AT BLACKRIDGE HIGHSCHOOL
The final bell rang across the campus, echoing through the corridors before slowly fading into the evening air. For a brief moment, the usual tension of the day loosened, and students began pouring out of classrooms in groups, filling the hallways with overlapping voices, footsteps, and the sound of bags being packed in haste.
Near the front gate, Alan and Ellie stood under the fading daylight.
Ellie turned toward him with visible excitement. "Are we really going to watch that new movie tonight?"
Alan nodded. "Yeah, it's at nine."
Ellie quickly did the math in her head. "That's like seven hours from now… what are we going to do until then?"
Before the conversation could continue, Daniel and Daisy arrived.
Ellie immediately lifted her hand. "Oh, Daniel! Daisy!"
They waved back and joined them casually.
Daisy smiled. "You two ready for tonight?"
"Of course," Ellie replied without hesitation.
Daniel glanced at Alan. "And you?"
"I'm coming," Alan answered simply.
Daisy clapped lightly. "Good. Then go home and rest. It's going to be a long night."
Ellie nodded enthusiastically. "Don't be late."
After a few final exchanges, Daniel and Daisy left in the opposite direction.
Alan stood there for a moment longer before turning away as well.
---
The streets were unusually quiet as he walked. Evening light stretched long shadows across the pavement, and the atmosphere felt still in a way that didn't feel natural.
"It's too peaceful," Alan thought.
Since the tournament and Ironfall incident had ended, the city had returned to normal. But to him, it felt almost too normal, like something was being held back beneath the surface.
Experience had taught him that silence like this never stayed for long.
---
AT IRONFALL ACADEMY
Inside Ironfall Academy, classrooms were gradually emptying. The atmosphere had loosened compared to before, but it didn't feel peaceful—more like calm after control.
Samantha entered a classroom with Kelly and Mina following behind her, scanning the room as if expecting someone.
"She didn't come to school?" Samantha asked.
Kelly leaned against a desk. "It's been two days."
Mina smirked slightly. "She's probably too scared to show up."
Samantha let out a short laugh. "Well… I can't wait to see her face again."
Without further discussion, they turned and left the room.
Unseen by them, Lily had been observing from the hallway wall. She waited until they were gone before stepping out carefully.
"If I want answers, I can't keep doing this normally… I need to find Jin," she muttered.
Her eyes scanned the corridors, then the school grounds, but there was no sign of him anywhere.
After several minutes, she gave up and sat near the central fountain.
Leaning back slightly, she stared at the sky.
"He really just shows up whenever he wants… I've been searching for two days," she muttered.
She took a sip of water, then paused as a memory surfaced.
"…The last time I saw him was near that nameless school."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"That place felt strange…"
Another detail came to mind.
"He was carrying groceries that day…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"So he probably lives near there."
After thinking for a moment, she stood up.
"Evening would be best to check."
She hesitated briefly again, considering whether to also look for Alan, but quickly dismissed it. Blackridge wasn't too far, and by now he was most likely already home.
"Tch… I should've gone earlier," she muttered in frustration.
---
AT BUS STOP
Lily boarded a bus toward the city, sitting near the window with her notebook held close. Her eyes remained fixed outside as buildings passed in a blur.
"I just need one lead…" she whispered.
Eventually, she spotted Alan in a market area.
Without hesitation, she got off early and followed at a distance.
Alan was buying noodles from a stall, completely unaware of her presence.
Lily hesitated for a moment.
"Should I just talk to him directly?" she thought.
But something made her hold back.
Instead, she continued following.
She kept a careful distance, making sure not to get too close. The market became more crowded as she followed, with noise and movement making it harder to track him.
"Don't lose him…" she muttered under her breath.
Alan turned a corner.
She followed.
Another corner.
Still visible.
Then a sudden crowd blocked her view for a moment.
When it cleared—
Alan was gone.
Lily's eyes widened. "No…"
Her heartbeat quickened as she moved faster, scanning side streets and turning corners with growing urgency.
"Where did he go…?"
The noise of the market faded slightly as she moved deeper into narrower streets.
Then she turned another corner and stopped abruptly.
Alan was standing near a vending machine, drinking juice calmly.
Lily quickly hid behind a wall and caught her breath.
"…Found you," she whispered.
---
Earlier, while navigating a narrow street during her search, a beggar suddenly grabbed her hair as she passed.
Lily flinched hard. "Hey! Let go!"
She pulled back sharply and slapped his hand away, stumbling slightly before regaining balance.
"What is wrong with people…" she muttered, irritated.
When she looked forward again, Alan was gone.
Panic hit her briefly, but she forced herself to continue searching until she eventually found him again near the vending machine.
Lily stayed hidden behind the wall, peeking at him.
Alan spoke without turning around. "How long are you planning to follow me?"
Lily froze, then stepped out slowly.
"How did you know?"
"Since you got off the bus," Alan replied.
"You're from Ironfall Academy, right?"
"You know me?" she asked.
"Not really. I saw you during the tournament."
"Wait but when?" she asked with curiosity.
"You were watching the fights from the classroom window" he said.
"I didn't expect you to notice your surroundings that much, you're more than i was expecting" she added with a surprise.
Alan finally turned slightly toward her.
"What do you want from me?"
Lily explained her curiosity about past events.
Alan denied involvement and then warned her.
"Stop looking into things. You'll get yourself in trouble. He wouldn't like it."
That line lingered in the air.
Then Alan left.
Lily stood still.
"…Who wouldn't like it?" she whispered.
---
AT THE BUS STOP NEAR NAMELESS SCHOOL
Lily later arrived near the nameless school area and waited.
The sky darkened as streetlights turned on one by one.
It took her two hours to get there by bus from her own school.
she sat there looking at the surroundings and the sky.
After a while, Jin appeared.
Lily noticed as she got up from her seat.
She immediately stepped in front of him.
Lily: "Hey, wait. I have a question."
Jin paused, suprised to see her.
Jin: "You again? I told you it's not safe here." he asked.
Lily hesitated for a moment, then quickly changed her approach.
Lily: "Do you want to study together?"
Jin blinked, didn't expect this kind of request.
Jin: "Study?"
He didn't answer immediately. His expression made it clear he wasn't interested in this kind of thing.
Lily stayed in front of him instead of stepping back, then spoke again, slightly more direct.
Lily: "And… I saw you back then, outside the locker room when I was getting bullied."
A pause.
Lily: "You didn't help me back then… but you still came to the nameless school and returned my bagpack. So I know you're not the type to ignore everything."
Jin's eyes shifted slightly at that, but his expression didn't change much.
Lily continued, pressing just a little more.
Lily: "I just want to study together. That's all."
Jin stayed silent for a few seconds.
Then he exhaled lightly, like he didn't want to deal with this at all.
Jin: "You talk too much."
A short pause followed.
Lily didn't interrupt this time.
Jin didn't answer her, but she kept looking.
Jin sighed & finally spoke again.
Jin: "…Fine. Tomorrow."
Not enthusiastic. Not interested. Just giving in slightly to end the conversation.
Lily quickly followed up as she hands him a piece of paper.
Lily: "We're eating out tonight too. Ten PM. Because you helped me at least once, I can do this much as well. You seem to just eat alone at home anyway… just vegetables."
She handed him her number and turned away.
Jin looked at it for a moment.
Jin: "Seriously…"
He sighed quietly.
But after a brief pause, he kept it.
As she walked away, she looked back once.
Jin was already fading into the dark street.
Lily whispered:
"If I want to get close to him, I have to spend time with him alone… it doesn't matter what it costs."
To be continued