Tyler, a weary teacher, stepped into his small apartment.
The door creaked as he pushed it open.
The familiar scent of home greeted him, but the silence weighed heavily in the air.
He smiled faintly, forcing warmth into his voice.
"I'm home."
No reply.
He expected that, but it still stung. His smile didn't waver as he walked in, closing the door behind him.
He placed his worn leather bag on the table and neatly arranged the papers he had brought from work.
Then, he slipped off his outer shirt, draped it over the chair, and rolled up his sleeves.
"Let's make dinner," he murmured to himself.
He moved methodically, picking out vegetables, slicing them with practiced ease.
The rhythmic chopping filled the silence, interrupted only by the bubbling of the soup and the occasional clatter of utensils.
As the food simmered, he set the table, placing three sets of utensils.
A habit he refused to break.
Sitting down, he clasped his hands together, as if waiting for someone else to do the same.
"Today at the academy was… rough," he began, his voice steady but quiet.
"A student died. Killed by some lunatic… a cannibal."
He let the words linger, as if expecting someone to gasp in shock, to ask him for details.
But there was no one.
He continued.
"And two of my students… they were hospitalized. I still don't know what happened to them." He exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
"It's been getting worse lately."
A pause. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled.
"But Kai… Kai is different." His voice softened, carrying a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time.
"That kid… reminds me of myself when I was younger. Lazy, look super dumb, always getting into trouble but never meaning harm. I guess… he's my favorite student."
He laughed lightly, shaking his head.
"Not that I'm supposed to have favorites."
For a moment, the illusion of normalcy almost felt real.
Almost.
Then, the moment shattered.
His gaze drifted to the altar in the corner of the room.
His smile faded as he stood up and walked toward it. Two framed photos rested there—one of a woman, the other of a child.
He picked up a cloth and began wiping the dust off the frames, his fingers tracing over the faces he would never see again.
"I met you on a rainy day, remember?" His voice dropped to a whisper.
"You looked so beautiful, standing there, soaked to the bone, cursing at the sky. I thought, 'God, I need to know this woman.'"
He chuckled, but his eyes were glassy.
"And when our little one was born… I don't think I'd ever been that happy. Holding them in my arms… I thought I had everything."
He stopped wiping. The cloth trembled slightly in his grip. His expression darkened.
"Then someone took it all away."
The air around him grew heavy. His breathing slowed, and his eyes—once filled with warmth—began to glow with an eerie light.
A cold, unnatural fury burned within them.
"I swear," he murmured, his voice deathly calm.
"No matter what it takes… no matter how much it destroys me… I will make them pay."
He turned abruptly, walking toward a drawer. He pulled it open and took out a revolver. The weight was familiar in his hand.
Clicking open the cylinder, he stared at the bullets inside.
"I found a lead." His lips curled into a chilling smile.
"It won't be long now."
The room remained silent. Only the dim glow of the altar's candles flickered against his hollow expression.
***
Baron and I left the hospital.
They had been waiting for this day for a long time.
"Finally... The air is so fresh!" I took a deep breath and looked at Baron.
Baron, on the other hand, threw money at a man's face and said something.
Then he turned to me and pointed at a carriage.
"Want to go?"
"Absolutely."
Both of us got on and sat as comfortably as possible.
"How many days have we skipped school?"
"Two weeks," Baron yawned.
"Wow, two weeks of learning absolutely nothing at the academy. There's no way I'll graduate at this rate," Kai smiled painfully.
Even though they were only fifteen—still quite young—skipping school was definitely not a good idea.
"I just need to pay a tutor to teach me. That's more than enough."
"You don't bribe professors or teachers?"
"I'm not that pathetic. If I did, those bastards in my family would just find more ways to badmouth me," Baron said irritably.
"Wow, even though you're arrogant, you still live pretty righteously, huh?"
Baron didn't answer. And so, we waited until we arrived at the academy.
"Here we are!"
The carriage driver stopped, and the two of us jumped off.
"Consider this a little extra reward for doing a good job."
"T-T-Thank you!!"
The driver happily took the money and rode off.
"The academy is still as huge as ever!"
As we walked through the school gates, we noticed many students wearing different types of gear.
"...?"
Baron and I exchanged confused glances.
"What's going on?"
"Why are you asking me?"
Nearby, Alice noticed us and waved.
"Over here!!"
Baron and I went over, only to find the entire Class F gathered in one place.
"What's happening? Is there a war?"
"A war, your ass! The school announced a special activity for first-year students today. It's a dungeon expedition to help students learn and gain experience," Alice explained.
"W-WHAT?? Right now??" I said in shock.
I had read about this event in books, but who would've thought it would happen right after I got out of the hospital?!
"Oh, by the way, the dorm guy asked me to tell you something," Alice added.
"Huh?"
"You have unpaid rent."
"..."
I smiled and turned to Baron, hoping to ask for a little favor.
But he was already gone.
I glanced around to find him—only to see that he was now surrounded by Class F students.
His usual arrogant expression had returned.
"HAHA! YOU ALL WANT MY HELP, IS THAT IT? OF COURSE, I SHALL ASSIST! IT WOULD BE AN INSULT TO THINK SOMEONE LIKE ME COULDN'T CARRY THIS PATHETIC CLASS!"
"..."
Alice continued speaking.
"Also, you guys missed a lot of tests, so once this activity is over, you and Baron are definitely getting bombarded with make-up exams."
"..."
Sometimes, I wonder...
How far apart are hope and despair?
Because they seem a lot closer than I thought.