Tia's fingers rested on the desk.
The classroom was silent.
Except—
for the scratching of pens.
The teacher stood at the front.
His sharp gaze swept across the room.
"I assume you're all prepared."
His voice carried effortlessly.
"Any item unrelated to this examination will be treated as malpractice."
"No communication."
"No cheating."
"If you have any questions..."
He looked around once.
"Ask now."
Silence.
Satisfied—
he nodded.
"You have one hour and thirty minutes."
"Begin."
Immediately—
chairs shifted.
Pens moved across paper.
Pages turned one after another.
Someone swallowed nervously.
Another student whispered a silent prayer.
Tia didn't move.
His eyes rested on the paper before him.
A drop of sweat slid slowly down his temple.
Then—
he turned the first page.
His pupils narrowed.
He turned another.
Then another.
A laugh almost escaped him.
"... how's this—
The questions.
The order.
Even the choices...
were exactly the same.
Back then—
he had memorized every chapter.
Spent countless nights studying.
Only to fail.
Not because the exam was difficult...
But because he never got the chance to finish it.
A faint smile appeared.
"So..."
"My efforts wasn't completely useless."
His pen finally moved.
Without hesitation.
Without stopping.
..,....
"Five minutes remaining."
The teacher's voice echoed across the room.
Several students hurriedly filled in answers.
Others had already given up.
Tia quietly placed his pen down.
Finished.
Just like last time...
Except this time—
he had answered every question.
One by one—
students handed in their papers.
Tia stood.
Walked to the front.
Placed his answer sheet on the desk.
The teacher glanced at him briefly.
Then nodded.
"You may leave."
.....
Warm sunlight greeted him outside.
The noise of the classroom faded behind him.
For a moment—
he simply stood there.
"... good."
His first step...
had already changed.
He started walking home.
The city looked exactly as he remembered.
Busy streets.
Hunters passing by in uniform.
People stopping to stare at them.
Billboards advertising academy's and awakeners.
Nothing had changed.
Only him.
Back then...
he had dreamed of becoming one of those heroes.
Now—
he only wondered...
how many of them were still alive.
"It's worthless now."
A siren echoed somewhere in the distance.
Another Gate.
Another tragedy waiting to happen.
People continued walking.
As if nothing had happened.
"...The world really never learns."
He continued home.
...
Click.
Tia stepped inside.
The apartment felt unusually quiet.
His school bag slipped from his shoulder onto the sofa as he glanced toward the kitchen.
Empty.
Mom wasn't home yet.
Grrr...
He looked down at his stomach.
"...Right."
Ten minutes later—
He sat on the couch.
A steaming bowl of instant ramen rested in his hands.
The television played quietly.
"...Another Gate has appeared in the eastern district..."
"...The government urges citizens to remain calm..."
"...Several awakeners have already been dispatched..."
Tia slurped another mouthful.
"Same news."
"Different day."
Nothing ever changed.
Until tomorrow.
He looked at his reflection in the dark television screen.
Tomorrow...
The awakening ceremony.
Last time...
Nothing happened.
No light.
No miracle.
Nothing.
He slowly lowered the bowl.
"...Will history repeat itself?"
Silence answered him.
Outside—
night slowly swallowed the city.