Xiao froze.
A few students exchanged uneasy looks. This wasn't the kind of question asked out of curiosity—it sounded too precise. Too personal.
The professor studied Arron carefully before answering.
"In severe cases," he said slowly, choosing his words, "yes. Trauma can cause swelling or vascular spasm, which reduces blood flow. Prolonged oxygen deprivation can lead to irreversible brain damage."
Arron nodded.
"Thank you, sir."
He sat back down like nothing had happened.
But the class didn't recover.
Xiao glanced at him, unease crawling up his spine. Arron's face was calm—almost detached—but his fingers were clenched tightly against the edge of the desk.
Some questions weren't just academic.
And some silences said far more than answers ever could.
Arron hadn't asked like someone afraid.
He'd asked like someone who genuinely wanted to understand how the body failed.
Xaio shifted in his seat, uncomfortable for reasons he couldn't quite name. He looked at Arron again, but Arron was already half-gone—eyes unfocused, attention drifting back into the professor's steady voice like it was background music.
No fear. No afterthought.
Just… acceptance.
The professor cleared his throat and glanced at his tablet.
"Alright, before we end today's session," he said, tapping the screen, "I have an announcement."
The room stirred immediately.
"There will be a spring academic trip for all first-year classes," he continued. "Details will be shared by your homeroom teachers by the end of the day. Attendance is mandatory."
The silence shattered.
Chairs scraped. Whispers exploded. Someone actually cheered.
Arron blinked fully awake this time.
A trip.
Xaio watched his expression change—not excitement exactly, but alertness. Like something distant had just brushed against him.
Across the room, Lauran felt it too, a strange prickle crawling up her spine.
Henry forced a smile.
Somewhere between excitement and unease, the bell rang.
And just like that, what should have been a harmless school trip settled into the air—quiet, inevitable, and waiting.
The cafeteria buzzed louder than usual, the aftermath of classes spilling into overlapping conversations and clattering trays.
Lauran slid into her seat with a sigh. "Maths should be illegal," she declared. Henry nodded solemnly. "Agreed. I stopped thinking halfway through the lecture and just… existed."
Across from them, Arron was quietly dissecting his meal with unsettling precision. "Today's rice is overcooked," he said calmly. "The vegetables are fine, but the protein ratio feels off."
Henry paused mid-bite. "…Why do you sound like you're evaluating a lab sample?"
Arron didn't look up. "Food quality matters."
Lauran shot him a look. Something about his stillness—too composed, too detached—set off her instincts. She reached into her bag and placed a strawberry drink in front of him, the translucent pink dotted with floating coconut pieces.
"Drink this," she said casually. "You look scary."
Arron blinked, then obediently took a sip. The tension in his shoulders eased almost instantly. "…This is good," he admitted. "The sweetness balances it out."
Xaio, who had been hovering behind Henry like a distressed shadow, finally dropped into the seat beside him. "I'm switching subjects," he muttered.
Henry choked on his drink. "Already?"
Xaio pointed subtly across the table. "Biology. He asked a question about head injuries like he was planning one."
Arron tilted his head. "It was a valid question."
"That's not the point!" Xaio hissed. "You look at people like you're imagining diagrams inside them."
"That's because biology is interesting," Arron said, completely sincere. "Also, the professor's voice is very calming. It's like ASMR."
Xaio stared at him. Henry patted Xaio's shoulder. "Welcome to the survival course."