The morning arrived without warmth.
Selene had been awake long before the sun rose. The house was quiet in the suffocating way it always was—quiet that didn't mean peace, only absence. She sat at her desk with a pen between her fingers, a notebook open in front of her filled with lists, timings, and arrangements for the ball.
None of it was new.
All of it was necessary.
Her eyes stung slightly from lack of sleep, but she blinked it away and continued writing. She didn't allow herself to stop. Stopping meant thinking. Thinking meant remembering. And remembering was something she avoided more than anything else.
By the time she left the house, her uniform was perfectly arranged, her hair neatly tied, and her expression carefully controlled.
No one would ever guess she hadn't slept.
---
At the school gates, Lili was already waiting.
Arms crossed. Foot tapping. Watching.
The moment Selene approached, Lili's eyes narrowed.
"You look worse than yesterday," Lili said immediately.
Selene didn't pause. "Good morning to you too."
"I'm serious," Lili insisted, falling into step beside her. "You're getting paler every day."
"I'm fine," Selene replied automatically.
Lili let out a short breath. "That's your favorite lie."
Selene didn't respond to that.
Elsa and Israel joined them shortly after—both holding folders filled with notes, schedules, and vendor confirmations.
"We should leave soon," Elsa said. "We have tight timing for both locations."
Israel adjusted his glasses. "Flower shop first, then bakery. We should be back before late afternoon."
Selene nodded once. "Let's go."
And just like that, they moved.
---
The flower shop was the first stop.
The moment they entered, the atmosphere changed completely.
Warm air wrapped around them. The scent of fresh roses, lilies, peonies, and jasmine filled the space so completely it almost felt like stepping into another world. Rows of flowers stood in perfect arrangement, colors blending into soft gradients of pink, white, gold, and deep green.
Selene slowed slightly as she walked through them.
Not because she was distracted—
but because she was calculating.
Lighting. Color balance. Placement. Harmony.
"These need to match the hall's golden lighting," she said softly, more to herself than anyone else.
Elsa opened her notebook. "We need entrance arrangements, table centerpieces, and stage framing."
Israel nodded. "And backups. Flowers get damaged during setup more often than expected."
Lili stayed close to Selene's side, watching her carefully.
There was something off.
Not obvious enough for anyone else to notice.
But Lili noticed everything about Selene.
Her steps were slightly slower.
Her breathing slightly shallower.
Her focus slightly sharper—as if she was forcing herself to compensate for something else.
"Selene," Lili said quietly.
Selene didn't look up. "Hm?"
"You're not sleeping again."
"I slept."
Lili raised an eyebrow. "That was not a real answer."
Selene finally paused and looked at her. "I'm fine, Lili."
But her voice was flatter than usual.
Lili didn't believe her.
Not even a little.
Still, she didn't push further.
Not here.
---
After finalizing flower selections and confirming arrangements, they moved on.
The bakery was louder, warmer, busier.
The smell of sugar, cream, butter, and baked dough filled the air in layers. Glass counters displayed rows of pastries designed for events—perfectly shaped tarts, glossy chocolate éclairs, fruit-filled cakes, and delicate cream desserts decorated with precision.
The baker greeted them professionally. "You're here for the tasting selection?"
"Yes," Israel said. "Full dessert menu for a formal event."
Elsa added, "We need variety and dietary options included."
"Of course," the baker replied, guiding them toward a tasting table.
Plates were brought out in careful arrangement.
Strawberry tarts with glazed tops.
Chocolate éclairs filled with rich cream.
Lemon mousse cups with soft peaks.
Mini cheesecakes with fruit toppings.
Almond pastries dusted lightly with sugar.
Lili immediately grabbed one. "Okay. This one stays."
Israel tasted another. "We'll need at least two trays of this minimum."
Elsa was already writing.
Selene sat down slowly.
For the first time, she didn't immediately reach for anything.
Lili noticed instantly.
"Selene," she said again, softer now. "Eat something."
"I'm tasting," Selene replied.
"That's not eating."
Selene didn't respond.
She picked up a small pastry.
Held it.
Paused.
The room felt slightly warmer than before.
Or maybe she was just tired.
She blinked once.
Then again.
The voices around her didn't change—but her perception of them did. Slightly distant. Slightly muffled.
"Selene?" Lili leaned forward.
Selene turned her head slowly. "I said I'm fine."
But something in her voice cracked just slightly at the end.
Lili's expression changed.
Elsa looked up from her notes. "She doesn't look okay."
Israel frowned. "She might be dehydrated."
Selene tried to stand up slightly—
but her body didn't respond the way she expected it to.
A strange heaviness pressed into her limbs.
Not painful.
Just wrong.
Her fingers loosened.
The pastry slipped slightly.
"Selene," Lili said again, sharper now.
Selene tried to respond—but the words didn't fully form.
Her vision tilted.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
Like the world shifted one step sideways.
And then—
her knees gave out.
---
"Selene!"
Lili moved instantly, catching her before she hit the ground.
The bakery froze for half a second—then chaos followed.
"She fainted!" Elsa said sharply.
"Get water—move the table!" Israel added quickly.
The baker rushed over. "Lay her down properly—don't crowd her!"
Lili knelt beside Selene, carefully lowering her to the floor. Her hands were trembling now, something she rarely allowed herself to show.
"Selene… hey… wake up," she said quietly.
But Selene didn't respond.
Her face was pale.
Too pale.
Her breathing shallow but steady.
Lili pressed her fingers lightly against Selene's wrist, as if trying to confirm she was still real.
"She hasn't been eating," Lili said quietly.
Israel frowned. "That combined with stress and lack of sleep—"
"She's been like this for days," Lili cut in, voice low.
Silence followed for a moment.
Elsa spoke more carefully. "She's pushing herself too hard."
Lili didn't answer.
Because she knew that already.
---
The bakery felt too loud again.
Too normal.
Like the world hadn't just stopped for a second.
Lili leaned closer to Selene, voice softer now. "You don't have to carry everything alone, you know."
But Selene didn't hear her.
Not yet.
---
But Selene couldn't answer.
Her body felt weightless, like it no longer belonged to her.
The last thing she registered was Lili's arms catching her, panic rising in her voice, and then the sudden chaos of movement—people shouting, someone calling for help, the scraping of chairs, footsteps rushing.
Then—
sirens.
Red and blue light flickered faintly against her closed eyelids as she was lifted into an ambulance.
Inside the vehicle, everything felt too far away. The rhythmic beeping of monitors. The voices speaking over each other. Lili refusing to let go of her hand.
"Don't you dare scare me like this," Lili whispered, gripping her fingers tightly. "You're not allowed to do this, Selene."
But Selene remained unconscious as the ambulance sped through the city.
----
And somewhere far beyond the warmth of the bakery, beyond the human world entirely—
something shifted again.
Not loud.
Not visible.
Just a faint, invisible ripple through something older than time itself.
As if something had finally noticed—
that something it had been waiting for…
had begun to weaken.