The next day, school felt… different.
Whispers followed me down the hallway.
Glances lingered longer than usual, sharp and suspicious.
Some students avoided me entirely. Others stared, daring me to react.
I clenched my fists inside my pockets, forcing myself to walk like I belonged.
Not yet. Not until I understood what was happening.
And then I saw him.
Ryu.
The same boy who had tormented me for years. Only this time, his sneer was gone.
Instead, his eyes were sharp, calculating.
"You're hiding something," he said, his voice low.
"Something… unnatural."
I froze.
Could he really see it? Or was it just fear creeping into my mind?
"I don't know what you mean," I said, forcing a calm smile.
My heart pounded.
Every sense screamed at me: stay calm. Don't show anything.
Class dragged on, each minute stretching like hours.
Every sound, every movement, felt amplified.
I could hear my own heartbeat echoing in my ears.
Even the faint creak of the floorboards as someone walked far down the hallway.
Lunch couldn't come soon enough.
I ran to the rooftop—my only refuge.
The wind hit my face, carrying a strange tension.
I wasn't alone.
Eyes. Watching.
Cold. Calculating. Unseen.
My skin prickled. I spun around, but the rooftop was empty.
And then a voice whispered—not aloud, but inside my mind.
"Interesting. Finally… someone who can awaken."
I staggered back.
"Who's there?" I demanded, my voice shaky.
Silence.
The wind swirled, tugging at my hair. Shadows danced unnaturally along the walls.
I realized with a jolt: these eyes weren't human.
Somewhere, far beyond the city, someone—or something—had taken notice of me.
And I knew, deep down, my life was no longer my own.
This awakening… had marked me.