Chapter 5: Another girl from the dream?
When Cain reached the rooftop, he pushed the heavy metal door open and stepped into the sunlight. The space was larger than he expected—wide concrete flooring, several wooden benches, and a line of tall potted trees placed for shade. A quiet breeze passed through the leaves, making soft rustling sounds.
There weren't many students. A few sat at tables accompanied by their maids or butlers who arranged their meals neatly. Cain ignored them and headed to the farthest corner—behind the last tree, where the shade fell evenly and no one would bother to look.
He sat down with a tired sigh.
"Woke up too late… no time to cook," he muttered to himself. "But eating something is better than getting an ulcer."
He opened his lunch bag and took out a small can of meatloaf and a container of rice. With a cheap metal spoon, he scooped a portion and took a bite.
"Ahh… meatloaf is good," he whispered, enjoying the simple taste.
Then—
A voice. Soft. Close.
He froze.
His brain clicked into panic immediately.
"Wait… no way. I made sure this spot was empty. No rich brats near me, no students, no noise. Don't tell me… it's that thing I saw in the window earlier."
A cold chill crawled up his back. He slowly turned his head to the right—
And stopped.
He wasn't looking at a floating mask… but a person.
A girl. Someone he completely missed because a thick tree trunk had been blocking her from sight when he chose this corner.
She sat on the ground with her back against the tree, long legs stretched out as she quietly ate from her own lunchbox. Her hair was long, straight, and silky black, falling smoothly over her shoulders. She wore no makeup, yet she was naturally beautiful. She has sapphire like eyes, Her eyelashes were long and her expression calm, almost expressionless.
She looked tall—around six feet, definitely taller than Cain's five-six. Her posture was relaxed but her presence felt comforting for some reason, like someone who preferred to stay invisible even though she clearly stood out.
She looked down at her lunch once, then at her phone. Her expression changed. Her eyes softened, her lips pressed together. She looked like she was trying not to cry. She took a slow breath, blinked twice, and forced the tears back.
The sky darkened a little as a cloud passed over the sun. The shadow moved across the rooftop and over both Cain and the girl. For a moment, it made that strange memory in his dream flash inside his head again—the woman with black hair running in the forest.
"Again… the same feeling as when I first met that bratty, spoiled queen Eliza," Cain muttered under his breath.
He looked at the girl again.
"If Eliza looks like a princess… this girl looks like someone from a novel."
Without noticing, he stared too long. Then he checked his watch.
"Wait—what!? It's already over?" He almost dropped it. "How long did I stare? It's already 10:24? My next class is about to start!"
He quickly gathered himself.
"My lunch break is only until the second subject ends… then biology starts at 10:30. I can't be late for that."
He shoveled the rest of the meatloaf and rice into his mouth as fast as he could.
"Done," he whispered as he snapped the lid back on the lunch containers and shoved them inside his bag.
He stood, adjusted his uniform, and rushed toward the stairwell. Just before he stepped off the rooftop, he glanced back one last time toward the girl.
She still sat there, looking down at her phone, shoulders slightly trembling, trying to keep herself composed.
Cain stared for one second too long—then ran.
Cain stepped into the classroom at 10:26. The room was nearly empty except for one person sitting near the center.
Eliza.
She sat like she owned the room—legs crossed, golden blonde hair reflecting the sun rays from the window, her designer bag placed neatly on the desk beside her. The second she noticed Cain, her expression shifted into an amused smirk.
"Oh, look. The peasant finally crawled back," she said, voice dripping with arrogance. "How was lunch? Did your little dog food taste delicious while you sat alone like some stray?"
Cain clenched his jaw for a moment but didn't rise to it.
"…I ate my lunch. That's all."
Eliza scoffed and flicked her glossy hair over her shoulder.
"Well, of course you did. People like you always settle for whatever pathetic thing you can find. Meanwhile, I managed to eat actual high-quality food and still arrive on time. That's how a mannered lady uses her time. You should try it."
He kept his gaze forward, replying in a calm, tight tone. "Good for you being rich and having manners."
"Yes," she said firmly, "it is good for me. Try to improve yourself. It's embarrassing to share a class with someone who moves like he's half-asleep."
Cain didn't answer. He walked past her, sat at his desk, and took out his notebook. A few students entered, filling the room with low chatter. Chairs shifted. Bags dropped on desks.
At exactly 10:30, the door opened again.
A middle aged tall man walked in wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks and glasses, carrying a stack of folders. He placed them on the teacher's table.
"Settle down," he said, tone steady and formal. "We're starting."
"Good morning, students," he said in a calm, steady voice. "I'm Professor Alden Reyes. I'll be your biology instructor for this semester."
The room quickly quieted.
The professor continued, adjusting his glasses. "We'll focus on understanding how living systems work. You'll handle specimens, examine structures under the microscope, and run several small experiments. This class is practical. Not theoretical only."
The scratch of pens and the soft shifting of notebooks filled the room.
"We begin with today's topic: cellular structure."
He wrote CELLULAR STRUCTURE – INTRODUCTION on the board with firm strokes.
Eliza leaned back slightly, arms crossed, whispering just loud enough for Cain to hear,
"You'd better take notes properly, peasant. You already look like someone who'll fail the first quiz."
Cain kept his eyes on the board, refusing to turn toward her.
The professor continued,
"A cell is the basic unit of life. Everything you are—every function of your body—begins from a cell. But before we go deeper, you need a clear understanding of what you're looking at."
He picked up a small box from the table and held it up.
"We'll start with onion epidermal cells for your first hands-on activity this week."
Students murmured quietly, some interested, some bored.
Eliza sighed dramatically.
"Ugh… onion cells? Honestly, this feels like a middle school experiment. Do they not have more refined materials?"
Cain turned a page in his notebook.
He didn't say anything, but his fingers tightened slightly on his pen.
The lesson continued, the professor's voice steady and clear.
For the rest of the class, Cain focused on the lecture, trying to ignore the cold, arrogant, annoying voice in the seat beside him.
Time passed fast and Cain already walking in the hallway.
"Good work surviving in your first day peasant see you tomorrow~" Eliza said mockingly.