“How much?” My morning voice still had that rough edge.
"Seventy cents, sir." The vendor closed his jar of candies.
"Here's a euro. Keep the change." I pocketed one of the coffee-flavored candies and walked on, unrolling the papers I'd been carrying—curriculum for the class I was substituting, and behind it, a stack of student research reports.
Can't they give a person a break?
I was about to check the curriculum when my phone buzzed. A message from the dean, forwarded from administration.
I opened it.
URGENT NOTICE: ALL FACULTY & STUDENTS
All academic activities are temporarily suspended for one (1) month.
A historical writing has been discovered at an undisclosed site.
Per UNHA General Data Regulation, both the discoverer and the location remain confidential.
All faculty members are required to attend a formal investigation briefing at the College Coliseum, 10:00 A.M., October 7, 2024.
Student participation is voluntary.
Working students who participate may receive additional scholarship credit and semester fee deductions based on their contribution.
Recipients of this message are hereby bound under Article 732; dissemination or discussion of its contents outside school grounds constitutes a violation of confidentiality.
Failure to comply:
Article 732, Servitude Law – Non-compliance constitutes dereliction of national duty.
I stopped walking.
“Are you kidding me?” I put my phone away and continued with my morning walk.
—
I sat on the nearby bench at the park and ate another candy in my pocket. I took a glimpse at the rolled paper bound by my phone beside me and sighed.
“Well, there is nothing for me to do here and just read these reports.” I whispered to myself as I grabbed one of the reports and checked for errors.
—
I'd been here for a while, leaning back at the armrest with the papers resting on my stomach.
“Alright…” I murmured to myself, half-asleep, a paper draped over my face.
I began closing my eyes as I overheard passersby whispering, something about being rejected or getting fired.
“Is that you, Phoen?”
I caught a familiar voice calling my name. Lowering the paper that served as my makeshift mask, I glanced up and saw my colleague from the department and a little girl.
“Yeah, Hyue, it’s me,” I said, sitting up and stretching slightly. “Taking a stroll through the park. And… is that your significant other? I’m surprised — didn’t think you had a quirk for children.”
“This lover~ beside me is my sister,” he said, grinning as he ruffled her hair. She groaned, trying to wriggle free from his arm.
Their playful banter faded, and he added, “Sky, this is my colleague, Phoen. Phoen–hey don't pull my sleeve!” Sky leaned on his brother while she began approaching me.
“I-It’s nice to meet you! I'm Sky.” She stepped forward and extended her hand nervously–her other hand still gripped on his brother's sleeve.
I took it with a small smile. “A well-mannered girl,” I said quietly, then leaned in just enough to whisper, “Teach your brother that sometime, will you?”
She giggled. Hyue frowned. I pretended not to notice, then turned back with a small smile.
“Big brother, sit for me, please.” She crossed her arms and held her head high.
Hyue sighed, clearly bothered, but crouched down anyway. Sky patted his head, grinning.
“Be a good boy,” she said. I couldn’t help but laugh and pulled out my phone to capture the moment.
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“Hey, Phoen, del—” Hyue started, but before he could finish, Sky clung to his shirt, pouting.
“Are you angry, brother?” Her eyes welled up, and Hyue immediately wrapped her in his arms.
As they embraced, Sky looked at me over his shoulder, loosened the clasp of her bracelet and slipped out a folded square of paper with a QR code on it.
“Here,” she said softly. I noticed her smile as if she was desperate to see that photo.
“What a child,” I murmured, scanning the printed QR. Her personal vCard flashed on my screen — ordinary contact info, but the way she’d hidden it said otherwise.
I breathed a sigh as I looked at her happy expression at having to get that photo.
She hid the paper in her bracelet as her brother let go of her.
“Can you play just by yourself where we could see you, lil sis. I have something to talk about Phoen.” Hyue asked her sister while taking off Sky’s backpack.
“Sure brother!” She answered enthusiastically as her blue-streaked hair caught the light while running.
“Your sister is scary.” I murmured to Hyue while taking off my things on my lap.
“Did you delete the picture you took? If not, give it to me.” Hyue handed his phone to me, QR code already on the screen.
“You and your sister are quite alike huh.” I took my phone beside my bench and scanned the code.
I dragged the picture and sent it to his account and Sky’s account at the same time. I sighed in exasperation and leaned at the bench.
“So what do you want to talk about?” I grabbed two candies in my pocket and gave one to Hyue. “Is it about the papers you gave me to finish?”
“No, it's about the announcement, isn’t it strange that the government didn’t provide any information on it?” Hyue unwrapped his candy and ate it.
