The morning in the old man's house was quiet, with soft light slipping through the wooden kitchen blinds.Jack stood beside the old man, helping him prepare the food.The old man reached toward the bowl and said,"Give me the carrots from the water bowl."
Jack handed him the carrots without hesitation."And give me that can over there."Jack raised his eyebrow slightly."Okay... but why such a big amount?"The old man smiled as he chopped the vegetables."All of this is for the stall. I like to start early before the streets get crowded."
At that moment, Yuki came out of her room, her face tired and slightly irritated.She opened the fridge silently, took out a bottle of iced tea, and drank a quick sip as she walked past them without looking.Jack glanced at her calmly, then went back to work.The old man said with a faint smile,"Looks like you're still not used to their school routine."Yuki muttered in a voice barely audible,"He doesn't know how to act normally."Jack turned to her for a few seconds. He said nothing—just a silent look.
On the way to school, the weather was sunny, and the cold wind moved the leaves.The closer they got to the gate, the louder the whispers became."I heard he broke someone's arm yesterday.""They say it was five against one!"The whispers spread between admiration and fear, eyes following Jack wherever he walked.Yuki tried to ignore them, but her classmates couldn't hold back their curiosity."You're the one who knows him, right?""Is he your new boyfriend?"Yuki's face turned red in panic."What?! No, of course not!"The girls laughed, while Jack walked silently, showing no reaction at all.
In class, Jack sat in his usual seat by the window.The first lessons passed slowly, until the break time—drrrrr.He went to the bathroom for a few minutes, and when he returned, he stopped in place.On his desk were scratches and drawings, torn papers, and scattered trash.Someone had carved a Japanese phrase on the table—he didn't understand it, but the mocking looks and laughs around him said it all.He sat quietly, looked out the window, and ignored everyone.
Yuki noticed the scene from afar. Her silence turned into a heavy sense of guilt.When the class ended, she slowly walked toward his desk, placed a small piece of chocolate, and said in English with a shy smile,"For you."Jack looked at her for a moment, then smiled softly and replied in the same language,"Thank you."He then turned his gaze back to the window, while she went back to her seat, avoiding her classmates' curious stares.
When school ended, Jack left alone, walking through the quiet streets.In a distant alley, a man sat inside a black car, watching through a small screen.On the screen from a street camera, Jack's face data appeared.The system read: Project 96 – Match confirmed.
The man lifted his phone to his ear."Hello... yes, visual analysis confirms it. It's Project 96."He paused for a moment, still watching the screen.A voice came from the other side,"Keep monitoring only. No action until further notice."He ended the call, looked again toward the corner where Jack had disappeared, and whispered to himself,"Project 96…"
At night, Jack sat on the couch in the dark living room, the TV light flickering across his pale face.His mind wouldn't rest.Angry and tangled images flooded his head—The fight with the boys yesterday...His escape from the facility...The voices of the kids who bullied him there...The face of the scientist laughing during the experiments...And the female scientist calling his name from behind the glass.
Then a deep, distorted voice echoed inside his head:"Remember... anger triggers control. Control it before it controls you!"The image of the scientist planting the parasite in his chest flashed in his mind.Jack placed his hand on his chest, breathing fast.Haa... haa... haaa...The pain grew, his fist tightening on his shirt until it nearly tore.He fell to the floor, groaning softly,"Ahh... ughh..."He crawled toward the balcony, stood with effort, and looked at his reflection in the glass door—his eyes flashed red, like a wolf's.
In a nearby building, a man in a black suit watched the scene through a night scope.He smiled faintly as he held his phone."He's starting to react."A cold voice came from the other end,"Really? Isn't it a bit early?"The man replied carefully,"Clearly, he's turning into a real threat. If we don't move now, it'll be harder to control him after the awakening phase."The voice paused for a few seconds before answering,"…Fine. I'll give you permission soon. Be ready."The man ended the call and kept watching from afar.
Below, Jack had finally calmed down, sunk into restless sleep on the couch.The man murmured with a cold smile,"Soon, 96... very soon."