I'd barely settled into the bed when Nayuta, sitting in the chair by the window, shut his book with a soft thump.
"So," he said, smirk playing at the corner of his mouth, "what happened to your girlfriend? You know… Lyna."
I stayed quiet, watching him over my arm.
Across the room, Alejandro stopped writing, pen hovering. "Girlfriend?" His tone was flat, but there was the faintest edge of curiosity.
Nayuta leaned back in his chair, grinning. "Today, Faulk just confessed his love to his classmate. Shayne and I spotted them practically glued together. Walking, talking, practically orbiting… I thought they were about to start feeding each other."
I huffed a small laugh despite myself, shaking my head.
Alejandro nodded once, like that settled something in his head. "Congratulations."
"Yeah, yeah," Nayuta said, still smiling. "But don't forget about us when you're famous, lover boy."
I let out a slow breath and sank deeper into the mattress. But then, my phone buzzed against the nightstand, sharp and insistent.
"Oooh," Nayuta leaned forward, grin widening. "Is that her? Lyna, checking in on her boyfriend?"
I reached over, glancing at the screen. "No. Unknown number."
"Mm-hm," he said, drawing out the sound like he didn't believe a word of it. "That's exactly what she'd want you to think."
Alejandro gave a faint sigh, more interested in the pen in his hand than the conversation. "Answer it or don't. Just decide."
I set the phone back down without a word, letting it buzz until the sound died.
Nayuta tilted his head. "Mysterious. I like it."
For a moment, I thought he was going back to his book. Then he jumped on my bed, hugging me and looked me in the eyes. "You know what we should do?"
"If you conceived an idea of most foolery, No." I said immediately.
He ignored me. "Mess with the other rooms across the hall."
Alejandro didn't even look up. "Why?"
"Because," Nayuta said, his grin tightening, "one of them 'accidentally' spilled soup on me at dinner few days back. Didn't even apologize. So now we're going to return the favor… with interest."
I raised a brow. "And your definition of interest?"
He reached his hand towards Shayne's table and grabbed Shayne's Bluetooth speaker. "This. We put it under his bed. And tonight, let's just say that they won't be able to sleep, but not from the noise."
Alejandro gave him a flat stare. "Haaaah...."It took us two minutes to slip across the hall. Their door wasn't locked. Rookie mistake. Nayuta crouched down and slid the speaker deep under the far bed, wedging it in so it wouldn't move. Alejandro stayed in the doorway, clearly wanting no part in the setup but not stopping us either.
We left without a sound.
Night came, and the dorm had gone quiet. Lights dimmed and most rooms shut for the night. Nayuta sat cross-legged on his bed, phone in hand. He glanced at me, smirking. "Ready?"
Before I could answer, he tapped the screen.
The speaker exploded with sound. Not music, but the chaotic sound combination of a woman screaming. Not in a scared way, but more like in a way that said woman is reaching her limit. Followed with the sound of massive clapping in a sequence that were very fast.
I think just anyone could figure out what sound Nayuta had played from his phone.
It was so loud the floor practically vibrated. Doors up and down the Limelight Dormitory flew open. Shouts erupted from the hall.
Across the way, someone shouted, "Where the hell is that coming from?!" followed by frantic banging and swearing as they tore the room apart looking for it. It was a good one minute of chaos.
Nayuta leaned back, looking completely at peace. "Justice."
Alejandro closed his notebook, finally smiling. "You're insane."
"It ain't that deep, but..." Nayuta said, then turned the volume down until there's nothing to be heard.
Breakfast in the dining hall was quieter than usual. Probably because half the dude's dorm still looked half-asleep.
Our victims stumbled in late, with eyes red and shoulders slumped. One was still wearing pajama pants, the other had their shirt inside-out. They looked like they'd gone ten rounds with a cement mixer.
Lyna glanced over at the pair. "They look more like a corpse than human." There was a trace of pity in her voice.
"They should." Nayuta said with a smug little tilt of his head. "Not every night gets blessed by my creative vision."
Her fork paused midair. "Oh, so that were both of your doings, huh?"
He gave her a look like he'd just been asked if water was wet. "Of course. Shayne had a speaker. I had an idea. You can imagine the rest."
She blinked, faintly exasperated but not entirely surprised. "That's overboard. But I'm not against it."
"Thanks, I guess..." Nayuta replied smoothly, sipping his tea.
She let it go after a moment, then turned to me. "How do you two even know each other?"
Before I could answer, Nayuta cut in, leaning back with a grin. "I saved him from eternal boredom on day one. Been his greatest blessing ever since."
