—
“Marcus?”
The sound of my name stopped us just as we were leaving the mall. Diya and I turned, spotting Kailey near the food court with a girl I didn’t recognise.
“Running into you now has me really concerned,” I muttered, folding my arms as Kailey approached.
“Sure,” Kailey scoffed. Her gaze lingered on Diya a moment before she straightened and offered a courteous nod. “I’m Kailey. Nice to meet you.”
“Uh, hello. I’m Diya,” she replied with a polite smile and wave.
Before Kailey could add more, the girl beside her lit up like a firework.
“Diya-senpai!” She blurted out, practically bouncing. Her eyes sparkled as she stepped forward, hands clasped in excitement. “It’s amazing to finally meet you!”
Diya blinked, then laughed softly. “Oh? That’s sweet. What’s your name?”
As the two began chatting, I took the opportunity to close the distance between me and Kailey, lowering my voice.
“So… care to explain the reservation at Aurora?” I asked bluntly.
Kailey frowned. “Huh? How do you even know about that?”
“None of your business,” I said, arching a brow.
“Then it’s not yours either.”
I stared her down, saying nothing. She held my gaze for a second or two, then finally gave in with a sigh and rolled her eyes. “Fine. I was going to have dinner with her.” She gestured toward the blue-haired girl now deep in conversation with Diya.
“Classmate?” I asked.
“She’s in Class 1. Just a friendly dinner.”
I raised a brow. “Uh-huh.”
Before Kailey could respond, the girl hurried back to Kailey’s side.
“Hello, I’m Tracy,” she said with a polite bow. “It’s really nice to meet you, Marcus-senpai.”
Marcus-senpai, huh? I could get used to that.
Tracy was definitely smaller than most students, with delicate features and blue hair cut just below her ears. She looked like she belonged in a porcelain doll collection.
“Nice to meet you,” I said with a nod.
Kailey placed a hand on Tracy’s shoulder. “Let’s leave them be,” she said, steering her away. Tracy glanced back once with a shy wave.
Diya returned to me, still smiling. “So, I assume that was your sister?”
Before I could reply, Kailey jogged back, grinning. “Hope you enjoy your date,” she teased with a wink, then spun around and rejoined Tracy.
I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temple.
“Yep, definitely your sister,” Diya said, failing to hide her smile. A blush crept into her cheeks as she crossed her arms and looked away.
“Just forget her,” I muttered, composing myself before meeting Diya’s gaze. “Come on.”
She nodded, and we stepped into the cool night air. The sky stretched wide above, the moon casting long shadows across the walkway.
We walked side by side, and I occasionally glanced over at Diya from time to time, but she didn’t speak. Diya hugged her arms close as her short red hair fluttered in the wind, brushing her cheeks.
I couldn’t read her.
That was strange.
A sudden gust of wind swept past us. Diya stopped near the edge of the path, tilting her head upward as the breeze played through her hair. Bathed in moonlight, she looked almost ethereal, like some divine figure descended just for this quiet night. But her expression shattered that illusion. It was fragile and melancholic.
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She turned toward me, her golden eyes meeting mine.
“But I can’t help worrying that some people I care about… won’t make it,” she said, her arms falling to her sides and her fingers clenching slightly.
“So that’s what’s been bothering you?” I asked.
She nodded faintly. “It’s just… it would be hard losing classmates I’ve known for years. I know what this school is, what it’s always been... but still.”
I stuffed my hands into my coat pockets, exhaling a deep breath.
“I get it. The bonds you’ve formed over the years… they’re stronger than anything I’ve got with anyone right now. But like you said, this school has always been like this. A lab experiment.”
She didn’t respond right away, but I could see the internal conflict flickering in her eyes.
“If you had to expel two people you cared about,” she asked suddenly, “how would you do it?”
The question caught me off guard. She kept her gaze fixed on the stone path.
I drew in a slow breath, trying to frame an answer, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised how tangled such a decision would be. “That’s... not an easy question. Because it’s not just about logic, is it? You don’t weigh people like numbers or stats.”
“I’d try everything to save them both first. If you asked me what I’d do after that—if I had no other options...” I hesitated. “Then I honestly don’t know.”
The wind stirred again. Diya stepped closer until she was just inches away and looked up at me.
“With the way the school is changing… something like this is bound to happen,” she murmured. “People are going to be forced to choose. And I wonder… could I ever do that?”
