Takada, who had just caught a fleeting glimpse of the horrifying figure, spun around in panic and fixed his gaze on a blank wall. His mind was a whirlwind of clashing questions, and he shut his eyes tightly, trying desperately to calm himself. His breathing was uneven, his heart pounding in his chest, until suddenly, a sharp, high-pitched voice cut through his thoughts.
"Hey, man! That was seriously incredible!"
Startled, Takada turned his head to see a younger student with light blue hair approaching him energetically.
"Ah, um... y-yeah..." Takada stammered, his voice shaky with nervousness and fear. The student in front of him looked smaller and physically weaker than he was, yet his boundless enthusiasm seemed overwhelming, almost disorienting. Takada's discomfort grew by the second, and he instinctively gripped his own hand tightly, silently hoping that the student would notice his unease and stop talking.
But the younger boy, seemingly oblivious to Takada's apprehension, bounced closer, his small feet practically skipping as he spoke with wide, sparkling eyes. "Right?! That fight was way better than any official tournament match! It beats every televised battle ever, hands down!" he exclaimed, his excitement spilling over with every word.
Just as the boy's enthusiasm reached its peak, a loud screech of something heavy scraping against the floor cut through the room.
Everyone's attention snapped toward the source of the noise: the massive double doors on the opposite side of the hall. Slowly, they swung open, their movement accompanied by a deep, resonant creak that filled the air. From the shadows beyond the doors, a figure dressed in immaculate white stepped forward. His presence was commanding, his voice sharp and echoing as he addressed the gathered students.
"All prospective White Knights," the man began, his words slicing through the murmurs of the room, "The game I promised will not be taking place due to an unforeseen issue. Instead, you will be proceeding directly to your training and instruction sessions. That is all from me, the very heart of the White Knights. I bid you farewell."
With that, the man turned sharply and disappeared back into the darkness from which he had emerged. The heavy doors closed behind him with a resounding thud, leaving the room in a heavy silence for a moment.
Then, without warning, a flood of White Knights' assistants poured into the hall, their movements precise and efficient as they began guiding the students into orderly lines. The once-chaotic space was quickly brought to order as the assistants directed everyone toward their assigned destinations.
Takada, still trying to process everything that had just unfolded, found himself swept along with the crowd. His heart sank further as he realized he had no choice but to follow.
His mind was a storm of resignation and dread, but deep down, a small flicker of determination tried to surface. Bracing himself, he resolved to face whatever trials awaited him in this mysterious new chapter of his life.
-
Time shifted to Erin Schuwald, the heartthrob of countless admirers, as she sat in her classroom, her slender fingers pressing against her temples in frustration. Her mind was a storm of thoughts, each more consuming than the last, all centered on the incident from several days ago: the assault by a foreign organization and the forced seizure of intellectual power from their school.
At the center of her turmoil was none other than Utsu Takada, the person she cherished deeply. Weeks had passed since the incident, yet Erin and her friends had failed to uncover any leads—no traces, no digital breadcrumbs, not even a whisper of the elusive White Knights. Still, Erin's determination remained unshaken, her resolve as unyielding as steel. She refused to give up, even as her head throbbed with the weight of her relentless thoughts.
Her brooding was interrupted by the chime of her phone, the screen lighting up with a notification:
"Hey, Love-struck Queen. After the bell rings, meet me with Ryuen. We need to discuss something about Utsu's disappearance."
The message came from Nam Gyeol, one of her closest confidants. Erin stared at the text for a moment, her frustration mounting. With a sigh, she shut off her phone without replying. Still, she resolved to meet them, even if the outcome was predictably the same as every other meeting—fruitless. With a scowl, she pushed the device aside and folded her arms on her desk, tuning out the teacher's lecture and the ambient chatter of the classroom.
Her thoughts spiraled inward, circling the same question over and over: How can I save that bookworm and win his heart in the process? The words tumbled through her mind like papers scattered across a desk, each blank answer box mocking her with its emptiness.