I took my time chewing before replying. "No, you walked up to me. You wouldn't stop talking, and then decided we were friends without asking."
Nayuta smirked like I'd just proved his point. "See? That's charisma, Faulk. Every leader should have one."
"Sure, sure... I'd say it's more like being forced down my throat." I said flatly.
Lyna's lips twitched. Not quite a smile, but close. "I think I believe both versions."
"Good." Nayuta said, raising his cup in mock toast. "Because the truth is somewhere between his cold indifference and my undeniable charm."
By the time we finished having breakfast, word had already spread. Apparently, when the Dorm Keeper went to check the noise complaint last night, he'd found them tearing their own room apart, swearing and knocking over furniture.
To him, that was enough to hand out two punishment. One for inappropriate sound pollution and one for vandalism.
By lunch, they were on cleaning duty, mopping the dorm hallways in silence.
Nayuta watched them pass by us, his smile growing wider by the second. "And that is why you never mess with me."
I sipped my almost empty cup. "Pretty sure they still don't know it was you."
"Then let's keep it that way." he replied.
We left the dining hall together, heading toward our own classes. The morning crowd was already spilling across the courtyard, voices carrying in the crisp air.
At the first hallway split, Nayuta clapped me on the shoulder. "Try not to miss me too much, Faulk." Then he veered off toward his own class without looking back.
Lyna kept pace beside me, quiet until I asked her something.
"What happened to the guy from yesterday?"
She glanced at me, then forward again. "He's in the infirmary. Concussion, some bruising. Nothing permanent."
"And the school's just… letting me off?" I asked, worrying.
"They won't act against you." she said simply. "It was self-defense. Even if you were winning."
Then she added, "Besides… this place doesn't shelter people from the consequences of their own choices. They want future leaders who can choose and handle their own battles. If it was any other school, you would be called to Principal's office, whether you started it or no. Lame, isn't it?"
I let that sink in as we reached the classroom doors. The way she said it, it sounded less like reassurance and more like a warning.
"Also, this school would probably end up like that, had the High Council did not bring the change years ago." She added. I hold the door open for Lyna, and stepped in after her.
"You've gotten better at acting." She whispered low enough for only my ears to hear.
The final bell rang, and the drowning voice of our History instructor finally came to a halt. We'd spent the last hour going over the political treaties that shaped the modern states. Something that should've been interesting to some people, but not me. It felt like I'm listening to a solo podcast.
On my right, Lyna closed her notebook and glanced at my direction. "You look bored." she remarked.
"I am." I said, without hesitation.
She tilted her head slightly, her golden eyes narrowing in that way she did when she had something planned. "Faulk, I have conceived an idea of most ingenious"
I gave her a look of rejection. "Please don't."
"You don't have a say. Leave your bag in your room and meet me at the courtyard."
I raised an eyebrow. "And what if I don't wanna go?"
"Then you'll spend the rest of the afternoon staring at your phone, scrolling through endless contents without purpose." she said lightly, standing up from her seat.
"We're not doing anything bad or breaking any rules."
"…Fine," I muttered. "But if this turns into some weird errand, I'm blaming you."
"You always do anyway." she replied with a faint smirk before heading for the door.
When I got back to my room, Alejandro was at his desk, jotting something down, and Shayne was sprawled out on his bed with his phone in hand.
I dropped my bag by the foot of my bed and was about to head out when Alejandro looked up. "Out already? Where to?" he asked, voice flat but curious.
"Lyna called me out to the courtyard." I said, already moving toward the door.
Alejandro gave a small shrug. "Have fun."
Shayne didn't say a word, just watched me go.
The moment the door clicked shut behind me, Shayne glanced at Alejandro.
"We should follow him."
Alejandro frowned. "Why?"
"Because he didn't say what they were doing."
"That's not a good reason."
Shayne smirked. "Come on… aren't you even a little curious?"
Alejandro hesitated, tapping his pen against the desk. "…A little."
"Then let's go."
Alejandro sighed, but he was already standing up.
They crept out into the hallway. Shayne in the lead with all the subtlety of a marching band. Alejandro hissed, "Could you walk quieter? You sound like you're stomping on gravel."
"I am walking quieter," Shayne whispered, much too loudly.
The two ducked behind a water cooler when Faulker's figure appeared at the far end. Shayne peeked over the top, then quickly dropped back down as a passing student gave them a suspicious look.
"What are you two doing?" the student asked.
