Tyler arrived at Central Academy nearly forty minutes before the first bell.
Even by his standards, it was unusually early.
The school grounds looked completely different at this hour. Instead of crowded walkways and noisy conversations, only a handful of students wandered across the campus. A few members of sports clubs carried equipment toward the gymnasium while several teachers crossed the courtyard with cups of coffee in hand. The morning air still held traces of coolness from the previous night, making the entire campus feel calmer than usual.
As Tyler walked through the main gate, he immediately regretted his decision.
Too early.
Far too early.
At the time leaving home had seemed reasonable. After all, there was no point sitting around doing nothing. Now, however, he found himself wondering why he hadn't simply stayed in bed for another thirty minutes.
The thought lingered as he climbed the stairs toward the first-year hallway.
At least the classroom would be empty.
He could rest until everyone arrived.
That alone made the early trip worthwhile.
Reaching the door of Class 1-A, Tyler casually glanced through the small window before entering. Someone was already inside. A familiar figure sat near the center of the room with a book open on her desk.
Clara.
She sat perfectly still, completely absorbed in whatever she was reading. The classroom around her may as well not have existed. Her eyes moved steadily across the pages while strands of hair occasionally slipped forward near her face.
Tyler stared for a moment.
Early again. Then again, Clara had always been like this.
Even in his previous life. While most students arrived just before class started, Clara often appeared much earlier. Some habits never changed. He quietly opened the door and stepped inside.
The hinges produced a faint sound. Tyler walked toward his seat near the window.
Only when he passed her desk did she finally sense someone nearby.
Her head lifted.
At the exact same moment, Tyler heard her thought.
Good morning.
Before Clara could speak, Tyler answered.
"Yeah, good morning. Don't mind me. Do your work."
The words left his mouth casually.
Clara blinked.
The greeting she had been about to say remained stuck in her throat.
For a second she simply stared at him.
How did he...
Tyler heard the unfinished thought but pretended not to notice.
He continued toward the back row and dropped into his seat beside the window.
Clara watched him for another moment before eventually returning to her book.
The room fell silent again.
Tyler rested his head on folded arms.
The sunlight entering through the window felt comfortable.
Maybe I should've stayed home.
He closed his eyes.
Unfortunately, peace never lasted long inside Class 1-A.
Even after six months, interactions with Clara still felt awkward.
Not because of anything she had done.
Because of him.
Some memories were simply harder to bury than others.
He understood that better than most.
Several quiet minutes passed before the classroom door opened again.
Without lifting his head, Tyler immediately recognized the newcomers.
Danny Pierce.
Miles Crowe.
Their thoughts arrived before their voices did.
Why the hell are we even here this early?
Danny sounded annoyed.
Because you insisted on buying snacks.
Miles sounded equally annoyed.
Tyler almost smiled.
Some things never changed.
The pair entered the classroom while continuing an argument that had clearly started somewhere outside.
"I'm telling you," Danny complained, dropping into his chair, "nobody should be forced to wake up this early."
"You weren't forced," Miles replied.
"You literally woke me up."
"Because we have PE preparation."
Danny pointed accusingly at him.
"And we could've arrived twenty minutes later if somebody hadn't stopped at three different stores."
Miles stared.
"You bought the snacks."
Danny immediately looked away.
"That's not the point."
"It is exactly the point."
Danny ignored him.
Tyler listened quietly from the back.
Their friendship had always fascinated him.
They argued constantly.
Insulted each other regularly.
Yet somehow remained inseparable.
Maybe some people simply communicated through conflict.
A few moments later Danny's attention drifted around the room.
There wasn't much to see.
An empty classroom.
A sleeping Tyler.
A reading Clara.
Naturally, he chose Clara.
"Oh look," Danny called loudly across the room. "The library escaped again."
Clara didn't even look up.
"Good morning to you too."
Danny grinned.
"That's your third book this week."
"It's Wednesday."
"Exactly."
Clara slowly lowered the book and stared at him.
"What does that even mean?"
"It means you have a problem."
"I enjoy reading."
"No, you have a problem."
Miles snorted.
Danny immediately pointed toward Clara.
"See? Even Miles agrees."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your laugh supported my argument."
Clara pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I genuinely don't understand how you pass exams."
"Natural talent."
"Luck."
"Natural talent."
"Luck."
Danny leaned back dramatically.
"You're hurting my feelings."
The lack of actual hostility only encouraged him further.
Clara knew exactly what he was doing.
Unfortunately, that knowledge didn't make him any less annoying.
"Don't you have something useful to do?" she asked.
"No."
"Homework?"
"No."
"Reading?"
Danny looked horrified.
