---
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Steven?"
Jake stormed up to the yellow-haired boy and grabbed his collar.
"Teaching him a lesson. What else?" Steven shot back. "Now let go before you get hurt."
He gasped as Jake's grip tightened. His airways constricted, his vision blurred—but then Jake let go. Steven staggered back, inhaling deeply, eyes burning with fury. He turned to walk away, only to freeze when a voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Where the hell are you going, you freaking bastard?"
The tone was lazy, drawn out—infuriating.
"You better shut it, Leo," Steven hissed, rubbing his sore throat as he kept walking.
"What was our first rule?" Leo's voice turned cold. "Never walk away from someone superior to you. Show some class."
Steven heard only fragments of that last sentence, but the implication hit. Being talked down to? That was enough. He stopped. His brows furrowed, lips twitching with rage.
Raising his hands slowly, Steven started clapping, sarcasm dripping from every slap.
"You think you're better than me?"
A crowd began to form, whispers buzzing.
"Is this not the second time today?"
"Fight, fight, fight!"
Steven smirked and raised his fists.
"Get ready," he said with a confident chuckle.
He charged through the students, pushing bodies aside, though the crowd slowed him.
"Shouldn't we stop them, Cha?" asked the girl standing beside Lisa.
"No."
Steven swung first—a wild punch. Leo caught it easily.
Steven struggled to pull free, oblivious to the hammering fist crashing down on his head. The blow left a swelling knot. Just as things escalated, teachers arrived, tearing them apart.
---
Moments later
At his locker, Lisa was digging through his things when he suddenly felt arms wrap around him from behind. He tensed, trying to turn his neck to see who it was.
A soft voice whispered in his ear.
"Missed me?"
He froze.
A white button-up shirt, school skirt, ankle socks, and sneakers. That voice—it couldn't be.
"Nasha...?" he whispered.
She let go. He turned. His shoulders slumped as his eyes searched hers.
"Is it really you?"
She sighed, stepping aside to open her locker—right next to his.
"What, you expected me to stay twelve forever?"
She smiled, shut her locker, and gave him a little wave before walking off.
He watched her go, dumbfounded. At least he wasn't alone in this house full of crazies.
---
Later, in the natural lit hallway
"How long are you planning to—"
Cha was interrupted by a giggle above him. He looked up to see a girl drop from the vent.
"Just scouting the competition," she said, smoothing her skirt. "Help a friend out, Cha. Then again, you were never the helpful type."
She strolled down the hallway, sunlight catching her hair.
Cha followed behind.
"So, that means you're coming to tonight's ceremony?" he asked.
"Obviously. Can't miss seeing the top SNs in the country."
"Impressive. You must've leveled up."
She tapped a finger against his lips, smirking.
---
Principal's Office
"You guys know better than this! You're being watched constantly—and yet you still start fights!"
"I just don't like being called weak, and he—"
"But I proved you were, didn't I?" Leo said mockingly.
"Enough!"
The air turned cold. Lifeless.
"If you can't control yourselves, you'll be suspended from tonight's ceremony—and future club activities."
Both boys straightened instantly.
"I'm willing to put it behind me," Leo said, standing and offering a handshake.
"Me too. Can't miss tonight," Steven agreed, shaking it.
'Idiots. Like this isn't a daily occurrence,' the principal thought, lighting a cigarette.
"This happen often?" Nasha asked from the corner.
"You have no idea."
The door opened. Steven and Leo walked out.
"Cha, Yello—I'm heading to the nurse's office. I'll see you at break," Steven called.
"Leo, tonight's ceremony…" Cha said.
"You bet!"
Break Time
Cha sat beside Lisa.
"Lisa, want to hear something interesting?"
"Steven and Leo got detention, I know" Lisa said, glancing around. Cha was gone. Or... was he ever there?
"Where did Cha go? And... wait, it's break already?" He shut his books closed.
---
"Lisa!"
He turned toward the voice—and there she was. Nasha.
She smiled, walking up to him as he pushed his chair in, thoughts of Cha fading into the background.
"What's up?" he asked.
She hesitated, biting her lip.
"I… um… can we talk?"
Lisa watched, suspicious. Something about Nasha's sudden shift in demeanor was off.
---
"About?" he asked, searching her eyes for answers. He was afraid.
Nasha stood silent as the classroom slowly emptied, the chatter from outside fading the moment the door clicked shut behind the last student.
"I care about you a lot, and—"
Lisa turned his head away, cutting her off. "What are you trying to say to me, exactly?"
She couldn't tell how he was reacting, couldn't read the expression on his face, but he sounded... betrayed.
"I would've done something if I hadn't left to go overseas," she said quietly.
"No one deserves to be treated like that... but there's a clear difference between the two. You have it—the strength to take it back."
"I'm confused," he said with a soft chuckle, still not meeting her eyes.
She sighed, thinking to herself, This is harder than I thought.
"You can't keep denying it. Haven't you been curious about why... me?" she said softly.
"Nasha... can we not?" he whispered.
"What do you think of SN, Lisa?"
He looked at her then, his eyes pleading for her to stop—but she didn't falter. She stepped closer.
"SN are monsters. They terrorize people. I'd prefer if they all got taken..." he said, trailing off.
"That's interesting to hear... from you. But you can't run forever. And I'm here, if you want answers."
He took a deep breath as memories—ones he thought long buried—flashed past him like a lenticular image shifting in the light. They felt fresh, raw. As if it had happened yesterday.
"I'm not running from anything. And I don't need your answers," he said firmly.
Lisa stared down at the polished wooden floor.
She reached for him, wanting to say more.
He stepped back, his hair falling loosely over his eyes.
"Just stop," he whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.
She froze, her hand suspended mid-air, fingertips brushing the edge of his hoodie.
Lisa looked different. She couldn't see his face clearly with his head down, but something had changed—from the first time they reunited, to the second, and now.
Then he looked up.
He stared straight at her, eyes wide open, pupils dilated. There was an emptiness in his gaze. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. She couldn't think at all—she felt trapped in that look.
"Bye..."
---