The flying car descended slowly from the sky.
Its metallic surface reflected the afternoon sunlight as it hovered above the entrance of Horizon Academy. The crowd of students standing near the gate looked up instinctively.
A soft mechanical sound echoed as the vehicle landed.
The door opened.
A young man stepped out.
He looked no older than nineteen.
Yet there was something unusual about him.
His hair was completely white—snow-white strands that moved gently in the wind. His eyes were sharp and bright, carrying a calm confidence that most teenagers didn't possess.
He removed one of his earbuds and stretched his arms lazily.
"Home… sweet home," he muttered with a relaxed smile.
"At least I'm finally free from that world for a while."
Just then a voice sounded through his earpiece again.
"Remember, today you're supposed to pick up your fiancée."
The young man sighed.
"Yes, yes. I know."
"Why don't you pick her up from her school?" the voice suggested.
"That's exactly why I'm here," he replied casually.
"Don't worry about it."
He ended the call and looked toward the academy campus.
"I'm coming, Iris."
Meanwhile…
In the center of the school grounds, hundreds of students had gathered.
Everyone was whispering.
Excited.
Curious.
Because today something special was about to happen.
Two names were circulating through the entire crowd.
Alex.
Iris.
Many believed that today the two of them were finally going to confess their feelings to each other.
In the middle of the crowd stood Alex.
And directly in front of him stood Iris.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
They simply looked into each other's eyes.
Alex finally broke the silence.
"Iris… you said you wanted to talk to me after school."
"Yes," Iris replied quietly.
"There's something I need to tell you."
Alex nodded.
"Go ahead."
Before she could continue, Darex suddenly jumped in between them.
"Yeah Iris! Just say it already!"
He slapped Alex's shoulder enthusiastically.
"Today my brother here will finally be free from all this confusion and start a new chapter in his life!"
Iris looked at Darex calmly.
"Darex… I know you don't like me very much."
Darex blinked.
"Like you?"
He raised both hands dramatically.
"Why would I like you?!"
"I would never look at my brother's future partner in a suspicious way. Absolutely not!"
He shook his head dramatically.
"Good heavens, what kind of things are you saying?"
Alex immediately covered Darex's mouth.
"Will you shut up for two minutes?"
At that exact moment…
A voice came from behind the crowd.
"Why is there such a big gathering here?"
The voice sounded calm and curious.
Students turned around.
The white-haired young man was slowly walking toward them.
He looked around the crowd with mild amusement.
"Well… they're just kids," he murmured.
"I was like this too a year ago."
He tapped a random student on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, can you let me pass?"
The boy turned around nervously.
The moment he saw the young man's sharp gaze and confident posture, he stepped aside instinctively.
"D-Don't worry! I'll make space!"
The student quickly shouted.
"Move aside! A senior wants to go through!"
The crowd slowly opened a path.
The white-haired man walked through casually.
Two girls nearby stared at him with wide eyes.
"Wow…"
"He's so handsome."
"Those white hair… and his eyes…"
Alex noticed the man approaching.
The stranger stopped in front of him.
Then he smiled slightly.
"You look pretty handsome yourself."
Alex blinked.
"…Thanks?"
"But I'm still more handsome," the young man added playfully.
Alex chuckled.
"That might be true."
The stranger suddenly extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you."
"My name is Sonic."
"You can also call me…"
He paused dramatically.
"The Red Devil."
Darex tilted his head.
"Red Devil?"
"Yeah."
"That's what my battalion calls me."
"Battalion?" Darex repeated.
"Or clan… whatever you prefer."
Alex shook Sonic's hand.
"Well, I'll just call you Sonic."
"That sounds better."
"Good choice," Sonic replied with a grin.
Alex looked slightly confused.
"So… why are you here?"
Sonic shrugged.
"Just came to introduce myself."
"And to meet someone."
He turned his head.
"Iris."
Iris stepped forward.
Before anyone could react—
She hugged him.
"You're here," she said softly.
"Of course," Sonic replied warmly.
Alex felt his heartbeat suddenly speed up.
Darex scratched his head.
"Wait a minute."
"You two know each other?"
Sonic burst out laughing.
"Oh no."
"I think you misunderstood something."
"We're not siblings."
He wrapped an arm casually around Iris's shoulder.
"I'm her fiancé."
