Yuni sat frozen in his seat, eyes locked on Suisen as she quietly returned to her place. His mind spiraled.
"She was supposed to be dead… long before any of this ever began. But now—she's here. In my class."
He leaned back slightly, his gaze drifting from Rafael, who was idly twirling his pen, back to Suisen.
"Did I just save someone who wasn't meant to be saved? What now? I don't know what's going to happen anymore."
His thoughts swirled with panic. "I knew what I was giving up when I avoided Jen… that pain was familiar. But this? Suisen was never part of the plan. She was supposed to vanish before her first day. I changed something huge. And now… I have no idea what's coming next."
A storm of uncertainty clashed with a flicker of resolve building quietly inside him.
Before he could sort through any of it, Miss Aya clapped her hands gently.
"Alright, great job everyone." She smiled brightly. "That's the end of introductions for today. You've all been honest and brave."
She glanced at the clock. "12:45 already, the bell's about to ring, so tomorrow we'll begin your regular lessons. Make sure you all come rested and ready."
The soft chime of the bell followed, echoing through the corridors.
Chairs scraped against the floor. Students stretched, whispered, and began filing out with excitement humming in the air.
Nieo leaned toward Yuni, grinning. "That was intense… two straight hours of sitting is punishment. I'm starving—canteen?"
Yuni nodded absently, eyes still on Suisen. "Yeah… sure. I need some air anyway."
They walked toward the classroom door, but Yuni couldn't help glancing back once more.
Suisen was still at her desk, packing her books slowly. As if sensing his stare, she turned.
Their eyes met.
Her gaze was quiet. Hollow. Like someone who had already seen too much.
Startled, Yuni quickly looked away, his heart skipping a beat. "Yo, Rafael," he blurted awkwardly, "didn't you say you were hungry? Let's go before the bell rings again."
Rafael raised a brow. "The bell just rang—"
"Come on," Yuni muttered, already stepping out.
Without waiting, he quickened his pace, pulling Rafael along. As they left the classroom and entered the hallway, Yuni cast one last glance back.
Suisen was still there. Still silent.
But alive.
And that changed everything.
I don't know… should I be happy? Or worried?
Yuni's thoughts were spiraling again, but they were cut short when Rafael nudged him.
"Hey, what's up?" Rafael asked, peering at him. "You've been zoned out since we left class. You good?"
Yuni blinked and quickly shook his head. "Yeah… it's nothing."
"Hm…" Rafael narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced. "If you say so."
"What?" Yuni asked.
"Nothing," Rafael said with a shrug, though his tone carried quiet suspicion.
Yuni looked away, exhaling through his nose as he thought to himself:
Maybe I'm overthinking. Maybe things won't go off the rails just because I saved her…
What's the worst that could happen, right?
But a shadow of doubt still lingered in his chest.
After grabbing some snacks and finishing them off, Rafael stretched and let out a satisfied sigh.
"Woo! I'm fully recharged," he said with a grin, patting his stomach as they walked back toward class.
Soon after, the bell rang, marking the beginning of the next period. Students shuffled back to their seats, and the teacher began the lesson.
Yuni sat quietly, scanning the room. His brows knit together when he noticed a certain empty chair.
Suisen's not here… Where did she go?
Minutes passed. The class carried on, but Yuni couldn't shake the growing unease inside him.
After a moment the class ended, Yuni gaze drifting to the classroom door, hoping she would walk in.
And then—she did.
The door creaked open. Suisen stepped in slowly, her shirt and upper half soaked through, her hair damp and clinging to her face. She looked down as she walked, avoiding every gaze.
From the front row, a group of girls burst into muffled laughter.
"Freak," one of them whispered loudly enough to be heard.
"Guess someone forgot how to drink water," another added with a mocking snort.
Yuni's fists clenched beneath his desk.
But before he could react, a loud bang echoed through the room.
Everyone turned.
Rafael stood, fists planted on the table, eyes burning with anger. "HEY!" he shouted.
The room went silent in an instant. All the girls turned to him, startled.
"That's enough," Rafael said firmly, his voice steady. "You think that's funny? Grow the hell up."
The girls shrank back into their seats, exchanging nervous glances but saying nothing more.
Despite being known for his wild humor and flirtatious remarks, Rafael had a side of him that didn't tolerate cruelty—and today, that part of him was on full display.
Yuni glanced at him, surprised but quietly thankful.
Raphael didn't sit back down. Instead, he walked straight over to Suisen, who stood silently near the door, eyes fixed to the floor, clothes clinging to her from the water.
"Come on," he said gently. "Let's get you to the nurse's office. They've got extra uniforms there."
Suisen didn't respond. She didn't even look up. For a moment, it seemed like she might ignore him entirely.
But then Raphael reached out and carefully took her hand—not forcefully, but firmly enough to let her know he wasn't going to let her walk through this alone.
She didn't pull away.
Without another word, they left the classroom. I followed behind, unable to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest.
As we reached the nurse's office, the soft scent of antiseptic and lavender filled the air. Miss Hena, the school nurse, looked up from her paperwork and smiled gently.
"Oh? What happened?" she asked, her tone instantly shifting to concern as her eyes fell on Suisen's soaked uniform.
Raphael stepped forward. "She accidentally got her clothes soaked. Do you have any spare uniforms she can change into?"
"Of course, dear. Come in," Miss Hena said, already rising from her chair. "You can change behind the screen. I'll get you a clean set."
Suisen nodded faintly, still not saying a word, and followed Miss Hena to the changing area.
I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, still trying to process it all.
Was this fate? Or a punishment for changing it?
One thing was clear—Suisen wasn't just another student anymore. Her presence had changed everything.