By the time the sky turned fully dark, the campus didn't feel like a campus anymore.
It felt like a constellation.
Lights hung between trees.
Lanterns glowed softly above walkways.
Phone flashes blinked like fireflies as students took photos.
Music drifted from every corner — drums near the sports ground, acoustic guitar near the library steps, laughter spilling everywhere.
The festival had reached its peak.
And somehow—
the day still hadn't ended.
Lior leaned against the side of the literature stall, stretching his sore shoulders.
His legs felt like jelly.
His throat was dry from talking all day.
But the small stack of coins in the tin box beside him made the exhaustion worth it.
He counted them again.
"…Forty-eight… fifty… fifty-two…"
Not much.
But enough to cover groceries for the week.
Maybe even new pens.
He smiled faintly.
It was silly how something so small could feel like a victory.
People like Kaizen probably spent this amount without noticing.
But for him—
it mattered.
Every coin mattered.
"Still working?" a calm voice asked behind him.
He didn't have to turn.
"…Don't you ever get tired of appearing out of nowhere?" Lior muttered.
"I walked normally."
"You walk too quietly. It's suspicious."
"…Should I stomp?"
"Please don't."
Kaizen stepped beside him.
Even under the warm yellow lights, he looked out of place.
Too sharp.
Too composed.
Like a shadow cut from a different world.
Yet he had been here all day.
Not leaving.
Not rushing away for meetings.
Just… staying.
Watching.
Sometimes helping Alaric carry things.
Sometimes standing silently near the booth like an overly intimidating decoration.
Students still stared at him, but less now.
Maybe they were slowly getting used to it.
Or maybe Kaizen's presence simply became part of the scenery.
Which was somehow stranger.
"…You didn't eat dinner," Kaizen said.
Lior blinked. "How do you even notice these things?"
"You skipped lunch too."
"…Stop monitoring me like I'm a hospital patient."
Kaizen didn't answer.
Instead, he held out a small paper bag.
"…What's that?"
"Food."
"You bought it?"
"Yes."
"…For me?"
"…Yes."
Lior stared at him suspiciously.
"…You didn't poison it, right?"
"…If I wanted you gone, I wouldn't use snacks."
"That's not comforting."
Still—
he took it.
Warm bread. Simple sandwich. Nothing fancy.
But warm.
He hadn't realized how hungry he was until the first bite.
"…Thanks," he muttered quietly.
Kaizen only nodded.
Like it wasn't a big deal.
Like buying someone food wasn't anything special.
But to Lior—
it felt strangely personal.
No one really did things like this for him.
Not without expecting something back.
Yet Kaizen never asked for anything.
Which confused him more than anything else.
A loud cheer suddenly erupted near the main stage.
The band had started.
Drums. Guitar. Clapping.
Students rushed toward the sound.
"Come on!" Tomas yelled, grabbing Lior's sleeve. "They're playing that stupid song you hate!"
"I don't hate it—!"
"You totally hate it!"
He was dragged into the crowd before he could argue.
Sena followed. Mireo too.
Calix walked beside Alaric carefully, shielding him from getting pushed.
And somehow—
Kaizen ended up walking behind them.
Close enough that Lior could feel his presence.
Not touching.
Just there.
Like a steady wall.
Protective without being obvious.
The music wasn't great.
The singer forgot lyrics twice.
The guitarist messed up chords.
But no one cared.
Everyone jumped anyway.
Laughing.
Shouting.
Hands in the air.
For a moment—
Lior forgot everything.
Work.
Money.
Stress.
Even Kaizen.
He just laughed with his friends.
Like a normal student.
Like the world wasn't complicated.
Like nothing bad could happen.
From the far edge of the stage—
someone watched.
Zyren leaned against a temporary electrical panel, eyes calculating.
Festival wiring.
Temporary lights.
Cheap setup.
Too easy.
He checked his phone once.
Then slipped something small into his pocket.
Not enough to cause real harm.
Not yet.
Just enough to create panic.
Just enough to test a reaction.
Especially from one specific person.
"…Let's see how fast you move, Kaizen," he murmured.
Back in the crowd—
Lior felt it first.
A faint buzz in the air.
Then—
the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Music stuttered.
"…Huh?"
Then—
darkness.
The entire stage went black.
Speakers cut mid-song.
A collective gasp spread across the crowd.
For one second—
everything was silent.
Too silent.
Then people started murmuring.
"Power cut?"
"Did something break?"
"Where's the backup?"
Students shuffled around blindly.
Someone bumped into Lior.
He almost lost his balance—
A hand caught his wrist instantly.
Firm.
Steady.
Kaizen.
"…Stay close," he said quietly.
His voice wasn't loud.
But it cut through the noise.
Grounded.
Lior didn't argue.
Didn't pull away.
Instinctively—
he stepped closer.
His heart beat too fast.
Not from fear.
From the sudden rush of unfamiliar closeness.
Emergency lights slowly flickered on around the field.
Dim red glow.
Enough to see shapes.
Not faces.
"…Everyone calm down!" someone shouted.
"Maintenance team's checking it!"
Students grumbled but stayed put.
No panic.
Just confusion.
Still—
Kaizen didn't let go.
His grip loosened slightly but stayed there.
Like he wouldn't risk losing him in the dark.
"…It's just power," Lior said softly. "Relax."
"…I know," Kaizen replied.
But his eyes scanned everything sharply.
Alert.
Dangerously focused.
Like something didn't feel right to him.
Like this wasn't just an accident.
Across the field—
Zyren watched the scene unfold.
And smiled faintly.
The reaction had been exactly what he expected.
Kaizen didn't look at the stage.
Didn't look at the crowd.
He looked only at one person.
"…So obvious," Zyren whispered.
Weakness confirmed.
Ten minutes later, the power came back.
Lights returned.
Music restarted.
People cheered like nothing happened.
Just a minor glitch.
Festival chaos.
Forgettable.
But Kaizen didn't forget.
His jaw stayed tight.
Eyes colder.
Thinking.
Calculating.
And for the first time—
Lior noticed something different.
"…You okay?" he asked.
"…Yes."
"…You look like you're planning a war."
"…Maybe I am."
"…That's dramatic."
"…Maybe."
But he didn't smile this time.
And somehow—
that scared Lior more than the darkness had.
Later, when the crowd thinned and the night cooled—
Lior walked toward the gate alone.
Too tired to think.
Too tired to talk.
Then—
footsteps matched his pace.
"…You're following me again," he said without turning.
"…I'm walking you home."
"I can walk alone."
"I know."
"…Then why?"
A pause.
Then—
"…Because I want to."
The same answer as before.
Simple.
Honest.
Dangerous.
Lior looked ahead at the glowing streetlights.
"…You're weird," he said softly.
"…I've heard."
But this time—
he didn't sound annoyed.
Just… warm.
Like maybe—
he didn't mind the weirdness anymore.
Behind them—
far in the shadows—
a pair of cold eyes watched until they disappeared around the corner.
And Zyren smiled.
Because tonight—
he'd learned something important.
And next time—
he wouldn't settle for a small blackout.