The night air was quiet on the rooftop, but Ji Han's heart was not.
The glowing red shard in Ji Won's hand pulsed slowly — a soft light that beat in rhythm with Ji Han's chest. He could feel it, like the shard was alive… or remembering something he had forgotten.
Ji Han stood up slowly. "Where did you get that?"
Ji Won tossed the shard gently in the air and caught it. "The abandoned underground railway we found days ago on our first advanced training mission with So Min."
"And you just tell us now?"Ha Neul added.
"I thought it was nothing important..but then I realized that the shard glows bright red when it's close to Ji Han..."He turned to Ji Han."But it didn't react anything to other student, I've tested it. It only reacted to Ha Neul and you. So I figured that maybe I should talk about this to you guys."
Ha Neul leaned forward, studying the shard. "Can I see it?"
Ji Won hesitated for a second, then handed it to him. The moment the shard touched Ha Neul's palm, it pulsed again — brighter this time. Ha Neul winced as a sharp warmth ran through his hand and up his arm. He quickly handed it to Ji Han.
As soon as Ji Han touched it, the light exploded into a soft red glow that surrounded him like a halo.
Everything went quiet.
Ji Han felt his heartbeat slow… and then suddenly speed up.
A sharp pain flashed in his head — like a memory trying to force its way in.
Images.
White halls. Cold rooms. Wires on skin. A voice.
"Emotion Class Subject 03-A. Begin synchronization."
He dropped the shard with a gasp.
The light faded. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe. Ha Neul was already beside him, holding his shoulders.
"What did you see?" he asked softly.
Ji Han's voice shook. "I… I saw myself. In the lab. Hooked to a machine. There were people watching me through glass. They were… testing my emotions. Trying to make them stronger."
Ji Won frowned. "Why would they want that?"
Ha Neul answered, eyes narrowing. "To feed the system. Maybe Ji Han's ability… wasn't just born. It was built. Grown. So Min said it the other day, we were... experiments."
Ji Han looked down at the shard lying on the ground. "This thing… it's not just reacting to emotions. It's remembering them. Holding them. Like a piece of someone's past."
Ji Won crouched, picking it up again. "Experiments..then that means… this shard isn't just from a Rift. It's from your Rift. The one that made you or your system."
Ji Han stood slowly, his voice low. "If that's true… then this shard could help me remember everything they took away."
Ha Neul nodded. "Then we need to find more of them."
Ji Won grinned. "Lucky for you, I know where another one might be. But it's not gonna be easy. It's inside the old part of the Academy. The restricted wing."
Ha Neul look surprised."How'd you know that?"
"I've been analyzing the shard ever since I found it. And guess what? when I passed through the restricted wing, the old part of the Academy...the shard glows bright red..just like earlier. So I figured our answer that we're seeking might be there."Ji Won looked back at the glowing shard.
Ji Han's eyes flicked to Ha Neul. "You still with me?"
Ha Neul smiled faintly. "Always."
Ji Won rolled his eyes. "Ugh, get a room."
Ji Han chuckled for the first time in days. "Then let's go steal a memory."
"Does it count as stealing though? When it's originally yours.."Ji Won grins playfully.
"Well, maybe not..?" Ha Neul chuckled faintly.
And just like that, the three of them disappeared into the night, not knowing that their next step would lead them deeper into the truth — into the shadows where the real story began.
---
The Academy was silent at night.
Most students were asleep. The hallways were empty, and the usual glow of magic stones in the walls dimmed to a soft blue. Only the sound of distant wind brushing against the windows could be heard.
Ji Han stood in front of the old staircase at the back of Building C. It was hidden behind a heavy wooden door that most people ignored. A small sign above it read:
RESTRICTED – STAFF ONLY
He turned to Ha Neul and Ji Won.
"You sure this is the way?" he whispered.
Ji Won smirked and held up a folded map. "Stole this from Instructor Dae's office while he was yelling at some poor kid. Trust me — the restricted wing starts right under this staircase."
Ji Han glanced around one more time. "Alright. Let's move."