"Erin!"
The sharp shout jolted her back to reality, sending a shiver down her spine like a lightning bolt. She sat up straight, quickly adjusting her posture to feign attentiveness. Her teacher glared at her with exasperation, tapping a ruler against the whiteboard where a partially solved physics problem was displayed.
"You've been daydreaming a lot lately, Erin! The incident is in the past. This school is under military protection now, so stop worrying about it and focus. Now, answer this problem."
Erin blinked, her mind shifting gears as she examined the equation on the board. In a calm, matter-of-fact tone, she replied, "The velocity of the object at t = 5 seconds is 54.2 m/s. The distance traveled by the object at t = 10 seconds is 184.2 meters."
The teacher paused, clearly caught off guard by how effortlessly Erin had answered. Clearing their throat, they turned back to the class with a flustered expression. "W-well... good. Erin Schuwald, as I was saying—"
As the lesson resumed, Erin's gaze drifted again, this time toward the windows. The clear blue sky stretched endlessly, a quiet canvas for her imagination. She pictured Utsu standing beside her, his familiar presence a comfort amidst the chaos.
The bell signaling the lunch break rang loudly, snapping the class out of its focused silence. The teacher gathered their materials and left the room, followed by students chattering as they filed out.
Erin, however, remained rooted in her seat, her thoughts as heavy as ever. She leaned her head on her hands, her frustration giving way to a creeping exhaustion. As her eyelids grew heavier, she allowed herself to sink into the allure of a midday nap. Just as she was about to drift off, a voice pierced her drowsy haze—one she recognized all too well.
"Heeeeyyyyooo! Oh, our school's revered goddess! Care to join us for a trip to the cafeteria?"
It was her closest friend, a lively girl leading a small group of five who trailed behind her. Erin looked up, managing a warm, albeit faint, smile. Shaking her head gently, she replied, "No, thank you. I'm not in the mood to deal with the chaos down there."
Her friend pouted but quickly recovered, offering a playful salute. "Alright! But don't isolate yourself too much, okay? Call us anytime, and we'll be there for our school's goddess!"
With that, the group turned and left the room, their laughter fading into the distance. Erin, now alone again, rested her face in her hands, hiding the sadness etched across her features. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall into the pull of sleep, hoping it would bring her some solace, if only for a moment.
The sound of wind whispered in Erin's ears, an unfamiliar sensation that roused her from her drowsy haze. Something felt off. Slowly, she opened her eyes, expecting to see the messy and mundane sight of her classroom. Instead, soft blades of grass brushed against her cheek, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh earth.
Confused, she lifted her head, propping herself up with trembling hands as she ran her fingers through the lush grass beneath her. The sky above was a tranquil expanse of blue, dotted with birds soaring freely in graceful arcs. There wasn't a single soul in sight, and the silence pressed against her thoughts, making her heart race.
"This isn't the classroom... How did I get here?"
Panic began to swell within her, but the serene beauty of her surroundings gradually soothed her nerves. Erin leaned back on her hands, letting the peacefulness of the place seep into her spirit. She gazed up at the endless sky, finding an odd comfort in its vastness. Perhaps, she thought, all she really needed was solitude like this—a quiet escape from the noise of reality.
Her eyes followed the drifting clouds, their shapes ever-shifting, until one caught her attention. It resembled two figures holding hands, like a couple in perfect harmony. The sight struck her deeply, pulling her back to the aching emptiness in her heart.
The serene expression on her face faltered, replaced by sadness. Something was missing here, and she knew exactly what it was. Erin let out a soft sigh and fell back onto the grass, allowing the earth's gentle touch to cradle her as she stared upward.
The sky above seemed almost to bless her, its calmness wrapping her in an embrace she longed for. But her mind, restless and stubborn, refused to let go of the one image that consumed her thoughts of him.
