Veron stepped into the shade beside him, his expression calm.
"You're not supposed to be here," Veron said.
The assassin chuckled softly.
"Our employer disagreed."
He leaned slightly into the rifle, eye returning to the scope.
"You've been watching him for days."
"Observation," Veron replied.
"That's not what you were hired for."
Veron's gaze shifted toward the café window.
Inside—
Jin laughed at something Emily said.
For a moment, Veron said nothing.
Then, quietly—
"You're not touching him today."
The assassin smiled faintly.
"We'll see."
Back inside the café, Emily finished her drink and stood.
"Well. This was fun."
Daniel followed.
"We should go before the next lecture."
Emily glanced once more at Jin and Mira, her smile returning.
"Enjoy your… meeting."
She walked toward the exit.
Daniel gave Jin a short nod before leaving with her.
Outside the café—
Emily walked beside Daniel.
After a moment, she spoke.
"So."
Daniel glanced at her.
"So?"
She folded her arms.
"You didn't seem surprised."
"About what?"
"About Jin."
Daniel thought for a moment. Then said calmly:
"This university attracts strange people."
Emily smiled slightly.
"That's one way to say it."
They crossed the street together.
Back inside, only Jin and Mira remained.
Mira finished her second coffee and stood.
"We should go."
Jin grabbed his diary and laptop.
They stepped outside together.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then—
"Jin."
He looked at her.
"You're not a very good liar."
Jin raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
She nodded.
"But I don't think you lied earlier."
She adjusted the strap of her bag.
"You just skipped… a lot of details."
Then she smiled faintly.
"You're an interesting person."
Without waiting for a response, she walked toward the university gate.
Jin watched her leave.
Then—his gaze shifted.
Up.
Toward the rooftops across the street.
His expression didn't change.
But his eyes… turned colder.
A system window flickered beside him.
[Warn###]
It appeared—
then vanished.
Leaving only a faint echo of its presence.
A thought surfaced in Jin's mind.
If someone asked whether they wanted a system—
they would accept it like a blessing. Power.
But he didn't see it that way.
That system had destroyed his family.
It had hollowed him out.
A system never appears for free.
Everything demands a price.
And before his time ran out—
he would uncover the truth behind it.
No matter what it cost.
Above him—
The assassin slowly lowered the rifle.
"Interesting," he muttered.
Veron stood beside him. Silent.
The assassin glanced sideways.
"You've been excluded."
A pause.
"Try to stop me… and you'll die."
Evening — Lecture Hall
The classroom was quiet.
Professor Cole wrote across the board while students copied lazily.
Most looked tired.
Even Daniel seemed less focused than usual.
Jin sat near the back.
His eyes moved slowly across the room.
Veron sat a few rows ahead.
But something was different.
He wasn't listening.
His gaze was lowered, distant—
as if his thoughts were somewhere far away.
Jin noticed.
Interesting.
Emily's phone vibrated.
She glanced down.
Jin:
I need a favor. Something came up. Can you take my bag with you after class? I'll pick it up later.
Emily turned slightly.
For a brief moment—
her eyes met Jin's.
He gave the faintest nod.
She turned back and typed quickly.
Sure.
Jin slipped his phone into his pocket.
Then raised his hand slightly.
Professor Cole looked at him.
Jin pointed quietly toward the door.
Cole stared for a moment…
then nodded once.
Jin stood.
Walked out.
Several students glanced up.
Mira was one of them.
Her eyes followed him—
until he disappeared.
The hallway outside was empty.
Silent.
Jin walked a few steps forward.
Then—
A faint shimmer appeared beside him.
Like glass dissolving into air.
A system window formed.
And this time—
It didn't disappear.