24 September – 12:00 p.m.
Barely had the button been pressed when a flood of screams rang out. The next instant, the sound of running footsteps echoed through the halls. Yumiel glanced out the window and saw hundreds of students drenched in ink. The three of them burst into exhilarating laughter.
« Yumiel, how's your arm? When you showed it to the teacher, I couldn't believe it — you hit yourself on purpose. Why go that far? »
« If I hadn't done it, she never would've believed me. And besides, it's bearable. Thanks for worrying about me, Morgane. »
The footsteps gradually died down, and everything became silent. Until someone suddenly rushed toward the room they were in. The door flew open, slamming against the wall behind it. Everyone was shocked, but the most stunned of all was Mathis.
« Mei? »
Mathis stood up to go to her. Mei was covered from head to toe in ink — it was almost hard to recognize her face.
« YUMIEL, YOU BITCH, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS DRESS COST ME?! »
Morgane and Yumiel laughed at Mei's condition, especially since none of them had ever gotten along with her.
Mei came from a wealthy family in London — she never had to worry about anything, inheriting her family's wealth and using it to buy people off. She'd always believed herself superior.
« Mei, calm down, it was just a prank, nothing more. Come on, laugh with us. »
« YOU — you knew she put several explosives or whatever in my bag, didn't you? And in my desk, too. I ended up being one of the most affected! »
Mathis turned to look at Yumiel, who gave him a wink. His gaze shifted to Morgane, who gave him a thumbs-up. Mathis swore internally that as much as he loved his friends, he hated them just as much.
« Mei, please believe me, I didn't know anything, I swear. Tell you what? Let's go out and eat at your favorite restaurant. »
Yumiel and Morgane whispered in the background, saying that some popcorn wouldn't hurt for this kind of drama.
« You see, that's exactly your problem, Mathis. You never ask the right questions, you never think. I've had enough. I'm telling you one last time — either you dump those two losers, or I dump you. »
For Mathis, it was a horrible ultimatum — he had always been kind-hearted and never wanted to hurt anyone. But forced to choose, he would inevitably disappoint someone. Mathis remained still for a long moment. No one knew whether he was thinking or not. In any case, the first person to speak wasn't Mathis nor Mei, but Morgane.
She stood from her chair, making a gesture as if handing her invisible popcorn to Yumiel, who caught it. She walked toward Mathis and placed a hand on his shoulder. Mathis turned his head. She brushed her hand across his back before stepping toward Mei, stopping just a few steps away.
« In my life, I've had the chance to see a lot of trash, but rarely some like you. You must know what my parents do for a living, right? My father is a film producer, and my mother used to be a stripper. Now she's a housewife. I've seen both worlds: the one where people crawl on the floor, and the one where people walk all over you. »
Morgane bit her lip lightly before continuing.
« People like you belong to a tiny minority — the ones who think they can control everything, who think they're kings of the world. And that's what I hate the most. So now get lost, I don't like poorly dressed things. »
Mathis, still spaced out, tried to discreetly slip away but was interrupted.
« I see very well what you're trying to do, but it won't work. Mathis will give me his answer here and now. I won't wait any longer — I've waited enough. »
No, he didn't want to choose. It was too hard. On one side, his friends — the ones he laughed with, went to school with, played music with, pulled pranks with… friends he could always count on. And on the other, the girl he loved — the one he wanted to spend his life with and cherish until the end.
« Your choice is horrible, Mei. Do you really love him if you say something like that? You know it's going to break him. »
Mei took a breath. She inhaled and exhaled slowly.
« Mathis, I'm really sorry to say it like this, but I don't want you getting involved with them anymore — for your sake, for your reputation. We've talked about this before and you keep brushing it aside. This time I'm cornering you. Understand me too — you as well, Morgane and Yumiel — I don't want to take this friendship from you, but this has to stop. For us. For our future. »
Her words struck Morgane and Mathis. Even if she didn't wish to hurt anyone, they couldn't stand her. But Yumiel wasn't moved at all.
She stood up and placed her invisible popcorn on the floor beside her. All eyes were on her.
« Okay Mei, I will respect Mathis's decision, whatever he chooses. I'll support him. So don't pretend you don't want to take this friendship away when you're literally doing exactly that, and don't even think about using your connections if Mathis chooses us, you hear me? Or I swear my pranks will turn into nightmares for you. What annoys me the most is that you came here acting like Morgane and I wouldn't accept his decision. Now that we're clear, get out. »
Mei nodded, as if an agreement had been formed. She threw one last look at Mathis, as if saying: Next time, you'll give me your answer.
Once Mei left, a deep sigh of relief spread among them. They each pulled up a chair and sat in a circle.
