Inside the aircraft known as the Airlight, the modern-day evolution of the aeroplane, passengers settled into their seats. The Airlight was an advanced, faster, and safer means of air travel. Originally called an aeroplane, it earned its new name due to the radiant light it emitted while in motion. Over time, the nickname became widely accepted and was officially adopted.0
Among the passengers were groups of newly graduated high schoolers, seated in pairs. In one seat, two students sat side by side—Bernard and Richard. One was resting, seemingly asleep, while the other was engaged with what appeared to be an invisible laptop—a technologically advanced gadget with enhanced capabilities, far beyond that of a traditional laptop, depending on its model. Resting on his face was an almost invisible pair of spectacles, a modern yet advanced type of eyewear designed primarily to protect the eyes from blue light rays.
The two remained in silence—one resting, the other working—but it was clear they were both lost in thought.
Behind them, another pair of seats was occupied, though only one had a passenger. The lone student, James, shifted restlessly, unable to find peace. His thoughts weighed on him, and he could no longer keep them to himself.
Breaking the silence, he leaned forward, climbing onto the back of their seats and speaking loudly enough to demand attention.
"Did you see who I saw outside earlier?" James asked, his voice cutting through the quiet.
Richard, one of the two seated in front, turned to face him. "Who?" he asked, while Bernard remained unmoved, his calm demeanor unchanged.
"Kaiza Lotan... that loser," James spat the name with obvious disgust, making it clear how much he loathed its bearer.
Richard scoffed. "I saw him, but I wasn't sure it was him—until he gave me that disgusting smirk. You know, the one he always gives right before you're about to hit him."
As he spoke, he gestured accusingly at Bernard, the quieter of the two.
Bernard finally stirred, pulling back his hoodie and removing a small earpiece—similar to wireless earbuds. "Not just you—by us," he corrected.
James grunted in agreement but then shook his head in disbelief. "Yeah… but I still can't wrap my head around the fact that he's the son of the late Enzox. How on earth is that possible?" His voice rose slightly, his frustration evident.
"We've always known, but we failed to believe him," Bernard muttered, barely parting his lips, his gaze fixed on the blue, translucent screen of the nearly invisible laptop in front of him.
"How could we believe him when there was no proof he was really their son?" Richard countered.
"Whatever! His parents are dead—he's a nobody now," James spat, his voice dripping with disdain.
"You can't say that just yet. He's a special kid. His parents' company wants to sign him as a young worker. They believe he has the same technological intelligence as both his parents," Bernard stated, his eyes still glued to the screen.
"You know that's true," Richard agreed.
"What's true about that? It's more than true—it's a fact. It's all over the news… Multi-million-dollar companies want to offer him a job even before he gets into military school," Bernard added.
"That's just unreal," James murmured, taking a moment to process it.
"Listen, I'm not even talking about that," Richard cut in. "Remember, he was Felix's friend before he used him as a stepping stone to join the gang. Felix told me Kaiza built drones back then, in their dorm, using just a few materials he gathered from the lab. But he kept them hidden because he was restricted by certain rules—rules that forbade him from revealing himself or his abilities to the outside world."
Bernard, momentarily intrigued, let his fingers pause, hovering over the keyboard. A flicker of thought crossed his mind before he resumed typing again.
"He has an ability?" James asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I don't know yet," Richard replied.
"I think he's a natural. That's your job to find out. Hopefully, we'll end up in the same military academy subgroup—that'll make things easier. But whatever he is, I'll make sure he's irrelevant in the academy," Bernard declared, his fingers moving rapidly over the keyboard, his keystrokes growing harsher.
"But how?" James asked, clearly lost.
Bernard smirked. "This is my chance to impress my father. In exchange for his favor, I'll make sure Kaiza's uncle signs him off to my father's company… and from there, I'll take over."
"That's a good plan—keeping him right under your nose. We'd be able to frustrate him to death," Richard said, inwardly admiring Bernard for coming up with a scheme that seemed foolproof. It was the perfect way to get rid of Kaiza without much resistance.
"That's not really a good plan..."
A voice interrupted them, smooth yet commanding. Out of nowhere, a student with golden-blond hair and a sharp dead master cut appeared, his bright, almost angelic smile contrasting the weight of his words.
The three turned sharply at the sound of his voice, their expressions shifting to curiosity. Had he overheard them?
In Airlight crafts, soundproof barriers were designed to block conversations between seats unless manually deactivated. Bernard's eyes darted around the aircraft walls, checking if the barrier had been disabled. To his shock, it hadn't even been activated yet.