Her hands clenched tightly into fists, her knuckles whitening. The ache in her chest grew stronger as she wished—prayed—for him to be there beside her. She imagined his presence, his hand in hers, like the figures in the clouds she had seen. For a brief, bittersweet moment, she allowed herself to dream of the impossible.
But her fantasy shattered as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from behind her. Erin's eyes snapped open, her heart pounding. The sound grew louder, closer, until a voice broke through her fragile dream.
"Hey, Erin."
The figure loomed above her, casting a shadow across her face. Her eyes widened in disbelief, her heartbeat quickening to a frantic rhythm. Her lips trembled, her voice caught in her throat as tears welled in her eyes. She reached out instinctively, her fingertips brushing the edge of the figure's face. Her voice, shaky and filled with emotion, finally broke free.
"Takada!"
"Huh?"
The voice was different. Confused. Familiar in a way she hadn't expected.
Erin blinked, her vision clearing as the truth sank in. The figure wasn't Takada. It was a classmate, sitting beside her with a puzzled expression. Reality crashed down around her, cruel and unrelenting. The lush grass was gone, replaced by the dull and chaotic disorder of her classroom. The tranquil sky and birds were nothing more than a fleeting dream.
Instead, dozens of pairs of eyes stared at her, their judgmental gazes piercing her already fragile composure. Erin's face turned a deep shade of red, and she scrambled to cover her embarrassment.
"I-I'm sorry..." she stammered, fumbling to pull out her notebook and gripping her pen tightly to ground herself. Her emotions churned violently within her—frustration, humiliation, and the lingering ache of longing all colliding at once.
She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to focus as a deep, authoritative voice cut through the air.
"Erin, this is the second time you've fallen asleep in class. If it happens a third time, I won't tolerate it, no matter how difficult things have been for you lately."
The teacher's stern words hung heavily in the air, and Erin nodded meekly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Y-yes, teacher.."
With her head bowed, she returned her focus to her notebook, though her mind remained elsewhere. The dream had felt so vivid, so real, but in the end, it was just a cruel reminder of the one thing her heart yearned for but couldn't have.
Erin tried her best to focus, her pen hovering above the notebook as the teacher continued the lesson. The words on the board blurred together, their meaning slipping through her fingers like grains of sand. She scribbled aimlessly, half-formed sentences and fragmented equations filling the page without coherence.
Her classmates seemed completely absorbed, their heads bowed as they diligently took notes or solved problems. Erin felt like an outsider, trapped in a glass box, her mind too restless to settle. She glanced out the window again, searching for solace in the clear blue sky, but even that felt distant now—a reminder of the dream she couldn't return to.
"Erin, can you answer the next question?" the teacher's voice rang out, sharp and expectant.
Startled, Erin snapped her head toward the front of the room. All eyes turned to her once again, their gazes heavy with judgment. She swallowed hard, her heart racing as her mind scrambled to piece together the question she hadn't been paying attention to.
"I... um..." She hesitated, staring at the board where a problem involving projectile motion was written. Though she was usually quick with such problems, her thoughts were a tangled mess.
"It's... 32 meters per second?" she guessed, her voice uncertain.
The teacher sighed, shaking their head. "Incorrect. Please pay attention, Erin. This is not like you."
Heat rose to her cheeks as a few classmates snickered under their breath. Erin gripped her pen tightly, forcing herself to stay silent as the teacher moved on to another student for the answer.The rest of the class dragged on painfully. Each passing minute felt like an eternity, and Erin couldn't shake the feeling of being stuck in quicksand, sinking deeper into her frustration and self-doubt.
When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Erin let out a quiet sigh of relief. Her classmates began packing their bags and chatting animatedly about their plans for the evening. Erin moved slower, gathering her things in silence, her thoughts still spinning. As she slung her bag over her shoulder, a voice called out to her from the doorway.
"Erin! Are you coming with us? We're heading to the arcade!"
It was the same cheerful friend who had invited her to the cafeteria earlier. Erin mustered a small smile but shook her head. "No, thanks. I've got something I need to take care of."
