The evening lecture on structural dynamics faded into a low hum of chatter as students gathered their belongings. Kian was sliding his notebook into his bag when a voice called his name. He looked up to see Arif, a fellow architecture student, looking uncharacteristically serious.
"Kian," Arif said, falling into step beside him as they moved toward the exit.
"Yes, Arif? Is there something you need?" Kian asked. š
"Something strange happened today," Arif began, lowering his voice. "As I was walking from the pond to the hall, a man stopped me."
Kian's steps slowed slightly. "So why are you telling me?" š£
"Because he was asking about you," Arif said, his words landing with a quiet weight.
A cold prickle, entirely separate from the evening chill, ran down Kian's spine. "About me? What did he look like?"
Arif frowned, trying to recall. "Tall, about six feet. Slim build. His hair was white, but he didn't look old. And his eyes... they were a piercing gray." š¤µš»
The description meant nothing to Kian, yet it stirred a deep, formless unease. "I don't know anyone like that. What exactly did he ask?"
"He asked if there was a student named Kian at this college. Since I don't know any others, I confirmed there was one in our department."
"Maybe he was asking about a different Kian," Kian suggested, a feeble hope in his voice.
"I don't think so," Arif insisted. "When I described you"your height, your hair"his face... it changed. He had this look of satisfaction. A strange, quiet happiness. It was unsettling. I thought you should know, since we're in the same department."
Kian nodded slowly, his mind racing through a list of acquaintances and finding no match. "Well, if he wants to meet me, he'll find a way. Thank you for telling me, Arif. I appreciate it." š
With a final nod, the two parted ways. As Kian walked on, his phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a message from Ariana: "Kian, I'm really tired, so I'm going to sleep now. You take care of your work. Good night."
He smiled softly at the screen. 'She's going to bed before the moon has even risen. She must be exhausted.' The simple, normal message was a stark contrast to the mysterious warning from Arif. š