"Hey, Xian, where did you go after that senior called you out?" Marcel asked, still sprawled out on the carpet.
My focus returned to him. "What do you mean?"
"Earlier..."
"Oh, right. They just wanted me to model for the festival posters," I replied nonchalantly.
"Woah, seriously?" Marcel's eyes widened. "Well, you've got the looks for it. Why don't you just become a model?"
Dinda, who had been lying nearby, perked up at the mention of modeling. "Are you going to be a model?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
I chuckled and shook my head. "Not interested," I replied. "Besides, my body's not really suited for it."
I'm too skinny, I need to put on some weight...
I thought to myself.
I kicked off my shoes and lowered myself onto the soft carpet, settling between Marcel and Dinda.
"Ahh..." I sighed, relishing the plushness beneath me.
"You look like an old man enjoying a new bed," Dinda giggled, peering down at me.
I met her gaze with a playful smirk. "Is that so?"
Suddenly, she turned away, her cheeks flushed. "Geez, don't stare at me like that..."
Embarrassed? I wondered, a small smile playing on my lips. Perhaps they did find me handsome, after all.
As I relaxed onto the carpet, my eyes fluttered open to find Hana's face hovering inches above mine.
I jolted upright, my heart pounding. Geez, she almost gave me a heart attack! What is she doing here?
"Hey, hey," Hana whispered, her spectral form flickering slightly.
I didn't respond, afraid that Marcel or Dinda would notice me talking to thin air.
Hana seemed to understand. She looked at me for a moment longer, then silently drifted away.
Sigh... glad she's gone.
"Hey, is it a free period?" I asked Marcel, trying to sound casual.
Marcel, who had been dozing off, blinked his eyes open. "Yeah, the math teacher is out sick," he mumbled.
"Hmm... that's unusual," I replied, my mind already drifting back to the unsettling encounter with Hana.
I closed my eyes, feigning sleep, but my mind was racing. The encounter with Hana in the art room had shaken me to my core. Her words, her pain, and the chilling revelation of her murder by a corrupt police officer had left a deep impression on me.
The weight of her unfinished business pressed upon me, a constant reminder of the darkness that lurked beneath the surface of the seemingly ordinary world. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was meant to help her, to bring her killer to justice.
But how?
The thought of confronting a police sergeant, a man with connections and power, terrified me. Yet, the memory of Hana's tormented face, her pleas for help echoing in my ears, fueled a growing determination within me.
I couldn't let her down.
"I'm going to ask Dove for help," I mumbled under my breath, my resolve hardening.
Suddenly, Marcel's voice whispered in my ear. "Hey! Can you introduce me to Dove?"
I jolted upright, startled. "Geez, don't talk in my ear like that..." I hissed, my heart pounding.
"Oh, s-sorry..." Marcel stammered, his face flushing with embarrassment.
"I'll say hi to her for you," I offered, a small smile tugging at my lips.
He gave me a thumbs-up, his grin returning. "That's my buddy."
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. After the initial commotion, classes resumed as usual, and I tried my best to focus on the lessons, though my thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation in the SUV and the mysterious world of the Unveiled.
Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.
Ring!
Students streamed out of classrooms, eager to escape the confines of the school and embrace the freedom of the afternoon.
I walked down the hallway, my footsteps echoing in the relative quiet. As I passed the student council room, I spotted Lenna still inside, her eyes glued to her phone.
"Lenna, not going home yet?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.
She looked up, startled, then quickly hid her phone behind her back. "Oh, Senior! Where have you been?"
"I was in my classroom," I replied, feeling a pang of guilt for leaving her alone. "Sorry I didn't come back to the student council room."
She shook her head. "It's okay," she said with a smile. "Are you going home now?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "How about you?"
"I'm going home too," she replied. "Just gathering my things."
"Okay, then," I said. "I'll see you later."
She nodded, and I turned to leave.
As I walked downstairs and out of the school gate, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched. I glanced over my shoulder, half expecting to see the Harbinger lurking in the shadows. But the street was empty, the only sound the rustling of leaves in the wind.
I waited at the school gate, my eyes scanning the street for any sign of my father's car. Minutes ticked by, then turned into what felt like hours.
Where is he? I grumbled under my breath, leaning against the school wall. He's always busy... I should have told them to buy me a bike.
"Oh, Senior! Still not home yet?"
I looked up to see Lenna approaching, a backpack slung over her shoulder.
"Ah, just waiting for my father to pick me up," I replied, trying to sound casual.
"I thought you had your own vehicle," she said, her brow furrowing slightly.
"My parents won't let me ride one yet," I explained. "They say I need a driver's license first."
"Oh... that's too bad," she sympathized.
Just then, I noticed Hana hovering behind Lenna, her spectral form barely visible in the afternoon sunlight.
"... Lenna," I began, my voice barely a whisper, "you know that someone is following you, right?"
She stepped closer, her eyes widening with surprise. "Yes!" she whispered back, her voice urgent. "She already told me about you. You're going to help her, aren't you?"
I glanced at Hana, who was looking around nervously, as if afraid of being overheard.
< Chapter 021 > Fin.