Noon painted the sky in bold strokes of gold as Yon hoisted his backpack, the weight of anticipation humming in his veins. At the doorstep, his mother fussed with his collar, her fingers lingering like autumn leaves reluctant to fall.
"All set," he announced, voice bright. "Leaving now, Ma!"
Luyon's hands stilled. "Be careful," she murmured, the words soft but edged with steel. "Listen to your teachers. No trouble. Don't wander off. Eat on time, shower, and—"
"I *know*, Ma." He kissed her cheek—a quick brush of warmth—before turning toward the waiting world.
She stood frozen in the doorway, watching him walk away. The sun caught the silver strands in her hair, the lines around her eyes deepening as she whispered to the empty air:
When did you grow so tall? Just yesterday… you were small enough to carry.
Yon didn't look back. But the echo of her words followed him down the dusty road—a tender ache beneath the thrill of adventure.
—
Yon slumped on the school courtyard bench, the midday sun hammering the empty quadrangle. Twelve-thirty. Where was everyone? The promise of a this schol event had dissolved into eerie silence—no chattering students, no teachers barking orders. Just heatwaves rippling off concrete.
"Finally!" he muttered as Arli appeared, her ponytail swinging. "Where are the others? And why's the school like a ghost town?"
Arli raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Departure's at three pm. Headmaster announced it yesterday—noon's just for teachers to prep. Did you space out again?"
"Shit. Really?" Yon groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Could've stayed home and napped…"
"Sucks for you," Arli laughed, dropping her backpack beside him. "But hey—why're you here so early?"
"Thought you said noon! Why'd you come to soon? Are you also the same as me, not listening to the words of the principal? "
"really? Are you thought i'm like that? Like you?" she kinda mad
"hehe just kidding. But i just wondering why?"
"Snack run." She flashed a mischievous grin. "Swalayan's calling. Anyway, can you guard my bag?" Before he could protest, she spun on her heel. " thanks, i'll be back soon!"
"Arli—wait!" But she'd already vanished beyond the gates.
Alone again. The silence pressed in—no janitors, no distant chatter, just the buzz of cicadas and his own heartbeat.
Why does empty feel so loud?
Sweat trickled down his neck. The sun, now fierce, turned the courtyard into a kiln. Grabbing both bags, Yon bolted toward the nearest classroom building. AC. Now.
As he pushed open the heavy door, cool air washed over him—but so did another sensation.
Down the hall, a shadow flickered.
Then vanished.
—
Yon couldn't care less about the shadow. He plopped down onto the floor and sprawled out right there. "I swear it's scorching today—shouldn't rainy season have started by now?"
"Wait, is it? Eh, do I care?"
He grumbled to himself, the heat unbearable despite the AC's weak struggle against the sweltering haze. Only when the room finally cooled enough for sleep did he slump into stillness.
A 10 minutes later after he sleepy,
**Tok Tok Tok**
The classroom door shuddered under three brutal knocks. Yon bolted upright—he'd locked it. Fear prickled his spine.
**TOK-TOK-TOK, TOK TOK TOK!**
Louder, insistent. Reluctantly, he dragged himself up and unlatched the door.
He woke up because the sounds make his ears in trouble. Cursing, he stumbled to the door and yanked it open—
Bam!
A guy—handsome, exactly Yon's type—crashed into him, sending Yon sprawling backward.
—just as a figure crashed into him. They tumbled, limbs tangling, the stranger's weight slamming Yon onto the floor. The stranger instantly slammed the door shut and locked it again. As Yon opened his mouth to protest, the boy clamped a hand over his lips, silencing him. Yon struggled, trying to pry the fingers away—
Shhh.
"Don't. Move."
The voice was low, urgent. Yon froze, eyes wide. Above him loomed a boy with sharp features—raven hair falling over eyes the color of storm clouds. Handsome, Yon registered distantly. And terrifying.
Outside, footsteps pounded closer. Voices snarled through the hallway: The threat hung thick, venomous, heavy with a rage that felt personal.
"Where'd he go? Find that damn brat!"
"Tear this place apart!"
" I will kill him, he such a brats. I wanna send him to hell"
The stranger's grip tightened. His breath hitched, lips grazing Yon's ear. "Play dead. Or we both die."
Yon froze. Speechless, he stared up at the stranger's striking face—the hand stifling his breath, the panic in the boy's eyes. None of this made sense. Not even in his wildest dreams.
pretty eyes. He saw it
But the thought shattered as the door handle rattled violently.
The hallway fell silent—the mob's snarls fading like a bad dream. Yon pried at the stranger's hand, fingers digging into skin until the grip loosened.
"Are you insane?!" Yon gasped, shoving him off. "I couldn't breathe!"
The boy scrambled up, eyes wild. "Don't care. I'm out." He yanked the door open, vanishing into the empty corridor with a mocking, "Byeeee~!"
"Damn, you bastard!" Yon shouted after him, voice ricocheting off lockers.
"Whoa, who's a bastard?" Arli's voice cut through his rage. She stood frozen in the doorway, clutching two dripping ice cream cones, her expression caught between confusion and hurt. "Was that… for me?"
"No! Not you!" Yon exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Some lunatic boy tackled me, then bolted like I had the plague."
Arli's frown melted into curiosity. "Lunatic? What'd he look like?"
"Tall. Black hair. His eyes like so —" so pretty. The comparison died on his tongue. "Doesn't matter. Just… infuriating."
Arli shrugged, handing him a cone. "Here. Mango-passionfruit flavor ice cream —your favorite, right?just for Cool down for this hot summer " The ice cream was already weeping in the heat, sweetness pooling in the waffle crevices. "anyways thanks for keep my bags for me" she continues
Yon feel surprised, "ice cream?... Aahhh thank you so much. It's so hot and i need it... Hehe."
"don't worry, i got you. Anyway, let's go into class because it's really hot out here."
" yeah, it's really hot and i feel like burn if i stand like that more longer".
They then chilling in class with eating ice cream and food snack that Arli bought, and waiting their friends.