The will to leave the house or go to school was lost on Laiten. He lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, his head empty, sporting zero thoughts. The constant ringing of the alarm by his bed seemed inaudible to him in his state of mind. He looked absent, oblivious to whatever was happening around him.
"Master," Draken called, "Are you alright."
Laiten only grumbled in response, almost too lazy to use any actual words. Draken stood by the bedroom door, gazing at Laiten, his eyes searching for any indications of physical or emotional injury that might have led to the absence of motivation his master displayed.
With a grunt, Laiten sat up on his twin-sized four-poster bed, blinking felt like a dull 9-to-5 task; the struggle to leave his bed was a clear warning sign to Draken.
"What time is it" Laiten enquired, his voice cracked and unmotivated.
"A quarter after 7 in the morning," Draken replied, his eyes maintaining their typically cold regality despite the worry he displayed for the young boy who served as his master.
Laiten pulled himself from the comfort and security of his bed his muscles battling with his consciousness as he trudged towards his bathroom.
Draken observed as Laiten unceremoniously prepared for school throwing on his uniform and tossing his books into his bag.
Against his will and Draken's better judgment, Laiten began the arduous journey to his school. Today's trek felt much longer than usual; each step felt heavy as if he were restrained by a powerful force—the overwhelming urge to turn back, go home, and climb into bed.
"Master," Draken asked, "are you... sure you want to proceed to school today?"
Laiten could only hum in response, unable to summon actual words in that state. Trudging unceremoniously to the school building he was joined by Killian, whose mood greatly contrasted with that of his friend.
"hey buddy...you don't look so good" Killian queried noticing the distant exhaustion present in his friend's overall demeanor. Laiten didn't reply to him, only giving a nod of acknowledgment.
Not wanting to push for an answer nor force him to speak Killian fell into step with him slowing his pace to match Laitens labored steps.
Upon getting to the school premises, Laiten had to lean against his locker for support, his eyes looked void of any will to be there or alive for the matter.
Killian looked at his friend a bit concerned for him
"Hey uh.... buddy you know you could've just called in sick right? I mean you look very dead" he observes "Did something happen yesterday? I mean you weren't at school yesterday either, I assumed you got caught up with stuff."
"I'm fine" he grunts taking his books and heading to his classroom, Killian following close behind him his concern mixed with a bit of ingenuine fear, the brooding aura surrounding Laiten seemed to send chills down his very being, and it seemed he wasn't alone on this.
As the two students took their seats in Mathematics class, a sudden change in the atmosphere was noticeable to everyone in the room. Even the usually stern teacher seemed to carry a heavier presence. They all sensed it but felt it was too absurd to mention.
The class continued as usual, with the students trying their best to ignore the tension they all felt, except for one student— Laiten.
He was the cause of this sudden tension, his lack of spirit was almost contagious, it was as though there was a visible void around him affecting everyone else in the room.
"Sir?" called a student seated at the front. "May I please use the bathroom?" she inquired, her tone a bit shaky as though she were trying to escape the tension in the room. The teacher nodded in response, excusing her from the class.
"Teacher?" another student asked. "I don't feel too well; may I please go see the nurse?" With some reluctance, the teacher excused the student, but he could tell something was off. More students seemed to be gathering the courage to excuse themselves as well—all except one.
Laitens very expression had him standing out amongst the tense, disturbed classroom.
"BOY," he boomed, cutting through the thick slab of pure tension to get Laiten's nonexistent attention on him.
"yes sir?" he murmured in response watching the stern man make his way over.
"what's wrong with you today, you're disrupting my class" he continued "You seem... troubled; are you alright" he inquired his stern tone lacking any real concern, more like an avid curiosity than any actual concern.
"I'm fine- I think I'm fine" Laiten murmured though the void in his eyes said otherwise.
"Killian," he said sharply not taking his eyes off the brooding boy before him.
"yes Sir" he replied sitting up straight.
" Take your...friend to the infirmary, and then take him home I don't want him disrupting my classand making the environment, unbreathable" he ordered emphasizing his words with a certain coldness. Killian nodded pulling Laiten from his seat and walking out of the class alongside him.
"and you" he added.
"come right back here after he's gone home, youwon't escape this class so easily" Killian chuckled sheepishly leaving the class- theteacher's eyes following them till their figure disappeared round the corner.
"See I told you, you're not doing too cool even the teacher notices and he never actually notices stuff y'know" Killian adds.
"uh huh," LAiten grunts not bothering to say much more as they reached the gates.
"you sure you don't wanna see the nurse?" Killian queries
"No... I just need some rest" replies Giving a half-hearted wave as he walks away.
" Master"
"GAHHH! WHAT THE- WHY?!" Laiten exclaimed seemingly having forgotten about Draken who had been following him around indefinitely.
"Ah my apologies master" he apologized"It was not my intention to startle you"
"ugh you should've tapped me or something as a heads up I thought my soul transmigrated just now" he groaned releasing a breath he didn't know he had been holding in.
"I will keep that in mind for the next time you zone out" Draken adds with a curt nod.
"Hey, I'm not zoning out; I was just... thinking," he trailed off, realizing he was talking to no one. To the passersby who stared at him, it seemed like he was having a conversation with thin air.
Laiten gives a sheepish laugh continuing his walk home hastily; as though walking faster would diminish the embarrassment that smacked him in the face.
"You really should stop trying to talk to me in public," he grunts unlocking his door.
"I was simply trying to alert you, Master," Draken says, ducking slightly to enter the apartment.
"Alert me? About what?" Laiten asks going further into the house, with a sudden abruptness Draken pulls Laiten behind him Drawing his blade with a practiced preciseness his bright golden orbs trained on the figure before him.
"Hello"