"Alright, I'll take a look," Liam said.
The meal was finished quickly, and Ethan pushed his chair back to stand.
"Leaving already?" Liam asked.
"Well, yes. I have school tomorrow," Ethan replied.
"Fair enough." Liam stood as well, offering a respectful nod.
"Please look after my mother from a distance while I'm away," Ethan said, his voice dropping to a more serious tone.
Liam didn't hesitate. "Leave everything to me."
Ethan offered a rare smile. Liam extended his hand. "Thanks for coming, kid."
Ethan shook it firmly, gave a short nod of acknowledgment, and headed for the door.
By the time Ethan reached his house, the night was quiet. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, clicking it shut behind him. He immediately noticed a packed bag sitting by the entrance. So, Daisy's already done, he thought.
The sound of a door creaking open drew his attention. His mother stepped out into the hallway, her face lighting up when she saw him.
"You're home! Have you eaten yet?" she asked.
"I have, Mom. Thank you."
"Ethan," she said, her expression turning maternal and firm, "look after your sister while you're on this trip."
Ethan nodded without a second thought. "Don't worry. As long as I'm near her, no one will dare touch her."
His mother smiled, reassured by the conviction in his voice.
"I need to go pack," Ethan added, turning toward his room.
"I already took care of it," she said, giving him a playful thumbs-up. "Just rest for now; you have a long day tomorrow. Just check the bag in the morning to make sure I didn't miss anything."
Ethan felt a surge of gratitude. "Thank you, Mom. You didn't have to go through the trouble."
"It was no trouble at all. Get some sleep."
Across the city, the other students were also preparing for the journey ahead.
At Madison's house, Madison was finally back on her feet. With Yuri's help, she finished packing her essentials and collapsed into bed the moment Yuri left the room. Nearby, Allen zipped up his own suitcase and turned in early, exhausted from the day's events.
In another neighborhood, Enzo had finished his preparations hours ago. He was currently hunched over his PC, the glow of the monitor reflecting in his eyes as he focused intensely on a high-stakes FPS game.
Meanwhile, Olivia was multi-tasking. She was tossing clothes into a suitcase while her phone sat on the bed, Emma's voice coming through the speaker.
"...that's all I could gather," Emma said.
"So, you're saying Sophia is close with Madison and Daisy?" Olivia asked, rubbing her temples as she tried to connect the dots.
"Exactly. So, what's the plan?"
"I already told you," Olivia said coldly. "First, we try to be nice to her. If she doesn't cooperate, we'll do what we have to do."
"The plan is fine," Emma said hesitantly, "but what if she really doesn't know anything about that guy in the helmet?"
"She has to know. Someone came to save her—that means they have a connection, even if she's playing dumb."
"I think you and your brother are overthinking this, Liv," Emma sighed. "What if he's just some random student from our school? He sees a girl surrounded by men, he jumps in to help. Any guy with a conscience would do that."
"Then why the helmet? He was clearly trying to hide his identity."
"Or," Emma countered, "he was just in a hurry. You said he had a bike. Maybe he was on his way to school, saw the trouble, and didn't even take the time to pull the helmet off."
Olivia paused, considering it. "You might be right, but there's still a chance Sophia knows him. After we confront her, we'll have our answers. If she really doesn't know him, we'll find another way to flush him out."
"Whatever you say. You packed?"
"Almost. See you tomorrow."
The call ended, and Olivia took a deep breath, staring at her suitcase before finally switching off the lights.
The next morning arrived with a clear sky.
Madison woke up naturally, feeling refreshed. After freshening up, she headed downstairs to find Allen and Yuri already at the table. Yuri was busy sending a pointed glare in Allen's direction, which he seemed to be pointedly ignoring.
"Good morning," Madison said, breaking the tension.
"Good morning, Madison," Yuri chirped, her mood shifting instantly. "How are you feeling?"
"Perfectly normal. Thanks for taking such good care of me, Yuri."
"Of course! Now, sit down and eat."
Once breakfast was over, Madison and Allen headed out to a car waiting at the curb. Allen loaded their bags into the trunk, and they drove toward the school.
When they arrived, the campus was buzzing. Students were everywhere, chatting excitedly and clutching their luggage. Madison spotted Daisy sitting on a bench with Ethan standing guard nearby.
Madison grabbed her bag and hurried over. When Daisy saw her, she jumped up, and the two girls shared a tight hug.
Watching them, Allen couldn't help but think, Every time I see them, it's like watching long-lost sisters reunite.
"Good morning, Ethan," Madison said with a smile.
"Morning," Ethan replied simply.
As the girls sat down and descended into their own private conversation, Allen leaned back and let out a breath, a small smirk playing on his lips. It's good Madison has a friend like that. A genuine one, he thought.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden chill. He looked up to find Ethan narrowing his eyes at him, his fists clenched.
"What?" Allen asked, confused.
"What were you staring at?" Ethan's voice was low and dangerous.
"What was I looking at? I was just—"
"You were looking at Daisy."
Allen sighed, realizing the misunderstanding. "Relax. Remember at the hospital, when you were staring at Madison without even realizing it? It's like that. I was just thinking about how great it is that those two have become such good friends."
Ethan paused, his defensive posture softening as he realized Allen was being sincere. "Sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."
"No worries," Allen said with a shrug. "If I had a sister and I saw some guy looking at her, I'd probably want to punch him, too."
Ethan reached into the side pocket of his bag and pulled out a wrapped sandwich, tossing it to Allen. "Compensation for the accusation."
Allen caught it and grinned. "I'll take it."
Just then, the school gates swung wide. A line of large buses pulled into the lot, followed by the homeroom teachers from all three year levels. The trip was officially beginning.
Students headed to the buses according to their classes and teachers.