Students roamed around the campus in a haze.
It was lunch break.
The cafeteria was packed with students talking over one another, chairs scraping against the floor, and the occasional burst of laughter rising above the general noise.
Yet, in one corner of the cafeteria, far away from everyone else, Light and Jamie sat at a table meant for four.
Light stared across the table at Jamie.
Jamie took another sip from his coffee.
"So... what you're saying is…"
He lowered the mug.
"Daniel. That famous fighter... is your dead father."
Light nodded.
"But somehow, he appeared at the church eight years after his death, after…"
Jamie paused.
"Assaulting Eun-se-beom?"
Light nodded vigorously.
His innocent eyes flashed with hope.
I thought he wouldn't believe me...
Light leaned slightly forward.
"But... like I said, I'm sure he isn't my dad."
Jamie raised an eyebrow.
"But he was so fucking strong. Just like him."
Light's expression became more serious.
"And he had no technique at all."
He clenched his fist beneath the table.
"I would've won... if I wasn't careless."
His gaze dropped toward the table.
The disappointment in his face was obvious.
Jamie watched him for a few seconds.
Then he quietly placed his coffee mug down.
"Okay, okay... Don't be upset."
Light looked up.
Jamie leaned back in his chair.
"So... we don't know who this impersonator is or where he is."
He tapped a finger against the table.
"But he somehow seems to be connected to you."
"Yes! Yes!"
Light immediately nodded.
"That's exactly what I was thinking!"
He moved closer across the table.
"But how do we catch him, Jamie?"
Jamie went silent.
For a moment, he simply stared into his coffee.
He thought.
And thought.
And thought.
Light waited.
A minute passed.
Then Jamie's eyes suddenly widened.
"Found it!"
Light's chair scraped against the floor as he moved closer.
"What?"
"I know a guy."
"He's good with computers."
Light blinked.
"Computers?"
"Yeah."
Jamie leaned forward.
"If we can get access to the CCTV footage, we might be able to find some more details about him that you missed in the rain."
Light's eyes lit up.
"So who is this guy?"
Jamie stood up.
"Let me show you."
He reached across the table, grabbed Light's hand, and immediately began dragging him away.
"Hey-wait!"
Light barely had time to grab his bag.
"Where are we going?!"
"God knows!"
"That doesn't make me feel better!"
They hurried through the cafeteria and into the hallway.
As they passed a group of girls, a few of them glanced at the two boys.
One whispered,
"Why are they holding hands?"
Another looked at them for a second.
"Are they a couple?"
A third girl simply replied,
"Gay."
Light's head snapped toward them.
He shot them an irritated glare while Jamie continued dragging him down the hallway.
"Don't look at them," Jamie said.
"I wasn't!"
"You definitely were."
"Shut up."
After a short walk, they reached a quieter part of the campus.
The noise of the cafeteria gradually disappeared behind them.
Jamie finally stopped in front of an old classroom.
A faded sign beside the door read:
CLASSROOM 4#5
SUBJECT — COMPUTER SCIENCE
Light looked at the door.
Then at Jamie.
"This is where he is?"
"Yep."
Light immediately stepped forward.
"Then why wait?"
He approached the door and knocked.
Knock. Knock.
No answer.
Light waited.
Nothing.
He looked back at Jamie.
"I don't think he's here, Jamie."
"Just knock again."
Light sighed.
He turned back toward the door.
Knock. Knock.
Still nothing.
Light frowned.
Light looked back at jamie and knocked harder.
BANG!
"AGH!"
An unfamiliar voice squeaked in pain from the other side.
Light froze.
Jamie froze.
A second later, the door opened.
Standing behind it was a short guy.
Very short.
His nose was already bleeding.
He stared at Light with an expression of pure hatred.
Light stared back.
"Umm..."
He gave an awkward smile.
"Sorry?"
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"
The short guy's face practically combusted with anger.
He suddenly jumped toward Light, apparently intending to return the favor by hitting him in the nose.
Unfortunately-
He was too short.
His fist passed nowhere near Light's face.
Light stared down at him.
The guy landed awkwardly.
Before he could try again-
"Hey, Magg!"
The short guy stopped.
Jamie waved from behind Light.
"It's me, Jamie!"
Magg slowly turned his head.
His expression somehow became even more irritated.
"What do you want, idiot?"
Jamie pointed toward Light.
"My friend here needs a little help."
He held his fingers a few centimeters apart.
"Like a teeeeeeny tiny bit of help."
Magg's eyes narrowed.
"Fuck no!"
He pointed at his nose.
"He just hit me in the nose!"
Jamie smiled.
"He's rich."
Magg immediately turned around.
The anger vanished from his face.
"Yes, sir."
Light blinked.
Magg smiled brightly despite the blood still running from his nose.
"How may I help you?"
Jamie stared at him.
"Wow."
Light looked between the two.
"So... Magg?"
"Yes."
"Weird name."
Magg's eyebrow twitched.
"It's the name of a world-famous hacker called Alexsey Belan, also known as Magg, who was—"
"Nice name."
Light walked straight past him.
Magg continued talking.
"-a highly notorious figure in the cybercriminal world who became known for-"
Light ignored him completely.
He stepped inside the classroom.
It was dark.
The curtains were mostly closed, leaving only thin strips of daylight across the floor.
Several computer monitors were arranged around the room.
Cables ran between desks.
A few empty chairs were scattered around.
Magg was still explaining the origin of his name to absolutely no one.
"-and therefore, technically speaking, the name Magg isn't actually weird at all."
Jamie followed Light inside.
"Magg."
No response.
"Magg."
Still nothing.
"Magg!"
"What?!"
"Stop talking to the air."
Magg looked around.
"Oh."
He shrugged.
"Okay."
Light barely paid attention to them.
Something else had caught his eye.
It wasn't the computers.
It wasn't the strange darkness of the room.
It wasn't even Magg.
It was someone sitting quietly near the back.
A short guy.
He was waiting for Magg.
His hands were nervously playing with the hem of his shirt.
He kept glancing toward the door.
Then toward Magg.
Then back down.
Light stopped walking.
His expression changed slightly.
Something about the guy felt... different.
Not threatening.
Just nervous.
Really nervous.
Light looked at Jamie.
"Who's he?"
Jamie turned.
"Oh."
He seemed almost surprised that Light had noticed him.
"That guy?"
The short boy immediately looked away.
Light watched him for another moment.
The boy's fingers continued fidgeting with his shirt.
Jamie walked toward them.
"maybe has some work to do with Magg..."
Light raised an eyebrow and stared at him.
Then at the nervous boy.
Then at Magg, who had already started arguing with one of his computers.
Light sighed.
I came here to find a way to catch an impersonator.
He looked around the bizarre classroom.
And somehow, I've already gotten myself into something else.
He had absolutely no idea how much trouble this little detour was about to cause.