The days after that conversation felt like a blur to Kenn. Every step he took seemed weighed down by the crushing reality of Lynn's confession. The woman who had stood by him, offering support, love, and comfort, had been working with the very force that had controlled his every move. The one person he thought he could always rely on, had betrayed him in a way he couldn't even begin to comprehend.
Lynn's words still rang in his ears: "I believe you can stop the system, Kenn." She had said it with such conviction, such hope in her voice, but how could he trust her now? How could he believe anything she said after all the lies, the manipulations?
Kenn hadn't seen her since that day. She'd disappeared—no messages, no phone calls. He wasn't sure if she was trying to stay away or if the system had taken her, had forced her back into its web. But either way, the damage had been done. The bond they had shared felt like a fragile illusion now, one that had been shattered beyond repair.
He had tried to focus on something else—anything else. Kil had become more withdrawn, quieter than usual. The events of the past few days had shaken him too, and Kenn couldn't shake the feeling that his friend was still holding back, still hiding something. Maybe it was the guilt of being part of the system's plot, or maybe it was the realization that the world they thought they knew was built on lies.
But even with Kil by his side, even with the growing sense of unease that hung over their friendship, it was Lynn who still occupied Kenn's thoughts. Was she really gone? Had the system completely erased her from his life? Or was she still out there, waiting for him to forgive her, waiting for him to come back?
***
The bell rang, signaling the end of another long day at school. Kenn barely noticed as his classmates filed out of the room, chatting and laughing, oblivious to the storm that raged inside him. He gathered his things in silence, his mind lost in a thousand conflicting emotions. What was he supposed to do now? How could he move forward knowing the system had its grip on everyone, including Lynn?
As he stepped into the hallway, he spotted Kil leaning against the lockers, waiting for him. There was something different about him—his posture, the way he looked at Kenn, the way he avoided eye contact.
"Hey," Kil said softly as Kenn approached.
"Hey," Kenn replied, trying to keep his voice even, despite the gnawing tension in the pit of his stomach. "You ready to go?"
Kil nodded, but his face remained unreadable. There was an awkward silence between them as they walked side by side, heading for the exit. Kenn wanted to say something, ask if Kil was okay, but the words wouldn't come. They both knew the unspoken truth: they were in this together, but they were also alone.
As they stepped outside into the crisp afternoon air, Kenn noticed a figure waiting near the gates. It was a silhouette, standing in the shadows, just out of reach of the setting sun. His heart skipped a beat as his eyes locked onto the familiar form.
Lynn.
She was there, standing just a few feet away, looking at him with a mixture of longing and regret. For a moment, Kenn couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He wanted to turn away, to forget everything, but his feet were rooted to the ground.
"Lynn…" he whispered, barely able to get the words out. His voice felt weak, trembling as he took a step forward, unsure of what he was supposed to say, or even if he could say anything at all.
Lynn's face softened at the sound of his voice, but there was an unreadable sorrow in her eyes. She stepped forward slowly, as if every movement was deliberate, calculated. "Kenn," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know you don't trust me. I know I've hurt you. But please… just listen to me. There's so much more you don't understand."
Kenn's heart clenched at her words, the pain of their previous conversation flooding back. "What more is there to understand, Lynn? You've been a part of this system, the one that's been controlling me, controlling everyone. How can you say there's more to it? What is there to explain?"
Lynn's eyes flickered with a mixture of frustration and guilt. "You don't get it, Kenn. The system is bigger than you think. It doesn't just control emotions. It controls everything—the way people think, the way they behave, even the way they live their lives. It's not as simple as following orders. It's about survival."
"Survival?" Kenn repeated, his voice rising with disbelief. "You're telling me you were just trying to survive? Is that your excuse? You've been feeding me lies this whole time, making me think we were fighting this thing together. And now you want me to believe that you had no choice?"
Lynn closed her eyes for a moment, her hands trembling at her sides. "I didn't have a choice, Kenn," she said, her voice strained. "You think I wanted any of this? You think I wanted to lie to you? But the system—it's not something you can just walk away from. It doesn't let you. It makes you do things, even when you don't want to."
Kenn's anger flared, but beneath it, there was something else—something raw and painful. "Then why did you let me get involved? Why did you pull me into this mess if you knew what it was going to do to me? To all of us?"
"I never meant for you to get hurt," Lynn said, her voice breaking. "I thought if I stayed close, if I kept you safe, maybe… maybe we could figure out a way to stop it. But I didn't know how far it had already gone. I didn't know how much control it had over me. And I'm so sorry, Kenn. I really am."
Kenn stared at her, his chest tightening with emotions he couldn't sort through. The words she said felt hollow, as if they were nothing more than a last-ditch attempt to salvage something that had already been destroyed. But even as the anger boiled inside him, there was a flicker of something else—a remnant of the connection they had once shared.
He wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Was Lynn still the girl he had trusted, or had the system already claimed her completely? Could he ever forgive her? And even if he did, would it make a difference?
"Please, Kenn," Lynn pleaded, her voice soft, desperate. "I want to help you. I want to make things right. I'll do whatever it takes."
Kenn took a deep breath, forcing himself to meet her gaze. His mind screamed for him to walk away, to cut her out of his life for good, but something in her eyes—something in the raw vulnerability of her voice—made it impossible to turn his back on her.
"Why should I trust you?" Kenn asked, the question hanging in the air like a heavy weight. "After everything?"
Lynn's eyes shone with unshed tears, and for a moment, it seemed as if the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. "Because, Kenn… I love you. And I'm not going to let the system take you from me."