“I already knew that it's strange, the government’s movement would have announced to everyone that a historical writing has been found to satisfy their pride.” I also unwrapped my candy and ate it.
“We have no choice even if we argue their beliefs.”
Hyue laid back on the bench and looked resigned. I wandered my eyes at the park, people basking in the sun and trees weaving with the whims of the wind. I took my phone and set my eyes upon the announcement and saved the text then looked at the time.
“Call your sister and let’s grab lunch Hyue, my treat.”
“Really? Thank you. I owe you so much” Hyue smiled as he folded his wrapper and got up in his seat.
I rose and patted his back, “Don’t think about it, this is a sign of gratitude for seeing you two.”
Hyue walked toward Sky and turned forward on the bench behind me. As I began to gather my papers, a cold rush spread through my chest. My hands trembled — I thought it was just fatigue, until the world dimmed.
Not again, not here.
My heart skipped, pressure building in my chest. My vision blurred. A sharp headache stabbed through my skull. My sense of space warped—I swayed, crushing the papers in my grip. The pressure in my head felt that I was underwater–sinking.
My legs cramped. The ringing in my ears grew louder. I collapsed backward into the bench—lucky I didn't hit the ground. I turned back around and barely made out Hyue through the blur and waved Sky toward the fountain. He was running toward me and Sky was at the water fountain. I smiled, knowing that someone I knew is here.
Hyue was in front of me in seconds. He patted my coat, reached into the inside pocket, and pulled out my anti-anxiety meds.I opened my mouth — my last chance before everything went black.
A sensation of the bitterness of a pill and water flushing down my throat as I instantly gulped with all of my remaining strength. The pain still pounded my body, weakening my limbs. I slowly regained my sight as the park blurred into a narrow frame of color.
The medicine took effect. My back cooled, the stinging pain fading into numbness. My eyes unconsciously bawled as my body regained its strength to move. I grabbed Hyue's left shoulder and mumbled to him.
“We don’t have to owe each other now.” I released my grip on his shoulder and leaned backwards.
Hyue covered his eyes and left a sigh. He let down his hands, sat beside me, and looked at the sky.
“Please mention to me your health always, senior.” Hyue and I saw Sky running towards us holding a water bottle.
“Is—is he okay?” Sky’s face filled with tears and snot as her voice stumbled. Her trembling hands and clothes were drenched with water. She gave the water to Hyue and her legs collapsed.
“Come on.” Hyue stood, carried Sky, sat on his lap and comforted her as he said, “Phoen’s fine sis, don't worry.”
Sky turned, stared at me, and bonked me in the head.
“Bad man!” Sky pursed her lips and hugged her brother, covering her face.
I scratched my head and spoke.
“Let’s rest for now.” I closed my eyes looking at the digital billboard, showing that it is quarter to eleven in the morning.
A light shone from the computer in a dark room. A couple of cups lay across the table and a young woman napping at her desk.
10:45
Time ticked at the screen as tabs closed when she moved her arms at the keyboard.
A ring echoed across the cluttered space.
She jolted up and glanced at the phone peering at who was calling her.
Jerkface. Her lips smiled and swiftly took her phone and picked up the call.
“Hey boss!” Her tone of voice sounds cheerful though her parched throat choked her words.
She grabbed her opened tumbler on the floor and drank. Then she looked at her computer, shocked.
She put her phone down, pressed the speaker button and gripped her mouse.
“...letting you take over someone's case is unprofessional of you to do Miss Risha. “
A voice belonging to a man came out the phone. However, her cursor wandered at the ‘Save History’ window, scrolling downward.
“Using your family's reputation for your selfish reasons is very childish. Please refrain…” The intonation of his voice grew louder.
But, the wavering eyes of Risha widened as her face smiled.
“Nonetheless, all the work will be suspended because the government needs us. Wait for instructions for the briefing tomorrow Risha and don't you dare be absent or I'll take what has been ours.”
The call ended. Her head flopped to the table when a door opened behind her.
“Ugh, please clean your room lady and shower!” An old woman’s face contorted and saw the disheveled appearance of Risha.
“Mom, I told you I have work.” Risha grumbled as her mother replied, “The walls in this house are thin, don't try on lying to me Risha.”
Her mom fled as she left the door open. Risha clicked her tongue and got her phone displaying the time.
“Friday, October 4, 2024 10:55.”
Author's Note: Arc 1 alternates between two perspectives:
- Researcher chapters (odd chapters)
- Student chapters (even chapters)