On the other side… in Nancy's classroom
Nancy sat with her two friends, Mira and Keisha.
The three of them were chatting about the upcoming school events—
the art festival, the debate competition, and the group project that was rumored to be announced next week.
"I heard this year's art festival is going to be combined with the technical school," Mira said excitedly.
"What? Combined with BTSI?" Keisha scoffed softly.
"Great… that's going to be a mess."
Nancy raised an eyebrow.
"Why would it be a mess? They're students just like us."
Mira quickly shook her head.
"That's not what I mean… it's just the rumors, you know? About the rivalry between schools. Sometimes it makes the atmosphere tense."
Nancy was about to answer when—
THUD!
Someone shot up from their sleep.
His chair scraped loudly across the floor, making everyone turn their heads.
A young man in the back row rubbed his face irritably.
His hair was slightly messy, and from his expression, he had clearly been sleeping soundly before the chatter woke him.
With a rough, annoyed voice he muttered:
"Ahh… damn it. Can't you guys shut up for a second?"
The whole class fell silent.
Nancy, Mira, and Keisha exchanged looks.
The boy grabbed his bag lazily and stood up.
"Being stuck in this class is already annoying… and now I gotta listen to your endless talking too," he grumbled as he walked out.
He didn't yell, didn't do anything physical—
but his words were sharp, like someone who was used to not caring about anyone around him.
Nancy blinked.
"Who is that?!"
Keisha leaned in and whispered, "His name's Kal. The guy who always sleeps in class. They say he rarely shows up, but when he does, the vibe gets weird."
Nancy watched his back as he disappeared down the hallway.
And for some reason…
an uneasy feeling crept into her chest.
There was something different about Kal.
Not just his attitude—but the way he looked at the class earlier, like he was hiding things no one else knew.
Meanwhile, in an apartment dimly lit by a single lamp, Alex's father sat on the couch with a tense expression. The TV in front of him was broadcasting the news:
"A police officer was found dead last night. The incident is believed to be connected to an ongoing investigation into an illegal network…"
Alex's father gripped the remote so tightly his hand trembled. Even though the report didn't mention any names, it felt like the accusation was pointed straight at him—or at something he had been hiding for years.
His phone buzzed. He immediately opened his messages and typed quickly to someone he addressed only by one name:
Alex's Father → Cassian Vale
"Can you really guarantee that I'm going to be safe?"
He waited. Each second dragged like a minute. His breathing grew unsteady.
The phone buzzed again.
Cassian Vale:
"Stay calm. As long as you stick to the agreement, no one will touch you. I'll make sure of that."
Alex's father swallowed hard. Those words sounded like protection… yet carried the weight of a hidden threat.
He turned off the TV and stared out the window—down at the dark street below.
Someone, or something, had begun to move against them.
And he feared his time was running out.
In class, Alex sat staring out the window, completely lost in thought. His mind drifted far from the loud chatter around him.
Meanwhile, Leo had already joined the others, dropping into his seat casually.
At the back, Jared was still asleep, headphones half-hanging off his ears.
Suddenly—
BANG!
The classroom door slammed open so hard the walls rattled.
Alex snapped out of his daydream instantly, blinking in surprise.
A group of seniors walked in, acting like they owned the place. Their expressions were smug, their steps loud and deliberate.
Leo glanced at them and nudged Jared.
"Dude… wake up. We've got trouble," he whispered.
Jared groaned awake, rubbing his eyes. "What now…?"
One of the seniors—wearing a thick bracelet and a cocky grin—stepped forward.
"Listen up. All the boys in this class…"
He lifted his phone.
"…you have to install this app. Right now."
His tone was dripping with arrogance.
Several students immediately shook their heads.
"No way."
"What even is that?"
"This is weird…"
Their refusal made another senior—taller, slightly more intimidating—stride toward Jared's desk.
The room grew still.
He stopped right in front of Jared, staring down at him with a challenging look.
"Install the app," he said slowly.
"Don't be a coward."
The whole class went silent.
Alex straightened up.
Leo watched anxiously.
And Jared… even with half-sleep still in his eyes, didn't look scared at all.
One of the seniors stepped forward, stopping right in front of Alex.
"Your phone. Hand it over," he ordered, his tone sharp with authority.
Alex looked up at him.
"No," he said plainly.
The class fell silent.
The senior's smirk widened—clearly annoyed, but entertained by Alex's refusal.
Two other seniors moved in.
One stood beside Alex, blocking him from getting up, while the other reached straight into Alex's bag.
"Hey—don't touch my—" Alex tried to pull the bag back, but their grip didn't budge.
Within seconds, Alex's phone was already in the senior's hand.
He unlocked it, scrolling with an irritating confidence.
"Relax. It'll only take a second."
He downloaded the same mysterious app, tapping through the installation without hesitation.
Alex could only watch, jaw tight, muscles tense, forced to sit there while someone else controlled his own device.
After the installation finished, the senior placed the phone back on Alex's desk—almost carelessly—before giving the table a light tap.
"Good. That's how it should be."
The seniors walked out one by one, their footsteps echoing through the room.
The tension didn't leave with them—it lingered like smoke.
Alex stared at the phone screen.
The new app icon sat there, glowing faintly. He looked at it with narrowed eyes, as if he recognized something about it… or the people behind it.
Leo leaned closer, whispering, "Dude… you okay?"
Alex didn't answer.
He simply kept looking at the app, knowing this wasn't something normal.
This wasn't random.
Something bigger had just started.