"Uh… checking for leaks...Haha..," Shayne said without missing a beat.
"Right…sure..." the student muttered before walking away.
The chase continued. Crouching behind trash bins, pretending to check notice boards...
By the time they made it outside, they were both slightly out of breath, but Shayne's grin was wider than ever. "See? Totally worth it."
Alejandro didn't answer. Mostly because he was still trying to act casual while hiding behind a very small bush, still tired from the commotion earlier.
When I stepped into the courtyard, Lyna was already there, leaning casually against the fountain.
"You're late." she said, before I could even greet her.
"I had to walk all the way from the—"
She didn't let me finish. Before I could finish, she hopped down and grabbed my wrist, dragging me to the main gate.
"C'mon, we'll miss it."
"Miss what?"
"Hmph. You'll see."
The guard at the gates glanced at us. "Be back before curfew." he reminded.
Lyna gave him a quick wave and kept going. Her hand, still holding on to my wrist, pulling me along the sidewalk until we reached the main attraction area of the town.
The evening air was cool. The town was lively, full with people. Way different from the town I grew up in.
Finally, I asked her. "So, Lyna... where are we going?"
She grinned up at me, her voice a little lighter than usual. "There's a new movie I wanted to watch with you. It's called Witchboard."
"Horror?"
"Paranormal horror." she explained, a spark in her eyes.
"It's about this group of friends in New Orleans who mess with a restored antique Ouija board. They think it's a game until—"
"No spoiler." I replied, slightly curious as the first few lines sounded interesting.
"Also, this is pretty out of character for you. What about your group of friends?"
"I just… thought it'd be nice to watch something together." she admitted, a faint blush creeping in. "I feel like I'd be less scared if I watched it with you."
I sighed, but it was impossible not to feel a little disarmed by the way she said it. "Alright, we're already in town anyway. Lead the way."
The warm glow of the theater marquee grew closer.
I didn't notice the two figures keeping their distance behind us, moving quietly from shadow to shadow.
The theater's glass doors reflected the bright neon sign above, Witchboard flickering in pale blue letters. Lyna tugged me inside before I could get a better look at the poster.
The smell of popcorn hit me instantly. She slowed just enough to glance back at me, almost like she was checking to see if I was still there. Not that she'd admit it.
"Popcorn?" I asked.
She tilted her head. "Only if you share it with me."
I blinked. "…You could just buy your own."
"That's not the point..." she said quickly, cheeks warming as she looked away, pretending to study the candy display.
While we waited in line, she shifted from foot to foot, occasionally sneaking little looks at me like she wanted to say something, then deciding against it. I caught her once, and she looked away fast, pretending to be fascinated by the posters for other movies.
When we finally got our popcorn and drinks, she walked ahead toward the screening hall, holding the snacks but glancing over her shoulder every few steps.
"You act like I'm gonna ditch you." I muttered.
"You might," she said softly, "if it gets too scary."
The lights inside the theater were dim, and the air had that faint coolness of an empty hall before the trailers start. We found our seats in the middle.
As we sat, she leaned towards me, voice low. "If I grab your arm, it's because I'm scared. Not because I—" She stopped herself, biting her lip and focusing on her drink instead.
"You do admit you're scared, huh? Also, not because you what?" I asked.
"Shh. Movie's starting."
She faced forward, but I could see the tips of her ears turning red in the flickering light from the screen.
Somewhere behind us, two seats back, I thought I heard the faintest shuffle. But I didn't turn around.
The theater went dark, and the first raindrops on-screen pattered through the speakers, almost too real. Lyna leaned forward slightly, eyes fixed on the glowing Ouija board in the center of the opening shot.
When the first planchette movement happened without anyone touching it, she let out a quiet "Nope," and her fingers curled into my sleeve.
I glanced at her. "It's just the opening scene."
A creak came from the movie's on-screen hallway, showing just an empty doorway. The shadows are too deep to see through. Lyna tilted her head toward me and whispered, "This is where you leave the house, Faulk."
"Or you go upstairs and make it ends faster." I muttered back.
The figure in the shadows moved suddenly, knocking something over. Lyna jumped, grabbing my arm with both hands now. "Did you see that?" she hissed.
"Yeah," I said, keeping my voice low as to not disturb the screening. "Pretty sure we're supposed to."
Halfway through, the film showed one character sitting alone when the board started spelling words on its own. A voice whispered through the surround sound, low and distorted. Lyna shivered, leaning slightly into my side. "If this ever happens to us, you're handling it." she murmured.
