she felt as though a new calculation had begun in her life. The steady confidence her luck had given her now wavered, as if she were balancing on a tightrope above a deep pit, her heart pounding as she waited to find solid ground again. To do so, she had to bring lifelong good fortune to Claude Holloway, that chronically unlucky boy, today.

Not just a successful cheat sheet.

Not a stray banknote on the ground.

Not a bus arriving just in time.

Something he would remember for the rest of his life.

Felicity was still young, meaning her luck had not yet reached its full potential so that she couldn't grant grand, life-altering events to others. However, in the one area that occupied teenagers the most, she was already an experienced bestower of blessings: love.

Now that she had set her goal, she knew fate would soon hand her the perfect opportunity to fulfil it. Yet, it didn't happen immediately.

"Lissy!"

She heard Rosalia's voice behind her as she walked, lost in thought, after leaving the history classroom. The girl quickly caught up.

"I just wanted to ask if you'd like to hang out with us again today. Everyone really liked you yesterday!" she said with a big smile.

"Even Claude?" The words slipped from Felicity's mouth with a hint of sarcasm, surprising even herself. She wished she could get this task over with as quickly as possible, just to clear her mind again.

Rosalia laughed.

"Well, yeah, I know Claude isn't great at making good first impressions, but yes, he liked you too." She sounded completely confident, but Felicity had her doubts. "Oh, look, speak of the devil! Claude!"

Rosalia waved enthusiastically.

The boy stood a little ahead of them, leaning against the wall opposite the literature classroom, staring at a worn-out notebook with a pen in his hand. He looked up at the sound of his name, his expression bored – until his gaze landed on Felicity. His eyes cleared instantly.

"I was just telling Lissy to join us again today, so don't you dare scare her off" Rosalia didn't stop walking, heading toward her next class, but she turned back to wave. "See you after school!"

Without Rosalia, Felicity suddenly felt uncertain around Claude. But he didn't stay silent for long.

"Looks like we're having a lucky day, huh?" His tone was indifferent, but there was a hint of curiosity in his dark eyes as he looked at her.

Felicity's pulse skyrocketed.

What did Claude mean by that? And why did he sound as if he understood the situation they were both thrown into?

What happened next seemed to unfold in an instant. Claude's gaze flickered past her, his notebook slipping into his pocket. Felicity had no chance to follow his line of sight before Angela suddenly hooked her arm around Felicity's, pulling her two steps toward her.

That small movement caught the attention of a boy carrying a coffee cup, the same one who had drawn Claude's eye. Just as he reached Felicity, he adjusted his path to avoid her—only to collide directly with Claude instead.

By the time Felicity looked at Claude again, all she could see was the enormous coffee stain spreading across his shirt.

It was as if the world had frozen.

Everyone was watching, waiting for Claude's reaction. The unfortunate boy who had bumped into him looked horrified, realizing he had just embarrassed the most notoriously bad-tempered student in school.

Claude slowly looked down at his shirt, the brown stain glaring against the fabric. A long silence settled over the hallway, as if everyone were holding their breath.

"Fantastic."

His voice was calm. Too calm.

He lifted his gaze from the stain to the anxious boy, then to Angela, then finally to Felicity. For the briefest moment, something that almost resembled a smile flickered at the corner of his lips. But his eyes were cold.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry! Do you have a spare shirt? I can give you mine if you don't!" the boy blurted out in panic, not realizing that Claude was a good few inches taller than him.

Claude moved slowly, deliberately, as if considering his next move. The crowd watched in tense silence.

"Claude, are you okay?" Felicity's voice was laced with guilt.

If she hadn't taken those two steps, the boy would have bumped into her instead. But her luck wouldn't have allowed that. In that case, Claude's fortune for the day would have been spent. A mechanical execution of luck. Difficult to document, but fate considered this a successful delivery of fortune nonetheless.

Frustration swelled in Felicity. She had missed such a perfect opportunity. But she had to salvage the situation somehow. She had to find a way to help him.

Claude let out a quiet sigh and glanced at her.

"We'll talk later."

His voice was soft, but there was something in it that made Felicity's stomach twist.

And then, he was gone.

We'll talk later?

Felicity had no idea what they were supposed to talk about, but the thought of Claude slipping out of her sight again made her uneasy. It was going to be difficult to bring him good luck like this.

Angela's eyes widened.

"You two are talking later?" she repeated in disbelief, twirling a strand of her hair nervously. "Since when… you two…?"

"It seems we're both getting along well with Rosalia." Felicity was still lost in thought.

Angela let out a small, nervous laugh.

"Oh, I see… He's not so bad when he's not trying to skewer you with his glare."

Felicity's eyes snapped up at that as she realized the meaning behind Angela's strange behaviour.

Her plan was complete in an instant.