The final school bell rang sharp and loud, echoing through the corridors like a release signal.
Students poured out of classrooms in waves—some laughing, some rushing, some just relieved the day was over. The campus felt strange lately. Even after classes, soldiers still stood near the gates, their presence heavy and unsettling.
Henry, Chris, and Twilight were already halfway toward the school gate when a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Hey—wait for me!"
They stopped instantly and turned around.
Lily was running toward them, her school bag bouncing wildly against her back. She looked like she had sprinted across the entire building just to catch up.
She reached them and bent forward, hands on her knees, breathing hard.
"Haa… haa… haa…"
Henry raised an eyebrow. "Where were you after the last period? We searched for you everywhere."
Chris nodded. "Yeah, we were worried."
Lily didn't answer immediately. She kept breathing heavily, eyes unfocused as she tried to steady herself.
After a few seconds, she straightened up.
"I have news," she said finally. "For all of you."
That caught their attention.
"And that's why I'm late."
Twilight tilted his head slightly, studying her expression like he was trying to read her thoughts.
There was a brief silence before he spoke.
"Okay," he said calmly, "I didn't get that news yet. So tell us—what is it?"
All three pairs of eyes narrowed on Lily.
She looked around cautiously, then leaned in closer and whispered,
"When I went to give the notebook to Class A… while returning, I heard something."
Everyone stiffened.
"From the soldiers," Lily added quietly.
Henry's jaw tightened. "What were they talking about?"
Lily opened her mouth to answer—
HOOOOONK.
A loud horn blared nearby, cutting her off.
All of them turned toward the sound.
A sleek black BMW was parked just outside the school gate.
Neon sat casually in the driver's seat, one arm resting on the window, sunglasses on like he was at some movie premiere.
Henry groaned.
"Oh no…"
Chris blinked in disbelief, then slowly turned to Henry.
"Is that… your brother?" she asked. "In a BMW?"
She stared at him like she'd just discovered he was secretly a billionaire.
"You're too rich, man."
Henry rubbed his forehead. "I am not rich."
Twilight, unlike Chris, didn't look surprised at all. He just glanced once and looked away, as if he already expected something like this.
Neon honked again, grinning.
Henry sighed deeply. "I'll see you later."
He looked at all of them. "We need to talk. Seven o'clock. Our daily café."
He waved quickly and walked toward the car, sliding into the passenger seat.
The BMW pulled away smoothly.
Just then, Twilight's phone rang.
He checked the screen—and his expression changed instantly.
"I have to go," he said suddenly.
Chris blinked. "Now?"
"It's urgent."
Before anyone could ask another question, Twilight turned and ran toward his bike, disappearing into the crowd within seconds.
Now only Lily and Chris were left standing near the gate.
They looked at each other.
Then laughed.
"Well," Chris said, adjusting her bag, "metro… or walking?"
Lily stretched her legs dramatically. "Metro. My legs are not in a good situation today."
They started walking toward the station.
At Henry's house, the front door closed behind him and Neon.
Henry dropped his bag near the couch and turned toward his brother.
"Why did you come to school in my car?" he demanded.
Neon shrugged, completely unbothered. "For show-off. I mean, you weren't using it, so I did."
Henry stared at him in disbelief, then sighed in defeat.
He turned and started walking upstairs.
That's when something caught his eye.
A letter.
Lying neatly on the dining table.
Henry stopped.
Slowly, he walked back and picked it up.
His heart tightened.
He didn't need to turn it over.
He already knew.
Still, he did.
To Henry.
Henry swallowed hard.
He sat down, holding the envelope in both hands.
Before opening it, he took a deep breath.
At Twilight's house, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Twilight sat on his sofa—but not like usual.
His back was straight.
His shoulders tense.
His hands clenched slightly.
Someone stood in front of him.
"So," a cold voice said, "she is your classmate, right?"
Twilight nodded slowly, unable to speak.
The figure leaned forward.
"How is she still alive?" it demanded sharply. "Don't forget why you're here."
Twilight's breath shook.
"If you didn't show up," the voice continued, growing louder, angrier, "they would have taken you back to that place."
The word place echoed like a threat.
Twilight's eyes widened with fear.
Back in the city, chaos never rested.
Reporters crowded every street.
Vloggers ran around with cameras, desperate to capture even a glimpse of the masked man.
"Is he a hero or a threat?"
"Is the city under supernatural curse?"
Military vehicles rolled through checkpoints, not to record—but to capture.
To obtain something.
No one knew what they were hunting.
No one knew what was coming.
But deep beneath the noise, beneath the rumors, beneath the fear—
Something ancient stirred again.
And this time…
It wasn't waiting quietly.