"Sure, might as well add 'ghost negotiator' to my résumé."
Later, when the ceiling fan began spinning violently before snapping off and crashing down, she flinched again, her hand still on my arm. "That's it. I'm never trusting ceiling fans again."
"You do realize the dining hall uses ceiling fan instead of air conditioning, right?" I asked, raising a brow.
The climax hit with flashing lights and a crawling, shadowed figure dragging itself toward the camera. Lyna half-covered her eyes but peeked between her fingers. "Oh no… nope… she's not gonna make it—yep, she's gone. Rest in piss you won't be missed. Packwatch 100." she muttered, her grip tightening like she was bracing against the scene.
"Called it..." I said quietly.
Even as the credits rolled, her hand lingered on my sleeve for a moment longer before she finally let go, clearing her throat like nothing happened.
The night air felt crisp as we stepped out of the theater, neon signs reflecting off the damp pavement. Lyna was still smiling, as if she didn't just spend the entire movie being scared.
"So," she said, brushing her hair behind her ear, "anything you wanna do now, Faulk?"
I glanced around the street. "You know any cafés around here? I don't know the town that well yet."
Her expression brightened immediately. "I do. It's not far from here. You'll like it."
I let out a small chuckle. "Lead the way then. I'll trust the local."
A short walk later, we turned into a quieter street, the hum of traffic fading behind us. Ahead stood a quaint café. Its warm, golden lights spilling onto a cobblestone path. The whole place was surrounded by a lush garden of flowers. Roses, lavender, and small clusters of daisies swaying in the night breeze. The lighting is phenomenal, as if shining on the flower to highlight it's beauty. The flower's scent was faint but sweet.
"This is… nicer than I expected." I admitted, taking in the sight.
Lyna grinned. "Told you. It's one of my favorites."
We pushed open the door, and a small bell above it chimed softly. Inside, the air was warm and rich with the smell of freshly brewed coffee and pastries. A woman in her early 30s, with a kind face and hair tied in a loose bun, walked over from behind the counter.
"Lyna! It's been a while." the woman greeted warmly.
"Hi, Miss Ren." Lyna replied with a smile. "Yeah, school's been keeping me busy. This is Faulk. My friend."
I gave a small nod. "Nice to meet you."
Her eyes softened. "Welcome. You picked a good night to come. Just baked a fresh batch of chocolate soufflés." She handed us menus, but then leaned slightly toward Lyna. "Still taking your hot chocolate extra sweet?"
Lyna laughed softly. "You know me too well."
As we sat down by the window, I glanced at her. "Your parent's friend, I assume?"
She shrugged, smiling in that way that said she wasn't going to explain just yet. "Yeah. I used to come here a lot."
Miss Ren soon returned with our orders. Lyna got her usual extra-sweet hot chocolate, and I decided on a cappuccino. We also added a plate of that chocolate soufflé she mentioned to our order, mostly because Lyna's face practically lit up when she heard it was fresh.
The café was quiet, only a couple of other customers scattered at tables, soft jazz humming through a speaker somewhere above. Outside the window, the garden lights glowed against the dark, illuminating petals that swayed like they were caught in their own slow dance.
Lyna stirred her drink lazily, steam curling around her face. "So… be honest, Faulk. Did the movie scare you?"
I smirked. "Not really. I've seen creepier."
She tilted her head, pretending to look disappointed. "Tch. I was hoping to see you jump, honestly."
I took a sip of my cappuccino. "You were the one clinging to my sleeve half the time."
Her cheeks warmed slightly. "Only when it got tense."
"Which was… most of the movie."
She made a quiet "hmph" and looked away, but the corners of her mouth betrayed a small smile.
Miss Ren came back with the soufflé, the warm chocolate aroma instantly filling the air between us. Lyna wasted no time taking the first spoonful, her eyes fluttering shut in bliss. "Mmm… Still as good as I remember."
"You make it sound like this place is more than just a café to you," I said, cutting into my side of the dessert.
Her spoon paused midair. "It is. I used to come here with someone important to me. Before things.... you know? Changed."
I watched her for a moment, the way her expression softened and her gaze seemed to drift somewhere far away. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," I said.
She shook her head slightly, forcing a smile. "Another time, maybe. Right now, I just wanna enjoy this."
I nodded. "Fair enough."
For a while, we simply ate and talked about smaller things. Classes, random gossip from the dorms, even some playful jabs at each other. And though neither of us said it outright, the café's warmth made the world outside feel far away.
