Where?

It's been weeks since the lockdown was initiated by the headmistress. There was no further update as to where the prisoner is hiding nor knowledge if he's still in the academy premises. There were security guards patrolling every corner of the academy. Though it still feels unsafe.

We had to rationalize our portion so we can save food for 1 week since the food supplies only arrive once a week.

We had to wait for a couple more weeks just to ensure that everything was safe, until they finally decided that the academy was now open once again. Some students were still anxious about the situation, and the others didn't attend the academy. All the dorm users however, were still under lockdown, but not as strict as before. I had to call Karina up to ask if she's going to attend the academy. There was no answer on her end. I contacted Solace, and just like Karina, there was no answer. I then contacted Esteban.

He answered.

"Yeah? What's up?" He asked.

"Solace and Karina didn't pick up my call. Are they okay?"

"Haven't heard from them ever since the lockdown. I might visit their dorms though."

"Good, please do update me if something happened to them." I sighed in relief as I ended the call.

I continued walking in the grand hall and went to my first subject.

Everyone inside was still scared, they were stiff and anxious by the looks of their body language and emotions. I just carried on and continued to do my thing.

I couldn't help it, why does it seem that everything just doesn't add up? Why is our education still ongoing when a shooter was just on the loose? I was lost in my thoughts for so long, I barely heard the bell ringing.

I snapped back to reality. Shoot, I wasn't listening. I stared up to the board and noticed some written assignments. I quickly wrote it down and headed out to proceed to my next subject.

Then I saw Manuel.

I was about to approach him, but he seemed to be busy talking to someone. He looks… Happy.

I can't help but smile for him at some point, I just continued to walk to class.

It's been days since we talked. But he told me he was really preparing for the incoming finals.

Like nothing ever happened.

I mean, I get it. There are people who move on quite easily. But there are people like me who are paranoid about almost everything. I looked at him again, he seemed to be very very happy.

Then casually entering into my next subject, I saw Gerard at the corner of the room, looking very… worried. I approached him and tapped his shoulders as he jumped out of his seat, scared.

"It's just me, Gerard." I tried to calm him down, but he seemed to be hyperventilating.

I whistled softly, flicking my fingers.

"Snap out of it and follow my breathing pattern. Inhale." I inhaled, he followed, his breathing pattern stuttered. He continued his deep breaths for a couple of minutes until he slowly calmed down.

"Better?" I asked. He answered with a nod.

"What happened?" I raised a brow as he frowned.

"Karina… She left, and her dorm window was wide open… There were blood stains in front of her door. I couldn't seem to get in, I tried calling for help but there was this person in an overalls and chased me down the hall. W-Which means, she didn't really leave! S-she must've been k-"

"Stop right there." A familiar voice echoed in the empty room. I turned around and saw Karina with her hand on her waist. Her red hair swayed as the doors swung open, letting in a burst of air.

"A GHOST!" Gerard yelped as he balled up on his seat.

"Forgive me. I was just dyeing my hair a while ago. The red water you saw wasn't blood, it was my hair dye." She chuckled, laughing at the scared Gerard.

"We've been trying to contact you this morning, where have you been?" I asked.

She shrugged.

"Had my time off with my gadgets. It was amazing though. It's not like someone would care if I disappear or anything." Karina sat down beside Gerard now.

"Gerard was totally worried for you. He got chased down with a person who was in his-her overalls!" I scoffed.

"Oh that was me." Karina said as she laughed.

"You could've seen the look on his face!" She continued.

"You're just bullying Gerard at this point for worrying a lot about you." I said.

I slid my hand into my pocket as I grabbed my phone and dialed Esteban's number.

There were a few rings until he picked up.

"Esteban, Karina's here in the 2nd period. That leaves us with Solace." I said.

"Actually, I went to her dorm and skipped class this morning." He said with a worried voice.

"Her dorm is… Open. And there was no sign of Solace in the dorm." He added.

There was like a shard of ice that struck through my head as it melts down my spine.

At that moment, I was extremely worried.

