Night Before Christmas Eve
The moon glowed between drifting clouds, casting a pale light over the city on the beautiful night before Christmas Eve.
Across the streets, people were busy preparing for the holiday. Houses were being decorated, shops were being set up, and buildings were gradually filling with lights and decorations. People moved through the streets, carrying bags and making their final preparations.
There was no snowfall tonight yet. Most of the roads had already been cleared, though small patches of snow remained gathered along the corners.
Between the buildings stood a huge empty ground that looked abandoned at first sight.
Outside it, three people sat on old drums around a campfire that was slowly running out.
Ryan, Brandon, and Ethan sat close enough to the flames to enjoy their remaining warmth. The fire cast shifting shadows across their faces as they grilled fish over it.
Ryan closed his eyes and sighed while chewing on the fish. He took another small bite before wiping his mouth.
Then, slowly, he opened his eyes.
Several meters ahead of them stood a boy.
He looked younger than the three of them, with white hair and silver eyes. His appearance was striking, yet his expression remained completely calm.
The wind moved through his hair, pushing the white strands in its direction.
Ryan leaned back slightly in his seat before finally speaking.
Ryan: New face, huh? I have never seen you before.
He paused to take another bite of his fish.
Brandon and Ethan followed Ryan's gaze, their bodies shifting slightly as they turned toward the stranger.
Ryan continued.
Ryan: May I ask what business you got here tonight with us?
His eyes narrowed.
The boy wasn't wearing a school uniform, though Ryan couldn't be completely certain what that meant. Blackridge allowed its students to wear whatever they wanted, making it difficult to tell whether this was a student or simply some random person.
The boy's face remained calm.
He was Alan.
He spoke in his usual tone.
Alan: I came here because I have something to tell you. It's been months, and I was curious why you three didn't come to visit him even once.
The three looked at one another in confusion.
None of them knew who he was talking about.
They slowly placed their sticks down.
Then they stood.
Brandon cracked his knuckles, the sound echoing across the empty ground. Ethan stood behind him, lazily rubbing the back of his head, while Ryan slipped one hand into his pocket and let the other rest casually at his side.
Ryan looked directly at Alan.
Ryan: First, tell me where you came from. And how do you even know us?
His expression remained calm, but there was seriousness beneath it now.
Brandon stepped forward slightly.
Brandon: If you're just here to mess with us, you're gonna pay for this.
Ethan nodded in agreement.
The wind passed between them.
Alan sighed.
He closed his eyes for a moment before slowly opening them again.
Alan: My name is Alan, and I am from Blackridge...
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
He had never heard that name before.
Ryan: Alan? None of us ever heard this name. Was there a student with this name in Blackridge?
Alan: Because I came back last year.
Ryan crossed his arms and looked Alan up and down.
There was no intimidating aura coming from him. At least, not one Ryan could immediately feel.
He looked like an ordinary student.
Or perhaps he was simply good at looking like one.
Ryan waved his hand casually.
Ryan: Alright. Speak up. What's the news?
Alan looked at them.
Then he spoke.
Alan: Gary's dead.
The moment those words left his mouth, silence filled the atmosphere.
The clouds slowly moved across the moonlight.
The three stood completely still, as if they had been frozen in place for hours.
Then suddenly—
A powerful punch came toward Alan's head.
Brandon had moved without hesitation.
Alan effortlessly leaned to the side, allowing the punch to pass beside him.
Ryan's eyes widened.
He had seen it.
Brandon prepared to attack again, but Ryan immediately grabbed his arm from behind.
Ryan: Stop. It's useless.
His expression had become serious as he looked at Alan.
Ryan: He's no ordinary guy...
A bead of sweat ran down Ryan's forehead before falling to the ground.
Alan shifted slightly before returning to his relaxed posture.
He looked at the three of them.
Alan: You know my name, and where I go. Seniors Ryan, Brandon, and Ethan. Former top dogs of Ironfall Academy.
He continued without stopping.
Alan: Ryan, whose rival was Red, who surpassed you six years ago... and then died.
His words hung in the air.
The three couldn't tell how they were supposed to react.
Should they be angry that a random person had dug into their past?
Or should they be worried because someone they had never heard of suddenly knew so much about them?
Alan turned around.
He began walking away.
Before leaving, he spoke without looking back.
Alan: The location is the city's biggest graveyard. You'll find him if you go straight to the right. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Make sure you pay a visit there. I know you're no longer on bad terms with him.
They watched him leave.
Their eyes remained fixed on him, especially Ryan.
Earlier, Ryan hadn't been able to feel anything intimidating from Alan.
But now...
He felt something similar to the aura Gary had possessed when he last visited them.
Or perhaps something even more dangerous.
---
One Week Before Gary's Death
At the same place, during the evening.
Just like tonight, the three were sitting on drums.
There was no campfire or grilled fish this time.
Instead, they were drinking grape juice.
Then they noticed a man in black approaching them.
He stopped several meters away.
His dark eyes scanned the three of them.
All three immediately got back on their feet, pushing the drums aside.
The sound of the drums crashing against the concrete echoed through the empty courtyard.
Ethan spoke first.
Ethan: Who's you?
The man looked at him.
Then he looked at Brandon and Ryan.
They looked grown up now.
There was a good chance they no longer remembered him.
It had been six years.
The man was Gary.
He looked at the three of them.
Gary: It's good to see you again. Tell me, who wants to bully me this time?
He looked up into their eyes.
There was no rage or anger in his expression.
Only tiredness.
Ryan noticed it.
Brandon stepped forward.
Brandon: Huh? Bully? Are you saying we used to bully you or something? Who even are you...?
His voice was loud and filled with anger.
Gary answered calmly.
Gary: Red is no longer here to protect me, is he?