"Absolutely not."
Miles laughed again.
Danny pointed at him.
"See? That's a normal reaction."
Clara looked ready to throw the book at him.
Which, unfortunately, was exactly the response Danny wanted.
Tyler listened from the back while pretending to sleep.
Six months.
And Danny still exactly the same way.
Find someone, annoy them repeat until satisfied.
Eventually Danny lost interest.
His gaze wandered elsewhere.
A new target was needed.
Naturally, his eyes landed on Tyler.
The back-row seat.
The window.
The motionless figure resting on the desk.
Danny frowned.
Not a single reaction.
Not even once.
The entire conversation had happened and Tyler hadn't moved.
Danny considered his options.
Maybe I should bother him instead.
Immediately another thought appeared.
Don't.
Miles.
Danny glanced toward his friend.
"What?"
Miles shook his head.
"I'm telling you now, don't."
Danny rolled his eyes.
"Why?"
"Because I remember Sunny."
Danny fell silent.
So did Tyler.
Sunny.
That name still carried weight around school.
Months had passed since the rooftop incident, yet stories continued circulating.
Miles continued.
"Every time somebody tries starting something with him, it ends badly."
"I don't care."
"You absolutely care."
Danny clicked his tongue.
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
Danny crossed his arms.
"...Maybe a little."
Miles nodded.
The discussion ended there.
Tyler kept his head down, silently amused.
Danny wasn't afraid of him.
But he was cautious.
Which was somehow even funnier.
The classroom door opened again. This time Oliver Hayes entered. Instantly Danny's attention shifted. Tyler almost felt sorry for him. Oliver paused near the doorway after noticing everyone already inside. His posture immediately stiffened.
Danny smiled.
There it is.
The panic.
"Morning, Oliver," Danny called.
Oliver flinched.
"M-Morning."
Danny leaned forward.
"Did you get lost again?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"You looked confused."
"I wasn't confused."
Danny nodded seriously.
"That's exactly what a confused person would say."
Miles laughed.
Oliver's face immediately reddened.
"I know where my classroom is."
"Good."
Danny pointed toward Oliver's glasses.
"Can those things see through walls yet?"
"What?"
"The glasses."
"They're normal glasses."
Danny looked disappointed.
"Technology is disappointing."
Oliver quickly walked toward his seat.
The faster he escaped, the better.
Unfortunately, Danny wasn't finished.
"Don't trip."
Oliver nearly tripped.
Danny burst out laughing.
Miles joined him.
Oliver sat down as quickly as possible and pretended none of it happened.
From the back row, Tyler finally allowed a small smile.
Predictable.
Danny targeted annoyance and panic.
Tyler provided neither.
Which was probably why Danny disliked him.
The funny thing was that Tyler had never felt any desire to intervene.
People often expected unfair situations to be challenged.
Reality rarely worked that way.
When Sunny made his life miserable in the previous timeline, Danny certainly hadn't stepped forward to help.
Everyone had their own problems. Their own priorities. Their own limits. That was simply how people worked.
As more students began arriving, the noise level inside Class 1-A steadily increased. Conversations formed in small groups, chairs scraped across the floor, and bags landed on desks one after another. The brief peace of the early morning was slowly disappearing.
Meanwhile, several students were still making their way through the hallway.
Chris walked at the front of the group with his usual carefree energy. Beside him was Kai, who carried his bag over one shoulder while listening to Noah complain about something that probably wasn't important.
"By the way," Chris suddenly said, "I didn't see Tyler this morning."
Noah blinked.
"What about him?"
"He wasn't on the usual route."
Kai adjusted his glasses slightly.
"Maybe he overslept."
Chris immediately nodded.
"That's probably it."
A grin spread across his face.
"He definitely didn't come early. That's one thing I'm absolutely certain about."
Noah laughed.
"True."
"Tyler voluntarily arriving early?" Chris continued dramatically. "The world would end first."
Behind them, Eris, Amaya, and Aria caught up.
"Good morning," Amaya greeted.
"Morning," Chris replied cheerfully.
Aria nodded toward the group.
"You're unusually loud today."
"That's because Noah hasn't said anything stupid yet," Chris answered.
Noah looked offended.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Everything."
Kai sighed.
"Unfortunately, he's not wrong."
Amaya covered her mouth to hide a laugh while Noah pointed accusingly at both of them.
"This class is full of traitors."
Chris placed a hand on Noah's shoulder.
"No, my friend. We're simply observers of reality."
"Reality says you're annoying."
"Reality is often cruel."
The group laughed.
Only Eris remained unusually quiet.
She walked beside them while barely paying attention to the conversation. Her mind was somewhere else entirely.