"Have you seen anything inside that might look… Odd?"

"Her stuff in there, it looked like a total wreck. Like a storm crashed into her dorm or something."

At that moment, I knew I had to tell someone, but there was no one I knew in power to send the report to the deans.

Until I heard footsteps from outside of the room, which sounded like everyone was scurrying away from something terrifying. I looked out through the window and saw Dean Stephen Ivanov. One of the Ascending Deans of Vox Publicae Academy, the whole package. Good-looking, smart, kind and caring..? What more can a woman ask? But at this point, I should let him know that there's something going on.

I head out of the room, gathering my guts tight and ready to face a terrible memory of my whole entire life because not a single student has tried to converse to an Ascending Dean.

"Ascending Dean Stephen Ivanov, may I politely ask for your attention please." I squealed behind him with a distance of 4 meters. Everyone was silent, just the door slowly closing- creaking awkwardly in the background.

I felt everyone's eyes on me that made me stiff as the Ascending Dean turned.

He gave me a look from head to toe as he broke a smile from his mouth, well… That was a first.

"Pray tell, is it something very important that one of thousands of students has the guts to interrupt an Ascending Dean's time of traveling to another destination not so far away from this very place?" He raised a brow. I couldn't really understand if he's mad or not because of his tone and approach. But I don't have any time to waste!

I told him about what happened and how it is very urgent to send some guards to Solace's dorm. He nodded and quickly agreed- which is another first.

I can feel myself tremble as I beg since he was also asking a lot of details as to what happened.

In the end, he said he'll look into it.

As he continued to walk away, everyone's gaze was on me yet again. Hearing questions like how I was able to earn the bravery of striking up a conversation, or how will I be punished in the future for talking to an Ascending Dean.

I wouldn't care. A student's life can be in danger any time, how must I just stand here like nothing's happening when there is a situation I couldn't take a grasp of but can feel such dangers in a short amount of time?

At dismissal time, I was about to head back to my dorm with a lot going on in my head. I felt my stomach ache, of course. I forgot to eat today from overthinking and only consuming 3 boxes of apple juice. As I slowly walked down the stairs, I saw Manuel conversing with a bunch of people, with those beautiful smiles yet again. I love seeing him smile, especially when he's with me. But I just don't have any time for this anymore and I must really know where Solace could be. I rushed down the stairs, catching a glimpse of Manuel looking at me.

He called my name.

I looked.

There was a girl beside him, and 2 guys on the other.

The girl was a human, and is blonde.

He waved.

I smiled.

"Aren't you going home to study for your exams?" I asked. He told me he wants to prepare for his finals, might as well catch up for some updates if he did something that could've helped him, right?

He just scoffed.

"I finished studying about a week ago. The exam is going to be easy. No worries." He said.

I felt an ache in my heart.

If he was already done, why didn't he call me over so I could prepare something nice for him?

I just shrugged it off.

"Oh, well. That's great. But I'll be heading out. Something important came up and I have to go." I was about to walk away when he grabbed me by the arm. It feels like he was grabbing me and hurting me at the same time.

"Leaving so soon? Why? Don't you want to have some time with me?"

I pulled back, looking at him with dishonor at his actions.

"What's gotten into you?" I whispered to him as I stared at him.

"I needed you for so long yet you ignored me. That's what I mean." He whispered back with an angry tone.

"There's a lot going on right now, I have no time for this." I sighed. "Sorry." I added.

He just looked at me, then turned his back on me.

"If you continue this, I might as well end it." Was all he said before returning to his group.

I got so fed up with everything at the moment that I sobbed, I couldn't hold my tears back as I ran. I heard him calling my name but I just continued to run away back to my dorm.

I got inside, locked the door behind me and sat on the floor, looking like a wreck.

"Solace… Where are you.." I weeped as I dialed her phone number.

I continued dialing her number, hoping for a response.

Until I felt my world slowly moving and fading into darkness as I slowly laid down on the floor.

Then I heard a faint voice that echoed in my mind.

"Hello..? Hiraya? Hiraya! Help!"