I glanced at the clock, counting down the minutes until lunchtime. I needed to find that girl, the one who had fainted in the hallway. Perhaps she could shed some light on this growing darkness that threatened to consume me.
Just then, the classroom door slid open, and our homeroom teacher, Mr. Hartawan, strode in. He was a tall, imposing figure with a booming voice and a no-nonsense attitude.
"Alright, class, settle down!" he barked, silencing the chatter. "We have a lot to cover today, so let's get started."
I forced myself to focus on the lesson, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the mysterious figure and the girl who had shared my vision.
What was the connection between us? And what did it all mean?
The questions swirled in my mind, a storm brewing beneath the surface of my carefully constructed facade of normalcy.
After three grueling hours, the bell finally rang, releasing us from the clutches of another monotonous lesson.
Kringg! A collective sigh of relief swept through the classroom as students eagerly gathered their belongings.
"Alright, don't forget we'll meet again next week," Mr. Hartawan reminded us. "Make sure to do your homework!"
"Yes, teacher~" The chorus of voices was barely audible, most of us already distracted by thoughts of food and freedom.
I glanced at Marcel, who was packing his things at the front desk. He caught my eye and gave me a knowing nod.
In the hallway, I fell into step beside him.
"So... who's this girl?" I asked, keeping my voice low.
"Her name's Lenna," Marcel replied. "She's in the student council, known for her incredible drawing skills. Pretty much a genius, as I said."
"I see... anything else?"
"Like what?"
"More information about her...?"
"Um... I don't know, I'm not a stalker," Marcel said defensively.
We walked in silence for a moment, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.
"The tenth-grade classrooms are just down this corridor," Marcel said, pointing. "You can take a peek if you want, Xian."
I nodded, my curiosity piqued. As we reached the classroom windows, I peered inside.
"Which one is she?" I asked, scanning the rows of desks.
"If I remember her face correctly..." Marcel trailed off, squinting into the room. "Ah, there she is!"
I followed his gaze. At the front desk, a girl with long, dark hair was still writing diligently while her classmates chatted and packed up their belongings. A friend sat beside her, engaged in conversation.
"Hmm, what's she doing?" Marcel asked, peering over my shoulder.
"Looks like she's finishing up some work," I replied, my eyes fixed on Lenna's face. I could feel my heart beating faster, anticipation and apprehension swirling within me.
Marcel drifted away, a mischievous grin on his face. "I'll watch from a distance," he whispered conspiratorially.
What should I do? Going inside the classroom seemed too risky.
I nodded, my mind racing.
I leaned back against the hallway wall, trying to look casual. A girl from the tenth-grade class walked past, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment. She gave a small smile and a nod before disappearing into the room.
Moments later, I heard her voice. "Lenna! Someone wants to see you!"
Oh... she's helping me.
A wave of gratitude washed over me.
"W-What... who?" a hesitant voice replied.
That must be Lenna.
"It's Xian Ying, a senior."
Silence. Then, the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Lenna emerged, a petite figure with long hair and glasses. She scanned the hallway, her eyes finally landing on me.
"E-Excuse me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
I could see her friend peeking out the window, a curious expression on her face.
"Lenna, right?" I began, a nervous tremor in my voice. "You're the one who fainted in the hallway yesterday, after seeing me on the stairs?"
Her cheeks flushed crimson. "A-Ah... you remember that? It's so embarrassing..."
I held up my phone, displaying the viral Twitter video of her scream and subsequent collapse.
"Oh!" she gasped, her hands flying to her face. "Senior! Why are you showing me that?!"
"Just confirming it was you," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.
"... It's so embarrassing..." she mumbled again, her voice barely audible.
I studied her face, noticing the subtle signs of fear that lurked beneath her embarrassment. It wasn't just the mortification of going viral; there was something deeper, a lingering terror in her eyes.
"Can we talk somewhere?" I asked, gesturing towards a quieter corner of the hallway.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure..." she agreed hesitantly, glancing back at her friend, who was still watching us curiously from the window.
We moved to a secluded alcove at the end of the hallway, away from prying eyes and curious ears. Lenna fidgeted nervously, her fingers twisting a strand of her hair.
"So... what did you want to talk about, Senior?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead. "Lenna, yesterday... in the hallway... you didn't actually see me, did you?"
Her eyes widened, a flicker of recognition flashing across her face. "What do you mean?"
"You saw something else, something behind me."
She looked away, her shoulders hunching defensively. "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me, I know you saw it too. The same thing I've been seeing."
Her lower lip trembled, her silence a confession in itself.
"It was... a shadow. A tall, dark figure... with a terrifying smile."
A shiver ran down my spine, a cold dread pooling in my stomach. "Yes, That's exactly what I saw."
We stood in silence for a moment, the weight of our shared experience hanging heavy in the air.
