"You don't need to tell a lie for people to stop trusting you — sometimes silence is enough."
The day dragged on like a fever dream.
Students walked in clusters, talking in murmurs, casting side glances at every scholarship student they passed. There were rumors now — whispers that someone from the elite scholarship group had leaked the data.
The campus no longer looked at Aska, Ara, Said, or Aluna the same way. Suspicion had already tainted their reputations.
In the cafeteria, Aluna sat alone for the first time in weeks. Not because her friends abandoned her, but because she pushed everyone away.
She stirred her untouched soup, her eyes hollow. She kept replaying the moment with Said in her mind — the way his voice trembled, the desperation in his denial.
And yet… her heart didn't believe him. Not fully.
Was she cruel for doubting him?
Or stupid for ever trusting him?
"Mind if I sit?" Ara's voice broke through her spiraling thoughts. She didn't wait for permission.
Aluna didn't look up. "You're not exactly the person I expected."
"Desperate times." Ara glanced around before leaning in. "We found a video. Someone snuck into the IT lab. Not Said."
Aluna's head snapped up. "What?"
"Too tall. Walk is wrong. We're still narrowing it down." Ara's voice lowered. "We think someone is framing him."
Aluna's grip tightened around her spoon. "Why would they do that?"
Ara didn't answer right away. Then, with a strange look, she said, "Maybe someone wants him gone."
Silence settled like dust between them.
Ara stood abruptly. "If you remember anything strange — anything at all — tell me."
And then she was gone.
Leaving Aluna with a mind full of chaos and a heart twisted with fear.
---
Meanwhile, Aska sat in the quiet study lounge, laptop open but ignored. Instead, his focus was on the USB drive in his hand — small, silver, and deceptively harmless.
He had found it wedged between his textbooks. Not in his backpack, but inside his locker.
The one only he had the key to.
He plugged it into his laptop.
Dozens of folders appeared. Most of them were empty — except one.
Inside: a copy of the leaked midterm answers.
His blood ran cold.
How did it get there?
Had someone planted it?
Or worse… had he been part of it without even knowing?
His thoughts spiraled so violently that he didn't hear the footsteps behind him.
"Don't turn around."
It was Said.
His voice was flat. Tired.
Aska froze. "You're really going to sneak up on me now?"
"I saw the video," Said said quietly. "You think it's me?"
Aska turned then, meeting his eyes. "Should I?"
Said's lips curved into a humorless smile. "I'm not the only one good with tech, Aska. You've always been better than you let people think."
"That's not—"
"I'm not accusing you. But if someone's playing a game with us… we're all pieces now."
A beat of silence passed.
Then Said said something unexpected. "If I were to disappear, would you cover for me?"
Aska blinked. "What?"
Said didn't repeat himself. He just turned and walked away.
Leaving Aska with one thought screaming in his mind:
Who is he running from?
---
Elsewhere, Ara was sitting in the computer lab with her eyes fixed on the surveillance footage.
Frame by frame.
Every second rewound.
She was determined to find the truth. Because she wasn't just scared of the investigation anymore — she was scared of what this was doing to them.
To all of them.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
"You're looking in the wrong direction. Be careful who you trust."
She stared at it, heart pounding.
It wasn't just a game anymore.
It was a trap.
And they were already inside it.
"Not every enemy hides in the dark. Some stand right beside you — wearing your secrets like armor."
---