"What?" he asked, his expression laced with genuine confusion.
The reaction on his face made me pause for a second—did I know him? I searched my memory, but nothing surfaced.
"Wait, you don't remember me?" he continued, his voice picking up pace, almost frantic. "Dude, we're in the same class! I sit in the front row. Just last Friday, I greeted you in the hallway, and you even replied back!"
He sounded so sure, but to me, it felt like I was looking at a stranger. I wasn't exactly the social type, but I thought I at least remembered the names and faces of my classmates. Maybe I really did forget?
As for last Friday… I could barely even recall coming to school that day. Sleep deprivation had been hitting me hard, blurring my days together.
I exhaled, scratching the back of my head. "Ah… sorry about that. I'm just bad at remembering people. So we're in the same class, huh? Well, anyway, thanks for waking me up."
This time, I made sure to properly thank him. It wasn't like he did anything wrong, and I really did appreciate it.
The thought of lingering around wasn't appealing, especially since my shift was about to start, so I shifted my weight slightly, preparing to leave.
He grinned, looking a little flustered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "No problem, haha," he said, then hesitated. His eyes scanned my face before he added, "Uh… hey, you don't look so good. You look exhausted, and man… those dark circles. Are you doing okay?"
Again?
This was, what, the third time someone had pointed it out today?
His expression held genuine concern, which only made it harder to brush off.
"I'm fine," I said, keeping my answer short. Then, moving directly to the point, I added, "Anyway, I have to be somewhere. I'll see you tomorrow."
I turned around, heading for the exit, relieved that the conversation had come to a close.
"See you tomorrow," he called after me.
And then, oddly enough, he started walking behind me.
…Was he following me?
The hallways buzzed with life as I made my way toward the entrance. Groups of students huddled together, laughing and chatting, their voices blending into a distant hum. Their energy felt like a stark contrast to my own.
And then, there was him.
Still trailing behind me.
I wasn't the kind of person to care much about what others did, so I didn't say anything. If he wanted to walk in the same direction as me, that was his choice. I just kept moving toward the exit.
"Edward!"
A sharp voice cut through the noise, forcing my attention toward its source.
It was a name I recognized.
Even though he wasn't from my class, almost everyone in the college—students and faculty alike—knew who he was. The guy was infamous for his mischief, a rich kid who always seemed to be up to something.
He stood in the middle of a group, all of them rich, all of them with an unsettling air about them. Their smiles weren't friendly—they had a kind of creepiness to them, as if they were up to no good.
Edward, the guy who had been following me, immediately stiffened. His entire posture changed in an instant. His steps faltered for half a second, though he quickly tried to mask it. His shoulders squared slightly, but I could tell he was forcing it—trying to seem indifferent.
"H—hey, Chester," he replied, his voice giving away his unease.
Chester grinned wider. "You're going home? Come join us."
The invitation didn't sound optional.
Edward gave a nervous laugh, the kind that sounded painfully forced. "Yeah, haha…"
He turned his gaze toward me, almost as if expecting me to say something.
What was that look for?
I didn't react, and after a moment of hesitation, he started walking toward them.
It didn't take much to understand the situation.
But… this wasn't my problem.
I continued walking, leaving them behind.
Some people might call it heartless, but I had no interest in getting involved. My plate was already too full, and I knew exactly how this would play out if I inserted myself into it.
I'd end up as the next target.
People get bored of things, even things that once brought them joy. But do they stop chasing that feeling? No. They just find something new to fixate on.
And oftentimes, the closest substitute is someone or something connected to the original.
That's just how people are.
Edward wasn't weak. Physically, he was twice the size of Chester and his group. If he really wanted to, he could easily stand up for himself.
So if he chose not to…
That was his decision, not mine.
"Haah—"
A deep yawn escaped me, my mouth stretching wide as exhaustion settled in.
The night air was crisp, cool against my skin as I walked home after my part-time shift.
It was around 9 PM.
The roads were quiet, only the occasional vehicle passing by.
It was always like this. Unlike the heart of Liac, where the streets were still lively even at this hour, my neighborhood was eerily silent once the sun set. The city's population crammed itself into the capital, leaving residential areas like mine feeling almost deserted by nightfall.
It was something I had gotten used to.
But tonight…
Something was wrong.
"What the…?"
The words tumbled out before I could stop them.
I halted mid-step.
My heartbeat spiked.
A creeping unease crawled up my spine, coiling around me like an invisible force.
My mind struggled to process what I was seeing.
My eyes—almost as if in rebellion—tried to reject the image altogether.
But there it was.
Right in front of me.
Something so strange, so unreal, that it defied all logic.
It didn't belong here.
And yet, my senses betrayed me, forcing me to acknowledge its presence.