CHAPTER 29: "ANONYMOUS"

At the Bar

Aria sat with her arms folded, leaning against the bar counter. "You can leave now if that’s all you needed," she said flatly, not sparing Kairon another glance.

Kairon stood slowly, eyes sweeping over the students — couples giggling, flirting, drinking. "This isn’t a place for me to walk through alone," he muttered and turned, exiting.

---

Pavement – Later That Night

The wind was gentle. The path quiet.

Kairon walked slowly, hands in his pockets, when he noticed someone ahead — Ivy, staring up at the moonlight.

She turned as if sensing him. "Oh, Kairon."

"Hey," he replied, voice neutral.

She smiled faintly. "The test is... complicated, isn’t it?"

Kairon nodded. "Yeah. I guess so." He stifled a yawn. "I’ll head back now. Need some rest."

"Good night then," she said softly.

He walked past her.

"Kairon!" Ivy suddenly called.

He turned—

—and she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"Ivy?"

She buried her face in his shirt. "Just a little longer..."

Kairon stood still, calm.

Then Ivy slowly pushed away, her eyes shimmering. "Sorry. For hugging you so suddenly. I just... I felt lonely. Seeing all the girls with their boyfriends, and..."

She trailed off, shook her head. "Goodnight." And ran off.

Kairon stared after her, his face unchanged. "...I was surprised by that too."

---

Girls’ Dorm – Room 4

Meira turned on the shower, her eyes catching her reflection in the mirror.

Tears welled up.

"I’m returning to how I was," she whispered. "I can’t bring that part of me back."

---

Poolside

Riven stood by the pool, speaking with Meira. Kairon lingered in the shadows, listening.

"You promised to protect me, didn’t you?" Meira asked.

Riven smiled gently. "Of course I will. Always."

Lizzy watched quietly nearby.

"But not at the cost of hurting others," Riven added. "Why don’t I call Rise? Tell her you want to apologize."

"Don’t!" Meira snapped. "I don’t want to. Why won’t you fight for me?! You’re completely useless!"

"I think we should end this facade, Meira," Riven said quietly.

"...What?"

"This fake relationship we’ve been showing to everyone. There was never a real relationship. Just classmates playing a part. I’ll still protect you as a friend—but not at the cost of hurting others."

Tears filled Meira’s eyes. She slapped a canned coffee off the railing. "Fine! I don’t need you! You’re not useful to me anyway!"

She stormed off.

Riven sighed, bending to pick up the can. Behind him, Kairon stepped out.

"How much of that did you hear?" Riven asked without turning.

"Everything."

"You know the truth now, huh?"

"It was always odd. You two dating—yet acting like strangers."

Riven chuckled sadly. "You noticed."

"I did," Kairon said. "After one week here, the rumors started. But you two didn’t even act close."

Riven nodded. "We went to the same middle school. She was always cheerful, but she got bullied constantly. Boys would pick on her, isolate her. I was the only one who spoke to her back then. She clings to people who make her feel safe."

"...Like a parasite," Kairon murmured.

Riven looked down. "She’s a product of trauma."

---

Aries Booth Room — 8:00 AM

Kairon stood by the window, silent.

Meira entered, scrolling her phone. She stopped upon seeing him but said nothing as she sat.

One by one, the others filed in.

Lizzy typed on her tablet:

"We’ll begin trade negotiations with the two groups. But first, we gather information."

Caden flipped his pen.

"We could offer tokens?"

Juro shook his head.

"All groups have tokens. It won’t make us special."

Lizzy nodded.

"Then we need a deal that intrigues them."

Silence.

Lizzy continued:

"Let’s focus on gathering intel on Virgo and Leo. We’ll split into two teams."

Team One: Lizzy, Dominic, Miya, Caden, Kaelen, Elara, Cedric.

Team Two: Kairon, Meira, Juro, Gabriel, Selena, Callista.

Everyone nodded. As the room emptied, Dominic leaned toward Lizzy. "Don’t worry. I’ll protect you."

She smiled, sitting beside him.

As Meira exited with her phone in hand, Selena, Elara, and Callista followed.

Kairon nudged Juro. "Class C girls... don’t you think they’re acting weird?"

"Let’s just hope this doesn’t turn into a fight," Juro said.

---

Alleyway – Shortly After

Kairon and Juro lost them at a four-way path.

"We lost them," Juro sighed.

Elsewhere —

Selena shoved Meira against a wall.

"What’s your problem?!" Meira yelled.

"You need to apologize to Rose!" Selena snapped.

"I told you—it wasn’t me!"

Callista stepped forward. "If you don’t speak, we’ll strip the truth out of you."

Meira tried to walk off—Selena slapped her.

