"I love being in the spotlight," IM said, grinning.
Monic chuckled. "Well, you can't help it. You know, both of you are "good-looking" people."
IM nodded with a grin on his face, clearly enjoying the compliment.
"IM! You want to play basketball today!?" One of the guys on the side yelled.
"Oi! Yeah, we can go after school!" he yelled back.
Huh... since when is he close with those people? I thought, a bit surprised.
"You're close with them?" I asked.
"Yeah, since I played basketball with them, they've become friends with me. You want to come too?" he invited.
I shook my head, "I'm just going to stay home."
"Alright, it's just really you then," IM said with a shrug.
We continued walking towards our classroom, the chatter and excitement of the student body swirling around us. I couldn't help but feel a sense of detachment, like I was observing the scene from a distance. The normal school life that once held my attention now seemed trivial compared to the extraordinary events I had experienced.
"Xian, you okay?" IM asked, noticing my distant expression.
I shrugged. "Yeah, just... thinking."
"About last night?"
I nodded. "Partly. It's just... everything feels so different now. I'm not sure how to fit back into this ordinary world."
IM patted my shoulder reassuringly. "You're not alone, Xian. We're all adjusting to this new reality. But we'll figure it out, together."
I smiled faintly, grateful for his support. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
We reached our classroom, the usual chaos greeting us. Students were huddled in groups, discussing the latest news and gossip. But today, the buzz was all about the Anti-Gangster and the mysterious events at the concert.
As we took our seats, I couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversations.
"Did you see the video? That guy was insane!"
"I heard he could control fire with his bare hands!"
"I wonder who those masked heroes were..."
I exchanged a knowing glance with IM, a silent acknowledgment of our shared secret. We were the heroes they were talking about, the ones who had stepped out of the shadows to protect the innocent. And we would continue to do so, no matter the cost.
The school day dragged on, each lesson feeling longer and more tedious than the last. My mind kept wandering, replaying the events of the night before and pondering the implications of what we had learned about the Seers and the Unveil Commission.
As the final bell rang, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Finally, school was over. I gathered my things and headed out of the classroom.\
"I'm going to hang out with the guys. You really don't want to come?" IM asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.
I shook my head, "Nah, go ahead. I want to do something else before we get back to our hero duties."
IM chuckled. "Alright, see you at home then," he said, waving goodbye as he walked away.
I nodded and continued down the hallway.
Ordinary... ordinary... well, it's not going to disappear, but still... I think I'd prefer a normal life. First diagnosed as schizophrenic... then discovering I have an extraordinary family... I mumbled to myself, walking towards the schoolyard and out the gate.
Oh, crap... I forgot I came on my motorcycle... I turned back and walked towards the school parking lot.
I navigated through the bustling schoolyard, students chattering and laughing as they made their way home. I reached the parking lot, scanning the rows of motorcycles for my own. I spotted it near the back, its sleek black frame gleaming in the afternoon sun.
As I approached, I noticed a group of students huddled around it, their voices hushed and their expressions a mix of awe and curiosity. I frowned, a sense of unease creeping over me.
"What's going on here?" I asked, my voice firm.
The students turned to look at me, their faces a mix of surprise and embarrassment.
"Oh, hey Xian," one of them, a girl with bright pink hair, stammered. "We were just... admiring your bike."
"Yeah," another chimed in, "It's so cool!"
I nodded, trying to mask my annoyance. "Thanks," I said, my tone curt. "But I need to get going now."
I pushed past them, unlocking my motorcycle and swinging my leg over the seat. As I started the engine, I couldn't help but feel their eyes on me, their whispers following me as I rode out of the parking lot.
This is getting ridiculous, I thought to myself, revving the engine and speeding away. The newfound attention was starting to wear on me. I just wanted to be normal, to blend in with the crowd. But it seemed that my extraordinary abilities, and the events of the past few days, had made that impossible.