« Thanks, girls… really. But I still don't know what choice I'm going to make. I want to stay with you but… »
« Are you stupid or what? Yumiel said all that just to get rid of her. She confronted Mei to calm the situation down and give you time. All you have to do is hang out with Mei for a while and come back later. I don't see the problem. I don't think Mei will say anything either — she just wants you two to spend more time together. She was just looking for an excuse to monopolize you, that's all. »
Mathis, looking clueless, stared at Morgane. He wanted to say something, but Yumiel waved her hand at him. Their silent conversation could have lasted forever, but the bell announcing the start of class rang. As they headed to their next class, they ran into their homeroom teacher, slightly splattered with ink.
He grabbed Yumiel's injured arm, making her flinch in pain. Her face twisted into various expressions as the teacher tightened his grip. He noticed her expression too late. Letting her go abruptly, Yumiel stepped back while holding her left arm.
« You're hurt? My apologies. I'll have to ask you to follow me, Yumiel. As for you two, you may go. »
Mathis and Morgane left immediately. The teacher took Yumiel into an empty room, pulled out two chairs, placing them face-to-face, and locked the door. He motioned for her to sit. Yumiel sat on the closest chair, holding her injured arm. The teacher returned and sat across from her.
« Yumiel, from now on, let's forget about formalities. You can talk to me normally. Like you talk to your friends, or anyone else. »
Yumiel, puzzled at first, didn't understand the reason, but simply nodded.
« Haha, perfect, then, I'd like to ask you a few questions. Why do you do this? »
A silence fell between them. Yumiel just observed like a predator ready to pounce. Seeing the awkward silence and her gaze fixed on him, the teacher clarified.
« I'm talking about the pranks, of course. »
After a few seconds of silence, Yumiel finally spoke:
« I thought, the first time, that — what can I say — I express myself, that's all. I'm a young girl trying to understand the futility of life through the art of pranks and trickery on other living beings. »
« Philosophy? I see. So you think your pranks are purely art and deceiving others is just a game? I don't believe a word of it, Yumiel. You're smarter than that, yet it reflects your state of mind. Hand me your arm. »
Yumiel gave him her right arm. The teacher looked at her as if to say, don't treat me like an idiot. She offered her left arm. He rolled up the sleeve to see a massive, swollen bruise — it must have hurt a lot, he thought.
« How did you do this? And don't lie — you must realize this was unnecessary. »
She looked at him, realizing that any false or evasive answer would be useless. Should she be honest?
« Teacher Madam Allen asked why we were late, and I told her I had tripped. »
The teacher raised an eyebrow.
« But the reality is that I hit my arm against the door frame to make it look like an injury and be allowed into class. »
Surprised, he looked at Yumiel's injury again before regaining composure.
« Interesting. But then, why insist on going to class when all you do is sleep? »
Not knowing what to answer, Yumiel stayed silent. The teacher continued his questioning.
« If you don't know, why go to such lengths to hurt yourself? »
« That would have ruined my prank. It had to be perfect. You… I mean, you can't understand. I invested so much time in making them. I wasn't going to give up just because of a little pain when my friends helped me get this far. »
« So you're saying you went so far as to injure yourself for the sake of your prank and to protect your friends. Remarkable determination — many wouldn't be able to do that. You know what I admire about you? »
He paused, stood up, searched through his bag, then returned to sit. He finally pulled out a bruise ointment and applied it on Yumiel's arm while finishing his sentence.
« I've tried to anticipate your pranks — many others have too — but no one's ever managed. You're unpredictable. Nobody knows where, when, or how you'll strike. But one thing's certain: you never do anything halfway. I admire that, yes. »
Once the ointment was applied, he closed the tube and put it back in his bag.
« Now tell me, why did you, someone with incredible grades in physics, chemistry, and astronomy, choose the History and World Conflict department? You had everything to succeed elsewhere, so why? Is that why you've been playing pranks for over a year? »
Yumiel paused for a moment before responding, sensing her teacher's sincerity.
« Professor, no. Adam, will we be able to travel freely in space in about twenty years? Will we be able to find the Bermuda Triangle? Could we explain the "hum"? Or seismic lights? Or even Stonehenge or the Nazca Lines? And I'm only talking about unproven scientific phenomena — I could go on with paranormal things, but you understand. »
Yumiel swallowed, took some water from her flask, and continued.
« I chose the History and World Conflict department because, for me, I'll die before the truth comes. And I refuse to devote my life to "the future." The rest has never interested me. In reality, science itself doesn't interest me — I continued because everyone insisted I continue. They said I was a genius. But no one ever asks the genius for their opinion, right? »
Adam stayed silent, searching for a proper response but coming up empty. Yumiel stared at him. Finally, he gave up.
