Vivian didn't go back to class straight away.
She stayed on the rooftop longer than she should have, just standing there near the edge, staring down like McKenna might suddenly appear again if she looked long enough.
But there was nothing.
Just people walking like normal. Cars passing. Everything… fine.
It annoyed her.
Vivian let out a slow breath and stepped back, running a hand through her hair. Her heart had calmed down, but her thoughts hadn't. They kept circling the same thing over and over again.
That was her.
It was.
"No… it can't be," she muttered quietly.
She knew what she saw.
Three years ago wasn't a blur. It wasn't something she imagined or heard from someone else. She was there. She watched it happen.
The Won Young War wasn't something you forgot.
People didn't just come back from that.
Vivian pressed her lips together, trying to think straight, but it wasn't working. Every explanation felt wrong.
Either she was losing it…
or something was very, very off.
She glanced back at the edge one last time, like part of her still expected an answer to magically show up.
Nothing.
"Great," she mumbled, turning away. "That helped."
—
By the time she finally went back inside, the bell had already rung.
The halls were full, loud, messy—everything she didn't have the patience for right now.
Someone bumped into her.
"Sorry—" they started.
Vivian didn't even look at them. She just kept walking.
Her mind was somewhere else completely.
If that really was McKenna… then how?
That question alone made her feel irritated.
Because there was no "how" that made sense.
She pushed open the classroom door, already knowing she was late.
The teacher looked up immediately. "Nice of you to join us."
Vivian didn't respond. She just walked to her seat and sat down like she'd been there the whole time.
A few people stared.
She ignored them.
Her notebook was still open, exactly how she left it. Pencil right there.
Everything looked normal.
It didn't feel normal.
She picked up the pencil, but instead of writing, she just… started drawing.
Not even thinking about it.
A face.
She didn't plan it—it just happened. The eyes, the shape, the hair…
Then she stopped.
Her hand froze mid-line.
She stared at what she'd drawn.
McKenna.
Vivian leaned in slightly, frowning.
Something about it bothered her.
She couldn't explain it properly, but it wasn't right. It looked like her, sure—but the eyes felt… off. Like something was missing.
Or something extra was there that shouldn't be.
Vivian flipped the page over quickly.
Yeah. No.
She wasn't in the mood for that.
—
The rest of the day dragged.
Teachers talked. Students laughed. Time moved.
Vivian barely noticed any of it.
By the time school ended, most people were already gone, rushing out like they always did.
She didn't.
She took her time packing up, slinging her bag over her shoulder, not really in a hurry to go anywhere.
That's when she felt it.
That same feeling from earlier.
Cold.
Like someone was watching her.
Vivian paused.
She didn't turn around immediately. She just stood there for a second, listening.
Nothing.
Still… it didn't go away.
Slowly, she turned.
The hallway was empty.
Completely empty.
"…okay," she said under her breath.
For a second, she almost convinced herself it was nothing.
Then she heard it.
A soft sound.
A step.
Not loud—but definitely there.
Vivian's head snapped toward the direction it came from.
Nothing again.
But this time, she didn't relax.
Her grip tightened slightly on her bag.
"Yeah… not funny," she said, a bit quieter now.
Still no response.
Just silence.
But it wasn't normal silence.
It felt… wrong.
Like something was there, just out of sight.
Vivian's eyes narrowed as she slowly looked around again, more carefully this time.
"Show yourself," she said.
Nothing.
Another second passed.
Then another.
And just when she was about to move—
There it was again.
Closer this time.
Vivian didn't wait.
She turned quickly—
But there was still no one there.
Now her chest felt tight again, not from panic—but from frustration.
Because she knew.
She knew she wasn't imagining it.
Whatever she saw on that rooftop…
It didn't end there.
And now—
It was here.