Niao's Dream

The wind was colder than usual, and it swept through the alley like it had something to prove. I hugged my arms close not just because of the wind, but trying to shake off the discomfort that seemed to cling to my skin. We were walking—Lance-kun, Revi, Entama-san, and me—down the alley near the academy. It was supposed to be a simple patrol, but something about it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Maybe it was because it was getting dark, or maybe it was the shadows stretching along the ground like long fingers, but I could feel it again—that same, heavy sense of being watched. It wasn't just nerves; it was something much more tangible, an uncomfortable weight pressing down on me.

I cast a glance at Lance-kun, who was walking a bit ahead of us, hands stuffed deep into his pockets. His shoulders were hunched, and he looked as disinterested as ever. But somehow, his eyes looks like the main character of the novel I was reading...