Twelve O'clock
The world of verse is nothing but a taste of hell that slowly coats the world. People are misled by these romantic stories of possibly finding your destined one. Humanity is slowly forgetting its roots and that is what is greatly terrifying the most. The whole world is drunk to the verse. Drunk to the power, the abilities, to the beast-like characteristics it added to their being.
The group that Yuhan have, gathered for a meeting about what will be the plan with Garen being present to their current situation. They introduced each member and started the meeting.
The youngest of the group was Liliane. Second was the man, Owen Xin, an eighteen year-old alpha. Yuhan Verse, a ninteen year-old alpha. Davis Garcia, A twenty-two year old Beta. Licht Shön, a twenty-three year old lady who was a beautiful omega. The alpha who was behind the computers, Raiji Tsukizora, twenty-three year old. Lastly, Mishel Harvy, twenty-seven year old, a beautiful and young-looking omega.
"About this guy's pheromone outburst in the clasroom, we made sure to edit his golden eyes." Raiji explains as he shows an example of the editted video from his phone.
Garen felt guilty from the trouble he caused.
"It was an accident. He didn't mean it." Liliane stated when she saw the look of Garen who felt Guilty.
"This guy ain't good." Davis says with a light tone.
Owen and Yuhan was clear on displaying their hostility towards Garen.
"Isn't he just another victim?" Mishel says and the two still find it displeasing but, they retreated their obvious hostility at the moment.
Owen scoffed and smiled bitterly.
"The moment they harmed the person they love, it is already unforgivable." Owen says.
"Owen!" Liliane stared with anger for the very first time.
Everyone was surprised.
"I didn't lie. The victim might forgive but, the sinner shouldn't forgive himself." Owen added and it flared Liliane's anger.
Garen agrees to the very statement, there was no need to say it out loud for he knows it very well. Garen is already grounded in this regard.
"I know it very well and I don't ever plan to forgive myself either. I never want harm towards Liliane and so, I also want to ask you guys some favor." Garen's eyes glowed golden but, no pheromone was emitted.
Garen fixed himself and faced everyone with unwavering determination.
"If I am ever about to hurt her, Kill me right there." Garen says this and Liliane stood up from her seat, slamming her hand to the table.
"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING." The group was surprise as it seems that they have never seen Liliane this angry.
The beautiful omega, Licht hummed and tapped her finger to the table.
"That's a heavy request for a sixteen-year-old." She says.
"Licht, please. He doesn't mean that." Liliane asks for her senior's understanding of her side.
"Dear, you need not to worry. We won't ever let harm come to our group and that includes Garen." Mishel smiled warmly.
Yuhan and Owen's stare says otherwise but, Liliane is relieved to hear those from Mishel.
Garen felt light in his chest but, deep inside, he himself tied it to his core. He already promised to Liliane that he would never let himself harm her. Garen plans to keep that promise to the very end.
It didn't matter what side they stand on, it's what they think would be best for Liliane that matters. The three exchanged gazes. It is a silent agreement among the three men who cares for Liliane. Owen and Yuhan will Kill Garen if needed.
The meeting preceeds after the matter with Garen. Raiji tapped on a special button on the table that projected a blue screen in front of them afterwards.
"In 5 days after other levels are added, they will open interactions among all levels of the academy."
Even the nicest looking person in the room disappeared as soon as this statement sounded in the entire room. Raiji continued to explain.
"They plan to trigger even the betas by exposing them to pheromones of a large scale."
"Then... The children..." Garen was aghast beyond he could ever imagine.
The verse is planning to awaken children who are still clueless of the world. He shouldn't be shocked as it was exactly what happened to Liliane but, he felt his blood boiling by the mere thought of causing other victims like Liliane.
He was oblivious before but, now he knows of the true face of the Verse. They are ones who do not care of using young children to satiate their desires.
Garen couldn't help but think back of that such a precious person to him, became a mere test subject. He knew of the awakening of identity to the world of verse, how painful it is specially for omegas.
He heard of it once. How their insides are transformed to be of the ability to conceive and give birth to a child.
For Alphas, Garen awakened in his sixth year of primary. He felt his body like being stretched, he always have this growth pain he had to deal with all the time.
"I want to bomb the building but, they could just rebuild it again within two months." Davis stated.
Garen suddenly thought of something and discussed it with them. Not for too long, the meeting ends and they all had some breakfast. Seeing these kind people, they seem like a family to one another. The eldest of them were pretty friendly but the others, specially and Yuhan and Owen were still displaying their obvious displeasement towards Garen.
In spite of Yuhan's dislike towards Garen, Yuhan promised to train Garen to be able to control his Alpha self later. Garen was extremely thankful for that. For now, Garen will have some medications to help stabilize his pheromone.
Garen and Liliane are soon to leave and before they do, Garen glanced at an old clock , there were no ticking sounds nor any silent stride of its hands. It seems to have ceased to operate. He only looked for a few seconds then, turned his back away.
Along the way, Garen brought that curiousity of him regarding to that.
"Do they never change the batteries of that?" He asked.
His way of asking was too random but, Liliane figured what he was talking about anyways. She then began to tell of the story behind that clock.
"That clock that Yuhan owns is way too old. It is said that it was built with a special mechanism that would gradually die out by time. By the time it stopped, the arm telling the hour was exactly pointing at [6]. Yuhan didn't like it so, he moved the arm to [12]." Liliane subtly smiles and her beautiful, blue eyes seemed to look determined after that.
Garen understood at that moment, what that clock symbolized for them and how he wants to burn that image to his mind and made a resolve at that very moment.
"From now on, I will make sure to only walk forward." He said in his thoughts as he gaze upon Liliane who is breathing along within his side.