Hex sat in the corner seat of the bus, his head leaning against the vibrating glass window as he scrolled through his smartphone. The screen was flooded with a storm of messages from Stacy complete with crying emojis, stickers, and long exaggerated texts.
"Wuwuwu... I'm trapped in something awful, otherwise I would've come to see you!"
"This world is just too cruel sometimes..."
"I miss you... like, fr fr."
There were dozens of similar messages piling in every few minutes. He didn't even know how to reply to all these.
After thinking,he typed a simple message.
[It's okay.Thanks for all the help and support.Will see you soon.]
Then he pressed send.
Still, knowing Stacy's unpredictable nature, he actually believed her. If she really wasn't caught up in something, she might've shown up at his place uninvited just for the chaos of it.
Hex smirked to himself and muttered, "Let's see how long you can keep the act up, you crazy girl."
Just then, the bus came to a halt and the driver called back, "Boy, we reached your stop."
Hex nodded and stepped out, finding himself in front of a large concrete building with the words Esper Bureau carved into the thick steel gates.
He walked through the checkpoint where an officer scanned his ID and directed him toward the left wing. The interior smelled faintly of antiseptic and metal polish, a mix that made him feel like he was entering both a hospital and a factory.
A staff nurse led him into a small medical room where a tired-looking doctor in a lab coat greeted him. Without wasting time, the doctor handed him a small injection tube.
"Here. Just a mild neuro-stabilizer. It'll help ease the strain in your frontal cortex."
Hex rolled up his sleeve and took the shot. A slight chill ran through his arm but he didn't flinch. The doctor glanced at his monitor, then looked back at him.
"How are you feeling now?"
Hex tilted his head slightly, checking his body's internal state. "Better. The bashing pain in my head's gone down a lot."
"Good. That's what it's supposed to do. With this dose, the pain should disappear over time. It might flare up occasionally as your power grows and your brain region solidifies, but your body will gradually adapt. Nothing to worry about."
"Thanks," Hex replied, genuine for once.
The doctor gave a tired wave. "All in a day's work. Now take this token and line up at the next station. Show it at the front desk and they'll guide you."
Hex followed the instructions and after passing through two more checkpoints, was finally led into a large waiting hall. The place was filled with others around his age—some sitting quietly, others chatting with nervous energy. All of them looked like candidates—newly awakened or about to be tested.
The man guiding them stopped at the center and announced, "All of you will be part of the next registration batch. Director Sam has asked you to wait here until he arrives."
Hex quietly found a seat in a far corner, keeping to himself. He watched the others mixing, shaking hands, laughing. There was a strange atmosphere mixed with half excitement, half anxiety.
Hex debated internally whether he should mingle or just keep his usual low profile. He knew being isolated in unfamiliar environments could be dangerous, but he wasn't great at the social thing either.
As he sat there, lost in thought, a familiar voice called out from across the hall.
"Wait… Hex? Is that you?"
Hex turned, squinting toward the voice. A black-haired boy was approaching him with a surprised smile on his face.
"Sameer?" Hex said, getting up.
"Dude! What are you doing here?" Sameer asked, clearly shocked. There was no hostility, just genuine surprise.
Hex smiled faintly. "Isn't it obvious? I awakened."
"No way! That's awesome, man!" Sameer grinned and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "Man, I didn't expect to see you here. It's good though—makes the place feel less... overwhelming."
Just behind Sameer, two others walked up—a boy and a girl who looked remarkably similar.
"Sameer, who's he?" the girl asked curiously.
Sameer gestured toward them and made the introductions. "Hex, meet Lex and Luna. They're my cousins and twins, obviously. Guys, this is Hex. We went to the same academy."
"Nice to meet you." Hex gave them a polite nod.
Both twins seemed to warm up to him quickly. Luna smiled, while Lex gave a thumbs-up. They seemed easygoing, and their presence added some lightness to the atmosphere.
Then Sameer grinned mischievously. "You know, Hex doesn't look like much, but back in school, this guy beat half the elite class into the dirt.I ain't kidding."
"What?!" both Lex and Luna shrieked in perfect sync. A few heads turned at the noise.
"Guys! Shhh!" Sameer quickly whispered, looking around.
Lex leaned closer, lowering his voice but still wide-eyed. "You serious? He looks so... chill."
"I am serious," Sameer said. "He might've been a Sidekick, but he was strong. Real strong."
Luna tilted her head, giving Hex a second look. "That's kind of cool... and scary. You're like one of those low-key protagonists in dramas who's secretly OP."
Hex just smiled faintly, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was just a school match. Not that big a deal."
Though he said this he gave Sameer a soft glare.
'Is this plan to kill me by spreading rumours.Who knows if he also held a grudge.'