Question [1]

Aay woke to the metallic shudder of the plane's wings, dawn spilling through the cockpit windshield like liquid gold.

Mei lay diagonally across the seats, her head pillowed on Sajuan's thigh, one sandaled foot digging into Aay's ribs.

Sajuan smirked, flicking a strand of hair from her eyes. "She said your shoulder wasn't soft in the middle of the night."

"...Alright," Aay muttered, not knowing how to respond to that comment.

He peeled her foot off him and sat up straight.

Jarek's voice cut through the hum of the engines. "Good morning," he said, nodding toward the horizon.

Aay nodded in response.

"Are you not tired, Mr. Jarek?" he asked.

It had been 12 hours, or even more, since Mr. Jarek had likely slept.

"I'm alright," Mr. Jarek replied with a smile. "There's no need to worry."

A distant port city appeared on the horizon, ships and small boats floating in the ocean, each heading their own way.

But Aay's attention snagged on Jarek's reflection in the rearview mirror. The man's storm-gray eyes lingered on him—specifically, the faint amber glow simmering in Aay's irises.

"Your eyes," Jarek said, too casually. "They're not just a quirk of genetics, are they?"

There was a moment of silence in the cockpit.

Aay glanced at Sajuan. "No. They have a specific use for me," he answered Jarek.

This is a great moment to reveal my ability, he thought.

He already knew what Sajuan's ability was, and in a way, they had similar abilities but with different utilities. There was no way he could hide this ability from Jarek—and of course, he had to gained his trust after him expressing his intention to form a camaraderie.

"if I may guess, you can perceive people's emotions, just like Sajuan, am I right?"

Both men's eyebrows raised. Did he spy on us?

"I apologize," Jarek said. "I did not intend to pry into your matters; I just discovered it while assessing the test. I hope you don't take it to heart."

Sajuan replied, "Don't worry. We don't mind."

I do! Aay protested in his mind. Well, I know my secret won't be a secret forever, but I didn't even notice you spying on us!

Though he already knew that this ability wouldn't remain hidden for long before others could guess what his eyes did, the problem was that he hadn't noticed Jarek spying on them.

And the thought of someone sneaking around and spying without him noticing was terrifying.

"Thank you," Jarek said, his voice heavy with unspoken weight.

He leaned forward, his storm-gray eyes piercing through the dim light of the cockpit. "The reason I'm asking… is to warn you. Your ability—that gift—will get you killed."

His words hung in the air like a blade poised to fall. "There are men out there, clad in silk suits, who hunt for rare… traits. Eyes that gleam like yours, organs that pulse with unnatural light, blood that glows with power—anything extraordinary, anything that catches their twisted fancy. They'll carve you apart, piece by piece, to add to their grotesque vaults. These men—these so-called artists—they revel in the macabre, in hobbies so vile they defy comprehension."

Jarek paused for a moment, his expression hardening as he continued, his voice edged with bitterness. "The Pro Association and governing bodies—they're intertwined in everything. Business, goals, laws… you name it. Pros, politicians, even businessmen—they're all deeply connected, working together in ways most people can't even imagine."

He leaned back slightly, his tone growing darker. "But with that kind of power, corruption seeps in. Bad actors slip through the cracks, hiding behind the system. You can only imagine the kind of atrocities that happen when money and immunity from the law mix. And trust me… it's happened more than once or twice whatever crime you can imagine."

Aay's gaze dropped to the scar peeking above Jarek's collar—a thin, surgical line. Proof of said hidden world.

"For example," Jarek glanced at the mirror, "the scientist I mentioned yesterday."

Aay and Sajuan nodded simultaneously, the weight of Jarek's words settling heavily over them.

His story wasn't just a warning—it was a glimpse into a world darker than they can't comprehend.

"And if you don't find it displeasing, I would like to give you some advice," Jarek said.

"From now on, Sir Aay should not use his ability in front of strangers or under the watch of many people—words circulate fast, and you don't want people with bad intentions to hear about it and develop malicious thoughts. So I advise that from now on, Sir Sajuan should be the one to assess the people you'll encounter in this exam. Unless necessary, or if you think Sajuan's evaluation is questionable, only use your ability in crucial moments."

His advice sounded reasonable.

His and Sajuan's abilities had the same utility, so it wouldn't make sense for them to use them at the same time.

Besides, Sajuan's ability was less suspicious. No sane person would believe someone could hear people's heartbeats.

Silence settled over the plane after the serious talk. The steady hum of the engines filled the background.

Mei woke up, energized from her long nap. She didn't know what conversation had happened between the three adults, but there was a great chance she wouldn't care about it, as she was busy sightseeing the port city below from Sajuan's window side.

The plane touched down on a wide harbor, patrol officers swarming like ants.

"Unauthorized landing!" one barked, his hand twitching toward his holster.

But Jarek merely flicked a slick card etched with 'PRO' in gold letters.

The patrol officers' demeanor changed instantly, and they dispersed to their positions or continued their patrol in the harbor.

The trio witnessed firsthand the perks of being a Professional.

"Professional privileges," Jarek said drily.

He looked at the distant rock mountain in the furthest corner of the city, carts and railways running along its cliffs, disappearing and appearing in its countless entry holes.

"The exam site is in that mine," he pointed. "I hope you three pass the exam. Goodbye."

The trio said their thanks and goodbyes with a smile, then disembarked the aircraft and made their way into the city.

Mei gaped at the market swallowing the city's heart—a sea of people crowded the narrow pathways of the open market bazaar. Many kinds of exotic foods and items were on display, with vendors attracting their potential customers.

"We've got time, right? We should look around a bit!" she said, already darting toward a vendor selling candied scorpions.

Aay and Sajuan had no qualms about stopping her; they too wanted to experience the outside world for a bit.

Stall after stall, the sea of people lessened as they neared the end of the market.

Buildings slumped, windows boarded like closed eyes, now becoming the theme of this section of the city where they found themselves.

From one of these buildings, a boy materialized from a shadowed doorway. "Examinees?" he asked, his gaze fixed on them.

"Yes, we are," Aay answered on behalf of the group.

"Great!" the boy said with enthusiasm. "Alright. You have two choices! You can take this road ahead toward the mines where the exam will start, or answer a question from us. Which one will you take?"

Aay's eyebrow rose. "Is there a difference between the two?"

"No," the boy shook his head. "Whichever you choose will lead you to the exam site."

Strange... Aay thought. If there's no difference between the two, the possible implication is that the choice wouldn't matter in hindsight. Both are paths... But the paths would entirely be different!

"Does choosing one will exclude us from the other path?"

Though Aay's reasoning was logical, asking whether they would be eliminated after taking one of the choices and failing the said route wouldn't be a waste of time. It's better be sure than sorry.

"Unfortunately, you are correct," the boy answered.

As I thought. The two choices would determine passing or failing before the exam even begins, he thought.

He glanced over at Sajuan, who nodded at him.

Hmmm... So it seems he's not lying either on acting as a filter examiner. Then choosing is required in this matter, Aay thought.

He glanced at Mei and Sajuan.

As if reading his mind, Sajuan nodded in understanding. He had already concluded the meaning behind the boy's words.

On the other hand, Mei fully trusted Aay's decision, even though she had no idea what this was all about.

Aay glanced back at the boy. "We choose to answer."

"Great!" The boy said.

He turned around and called inside the shop. "GRANDPA!"

From inside, an old man emerged from the doorway, holding an unwrapped mannequin. Its face was smooth, unmarred by identity.

"Which do I love more," the man's voice rasped like dry leaves. "My grandson… or this?"

The bizarre question loomed over the three, and their faces showed different reactions