The morning sun cast a warm glow across the quiet roads of San Roque as Gabriel Lopez pedaled his old, battered bicycle to school. A cool breeze brushed against his face, but his thoughts were far from calm.
"Did all of that really happen… or was I just dreaming?"
He replayed it over and over — the sudden speed, the strange way his bike responded like it had a mind of its own… and the black card Mr. Reyes had slipped into his hand before vanishing like a shadow.
Gabriel reached the usual mango tree beside the school gate and parked his bike there, same as always. He patted the seat, half-expecting it to buzz or glow or speak. But nothing happened. Just the quiet creak of the metal frame.
"You're still just an old bike… right?"
But even he didn't believe that anymore.
A few meters away, hiding behind a row of parked tricycles, someone watched in silence.
He wore a hoodie even in the heat, hands tucked in his pockets, expression unreadable. His name was Wyn, a transfer student. Cold, distant, and smart beyond his age — people at school didn't know much about him. He didn't talk unless spoken to, and even then, his replies were dry, sarcastic, or simply awkward.
But today, he wasn't just passing by.
He was observing Gabriel — every movement, every turn of the pedals. Yesterday, he had seen something strange. Gabriel's uphill climb. The way the bike moved. The impossible balance. Wyn didn't believe in luck.
"That wasn't a fluke."
He pulled out a small mechanical clicker from his pocket and pressed it. A faint blue light blinked once before going out. Wyn raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting."
Inside the classroom, Gabriel slumped into his seat, still confused. The world seemed normal again — noisy classmates, chalk dust in the air, and that one annoying guy who always borrowed pens.
Keno leaned over from the next row. "Lopez, parang lutang ka na naman. Iniwan ka ba ni Santa Claus?"(Lopez, you look spaced out again. Did Santa Claus abandon you?)
"H-ha? Wala, wala… inaantok lang."(H-huh? No, nothing… just sleepy.)
"Sure ka? Baka multo yung nakita mo kahapon."(You sure? Maybe you saw a ghost yesterday.)
Gabriel forced a laugh, scratching his head. "Siguro. Sana multo na lang para tapos agad."(Maybe. I wish it was just a ghost, at least that's easier to deal with.)
Keno shrugged and went back to doodling on his paper. Gabriel sighed, relieved that no one really pressed further. No one but him was taking yesterday seriously.
Except… maybe one person.
When classes ended, Gabriel walked back to his bike, still wondering if yesterday had truly happened. His hand brushed against something in his pocket — the black card from Reyes.
He pulled it out.
Same design: two interlocking gears, silver, perfectly etched, with the number 5 in the center. But this time, something had changed.
As he tilted it under the light of the setting sun, a glowing text slowly appeared beneath the number:
"ACTIVE USER DETECTED"
He blinked. "What the…"
Suddenly, the bike beside him made a soft ticking sound — clink — as if something shifted internally. He turned, startled. Nothing seemed different. No one was around.
But hidden in the crowd leaving the campus gate, Wyn stood still. Half-covered by shadows, hands in his pockets, watching.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips — not mockery, not surprise.
Just quiet interest.
"Let's see how far you'll go, Gabriel Lopez."