Lina
I was walking down the usual hallway, my steps slow as always in the morning. Nothing stood out. No one greeted me. Everything was the same—until the principal suddenly blocked my path.
He stopped in front of me and said with a serious tone I wasn't used to hearing from him:
"I have something to tell you. Come with me to the office."
A chill ran through me. Something in his voice worried me. I followed him silently until we reached his office. He closed the door behind us, sat down, and said:
"A decision has been made by the higher administration. Numbers 8, 3, and 9 will be transferred to another school."
I stared at him, stunned. "What? Why?"
He shook his head slightly.
"I don't know the details... the instructions came as is. And since you're the first one I saw from the ten today, I need you to tell them to prepare for departure immediately."
I froze. Kyle... my little brother. Number 3.
I left the office with hesitant steps. My heart ached. I didn't know why, but this farewell felt... different.
I found him sitting alone in the corner of the classroom, as usual.
I said, my voice trembling:
"Kyle... we're parting ways today. Will you be alright, little brother?"
He lifted his head and gave me his calm, childlike smile.
"Lina... don't worry. I'm a man now. I can take care of myself. Just... don't forget me, okay?"
I stood frozen. My heart felt like it would explode, but I forced a smile, hugged him quickly, and left.
I returned to the classroom, my eyes tearing up. But there was no time for crying. As I walked in...
There was a commotion.
A group of students had gathered in a circle, clearly excited about something. I walked up to one of the girls and asked:
"What's going on?"
She replied excitedly:
"Listen! It's Arin's girlfriend! They just announced it!"
I froze. "Huh?! Girlfriend? Since when?!"
She said: "We just found out. Apparently, she's from the neighboring class. They were secret until today!"
I wanted to tell him about Kyle leaving, but... after hearing this, I didn't want to disturb him.
I sat down in my seat quietly, the buzz of the class fading into the background.
---
Arin
That ring I saw on the hand of the student talking to the principal earlier... it wasn't ordinary. I saw it clearly from the window.
His face wasn't familiar. But my gut... felt something was off.
"I've seen this ring before... but where?"
Then it hit me. Max. That annoying idiot who never stops talking. He wears the same ring.
I entered the classroom quietly. Everything looked normal. I tried to calm my thoughts and went to eat during break.
Suddenly, Max showed up, yelling:
"Hey buddy! What are you doing today? Shall we play soccer?!"
I didn't answer. I just stared at his hand. Yes. That ring. That same dark design, with the strange symbol that looked like a closed eye.
I asked:
"Max... where did you get that ring?"
He laughed.
"This? I bought it a while ago! Cool, right?"
A shiver ran down my spine.
"Do you know anyone else who wears one like it?"
He tilted his head, grinning:
"Why do you ask? Since when are you curious?"
I replied flatly: "Just curious."
He said: "Mmmm... not really. Maybe a lot of people wear them. It's popular."
I tried to shake off the doubt.
"Could it really be just coincidence? This idiot doesn't seem like he's part of anything serious..."
I stood up, walking away. But of course, he followed me like a shadow:
"What shall we eat today? Why don't we play? Give me your phone number! Come on, don't be so distant!"
I muttered to myself:
"Every time I escape one hell... I find myself in another."
He sat down on a chair dramatically and said:
"Hey... you know what? Something huge is going to happen in this school! Something BIG, man!"
He laughed, trying to mimic an evil villain.
I swallowed hard: "What do you mean?"
He leaned forward, and said:
"We're going on a school trip to Nipalora Island! Hahaha!"
I looked at him coldly, then smacked him hard on the head.
"You idiot! I almost believed you."
He grinned and rubbed his head.
"But seriously! Every year around this time, the school takes us to that island. It's like a relaxing tradition. They'll announce it soon!"
I stood still. But my thoughts were racing.
"Is this connected to that mysterious student? The ring? The conversation with the principal?"
Too many questions. Too little answers. All I could do... was observe. And wait
Arin
That night… sleep didn't come as gently as I had hoped.
I drifted off—and found myself in a strange place.
Everything around me was gray, as if the world had frozen a second before exploding.
And then…
That voice.
"Arin... Arin... the catastrophe is coming..."
A strange feeling surged through my body.
A voice I knew... familiar to the point of pain...
But I couldn't remember who it belonged to.
I turned in the dream.
Fog wrapped around everything. No faces. No features.
Just that voice, echoing from every direction—as if time itself was calling out to me.
And suddenly, everything shattered like broken glass.
I woke up drenched in sweat, my heart pounding, eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"What was that? A nightmare? No… it felt more like… a memory?"
I placed my hand over my chest, feeling a weight I couldn't explain.
"A catastrophe? What catastrophe? Is it connected to the school?
To whatever plan is unfolding this year?"
I got up, my face grim, the worry glued to me like a shadow.
And the next morning—almost as if fate whispered "get ready"—
one of the teachers called our names during the assembly, his voice formal and clear,
and finally announced the annual trip to Nipalora Island—
the place students always romanticized.
I looked at the banner pinned on the notice board.
My heart pounded harder.
"Nipalora… This isn't a vacation. I need to stay sharp.
Maybe this is what the dream was warning me about."
Just as I started connecting the dots in my mind, a familiar and annoyingly loud voice cut through my thoughts.
Max: "Arin! Aren't you coming with us? The market awaits! We need supplies for the trip! Come on, let's make it a group adventure! We'll take Lina, Zeil, Mak, and Alikdora! Isn't that awesome?!"
I stared at him coldly:
"I'm not an idiot like you. I've got more important preparations to make."
(Note: Lina, Zeil, Mak, and Alikdora are our classmates.)
Max, as always, didn't care what I said.
He just kept rambling about snacks, magazines, and whatever nonsense he could think of.
Meanwhile, I was muttering in my head:
"I just want to sleep early… I have to hunt the Emotica tonight.
I won't let those creatures spread further in the city."
Then suddenly, a voice came from behind us.
Calm… but provoking.
"And I'll be coming too..."
I turned slowly—and there she was.
Sera.
The girl I just couldn't stand.
I don't know why, but something about her always irritated me.
Maybe it was her smug way of talking.
Or maybe… it was the feeling that she knew something we didn't.
I looked at her coldly:
"Who invited you?"
She smiled, confident and calm.
"You'll need me. Even if you don't realize it yet."
Her words weren't casual.
She wasn't joking.
She wasn't faking it.
There was something in her tone…
A quiet threat.
Or maybe... a prophecy.
I told myself:
"Was the dream a warning?
About today?
About this group?
About Sera?"
But I swallowed all the questions and replied coolly:
"Fine. Come along. We're going anyway."
And so… our little trip to the market began.
But deep inside, my heart was whispering something else:
"The island… is not what it seems.
And the dream… didn't end."
"It just began…"