Crimson eyes.
Blood.
The stair landing.
The image replayed again.
And again.
And again.
No matter how many times she told herself Tyler looked completely fine afterward, the memory refused to leave.
What was that?
Her thoughts circled around the same question.
Was he sick?
Was it some strange side effect of his abilities?
Was he hiding something?
She didn't know.
And that uncertainty bothered her far more than she wanted to admit. By the time the group reached Class 1-A, Chris was still talking.
"...and then Noah somehow missed the goal from two meters away."
"It slipped!"
"It slipped into another dimension."
Noah opened his mouth to argue again.
Chris ignored him and pushed open the classroom door.
The moment he stepped inside, he froze.
"Well that's weird."
Noah immediately looked around.
"What?"
Chris pointed dramatically toward the back row.
"He came early."
Kai followed his gaze.
There, beside the window, Tyler was resting his head on the desk exactly as if he had been there for hours.
Kai raised an eyebrow.
"Did he come early just to sleep in class?"
Laughter immediately broke out.
"That sounds like him," Noah said.
The group entered and moved toward their desks.
Along the way they greeted Clara.
"Morning, Clara."
"Good morning."
Unlike earlier, Clara seemed relieved that more people had finally arrived. At least Danny now had additional targets.
Chris dropped his bag beside his desk and immediately pointed toward Tyler.
"Wake up."
No response.
Chris poked his shoulder.
"Wake up. The sun is up."
Without lifting his head, Tyler replied, "Tell him to go down."
Chris stared.
"...What?"
"The sun."
Tyler's voice remained muffled against the desk.
"Tell him to go down."
Chris slowly turned toward Kai.
"I think he broke himself."
Kai nodded seriously.
"Reasonable conclusion."
Aria walked past them and placed her bag on her desk.
"Class starts soon."
Finally Tyler lifted his head.
His hair was slightly messy from sleeping. He casually ran a hand through it before looking at everyone.
"Morning."
"Morning," several voices replied.
Chris crossed his arms.
"How did you even arrive this early?"
Tyler yawned.
"Already regretting it."
Chris grinned.
"I knew it."
Then his eyes drifted toward Clara.
A mischievous smile immediately appeared.
"Oh? So did you two finally have a conversation or are you still ignoring each other like always?"
Tyler didn't even look at him.
"Shut up."
"That means yes."
"It means shut up."
Chris looked pleased with himself.
Tyler rolled his eyes and glanced toward Clara.
She was currently talking with Aaron Foster near the center of the classroom.
For a brief moment, an old memory surfaced.
A familiar scene.
A familiar smile.
A familiar outcome.
Tyler's expression softened slightly before confusion suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
A strange thought entered his hearing range.
Not from Clara.
From his right.
He turned his head.
Eris.
She was sitting quietly at her desk.
Completely distracted.
What if it happens again?
The thought surfaced clearly.
His eyes were bleeding...
Maybe I should've forced him to go to the infirmary.
What if—
Tyler stared.
She was still thinking about yesterday?
The realization surprised him.
Usually Eris moved on from problems quickly.
Yet she had apparently been replaying the entire incident since last night.
"Hey."
No response.
Tyler reached into his pencil case.
Pulled out a pen.
And poked her side.
"Ow!"
Eris immediately jumped.
Several nearby students looked over.
Tyler smirked.
"What's up?"
Eris glared at him.
"You stabbed me."
"It was a pen."
"You stabbed me with a pen."
"Important distinction."
A few students laughed.
Eris rubbed her side before sighing.
"Good morning."
"There we go."
"You're annoying."
"I've heard that before."
Eris narrowed her eyes.
Then paused.
"How are you feeling?"
Tyler understood the real question immediately.
"Fine."
"Actually fine?"
"Yes."
"No weird headaches?"
"No."
"No collapsing on stairs?"
"No."
"No bleeding eyes?"
Tyler looked around.
"You're really trying to make me sound suspicious."
Eris crossed her arms.
"You were suspicious."
"Fair."
That answer seemed to relax her slightly.
Before the conversation could continue further, the classroom door opened once again.
Ms. Hart entered carrying several folders.
Almost instantly the room settled.
Students returned to their seats.
"Good morning, everyone."
"Good morning, Ms. Hart."
The response echoed through the classroom.
Ms. Hart placed the folders on her desk and glanced across the room.
Her eyes briefly stopped on Tyler.
Specifically, the fact that he was actually awake.
A rare sight.
"Good," she said. "At least some miracles still happen."
Several students laughed.
Tyler sighed.
Chris looked delighted.
And just like that, another school day officially began.