Imagine One Face

The small commotion in the parking area finally attracted the attention of several employees who had just exited the lobby.

A few of the hotel's security officers also ran over, looking back and forth between Alaric standing upright, breathing heavily and the unfamiliar man now lying on the asphalt.

A middle-aged man in uniform, likely a security guard, raised his radio. "There's been an assault in the north parking lot. Request police to the scene immediately. One suspect has been detained."

Alaric, still gripping the pain in his jaw, stood frozen for a moment. His face looked calm, but his eyes contained a deep tension.

People nearby began to gather. Some employees started discussing the assault loudly, while two security officers helped tie the attacker's hands with emergency restraints.

"You okay, young man?" asked an older man who approached.

Alaric just nodded slowly. His hand rubbed the side of his face where he had been struck, warm and likely to bruise soon. But that wasn't what was bothering him.

"Let it go," he murmured softly, but clearly enough for those nearby to hear.

His gaze never left the man now in handcuffs.

"He's not the real problem."

The security officer guarding the suspect turned his head.

"What do you mean, sir?"

Alaric turned slightly toward them, then drew a deep breath before replying.

"This guy… he's just a foot soldier, or maybe a scout from a larger network. It's good if he's caught, but it doesn't solve anything."

"Because the one we need to catch is the one giving the orders."

Several people went silent upon hearing Alaric's statement. They looked at one another; some nodded, while others were puzzled.

"And I'm sure they have more people ready to carry out similar actions," Alaric continued.

His voice was cold, filled with certainty from someone who had faced unexpected threats too often.

People began turning away one by one, either uncomfortable or realizing the young man was right. It was too much to process in one breath.

A moment later, someone shouted from another direction, "The police are on their way!"

But just then… in that split second, as everyone turned toward the entrance—

The attacker got up.

His movement was swift, almost trained for this exact moment. He had silently rubbed the zip ties against the sharp edge of his boot while everyone was distracted.

He drove his elbow into one of the officers' stomachs, causing the man to double over and fall.

"Hey—!" someone yelled.

But it was too late.

The man grabbed a dropped telescopic baton without looking back and sprinted into the shrubs beside the parking lot. He vanished into the dark service area behind the building.

"Chase him!" shouted an officer. But most people were too shocked and slow to react. Two officers ran after him, but it was too dark and full of alleys. The trail was gone.

Alaric remained frozen. He didn't chase. Instead, he narrowed his eyes. It was all too clear now.

He reached into his jacket and tapped the small brooch resting calmly in his chest pocket.

Virella had activated at exactly the right moment. But the next attack… might not be so easy to counter.

Alaric then walked to his car and opened the door. As he started the engine, a system notification appeared on the transparent dashboard screen.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[System detected: Attacker is trained. Next action may involve indirect approaches.]

[Recommendation: Increase personal surveillance and strengthen business network within 24 hours.]

Alaric stared at the screen for a moment… then nodded slowly.

"I know," he said.

..

The sky had fully darkened by the time Alaric reached home. Garden lights glowed softly, outlining his silhouette as he walked toward the side door.

Not the main entrance, because he knew if that door opened, the sound would echo into the living room, then the kitchen, and eventually reach Anna or even his mother, who might still be in the back room.

No. He couldn't let that happen tonight.

He silently made his way along the side path, past a hedge-lined walkway. His movements were stiff, unlike his usual self. Each step sent a dull ache through his ribs.

At the back door, he reached into his jacket and pulled out the spare key he always kept in a hidden pocket.

The key made a soft sound as it entered the lock, and he held his breath as he turned the knob.

Click

The door opened slowly. No footsteps approached, no voice called from Anna or his mother.

Alaric sighed with relief. "Safe."

He stepped inside, quietly closed the door, and headed straight upstairs even though his body still throbbed in several places.

His face felt hot. Not from fever, but from the bruises beginning to show around his temple and under his cheek.

Once in his room, Alaric quickly locked the door. He turned on the lamp at half brightness. It didn't need to be too bright—just enough to treat his injuries.

With slow movements, he removed his jacket and sat at the edge of his bed. He took antiseptic wipes from his desk drawer and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

His lips curved into a small, mocking smile. His lower lip was slightly split. The corner of his eyebrow was bruised, with a small scrape beneath his jaw.

"Nice," he murmured bitterly. "We won… but it still feels like we got beat up by a street fighter."

He grabbed an ice pack from the mini fridge, wrapped it in a thin towel, and placed it gently against the bruised side of his face.

It hurt. A lot. But he didn't wince. He was used to it.

In the stillness of the night and the gentle hum of the fan in the corner, Alaric leaned back against the chair. His gaze rested blankly on the ceiling. Many thoughts floated through his mind, but none could be formulated calmly.

Only one sentence finally escaped his lips,

"Completely… unexpected."

He shook his head slowly, then closed his eyes for a moment. The ice still pressed to his face, cold and soothing the pain. But it could not erase his anxiety.

These people were clearly not playing around. A public physical attack, surveillance, even a prior cyber assault. This was not ordinary business competition.

Slowly, he opened his eyes again and looked at his half-swollen reflection in the mirror.

"I will not lose. And I must not let my guard down again."

His hand pressed the ice pack once more to the side of his face. The air in the room felt colder than usual, or perhaps it was just his body starting to feel fatigue.

—

Morning light swept across the campus, warm and bright. Sunlight reflected through the leaves of the rain trees, swaying gently in the breeze.

Students strolled by as usual some rushing to class, others relaxing under the shady trees. It was common to see small circles on cloth mats for hanging out together.

Alaric walked slowly toward one of those circles, the one he usually joined when he had no morning class or was on a long break. Today, he wore a thin grey hoodie with the right sleeve slightly rolled up.

His face looked fresher than the night before, though anyone paying close attention could still notice something—a small plaster stuck there.

Because it was small, the wound looked like a pimple scar or a light scratch. Its skin tone color didn't attract attention.

"Ric, come sit, come sit!" Nico called, patting the mat beside him.

Alaric smiled slightly and sat down. His back stretched a little as it touched the ground, either from soreness or reflex from a night full of defensive moves.

He didn't speak. His eyes stared straight ahead, at the leaves gently swaying above. Then suddenly… a face appeared in his mind.

Kayla.

Alaric blinked once, then twice. But the image didn't fade. Her wavy hair light and dark brown mixed together, her slightly nervous eyes, and that awkward yet sweet smile.

Everything played back clearly like a short video on repeat. Even… her expression when she giggled quietly while teasing, still lingered in his thoughts.

"Weird… why am I thinking of her now?" he mused.

"Ric?"

The voice came faintly from the side.

"Ric?"

Alaric didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed, his mind floating somewhere else.

"RIC, BRO."

A light tap landed on his back. That brought Alaric back.

"Ah? Oh—yeah?" He turned sharply toward the voice. It was Rain, one of his female friends in the circle. She was a bit tomboyish and currently arching her eyebrow at him.

"What are you spacing out for? David asked where we're having lunch, and you zoned out," Rain said with a playful smile.

"Oh… nothing, it's fine. I just remembered something," Alaric replied quickly, shaking his head and forcing a smile.

David narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "So are you thinking about food or a girl, Ric?"

"Both," Rayhan cut in from across, prompting laughter from the group.

Alaric chuckled along. But before the joke continued, he raised his hand and said,

"Um… I have good news."

The atmosphere quieted instantly. A few pairs of eyes turned to him.