"Still no signal?"
"Still showing an error code!"
"What about the search team?"
"They've arrived and are searching, but they haven't found anything. It seems like we might need to request assistance from the Association..."
"We're currently engaged in closing the rifts, support won't be available for another 12 hours!"
"Damn it."
With a loud thud, the principal slammed his desk, his lips turning a shade of pinkish-red. Since its establishment, the school had never faced such a crisis, and all the teachers were bustling around busily. The sound of phones ringing incessantly filled the air. Watching the scene unfold, the principal recalled the report he had received thirteen hours ago.
All the students had completed the evaluation and returned safely, except for two. Only two students hadn't returned from the Irregular habitat. Considering the nature of the school, where practical skills were emphasized, it wasn't uncommon for children to die during evaluations. Typically, they would calmly search for the students' bodies, mourn their deaths, and then focus on increasing the intensity of training to prevent such incidents in the future. However, the problem with this incident was that the missing students were none other than Najik and Sihyun.
Of all the times for this to happen, it had to be now when the world's attention was focused on the first Quadruple and the younger brother of the most authoritative guild leader in Korea. Ever since the interruption in Najik and Sihyun's pairing, something had felt ominous. Now, with the sudden appearance of an error, followed by the inability to track their location, it was evident that something serious was at play. Clenching his fist, the anxious principal realized that they had been negligent. This wasn't just a simple case of disappearance or death; the fact that the students' whereabouts couldn't be tracked meant that if they hadn't died, there must have been a third party involved.
They had been careless.
Even as he berated himself internally, the principal, who had no words to refute the reprimands from above, watched as a teacher made contact with the search team, swallowing his trembling breath. Ignoring the pressure to send the Quadruple to the Association, he knew that once this incident was resolved, he might have to resign from his position as principal.
But for now, it was enough.
"Please, let them be alive..."
Muttering like a prayer, the principal closed his eyes tightly. The school's resources alone wouldn't be enough to handle this situation. So, for the next twelve hours until support arrived from the Association, the children had to hold on.
As long as they were alive.
Suppressing his ominous thoughts, the principal straightened his neck again.
"First, let's contact the Association as a priority! Tell them it involves the Quadruple and student Lee Hamin!"
Responding to the authoritative voice, the teachers, who had been moving tirelessly, replied. Despite the late hour, no one had left for home. Late into the night, the lights in the principal's office, the stronghold of power, remained lit.
Meanwhile, in Sihyun's room, the students of Class A, taking advantage of the teachers' lax supervision, sat with dark expressions. Seowoo and Inyeong, sitting on opposite sides of the two facing sofas, sighed heavily. In the heavy atmosphere, it was Haewoon who spoke up.
"Shouldn't we go out, even if it's just us?"
"No, we can't. The school has already sent a search team."
"Whose business is this? We can't leave it all to the adults."
"And what if we go missing too? Is that what you want? This is why adults are adults."
There was a tense standoff between Haewoon, insisting on going out, and Jihye, trying to stop him. Seeing Haewoon furrow his brows as if he didn't like her words, even Jihye, who was usually gentle, didn't back down and continued to stare at the boy. If it had been another time, Seowoo would have intervened to mediate, but now he remained silent. Given the situation, it went without saying that Geonu and Daun wouldn't say a word either.
Watching the nerve-wracking standoff, Haru scanned Sihyun's empty bed with a deeply crimson and humid gaze. Sihyun's voice, which always called out to him like that, was nowhere to be heard. Not even once. Feeling his fingertips grow cold, Haru looked down at his hands, which were unnaturally pale.
The blood cooled, and his mind grew clear. No, to be precise, it felt like all sensation had vanished from his body, leaving him hollow inside.
He had felt like this only twice before.
The first time was when Sihyun was taken by Titan, and the second was when Sihyun was dragged away by Venom.
Losing consciousness was okay, as long as he could see that Sihyun was breathing in front of him. But disappearing was not an option. That was something he couldn't bear. Even though he hadn't felt the emotion of fear, whenever it was related to Sihyun, every emotion
became vivid. Fear, joy, excitement. All of it.
Following the traces of sensation, Haru cast his eyes downward, his heart sinking bitterly.
When Titan came and when Venom appeared, I was always weak. Too weak to protect, and that's why I devoted myself to training. So, I achieved results. More than being praised for doing well when I ranked first in evaluations, I was happier to confirm that I gained enough strength to protect him.
Was this enough?
I thought so.
But on the day of the sports festival, when I stood against Ban Dal, I realized I was lacking. From that day on, I stopped sticking to Sihyun's side like glue and focused solely on training.
Was this enough?
Was this enough?
Do I have to be as capable as that man?
Those thoughts filled my mind endlessly. And the moments when I couldn't protect Sihyun haunted my memories like nightmares. Every time, I thought of that man.
When I could do nothing but stare into the deep, dark water where Sihyun disappeared. When I gazed out at the night sea that resembled an abyss. When the children stopped me as I tried to jump in belatedly.
The man who moved at that time saved Sihyun from Titan and returned safely during the Venom incident.
People called him the strongest Awakened Being.
I realized that I had to be at that level to protect Sihyun. So, I tried to become like him. I worked tirelessly for that, but even this time, I couldn't protect Sihyun.
When I heard that Sihyun didn't come back, the feeling of helplessness I felt came rushing back. With his forehead no longer glowing, Haru stared at the closed door with cold eyes. He waited, convinced that if he waited just a little longer, the door would open and Sihyun would come in. He suppressed his anxiety, filled his restless heart with hope, and repeated to himself every time he heard the ticking of the clock.
Just a little longer.
Just a bit more.
Just a little more...
He waited like that, but time brought night, and the door remained closed. Every minute felt like an eternity, but several hours had passed.
"He's not dead..."
Daun, who was next to him, murmured quietly. Haru remembered a certain day's vow.
The day Sihyun collapsed. The day he went to the principal, revealing his Dual-class status after worrying that the mark wouldn't fade, and secretly registered for the class. The day Haru confirmed the new class he obtained, he considered it a sign.
He had no faith, he had never believed in God, but even so, he accepted it as a sign. Because everything in his life pointed to Sihyun, it wasn't strange to think that way.
The person who pointed out that it was unfair for him to be trapped in the laboratory like a dead creature. The person who pulled him out from there. The person who gave him a new field, a new life. All those beings were Sihyun, and to him, the definition of salvation was Sihyun.
So, on that day, Haru resolved to live for Sihyun.
He foresaw that on the day Sihyun died, he wouldn't be there.
It was the day he resolved to give everything to him. And he told Sihyun that too.
It was as if fate was mocking him that this incident had happened.
In the sea of self-blame and memories swaying with pitch-blackness, Haru closed his eyes and listened carefully. His crimson eyes grew hazy as he felt no sign of someone approaching the dormitory. Uncertainty gripped him. He couldn't be sure of anything. The fact that the pairing device didn't react felt like a death sentence.
He would have been relieved if he were Sihyun's partner.
Then, at least he would either be protecting and dead, or protecting him.
Though Haru would make an effort, he couldn't completely trust him. That boy didn't have much to lose like I did. The more you have, the more cautious you become, and Haru had nothing to lose except Sihyun.
"Pia!"
As everyone maintained the heavy atmosphere as if even breathing was burdensome, Pia, who had been resting her head on Sihyun's pillow, flew into Haru's arms. Holding her as if asking about Sihyun's whereabouts, Haru stroked the soft feathers of the small fantasy bird and stubbornly stared at the closed door.
Protecting someone can only be possible when that person is by your side.
The realization made the boy's crimson eyes deepen.
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