Her friend gave her a sympathetic look but didn't press further. "Alright, just don't overthink things too much, okay? Take care!"
Erin nodded and watched as her friend disappeared into the hallway with the others. She lingered for a moment, the empty classroom suddenly feeling oppressive in its silence. "I can't keep going on like this", she thought, clutching the strap of her bag. "If I don't find a way to figure out what happened to him.., I'll never be able to focus on anything again."
With newfound resolve, Erin left the classroom, her footsteps echoing in the quiet halls. She didn't have a concrete plan, but she knew one thing for certain—she couldn't afford to sit idly by any longer.
Erin wandered through the school hallways, her thoughts heavy as she replayed her dream of Takada over and over. The dream felt like a cruel tease—a moment of peace shattered by reality. She sighed, tightening her grip on the strap of her bag as she made her way to the meeting spot Nam Gyeol had mentioned in her earlier text.
The courtyard behind the gymnasium was quiet, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. Erin spotted Nam Gyeol sitting cross-legged on a bench, his usual sharp thin glasses slipping down his nose as he furiously tapped away on a tablet. Despite being younger and smaller than most of his peers, Nam Gyeol exuded confidence and intellect that often left even older students in awe.
Standing beside him, leaning casually against a tree, was Ryuen. His tall frame and broad shoulders made him stand out in any crowd. His sharp eyes seemed to assess everything at once, and his calm yet commanding presence often made others instinctively look to him for leadership. He gave Erin a nod as she approached, his arms crossed over his chest.
"You're late, Erin," Nam Gyeol said without looking up from his tablet. "I was about to send you another message."
"Sorry," Erin muttered, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I got... distracted."
"Distracted dreaming about Takada again, no doubt," Nam Gyeol quipped, finally glancing up with a smirk. "You're way too obvious, you know."
"Ugh." Erin shot him a glare, her cheeks flushing.
Ryuen stepped in, his deep voice breaking the tension. "Enough, There Mister independent. We're here to talk about finding Takada, not tease Erin."
Nam Gyeol raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to get all heroic on me." He shifted his attention back to his tablet, his expression turning serious. "So, here's the thing—I've been digging around, trying to find any trace of the White Knights' activity. It's like they've vanished off the face of the earth. No digital footprint, no leaks, nothing. These guys are seriously good at covering their tracks."
Erin frowned, her heart sinking at the thought. "Then how are we supposed to find them?"
"That's the tricky part," Nam Gyeol admitted, adjusting his glasses. "But I did find something. A string of incidents in other schools—disappearances, strange reports of students being 'recruited' by unknown organizations. The descriptions match the White Knights' methods."
Ryuen straightened, his sharp gaze locking onto Nam Gyeol. "Do you have a location?"
Nam Gyeol nodded, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Sort of. There's a school on the outskirts of town that reported an unusual spike in absences. Students claimed they saw people in white uniforms lurking around. It might be nothing, but it's our best lead."
Erin's eyes lit up with determination. "Then we have to check it out. We can't waste any more time."
Ryuen placed a firm hand on her shoulder, his expression both steady and reassuring. "Calm down, Erin. Rushing in without a plan won't help anyone. If the White Knights are involved, we'll need to be cautious. They're not just some street gang—they're organized and dangerous."
Erin nodded reluctantly, knowing he was right. "So, what's the plan?"
"We'll scope out the school," Ryuen said. "Nam Gyeol can handle the tech side, gathering intel and keeping us connected. Erin, you'll help with observing any suspicious activity. We need to confirm if this is really connected to the White Knights before making any moves."
"And if it is?" Erin asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ryuen's expression hardened, his eyes gleaming with resolve. "Then we'll figure out how to bring them down—and how to get Takada back."
The weight of his words hung in the air, filling Erin with a mix of hope and apprehension. As the three of them finalized their plans, Erin felt a flicker of determination reignite within her.
"No matter how long it takes, I'll find you, Takada."
-To Be Continued..