« That's all. Thank you for answering my questions. Know that as your homeroom teacher, I take my role very seriously, so if you have any problem, you can come to me. I called your father — he should be downstairs to pick you up. You're dismissed for today; you can go home. »
For Yumiel, it was a test — her teacher tested her. But Adam must have felt the same — she deemed it right to communicate some information. She had been honest, and few teachers act that way.
After formal goodbyes, she sent a message to her friends saying she was heading home. She went down the stairs to the school courtyard but took a small detour. Arriving at the staff room, she rummaged through her jiangshi outfit and pulled out a few remaining talismans. She hid them in her long sleeves and knocked on the door.
The door opened, revealing a stiff, tired-looking teacher.
« Yes? »
« Hello, sir, I'm here on behalf of Professor Adam. I need to pick up a new transfer student today. I'm here because I'm afraid she might have gotten lost. »
The teacher, puzzled, let her in. Once inside, she stuck a talisman on the exit door. Following the teacher, she entered the main room. Several teachers were there but too busy to notice her. The room was well-equipped: a coffee machine, a couch, and even a TV. Many desks had piles of documents — apparently, someone was late. The teacher who brought Yumiel asked her to wait and left to check the register.
Of course, she didn't wait. She placed her remaining talismans in strategic spots: behind the couch, under cushions, inside the coffee machine for a darker brew than in Italy. Once done, she moved through the offices, pretending to follow the teachers. When her stock was depleted, she left as quickly as possible.
« Excuse me, Miss Yumiel. »
Near the exit, she had no choice but to turn around. The person addressing her was Professor Allen.
« Yes, ma'am. »
« What are you doing here? Didn't your homeroom teacher send you home because of your injury? Speaking of which, your teacher really takes care of his students — he asked me a lot of questions about you. »
« And what did you tell him, ma'am, if it's not indiscreet? »
« That you're a good student. What else? And that you were injured today. »
Yumiel was perplexed: why would her homeroom teacher mask today's dismissal as an injury? Why didn't the sanction go further? It was as if he had covered it up.
« Thank you, ma'am. My father is waiting; I have to go. Take care. »
She grabbed the door and ran down the stairs to the courtyard, exited to the street, and saw her father's car — a sleek black Bentley with silver rims parked in front of the university. She ran to the car, opened the door, and got in. Her father didn't greet her, started the car, and drove off immediately.
A dead silence filled the car. Her father was focused on the road, speeding along. Yumiel took out her small detonator from her bag and pressed it. The charges weren't far from the university; they should explode. She smiled. She had always felt alive doing completely improbable, slightly crazy things. She couldn't explain why.
« I'll drop you home and leave. The ointment is in the medicine kit in the bathroom. »
Her father spoke quickly; one could see the nervousness on his face. She was used to seeing him stressed or constrained, but this was the first time she saw him so agitated. His phone rang.
« Hello? Yes, yes, I see, thank you, goodbye. Your school called. It was your homeroom teacher. He asked how you were and said that next time you'd need to work harder. »
Surprise was written all over her face. For her, it was impossible that her homeroom teacher would cover for her this much. Her father noticed her wandering thoughts.
« Looks like this year you have a good teacher. Your mother worries, so don't overdo it; he won't cover for you forever, and neither will I. »
Perplexed, she looked at her father. He covered for her with her mother — she knew that — but saying it aloud meant something significant was behind it. Silence is the best weapon: if she didn't speak, he would eventually say what he wanted. Finally, he sighed before making his request.
« I'd like your opinion. A strange phenomenon is happening: some people, mainly groups of high school students, have disappeared. If you don't know about it, that's fine; I just want your thoughts. They call you a genius, right? »
A fake smile appeared on her face. Again, those words: "genius." To her, she wasn't — otherwise, she wouldn't be playing pranks.
« Oh. »
Her father hesitated, as if the weight on his shoulders was immense.
« Everywhere in the world. The phenomenon started at 12:00 and ended at 13:00. Since then, nothing. We count about 1,000 to 1,500 missing. Many scientists are on it, but nothing has been found. Absolutely, all traces are gone. I warn you, you must not speak about this to anyone. »
Yumiel's eyes lit up. An unexplainable phenomenon always made her heart race. Although she didn't care about the overall picture, she wanted the truth.
« So, to summarize: between 12:00 and 13:00, more than 1,000 to 1,500 people disappeared, mainly high school students, all over the world? »
« Yes. »
« The conclusion: either an extremely organized terrorist group, or paranormal phenomena. The first option seems weak, given the lack of evidence. I bet on the second. But the only unproven phenomena based solely on reports would be matter teleportation or a rift in space-time. Of course, it would require an absurd amount of energy — a bit like a mini black hole. The most logical would be that (for no explainable reason) several black holes appeared in different places. »
While Yumiel pondered, they arrived at her destination.
