CHAPTER 77: CHAPTER 10.5 : WHISPERS OF DIAR (2)

"Because I’m one of them," Al said coldly, the corner of his lips curling ever so slightly. His gaze was sharp, cutting straight into the two in front of him. His tone was flat—soft, yet heavy enough to make the air in the room feel denser.

Rina’s eyes widened. Dila, though not understanding what he meant, felt a chill crawl from the back of her neck down her spine, a strange unease blooming in her chest.

Al rose slowly, each step soundless. His faint smile remained, but his unblinking eyes and steady movements carried the confidence of someone in full control.

To both of them, Al’s demeanor was like that of a predator measuring the distance to its prey. The atmosphere thickened.

Rina instinctively took a small leap back, adopting a half-ready fighting stance. Her shoulders were tense, fingers flexing as if ready to strike. Her breathing grew heavier, eyes scanning Al’s every movement, as though weighing a difficult decision.

Dila’s gaze darted between the two, sensing that something was happening here that shouldn’t be. The ticking of the wall clock sounded louder, each second slicing through the silence.

Al raised both hands.

Rina and Dila swallowed hard in unison, cold sweat trailing down their temples. Rina steadied her stance even more, though her hands trembled slightly despite her efforts to hide it.

But Al...

...simply yawned, stretching his arms wide. The tension he had built shattered instantly, like a taut thread cut in a single stroke. As if all of it had just been a small joke.

"What’s wrong with you?" he asked, one brow slightly raised at Rina.

Rina froze, her stance faltering. Confusion replaced the wariness on her face. Her eyes blinked rapidly, struggling to adjust to the sudden change in atmosphere.

Dila could only frown.

Al scratched his head and tilted it, as if oblivious to the tension he’d just caused.

"Hmmm?"

Rina narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean by saying you’re one of them?"

"Oh, that," Al replied flatly. "I wasn’t done explaining and you moved like that. You startled me, that’s all."

"So what did you mean, Al?" Rina pressed, her voice more controlled now, though her gaze still demanded answers.

"Oi, oi, calm down. I meant I was once suspected of being a DIAR."

Rina stared at him sharply, still unconvinced.

"And?"

Dila began sensing the shift in atmosphere, though she didn’t know what to say. Her heart beat a little faster without any clear reason.

Al sat back down, leaning into the small sofa in the corner. The soft creak of the fabric marked the beginning of his story.

"You both know I grew up in an orphanage, right?"

Dila nodded. Rina stayed silent, though her shoulders lowered a little—less tense now, her gaze more curious than suspicious.

Al continued,

"A few years ago, a group of people dressed in black came to the orphanage. They were asking about missing children... and I was one of the kids who had gone missing before."

"Then... then what?" Dila urged, her voice trembling slightly with curiosity.

"I don’t remember the details, but I overheard them talking about missing children who came back... they called them DIAR. I had the feeling it was something bad. I don’t know why returning was seen as a bad thing, but their eyes... they were sharp. Like hunters chasing a slippery criminal."

"So, what happened? Were you identified as a DIAR?" Rina asked, suspicious.

Al shook his head.

"Of course not. I went missing because I was kidnapped by someone, and that person..."

He suddenly stopped. His pupils widened, but the light in his eyes dimmed. His jaw clenched, cold sweat forming on his forehead. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, hands balling into fists. It was as if the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. Silence pressed down on them, the only sound being their breathing.

Rina watched him, feeling the weight in the air. Her own breathing unconsciously slowed. Her eyes narrowed slightly, wondering if he would continue.

Dila understood too—Al didn’t want to talk about that part. She suspected it was a deep scar from his past. Her hands, resting on her lap, slowly curled into fists, holding back the urge to ask.

"Al, you don’t have to—" Dila began, but was cut off.

Al snapped out of his daze and looked at them again.

"Ah... Sorry... I-I can’t talk about it."

Rina let out a long breath and walked over to him. Her footsteps were soft yet steady on the quiet floor.

"It’s fine, Al. The important thing is you’re not a DIAR. That’s what matters. I honestly thought you were one... don’t scare me like that next time."

Al gave a faint smile.

"I guess I’m always the one to be blamed in the end. But don’t worry, I’m used to being accused without proper verification."

"Your life must have been really tough, Al," Dila said softly, her voice now full of genuine sympathy.

Al nodded slightly, choosing not to revisit the earlier topic. He took a deep breath, calming himself.

Dila glanced at him, then turned to Rina, who had returned to her seat by the bed.

"So, why did you react like that earlier, Rin?" she asked, her tone like an investigator questioning a suspect.

"Ah... that..." Rina lowered her gaze briefly, her lips moving hesitantly. "I just... have issues with DIAR."

"Issues?" Dila repeated, brow raised. Al also looked at Rina, curiosity in his eyes.

"Not me personally... more like the martial arts association I’m in. They’re looking for DIAR. For... them..." Rina trailed off, the corner of her lips twitching awkwardly. "I guess I can’t explain further. Hahaha..." Her laugh was small and awkward.

