A Few Moments Later

  Still in That Hallway

  Salie Fradik School – First Floor

  Kalik shifts his posture — once relaxed — into a serious one, staring toward the end of the hallway where Harry is kneeling, trembling with fear. Kalik senses a dark omen approaching.

  A few moments later, footsteps begin to echo, drawing closer from the hallway that connects to the one where Harry and Kalik stand.

  At that, Kalik immediately takes a combat stance, clenching his fists and forming a smile that suggests the person approaching is, in some way, interesting to him.

  The footsteps, previously imperceptible to Harry and audible only to Kalik, finally become loud enough for Harry to hear.

  When Harry turns his head back, he sees a boy from the school emerging from the end of the corridor — short white hair, walking straight toward him.

  This makes Harry instantly recoil, curling his body as if to shield himself from an incoming hit, even knowing it would be useless, since he is only human.

  [Young Boy – Confident & Serious Voice] Enough of this nonsense, Kalik! [Breathless & Angry]

  However, the mysterious boy runs past him and, strangely, positions himself in front of Harry, making it clear that he is not an enemy — but someone there to protect him for some reason, at the request of his best friend who was right behind him.

  [Young Boy – Confident & Serious Voice] You won't hurt anyone else, do you hear me, brother? [Breathless & Angry] -

  [Kalik – Soft, Ironic Whisper] Little brother... [Subtle Laugh] -

  At that moment, another person appears from the hallway — a young girl with long hair, coming from the same direction as the mysterious white-haired boy.

  It is revealed that this second person is none other than Harry's own younger sister, Victoria — a 10-year-old student at the same school.

  [Victoria – Worried & Anxious Shout] ...HARRY!!! [Breathless] -

  Hearing her voice echo through that silent place, Harry watches the expression on Victoria's face — once tense and worried — shift into relief and joy upon seeing him unharmed.

  [Harry – Broken, Unreactive Whisper] Little sis...? -

  Within seconds, Victoria runs to him, kneeling where he is still on the floor, and wraps him in a tight hug that conveys not only happiness, but also a deep mix of fear and relief for some reason he cannot yet understand.

  [Victoria – Relieved & Happy Voice] I'm so glad you're not hurt, big brother! I was so scared I wouldn't make it in time. [Happy & Slightly Breathless] -

  [Harry – Broken, Unreactive Whisper] Little sis? What are you doing here? Who is that white-haired boy who was beside you? [Slightly Trembling Breath] -

  Upon hearing her older brother's question, Victoria hugs him even tighter. At the same time, Harry seems relieved, instinctively returning the embrace because of the sense of safety his little sister, Victoria, brings him after a moment that, just seconds earlier, had been terrifying in front of Kalik.

  [Harry – Failed Whisper & No Reaction] I don't understand anything, little sister. [Slightly Trembling Breathing] -

  [Victoria – Relieved & Happy Voice] I have so much to tell you, brother. But now isn't the time... Still, I can assure you that Teo is my best friend, and he will protect us from now on, if it ever becomes necessary! [Happy & Slightly Breathless Breathing] -

  Victoria tries her hardest not to cry as she clings to him, for she had heard Harry's terrified scream echo across that floor.

  She had been just a few meters away from reaching him with her hands—just close enough to protect him from a threat she hadn't known was Kalik, Teo's older brother.

  [Teo – Assertive & Serious Voice] VICTORIA! Take your older brother to the third floor immediately. I need to have a "little conversation" with my idiot of a "big brother"! [Slightly Angry Sigh] -

  When Victoria hears that, her expression changes instantly. She turns toward Teo, who stands in front of her with his back facing her. Both Victoria and Harry remain kneeling on the floor a few meters behind Teo.

  [Victoria – Confident & Serious Voice] I'm not leaving, Teo! And you are not going to fight your brother again, do you hear me?! [Deep, Confident Breath] -

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  [(Harry – Impressed & Surprised Voice)] That tone... What exactly is this young boy, Teo, to my little sister? (Slightly Failed Sigh)]

  [Victoria – Confident & Serious Voice] Did you forget that we talked about this, you big dummy? [Deep, Confident Breath] -

  [(Harry – Impressed & Surprised Voice)] I've never heard her speak in such a caring and affectionate tone to anyone. (Slightly Failed Sigh)]

  Upon hearing Victoria's previous words, Teo—who had been showing normal eyes like any other human—reveals, moved by emotion, the original eyes of an Oculi Albi.

  [(Kalik – Sarcastic & Cheerful Whisper)] Shit... I didn't know this kid was Victoria's older brother. (Deep Sigh)]

  [Teo – Impressed & Surprised Whisper] Victoria... [Respectful & Affectionate Sigh] -

  [(Kalik – Sarcastic & Cheerful Whisper)] If I had hurt him in any way, I'm sure Teo would've fought me without thinking twice... What a shitty situation. (Deep Sigh)]

  The eyes of an Oculi Nigri are completely black, in an opaque shade, without iris, pupils, or any reflection on their surface, while the Oculi Albi have only one feature that sets them apart from the Nigri: the color of their eyes, entirely white instead of black.

