A new day had come.
The Day of Mel.
The sound of birds reached my ears.
Soft. Distant.
Annoying.
"Mmm… I don't want to go to school."
I sighed and clung to my bed.
Sleep pulled me back under.
There was still time.
One absence wouldn't matter.
I hadn't missed a single day since I started high school.
…Just one wouldn't hurt.
"You look so cute when you sleep."
I opened my eyes slightly.
And there she was.
Alya.
Smiling.
Right in front of me.
I shot up instantly.
—"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
She blinked.
Calm.
Too calm.
—"Sleeping. Watching you sleep."
—"…That's not normal."
—"It is for me."
I rubbed my face.
Trying to wake up.
—"How did you even get here?"
She stretched slightly.
—"Yesterday, while I was healing you, you fell asleep. So I brought you to your room."
—"And then?"
—"I got tired too."
Pause.
—"So I stayed."
Pause.
—"…Define 'stayed.'"
She smiled.
Dangerously.
—"I hugged you."
—"And?"
—"And kissed you."
…
I lay back down.
—"You can keep watching."
She laughed softly.
—"Don't worry. I'll go get breakfast. Also—"
She turned at the door.
—"Classes start two hours later today."
I froze.
—"…Say that again."
—"Two hours later. It's freezing outside. Might storm."
Relief hit instantly.
—"Thank you, Lady Storm…"
I pulled the blanket over my head.
—"…for these extra two hours of life."
And I fell asleep again.
When I woke up, I stretched slowly.
Put on my uniform.
Walked downstairs.
Knock.
—"…Alya."
I opened the door.
—"I'm back, dear."
She stepped in with a smile.
—"I was going to cook, but I bought sandwiches instead."
She lifted something else.
Small.
Soft.
A kitten.
Black and white.
Golden eyes.
—"You're always alone… and I'm busy a lot. So…"
She handed it to me.
I held it carefully.
—"…Thanks."
—"Now name it."
I thought for a moment.
Looked up.
Then at her.
I reached out and touched a strand of her hair.
She froze.
—"…What are you doing?"
—"Moka."
—"…Moka?"
—"That's her name."
She blinked.
—"…You named her after my hair?"
—"Yeah."
Pause.
—"I like it."
She looked down.
Blushing slightly.
—"…Let's eat."
We sat down.
She gave me sandwiches.
And juice.
—"Drink this."
—"I don't like juice."
—"Soda is worse."
—"…I feel attacked."
She smiled.
We ate.
Laughed a little.
Normal.
For once.
—"We should go."
She checked the time.
—"I have work."
I nodded.
Left Moka in my room.
Came back down.
—"Let's go."
The drive was fast.
Too fast.
We arrived.
I got out.
—"Bye—"
She grabbed me.
And kissed me.
Not softly.
Not briefly.
Minutes passed.
I forgot how to breathe.
She pulled away.
Smiling.
—"Good luck today."
And drove off.
I stood there.
—"…That was not 'one kiss.'"
I exhaled slowly.
The sky darkened.
Wind howled.
Thunder roared.
Lightning split the sky.
—"…Yeah. We're definitely dying today."
I walked inside.
The classroom was almost empty.
Only three people.
Kim.
Xia.
Airi.
—"Morning."
—"Morning, Dark."
Xia looked at me.
Smiling slightly.
—"What do you think of the storm?"
I shrugged.
—"It's… strong?"
She looked down.
—"…Yeah."
Kim burst out laughing.
—"Just say you don't know how to start a conversation."
Xia glared.
—"Shut up, pyromaniac."
Kim pointed at her.
—"What did you call me, crumb girl?"
The air shifted.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Xia raised her hand.
Wind gathered.
—"Say that again."
Kim's flames ignited.
—"Try me."
Airi stepped in instantly.
—"STOP!"
Silence.
Both lowered their hands.
—"…Only because you said so."
They looked away.
—"That was close."
Won-ho entered.
—"Yeah. I stopped them."
Airi said softly.
—"Good."
He looked at me.
—"Minho's better, by the way. Still in the hospital though."
I nodded.
—"…Good."
Thunder struck.
BOOM.
The lights went out.
Darkness.
Rain exploded against the windows.
Fog began to form.
Thick.
Too thick.
—"…Do you see that?"
We all looked outside.
Shadows.
Moving.
Inside the fog.
Something hit the glass.
Won-ho stepped closer.
—"…Shit."
A tentacle slammed against the window.
Eyes.
Mouths.
Teeth.
Too many.
—"The fog—!"
Airi showed her camera.
The hallway—
Consumed.
The fog moved.
And then—
It took her.
—"AIRIIII!"
Kim ran.
—"LET HER GO!"
Flames erupted.
Burning everything.
The fog vanished.
But Airi…
Was gone.
—"…W-where…?"
A red beam cut through the wall.
Airi walked back in.
Covered in blood.
Burned.
—"Airi!"
Kim ran to her.
Xia turned to the window.
Lightning flashed.
Words appeared within it.
"Vör'is ünvar"
(She lies)
—"…What is that…?"
—"Xia, MOVE!"
I tackled her.
The windows exploded.
Glass everywhere.
And in every shard—
Her.
Eclipse.
Different times.
Different versions.
Past.
Present.
Future.
—"…What—"
The glass pierced us.
Blood.
Pain.
Kim screamed.
The tentacle returned.
Wrapped around her.
—"AHHH!"
Xia stood.
—"You bastard!"
—"Wind Blades!"
The creature was shredded.
Black blood rained down.
—"…Disgusting."
Kim vomited.
—"I'm used to it."
—"…WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE USED TO IT?!"
—"Don't ask."
Silence.
Rain.
Footsteps.
Eclipse.
She looked at us.
Sighed.
—"Rough morning?"
—"…Yeah."
—"You can go home."
—"We'll stay."
Xia said.
—"Storm's too bad."
Eclipse smiled faintly.
—"As you wish."
She turned.
But before disappearing—
She smiled.
Again.
—"…By the way."
Won-ho spoke.
—"I baked bread yesterday… with some herbs."
Silence.
—"…Why."
—"Let's try it!"
We ate.
Pause.
We looked at each other.
And then—
We vomited.
Insects.
Alive.
Dead.
They formed words.
"Þanir corvän'n"
(Night of the Crows)
They exploded.
Silence.
—"…Disgusting."
—"…Yeah."
We collapsed.
—"That was amazing."
Won-ho said.
Xia glared.
—"YOU KNEW?!"
—"…Maybe a little."
—"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU—!"
—"Later."
We laughed.
Tired.
Broken.
—"…We should sleep."
They nodded.
And just like that—
We slept.
While the storm whispered outside.
And something…
Watched.