Kenn's mind reeled as Kil's words echoed in his ears. The system wasn't just controlling him—it had its claws in his closest friend, too. Kil, who had always been the grounded one, the voice of reason, was now trapped in the same web that Kenn had been trying to escape. The realization hit Kenn like a punch to the gut. If the system had been manipulating Kil, how long had it been pulling the strings behind the scenes?
Kil, his hands trembling, looked at Kenn, his eyes filled with both fear and uncertainty. "I didn't want to tell you, Kenn," he admitted, his voice strained. "I didn't want to drag you deeper into this. But I've been seeing things… hearing things. The system, it's been guiding me, giving me orders. I didn't understand at first, but now I think it's trying to control everything. Not just us, but everyone. It's everywhere."
Kenn swallowed hard, trying to process the gravity of the situation. If the system had been using Kil like it had been using him, then how far did its reach go? And what was its ultimate goal?
"What kind of orders?" Kenn asked, his voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly would break the fragile thread of understanding between them.
Kil took a shaky breath, looking down at his hands as if the answers he sought were etched into his palms. "It started out small. Little tasks. Talk to this person, avoid that one, go here, don't go there. But recently, the tasks have been… more specific. More personal." He paused, glancing up at Kenn with a pained look. "I think it's been trying to push me toward you. To get close to you."
Kenn felt a chill run down his spine. The idea of the system manipulating not just him but those closest to him was terrifying. Kil had always been his ally, someone he could trust without question. But now, it felt like no one could be trusted. No one was safe.
"So, it's been using you to watch me?" Kenn's voice was steady, but inside, everything was churning. "To make sure I follow the system's rules?"
Kil nodded, his face pale. "I didn't want to believe it at first, but now… I can see it. The tasks are getting more invasive. The system doesn't just want us to follow its rules. It wants us to believe in them. It wants us to accept its control."
Kenn felt a knot form in his stomach. "What happens if we don't?"
Kil's gaze shifted to the ground, the weight of the question heavy between them. "I don't know, Kenn. I've tried to fight it, but every time I resist, it feels like it's pulling me back in harder. Like it has a hold on me, and I can't shake it off."
The air between them seemed to thicken, the tension palpable. The realization that Kil, the one person Kenn thought he could always rely on, was just as ensnared as he was made him feel more isolated than ever. And yet, there was something else in Kil's eyes—something that made Kenn wonder if there was still a way out. Maybe together, they could find a way to break free.
"We need to find out more," Kenn said, his voice sharp with determination. "We need to understand what the system really is, what it wants from us. If it's controlling you, then it's controlling others, too. And if it has control over everyone …"
Kil looked up at him, his eyes wide with both fear and something else—hope, maybe. "You think we can take it down?"
Kenn hesitated, the weight of the question settling heavily on his chest. Could they? How could they fight something that had been manipulating their every move, their every thought? How could they take down a system that seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere?
But then he remembered Lynn. He remembered how she had stood by him when things felt impossible, how she had believed in him when he didn't believe in himself. She had shown him that there was more to life than the system's control. She had given him hope.
"I don't know," Kenn said finally, his voice steady. "But we have to try. I won't let the system control us anymore. I won't let it control anyone."
Kil nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "I'm with you. We'll figure this out together."
As the two friends stood in the quiet park, the weight of their shared resolve began to settle over them like a heavy cloak. For the first time in what felt like forever, Kenn felt like he wasn't alone in this fight. Kil, despite everything, was still by his side. And with Lynn's support, maybe—just maybe—they could break free from the system's grip.
***
Back at the school, the scanner had gone silent for the moment, as if it was waiting for something. Kenn couldn't shake the feeling that it was watching him, waiting for him to make his next move. The system, whatever it was, had been controlling his life, shaping his decisions, his relationships. But now, something had shifted. He had his friends, his allies. And together, they were going to find a way to fight back.
The next few days were a blur. Kenn and Kil began meeting secretly, plotting their next move. They couldn't afford to trust anyone, not even their closest friends. The system's reach was far, and its ability to manipulate emotions, to control actions, was more powerful than either of them had anticipated. But they had no choice but to keep pushing forward.
Then came the day when Kenn received the notification.
It wasn't from the system.
It was from Lynn.
Her message was short but unmistakable:
"Kenn, we need to talk. It's about the system. Meet me at the usual place after school."
Kenn's heart skipped a beat. Was Lynn involved in this too? Had the system gotten to her, too?
He couldn't afford to waste time. He had to find out what was going on, and fast.
***
The usual place was a quiet spot behind the school, hidden from view by a small grove of trees. Kenn approached cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest. When he saw Lynn standing there, her expression unreadable, he stopped in his tracks.
"Lynn," Kenn began, his voice tentative. "What's going on? What's happening?"
Lynn turned to face him, her eyes cold, her posture rigid. For the first time, she didn't smile. She didn't reach out to him. She just stood there, silent.
And then, the words came.
"I'm sorry, Kenn," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I've been part of it all along."
Kenn's world shattered.