The soft chime of bells stirred Aurex awake at 6:00 a.m., but this morning felt different. A lightness permeated his body, like the lingering weakness after a long illness finally lifting. His joints were fluid, his breathing effortless, and the familiar knot of tension in his shoulders had eased.
He moved with an uncharacteristic vigor, energetic and truly awake. Yet, he still curved his lips into a practiced smile, adhering to the well-worn routine, playing the part. It wasn't time to shatter the illusion, not here, not now.
Breakfast was a familiar tableau: his mother's gentle humming, his sister's quiet sips of orange juice, his brother's animated chatter about school. Aurex offered nods and smiles, but his mind had already wandered far away.
After classes, Aurex found Torren waiting in the quiet sanctuary of the outer courtyard wall, a forgotten corner untouched by teachers' patrols or students' lingering.
"I saw something terrifying last night," Aurex began, his voice hushed. "It was... one of my family."
Torren met his gaze for a moment, then looked away. "I knew you would. You don't need to explain."
Aurex swallowed hard. "You said you were trying something. Did it work?"
Torren nodded. "It might have. But I'm not sure it'll work on everyone."
He motioned for Aurex to follow him down a narrow hallway and into one of the less-used courtyards , a forgotten space, overgrown and cracked, utterly deserted.
Torren pointed to a small group of students crossing the far side of the courtyard. "Watch," he instructed.
He raised a hand and waved, his eyes wide, no words exchanged.
The students walked on, oblivious, not even a glance in his direction.
Then, Torren raised his voice, just slightly. "Goodbye, guys."
The students paused, turned, and offered faint smiles. "Goodbye!" one called back before they continued on their way.
Aurex's breath hitched.
"I've seen this before," he said quietly. "My brother... he did that to me once. I thought it was nothing."
Torren nodded. "Come on."
They found another group , different students, different direction. Torren waved again, silent. No reaction.
Then he blinked , just once.
The moment his eyes closed, the group turned their heads. A few of them smiled. One even waved. Then they moved along as if nothing had happened.
Back in the old courtyard, Aurex sat beside Torren, his mind reeling.
"You see it now?" Torren asked.
"They're like... wind-up dolls," Aurex murmured. "They only exist when they're supposed to. Like, they follow their own script."
Torren nodded. "Exactly. It's all a routine. They exist in segments of time. But they respond faintly to noise. And for some reason, blinking seems to break something in their rhythm."
Aurex shook his head slowly. "That's why you meet me here. This spot isn't part of anyone's routine."
"I checked," Torren confirmed. "They never come here. That's why it's safe , for now."
Aurex leaned back, deep in thought. "Your family... they respond to you because seeing you is part of their routine. But if you're in a place they don't expect, they don't notice you."
"Not at first," Torren replied. "But if you go there too often, it can change their behavior, just a little. They might start showing up too. Their pattern adapts. Slowly. Like it's learning."
Aurex fell silent. Then, "What's different about us? Why are we the only ones seeing this?"
Torren looked up at the sky, watching the clouds drift lazily above them. "I don't think we're the only ones. I think there are others. But most are too afraid to act. Or maybe they've already disappeared."
Torren's tone shifted, becoming serious, flat. "What I'm about to do... don't copy it. Not in front of anyone but me."
Aurex raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
Torren leaned forward, his eyes locking with Aurex's. Then...
He stopped smiling.
Just for a second.
The very air seemed to thicken and change.
Aurex's breath caught, his stomach plummeting. His instincts screamed a terrifying warning , He's going to be erased!
He stumbled back from the bench, heart pounding, bracing himself for the blinding light, for the end.
But nothing happened.
Torren simply continued to stare at him, his face utterly expressionless.
Then the smile returned, as if it had never left.
"I've tested it," he said. "As long as we're not around people... it's safe. For now."
Aurex let out a shaky breath, his entire body buzzing with adrenaline.
"So the smile is a trigger," he whispered. "A rule."
"One of many," Torren said. "And I think we're just beginning to understand them."