Ha Neul pushed the door open slowly. It creaked a little, but no alarms went off. The three of them slipped inside.
The staircase was narrow and steep, leading down into the dark. Ji Han's hand brushed the wall as they walked — the stone was cold and slightly damp, like it hadn't been touched in years.
At the bottom was another door, metal this time. No handle. Just a flat surface with a glowing circle in the center.
Ha Neul stepped forward. "A scanner?"
Ji Won nodded. "Emotion-locked, probably. These doors only open for staff with strong enough emotional signatures."
Ji Han stepped closer. The shard in his pocket began to pulse again — softly, like it sensed something familiar.
He reached out and touched the circle.
The scanner glowed red for a moment.
Then…
Click.
The door slid open.
They stepped inside.
The hallway beyond was completely different from the rest of the Academy. The walls were metal instead of stone, smooth and shiny like a lab. The lights were dim, flickering slightly, and everything smelled like old dust and disinfectant.
Ji Han felt a chill crawl down his spine.
"This place…" he whispered. "It feels like the dream."
Ha Neul's eyes scanned the walls. "Yeah I saw it too..in my dream..so this is where it happened…"
Ji Won walked ahead slowly, more serious than usual. "Let's stick together. We'll search where the next shard is supposed to be."
They moved quietly.
Door after door passed them — all locked, some with windows showing dark empty rooms. Some had old machines inside. Others were completely bare.
One door had scratch marks on the inside of the glass. Like someone had tried to claw their way out.
Ji Han stopped in front of it, heart racing. "I've seen this before…"
Suddenly, the shard in his pocket flared.
A rush of energy hit him — dizzying, sharp, overwhelming.
Flash.
He was a child again.
Lying on a metal table.
Cold wires attached to his skin. People watching from behind glass.
A voice:
"Subject 03-A shows stronger emotional surges than predicted. Begin Phase 2."
Pain. Fear. But he didn't cry. He was trained not to.
Flash.
He was back.
Ha Neul grabbed his arm, steadying him. "Hey. You okay?"
[Emotions detected: Concern]
Ji Han nodded slowly, his voice tight. "They did things to me here. I remember now. This is where they tested the system… where they built it."
Ji Won's voice came from ahead. "Guys. I found it."
They hurried toward him.
At the end of the hallway was a small room — labeled Emotion Sync Archives.
Inside were shelves lined with old files and glass cases holding strange stones. One of them was glowing faintly — just like the one Ji Won had found.
Another shard.
Ji Han stepped into the room carefully. As he approached the shard, his system reacted again — not with pain this time, but with… clarity.
He reached out and touched it.
More memories flashed.
But this time, not just his.
So Min.
Sitting beside him in the lab.
Crying quietly. Her hand in his.
"I'll protect you," he had whispered.
She looked up at him. "We'll escape together. One day."
Flash.
Back in the room, Ji Han was shaking.
"She was with me," he whispered. "So Min… she was there. In the lab. We were both part of the experiments."
Ha Neul looked stunned. "That means… she remembers too?"
Ji Won crossed his arms. "Or she chose to forget."
Suddenly, the lights flickered.
A red alarm flashed across the ceiling.
"Unauthorized access detected."
Ji Won cursed. "Looks like the Academy just found out we're here."
Ji Han grabbed the new shard, shoving it into his jacket. "Let's go. Now."
They ran.
Back through the hallway. Up the stairs. Out the wooden door.
The second they stepped outside, Ji Han slammed the door shut and Ha Neul sealed it with a temporary barrier spell.
Breathing hard, they leaned against the wall.
Ji Won looked at them. "Okay… that was insane. But worth it."
Ji Han held the two shards in his hands.
He could feel the truth inside them — heavy, but clear.
"They turned us into weapons," he said quietly. "But I won't let them use us anymore."
Ha Neul nodded. "We're going to uncover everything. Piece by piece."
Ji Won grinned. "Then I guess we just declared war on the Academy."
The night wind blew softly, carrying their silent promise into the darkness.
This was only the beginning.