I sighed, the wind whipping through my hair as I navigated the city streets. It was time to accept the reality of my situation. I was no longer an ordinary high school student. I was an Unveiled, a hero, a protector of the hidden world. And with that came a certain level of responsibility, a duty to use my powers for good.
I couldn't hide in the shadows anymore. It was time to step into the light and embrace my destiny.
I felt the wind rush past me as I rode, the cool air a welcome contrast to the stuffy classroom. "Just like this... yeah, quiet... I love it..." I mumbled under my breath.
I hope the world could just be quiet like this... I thought, enjoying the peaceful ride.
I continued to rev the bike, but to my surprise, there was no sound.
I stopped the motorcycle and looked at the back of it, revving it again, but nothing happened. There was no engine noise at all.
Huh? Did it somehow break down? I thought, confused.
I got off the motorcycle, but when I looked up, I saw chaos all around me - crashed cars, people screaming, but their screams were silent.
"Oh shit, did I just use my power!?" I tried to say, but no sound came out.
Everything, return to normal... I imagined, hoping to undo whatever I had unintentionally done.
Ngiii!
Thud!
"aaaaa! What happened!?" The sounds of the world rushed back in, a cacophony of noise after the eerie silence.
I breathed a sigh of relief, but my heart sank as I saw the aftermath of the accident. The realization hit me - the crash must have happened because there was no sound to warn the drivers.
I rushed towards the crashed cars, my concern growing. "Are you guys okay!?" I yelled, hoping for a response.
A few dazed individuals stumbled out of their vehicles, their faces etched with shock and confusion. One car had its front end crumpled, another had a shattered windshield, and a motorcycle lay on its side, its rider sprawled on the pavement nearby.
"Someone call an ambulance!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the growing panic.
Several bystanders reached for their phones, their fingers fumbling as they dialed emergency services. I knelt beside the motorcyclist, checking for a pulse. Thankfully, he was still breathing, though unconscious.
I looked around, trying to assess the situation. It was a multi-vehicle collision, and several people seemed to be injured. I knew I had to do something, but I couldn't reveal my powers in broad daylight.
The people around me who are in the accident, don't die. They have regeneration, I imagined, hoping to help them without drawing attention.
Just then, a voice cried out, "AAA! Help!"
I looked towards the back seat of a car that had been hit from behind. I saw a body that was... split in two.
My eyes widened in horror. Did I somehow bring this guy back to life... in pain?
"Rahma! Rahma! Please don't die!" the woman in the front seat cried out, her voice filled with anguish.
I carefully extracted the injured man from the backseat, my heart heavy with guilt. The woman rushed out of the car, her eyes wide with horror as she saw her companion's gruesome state.
The driver of the other car, a woman who appeared to be in her 40s, also got out, her face pale and her hands trembling.
"Oh no..." she whispered, her voice choked with fear and remorse.
I gently laid the injured man on the ground. Blood gushed from his horrific wound, but to everyone's astonishment, his severed legs began to regenerate.
The crowd, mesmerized by this impossible sight, started recording with their phones.
The phones start malfunctioning because of a strong wind, I imagined, trying to prevent any evidence from being captured.
"Huh... why is my phone... tsk," one of them grumbled, putting their phone away in frustration.
"Rahma!" the woman cried, embracing the injured man tightly.
I stood up and looked towards the other car involved in the accident. The driver, the woman who appeared to be a mother, got out, looking shaken. "Ouch... that hurt," she said, rubbing her arm.
"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm okay, thanks..." she replied, then quickly walked over to her friend and Rahma.
The ambulance arrived quickly, and paramedics rushed to attend to the injured. They immediately focused on Rahma, but they were utterly perplexed. While there was blood everywhere, and Rahma was partially exposed due to his regeneration, they couldn't find any significant injuries.
Everyone was confused, including the woman who had crashed into their car. I slowly backed away towards my motorcycle, feeling a sense of unease.
"Having this manifestation power is hard," I muttered to myself, the weight of responsibility heavy on my shoulders.
< Chapter 135 > Fin.