The feeling didn't go away.
That was the first thing I noticed.
Usually—
New things faded.
Excitement.
Awareness.
Motivation.
They came.
Stayed for a while.
Then disappeared.
But this—
Stayed.
Quiet.
Subtle.
But constant.
Like something in the background that refused to leave.
"…Strange."
I noticed it while walking to school.
Nothing unusual at first.
Same road.
Same turns.
Same pace.
But halfway through—
Something felt… off.
Not wrong.
Not dangerous.
Just—
Different.
The air felt heavier.
Not physically.
But mentally.
Like I was aware of it.
"…Since when do I notice air?"
That didn't make sense.
Air wasn't something you noticed.
It was just… there.
But now—
It felt like more than that.
Like it had presence.
Not strong.
Barely even noticeable.
But—
There.
I slowed down slightly.
Not stopping.
Just…
Paying attention.
"…Focus."
I took a slow breath.
In.
Out.
Again.
Nothing changed.
And yet—
It did.
The moment I focused—
That strange feeling became clearer.
Still faint.
Still unclear.
But easier to notice.
"…This again."
Just like Insight.
Weak.
Unstable.
But real.
"…So it's connected?"
Or maybe—
I was overthinking it.
That was also possible.
"…Don't assume."
I kept walking.
But this time—
More aware of my surroundings.
Not just people.
Everything.
The ground.
The air.
The space between things.
And for some reason—
That space didn't feel empty anymore.
School felt louder today.
Not in sound.
In presence.
People moved the same.
Talked the same.
Acted the same.
But now—
There was something underneath it.
Something subtle.
Like a layer I hadn't noticed before.
"…Was it always like this?"
Or—
Was I just starting to notice?
I entered the classroom.
Sat down.
Tried to ignore it.
Focus on something normal.
The desk.
The board.
The lesson.
Anything.
But—
That feeling didn't go away.
It stayed.
Light.
Constant.
Like background noise you couldn't unhear.
"…Annoying."
I leaned back slightly.
Closed my eyes for a second.
Just to reset.
And that's when it happened.
For a brief moment—
Everything sharpened.
Not visually.
But internally.
The air around me—
Felt clearer.
Defined.
Like I could almost—
Sense it.
Then it vanished.
I opened my eyes immediately.
"…What was that?"
That wasn't normal.
That definitely wasn't normal.
But—
It didn't feel dangerous.
Just—
Unfamiliar.
"…Again."
I tried to recreate it.
Closed my eyes.
Focused.
Breathing steady.
Waiting.
A second passed.
Then another.
Nothing.
"…Of course."
I exhaled slowly.
Opened my eyes again.
"…Not controllable."
Just like Insight.
Appears.
Disappears.
No pattern.
No control.
"…So I need to learn it."
That thought felt natural now.
Not forced.
Not doubtful.
Just—
Obvious.
My attention shifted.
Toward her.
Seara.
Same place.
Same posture.
But today—
Something felt slightly different.
Not about her.
About what I sensed.
"…Try again."
I focused.
Not directly at her.
Just—
In her direction.
Waiting.
For that same feeling.
That subtle awareness.
And then—
A flicker.
Not Insight.
Something else.
Around her—
The air felt… denser.
I froze.
Not visibly.
But internally.
"…What?"
That didn't make sense.
It wasn't strong.
Not obvious.
But compared to everything else—
It was different.
Slightly heavier.
Slightly… present.
"…No."
Don't assume.
Maybe it was just my imagination.
Maybe I was forcing patterns that weren't there.
"…Yeah."
That made more sense.
Probably nothing.
Still—
That feeling didn't fully go away.
Classes passed slowly.
Not because they were boring.
But because my attention wasn't fully there.
Part of me listened.
The other part—
Observed.
Felt.
Tested.
Every now and then—
That strange awareness returned.
Faint.
Unpredictable.
But each time—
A little clearer.
"…It's getting stronger."
Or maybe—
I was getting better at noticing it.
Break time came.
And this time—
I didn't think.
I just moved.
Out of the classroom.
Into the hallway.
And there—
Again.
Seara.
Same spot.
Same quiet presence.
"…Consistent."
I approached.
Slower this time.
Not because I was nervous.
But because I was observing.
Feeling.
Testing.
And as I got closer—
That sensation returned.
Stronger than before.
Not overwhelming.
But—
Clearer.
The air around her—
Felt… different.
Not in a visible way.
But in a way I could feel.
"…This isn't normal."
That thought came naturally.
Not forced.
Not imagined.
Just—
Clear.
I stopped beside her.
"…Hey."
She looked up.
"…Hey."
Same tone.
Same calm.
But now—
I paid attention to something else.
Not her words.
Not her expression.
The space around her.
"…Focus."
And for a brief second—
That feeling intensified.
Like standing near something you couldn't see—
But knew was there.
Then—
It disappeared.
"…Again."
Too fast.
Too unstable.
"…Still not controllable."
"You okay?"
Her voice pulled me back.
"…Yeah."
"I just zoned out for a second."
Not entirely a lie.
She watched me for a moment.
Quiet.
Observing.
Then—
"Feels like you do that a lot."
"…Maybe."
That wasn't wrong.
A small silence followed.
But this time—
It felt heavier.
Not uncomfortable.
Just—
Different.
Then—
Insight flickered.
[Curious… Careful… Slightly Alert…]
I caught it.
Clearer than before.
"…Alert?"
About what?
Me?
Something else?
I didn't ask.
Didn't assume.
Just—
Noted it.
"…Still learning."
"I have to go."
"…Yeah."
"See you."
"…See you."
She walked away.
Same as before.
But now—
That strange feeling lingered even after she left.
Faint.
But still there.
"…So it's not just her."
Or maybe—
It was.
And I just didn't understand it yet.
"Bro."
I turned.
Same guy again.
"…Yeah?"
He looked at me.
Then tilted his head slightly.
"You good?"
"…Why?"
"You look… distracted."
"…Do I?"
"Yeah."
A pause.
Then—
"Like you're thinking too much."
…That was accurate.
"…Maybe I am."
He shrugged.
"Don't overdo it."
Then—
He added casually—
"Sometimes things are just normal."
I almost laughed.
"…Yeah."
Maybe.
Or maybe—
They weren't.
He walked off.
Leaving me there again.
But this time—
I wasn't just thinking.
I was… aware.
Of something I couldn't explain.
Something I couldn't see.
Something I couldn't control.
But something—
That was there.
I took a slow breath.
Focused on the air again.
Not forcing it.
Just—
Noticing.
And for a brief moment—
That feeling returned.
Faint.
Gentle.
Everywhere.
Not just near her.
Not just in one place.
But—
All around.
"…What is this?"
No answer came.
No system message.
No explanation.
Just—
Silence.
And that strange, quiet presence.
I exhaled slowly.
Let it go.
For now.
Because one thing was clear.
Very clear.
This wasn't something I understood yet.
But it was something real.
And whether I wanted to or not—
I had already started noticing it.
And once you notice something—
You can't unnotice it.
Chapter 16 End
Author's Note:
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