Silence.
The entire school yard froze.
For a moment nobody spoke.
Then whispers exploded across the crowd.
"WHAT?"
"Did he say fiancé?!"
"So Alex got rejected?"
"Iris was never his girlfriend?"
Some students even started laughing.
"Man… Alex got destroyed."
"Of course Iris would choose someone like him."
"He's way cooler."
"What was his nickname again?"
"Red Devil?"
"What kind of name is that?"
Sonic raised his hands calmly.
"Relax everyone."
"I'm not here to embarrass anyone."
He looked directly at Alex.
"I already knew about the misunderstanding."
"That's why I came personally to clear things up."
He spoke calmly.
"Our families have a tradition."
"For generations, our families marry within each other."
"In this generation…"
"Iris is the only daughter in her family."
"And I'm the only son in mine."
"So the responsibility falls on us."
He shrugged.
"And we've been childhood friends anyway."
He glanced at Iris.
"I told her it would be better if she cleared up any misunderstandings today."
Iris looked at Alex.
Her expression was calm but serious.
"Alex… you're a good person."
"But you need to understand something."
"My family is a political family."
"And Sonic's family…"
She glanced at Sonic.
"…is a Warrior family."
"Our families' relationship is important."
"It's not something we can simply break."
She took a breath.
"And to be honest…"
"I never loved you."
"I always thought of you as a friend."
"Did I ever say 'I love you' to you?"
Alex thought for a moment.
"…No."
"Did I ever confess to you?"
"No."
"Then this misunderstanding…"
"…was never real."
For a moment Alex felt something tighten inside his chest.
But then he slowly relaxed.
Darex's words from earlier echoed in his mind.
Maybe she only sees you as a friend.
Alex exhaled quietly.
Then he extended his hand toward Sonic.
"Nice to meet you."
"My name is Alex."
"And honestly…"
"I'm glad you found your childhood friend as your life partner."
"Maybe our relationship was only meant to go this far."
Sonic shook his hand firmly.
"Well said."
Alex then asked curiously.
"So… what do you do?"
Sonic pulled out an ID card from his pocket.
He showed it briefly.
"I'm a Second Rank Warrior."
Alex blinked.
"A warrior?"
"Yep."
"Some people also call me the Black Red Devil."
Darex's jaw dropped.
"You're serious?"
Alex smirked slightly.
"So if I made you angry… would you kill me?"
Sonic laughed loudly.
"Man, you watch way too many movies."
"Our country still has laws."
"Why would I kill someone over something this small?"
He shook his head.
"You think I'm some villain from a novel?"
"That I'll say 'She's my woman, stay away from her'?"
He pointed around them.
"This isn't a novel."
"This is real life."
"In real life things happen differently."
"Sometimes families decide things."
"And eventually…"
"People learn to love each other."
He shrugged casually.
"Besides, when you become a warrior you often disappear for months."
"Six months. Sometimes even a year."
"So relationships need patience."
Alex nodded thoughtfully.
"I see."
"Honestly I was just confirming something."
"I wanted to know if all warriors were bad."
Sonic shook his head.
"Who told you that?"
"If there are a hundred warriors…"
"Ninety-seven of them are good."
"Only three are bad."
He smiled.
"That's how every civilization works."
"Among common people there are terrorists."
"In governments there are corrupt officials."
"And among warriors…"
"There are a few arrogant fools."
"But most warriors protect people."
Then he looked at Alex seriously.
"But listen."
"If Iris truly loved you…"
"I would step aside."
"Breaking an engagement isn't difficult."
"But…"
He looked at Iris.
"She loves me."
Iris nodded quietly.
"Yes."
"We've known each other since childhood."
"Our families are connected."
"And I truly love Sonic."
Alex raised both hands lightly.
"Relax."
"I was just joking earlier."
"Live your life happily."
"No hard feelings."
He smiled slightly.
"Maybe we'll meet again someday."
Sonic chuckled.
"Maybe."
Then he asked casually.
"So… what about you?"
"Are you planning to become a warrior?"
Alex thought for a moment.
"…Yes."
"I think I'll apply."
Sonic's eyes lit up.
"Good."
"Very good."
"Warriors are respected everywhere."
He stepped back toward his car.
"Maybe next time we meet…"
"…you'll be wearing the same badge as me."