Ryan's eyes widened.
He remembered.
Six years ago, he had bumped into a small Gary, and Red had told him to apologize before fighting them.
Ryan stared at Gary.
Ryan: You're Gary? The kid from back then, when we were in middle school?
Ethan and Brandon looked at Ryan, then back at Gary.
Ethan rubbed his chin as he carefully examined him.
Ethan: You're seriously Gary? Can't believe it. You look kinda scary.
Brandon scoffed.
Brandon: Who cares? Are you here for revenge? I'm sure you're gonna regret it if you try something.
Gary looked at them.
Then he dismissed their words completely.
Both of them felt humiliated.
Gary turned his attention toward Ryan.
Gary: I came back just for one thing. I'm gonna meet up with Jin, the guy who killed Red.
They all looked at him.
They didn't know much about Jin, but they did know the rumor.
Someone had killed a B-rank at Nameless back then.
They knew the person who died was Red, but they had kept it to themselves.
Ryan spoke.
Ryan: So you're saying the rumor wasn't just a rumor? Red actually died by the hands of Jin?
He shook his head slightly.
Ryan: I always thought it was just a made-up story or something. The Nameless can't take a break, can it?
Gary continued.
Gary: I just want you to do one thing. Firstly, apologize to me, which you couldn't that day. Though you got beaten up by Red, that still doesn't change that you didn't apologize.
Brandon laughed loudly at his words, then pointed toward his own chest.
Brandon: Kid, you think we would do that? Who do you think you're ordering? Want me to rip you to pieces like back then?
Gary reached out and grabbed Brandon's wrist.
His grip tightened.
Brandon's expression slowly changed as pain spread through his arm.
He began screaming.
Gary lifted his other hand and punched him in the face, sending him several feet backward toward where Ethan and Ryan were standing.
Ryan stared at Gary.
That aura...
It wasn't the aura of an ordinary kid anymore.
Brandon and Ethan were A-ranks, possibly close to Ryan, who was an S-rank himself.
For Gary to make Brandon react like this...
It was obvious.
Gary was an S-rank.
Gary looked at all three of them.
Gary: And I have another request...
The others looked at him.
Brandon was still holding his injured hand.
Gary continued.
Gary: If something bad happens, I want you to look after my mother. I can't guarantee what will happen. The person I was working with is extremely dangerous.
His expression remained serious.
Gary: Now that I have betrayed him, and knowing he wants to use me more, I'm not sure how long I'll be surviving in this world. But I will make sure to have a last conversation with Jin.
Gary walked away.
Just like that.
Just as Alan had done tonight.
---
Ryan looked at Alan leaving in the present.
They had decided to go and visit.
It had been months, and they hadn't even known Gary was dead.
Now they stood in front of his grave.
Ryan looked at the grave in silence.
Ryan: First Red... and now you.
He paused.
Snow continued to fall around them.
Ryan looked at Gary's grave.
Ryan: The Nameless is truly cursed.
He paused again, searching for the next words.
Then he spoke quietly.
Ryan: Isn't it, Gary?
---
The restaurant stood tall between the surrounding buildings and busy roads, its upper floors glowing beneath the flickering lights of Christmas Eve.
Outside, in the middle of the road, stood a large Christmas tree covered in decorations and lights. The glow from it reflected faintly across the nearby windows as people moved through the streets below.
On the seventh floor of the twelve-story restaurant, Lily sat at a table with her parents.
The table was filled with an assortment of expensive dishes from different cuisines: perfectly prepared beef Wellington, French duck confit, Japanese sushi and sashimi, and other carefully plated dishes arranged across the table.
For Lily, however, the food was only part of what made the evening special.
She was spending Christmas with her parents.
Lily's mother, Mary, looked young and striking. Her long dark-purple hair flowed down like a waterfall, with some strands falling naturally in front of her shoulders while the rest rested behind her. A pair of round glasses framed her eyes.
Beside her sat Lily's father, Harry. He had short black hair styled neatly into a quiff, with a bit of beard covering his face. He was dressed in a well-fitted businessman suit, even during the holiday.
Mary rested her hands on her lap as she looked at both of them.
Her voice was gentle and polite.
Mary: It's been so long since we last came to this restaurant together, isn't it?
Lily paused while eating and nodded.
A smile appeared on her face.
Lily: Yes, Mom. I'm so happy. It's gonna be a great Christmas.
There was genuine excitement and joy in her voice.
Harry smiled before joining the conversation.
Harry: I got free time during the holidays. We can have the whole week to ourselves together. I'll make sure you two enjoy it until New Year, because after that I'll be at my office for hours every day, hahaha.
Mary and Lily laughed.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful.
But Lily suddenly felt something strange.
She couldn't explain why.
It was almost as if someone was watching her.
Her smile faded slightly as she turned toward the enormous windows beside the restaurant.
Beyond the glass was the parking lot.
Lily carefully looked across it.
There was no one.
She stared for another moment before eventually turning back toward the table.
She didn't notice anyone.
But someone was watching her.
---
Somewhere in the parking lot, Samantha, Kelly, and Mina sat together on a bench.
They were eating sandwiches while Samantha held a pair of binoculars, watching Lily through the restaurant's enormous windows.
Kelly and Mina occasionally glanced toward the building as they ate.
Samantha lowered the binoculars slightly.
A smirk slowly spread across her face.
Samantha: Enjoy as much as you want, Lily. Just one week.
She raised the binoculars again, looking directly toward Lily.
Samantha: And when school starts after New Year... it'll be fun.
Her smirk widened.
Kelly and Mina chuckled alongside her.
Samantha lowered the binoculars again.
Samantha: It's all done. Everything.
She smiled.
Samantha: I can't wait for school to start again.
To be continued...