Rain explored corridor after corridor, each one blending into the next. The paths felt strangely convoluted, twisting and turning in ways that didn't make sense. He'd been walking for nearly half an hour, weaving through the halls, only to find himself looping back to where he started. When he ventured farther, he encountered the familiar red line barring passage. It was as if the place was designed like an intricate ant colony, a labyrinth of complex routes. Every time he retraced his steps, a nagging sense of wrongness gnawed at him—something he couldn't pinpoint, but he felt it deeply. Rain's toes stopped at the edge of the red line. He stared down the wide corridor beyond, hesitating, then lifted his foot to step forward—
Grab. A hand caught his shoulder.
Rain froze, turning to look. A small girl stood there, her light pink hair framing her face, her delicate hand gripping his shoulder. Her large, round eyes locked onto his.
"Oh… s-sorry…"
She quickly pulled her hand back, flustered. A faint blush colored her pale cheeks, soft and subtle.
"Uh… I mean… ugh…"
The girl stammered, unsure how to handle the awkward moment. She lowered her gaze to the floor, avoiding his eyes. Rain stepped back from the red line, glancing to the side. He tried to form a sentence to break the tense atmosphere clinging to the air.
"Um… so, who are you?"
She looked up at Rain, shyly, and answered softly, "Thanks for helping me…"
Rain's face twisted in confusion. He didn't recall helping her and mulled over her words. Then, a flash of the classroom flickered in his mind.
"Oh… you're from that time, right? The class where they made us suspect each other."
She nodded. He added, "But I didn't really do anything—"
She cut him off. "No… you helped. The other kids were staring at me with such scary looks…"
### Chapter 23: Pink (continued)
Rain raised a hand, scratching his head lightly.
"Oh, is that so…?"
The oppressive, uneasy atmosphere settled back in, weighing down their aimless conversation. The girl stepped closer.
"I was heading to the bathroom too. Can I walk with you?"
He lowered his hand and shrugged.
"Sure, I guess…"
The two walked toward the bathroom together in heavy silence, the awkwardness palpable. Neither spoke nor made any move to break it. Rain kept a slight distance between them as they walked, following the corridor where lights flickered on, guiding their path.
"So… what's your name?" she asked.
He turned to look at her.
"Rain…"
"I'm Auryn… I think…"
Rain glanced at her, his brow furrowing at her uncertainty, but he didn't press further. He turned back to the corridor and kept walking without asking or saying anything more. Her voice came again, cool and soft under her breath.
"I saw it…"
They continued walking, their steps steady and silent.
"The people who disappeared…"
Rain's footsteps halted abruptly. He stood frozen, turning to face her fully.
"Really?"
She nodded.
"Where did they go?"
She looked away, whispering faintly.
"They're gone…"
Rain froze, locking eyes with her the moment she turned to face him, as if demanding to know where or what had happened.
"What?"
Her face took on a faint sadness, and she whispered, "They… died… I think."
A chilling sensation spread with her whisper, like a midwinter breeze, laced with an innocent tone yet carrying horrifying words without a hint of fear.
"What do you mean…?"
Rain stepped closer, pressing to understand what she knew. "What do you mean, 'died'?"
She answered with quiet confidence. "I saw it… They died right in front of me…"
He pushed harder. "Where?"
She pointed toward the far end of the corridor. "The moment they crossed that red line."
He followed her finger's direction, stepping back slightly. Doubt crept in—how could this frail, delicate girl show no fear or panic if what she said was true?
"tell me more about it."
***
As they walked toward the bathroom, Auryn began recounting what she had seen and experienced, addressing Rain's suspicions. Her story echoed Zheairn's panicked rush into the bathroom, describing a body with its head severed, as if sliced cleanly at the neck. She explained that she had been passing through a corridor when she saw some kids breaking the rules here and witnessed a horrifying scene up close. But she couldn't say exactly why it happened—it was too far for her to see clearly. Rain was taken aback by her calm and unshaken demeanor, showing no trace of fear or paranoia. She spoke as if it were commonplace.
"And you're not scared?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"What about the adults—"
She cut him off immediately.
"I told the guards what I saw… They just told me to go back to my dorm. After that, they acted like nothing happened. When I asked, they wouldn't answer."
He nodded faintly, responding, "Is that so…"
Rain didn't press further. He simply stepped forward and continued walking, while Auryn matched his pace, walking beside him in silence.
______________________________________________________
The iron door of the dorm slid shut with a heavy thud. Rain and Auryn returned to the dorm after their brief walk outside. Their names vanished from the electronic board the moment they stepped back inside. Without another word, Rain and Auryn parted ways, each heading silently to their own beds.
_____________________________________________________
***
A sharp blade sliced through something soft, like fresh flesh, producing a wet, squelching sound. The faint metallic tang of blood hung in the air of a dark, sealed room. Someone clad entirely in white was working at a surgical table, illuminated by a harsh overhead light. They dragged the blade through sinew and skin, piercing the flesh and cutting with deliberate precision, the soft sound of slicing accompanied by red liquid seeping from the open wound. They was operating on a motionless body lying on the table, covered by a cloth but unmistakably small in stature, undergoing some procedure. The figure whistled casually, moving the knife with the finesse of an artist crafting a masterpiece.
***
The door behind them slid open, revealing a guard stepping inside and standing at their back.
"Sir, it's time to transfer the organs. Lab Five is waiting."
The figure paused, the knife stilling. He turned his head slowly to look at the guard, irritation evident in his cold tone. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
His voice carried a sharp edge of annoyance, the frustration seeping through the white mask he wore.
The guard didn't respond or show any reaction. He turned silently and walked out of the room. The door slid shut behind him with a soft thud.
_______________________________________________
"You got that part wrong, I think."
Zheairn dragged his finger along the book Rain was holding, pointing out and explaining how to solve the problem. Rain's group was studying together in the library during the midday break. Everyone's condition seemed to be deteriorating under the weight of increasingly heavy and abnormal lessons. Rain, in particular, was experiencing strange symptoms lately. Everything around him felt unnaturally slow, as if his brain was being overloaded with an influx of information, processing it so intensely that it disrupted his other thought patterns. He was starting to doubt when his common sense might abruptly shut down, overwhelmed by the constant flood of data consuming all his mental energy.