No matter how much I tried to lift her spirits tonight, things circled back to the one topic we kept avoiding. The tension surrounding the special exam hung over us. The list of remaining participants would be announced tonight, and whether I admitted it or not, I was worried about Kailey.
We’d talked briefly when the announcement first came out, when the possibility of her being randomly selected still felt distant. She brushed it off then, acting like none of it fazed her.
And then there was her dinner with Tracy at Aurora. I still wasn’t sure what that was about. I didn’t press her at the time, but I had questions. I figured she'd tell me when she was ready.
“Seems I dampened the mood, didn’t I?” she said with a faint, apologetic smile.
I blinked, pulled back into the moment. “Uh… what you said was really important to consider.”
She exhaled, then gave a half-smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“But…” She trailed off before her hand reached out and gently wrapped around mine, warm despite the night chill. “Let me take you to one more place before we end this date.”
I nodded, letting her lead me to the overlook.
The stars were scattered brilliantly across the heavens. We stood there in silence as I leaned on the railing, arms crossed, while Diya stepped forward, looking up at the sky.
“I’m not really into astronomy,” she said, “but even I have to admit… the sky looks beautiful on nights like this.”
“Yeah,” I said, following her gaze. “The stars really are something tonight.”
Without warning, Diya let out a soft laugh. I turned, surprised, as her shoulders shook just slightly.
“Sorry,” she said, brushing a strand of red hair back. “I just needed to regain my composure.” A teasing glint lit her eyes. “Did you miss my fun side? Or are you the type who prefers girls who are broody all night?”
I raised an eyebrow at her smirk, then, without warning, flicked her forehead with my finger.
“Ow!” she yelped, pulling back and clutching her forehead with a pout. “Are you seriously inflicting pain on your date?”
I stuck my tongue out at her.
“Oh, you’re dead,” she muttered, swinging her hand toward my forehead. But I caught her wrist mid-swing.
She tried to pull away, but my grip held firm. “Let me go!” she huffed.
“Not happening,” I grinned.
“Damn you,” she muttered, laughing as we both burst into giggles.
Then the laughter faded, and the air shifted. I realised how close she was. Her back was slightly arched, my hand still holding hers, her body leaning just enough for her face to hover inches from mine. The night fell into stillness.
We locked eyes, caught in a moment neither of us had planned.
She didn’t respond at first, then blinked rapidly as if waking from a trance. A nervous chuckle slipped out before she stepped back.
“You smooth operator,” she said with a forced smirk, turning away slightly.
“Sorry about that,” I muttered, rubbing my neck.
“There’s nothing to apologise for,” she replied, glancing back with a soft, almost shy smile. “I’m just… a little tired. I’ll head back on my own.”
I paused, studying her expression. She wasn’t upset, just overwhelmed, and needed space.
“Alright,” I said simply.
She lingered a moment longer, fingers fidgeting as she looked at me. “Thank you for today. As a first date… it was wonderful. I’ll cherish it.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I said, stepping closer, my hands in my pockets. “It was my first date too… and I loved it just as much.”
Her eyes widened. “Your… first?” she whispered, as if the words surprised her. For a moment, she just stared, then spun around and dashed toward the steps.
Her short red hair bounced with each step before she turned back, casting one last glance over her shoulder.
“Don’t stay up too late, Marcus Luna,” she said with a radiant smile that shimmered under the moonlight.
Then she was gone, her figure vanishing down the staircase, footsteps fading into the night.
I stood there for a while, motionless. Then I let out a deep breath and walked to the overlook, gripping the cold iron railing until my fingers ached.
“Shit… that was close,” I muttered, cupping my face with one hand. My cheeks were still warm despite the night breeze. “Diya…”
That last moment between us kept looping in my head, and I leaned back, tilting my head skyward until the sudden buzz from my pocket cut through the silence.
I pulled out my phone, and a notification lit up the screen. It was from the school system.
[Notification: Hachin Academy Admin — 9:00 PM]
My thumb hovered for a second before tapping it. I scanned the names and felt relief.
Kailey's name wasn’t there.
A long breath slipped from my lips. One less thing to worry about for now.
Beneath the list was a single line of bold text:
“Special Exams Begin: April 28th”
Just over a week away.
I pocketed the phone and looked toward the horizon.
It was time to prepare.