For days, Kelly and Jane scoured the entire school, questioning their classmates and exploring every corner in search of the mysterious bronze-skinned boy. Despite their persistent efforts, they turned up nothing.
Jane let out a long, frustrated sigh. "It's already been five days, Kelly, and still nothing. Are you sure this boy even exists?" she said, glancing at Kelly with a mix of exhaustion and doubt.
Kelly's eyes remained determined. "Trust me, we're close. Just a little more, and we'll find him. Let's check the art room again—maybe he's finally there."
Jane raised an eyebrow, shaking her head slightly. "The art room? Kelly, we've been there like a hundred times. If he were there, we'd have found him by now. I could probably draw the school map from memory after all this searching," Jane joked, her tone weary but affectionate.
Kelly's expression didn't waver. "Maybe he's just somewhere we haven't thought to look yet. Come on, we can't give up now."
Jane rubbed her stomach and sighed. "Can we take a break first? I'm starving. Let's grab a bite and pick up the search afterward."
Reluctantly, Kelly nodded. "Alright. I guess I could use some food too."
The girls headed to the cafeteria, its fluorescent lights casting a warm glow over the chattering students. The smell of freshly baked bread and sizzling dishes filled the room, momentarily lifting the tension between them. After eating, Jane stood up and stretched. "I'll be quick—I need to use the restroom. Wait for me here," she said and hurried away.
A few moments later, as Jane made her way back, she paused abruptly outside the music room. Through the large glass window, the room was bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun, casting long shadows across the floor. Sitting by the window was a boy, his silhouette framed by the light. He had bronze skin that seemed to glow under the sun's rays, piercing blue eyes that tracked the fluttering of birds outside, and hair swept back neatly. His plain white polo shirt crinkled slightly as he leaned forward, whistling softly. For a moment, it looked as if the birds responded to him, fluttering near the window in a delicate dance.
Jane's heart raced, and a blush crept up her cheeks as she took in the serene scene. Realizing he matched Kelly's description perfectly, she snapped out of her daze and bolted back to the cafeteria, nearly stumbling in her haste. She reached Kelly, breathless and wide-eyed, grabbing her arm with urgency.
"Kelly... I found him!" Jane gasped.
Kelly shot up from her chair, her pulse quickening. "Where?" she demanded.
"In the music room," Jane said, barely catching her breath. Without hesitation, they sprinted to the music room, their footsteps echoing in the deserted hallway. But when they arrived, the boy was gone, as if he had vanished into thin air.
"He was just here," Jane whispered, disappointment heavy in her voice.
Kelly's gaze darted around the room, eyes searching every shadow. "Let's check the corners and the storage area. He couldn't have gone far."
They searched every inch of the music room, from the old piano to the dusty stacks of sheet music. But it was empty; only silence greeted them. The final school bell rang, breaking the stillness and signaling the end of their search for the day.
Jane tugged at Kelly's arm gently. "Come on, it's getting late. We'll look again tomorrow," she said, resignation clear in her voice.
Kelly's shoulders sagged as she nodded. "Alright," she agreed, reluctantly stepping out of the room with Jane.
From the shadows of the trees just outside the building, a boy watched them leave, his eyes unreadable. The darkness had deepened, and the moon cast a silvery glow over the school grounds. The boy stood motionless, his gaze fixed on Kelly as a soft breeze rustled the leaves.
Behind him, a voice broke the stillness. "You seem to enjoy wandering around," Janus said, stepping into the moonlight with his hands buried in his pockets. He walked slowly, a smirk playing on his lips.
The boy turned, meeting Janus's eyes with an expression that betrayed nothing—empty and unfeeling.
Janus's smile faltered, replaced by a look of annoyance. "You woke up too early. You shouldn't even be here yet," he said, closing the distance between them. His eyes narrowed as he leaned closer. "Look at you. No memories, no emotions—just a shell chasing after that girl. Do you even remember what you did? The sins you committed?"
