In a certain apartment not too far from the warehouse, Nathan and Sik were talking. However, Sik was on the floor.

"I don't know what to do, temp boss. You ran away."

"Nathan... don't, don't call me temp boss anymore." Sik depressingly waved his hands, "I'm not asking you to do anything... I just want some advice."

It was a small room. The toilet and the shower room were one and the same. The kitchen was just stove and sink beside the small fridge. The whole living room was already the bedroom with the bed to the side and a small flatscreen on the opposite.

Nathan who was sitting on the bed sighed.

"Advice... fortunately, because of lil bro, I got saved. I don't know what they will do to you to somewhere Boss Hark wants you to be but I don't think it will be that bad."

"H-how can you say that?"

"It's simple, Boss Hark needs manpower, right? Have you forgotten those... people yesterday? Even if Boss Hark is supposed to be super strong, I don't think he can fight them all. In other words, he might be just preparing you. Just think of it as a military training camp."

"Hayss... easy for you to say..."

Nick frowned.

"W-what?"

"Sik, I don't think it's right for me to say this but... aren't you a bit too timid for someone who has a strong Spirit?"

"..."

"Aren't you supposed to be strong-willed to overcome a Spirit possession is what I heard?"

"You're not wrong but... this Spirit... I didn't need to overcome it."

Nathan's frown deepened but seeing Sik's pained expression, he no longer pursued the topic. Before he could say anything to change the topic, there was a knock on the door.

'The atmosphere's been saved!' he thought but also, 'Who could it be in the middle of the night?'

Knock knock*

"Shut up, I'm coming!" Nathan casually replied as he scratched his belly.

Upon opening the door, he saw two teenagers. The taller one was leaning over to the other as if he's unconscious.

"Nathan, take you brother and let him rest."

"B-b-b-boss Hark!"

Teren still wore his indifferent expression but that was enough to put pressure onto Nathan, stiffening him up.

'Holy shit, I just said shut up to Boss Hark! I'm fucking dead!'

Ignoring Nathan's frantic reaction, Teren peeked over and saw Sik who seemed to be covering his face with one hand.

'Please don't come in, don't come in, don't come in.'

Teren was curious about Sik but decided not to intervene since he also felt it was a bother. Removing Nick's arm over his shoulders, he gave the unconscious guy to his big brother.

"W-woah..." Nathan caught him.

"Just let him rest. Tomorrow, try attacking him."

"Eh...? W-why?"

"You'll see. Also, I need him tomorrow, he should definitely wake up."

Teren then turned and left without saying any explanation. Nathan finally sighed with relief when Teren was finally out of sight. He looked at Nick's paled face and muttered.

"What happened to you?"

...

Teren went straight back to his house. While he does so, he looked at the stars above. But since he was in the city, only the brightest stars could be seen even with a cloudless sky.

"Only because I'm far from them that I can see them all at the same time."

He spoke to himself in the middle of the quiet and dim-lighted road.

"I wonder why I felt excited earlier?"

Teren suddenly craved a midnight snack. However, he didn't bring any money with him.

"If only I like doing crime, I could've just stolen something right now."

Eventually, he reached his home. After unlocking the front door, he entered before locking it again.

He turned around.

It was dark.

He could only make up the shapes of the furniture.

Instead of going into the bedroom, he sat on the couch and looked at the television in front of him. A memory flashed into his eyes.

As a little kid, he just sat in front of the television and watch all day. His mother would tell him to go outside and play but-

[They don't like me there.]

"I was a weird kid..." Teren blinked a few times in quick succession. He stood up and stopped reminiscing about the past.

When he was about to enter his room, he was stopped.

"Where were you? Why did you only come home at this time?"

Teren slightly turned his head and saw his mother sitting on the couch while she was watching the television. The news was playing on it. He has seen it hundreds of times already.

"I..."

"Your little sister has to cook dinner for herself because you didn't come home for dinner."

"I'm sorry..."

"Whatever, as long as you're safe. Don't do it again next time though."

"... okay..."

"Hm"

Teren then entered his room and just dropped on his bed.

"A psychopath... I hope so. Heh, so edgy."

He shook his head and took his phone out but forgot that he had to delete Iesa's contact number and his contact number on hers.

"Haa... I want to see her."

Eventually, he fell asleep and Friday came.

Entering the classroom at such an early time, Teren immediately felt the stares. This time, it was more intense. It came from the popular group.

Teren looked and saw that Nick was yet to be here. He immediately regretted coming there so early.

As if not letting this chance escape, Eline looked at Mira and nodded. She stood up and went to him, taking him by the hand and without saying a word, pulling him somewhere.

'What a botherrrrrrr....'

Teren internally sighed long.

He was then brought to the emergency stairs. Once the door closed, Eline slammed the wall behind him.

"I'll be straight here since I don't have much time. Persuade Nick to change his mind."

Eline looked at Teren with unwavering eyes.. It seemed like she will not take a 'no' for an answer.