Ethan didn't sleep that night.
Every time he closed his eyes, he felt it again—that strange ripple in his chest. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't normal either. It pulsed softly, like something alive was resting just beneath his ribs.
Watching.
Waiting.
He turned on his bed, staring at the ceiling of his small, dimly lit room.
"What is happening to me…?"
The question echoed in the silence.
No answer came.
Morning arrived too quickly.
Ethan stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his school uniform. His reflection looked the same as always—messy black hair, tired eyes, nothing special.
Normal.
So why didn't he feel normal?
He hesitated, placing a hand over his chest again.
Thump.
Thump.
His heartbeat was steady.
But beneath it…
Something else moved.
Ethan quickly pulled his hand away.
"Forget it," he muttered. "I'm just overthinking."
But deep down, he knew that wasn't true.
The walk to school felt different.
People passed by like usual, chatting, laughing, living their lives. But today… Ethan noticed something strange.
Their emotions.
He couldn't explain it clearly, but it was like he could feel them.
A girl walking past him—nervous.
A group of boys—excited.
An old man by the roadside—tired.
Ethan stopped walking.
"What…?"
The sensations were faint, like whispers brushing against his mind. But they were there.
Real.
He clenched his fists slightly and forced himself to keep moving.
"Just ignore it. Just get to school."
Riverside High looked exactly the same.
But as soon as Ethan stepped through the gate—
The feeling intensified.
Voices.
Not actual voices… but emotions, layered on top of each other. Happiness, stress, jealousy, boredom—blending into a strange, invisible noise.
Ethan winced slightly.
"This is… too much…"
He lowered his head and walked faster.
By the time he reached his classroom, his head was already starting to ache.
He slipped into his seat by the window, exhaling quietly.
For a moment, the sensations faded.
Relief washed over him.
"Okay… I'm fine."
"Morning."
Ethan froze.
That voice again.
He turned slowly.
Lena Hart sat beside him, her chin resting lightly on her hand as she looked at him with a small smile.
"You look tired," she said.
Ethan quickly looked away. "I didn't sleep well."
"That's obvious," she replied softly. "You look like you fought a war in your dreams."
Ethan let out a weak laugh despite himself.
"Something like that."
There was a brief silence.
But it wasn't uncomfortable.
At least… not for her.
Ethan, on the other hand, could feel it again.
That warmth.
It started in his chest the moment she spoke to him.
Gentle.
Soft.
Different from the chaotic emotions outside.
And then—
It spread.
Ethan's eyes widened slightly.
The air around them shifted.
Students who were arguing suddenly quieted down.
Someone who looked stressed relaxed.
Even the noisy chatter in the room softened.
Ethan's breathing became uneven.
"Not again…"
"Hmm?" Lena tilted her head. "You said something?"
Ethan shook his head quickly. "No."
But his heart was racing now.
Because this time…
He was sure.
It wasn't random.
It was happening when he felt something.
"Hey, Ethan."
He stiffened slightly at the sound of his name.
A boy stood beside his desk—tall, confident, with a faint smirk on his face.
Ryan Blake.
One of the most popular guys in school.
And someone who had never spoken to Ethan before.
Until now.
"You've been getting pretty comfortable lately," Ryan said casually, glancing at Lena before looking back at Ethan. "Sitting here. Talking like you belong."
Ethan stayed silent.
He already knew where this was going.
"I'm just sitting," Ethan said quietly.
Ryan chuckled. "Yeah? Then maybe you should remember your place."
A few students nearby started watching.
The atmosphere shifted.
Tense.
Unpleasant.
Ethan felt it immediately—the pressure, the anticipation.
Fear.
But something else rose within him too.
A spark.
Small.
Unstable.
"Leave him alone, Ryan," Lena said calmly.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Why? You defending him now?"
"I just don't like pointless drama."
Ryan laughed again, but there was a slight edge to it now.
He looked back at Ethan.
"Say something," he said. "Or can't you even do that?"
Ethan's fingers tightened under the desk.
His chest started to burn.
That same feeling—
But stronger.
Much stronger.
"I said… I'm just sitting," Ethan repeated, his voice slightly firmer this time.
The moment the words left his mouth—
Something snapped.
It wasn't visible.
There was no light, no sound.
But the effect was immediate.
Ryan's expression changed.
Just for a second.
Confusion flickered across his face.
Then irritation… faded.
"…Whatever," Ryan muttered suddenly, looking away. "This isn't worth my time."
He turned and walked off.
Just like that.
No argument.
No fight.
Nothing.
The watching students blinked in surprise.
"That was weird…"
"Ryan just… left?"
Ethan sat frozen in his seat.
His heart pounded violently.
"What did I just do…?"
Beside him, Lena stared at him with a thoughtful expression.
"…Ethan," she said slowly, "what was that?"
Ethan swallowed hard.
"I don't know."
And this time…
He wasn't lying.
The rest of the class passed in a blur.
Ethan couldn't focus on anything.
Every time he tried to calm down, he felt those emotions again—flowing, shifting, reacting to him.
As if he was connected to all of it.
As if…
He was influencing it.
When the final bell rang, Ethan stood up quickly.
"I need to go," he muttered.
"Wait," Lena said, standing as well. "Ethan—"
But he was already walking away.
Fast.
Too fast.
He needed air.
Space.
Anything to escape the overwhelming feeling.
He didn't stop until he reached the empty field behind the school.
His breathing was heavy now.
Uneven.
"What is wrong with me…?!"
The words came out louder than he intended.
The air felt still.
Quiet.
But inside him…
Everything was moving.
Shifting.
Growing.
Ethan looked down at his trembling hands.
"I didn't touch him… I didn't do anything…"
And yet—
Ryan had backed off.
Like his emotions had been… pushed.
Controlled.
Ethan's chest tightened.
"No…"
He shook his head slowly.
"That's impossible…"
But deep down…
He already knew the truth.
Something inside him had awakened.
Something that shouldn't exist.
And if he couldn't control it…
Then sooner or later—
It would destroy everything around him.