Late Night, Reality High Dormitory – Girls Wing
The moon hung high over Reality High, casting a silver sheen across the dormitory rooftops. Beyond the windows, most rooms were dark—students resting, bruised and burned from the day's trial.
Inside one room on the third floor, Lina lay on her back, eyes open.
Her bedsheets were a mess. Her mind even worse.
"Seven days," she whispered into the silence. "That's all the time we have."
She rolled over and let out a breath. The events of the arena replayed over and over in her mind—each word from the masked instructor sharper than the last.
"You pretend to lead. But hesitation under pressure is betrayal in combat."
It stung. Not because it was cruel—but because it was true.
She sat up, pushing her hair out of her face. Her dagger, wrapped in cloth, sat neatly on the windowsill. Next to it, a notebook filled with strategy patterns she hadn't dared to suggest during missions.
"…Support types aren't supposed to break through enemies," she murmured. "We're supposed to keep people alive."
But lately—keeping people alive was starting to feel like a losing game.
She stood, walked toward the window, and stared out into the night.
Wind brushed her cheeks. In the distance, the forest shimmered faintly, illuminated by moonlight.
Movement.
She blinked.
A figure—slender, with familiar posture—walked quietly past the outer perimeter, toward the edge of the forest.
"Kira?"
Her eyes narrowed.
What's he doing out past curfew…?
A part of her said to ignore it.
Another part—the one that hadn't rested since the Shadow King fight—said follow him.
Lina didn't argue with herself this time.
She opened the window and stepped up onto the sill.
Then jumped.
Forest Path – Minutes Later
Lina moved like a whisper between trees. Her light magic thinned her presence, wrapping her footsteps in silence. The air was crisp. Cool. The kind that stung gently against her skin and kept her senses sharp.
She followed the figure from a distance, ducking low under twisted branches.
But something was off.
Kira—if it was Kira—wasn't stopping. Not even glancing back. Just walking calmly through shadow, toward the sound of the ocean's tide.
She tightened her pace. "Where is he even goi—"
"Where are you going."
The voice came from behind.
Her body moved on reflex—her hand glowing with a flare of light magic as she spun and launched a burst toward the sound.
The blast lit up the trees—exploding into a harmless patch of earth.
Then he stepped out from the shadows, smirking.
Kira.
The real one.
"How…?" she began, her breath catching.
"You were following an afterimage," he said, amused. "I noticed your presence halfway through the trail. You're good."
She lowered her hand, cheeks flushing in embarrassment. "Why didn't you just call out…?"
"I wanted to see how far you'd follow me."
He started walking again.
"…Come on. Since you're already here."
Lina hesitated, then followed.
Neither of them said anything for a while.
The forest parted—and the ocean revealed itself.
Moonlight reflected gently off the waves. Rocks jutted from the shore like ancient guardians. The only sound was the rhythmic push and pull of the tide.
Kira walked to the edge of a large, flat stone and sat.
Lina stepped beside him and quietly joined.
The silence between them wasn't awkward.
It was… necessary.
Finally, Kira broke it.
"You know it's past curfew, right?"
Lina exhaled. "I know since I was an instructor here once"
"Touché."
He leaned back, arms resting on his knees.
"…I needed the ocean tonight. It's the only place that doesn't talk back."
Lina looked sideways at him. "You looked pretty shaken after the trials."
"Yeah." He paused. "It's not just the Shadow King fight. It's what the instructor said."
He didn't look at her. Just stared at the water.
"When I was younger, people said I had 'potential.' But what does that even mean when I can't protect the people standing next to me?"
Lina frowned.
"You've saved all of us more than once."
Kira turned slightly. "But not enough. Not when it counted."
He let the words hang.
Then slowly reached out—and held her hand.
Lina froze.
Her face flushed again, brighter this time.
But she didn't pull away.
"…You're not alone," she said quietly. "And you don't have to carry everything by yourself. We're a team. We've all been through hell together."
She tightened her grip just a little. "Let us in."
Kira didn't answer.
But he didn't let go either.
The moment was calm.
Vulnerable.
Real.
Then—
Crunch.
A soft twig broke in the distance.
Both of them snapped to alert.
From behind a tree, Dice stepped out—grinning unapologetically.
"You know, I was going to stay quiet," he said. "But then I thought… eh, why waste a good entrance."
Kira sighed and let go of Lina's hand. "You woke the lion. Hope you're proud."
"Very," Dice replied.
He turned toward the path. "Anyway, I came to say something important."
"Important?" Lina asked, her voice still slightly shaky.
"Yeah," Dice said, flipping a glowing card. "Sovereign Class just left campus. They're heading toward the sealed zone."
Kira raised an eyebrow. "You're saying they're going to fight the Shadow King again?"
"Yup. This time, for points. And prestige."
Lina stood, brushing sand from her skirt. "Then we should go. If the Sovereign Class is testing their strength there, it might give us valuable information."
Kira nodded.
"I'll catch up," he said. "Go with Dice."
"…Alright." She hesitated again. "But don't take too long."
Lina and Dice disappeared into the forest, their silhouettes fading into the dark.
Kira sat alone for a second longer.
Then rose.
As he walked, Kira glanced down at the palm of his hand—the one that had held hers.
He clenched it once. The warmth hadn't faded.
Phantom…
The thought haunted him still.
Lina's voice echoed in his mind: "Let us in."
Maybe it was time.
He quickened his pace—and caught up to the others near the forest's edge.
"Hey," he called out softly.
Lina turned.
There was something in his voice now. A little more alive.
"What I wanted to say… before Dice interrupted," he said.
She stopped. Eyes curious.
"If the school lets us choose what we want as a reward for the tournament…"
He paused. Then smiled faintly.
"…Then I promise I'll win. No matter what it takes. And I'll get you that scholarship."
Lina's eyes widened.
He remembered?
She looked away quickly, trying to hide the growing blush on her face.
"Let's just hope that's what the reward is," she mumbled.
Kira didn't reply.
He didn't need to.
The three of them disappeared down the trail, shadows slipping into the night.
Above them, the stars shimmered.