Legacy High

The next morning, Ji-hoon woke up early.

Sunlight came through the window, and the soft chirping of birds filled the air. It was peaceful outside—but inside Ji-hoon's heart, there was no peace.

He sat up in bed slowly. His thoughts were spinning. Yesterday's happy memory at the park still made him smile… but it was quickly replaced by the serious voice of Seo-jin Kim.

> "Your brother was also from Jaesung High, wasn't he?"

> "The truth in this school… it's dangerous."

Ji-hoon turned to look at his desk. The small folded paper was still there.

> "You are being watched. Stay away from the third floor."

He picked it up and stared at it again. His fingers traced the words, now burned into his mind. Who wrote it? And why warn him?

Ji-hoon folded it carefully and placed it in his pocket. Then he got dressed and headed out. It was time to return to school—and to the secrets waiting inside.

---

At School

As Ji-hoon walked through the school gates, he felt that strange tension again.

Everything looked normal. Students were chatting in small groups. Teachers walked by with papers in their hands. But under the surface, something felt… off.

When Ji-hoon entered the hallway of Building B1, he noticed a few students glancing at him—and then quickly looking away.

> "Are they watching me? Or just scared of something?" he wondered.

He kept his head down and walked to class. When he stepped inside, he stopped for a moment.

Seo-jin Kim was already there.

The red-haired boy sat in the last row, his feet on the desk and a lollipop in his mouth. He looked lazy, but his sharp eyes scanned the room carefully.

Ji-hoon took his seat quietly. He tried to focus on the lesson, but his mind kept drifting. Every few minutes, his eyes moved to Seo-jin.

At one point, Seo-jin caught him looking. He gave a small smirk—like he already knew what Ji-hoon was thinking.

> "You still want answers, don't you?"

---

Lunch Break: The Rooftop Talk

At lunch, Ji-hoon didn't feel like eating in the canteen. He needed space to think. So, he walked up to the rooftop, hoping it would be empty.

The wind was soft. The sky was bright and blue. Ji-hoon leaned against the metal fence and looked out at the city.

> "What do I do now? Keep digging into this mystery? Or stop, like the others?"

His thoughts were cut short when he heard the rooftop door creak open.

He turned.

It was Seo-jin.

"I thought I'd find you here," Seo-jin said, walking closer.

Ji-hoon stared. "You knew I'd come here?"

Seo-jin nodded. "You're like your brother. He came here too."

Ji-hoon's chest tightened. His brother again.

"You really knew him?" he asked.

Seo-jin leaned against the railing. "I didn't know him personally. But people whispered about him. Some with respect… some with fear."

"Why fear?" Ji-hoon asked.

Seo-jin's eyes narrowed. "Because he got too close to the truth. Too close to the third floor. And then, he vanished."

The words hit Ji-hoon like a punch. He looked down, his fists slowly tightening.

"Do you think the school did something to him?"

Seo-jin didn't answer directly. He said, "This school isn't what it looks like. Some places are off-limits. Some rooms hold secrets. Some questions… shouldn't be asked."

Ji-hoon looked up, eyes full of fire. "But I have to ask. He was my brother."

Seo-jin gave a faint smile. "Good. Then I'll help you."

Ji-hoon blinked. "Why would you help me?"

Seo-jin looked into the sky. "Because I'm searching too. And maybe… just maybe… you're the one who can open doors I can't."

There was a long silence between them.

Then, Seo-jin added something strange.

> "But remember this… this school isn't just a place to study. It's a battlefield. A battlefield of kings. And the kings here... are just puppets. Controlled by one absolute Kings from the shadows."

Ji-hoon's eyes widened. "Who's the Kings?"

But before Seo-jin could say anything more—

BANG!

The rooftop door slammed open again.

"Hey! Ji-hoon!" a voice called out.

It was Yujin, a friendly classmate Ji-hoon had spoken to a few times before. He was always smiling and loud, the type who made friends easily.

"I've been looking for you," Yujin said, walking up with a cheerful grin. "Come to the canteen with me. I want to introduce you to my friends."

Seo-jin's eyes darkened slightly.

He looked at Yujin up and down, then chuckled. "I didn't know you made friends here, Ji-hoon."

Yujin looked at Seo-jin with a raised eyebrow. "with an strange look.

Ji-hoon stepped between them, sensing tension. "He's… just someone I'm talking to."

Yujin shrugged. "Well, I'm hungry, and my friends want to meet you."

Ji-hoon hesitated. He glanced at Seo-jin.

Seo-jin smirked and turned away. "Go on. Make your new friends."

Ji-hoon followed Yujin down the stairs. But as they walked, he glanced back once more.

Seo-jin was still standing there, watching. Quiet. Still. Like a storm waiting to break.

And Yujin… Ji-hoon noticed something strange in his eyes. His smile was wide, but his eyes? They weren't smiling at all.

To Be Continued…