The boy's face remained blank, his silence echoing in the space between them.
Janus clicked his tongue and exhaled sharply. "Tsk, don't stare at me like that. It's irritating," he muttered. "We'll meet again soon enough." He turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving the boy alone.
The boy tilted his head up, gazing at the moon as the cold night wind brushed against his skin. He took a step forward, eyes still fixed on the sky, and whispered one word, soft and haunting.
"Amara..."
In the dead of night, a chill swept through the open window of Jane and Kelly's shared dorm room. The moon's silver glow cast a luminous path across Kelly's bed, wrapping the room in an eerie, serene light. Kelly sat upright, clutching her bedsheet around her shoulders. Her mind raced with thoughts of the mysterious bronze-skinned boy. If she managed to find him, what would she ask first? *"Why did you draw that clock? Do you know anything about it? Who are you? Are you really a student here? Do you know about my dreams? Why? How? Did I know you before?"* The questions tumbled one after another in her head, each more pressing than the last. She sighed, the weight of uncertainty pressing on her chest.
*He's never anywhere but the art room, but I didn't expect him to roam around at night,* Kelly mused. The more she thought about him, the more her curiosity grew, a burning need to understand why his presence felt so familiar, so comforting. Without another thought, she threw off the bedsheet and stood up. Midnight had fallen, and she knew most teachers would be asleep by now.
Pulling on a hoodie, she slipped silently out of the room and made her way down the hallway. The crimson glow of the moon illuminated the corridor, casting long, ghostly shadows that seemed to shift as she walked. Kelly climbed out of an open window and crossed the school yard, the wind biting at her face. Her shortcut took her straight to the art room, where she hoped he would be—perhaps painting under the moon's watchful eye.
The room greeted her with silence and darkness. She turned on her flashlight, the beam cutting through the shadows as she navigated the maze of easels and half-finished canvases. But after searching each corner, she found nothing. Frustration bubbled within her. *He's not here. Maybe he's in one of the other rooms,* she thought.
Determined, Kelly left the art room and began her search through the school building, room by room, floor by floor. By the time she returned to the first floor, exhaustion was starting to take hold. She paused near a window overlooking the school yard, the moon's crimson glow drawing her eyes like a magnet. The breeze outside whispered against the trees, carrying with it a strange sense of nostalgia. She stepped into the yard and closed her eyes, embracing the night air.
*Night isn't as scary as my dreams make it seem. It's... peaceful. No wonder some people walk at night to clear their minds—it really does wash away stress,* Kelly thought. She opened her eyes and sat down on the grass to rest, her gaze drifting over the illuminated landscape.
A sudden clatter echoed from the shadows, startling her. *Bang!* The noise jolted Kelly, and she turned to see a figure partially hidden in darkness. Even before she fully registered his features, the sense of familiarity enveloped her. It was him. The bronze-skinned boy. His silhouette was rigid, his piercing blue eyes fixed on her, reflecting the moonlight with an almost supernatural intensity.
"H-hey... hello?" Kelly stammered, taking a hesitant step forward. Before she could finish, the boy turned on his heel and strode away, his pace quickening as if to escape her.
"Wait!" Kelly called, breaking into a run. The boy vanished into the school building, and Kelly chased after him, heart pounding in her chest. The hallways blurred past as she sprinted, the echo of her footsteps blending with the rush of adrenaline. Just as she closed the gap between them, she leaped to grab his arm, accidentally knocking them both to the ground.
"Ouch," Kelly groaned, rubbing her elbow before looking at him. The boy's expression was blank, his face illuminated by the crimson moonlight that seemed to intensify the bronze of his skin. His blue eyes met hers, deep and unwavering. Time seemed to freeze until Kelly broke the silence and stood up, her voice soft and uncertain.
"I'm... I'm sorry. Are you okay?" she asked, careful to avoid staring directly into those enigmatic eyes.