I started noticing things right after that. Things that seemed incorrect.Things that are wrong.

                It was like lightning struck me so badly that all of a sudden, I could see what's unusual. Everything was moving in a certain pattern, as though there’s an invisible string pulling them all at once. It was like watching a slow-motion movie, only that it was real and scary. Even the sounds, the clanking of the spoons and forks against the plates, the sound of banging tables, chopping knives and gobbling food, they all seemed to be synchronized in some eerie way. I could almost imagine a black trail of smoke weaving its way through the people, putting them all in a trance…

                As I watched, tensed and scared of what all this was about, I cannot help but in a deep breath. Even the functioning of my lungs felt constricted. It was hard seeing all of these for the first time, not knowing if they are real or if my head’s just conjuring up wild thoughts as it has been accustomed to doing lately. Those nightmares, those wild nights, all those changes in me, were they all part of this sudden turn of perception? Why does it feel like I’m stuck in a cage, just watching people go on like they’re dead?

                “Hey…” I called weakly, facing Kai. “Do you feel something?”

                “Feel what?” Kai asked, seemingly uninterested.

                “Like…” I said, feeling my heart race a bit faster as I felt someone burning holes on my back. I did dare to guess who's doing it. “I can’t tell exactly, but it's something powerful? Scary powerful?”

                Kai tensed up a bit and I saw that his eyes suddenly had a dark glint in them. At once, he seemed to turn into a statue, like he’s focusing on something I may never get to know. He did all that without looking around. Soon, however, I saw that the index finger of his right hand holding the fork twitched a bit. It happened all so quickly, that it almost looked like I imagined it when he suddenly loosened up.

                “Nothing,” he said. “I feel nothing.”

                He seemed so serious when he spoke that I almost believed him. Almost. I remained convinced otherwise. I just know deep in my brain that something’s not right.

                I’m pretty sure Kai felt it, too because after just several minutes, he stood up and headed back for the classroom. I simply followed behind like a dog trusting her master’s good instincts. But before I could follow Kai all the way inside, Ji Hye suddenly appeared in front of me, almost as if she just materialized out of thin air.

                “Are you going out with Kai-ssi now?” she asked lightly.

                “No,” I said quickly like I have to deny it really fast or else.

                “Is that so?” she said and then she smiled. “I don’t think you two fit anyway. It wouldn’t be wise for you. That’s all that I really want to say.”

                I was abashed at this comment. Here’s the thing: I don’t like Kai more than a friend. We don’t share anything romantically. But how could Ji Hye say something as judgmental as that? How could she say something about Kai so easily? It felt unfair when they're not even close to begin with. 

               I just settled on not saying anything. Losing cool is not a very mature thing to do. And it would seem defensive if I retort back. There's also the possibility that Ji Hye tried to make her opinion sound well, but I just didn't take it the right way. 

                In the end, I just decided to hold my thoughts up even when I felt so bothered as to why she even had to say anything about my relationship with Kai  in the first place. 

                Seriously though,  what does being wise mean and why do other people just assume they know what’s WISE for me?

                The bell finally rang, signaling the end of that lunch break. People were scuttling back to their seats, some of them even hurting themselves on the way. Everything almost got settled when the speaker on the far left corner of the room suddenly resonated.

                “Good afternoon Duireans of the Seijira Academy. Due to unforesee