When Fry finished his explanation, silence fell over the room.
It wasn't an ordinary silence—it was heavy, as if everyone was trying to absorb what had just been said. No one spoke. No one moved. I even felt as though the air itself had grown heavier.
Fry remained standing where he was, his calm smile unchanged since the beginning, as if he had been expecting this reaction.
After a few moments, one of the students hesitantly raised his hand and asked,
"When will we depart on the mission?"
All eyes immediately turned to Fry.
He answered without hesitation,
"In two days."
A brief silence followed, but it didn't last.
Shock appeared on many faces.
One of them said in disbelief,
"In just two days?"
Another added,
"Isn't that far too short? We won't have enough time to prepare."
Whispers spread through the room, each sentence carrying clear anxiety.
But Fry… didn't change at all.
He said calmly,
"Don't worry."
Then, with the same gentle smile, he continued,
"It's just an exploration trip."
He paused, as if carefully choosing his words, then said,
"Nothing will happen that requires special preparation."
When I heard the phrase just an exploration trip, something tightened in my chest.
Every time I looked at his face—at that calm smile—I felt the hair on my body stand on end…
Suddenly, our eyes met.
I froze in place.
A faint shiver ran through my body, as if something invisible had passed straight through me. His gaze wasn't frightening, nor sharp… it was far too calm.
Then he lightly nodded to me, wearing a gentle smile.
I don't know why, but it didn't reassure me at all.
A moment later, his voice was heard again.
"All right."
He looked at everyone and said,
"Let's meet here again in two days."
Then he added quietly,
"Prepare yourselves."
And with that… the meeting ended.
After the meeting ended, Fry left the room immediately without looking back.
I watched his back as he walked away—that man who was our mission leader.
I stayed where I was for a few seconds, then stood up, intending to leave. I didn't want to stay any longer, but just as I was about to exit, I heard a voice behind me.
"What do you think about the mission?"
I stopped and tilted my head slightly before turning around.
Lina was standing behind me.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
She studied me closely, then said,
"Do you really think it's just an exploration trip?"
I stayed silent for a few seconds.
An exploration trip?
I wasn't sure. To be honest, I hadn't thought about it much.
All I knew was that we were going… and that was enough.
The moment I answered, her expression changed.
She stared at me as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard, then said sharply,
"Idiot."
She turned around and walked away.
I remained standing there, staring at the closed door.
Idiot?
Was it because I didn't give her the answer she wanted?
I didn't feel angry—just slightly annoyed.
If I had given a different opinion, would anything really have changed?
What does that idiot even think?
As Zion was about to leave, a soft, pleasant voice reached his ears, making him stop unconsciously and turn his head.
A girl with purple hair and fair skin was standing beside him, her features calm yet striking.
Gina.
She was slightly shorter than him, but she stood with a confidence that made her presence unmistakable.
Zion asked her in surprise,
"What do you mean?"
She looked at him with clear dissatisfaction and said,
"I mean… how can you let her call you an idiot?"
Zion sighed and replied indifferently,
"It doesn't matter."
Arguing won't change anything,
he thought to himself.
And even if I replied, what would really change?
Gina froze for a moment, then looked at him sharply.
"Doesn't matter?"
"Do you like being called that?"
I stopped.
I was about to answer, but the words got stuck in my throat.
Do I like it? Of course not.
But is it worth it?
Ignore her, I told myself.
I turned and started to walk away.
But Gina didn't stay quiet.
"Idiot," she said first, then continued ranting irritably.
Her words came one after another, and I listened without responding.
Please, stop talking, I thought.
Her voice was irritating beyond description.
When she realized I was completely ignoring her, she quickened her pace until she was walking beside me, then said in a resigned tone,
"Fine… you win."
A short silence settled between us—strange, but far more comfortable than her annoying voice.
Finally… some peace,
I thought.
But Gina suddenly broke the silence.
"What do you think about Rion Taylor?"
At the sound of the name, my expression tightened without me realizing it.
Rion? Why now?
I quickly fixed my face, trying to hide my surprise.
"Rion…?"
Why are you asking about him?
Then I added after a moment,
"Why do you ask?"
Gina hesitated slightly, then spoke as if carefully choosing her words,
"Do you remember that day… in the cafeteria?"
It took me two seconds to recall it.
The cafeteria… yes, that day.
I nodded and said,
"Yes, I remember."
Gina took a deep breath, then continued,
"When I looked into his eyes at that moment… I felt something unsettling."
I looked at her, waiting for her to go on.
"I don't know how to describe it exactly," she said, clasping her fingers together,
"but it felt like something was wrong… something seriously wrong."
Just a glance?
I thought to myself.
Strange—but her face didn't suggest she was exaggerating.
She continued in a lower voice,
"When I went back to my room, my body started shaking for no reason."
"And every time I remember that moment, the shaking comes back."
She extended her hand slightly toward me.
"Look… it's still shaking."
I looked at her hand.
It really was trembling.
Feeling uneasy, I asked,
"Why are you telling me this?"
She paused for a moment, then said,
"Because… isn't he in our group?"
So that was it.
I answered calmly,
"Yes."
At that moment, her face changed.
She was no longer hesitant or nervous.
She looked serious in a way I had never seen before.
She said clearly,
"Stay away from him."
I stopped walking and looked at her.
She wasn't joking.
A moment of silence passed between us.
Do I trust her intuition?
…But the feeling she was describing felt familiar…
Finally, I said,
"Alright."
Her expression immediately relaxed, as if she had been waiting only for that word.
She gave a faint smile and returned to her usual self.