Nova High.
For the first time in days—
Students were back.
Walking through the gates.
Talking.
Trying to act normal.
But nothing felt normal anymore.
—
Kai walked through the entrance.
Hands in his pockets.
Calm as always.
Beside him—
Zara.
Quiet.
Watching everything.
Leo followed behind.
"…This feels weird."
Axel smirked.
"Because it is."
Students whispered as they passed.
"Did you see the news?"
"Those masked heroes…"
"They're insane…"
Zara slowed down slightly.
Her eyes shifted to Kai.
"…You heard that?"
Kai didn't react.
"Yeah."
She kept looking at him.
"…What do you think about them?"
A pause.
Kai shrugged.
"They're doing what no one else will."
Zara frowned slightly.
"…That sounds like something you would say."
Axel coughed lightly.
"…He says a lot of things."
Leo jumped in quickly.
"Yeah! Like… random stuff!"
Zara narrowed her eyes.
"…You guys are hiding something."
Silence.
Kai kept walking.
"…You're overthinking."
She didn't look convinced.
—
Inside the hallway—
The atmosphere was tense.
Different.
Students weren't loud anymore.
They were careful.
Watching.
Afraid.
Then—
A group of students walked past.
Stronger ones.
Confident.
One of them spoke loudly.
"Those masked guys are nothing."
Another laughed.
"Yeah, if they show up here, I'll take them down myself."
Axel smirked.
"…I'd like to see that."
Kai ignored it.
But Zara noticed something else.
Some students…
Looked different.
Stronger.
Their energy felt off.
Unstable.
"…Do you feel that?" she whispered.
Kai nodded slightly.
"…Yeah."
Leo looked confused.
"Feel what?"
Axel answered.
"Power."
A pause.
"…Fake power."
Zara's eyes widened.
"…Dragon."
Kai's expression darkened.
Because now—
It wasn't just outside.
It had reached the school.
—
The bell rang.
Classes started.
But no one focused.
Everyone was thinking the same thing:
The world outside had changed.
—
Later—
Kai stood by his locker.
Alone.
Thinking.
Then—
A voice behind him.
"…You're involved, aren't you?"
He turned.
Zara stood there.
Serious.
Watching him carefully.
"…In what?"
She stepped closer.
"The masked heroes."
Silence.
Kai didn't answer.
Zara's voice dropped.
"…I saw the way you fight."
A pause.
"…And the way you talk about them."
Kai looked at her.
Calm.
Unreadable.
"…And?"
Her eyes locked onto his.
"…Tell me the truth."
The hallway went quiet around them.
Because this moment—
Could change everything.
Kai didn't look away.
But he didn't answer either.
Because once he did—
Nothing would be the same again.