Callista and Elara pinned her down.

"...Now that I think about it," Meira stammered, "I remember bumping into a girl earlier. Maybe she was Rose. But it was her fault, really..."

Selena’s grin sharpened. "Then no apologies. Just consequences."

Another slap.

Another.

Meira fell, crying. Selena yanked her by the hair.

From a distance, Kairon watched, unmoved.

Juro approached, eyes wide. "Kairon! We need to—!"

Kairon held his arm. "Not yet."

Juro shoved him off and stepped forward. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Selena turned. "Just talking."

The girls dispersed.

Juro knelt beside Meira. "Are you okay?"

"Leave me alone," she sobbed. "I don’t need your help!"

She stormed off.

"...What’s up with her?" Juro muttered as Kairon joined him.

---

Room 3 — 6:00 PM

Kairon sat on his bed, scrolling. "Ren’s still trying to break the school system... I need more pieces."

He tapped out a message.

Sent.

"...I’m going on a date."

---

Room 6

Selena, Elara, and Callista sat on the bed.

"We almost had her," Elara said.

"That bitch," Callista muttered.

Selena’s phone rang — "Anonymous Calling."

She answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Selena," a hoarse voice replied. "Call me Anonymous."

"Okay... do I know you?"

"No. But I know you."

"This a prank?"

"I bet Elara and Callista are with you. And the phone is on speaker. Perfect."

Their eyes widened.

"You’re stronger when you’re angry."

Selena frowned. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"It’s not fair, is it? The way Meira talks down to you. Like she’s the main character. Like you’re just side roles."

Selena said nothing—but her eyes darkened.

"Elara. Didn’t you once say boys always take Meira’s side? Even when she’s wrong?"

"How do you—?"

"And Callista... Pretends not to care. But she’s tired of being invisible."

"...What do you want?" Selena asked.

"Nothing. Just... talk. Share your feelings. If they’re the same... maybe it’s time Meira learned humility. Not through words—through consequences."

Selena stayed silent.

"I’ll send you a location. A surprise is waiting."

He paused.

"Bring your boys. They’ll want to protect you, right? What better way to prove their love?"

Click.

---

Café – 2:00 PM

Golden light bathed the quiet café.

Kairon stirred his tea.

Across him, Rose sat nervously, fingers curled around her glass of water.

She looked out of place.

"I’m glad you came," Kairon said quietly. "Didn’t think you would."

"I... I wasn’t sure I should," Rose whispered.

"Why?"

She looked down.

"You’re afraid people will think you’re changing," he said gently.

Her head snapped up. "What...?"

"Angry. Cold. Unapologetic," he said. "All those moments your heart told you to speak up—but you smiled instead. And buried it."

Her breath hitched. He watched her carefully.

"It’s hard, isn’t it? Always being the one who stays quiet. Who apologizes. Who forgives things that should never be forgiven."

Rose gripped her glass tighter. "I-I’m not like that."

"You’re not," he agreed calmly. "That’s why you cry when no one’s watching. That’s why you scream in your head. Because you know you’ve been pretending."

Silence.

He kept going — gentle, surgical. "People think you’re soft. But I think you’re tired. And tired people don’t break... they transform."

Rose stared at him, eyes beginning to tremble. "Stop..."

But he didn’t.

"Have you ever imagined what it would feel like if you were the one in control? If you stopped saying sorry. If you stopped shrinking."

"...Please—"

"Let her out," he said.

Rose blinked. "What...?"

"The version of you you buried," Kairon said. "The girl who didn’t care what others thought. Who didn’t stay quiet. Who didn’t let them walk all over her. I can see her in your eyes. She’s still there."

"...You don’t know anything about me."

"Don’t I?" He says softly.

And then... he leaned in close, just enough to pierce the last wall she had.

"You gave her a name, didn’t you?"

Rose went completely still.

Kairon whispered, "What was it?"

Her lips parted. Dry. Trembling.

"...Rise."

Hie expression was calm— not victorious. Understanding. Like he’d just welcomed her home.

"I’d like to meet her," he said.

---

Later That Evening...

Rose stood in front of the mirror in her dorm bathroom.

Her breath came in short gasps. Her skin was pale. Her hands trembled.

"W-What was that...?" she whispered to herself.

Her reflection stared back — but it didn’t feel like her anymore.

It felt like Rise.

She gripped the sink, shaking. Her thoughts were a storm.

"Why did I tell him that name?"

"How did he... know?"

"Why do I feel... like I want to laugh?"

"Like I’m free?"

And worst of all—

"Why did it feel good?"

The mirror fogged as the shower steamed beside her — but she never turned it on. She just stood there.

Staring.

As if waiting for her other self to blink first.

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