Monday morning arrived quietly.
The campus buzzed with its usual energy—students rushing to lectures, laughter echoing through the hallways, and the soft warmth of the sun stretching across the buildings.
For once…
Everything felt normal again.
No strange glitches.
No shadows in recordings.
Just another day.
Nathan and Alex stepped out of their lecture hall together.
Alex stretched his arms lazily.
"I swear that class tried to kill me."
Nathan smirked.
"You say that about every class."
"Because it's true."
They walked down the campus path side by side.
"So," Nathan said casually, glancing at him, "you and Samantha."
Alex blinked.
"What about me and Samantha?"
Nathan raised an eyebrow.
"Oh, don't act clueless. The way you look at her? The way she looks at you?"
Alex scoffed.
"You're imagining things."
"I'm not," Nathan said. "It's obvious."
Alex shook his head.
"We're just friends."
Nathan smirked slightly.
"Sure."
Alex pointed at him.
"Focus on your own life."
Nathan chuckled.
"I am."
"Really?" Alex said. "Because from where I'm standing, you've got two girls watching your every move."
Nathan stopped walking.
"…No, I don't."
Alex laughed.
"Chloe and Ariel?"
Nathan groaned.
"Don't start."
"I'm just saying," Alex continued, "you might want to figure that out before it becomes a problem."
Nathan shook his head.
"I'm not interested in any of that."
Alex studied him for a moment.
"You say that like you've been there before."
Nathan didn't respond.
His expression changed—just slightly.
But Alex noticed.
Before he could say anything—
A voice called out.
"Nathan…?"
Both of them stopped.
Nathan froze.
Slowly…
He turned around.
And when he did—
Everything else faded.
Standing a few steps behind them was a girl.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Her long hair moved gently with the breeze. Her eyes held hesitation… uncertainty… and something deeper.
"Nathan," she said again, softer this time.
Alex looked between them.
"…You know her?"
Nathan didn't answer.
Because he did.
He knew her very well.
Esther.
His ex-girlfriend.
The girl who broke him.
Memories rushed back instantly—
Laughter.
Late-night conversations.
Promises.
Then betrayal.
Her hand in someone else's.
Jackson.
His best friend.
Or at least… the one he used to trust the most.
Nathan's chest tightened.
But his face remained calm.
Cold.
Controlled.
"…Esther," he said flatly.
Alex looked at him, surprised.
He had never heard Nathan sound like that before.
Not even once.
Esther stepped closer.
"I didn't think I'd see you here."
Nathan shrugged slightly.
"Same."
Awkward silence fell between them.
Alex quietly stepped back.
"I'll… go ahead," he said, glancing at Nathan.
Nathan gave a small nod.
As Alex walked away, he looked back once.
Something felt off.
Very off.
Now it was just the two of them.
Nathan and Esther.
Standing face to face.
Years of history sitting quietly between them.
Esther looked at him carefully.
"You've changed."
Nathan gave a faint, humorless smile.
"People do."
She hesitated.
"I've been wanting to talk to you."
Nathan's expression didn't change.
"About what?"
Esther looked down briefly.
"…About everything."
Nathan let out a quiet breath.
"There's nothing to talk about."
Her eyes lifted quickly.
"There is."
He shook his head.
"No. There isn't."
Her voice softened.
"Nathan… I know I hurt you."
He looked away.
For a second
Just a second
The calm mask slipped.
Pain flashed through his eyes.
Then it was gone.
Replaced with indifference.
"You made your choice," he said quietly.
Esther's hands clenched slightly.
"It wasn't that simple."
Nathan laughed.
Short. Cold.
"It looked pretty simple to me."
She flinched.
"It wasn't supposed to happen like that."
"But it did."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Unfinished.
Nathan turned slightly.
"I have somewhere to be."
Esther's voice stopped him.
"Are you happy?"
That question hit harder than anything else.
Nathan paused.
His back still turned to her.
For a moment…
He didn't answer.
Because the truth was complicated.
Because part of him was still hurting.
Because part of him…
Still loved her.
But he couldn't forgive her.
Not after what she did.
Not after how it ended.
"…Yeah," he said finally.
"I'm fine."
A lie.
A quiet one.
But a lie nonetheless.
He walked away.
Didn't look back.
Didn't stop.
From a distance, Alex watched him approaching.
"You good?" he asked.
Nathan nodded.
"Yeah."
Alex studied him.
"You don't look fine."
Nathan forced a small smile.
"I said I'm fine."
Alex didn't push further.
But he understood one thing clearly.
Whoever that girl was…
She mattered.
A lot.
Behind them…
Esther stood still.
Watching Nathan walk away.
Her eyes filled with regret.
"…I'm sorry," she whispered.
But he was already gone.
Elsewhere…
On a screen glowing in a dark room…
The entire scene played out.
Every word.
Every expression.
Every hidden emotion.
The Masked leaned forward.
Watching Nathan closely.
The moment his mask cracked.
The moment his pain showed.
"Ah…"
A slow smile formed.
"So that's your weakness,the game has begun hahahahahah"
The screen froze on Nathan's face.
Eyes distant.
Hiding pain.
Still healing.
"Perfect."
The Masked man leaned back.
"Let's see how long that control lasts…"