Aki ran down the hallway, breath ragged. She reached the end and turned left.

  Her instincts screamed that someone was nearby.

  She grabbed the handle of a storeroom door — and it opened, as if fate itself had decided to help her.

  Inside, the room was silent and dusty. She began searching frantically.

  “They said it would be here,” she muttered, pulling open drawers and shifting boxes, “then why can’t I find it?”

  Her voice trembled. A spider crawled out from under a shelf.

  “Eww—” she shivered. “Didn’t think an academy like this would have them.”

  After turning half the room upside down, she finally found it — a shawl.

  She grabbed it, wrapped it quickly around her face, and slipped back into the corridor.

  No one was there.

  Luck — or something pretending to be luck — was on her side.

  She ran.

  And ran.

  Ten minutes, maybe more.

  Her lungs burned, her legs numb.

  But soon she realized she was lost.

  Hopelessly, undeniably lost.

  That’s when she saw someone — a boy passing by.

  Her first instinct was to hide. But as she peered closer, she realized she couldn’t escape on her own.

  So she stepped out.

  He had brown hair, lavender eyes, and a certain polished look — the kind that said rich family.

  “Um… hi,” Aki managed.

  The boy flinched, taking a step back. “Who are you?”

  “I’m new here,” she said quickly.

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  He frowned. “And what’s that on your face?”

  “This?” Aki touched the shawl nervously. “I… I have sun allergies. It helps protect me.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “That’s weird. Ever heard of sunscreen?”

  Aki forced a nervous laugh. “Heh… yeah.”

  Then, blurting the first thing that came to mind, “I’m Ashi.”

  “Ashi?” He blinked. “What kind of name is that?”

  Aki puffed her cheeks slightly. “That’s rude.”

  He chuckled. “Haha, my bad. I’m Lucas.”

  “Oh, it’s fine.” She smiled awkwardly. “Um, I’m kinda lost. Could you help me with something?”

  Lucas shrugged. “I’m also new here.”

  “Oh…” Aki deflated a little. “Sorry for bothering you.”

  “It’s fine,” he said kindly. “I can still help. Want a tour?”

  “Ah—no. I actually… need to go home. But I can’t find the exit.”

  Lucas hesitated. “You can’t go back. We’re not allowed to leave.”

  Aki blinked. “What? Nobody told me that.”

  “Oh, maybe you haven’t been enrolled yet,” he guessed.

  “Yeah…” she murmured. “So could you at least show me the exit?”

  “Sure,” he said after a pause. “Follow me. But that scarf—still weird.”

  Aki glared faintly and followed him anyway.

  As they walked, Lucas asked, “So why do you need to go home?”

  “Um…” Aki hesitated.

  “It’s fine if you don’t want to tell.”

  “I just… left some things behind,” she said softly.

  He nodded. “Got it.”

  They walked in silence until they reached the ground floor.

  After a few more turns, they found the exit.

  Finally.

  Aki thought, I just need to find a taxi…

  But then it hit her — she didn’t have her phone.

  “Um, can I ask another favour?” she said.

  Lucas looked at her. “What is it?”

  “Could you call a taxi for me? I don’t have any money right now.”

  He frowned. “There aren’t many cars or taxis here. Only certain people are allowed to go.”

  “Then what should I do?”

  “You can take the academy bus,” he offered. “There are plenty of those.”

  “Where can I find one?”

  “Just wait at the bus stop,” Lucas pointed. “You can choose the route you want.”

  “I don’t have money.”

  “You don’t need it. Campus students can use their cards.”

  “Sorry but…” she looked desperate now, “could you do it for me?”

  Lucas hesitated. “Uh… sure, I guess.”

  Aki hurried to the bus stop, but when the bus arrived, she couldn’t figure out how to use it.

  Lucas sighed. “How did you even get here?”

  Aki frowned. “Just—help me, please.”

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “Kyoto.”

  “Oh? You live there?”

  Before she could answer, the bus door opened. Lucas tapped his card, and Aki slipped inside.

  “Thanks!” she said, rushing to a seat.

  She waited. The door closed.

  But the bus didn’t move.

  She frowned, tapping the window.

  Nothing.

  Her breath quickened.

  It wasn’t starting.

  Her pulse raced. Was I betrayed again?

  He said if I play along, I can leave… I can enjoy this time…

  But it wasn’t happening.

  Will I stay here forever?

  “No… no…” she whispered. “I need to go.”

  She reached for the emergency hammer.

  Her fingers wrapped around it — but froze.

  Something inside her snapped.

  Her hands trembled. Her eyes shook violently.

  “No… no, that was a dream. It was just a dream,” she whispered, tears forming.

  The hammer slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor.

  Aki collapsed, crouching down, sobbing, begging for the memories to go away.

  But nothing did.

  Then—footsteps.

  Someone entered the bus.

  She looked up, her blood running cold.

  A familiar figure.

  No… it couldn’t be.

  Red hair.

  “No… no, it can’t be…” she stammered. “You’re not real…”

  The figure picked up the hammer from the floor.

  And swung.

  Aki screamed, backing away—

  But light flooded the entire bus, blinding, burning.

  “What’s happening?!” she cried.

  When the light faded, he was still there — hammer raised again.

  And as it came down—

  Hands shot out from beneath her shawl.

  One caught his wrist.

  Another gripped his leg.

  A third pressed against her own trembling throat.