Unbeknownst to us, two figures lingered just beyond the glow of the garden lights.
Shayne leaned casually against the trunk of a flowering dogwood, hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the window where Lyna and I sat. "See? I told you it'd be worth following him."
Alejandro sighed, though his gaze never left the scene inside. "We look like creeps, you know."
Shayne grinned. "Only if we get caught."
From their vantage point, they could clearly see Lyna laughing at something I'd said, her head tilting forward just a little too long, her fingers idly brushing the edge of her cup. I was leaning back, calm, but with that faint smirk I tended to wear when the conversation amused me.
Alejandro shifted uncomfortably. "It's… weird. I've never seen him like that before."
"Exactly," Shayne said. "Usually Faulk's got that 'don't talk to me' face on. But look at him now. Smiling, talking, letting someone cling to his sleeve at the movies..."
They stood there for a while longer, listening to the faint hum of conversation and the occasional laughter drifting from the café's open window.
Finally, Alejandro exhaled through his nose and straightened up. "Alright… we've seen enough."
Shayne raised an eyebrow. "What, you're giving up? I thought you wanted the full scoop."
Alejandro shook his head. "No. We've been following them for hours. They're just… having a nice time. I don't think we need to watch any more."
Shayne leaned back against the tree, then slowly pushed himself away from it. "Yeah… you're right." He glanced at the window one last time. "Kinda feels wrong now, doesn't it? Like we're not just being curious. We're actually stalking them."
Alejandro sighed as he rest his forehead on his palm. "We are stalking them."
Shayne let out a quiet laugh. "Guess we are. Alright, let's bail before I start feeling really bad about it."
The two of them turned away, the crunch of gravel under their shoes fading into the night, leaving Lyna and me completely unaware we'd had shadows the entire evening.
"That was… really good," I said, patting my stomach as we stepped onto the lively street. "Didn't think I'd find a place like this here."
Lyna smiled, hugging her bag closer. "Told you. You just have to know where to look."
We joined the flow of pedestrians, weaving between people as we headed back toward the main road. Street vendors were still calling out to passersby, and the smell of roasted chestnuts and grilled skewers drifted through the air. Lyna glanced up at me with a playful look. "So… did I make a good guide?"
I gave her a nod. "Yeah. Guess I can trust you with picking spots."
She laughed, pleased. "Then next time, I'll take you somewhere even better."
We moved along with the steady stream of people. The neon glow from shop signs painting the pavement in streaks of pink and blue. Lyna occasionally slowed down to peek into a store window or point at something that caught her golden eyes, her hair catching the streetlight every time she turned.
"You're not the type to walk around much, huh?" she asked as we passed a small stall selling keychains shaped like animals.
I shook my head. "Not really. I'm still figuring out the layout of this place."
"That's why you have me," she said lightly, but there was a small smile tugging at her lips.
We passed a busker strumming a guitar, his voice blending with the hum of engines and chatter. The smell of fresh bread from a bakery hit us, making me glance toward it, but Lyna just giggled. "Don't even think about it. We already had dessert."
By the time we reached the school gates, the sun had long dipped behind the buildings, and the warm gold of the streetlamps replaced the daylight. The guard at the entrance gave us both a brief glance before waving us through.
Inside the grounds, the noise from the street faded into a soft evening calm. Lyna walked a little slower now, looking ahead at the dimly lit path that led toward the dorms. "Guess that's the end of our little trip." she said, her tone casual but almost reluctant.
"Guess so," I replied, though I wasn't sure I minded if it lasted a bit longer.
We reached the dorm entrance, and she gave me a short wave before heading toward Lemonleaf Dormitory. I watched her disappear through the door before heading up to my own room, the smell of coffee and the sound of her quiet laugh still lingering in my mind.
When I finally reached my room, the door clicked shut behind me with a familiar dull sound. I didn't even bother replying to Nayuta's welcoming me back to the room. I just dropped onto my bed face-first. The day's walk, the movie and the cafe. All of it weighed on my limbs, and the pull of sleep came almost instantly. Within moments, I lose consciousness.
Nayuta's voice broke the silence. "Where's Faulk been all evening?" His tone wasn't sharp like usual, more… curious.
Alejandro's voice answered, casual and nonchalant. "He said he was at the courtyard."
"That's it?"
"That's it." Alejandro repeated, leaning back in his chair. His tone didn't invite further questions.
Nayuta didn't press. The room went quiet again, save for the faint rustle of papers and the hum of the air conditioning, while I stayed still in the haze of sleep, completely unaware of the conversation.