"I don't understand, why are we still stuck in the past, even though we're living in the future?"
The boy sitting beside a girl named Nara frowned, his brow furrowed in concern. "Why are you crying? What happened, Nara?"
Nara met his gaze, and the floodgates opened. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, her voice cracking with desperation. "It was him... not me. Then why does everyone believe him and not me?"
The boy reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, listen," he said softly. "It doesn't matter what they say. I believe you. I'll always believe you. You're not alone in this."
Nara's sobs slowed, and she looked up at him, her face streaked with tears. A small, fragile smile appeared as she whispered, "Thank you. Thank you for believing in me."
But before she could say more, a voice interrupted them. "But is he really good?"
The words hung in the air, unanswered, as a distant hum of voices started to fill the space around them.
Suddenly, Tara snapped back to reality. She blinked, disoriented, as she lay in the nurse's office. The worried faces of her friends surrounded her, but the one that caught her eye was Dong Man. The boy she had met earlier at school, his face clouded with concern as he hurried toward her.
"Are you okay? What were you thinking?" he exclaimed, his arms wrapping around her in a tight, protective hug. "You can't keep doing this, Tara."
Tara blinked, trying to steady her breath. "I'm fine. Really, I'm fine," she reassured him, pushing him away gently. "Calm down."
But Dong Man's face was serious. "You really need to take better care of yourself. You're not invincible."
Tara winced, her head pounding. "What happened to that girl? The one I saw in the restroom—she was dead."
Dong Man froze for a moment, his expression unreadable. "What are you talking about? You're taking your dreams too seriously. It's all in your head."
"No," Tara insisted, her voice trembling. "I saw her. I swear I did."
Dong Man's gaze softened, but there was worry in his eyes. "Doctor! Please, check her again. She's not well," he called out.
Ignoring him, Tara sprang off the bed and rushed toward the restroom, her pulse racing. Dong Man followed her, confusion and concern mixing on his face. When they reached the restroom, Tara's heart sank. It was empty. There was nothing there. No girl. No sign of anything unusual.
"Was I really imagining all of this?" Tara murmured, her voice hollow.
Dong Man put a hand on her shoulder, gently steering her back toward the infirmary. "Look, there's nothing here. You were just tired. Let's go back."
Tara felt the weight of his words pressing on her, but something in her gut told her it wasn't just exhaustion. Something was wrong. But no one was listening.
Back in the infirmary, she tried to rest, but her mind refused to quiet down. She could still see the girl in her mind, her pale face, her lifeless eyes... What was happening?
Meanwhile, Lily, who had been standing quietly at the edge of the room, approached Dong Man with a quiet intensity. "Was what she said true?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dong Man glanced at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Who are you?"
Lily blinked in confusion, then laughed, the sound almost too sharp for the situation. "What, you don't know me? I'm Lily. Tara's middle school friend."
Dong Man only shrugged. "Okay."
Lily stared at him, her irritation bubbling up. "Just 'okay'? That's all you have to say?"
"What?" Dong Man's face was a mask of confusion.
"You didn't answer my question," Lily snapped, crossing her arms.
Dong Man, still puzzled, shrugged again. "If she's your friend, she'll tell you."
Lily's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'if'?"
"If means if," Dong Man replied, almost defensively.
Lily threw her hands up in frustration. "Ugh!" she hissed, storming out of the room. As the door slammed behind her, she muttered under her breath, "So it's begun."
Her words lingered in the air, and for a brief moment, it felt like something dark and unavoidable was starting to unravel.