Theo nudged Alvano's shoulder lightly.
"Oi… snap out of it," he whispered quickly.
Alvano flinched a little. His eyes regained focus, as if he'd just woken up from a long, unexplainable dream.
Mr. Daejin was still standing beside him, his expression full of concern. "Are you alright?"
Alvano nodded quickly, forcing his face back to normal. "Ah… yes, sorry. I'm fine, sir."
Mr. Daejin studied him for a moment before returning to the front of the class. "Alright then, please read the dialogue."
Alvano opened his textbook to the right page and began reading calmly. His voice was clear, but there was something off about his tone—flat, hollow somehow.
Theo glanced at him from the side, frowning slightly. His gaze sharpened, suspicious. He watched every movement—Alvano's eyes, his expression, the rhythm of his speech. Something felt off.
Not like usual, he thought.
But he said nothing, only leaned back and let out a quiet sigh.
Time passed. The class ended without further incident, and when the recess bell rang, the classroom filled with chatter and footsteps. Some students rushed out toward the cafeteria, others stayed behind to talk.
Theo stood up right away, tugging at Alvano's sleeve casually.
"Come on. Let's go out for a bit."
Alvano looked at him, confused. "Why?"
"Just come. The back garden."
Without further questions, Alvano followed. They walked down the corridor and out to the small garden behind the school building—a quiet place most students ignored during break time.
When they arrived, Theo leaned against the low iron fence at the edge of the garden, looking straight at Alvano.
"Now, explain."
"…Explain what?"
"Don't play dumb. You spaced out this morning—like, really spaced out. Even when you read, your voice sounded different. What's going on?"
Alvano lowered his gaze, staring at the ground.
"…I don't know. Seriously."
Theo kept his sharp stare. "You don't look like you don't know. That wasn't just daydreaming—it was like something pulled your mind somewhere else."
Alvano fidgeted with his fingers, visibly uneasy. "I felt strange too… but I don't understand why."
Silence fell. The wind rustled through the trees, brushing the leaves and deepening the stillness of the garden.
"If something's wrong, tell me," Theo said quietly this time. "Don't keep it to yourself."
Alvano gave a small nod, though even he didn't know what was happening to him.
Theo sighed softly. He turned his head, glancing at Alvano with a look that questioned everything, but in the end, he looked away. He knew his friend wasn't the type to open up easily about strange or personal things, so he decided not to push it.
"Forget it," he muttered lightly, standing up from the bench. "I'm starving. Let's hit the cafeteria before all the seats are gone."
Alvano said nothing, just nodded and followed behind. They walked through the school hallway, now crowded with students chatting and laughing. The noise grew around them—the hum of voices, the shuffle of shoes, and the faint aroma of food wafting from the cafeteria.
When they arrived, the place was already bustling. Students lined up in front of the counters. Theo quickly grabbed his food—simple fried rice and a carton of milk—then made his way to an empty table near the window. Alvano followed shortly after, carrying a tray with a sandwich and a bowl of warm corn soup.
They sat across from each other, eating at their own pace. Theo, as usual, ate with enthusiasm, oblivious to the crowd. Alvano, on the other hand, looked calm but distant—his mind still drifting, though he tried to hide it behind slow, steady motions.
He didn't want to dwell on it anymore. He decided to shove aside the curiosity that had been haunting him since morning—the strange dream, the trance in class, the stares. It all felt too complicated to think about now.
Right now, he just wanted to finish breakfast. To sit there with Theo, pretending the day was perfectly normal.
When they finished eating, they stood up together just as the bell rang again—break time was over. Alvano walked beside Theo toward the classroom, but after only a few steps, he suddenly stopped. His hand went to his stomach, his expression shifting slightly.
Theo turned to him. "What's wrong?"
"Stomachache," Alvano said simply, calm, with almost no hint of panic.
Theo raised an eyebrow, half amused. "Seriously?"
Alvano nodded lightly. "Go ahead without me. Tell the next teacher I'll be late—nature's calling."
His tone was perfectly steady, like saying something completely normal with that effortlessly cool attitude. Theo couldn't help but chuckle.
"Nature's call, huh? Got it."
"Thanks."
After a brief nod, Theo headed back to class while Alvano turned toward the restrooms. His steps were quick, but his thoughts were hazy. Maybe it was the food—or maybe his body was just tired from the strange morning. Either way, his focus wavered.
Without really paying attention to the signs on the wall, he pushed open the first bathroom door he saw. Inside, he went straight to one of the stalls without glancing around.
But just seconds after stepping in, something felt… off. The place was too clean, too fragrant, and there were unfamiliar items around that he'd never seen in a men's bathroom.
He turned toward the mirror.
Above the sink hung a small sign that read: Girls' Restroom.
Alvano froze.
"…Crap," he muttered under his breath.
Unable to hold back the cramp in his stomach, he didn't have time to think. Seeing an open stall, he rushed in and shut the door tight, sitting down quickly. His breathing was shallow as he tried to calm the discomfort in his abdomen.
But strangely—the pain faded almost immediately. Alvano frowned, confused.
"…What the hell? It's gone already?"
He leaned back against the wall, exhaling deeply. His morning just kept getting worse. But before he could leave, he heard footsteps outside the stall—soft, light… definitely not a guy's.
Alvano froze on the spot.
Panic flooded his mind. He held his breath, not daring to move. Even his exhale was silent.
What now? If I get caught, I'm done for…
Seconds crawled by painfully slow. His heart pounded, but he stayed perfectly still—like a statue waiting for disaster. He didn't know who had come in, but one wrong move could mean big trouble.
And he still had no idea how he was going to get out of there unseen.