"I see. Wow, you all seem to have big secrets," Dila sighed dramatically. "Huff... and here I am, just a pretty, genius girl who knows nothing."

Rina gave a faint smile, but Al didn’t. His gaze sharpened—this time for real.

"What do they plan to do with DIAR?" he asked, his tone flat yet pressured.

Rina froze for a moment, her eyes tensing. The earlier light mood froze over again.

"T-they... Hmm... Sorry, Al. That’s classified. I can’t answer."

Al’s shoulders tightened.

"Don’t tell me... they’re planning to execute DIAR?"

The question ignited something within him—a slow, burning anger.

But—

"Al." Rina’s voice cut through, firm and slightly sharp. "Why are you so interested in DIAR? Are you sure you’re not one of them? Or... do you know someone who is?" Her gaze pierced into him. "You seem way too uncomfortable with the idea of them being executed."

Al froze, almost caught off guard. Her words felt like a spotlight aimed directly at him. His anger had nearly pushed him past his limits. There was no way he could reveal his real identity here—not to these two girls who were just trying to live their normal lives.

Gradually, the tension on his face eased. He forced a small smile.

"Ehm... of course I have nothing to do with DIAR. I guess I just... got too caught up in the mood, haha. Sorry, sorry. I think I’ve made things awkward again."

"Huff... yeah, you did," Dila muttered.

"Exactly," Rina added. "Let’s just drop the topic of DIAR or whatever, okay?"

Al and Dila exchanged a glance and nodded at the same time, silently agreeing that this was too heavy a topic for high schoolers.

Actually... Dila still had a lot of questions swirling in her mind—what exactly was a DIAR, why was there talk of executing them, and... were they really that dangerous?

But now, she chose not to bring it up again.

Meanwhile, in Al’s heart, an unease remained... waiting for the right moment to explode. But for now, he could only hold himself back.

And so, the conversation—fluctuating between tense and casual—finally ended, leaving a lingering weight in the air.

After that tense exchange, Al tried to calm himself by letting the girls gossip while he played with his phone—the one Aurielle had given him.

"Oh! You’ve got the latest YPhone model?" Dila suddenly pointed at his smartphone.

Both Al and Rina were startled by her sudden voice.

"Whoa... you even have the newest model, Al?" Rina asked.

For Rina and Dila—both from wealthy families—gadgets like phones were just a small part of maintaining their image, nothing worth fussing over. But for someone like Al, who they believed was from an orphanage, owning such an expensive phone was unusual.

"Oh, this?" Al replied casually, showing it off.

"A gift from my sister."

Rina and Dila exchanged a glance, silently agreeing that of course Al could have it if it was a gift.

"Your sister? But aren’t you from an orphanage?" Dila asked. "You mean... an adoptive sister? Someone from the orphanage?"

Al glanced at them and replied casually,

"This is from my real sister."

The two exchanged another glance.

"Real sister? But... aren’t you an orphan?"

Al raised a brow, slightly irritated, though still holding back from revealing his true identity as a Virellano.

"Of course I have a real sister. I’m from a rich family, after all. Haha."

He said it with his usual wide, innocent smile.

The two could only sigh. The earlier tension had already drained them, so they didn’t bother to argue. They simply accepted what they thought was another one of Al’s fantasies.

And so, the conversation ended with weak laughter and suspicious looks. As always... Al remained a mystery to those who knew him.

---

After visiting Dila and going through a mix of lighthearted and tense moments at the hospital, Al and Rina left, walking together through the VIP corridor. Al glanced around, still thinking about the man from earlier—the hooded figure who had caught his attention.

Gone.

Looks like he really left... he thought to himself.

They stepped out into the hospital courtyard.

"Wanna come with me tonight?" Rina suddenly asked, stretching her arms as if their earlier activities had been exhausting.

"Huh? You’re really full of energy. We just spent all this time here and now you’re asking me out again?" Al replied lazily. "But... I’m not interested. I want to sleep."

"Come on. You’ve never hung out at a street spot and chatted with people, have you?" she pressed.

Al raised a brow.

"You think I’m just a homebody? And anyway, do you even have other friends? I thought your life was just duels, sparring, and training."

"Of course I have friends!" Rina snapped. "I have plenty. Not all of them are fighters—most are normal people. But they’re fun. And I want you to come tonight."

Al gave her a serious look, as if this invitation was some sort of trap.

"Are you sure? Can someone like me even fit in with them?"

"You’ll be fine. You said you’re from a rich family, right? That should make it easier. And no negotiations—I’ll be waiting tonight."

Before Al could reply, Rina had already run off, waving as she disappeared into the distance.

"That girl really does whatever she wants," Al muttered.

He took a breath, leaning against a lamppost for a moment before slowly walking away from the hospital.

But...

Neither Rina nor Al knew the terrifying thing that would happen that night—something they might come to regret.