The next morning felt colder.
Not the weather.
Just the world.
Luca noticed it the second he stepped onto campus — the hallways were quieter, the footsteps softer, the background chatter just a little… off.
Like an audio track playing half a second behind where it should.
He shivered.
"Bro," Marc muttered beside him, "tell me you feel that."
"I feel it," Luca said. "The world's doing that thing again."
Marc nodded grimly.
"It's unsettled."
When they entered homeroom, Hana waved at Luca cheerfully.
Aiden glanced at them, then looked away quickly.
Ryo scribbled in his notebook immediately.
But Aria…
She didn't look up.
She sat perfectly still, staring out the window with an expression so blank it didn't look peaceful — it looked guarded.
Marc approached her desk carefully.
"Morning," he said.
Aria didn't move for a moment.
Then she whispered, "Something is shifting."
Marc froze. "Again?"
Aria nodded once, still staring outside.
"The world doesn't like change," she said.
"It reacts."
Marc swallowed.
"React how?"
Aria finally turned toward him.
"Not gently."
During break, Aiden approached Hana while she talked with Luca.
He wasn't angry — he looked lost.
"Hana," he said softly. "Can we talk?"
Hana blinked. "Oh—sure. Luca, I'll be right back."
As she stepped aside, Aiden stood very close to her, speaking quietly.
Luca pretended not to watch…
but he watched.
Hana's eyebrows furrowed.
Aiden looked frustrated, gesturing slightly.
She looked confused.
Then Aiden said something that made her eyes widen.
And she stepped back like she wasn't expecting it.
He didn't yell.
Didn't explode.
But his eyes were reflecting something sharp:
fear.
When Hana walked back over to Luca, she looked… bothered.
"You good?" Luca asked carefully.
"Yeah, he just—"
She hesitated.
"What?"
"He asked me why I'm changing," she whispered.
"He said I'm acting different lately."
Luca's stomach tightened.
Aiden said that?
"…And what did you say?" Luca asked.
Hana shrugged.
"I told him people change. That's normal."
Luca nodded slowly.
"Yeah. It is."
But inside, he felt a chill.
Aiden was starting to notice too much.
After class ended, Marc tried slipping into the hallway quickly.
But Ryo stepped in front of him, blocking the path.
"Marc," Ryo said.
Marc blinked. "Uh… what's up?"
Ryo adjusted his glasses.
"I have a question."
Marc braced himself.
"…Shoot."
Ryo watched him silently for a full five seconds before speaking.
"Why do emotional patterns shift when you and Luca get involved with people here?"
Marc's heart stopped.
"…Huh?"
Ryo didn't blink.
"You affect others more than normal. It's unnatural."
Marc forced a laugh.
"We're just friendly, bro. Chill."
Ryo shook his head.
"I'm not talking about friendships."
He lowered his voice.
"I'm talking about you bending emotional trajectories."
Marc froze.
He had no idea how to respond without exposing everything.
Ryo leaned closer.
"Why do you change people?"
Marc's throat tightened.
"I don't," he lied.
Ryo stepped back — not satisfied, but not pushing.
"For now," Ryo said, walking past him,
"I'll observe."
Marc exhaled shakily.
"…Shit."
Later, Marc found Aria sitting alone behind the gym.
Not reading.
Not sketching.
Just… sitting.
Head down.
Hands clenched.
She looked small — for the first time ever.
Marc approached slowly.
"Aria?"
She didn't answer.
Marc crouched in front of her.
"Hey. Talk to me."
Aria finally lifted her head — and for a split second, he saw something raw in her eyes.
Fear.
Sadness.
And something like… guilt.
"Marc," she whispered,
"the world is adjusting because of you."
Marc swallowed.
"Because of me?"
"And Luca," she whispered. "But mostly you."
Marc blinked.
"…What? Why me?"
Aria closed her eyes.
"Because I'm attached to you."
The world felt like it stopped moving.
Marc didn't breathe.
Aria flinched at her own words and immediately stood.
"That was… unnecessary," she muttered. "Forget it."
Marc stood too.
"Aria—"
She shook her head.
"We can't be close right now. It isn't safe."
Marc grabbed her wrist gently.
"Hey. Look at me."
She froze.
He softened his voice.
"Nothing bad is happening because of you."
Aria's lip trembled for half a second — the most emotion she'd ever shown.
"You don't understand," she whispered.
"I don't reset. I don't forget. But everyone else does."
Her voice broke.
"So when emotions change… I feel everything."
Marc felt his chest tighten painfully.
"Then you're not facing it alone anymore," he said.
Aria's breath hitched.
She didn't hug him.
She didn't reach for him.
But she whispered:
"…Thank you."
Like it was the hardest thing she'd ever said aloud.
As Luca and Hana walked home together, the lamps on the street flickered once.
Then again.
Like the world was glitching…
or adjusting around them.
Hana noticed.
"Did the lights just—?"
"Probably nothing," Luca lied.
At the same time, Marc walked Aria to her building.
She paused at the steps and looked back at him.
"Marc," she whispered, "you need to be careful."
Marc frowned.
"Why?"
Aria's eyes were soft but scared.
"Because the world is starting to notice you too."