"Shit," he cursed under his breath.
Noticing that he now had their full attention, the blond student continued, his voice laced with amusement.
"What if your father shifts his love from you to him once he starts creating what you can't?"
Bernard's expression darkened, his calm demeanor cracking. "Are you saying he's more intelligent than I am?" he sneered, his tone dangerously low.
The newcomer chuckled lightly. "That's not what I meant. But tell me, why do you hate him so much? He's never wronged us. Instead of wasting your energy, why not befriend him? He might just put you back on the track you've wandered off."
His voice carried a mix of pity, mockery, and undeniable sharpness.
Tension thickened between the two as their gazes locked. Meanwhile, Richard and James remained silent, watching the exchange unfold with growing anticipation.
"It's better you walk away now without making a scene, or I'll make sure you regret this," Bernard's voice thickened, rising slightly.
Michael, however, simply smiled—a wide, bright grin that only made his words seem more infuriating. "I'll leave... but just remember, this is my honest opinion." With that, he turned and walked away.
Silence settled between the three. James and Richard watched as Michael found his seat, their gazes lingering for a moment. Richard, however, soon fell into brief contemplation, mulling over Michael's words.
"From what he said," Richard finally spoke up, "I think he makes sense. Why don't we make Kaiza our friend? From there, we could uncover his secrets."
"Secrets?" James asked, his voice unusually quiet. Normally loud and brash, his hushed tone felt unnatural.
Richard leaned in slightly. "I've heard that not all 'naturals' are truly natural. Remember, Kaiza is a red-blood human, and his family's technological abilities have always been... suspicious. There has to be something—an object, a source—something they use to gain that power. And now that his parents are gone, it'll pass down to him. If we get close enough, we can find out what it is and take it for ourselves."
There were many so-called naturals who weren't actually born gifted. Instead, their abilities came from hidden relics—necklaces, pendants, clothing, or other secret artifacts, passed down through generations in their families. If Kaiza's power came from something like that, they could steal it.
James and Richard fell silent, waiting for Bernard's response. Would he go along with this plan, or would he insist on his original approach?
Bernard chuckled, his tone awkward yet laced with amusement. "You make a good point. But you both know I can't pretend. Everything about Kaiza Lotan disgusts me."
"Don't worry, you don't have to do the job… That's why we have that little dog," Richard said, his gaze shifting toward a young man walking hurriedly down the aisle toward them.
"Feliz?" James asked, his eyes landing on the same person Richard was signaling over with a slight hand gesture.
Richard responded with a nod, a small devilish smile curling at his lips.
"What's up, folks? Good to see you all after a long while," Feliz greeted, shaking hands with each of them.
"It hasn't been that long—we met at the graduation," Richard replied with a fake smile.
"Yeah, true," Feliz said before settling into his seat.
As this unfriendly conversation continued among the group, a girl sat behind them, her posture casual yet attentive. She wore a pair of headphones, but they were switched off—her focus entirely on their conversation.
Her fingers lightly tapped against her thigh as she listened closely. Kaiza Lotan… His name has been flying around everywhere lately. I have to know who he is. And why do these guys hate him so much? What's his connection to Feliz?
Without hesitation, she pulled out a tiny notebook that resembled a jotter. Flipping it open, she retrieved a sleek pen and began writing.
"Mission One: Find Kaiza Lotan," she murmured to herself, marking the words down with quiet determination.
"Two, make friends with him. But that'll be quite hard since everyone knows him. Everyone would want to be his friend," she muttered, pulling her gaze away from the notebook as she fell into thought.
"No, girl, that'll be easy-peasy—since you have me," another girl interrupted with a bright smile. From their interaction, it was clear they had known each other for a long time.
The newcomer continued, "All you have to do is follow my guide and my techniques for making friends."
"Yeah, I totally forgot," the first girl said, standing up to give her a quick hug.
"Yeah, but who exactly are you trying to be friends with?" her friend asked, curiosity piqued.
"You don't have to know. Not yet."
The other girl's eyes flickered toward the notebook still open in her friend's lap. "L.K.? Who's that?" she read aloud.
"Luke Kian…"
"Luke Kian?" her friend repeated, raising a brow.
"Yes," she replied simply before slipping her headphones back on, placing her notebook to the side, and leaning back, eyes shutting.
"What are you doing?" her friend asked.
"Sleeping."
"No, you can't."
A small smirk played at the edge of her lips. "Watch me."