The rest of the morning crawled by, thick with the kind of tension Kai couldn't quite shake. Every class felt like a battlefield disguised as a classroom—too many eyes, too much noise, and too many chances for something to go wrong. He kept his posture relaxed, but his mind was always running, processing every detail.
By lunch, he already knew the layout of the school, the rhythm of the student body, the blind spots in the hallways, and the subtle patterns in people's behavior. Most students were predictable, harmless. But a few… stood out.
Aria, for one. The prefect had spent every passing moment subtly tracking him without ever making it obvious. Her gaze wasn't hostile; it was investigative. She carried herself with discipline, precision, and a strange kind of confidence Kai recognized from people who knew how to control a situation.
Then there was Lila, who somehow had the ability to brighten even the most chaotic space simply by walking into it. She had, unintentionally, drawn close to Kai three separate times throughout the day—asking questions, offering brief comments, responding to things he didn't even realize he had said. She didn't suspect him of anything. But she noticed him. And that alone complicated everything.
And lastly…
The boy from the wall.
Kai still didn't know his name. But the student moved through the building like a shadow with perfect timing—never rushing, never slow, and always exactly where he needed to be to observe what mattered. Kai had caught him glancing at the vents in the ceilings, the distance between classrooms, the angles of security cameras. Nobody without training would notice that sort of thing.
Kai didn't like it.
By the time the lunch bell rang, Kai had mapped out three possible escape routes from the cafeteria, two hiding spots, and a backup plan. Old habits. Necessary habits.
He grabbed a tray, keeping his expression neutral, and headed toward an empty table near the window. The moment he sat down, the chair across from him scraped back.
Aria.
She sat with a straight spine, placing her prefect badge on the table as if to remind him she held authority here—even if only the kind granted by school rules. Her eyes flicked to his hands, then to his posture, then to the way he held his fork.
"You don't eat like someone who's used to crowded places," she observed.
Kai froze for half a heartbeat before responding casually, "I guess I prefer quiet."
"Most new students do." Aria folded her arms. "But you're not like most new students."
Here it was—the confrontation he knew was coming. Still, she wasn't trying to intimidate him. She was searching.
Before he could answer, a plate clattered onto the table.
Lila dropped into the seat beside him, cheerful as ever. "You two look serious. What'd I miss?"
Kai almost choked on air. The contrast between them was jarring—Aria with her disciplined intensity, Lila with her bright, effortless warmth.
Aria's expression didn't change. "We were talking about how perceptive Kai is."
Lila blinked, smiling. "Oh, yeah. I noticed that too. He reads rooms really fast. It's kind of impressive."
Kai internally sighed. Exactly what he didn't want noticed.
Trying to shift the topic, he asked, "Don't you two have other places to be?"
"Nope," Lila replied instantly, popping a grape into her mouth. "This is where the interesting people are."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "Speak for yourself."
The tension between them wasn't romantic or hostile—it was analytical. Both girls were trying to understand him, just from completely different angles.
Then, before Kai could react, a shadow fell over the table.
The boy.
He leaned forward with an easy, polite smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Mind if I join you?"
Kai felt every muscle in his body tighten. Aria subtly adjusted her posture. Lila paused mid-bite.
The boy didn't wait for permission. He pulled out a chair and sat down, resting his elbows lightly on the table.
"I'm Rowan," he said pleasantly. "I've been… curious about our new student."
Kai kept his expression neutral. "Kai."
Rowan nodded slowly, as if analyzing the weight of the name itself. "Welcome to Northbridge Academy. I hope your stay is… uneventful."
The threat was subtle. Too subtle for most students to notice. But Kai heard it clearly.
Aria's eyes narrowed. Lila frowned.
Kai didn't answer right away. He simply lifted his fork, took a bite, and swallowed before saying calmly, "Uneventful sounds perfect."
Rowan's smile widened by a fraction. "Good. I like predictable people."
Kai stared back, voice steady. "Then you're going to be disappointed."
Something flickered in Rowan's gaze—interest, confusion, maybe even recognition. But it vanished as quickly as it came.
"Well," Rowan said as he stood up, "lunch is almost over. I'll see you around."
He walked off smoothly, blending into the crowd like he was made of smoke.
Lila let out a low whistle. "Okay… that guy? Definitely creepy."
Aria didn't respond right away. She was still watching Rowan disappear through the cafeteria doors.
Finally, she turned to Kai. "You know him?"
"No," Kai replied truthfully. "But I can tell he's trouble."
Aria leaned in slightly. "So are you."
Lila nudged Kai with her elbow, but her tone wasn't teasing this time. "Are you okay? You look… tense."
Kai swallowed. "I'm fine."
But he wasn't. Not with Rowan watching him from the shadows. Not with Aria analyzing his every move. Not with Lila noticing details she wasn't supposed to.
He wanted to be invisible. But invisibility wasn't an option anymore.
---
When classes resumed, Kai kept his head down, but Rowan appeared repeatedly—passing him in the hallway, standing by a classroom door, glancing across the courtyard. Always at the perfect moment. Always calm. Always calculating.
Kai knew this pattern. He'd seen it in the field more times than he could count.
Rowan wasn't following him.
He was studying him.
Testing him.
And Kai had the sinking feeling Rowan wasn't just another student. There was intention behind every look, every movement. Someone like that didn't operate alone. Someone like that had a mission.
As the final bell rang, Kai slipped out of the building, weaving through the flood of students. Aria's voice called after him, but he didn't stop. Not today.
He pushed open the back door leading to the alley—the same alley from that morning. The quiet held danger, not peace.
He exhaled sharply, allowing the mask to fall for just a moment.
That's when he heard it.
A single, deliberate footstep behind him.
He turned fast.
Rowan stood at the end of the alleyway, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable.
"I knew it," Rowan said softly. "You're not normal."
Kai's heartbeat hammered in his ears.
He didn't reach for his daggers.
But he almost did.
"Kai," Rowan continued, "there's something you and I need to talk about."
The wind shifted, carrying the faint hum of distant traffic.
Kai stared him down. "About what?"
Rowan took one slow step forward, his voice dropping barely above a whisper.
"You're not the only one hiding something."