The closing bell rang exactly at 3 p.m.
It didn't ring like a normal bell — it slammed through the building, sharp and impatient, as if even the school itself wanted us gone.
Every student stood instantly.
Not slowly… not lazily… instantly.
Chairs screeched back, bags zipped, footsteps rushed toward the door like they'd been counting down to escape.
I was still at my desk gathering my books when Jan looked back at me.
"Hurry," she said. "Don't waste time."
She waved and slipped out with the crowd.
Within seconds, the classroom emptied so fast it felt unnatural — like something was chasing them.
I sighed and bent down to pick my last textbook—
A hand grabbed my wrist.
So tight, so sudden, my books flipped off the desk and scattered across the floor.
"Hey—!"
Before I could react, I was being pulled out of the class, dragged down the hallway and out of the building.
Whoever it was didn't slow down, and I stumbled behind him, breathless.
When I finally caught a glimpse of the face—
Raven.
His expression was rigid. Dark. Panicked.
"Raven?" I gasped. "What—what's going on?"
He didn't answer.
He simply tightened his grip and kept dragging me toward a large tree far from the classrooms.
His eyes kept darting around like someone might be watching.
When we reached the tree, he finally released me.
His chest rose and fell sharply as he glanced up the branches, scanning them as if expecting something—or someone—to be hiding there.
Only after a long moment did he look at me.
"Jina," he said in a low voice. "You need to change lockers. Immediately. Don't sit there again."
His tone wasn't calm advice.
It was a warning. A threat. A plea.
All at once.
I blinked at him, my heart hammering.
"What? Why? Raven, nothing makes sense in this school. I've barely been here two days but it feels like two years."
My voice wavered. "No one tells me anything. Everyone keeps acting strange. I don't even know who Yen is. They say she's my roommate but I've never seen her. What is going on here?"
Raven stepped so close I could see the shadows in his eyes.
"Listen to me," he whispered, glancing around again.
"I'll explain… later. When it's safe. I'm already working on my transfer, but my form teacher won't approve it."
He swallowed hard, and for the first time, I realized this cold, quiet boy was genuinely afraid.
"For your safety," he said firmly, "don't sit at that locker again."
I stared at him.
"Why?"
His jaw tightened.
"I'm not supposed to say anything."
"Well I'm not supposed to pretend, either," I shot back.
"Since no one wants to tell me the truth, I'll stay at my locker until I have a reason not to."
He exhaled sharply through his nose, frustrated.
"This morning…" he said quietly. "When you screamed. What did you see?"
"I—I don't know." My voice trembled. "Maybe I was dreaming…"
"You weren't dreaming."
I looked at him, startled.
The seriousness in his voice chilled me more than the cold wind.
"Why are you telling half-truths?" I demanded. "Why warn me but refuse to say why? Who is Yen? Where is she? Was she really sick?"
Raven's expression went blank.
Not calm — empty.
Like he'd shut every emotion off to avoid revealing something.
"I have to go," he said finally. "Maybe later… I'll answer some of that."
He hesitated, then added, "But change your seat. And if possible… change your room."
Before I could argue, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the fading crowd of students.
I stared after him, my thoughts spinning like a storm.
As I stood under the tree, a sudden howl of wind shook the branches violently, making the leaves thrash together like whispers.
A harsh reminder—
My books were still on the classroom floor.
I hurried back toward the building.
Inside, everything was silent.
Too silent.
When I pushed open the classroom door, darkness swallowed the room.
The lights were off.
The windows were shut.
The air was still and cold.
I turned on my phone's flashlight and stepped forward carefully.
My books lay exactly where I'd dropped them earlier.
But as I reached for them, the flashlight caught something else—
Someone sitting at my desk.
A girl.
Head bent down.
Long hair covering her face.
My throat tightened.
"H–Hello?" My voice cracked. "Who's there?"
She didn't move.
"Jan?" I whispered. "Is that you?"
Still no answer.
Slowly, I stepped closer.
Just as I came within reach—
A hand gripped my shoulder.
I screamed and spun around—
Minho.
The class president. Smiling. Like always.
His expression didn't match the fear pulsing through me.
"You're shivering," he said gently. "Why?"
I looked over his shoulder—
The girl at my desk was gone.
Gone.
No sound.
No movement.
Just emptiness.
My skin crawled.
"I—I don't know," I whispered as Minho bent to pick up my books for me.
"You shouldn't be here alone," he said.
I swallowed hard.
"Yeah…
He lifted my bag onto his shoulder and nudged me toward the hallway.
"Let's go."
We walked together in silence for a moment, but every step felt heavier, as if something was watching us from the dark windows.
"I think I'm not fine," I murmured.
Minho stopped and looked at me, placing his hand lightly on my forehead, then my neck.
"You look fine to me," he said, eyes soft. "Nothing unusual."
"Looks can be deceiving," I muttered.
He chuckled. "Stress. Maybe hallucinations. New environment — very common."
I stopped walking.
"Minho… this afternoon, Raven told me—"
I froze.
Something in me warned me not to say it.
Both of Minho's eyebrows lifted slowly.
"Raven told you what?"
"Nothing," I said quickly. "He just said I looked sick."
Minho breathed out, relieved.
Something flashed in his eyes… something unreadable.
"Well," he said lightly, "if you're sick, you should come to the school clinic. I can take you later. Or right now if you want. I don't mind."
"No, it's okay. I have some medicine."
We walked in silence for a moment.
Then I asked quietly:
"Minho… who is Yen?"
He stopped completely.
His body stiffened — just a fraction, but enough to notice.
Then he turned slowly to face me.
"And where," he asked softly, "did you hear that name?"
"I was told she's my roommate," I said. "But they said she's on sick leave."
Minho's expression returned to neutral.
Too neutral.
"Yes," he said calmly.
"She's… on sick leave."
His tone was flat.
Dead flat.
He handed me my bag.
"I'll see you tomorrow then," he said with a gentle smile. "And if you need the hospital later, just come find me. I'll help."
"No need," I whispered. "Thank you."
I watched him walk away until he disappeared around the corner.
My heart felt heavier than ever.
I slowly climbed the stairs to my room, each step echoing against the empty hallway.
When I reached my door, I hesitated before sliding the key in.
The moment the lock clicked—
A cold draft brushed across my neck.
The same draft from this morning.
I pushed the door open.
The room was dark.
Quiet.
Still.
Too still.
I stepped inside, clutching my bag tightly to my chest.
And behind me—
somewhere in the darkness—
something breathed.