We stood by the wall near the door.
Students kept throwing glances at the teacher—a woman standing in the men's restroom like it was the most normal thing in the world. She ignored all of them.
The guy from earlier stepped out of a stall.
Miror smiled.
"Now watch," she said. "He's a second-year. Right now, I'm applying the same level of influence I used at the beginning of my experiment on you."
I looked at her.
Nothing.
No change.
A noise pulled my attention away.
I turned toward the sinks.
The same student had dropped his folder and was staring at me, mouth slightly open.
I shot a wary look at Miror.
She was smiling.
Of course she was.
"Holivan!" the guy called out loudly.
A few people entering the restroom turned to look.
I tensed.
Ready.
He closed the distance between us fast and reached for me.
I stepped back—hit the wall.
But he didn't attack.
He grabbed both my hands and yanked me forward so hard I slammed into his chest.
"Holivan…" he said, smiling.
There was something in his eyes.
Soft.
Warm.
Completely wrong.
"Sorry, I don't know you," I said carefully. "Let go of my hands."
And then—
he dropped to his knees.
Right in front of me.
"Alan… can I call you Alan?" he said, looking up at me. "I'm Nick."
"…Nick, what are you doing? Get up," I tried to pull him up, but he shook his head.
"Please—just give me a chance!" he said loudly.
People were already gathering.
Watching.
I threw a desperate look at Miror.
She looked entertained.
Of course she did.
"Fine, fine—whatever you want, just get up!" I hissed.
"Really?" His face lit up. He jumped to his feet—but didn't let go of my hands.
"I know this is sudden," he rushed out, "we've never even talked, but you're so beautiful. My heart goes crazy every time I see you. I'm so glad you're giving me a chance to prove my love!"
"…What?"
"Love? Dude, you're overheating," I tried to pull away, but he just dragged me closer again.
"Teacher—seriously—" I shot Miror another look.
She sighed.
The pressure disappeared.
Just like that.
Nick was still holding my hands—but the madness was gone.
"…Right," I said, carefully pulling my hands free this time. "I'm leaving."
I took a step—
He grabbed my wrist again.
"Holivan…" he said hoarsely.
"It's fine," I said, forcing a smile. "You're overworked. Happens."
I tried to pull free.
Nothing.
"Let go," I added, sharper this time.
He didn't move.
A tanned hand landed on my shoulder.
I turned.
Robert.
Barely holding in laughter.
I rolled my eyes.
"Kid," Robert said calmly, "our Alan here is a former aristocrat. Not that easy to win over."
"Let go of his hand… unless you want me to break it," he added, his voice dropping.
Nick blinked.
Let go.
Finally.
Robert pushed me toward the door, and we stepped out into the corridor.
Miror followed.
"Teacher, you can't do that!" I snapped. "Do you realize how humiliating that was for him? What if people start talking? You can't just mess with someone like that!"
"I didn't make him feel anything," she said, genuinely surprised.
"But you said—"
"I amplify," she corrected. "I don't implant."
"I remove the barrier. Push what's already there to the surface."
"I see emotions in a person's eyes—and I act on them."
"That's all."
Robert burst out laughing.
Actually doubled over.
"Holy shit—Teacher, I didn't think you'd be this entertaining," he wheezed. "You saw that guy had a crush on Alan and forced a confession out of him?"
"He was looking at me like I was trash!" I snapped. "What crush? He wanted to kill me!"
"Or maybe he wanted something else," Robert said with a grin.
I punched him in the stomach.
Weakly.
Unfortunately.
"You saw hatred," Miror said calmly. "I saw suppressed desire he refused to acknowledge."
"…Great," I muttered. "Hope that doesn't ruin his life."
"Worry about yourself, heartbreaker," Robert snorted.
I kicked him in the knee.
"So where to next?" Robert asked, leaning over my shoulder to look at my schedule.
"Don't you have your own?" I shoved his chin away.
"Too lazy to take it out. So?"
"Practical power training," I sighed. "Fifth floor again."
"Maybe ask that senior to carry you like a princess?" he grinned.
"You're never letting that go, are you?"
"Not a chance."
"I'm bringing it up every time."
"Why are you messing with my Alan again?" Alma said, finally catching up.
"Your Alan?" Robert snorted. "Get in line."
He retold the bathroom scene.
Nick somehow came off worse—
but I was still the one getting dragged for it.
And it was getting annoying.
"I told you he's cute," Alma giggled. "Girls better watch out—he might steal their boyfriends."
"Oh, come on," I groaned.
"Still better than Silli's invitation," she added, her tone darkening.
Mine did too.
"You again?!" I blurted out the moment I saw Stella Miror in the next classroom.
She stood in the center of desks arranged in a semicircle.
"Not happy to see me, Holivan?" she smiled. "I thought we were getting along."
We took our seats.
Pulled out the silometers.
She looked over everyone—
then stopped on me.
That alone made me uneasy.
"Alan…" she said, smiling.
I sighed.
"Yes, teacher?"
"Today," she said, addressing the class, "I'll demonstrate how to find the flow of power—using Holivan as an example."
"Come here. Hold your silometer between your thumb and index finger."
I stepped forward.
Did as told.
"Good. Now look at your fingers. Do you feel anything?"
"No," I said after a moment.
"Now think about how blood flows through your veins."
"Close your eyes. Imagine it leaving your heart and spreading through your entire body."
"Got it?"
"…Yeah."
"Good."
"Now replace the blood… with power."
I opened my eyes and looked at her.