CHAPTER 2
The campus looked… normal.
Too normal.
The air was filled with laughter, footsteps, and the distant chatter of students moving from one class to another. Sunlight filtered through the tall windows, making everything look warm—safe.
But it's not.
Because somewhere behind this ordinary routine… something was very wrong.
I walked through the main hallway, my eyes scanning everything carefully—faces, exits, blind spots.
And then I heard it.
Cheers.
Loud. Excited. Almost worship-like.
"Alex! Alex! Alex!"
The name echoed through the corridor.
My steps slowed.
Alex…
It clicked instantly.
Onyx.
The agent I was supposed to work with.
The one I was supposed to date.
I pushed my way through the crowd, trying not to draw attention.
Let's see what kind of "agent" I've been paired with.
That's when it happened.
I walked straight into someone.
No—
Not just someone.
A solid wall.
My forehead hit something firm, and for a second, my brain completely stopped working.
I looked up.
And there he was.
Alex.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Messy brown hair that somehow looked intentional. And those eyes—sharp, observant… watching everything.
Oh.
So, this is Onyx.
I immediately stepped back, trying to regain my composure.
"Sorry," I muttered, turning to leave.
But the universe clearly had other plans.
My foot caught on something—nothing visible—and I lost balance.
I was about to fall—
But I didn't.
A strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back.
For a moment, everything stilled.
Too close.
Way too close.
I could feel his breath.
Why is he this close?
The hallway noise faded into the background.
And then—
"Careful," he said softly, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "You might fall for me."
The crowd around us erupted.
"OHHHH!"
"The new girl's flirting with Alex!"
"Did you see that?!"
My face burned.
Fantastic. First day and I'm already a rumor.
I pulled away instantly.
"Get over yourself," I muttered under my breath and walked off, ignoring the noise.
But something about his tone… stayed with me.
That wasn't random.
I was sitting in English class when it finally hit me.
His words.
"Careful… you might fall for me."
It wasn't flirting.
It was code.
Idiot.
I closed my eyes, replaying the sentence.
We were trained for this.
Each phrase. Each word. A pattern.
And then—
It clicked.
He knows who I am.
My fingers tightened slightly around my pen.
Good. That makes things easier.
I glanced back.
He was already looking at me.
And smiling.
That same annoying, confident smile.
Gosh… he's so—
I quickly looked away
Focus.
The last class of the day was Economics.
Agent Raven's class.
She stood at the front, calm and composed as ever, explaining the basics like a normal teacher.
Like none of this was real.
Halfway through, I raised my hand.
"Ma'am, I have a doubt."
She looked at me.
And in that moment… the classroom disappeared.
This wasn't a question.
It was a message.
"I found him. I'll meet him after school."
She didn't react.
Didn't even pause.
"Good question," she said, turning toward the board.
Her tone changed slightly—just enough.
"I'll inform the higher authorities."
Message received.
I nodded and sat down. Intentionally dropping my pen.
As I bent to pick it up, I glanced sideways.
Alex was watching.
Not casually.
Not lazily.
Watching.
And from the slight shift in his expression…
He understood everything.
***
The library was quiet.
Too quiet.
The kind of silence that makes every small sound feel louder.
I sat at one of the tables, pretending to read.
Waiting.
It didn't take long.
He walked in.
And just like that—
The entire atmosphere changed.
Gone was the playful, charming guy from the hallway.
This version of him was different.
Cold. Focused. Sharp.
So, this is the real you.
He sat across from me, opening a book like we were just two students studying.
"Page 42," he said.
Code.
"I spoke to Raven," I replied calmly, pretending to flip a page. "She'll assign me as your peer partner."
"So, she's involved too," he murmured.
A pause.
"I'll ask you out next week," he added.
I raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Pretend to get closer to me," he continued. "Gradually."
Confident, aren't we?
"Understood," I said. "Agent Onyx."
For a second, something flickered in his eyes.
Approval? Amusement?
Hard to tell.
We both leaned closer, lowering our voices.
"I reviewed the files," I said. "There's a pattern."
"Girl first," he replied.
"Then a boy within 48 hours."
"All high-performing students," he added.
Our eyes met.
Same conclusion.
Same unease.
"Someone's selecting them," I whispered.
"Or testing them," he corrected.
A chill ran down my spine.
As we packed up to leave, he leaned slightly closer.
"Don't fall for me," he said quietly…well cheerfully.
The audacity!
I smirked.
"Same to you," I replied. "I'm attractive… but I'm a man-hater."
He let out a soft laugh.
"I've never met someone like you."
Good.
"Try to keep up," I said.
We left separately.
Time spent together: 34 minutes and 24 seconds.
Why did I even count that?
By evening, I was standing in front of the café.
Half café.
Half library.
Strange place.
But what bothered me more…
Was the fact that I actually cared about how I looked.
Get a grip.
I adjusted my outfit and walked inside.
And there he was.
Waiting.
But something was wrong.
His expression changed the moment he saw me.
Not surprised.
Not impressed.
Concerned.
His eyes dropped to my feet.
That's when I felt it again.
A sharp pain shot through my ankle, stronger than before.
Damn it…
I had ignored it all day.
Walking.
Running.
Pretending like nothing was wrong.
And now, in heels…
Brilliant.
"Nova—" he started, his voice suddenly serious.
I tried to brush it off. "It's nothing, I—"
But the words never came out.
The world tilted.
My vision blurred.
The pain spread, mixing with something worse—exhaustion.
Why do I feel so… weak?
My knees gave out.
And just before everything went dark—
Then, I felt someone's strong arms catch me.