  [(Harry – Failed Whisper & No Reaction] Wait... (Slight, Trembling Sigh)]

  [(Kalik – Sarcastic & Cheerful Whisper] But I'll take advantage of this somehow, to try to investigate something. Better not push my luck too far... (Soft Cheerful Laugh)]

  [(Harry – Failed Whisper & No Reaction] ...That white-haired boy who came with my little sister is an Oculi Albi! (Slight, Trembling Sigh)]

  Harry, witnessing that brief exchange between his little sister, Victoria, and the boy Téo—whom he now understands to be an important close friend to her—can clearly notice the faint blush and confident expression on Victoria's face.

  [(Harry – Failed Whisper & No Reaction] What the hell is happening right before my eyes?]

  It gives the impression that an intense feeling is hidden beneath something seemingly simple. Kalik's eyes—Harry's older brother by one year—still lock onto him in a combat stance.

  His eyes, too, lacking irises and pupils, holding only that opaque darkness within them. This is the very trait that differentiates Téo's eyes from Kalik's.

  [(Téo – Lightly Frightened Whisper) ...Wait, what is this strange shift in the environment? (Slight, Broken Sigh)]

  [Kalik – Soft & Ironic Whisper] ...You really are a hopeless case, my dear idiotic Little Brother. (Soft Laugh)]

  Immediately, Téo felt a strange sensation—not only in the surrounding environment for a moment, but also throughout his own body—raising subtle goosebumps across his skin.

  [(Téo – Frightened & Surprised Whisper) Damn it! I let my guard down when I looked at Victoria and Harry. (Angry & Tense Breathing)]

  A shiver ran down Téo's spine when he turned his gaze forward again, after briefly glancing at Victoria behind him, still holding her brother Harry in her arms.

  Téo is caught off guard by Kalik's sudden advance. The world seems to slow down at the exact moment Téo looks for a single second at his brother a few meters away, smiling with a sadistic expression.

  [(Téo – Frightened & Surprised Whisper) I won't gain enough distance in time, damn it!! (Angry & Tense Breathing)]

  And in the very next second, Kalik—still smiling—is only a few meters away, his body moving forward in a surreal burst of speed, now merely inches from reaching Téo's body, his fist tightening with force as he completes the motion.

  A subtle shift in perspective reveals the exact instant the impact hits Téo's body, right as Kalik's punch lands precisely in the pit of his stomach.

  [Kalik – Deep, Empty Whisper] This is for hitting me and throwing me against the wall a few days ago in the quarantine zone downtown, remember? (Cheerful & Pleasured Sigh)]

  Téo widened his eyes at the surreal pain, feeling as if every nerve in his body was boiling at once, and his vision blurred slightly as he noticed Kalik's lips forming a pleasurable, sarcastic smile.

  [Téo — Whispering, Angry & Painful] You bastard!! (Breath shallow & trembling) —

  [Victoria — Whispering, Incredulous & Frightened] No... —

  [Kalik — Cheerful & Nonchalant Voice] Téo. The real reason I left my office and activated this temporal zone is finally done, so... (A small ironic laugh) —

  Téo's expression became almost detached from reality for a few moments as he lost his strength and fell to his knees on the floor, incredulous, watching Kalik turn his back on him and walk away toward his office with such careless mockery.

  [Kalik — Cheerfully Sarcastic Voice] Now that I know your "girlfriend" also has an older brother studying here, that... makes me feel even more disgusted being around you. See you another time, little brother, idiot! (A small ironic laugh) —

  [Victoria — Anxious & Desperate Scream] KALIK!!! (Breath worried & slightly failing) —

  After shouting in extreme concern at what she had just seen, Victoria immediately rushed toward Téo.

  Having noticed that Kalik had put moderate force into that single punch he'd delivered to Téo, who was now completely kneeling on the floor.

  [(Victoria — Frightened & Extremely Worried Voice) Ah, no... (Breath slightly failing)]

  After yelling this to Kalik, the world seemed to slow down before her eyes for a few moments; Victoria found herself almost a meter away from reaching Téo.

  [(Victoria — Frightened & Extremely Worried Voice) ...Not that feeling again, Téo! (Breath slightly failing)]

  At that moment a sensation ran through her — a chill and a massive tightness in her chest — recognizing, in a dawning way, a murderous, feverish feeling in Téo directed at Kalik, who at that moment kept walking away calmly with his back turned toward them.

  [Téo — Whispering, Vindictive & Pleasured] I'm going to kill you, Kalik! (Heavy breathing) —

  There was a visible shift in perspective, the world still momentarily slowed along that long corridor. Téo recovered his slightly disordered senses after Kalik's unexpected attack.

  [Téo — Whispering, Vindictive & Pleasured] You bastard... (A deep, angry sigh) —

  Téo raised his gaze forward toward his brother, Kalik, who was walking away down the corridor with his back to them. In Téo's eyes there was a profound emptiness while a smile consumed by hatred formed on his lips.

  [Victoria — Echoing Scream, Extremely Worried] TéO!!! —

  Another shift in perspective occurred, focusing now on Victoria, who froze, realizing that Téo was about to lunge forward with extreme violence to retaliate against the blow he had received from his older brother, Kalik.

  [Téo — Whispering, Vindictive & Empty] ...I will tear you to pieces, Kalik!! (A deep, pleasure-filled sigh) —