Ryo flicked the lighter in his hand—click... click... click—without lighting it. His eyes stayed locked on Ryan.
"Oh, not again." His tone was laced with irritation. "You fell... again. You're disappointing me."
Leaning against the wall, he forced out a dry laugh.
At that moment, Enna walked toward Ryan, her steps echoing through the silent room. As she reached him, Ryo lazily nudged Ryan's face with his foot.
"What's wrong with him?" Her cold gaze lingered on Ryan's motionless body.
"What if he's faking it? Trying to avoid me." Ryo's voice dripped with sarcasm. He raised his foot, about to kick Ryan harder—
Smack.
Enna's hand shot out, stopping him mid-motion.
"Stop it. Let's go." Her voice was flat, emotionless. "We're out of time. He'll wake up on his own."
Without another glance, she tossed the blazer toward Ryo and turned on her heel, heading for the door.
Ryo caught the blazer with one hand, his eyes narrowing as he watched her leave.
"I'll see you later, rat."
Slipping the blazer over his shoulder, he followed Enna out.
As the door clicked shut, silence filled the room.
Then—a quiet groan.
Ryan's eyes fluttered open, blinking against the blinding light. His head throbbed. Everything felt distant.
"Come on!" Enna's voice snapped through the haze. "Why are you all just standing around? He needs a doctor."
Her clenched fists and narrowed eyes betrayed the frustration she tried to suppress.
Ryan let out a weak chuckle. "Enna... relax. I don't need a doctor—I'm fine, really."
Click. Click. Click.
Ryo flicked his lighter faster. "I don't think you're okay, brother." His voice wavered, barely masking his concern. "We keep seeing you collapse out of nowhere. What harm would it do to see a doctor just once?"
Ryan's eyes softened. He caught the rare, fleeting moment of vulnerability in Ryo's tone.
He exhaled. "Alright, alright… but right now, all I want is sleep."
The tension in the room eased slightly.
Ryan let out a small, tired smile. "By the way... happy birthday, champ."
The flicking of the lighter stopped.
Ryo's fingers froze. His eyes widened—just for a second—before he quickly looked away.
"Yeah, yeah… thanks. Get some sleep. We'll talk later." His voice was calmer now.
BEEP! BEEP! HONK! HONK!
Ryan flinched at the sudden noise.
Enna stood up. "Maybe it's my grandma… Okay, guys. Bye. See you in the morning."
"Yeah… Bye," both Ryo and Ryan said in sync.
Sage walked into the kitchen, handing a small packet to Enna.
"You didn't have to, but thanks, Sage," Enna murmured, closing the door without another glance.
"Never mind… Good night."
"Hmm."
With the door shut, Sage turned to Ryo and passed him another packet.
"Okay then… I'll head out too. See you tomorrow," Ryo said.
Step. Step. Step.
As he reached the door, he paused and turned back. "Should I pick you guys up in the morning?"
Sage smiled slightly. "Nah, we'll manage."
"Alright then. Bye, guys."
The door locked behind him.
Sage flopped onto his air bed. "Don't you want to sleep?"
Silence.
He turned his head.
Ryan was already asleep.
Sage let out a small chuckle. "Good for you."
Fog. Thick and endless.
Ryan drifted through the white void, weightless, like floating through clouds. Everything was silent—until—
Cold water splashed against his face.
His breath hitched. A faint sense of relief washed over him.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in Void 1.
A janitor stood over him, flicking drops of water onto his face.
"You okay? What's with the blood?"
Ryan groaned, pushing himself up. His limbs felt like lead.
Blinking, he mumbled, "What time is it?"
The janitor frowned. "School's already out. It's 2:30." He eyed Ryan suspiciously. "How long have you been here?"
Ryan sighed. "Since lunchtime, I think."
"This because of a fight?"
Ryan exhaled through his nose. "Something like that."
The janitor shook his head, picking up his mop. "Well, get up, kid. I need to clean this room. Wash your face. Get that blood off your shirt."
"Yeah, sure, man."
Ryan dusted himself off and headed toward the door. But the moment he crossed the threshold—
Everything vanished.
The hallway. The school. The janitor.
All of it—gone.
Ryan found himself in an empty space, an abyss stretching endlessly around him.
His breath quickened. "Huh?"
"Again?"
Then—
The black void shattered.
Pieces of it crumbled like broken glass, falling into the emptiness below. Shifting white shapes flickered in the air like fragmented windows.
And then—
A laugh.
Low, distorted, creeping into his ears.
Ryan's spine stiffened.
"What the hell...?"
One by one, his real-world memories flickered within the shifting white shapes.
His chest tightened. The visions felt... real.
And then—his eyes landed on a box.
"Huh?"
MEMORY 001
To be continued...