They called it cursed.
Class 3E of Seiko Academy — the forgotten class, the haunted class, the unlucky ones. It was a rumor everyone whispered but never dared confirm. The kind of story that slid between conversations when no teachers were around.
And today, I was walking straight into it.
The class stood at the farthest end in the building. My steps echoed along the empty path, loud enough that I almost turned around.
"Don't look so serious. You'll scare them," Ms. Rinka Nakamura, my homeroom teacher, teased lightly as she walked ahead.
I didn't answer. I couldn't. Because somewhere deep down, I already felt it: the heavy, unseen weight pressing against my chest.
Something was wrong with this place.
Ms. Nakamura opened the door with a smile. "Class 3E," she announced. "We have a new student joining us."
Many pairs of eyes turned toward me. Some curious. Some wary. Some... unreadable.
"Go on," Ms. Nakamura urged.
I stepped inside.
This was how it began.
---
I hear it again. A voice. Soft, yet insistent.
"Ren. Ren…"
It taps at the edges of my awareness, pulling me out of the fog.
I blink, my vision swimming in the light. What's…? Where am I?
I open my eyes slowly, still groggy. For a moment, I'm not sure if I'm still dreaming. Then, I see her — a girl standing in front of me. Her hair is pink, so long and silky it almost glows in the dim light. The strands sway with the gentle rocking of the ship, and for a second, I forget where I am. I just stare at her.
Lyra. Her name comes to me like a whisper.
She smiles, that familiar, warm smile of hers. "Ren, we're here."
It takes me a second to process what she says, but then the words click into place. The island. We're finally here.
But why does it feel like my mind is running in circles?
I look around, confused. I'm sitting in what looks like a cabin, the low hum of the ship beneath my feet. But… it's almost as if I've been dozing off for longer than I thought. The ship is rocking gently, and from the porthole, I can see the edge of something dark in the distance. An island?
I frown, trying to pull the pieces together. This isn't right. We were coming here for a reason… but what reason? I can't seem to remember. My head starts to ache, a dull pressure like something's pushing in from the inside.
"Ren, stop spacing off and come on," Lyra says, her voice now sharper, though still kind.
I blink and look at her, feeling like I'm waking from a haze. "Huh?"
"We're the last ones left," she says, giving me a look I can't quite decipher. "Everyone else is already off the ship. Come on."
I slowly glance around, and sure enough, the room is empty except for the two of us. A part of me wants to ask why I don't remember getting on this ship or what exactly we're doing here, but I keep it to myself.
Lyra holds out her hand. "Come on, Ren. We're already late."
I stare at her hand for a moment, then let out a slow breath. She's always so put together, so confident. I stand, stretching out my stiff limbs, and then take her hand.
She pulls me toward the door, and I follow her without a word. There's something strange about this place, something unsettling, but I can't put my finger on it. It's all too familiar and too foreign at the same time.
The moment the door swings open, the sound of waves crashing against the shore fills the air, and I step onto the deck. My heart skips a beat as the island comes into full view, its dark silhouette looming in the distance.
We step off the ship, the dry sand crunching beneath my boots. I pause, feeling something strange in the air. Unease settles over me like a cold blanket. The island... there's something off about it.
I look down at the sand. It's dry. Almost too dry.
I glance out at the horizon, where the waves are lazily rolling in, but there's no sign of the usual waterline that should've left the sand wet. The ship's arrival would've created a small wave, at least. But there's no moisture, nothing.
I narrow my eyes. How is that possible?
Lyra's voice cuts through my thoughts. "What's wrong?"
I turn to her, shaking my head slightly and forcing a smile. "Nothing." I wave it off, though the unease still lingers in the back of my mind.
She looks at me for a second, but then turns away, clearly not pushing it. I catch a glimpse of her talking with a few girls from class, a little ways away from the ship.
I start to walk, my eyes catching the sight of a familiar trio standing near the edge of the sand. William, Sebastian, and Harrison.
"Later," I say to Lyra, before heading towards them.
I give William a small wave. "Hey."
William smirks when he sees me. "Seems like you were having fun over there."
