chapter 4

A tall, beautiful girl with long white hair and porcelain skin stared intently at her screen as she enjoyed her breakfast. The elegantly dressed girl was none other than Ria. As she continued scrolling through her feed, she stumbled upon a video of Zain's broadcast. Intrigued by the title, "Hope of Humanity," she decided to watch.

Within seconds of the video starting, Ria choked on her tea, her eyes widening in shock.

"Zain!"

She coughed, trying to wrap her mind around this sudden revelation.

"How is this possible? The last time I saw him was last year. I thought he was receiving treatment at the ascension department, especially with all the scientists flooding in…"

As she continued watching, Zain mercilessly struck a grotesque mosquito. In that moment, he appeared strong and elegant to Ria, yet she felt disturbed by the sight of a creature the size of a small building being tossed around like a rag doll.

The power of an SS-rank was truly incredible, but how had a boy like him attained such strength? Zain had become an enigma that Ria was eager to solve. She found herself looking forward to meeting him again, wondering if he would remember their conversations.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her cyber screen. Ria hesitated before answering the call; the caller was her boyfriend, Josh, a senior in the newly formed S class. Due to the academy's restructuring, Ria had also been transferred to that class, created for the arrival of the Supreme General's successor. Every gifted student, regardless of rank, had been placed in this elite group.

"Hey, Josh, what's up?" she replied.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to check in and see when you're arriving at the academy."

"I'm on my way—"

Before she could finish, a voice interrupted her.

"I must say, this is a lovely place you have," Zain spoke.

Ria sharply turned around, her heart racing. To her astonishment, Zain was sitting comfortably on her couch, clad in the new SS-class uniform. However, his attire was distinct; instead of the standard jacket worn by other students, he sported a jet-black coat, and he lacked the academy badge. Despite his new handsome appearance and increased height, Ria recognized him instantly—after all, she had spent countless hours admiring him from afar.

She was in shock and didn't bother to hide it.

"Hey, Ria! It's been a while, hasn't it?" Zain smiled warmly.

"Wait, you are Ria, right?"

Ria took a moment to compose herself.

"Yes, that's me," she replied, her voice steadier than she felt.

Zain sighed in relief, his charming gaze fixed on her. "It took me hours, but I finally found you. I wanted to meet you so badly."

Confusion washed over Ria as she tried to process the situation. "Can I ask you a couple of questions?"

"Sure, go ahead, Ria," Zain encouraged.

"How did you get here?"

Zain leaned back, crossing his arms as he began to explain. "After the ascension department was flooded with scientists, I underwent some intense training. It was grueling, but necessary for what was coming. I was assigned to a special project, and somehow, I ended up here."

Ria's mind raced with the implications of his words. A special project? It sounded important, but it didn't clarify his sudden appearance.

"How do you know my name?" she pressed, her curiosity piqued.

Zain chuckled softly. "I've kept tabs on the students from our year. I remember you, Ria. Your passion for science and those endless debates we had about the best training strategies. How could I forget?"

Ria's heart soared at his acknowledgment. He remembered!

"What about our conversations?" she asked, her voice tinged with urgency.

Zain smiled wider. "Of course! You always challenged me. I admired your determination. You were so driven, even when I was just trying to keep up."

A blush crept onto Ria's cheeks. "And how long have you been here?"

Zain's expression turned serious. "Not long. Just a few days. I wanted to see you as soon as I could."

The Moment

Ria's heart fluttered. The boy she had admired from a distance was now right in front of her, and he had sought her out. The weight of the moment settled over them like a warm blanket.

"Can we start over?" Zain asked, his voice sincere. "I want to get to know you again, Ria. Not just as a classmate, but as a friend... or maybe something more."

Ria's breath caught in her throat. This was the moment she had dreamed of, yet it felt like a new beginning.

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes shining with hope. "I would like that."