Ren could still feel Li Wei's eyes on him through the rest of the day. Every time he turned, that golden gaze met his from somewhere nearby—at the doorway, the back of the room, or the shadow of a tree outside the window.
It was supposed to be comforting, he told himself. But the weight of it made his skin prickle.
By the time classes ended, Hana tugged his sleeve.
"Are you okay? You've been out of it all day."
"I'm fine," Ren said automatically, stuffing his books into his bag. "Just… tired."
She looked unconvinced but let him go. The sky outside had already darkened to a bruised violet, clouds curling low like smoke. He quickened his steps, wanting to get home before the rain broke.
That's when a voice stopped him.
"You shouldn't walk alone when the serpent watches you this closely."
Ren spun around. A man stood near the school gate—tall, dressed in gray robes edged with faint silver charms. His eyes were cold and sharp, the kind that didn't miss much.
Ren frowned. "Who are you?"
The man's gaze flicked to the faint mark glowing faintly at Ren's throat. "Someone who knows what you carry."
Ren stepped back instinctively, clutching the strap of his bag. "If this is about Li Wei—"
"Then you already know his name." The man's tone hardened. "He's not human. He never was. You've been marked, reborn into the same curse."
Ren's heart stuttered. "Reborn…?"
The exorcist nodded. "In your past life, you died because of him. His love, his obsession, was what ended you both. And now, it's starting again."
The world tilted slightly. The rain began to fall—soft, steady, whispering against the stone.
Ren shook his head. "You're lying. He saved me. He—he protects me."
"Protects you?" The exorcist's eyes narrowed. "That serpent doesn't protect. He possesses. He's bound to your soul by a curse older than your bloodline. If you don't break it, history will repeat."
Ren's pulse roared in his ears. "Then why does it feel like he's the only one who's ever—" He stopped himself, realizing what he was about to say.
The man sighed, stepping closer, his voice softening. "Because curses often mimic love, boy. That's how they bind. Think about it—every time you sleep, every dream you can't escape. It's him feeding off your soul's tether."
Ren wanted to deny it. Wanted to tell him he was wrong. But the way Li Wei's words echoed in his chest—the warmth that turned to ache—it all tangled too tightly.
Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the exorcist's solemn face.
"I'll come for you again soon," the man said. "When you're ready to listen."
And just like that, he vanished into the rain, leaving Ren standing alone, drenched, trembling—not from cold, but from doubt.
From across the empty courtyard, unseen, Li Wei stood beneath the shadow of a tree, golden eyes burning in the dark.
He had heard every word.