"What does it mean?" Lenna asked, her voice thick with fear. "Am I going crazy?"
I reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "No, you're not crazy," I assured her. "I've been seeing it too. We're in this together."
"B-Behind you..." Lenna stammered, her voice barely a whisper.
Behind me? Did that mean the figure had been following me all along?
I whirled around, scanning the empty hallway, but there was nothing there. I turned back to Lenna, my brow furrowed in confusion.
"Um... what do you see?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"A-A same figure..." she stammered, her eyes darting nervously around as beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
"I see..." My heart sank. "Has it always been following me?"
"Y-Yeah..." she whispered, her voice trembling. "I've seen it since the first time I came here and saw you. It's... always there, lurking in the shadows. Is it... a guardian of some sort?"
I shook my head slowly, a cold dread creeping through me. "I don't know, I just started seeing it yesterday, but... it feels familiar somehow."
"Hey, Lenna, it's okay," I said, trying to reassure her. "It's not going to hurt you."
She remained silent, her gaze fixed on a distant point in the hallway.
I racked my brain, searching for a way to break through her fear. An idea sparked in my mind, a desperate gamble.
I turned slightly, addressing the empty space behind me. "Umm... could you please give us a moment alone?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
I glanced back at Lenna. "Is it gone?"
She peeked cautiously around me, then let out a shaky sigh. "Y-Yes... it disappeared. Did it... do what you asked?"
I shrugged, a nervous laugh escaping my lips. "Honestly, I have no idea."
Lenna's eyes widened as she looked at me. "You can see it too... Senior?"
"I can," I confirmed, a mixture of fear and fascination swirling within me. "And last night, that creature mentioned something about 'Unsealing of Eyes'."
Lenna's face paled. "Unsealing of Eyes... that creature wants you to unlock your power..."
"My power?" I echoed, bewildered.
Silence hung between us, heavy and thick.
Does she know something about this? I wondered, studying her face for any sign of recognition or understanding.
I was utterly confused, adrift in a sea of uncertainty. What was happening to me? And what was Lenna's connection to all of this?
A wave of dizziness washed over me, the hallway blurring around me. I leaned against the wall for support, my mind reeling. "Lenna," I began, my voice barely a croak, "I need to know more. Do you... do you know anything else about this?"
She hesitated, her eyes darting back and forth as if searching for the right words. "There are... stories," she finally said, her voice hushed. "Old legends about people who could see beyond the veil, who possessed extraordinary abilities. They were called... Seers."
"Seers?" I echoed, the word unfamiliar yet strangely familiar.
"Yes," she continued, her voice barely a whisper. "It was said that they could communicate with spirits, see into the future, even manipulate the forces of nature. But they were also feared and persecuted, hunted down by those who sought to control their power."
A chill ran down my spine. "And you think... I'm one of them?"
She nodded slowly, her eyes filled with a mixture of awe and apprehension. "I believe so," she whispered. "The creature that follows you... if it's not a guardian. It's a guide, a harbinger of your awakening."
I stared at her, my mind struggling to grasp the implications of her words. Was I truly a Seer, a possessor of dormant powers? And if so, what did the future hold for me?
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch break. Lenna's friend poked her head out of the classroom, urging her to return.
"We have to go," Lenna said reluctantly. "But we'll talk more later, okay?"
I nodded, my mind reeling. "Yes," I agreed, my voice barely audible. "We definitely need to talk more."
As Lenna turned to leave, she paused and looked back at me, her eyes filled with a newfound determination. "Remember, Senior," she said, "you're not alone in here."
With a final smile, she disappeared into the classroom, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the unsettling realization that my life was about to change forever.
"How does she know about all this...? Seers, powers, the future... am I a witch or something?" I muttered to myself, shaking my head in disbelief. The whole conversation with Lenna felt surreal, like a scene from a fantasy novel.
"Am I going to become a soul reaper now?" I chuckled nervously, trying to lighten the mood. "Hah, my life just got a whole lot more interesting. Now, let's get back to..."
"Ooooo, so what did you say to her?" Marcel's voice startled me. He had been hiding around the corner, listening to our conversation.
"Oh, you heard everything?" I asked, a mix of annoyance and embarrassment flooding through me.
"Nope, didn't hear a thing," he replied with a sly grin. "But I'm dying to know what you two lovebirds were whispering about~"
"Nothing," I said flatly. "Let's go back to class."
"Seriously? What was it about?" Marcel persisted, his curiosity piqued.
"Let's go back to class," I repeated, a firm note in my voice.
I started walking back towards the classroom, Marcel trailing behind me, grumbling and muttering to himself. The weight of the unknown pressed heavily on my shoulders, but Lenna's words echoed in my mind: you're not alone in here.
Perhaps, with her help, I could uncover the truth behind my abilities and the mysterious figure that haunted me.
< Chapter 005 > Fin.