"Alright, sit down now."
The teacher's voice returned again…
But this time, he was placing us like chess pieces in some unknown battle.
"Mizuki, sit behind Hakim. And Badr, sit next to Hakim. Rosa, sit with Mizuki."
…Did he just say Badr's sitting next to me?
And Mizuki… behind me?
Sir… are you bullying me?
First the media teacher, and now you?
Mizuki stood up quietly, but before she could take a single step—
"Stop. Stay where you are, Mizuki. Hakim, you sit behind her… and Badr too."
…Huh?
Is this like… reversed seating now?
Ah, I get it—
the teacher noticed Mizuki is way too short.
Just imagine the view… me and Badr, both above average height,
and behind us, Mizuki, like a little cat, trying just to "stand up and sit down."
…
Alright, I sat down.
Hello, wall…
Yep—no window, no breeze, just Badr on my left and Mizuki in front of me.
Looks like this day is going to be a long one…
…
Then—
"Hakim… it's been a while. Where've you been?"
I turned instantly.
…Badr is talking?!
My eyes widened.
How?
How does he know me?!
I'm sure… I never gave anything away about who I am.
I was supposed to act like I didn't know him…
to let him live his new life, and for me to live mine… in peace.
But now, he's looking straight at me, with a faint smile,
as if waiting for a confession.
My tongue whispered without thinking:
"Psych ward…"
…Crap.
"What? I didn't hear you."
Badr leaned in slightly, his shoulder almost touching mine.
Don't get closer! Don't get closer!
Personal space isn't just decoration!
"It's nothing… just sit down."
I tried to change the subject, to bury the conversation under a mountain of silence.
But he didn't back off.
"Are you okay? Where've you been? We haven't heard from you in so long. You completely vanished."
…Since when does he ask with this much seriousness?
Before I could process it, Rosa's calm voice came in:
"Hakim?"
I looked at her… slowly.
Her face was still cold,
but her tone… was a little warm.
"Are you okay?"
What is this…?
Do they both know me?
Is Rosa from my past too?
Her red hair, her blue eyes, her perfectly balanced face…
If I had met someone who looked like this before…
…there's no way I'd forget.
But I remember nothing.
"I'm fine, I just… had some things to deal with."
I replied vaguely.
Rosa nodded.
She stepped to the chair in front of me, sat down quietly,
then turned and said:
"If it's something personal… that's fine. We can talk later."
Then she smiled—a short, fleeting smile—
before turning back to face forward.
…
What is going on?
I don't understand anything.
Rosa acts like she's known me for a long time.
And so does Pedro.
But the strangest thing was…
Why can't I remember?
Well, the answer's simple.
Badr is the key.
I took a small step toward him—
close enough for the shadow of his tall frame to brush over me.
I lowered my voice until it was barely a thread among the classroom noise.
"—Badr… before the teacher sees us… I want to ask you something…" I whispered.
He turned to me slowly.
Creaaak—the sound of his chair scraping the floor cut through the air between us.
—"What do you want?"
His voice was cold.
—"Since when… have I known you?"
And also… who is she?
I tilted my head toward Rosa, sitting in the front row.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Then he gave me a long, searching look—
as if trying to read the answer right off my face.
—"Are you sick…? Or did you lose your memory?"
Then he turned fully toward me, leaning in a little.
He stared—intently.
I couldn't answer.
…I hate that look.
That look that makes me feel like I'm the protagonist of a story…
but one who doesn't even know what his own story is.
And then—
BANG
A sharp pain slammed into my skull.
As if a hammer had dropped inside my head.
—"Aa… ahh!"
I gasped.
My hand shot up to clutch my forehead.
My breaths turned shallow.
The air around me felt like it was collapsing in on itself.
What… what is this pain?
Strange, fragmented images pushed into my mind.
Badr… Rosa…
We were children—laughing… running…
Their family… my family… close, intertwined…
And then—
a man's face. Someone I didn't know.
A face that sparked pure, inexplicable anger inside me.
Other faces—blurred, washed-out features.
Bzzzt—a distorted noise.
Words… drowned in the static of my headache.
The scene shifted—
A cold laboratory.
Footsteps echoing far away, bouncing off walls.
Someone speaking to me…
but their voice evaporated before reaching my ears.
—"Hakim! What's wrong with you?!"
The voice cut through the haze of pain.
I forced my eyes upward.
Badr stood in front of me.
His expression was tight,
his eyes narrowed—
with a glint of worry inside them.
—"Hakim… why are you breathing like that?"
I felt cold sweat crawling down my temples.
Dripping from my face onto the desk.
My heart was pounding—
as if my body was trying to escape from itself.
And yet…
After seeing those pictures… I felt like I knew them better than I'd ever thought.
Better… than my mind was willing to admit.
I cast a quick glance around me.
Thank God…
The teacher was still caught up in his chatter and laughter with the rest of the class.
But Pedro…
He was close.
Close enough to see everything.
— "Pedro… I'm leaving after class. I'm heading home. I'm sick of school."
He lifted his head toward me slowly, like he'd just heard the most ridiculous joke of his life.
— "You're kidding?"
— "No."
I leaned back in my chair, half-watching the teacher.
After everything I'd seen today… I think I was starting to understand.
My connection to the two of them?
It was clear now.
And this world?
It was never normal to begin with.
Everything had been pointing to that, but I'd ignored the signs.
Maybe…
Maybe my life was going to turn out funny… and happy…
Just like I'd once hoped.
But…
Why did I still feel this heavy pressure… coming from Rosa's direction?
— "You… what's your relationship with Hakim?"
A silent stare from Rosa.
Nothing changed in her expression…
But in her eyes—
Was that the intent to kill?
Or was I imagining it?
— "Navarro-san?"
Mizuki seemed flustered, fidgeting with her hands as if holding a guilt she couldn't name.
— "He's… my classmate. Or just a friend. There's nothing between us. I've only known him for a short while."
Oh, good, Mizuki.
That's how it's done—simple and clean.
Not so hard, right?
A smile spread across Rosa's face as she gently took Mizuki's hand…
— "Really? Just that? Is that all? Hahaha…"
A short laugh.
Not a natural one.
Mizuki replied with an awkward attempt of her own:
— "Heh…"
Mizuki… I know that wasn't from the heart.
You can feel something's off.
But it's fine…
Just… go with the flow.
As for me?
I don't understand women in the first place.
So I bowed out of the battle early.
From what I could tell, Rosa was fairly social…
While Mizuki seemed like she still hadn't found someone she could truly relax with.
Strangely enough, though, she was now chatting with Rosa happily…
As if nothing had happened.
Soon, the teacher would silence them…
And I would just wait for the bell…
So I could go home.
…Or at least, that's what I thought.
But…
Why… am I injured?