« Our experts reached a similar conclusion. It's good for a history student. Alright, I have work to do. »
She got out of the car, grabbed her bag, and her father left immediately.
Tired from the day, she walked slowly to her house. The neighborhood she lived in could easily be considered affluent. The luxury cars parked along the street said a lot. She inserted the key and closed the door.
September 24, 2:00 PM
Searching the house for her mother, she confirmed she wasn't home. She rummaged through her room until she found a hidden set of keys — a duplicate of her father's, left upstairs. She crossed the hallway to a door that was always kept closed.
« Sorry, Dad, but I need to know. »
Testing each key one by one, she finally heard the door click open. Her father's office was typical: books, files, but especially his computer. It wasn't surprising her father knew about global phenomena before retreating into his role as an inspector — they worked for secret intelligence services.
« Let's turn it on. »
The computer lacked a power button; it had to be plugged in and unplugged each time. Plugging it in, the PC booted up to a "Please enter password" screen.
« Hmm, if I remember… surviving in another world! 1023 »
Wrong password! Please try again.
« What? Damn it! »
Yumiel pinched her temple. Finding the correct password would take time. She searched through books and documents within reach. Her brain worked at full speed, but she couldn't find a viable password. After several long hours, she gave up — her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since morning.
Downstairs, she went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, grabbed eggs and bacon, cooked a beautiful bacon omelet, and ate it with yogurt. Then she sat on the couch, turning on the news.
Daily news: Several students were spotted with ink stains on their clothes, some soaked head to toe — a prank that went wrong.
« Oh damn, » she said, then smiled.« At least they're sure not to die of heat, haha. »
Next story: the suspected serial killer Albert Norton still hasn't been found. Police think he may have access to an underground network, allowing him to escape quickly. Recall, he's accused of two murders and one alleged rape. If you see him, notify authorities.
September 24, 8:00 PM
Collapsed on the couch, the doorknob suddenly moved. Yumiel got up, turned off the TV, and went to open the door. Metallic key sounds could be heard trying to fit into the lock, the knob turning simultaneously. Unlocking the door from inside, she opened it. Her mother was behind, confused, with her keys in hand. She took a few seconds to react.
« My daughter, how many times do I have to tell you — don't open the door when we're out. And if it had been a murderer, hmm? »
« Great, now I can't even open the door for my parents. Awesome. »
« Arghhh, you and your comebacks… Anyway, your father told me you came home early. You got hurt helping your teacher, apparently? So tell me, why are you wearing that outfit? »
« Ah, » was all Yumiel could think. She had completely forgotten, obsessed with uncovering the truth about the phenomenon her father mentioned and being hungry. Maybe also because the outfit was very comfortable. She laughed internally — being a genius doesn't always pay off.
« This? No, Mom, it's nothing. With my friends, we were thinking about whether to wear costumes for the music performance. »
Her mother passed by, opened the fridge, and took orange juice.
« I'll let it slide this time; I don't have the energy for this. »
No expert was needed to see that, Yumiel thought.
« I already ate. I'll take a shower and work. If Dad's late, call me; I'll come eat with you. »
« Your father is very busy. He won't be home tonight. »
Yumiel went to her room and locked it. She ran to the shower, undid her buns, letting her long hair fall, removed her clothes, and ran the bath. While waiting for it to fill, she grabbed her chair, slid to her PC, and searched: "recent paranormal phenomenon." After long minutes, she found nothing conclusive. She went to take her bath.
« Nothing beats a good bath. »
Yumiel thought about what her father said, then about something else: why her teacher was so kind. Or was it admiration? Or even… UNEXPECTED LOVE? Her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.
« Ah, who's calling? Hello? »
The voice sounded like her homeroom teacher, Adam.
« Mr… Mr. Adam, what brings you to call so late? You want to know if I'm okay? Yes, I'm fine, thank you. But how did you get my number? From the register, yes, that makes sense. What am I doing? I'm taking a bath. Pardon, could you repeat? You… you want to see me? »
Yumiel's heart raced. It wasn't the first time, but it was the first time someone so much older flirted with her.
« Uh, sir, listen, I'm very flattered, but I'm not interested in that. »
Yumiel didn't want to crush hopes. It takes nerve to flirt with a student over the phone; it could even be a crime. So she said timidly:
« But if you want, maybe one day we could have coffee? »
« Hello? »
…
Suddenly the voice changed, piercing Yumiel's eardrums.
« IT'S US! DID YOU REALLY THINK SO? HAHA, coffee? HAHAHA. »
A voice changer? She'd been tricked by those two idiots.
Furious, she hung up instantly. She got out of the bath, dried off, put on her pajamas, and began researching what her father mentioned. Of course, she found nothing. She gave up and went to bed.
September 25, 12:00 AM
This date marked the beginning of the new world, and everyone would remember it.