I raise an eyebrow, a half-smile tugging at my lips. "You know that's not the case, right? I mean, she's cute, but believe me, I don't see her that way."
Sebastian clicks his tongue from beside William, the sound sharp and annoyed.
William notices and raises an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you?"
Sebastian glances over at Lyra, still talking with the girls, his expression darkening. "It annoys me how nobody sees Lyra for what she is."
I give him a confused look. "What do you mean?"
"Well," Sebastian starts, his voice low and pointed, "she acts nice towards everyone. And believe me, nobody in this world is that nice."
Harrison nods slowly, looking thoughtful. "True that. My mom always says that girls who act that nice are usually very dark inside."
I laugh, the sound escaping me before I can stop it. My gaze shifts back to Lyra. There's something about her... something I can't quite put into words. But it's hard to imagine her being anything but the friendly, bubbly person she's always been.
Sebastian narrows his eyes at me, clearly not pleased with my reaction. "What's your deal, Ren?"
I shrug, grinning slightly. "I see what's going on. You're just jealous because you asked her out, and she rejected you. Aren't you, Seb?"
Sebastian's face darkens in an instant. "Don't call me that again," he snaps. "And just because you're friends with William doesn't mean we're cool. I hate you."
The words hang in the air, and for a moment, the tension feels thick enough to slice. But I don't let it faze me. I've dealt with worse.
I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. "Good to know."
William's lips curl into a tight frown, clearly frustrated by the ongoing bickering. He shoots a pointed look at Sebastian.
"Seriously, man, sometimes you two act like children," he says with a shake of his head. "Can you not fight when I'm around? You know I hate that."
I offer an exaggerated, almost mockingly apologetic grin. "Sorry, William. I'll try to keep it together next time."
William sighs and turns away for a moment, rubbing his temples as though trying to ward off a headache. Then, just as he seems about to let it go, he speaks again.
"And speaking of Lyra," he says, eyeing Sebastian, "I heard after she rejected you, she started dating the class representative."
Harrison's eyes flick up, his voice low as he adds, "Yeah, I know all about that. I was actually surprised when she rejected you, Seb. But to think she would go for Ethan..."
My eyes widen a little. "Seriously? That's news to me."
William glances over at me like I'm some kind of alien. "Have you been living under a rock or something?"
I laugh, shrugging nonchalantly. "Well, they are both our class reps, so them dating isn't all that unusual, is it?"
William shoots me a half-smile. "Well, it's very unusual. Up until I heard that rumor myself, I was surprised. The two of them never really talked to each other that much. So how come they started dating all of a sudden? I mean, they often worked together, but I never saw any chemistry between them."
Harrison shrugs. "Maybe that's just how life is. I didn't look much into it because I really never cared about either of them. So it wasn't my business."
Sebastian scowls, his eyes narrowing as he glances back at the ship, where Lyra and the other girls are still gathered. "Well, I knew she had bad taste, but I didn't know she'd go for Ethan of all guys. I mean, the guy acts too serious." He spits out the words with distaste. "Yeah, I know he's smart and kinda nice to everyone. But if she actually chose him because she was just being nice... then why did she—"
I burst out laughing, unable to hold it back.
Sebastian whips his head towards me, his eyes dark with annoyance. "What's so funny, Ren?"
I held up my hands in mock surrender, still chuckling. "Sorry, man, it's just too funny. So, you're saying it would be okay if she actually accepted your confession out of pity? That would be so sad." I pause for a moment, dragging the tease out. "I mean, Sebastian—the playboy—dating a girl out of pity? Seriously? That would be hilarious."
Sebastian's face reddens, his fists clenching. "I swear to God, Ren—"
Before he can finish his threat, William steps in, cutting him off with a sharp tone. "Cut it out. Didn't I just tell you not to fight when I'm around?"
Sebastian glares at me for a long moment, but he seems to think better of it and stays silent.
Just then, Ms. Rinka's voice rings out across the beach, authoritative and clear. "Everyone, gather around!" she calls.
We all straighten up, the tension in the air shifting, replaced by a more focused, serious energy.
CHAPTER END.