"Hey, Rain. Do you ever wonder what's beyond those restricted zones?"
"How would I know? I'm not exactly eager to run into a guard."
"But… don't you ever get curious?"
Rain turned to look at Gaia, who was walking quietly beside him. A question formed in his mind—one he hadn't never think about it before. Rain had never really considered such things; he'd always believed that when the time came, they'd just let him out of here.
He lowered his gaze and continued walking beside Gaia in silence, without offering a response.
A faint sound—like someone prying or tampering with something—echoed from the shadowy corner of the hallway nearby. Gaia noticed it first. He immediately grabbed Rain's arm and pulled him into the shadows to hide.
Peeking out slightly, Gaia saw what appeared to be a staff member. The person was up to something secretive—working quietly and hurriedly as if trying not to draw attention. Whatever they were doing, it was clear they were in a rush and didn't want anyone to notice.
Gaia and Rain stayed hidden in silence, watching from their corner. After a moment, the staff member quickly snatched something and vanished into the darkness down the other corridor.
Once the coast was clear, Gaia stepped out from the shadows and walked cautiously to the spot where the staff member had been. He looked around—nothing. Just a bare wall, untouched, with no sign that anyone had been there. No marks, no cracks, not even disturbed dust. It was as though no one had laid a hand on it.
Gaia's expression grew more serious. His mind began to churn with questions. He took a few steps back, then paced around, glancing left and right, scanning the floor, the walls—even the ceiling—but there was nothing. Nothing stood out. Nothing gave away the strange event they had just witnessed.
A gentle touch landed on Gaia's shoulder, making him jolt in place. He quickly turned around to see whose hand it was.
Rain stood there, his face filled with both curiosity and concern. In a soft, low voice, he asked,
"You okay?"
Gaia snapped out of his thoughts, breaking free from the spiral of overthinking. He looked at Rain and gave a small nod.
"L-Let's just go to the bathroom."
__________________________________________________
Colors bloomed—something spreading out like a flower in full blossom, each petal unfurling from a once-coiled mass. Twisted hues, like a bouquet of mixed tones, spilled downward, dripping onto the water's surface and gently spreading into a shallow pool. A scent—more metallic, more pungent than blood—began to rise, slowly overtaking the once-sweet, alluring fragrance it masked.
Thunk Clack
The sound of the door opening cut through the silence. Two guards stepped into the bathroom. Rain lifted his face from the mirror he had been staring into, snapped out of his drifting thoughts, and turned to look at where the guards had entered.
"It's time. Return to your rooms."
The cold, emotionless voice of the adult cut through the air like a sharp blade, slicing away at the fragments of imagination Rain had been immersed in—like a hand slapping the thoughts out of his mind. He quickly splashed water on his face and stepped out of the bathroom, where Gaia was already waiting. The two of them were escorted back to their quarters, footsteps echoing like ice cracking on stone. The chilling atmosphere and the ever-watchful presence of the guards were beginning to get under Rain's skin—an irritation that simmered quietly. Still, it wasn't in his nature to rebel, at least not outwardly.
The massive metal door creaked open once more. They were back in the same dormitory, surrounded by rows of beds and the quiet forms of other children, all asleep and recovering from the day's exhaustion.
"Well, we should probably get some sleep. I've got a feeling tomorrow's going to be another headache," Rain said, heading back to his bed.
"Yeah… Let's hope it won't be too much of a headache," Gaia replied, pulling his blanket over himself. He lay back, eyes fixed on the slowly closing door. The gaze of the guards lingered on them until the heavy metal barrier sealed shut once again.
The next morning, Rain slowly opened his eyes to find Eliza already sitting beside his bed. She was reading something, her attention fixed on the book in her hands—until she noticed he had woken up.
"Oh, you're awake," she said softly.
"Good morning."
She smiled gently at him, then shifted over a little to give him space to sit up. Still a bit groggy, Rain rubbed his eyes and sat on the edge of the bed next to her.
"Morning," he replied sleepily.
Eliza stood up, closing her book with a soft thud. She looked down at him with a playful sternness.
"Alright, up you get. Today's lesson is about to start."
he groaned.
"That soon?"
Eliza gave a small chuckle and began walking away.
"Well, we've got a free period this afternoon—an entire one to two hours. So they're having us start early to make up for it."
Rain stood up and followed Eliza out. The hallway was already bustling with other children making their way to the nearby bathroom—some brushing their teeth, others using the toilet. A few of them went straight to the classroom instead.
"Rain, what about breakfast?" he asked, turning toward Eliza.
"Heard it's after the first class," she replied.
"Is that so…" Rain let out a sigh.
"Hope it's not that bland stuff again—"
Suddenly, a jolt hit him from behind, almost throwing him off balance. A figure had crashed into him and was now gripping his shoulders to keep from falling over.
"Yo, guys!" came a cheerful voice—it was Zyn. She let out a small giggle as she pulled away from Rain and casually walked alongside the two.
"Oh, hey Zyn. Sleep well?" Eliza asked with a gentle smile.
Zyn returned the smile and nodded.
"Pretty much. Still not used to the place though. What about you two?"
"Kind of the same," Eliza replied. "But I slept alright."
"Same here," Rain added,
Zyn glancing toward Rain and Eliza.
"Hey, isn't Gaia with you guys?"
Eliza shook her head.
"He woke up early. I think he went to the bathroom first. He's probably already waiting in the classroom now."
"I see," Zyn murmured.
"Well, let's hurry then."
The three of them joined the rest of the group of others and heading toward the bathroom. Along the way, several guards stood posted to ensure no one did anything outside the bounds of the strict rules imposed on them.