[09:25 AM] Art Class
A week after their visit to the Bain City Museum, Raffy stood at the front of the classroom, presenting his group’s findings on the lack of reliable information surrounding ancient artifacts.
Beside him stood Akasa, Ezra, Chafik, Gita, and Dafina—quietly supporting the presentation from start to finish.
Ten minutes passed.
Raffy closed with a rhetorical question, but it was met only with silence. Their classmates looked uninterested, clearly more eager for the class to end than to engage.
“Well then, if there are no questions, that concludes our presentation. Thank you.”
Light applause followed—half-hearted, polite. The lecturer nodded in approval, while relieved murmurs rippled through the room.
As they exited the classroom, Raffy glanced at Akasa. His friend was still smiling faintly, but his steps felt heavier than usual.
Without saying much, Raffy slipped an arm around Akasa’s shoulder and tossed out a casual remark, trying to lighten the mood.
[11:32 AM] Campus Cafeteria
Two hours passed. The sun began drifting westward, spilling warm light through the empty classroom windows. Chairs scraped against the floor as students poured out, and—as always—the campus cafeteria became their next destination.
The aroma of soup and spiced broth blended with the chatter of students. At their usual table, Raffy and the others fell into a relaxed discussion about their semester break plans.
They talked logistics—supplies, camping gear rentals, physical preparation—until Gita suddenly changed the subject.
“Oh, by the way, Zra,” she said, “my roommate wants to join us. Is that okay?”
“A girl?” Ezra asked, curious.
“Yeah. First time hiking, apparently.”
“Then let her train with us beforehand,” Ezra suggested.
“Alright! So we’re meeting directly at the station, right?” Gita confirmed.
“Sounds good,” Ezra nodded.
Then she frowned.
“Wait—where are Raffy and Akasa?”
“They left earlier,” Ezra replied. “Said they had something urgent.”
“Urgent what?” Gita pressed.
“No idea,” Ezra said. “But… it seemed important.”
Even as he spoke, an uneasy feeling crept into his chest.
[07:25 AM] Bain City Station
A week slipped by unnoticed. Departure day arrived.
Ezra was the first to reach the station, which was already filling with early-morning travelers. Not long after, Gita arrived—outdoor gear on, a large carrier strapped to her back.
“Wha—? You’re already here? Who are you? A stuntman?” she teased.