The morning sun filtered softly through the window of Caelum's room.
His uniform — crisp black blazer, white shirt, and deep-blue tie — hung neatly on the door. He buttoned it up in silence, his movements calm and efficient.
From downstairs, the soft scent of toast and eggs drifted up, but it was the knock at his window that made him pause.
Tap. Tap.
He opened it to find Lysia, perfectly dressed, hair in a tidy low braid, her own blazer fitting snugly.
"You're late," she said, stepping in as if it were her room too.
"You're early."
"I couldn't sleep."
He blinked. "Excited?"
She looked at him for a second.
"No. Just wanted to walk with you."
The Walk to School
The morning felt different.
Not because of the cherry blossoms blooming early…Not because of the spring breeze brushing their cheeks…
But because they were high schoolers now.
The path to school had new students, new uniforms, and the whispers that always followed two students who looked too close.
"Isn't that the guy who ranked first?""And the girl right behind him?""Are they… dating?"
Lysia held her bag in both hands and said nothing.
But her steps were perfectly in sync with his.
Like always.
The Entrance Ceremony
Caelum stood before the entire year.
His name was announced as Top Scorer of the entrance exam.
He said nothing special. Just bowed politely.
His calm, unreadable expression only made the students more curious.
"Who is he?""He's kind of... scary?""No, he's cool. Mysterious."
Lysia stood behind him in the second seat.When her name was called, she smiled softly, gracefully.
But when the students saw her take her seat beside Caelum — not behind him — the whispers started again.
"They're close, huh?""Maybe rivals?""She's really cute…"
Lysia didn't react.
Except for the faintest twitch of her finger — brushing against Caelum's under the desk.
And his barely audible reply:
"Still with me?"
"Always."
After School – Underground
The moment the door shut behind him at home, Caelum walked down a stairwell no one else knew existed.
Hidden beneath the floorboards of his room — accessible only through biometric scan and silent thought command — was his lab.
Steel walls.Hovering lights.Rows of processors and suspended monitors.
The same AI system.Rebuilt. Evolved.Still watching.
GENESIS CORE – LOG ENTRY
— High School Initiated— Popularity Rising— Social Interest: Spike x412— Subject LYSIA: Unchanged Loyalty— Emotional Stability: Absolute— Current Threats: 0
"Everything is unfolding as expected."
He placed his bag on the table and opened a drawer.
Inside: blueprints. Designs. Future things the world wasn't ready for.
Not yet.
Lysia's Room – That Evening
Lysia sat by her window, brushing her hair out. The evening air was cool, the stars just beginning to glow.
From across the street, a single light was on — his window.
She smiled to herself.
Top of the school.Still mine.
Then her phone buzzed.
A message from Caelum.
[Cael]: You were second.
[Lysia]: You let me be.
[Cael]: Maybe.
[Lysia]: Don't ever pull back for my sake.
[Cael]: Then stay ahead with me.
She stared at the screen.
And her fingers hovered for a second before she typed back:
"Forever."
System Log – Synchronization Update
— Dual Memory: Hidden— External Identity: Altered— World Belief: "Prodigies"— True Status: Beyond Comprehension— Progression Status: Light Romcom Mode Activated
"They've walked through flames, lived through eternity…Now, they walk the halls of high school."