"Hey, have you seen the news in Caratland Times? " Reina, the pigtailed girl sitting behind Jeonghan, tapped his shoulder. Her freckles crinkled as she smiled, and the shoulders of her navy-blue uniform were dotted with white cat hair.

"What?" Jeonghan turned to her with a tired smile, rubbing his eyes. "Sorry, Reina. I didn't get much sleep. What's going on?"

"I understand. I heard Joshua hasn't been well lately, so you've been looking after him." Reina fumbled with her pigtails, her expression uncertain. "In the paper, they mentioned a few of the Duke's followers were caught alive on Coral Street."

"A few?"

"Yeah, but they didn't reveal how many."

Jeonghan's brow creased. "What's going to happen to them?"

Reina shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you should ask the Prince?"

"Why would I ask the Prince?"

She gave him a teasing grin. "Well, everyone says you and the Prince are a couple. Isn't that true?"

Jeonghan's expression tightened, a faint frown forming.

"Oh! The Prince is here." Reina's voice sparkled with excitement, her eyes practically alight as if a gift had just fallen into her lap. She turned to Jeonghan with an eager look that only deepened his annoyance.

"I'm not asking him," he replied firmly.

Reina's smile faded into a pout.

Mingyu dropped into the seat beside Jeonghan, the shadows of sleepless nights etched softly under his eyes. He was fresh from two nights spent by Joshua's side, caught in worry's grasp for Seungcheol, and even after finally slipping back into his own bed, falling asleep had not been easy. He'd wandered into his dorm kitchen, brewing a lonely cup of tea in the midnight quiet, hoping it might calm the storm enough to let him drift. Today, he wore the weariness like a threadbare sweater, frayed but holding.

"I thought you'd take the day off," Jeonghan murmured, his gaze filled with warm affection and quiet concern.

Mingyu's hand lingered at the back of Jeonghan's neck, his fingers tracing slow, soothing circles. It was a motion so familiar, so comforting, that it felt like second nature. The weight of all the eyes on them didn't reach him-not in that moment. Instead, his attention remained fixed on Jeonghan.

"Seungcheol called," Mingyu murmured, his voice soft, almost like a secret. He leaned in slightly as he spoke. "The Grand Duke... had grounded Seungcheol at home. He'll try to come back soon... at least, I hope so."

Jeonghan closed his eyes for a moment, feeling Mingyu's fingers massage the back of his neck. "Grounded sounds bad," he said quietly, "But at least he didn't disappear. I think he needs some time."

Mingyu nodded, his hand lingering for a moment longer before pulling away. The silence between them felt comfortable like they both understood what the other needed without saying it.

Just then, the History teacher walked in, and the class fell into a sudden hush. No more sly glances, no more whispers. Everything became perfectly ordered, and the students' attention sharply focused on the lesson ahead.

Mingyu and Jeonghan finished their history class, exchanging brief looks before parting ways. Jeonghan had Warrior's spell practice, while Mingyu headed off to his Explorer's Strategy Building class. They promised to meet later in the cafeteria with Minghao and Jihoon.

.

The morning at Serene Hightower unfolded like any other-calm and routine-but for Jeonghan, it felt incomplete. There was an emptiness he couldn't shake. He missed the days running down the hallways with Joshua, laughing and teasing each other. He missed the quiet moments they shared on the benches in the schoolyard, and even the heated arguments during spell practice.

He could sense that Mingyu, too, was feeling that same hollow space in his chest. Since Seungcheol left, Mingyu had spent sleepless nights, worrying and trying desperately to reach out to Seungcheol, his unease growing each time the calls went unanswered.

Minghao and Jihoon didn't look much better. Jeonghan could see the dark circles under their eyes as they sat down at the cafeteria table, looking drained. They each had a bowl of noodles with a poached egg on top, but the food didn't seem to bring any real comfort.

"Didn't sleep well?" Jeonghan asked, eyeing them both.

"This brat stayed up all night studying to catch up," Jihoon said with a tired sigh, pointing at Minghao. "His lights were so bright, I couldn't sleep either."

Minghao shot him a glare, nudging his friend with his elbow. "I told you to cast a light-blocking spell, but you didn't listen."

Jihoon leaned back in his chair, rolling his eyes. "If I do that, I won't know when you actually go to sleep, and then I can't sleep well either."

"Well, next time, just sleep when I sleep," Minghao muttered, rubbing his eyes. "You can worry about your sleep schedule later."

Jeonghan watched the back-and-forth with a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. It was clear that the four of them were all trying to cope with the weight of their missing pieces.

Minghao glanced at Jihoon in the spur of the moment, then he shook his head helplessly. A warm, almost nostalgic feeling flowed through his heart.

Since he was classified as an Explorer, he'd earned endless praise from the teachers for being an exemplary wizarding student. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in that. He'd always given his all in every lesson, in every practice, striving to stand out as one of the best. But the journey to Bloomfield, to help Joshua heal and to research the elusive magic scroll, had taken a toll on him. The long hours spent away from the academy, the focus on Joshua's condition-it had all drained him in ways he hadn't realized.

Only now, with Joshua's symptoms subsiding and their return to the academy routine, had Minghao been able to refocus on his studies. Catching up on the lessons he'd missed was no easy feat, but he was determined to get back to where he had left off. It wasn't just about keeping his grades up anymore-it was about proving to himself that he could still be the favorite student, the one who excelled no matter the obstacles.

But looking at Jihoon, who was clearly worn out too, and Jeonghan, who had that distant look in his eyes, Minghao couldn't shake the feeling that something more important than grades was weighing on all of them. They were all trying to hold it together, and despite their individual strengths, they were all missing something-someone.

"Mingyu and I can research the scroll tonight. Take advantage of the time to rest. Don't stay up too late," Jeonghan said, his voice laced with concern. He could see the weariness in Minghao's eyes, and he wasn't going to let his friend push himself too hard, the exhaustion obviously catching up with Minghao.

"I think so too. I think I'm at my limit," he admitted, letting out a tired sigh. He wasn't one to show weakness, but even he knew when to admit defeat.

Just then, Mingyu, ever the practical one, piped up from across the table, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "I can make you some sleep tea. You'll have the best sleep of your life." He leaned back in his chair, his playful tone softening into something more genuine. "It's been a rough few days for all of us. Take the rest you deserve."

Minghao couldn't help but smile, grateful for the kindness his friends always showed, even in the midst of their own struggles. "Alright, alright," he said, "One cup of your magic sleep tea, and then I'm out for the night."

The warmth eased some of the tension in Minghao's shoulders. He stirred the noodles in his bowl and took a slurp. His eyes drifted to Jihoon, who was already halfway through his bowl.

Not long after, the sound of students bustling around them grew louder as the bell signaling the next class rang through the cafeteria. Minghao and Jihoon slowly rose to their feet, reluctantly prepared to leave.

Returning to the routine of classes and cafeteria meals brought only a fleeting sense of relief. Jeonghan tried to savor the peace, knowing the weight of impending challenges loomed over him.

There was the matter of the debt he owed to the old wizard on Bloomfield Street. Once Joshua was freed from the curse, the day of reckoning would come, and Jeonghan would have to face it. He couldn't bring himself to tell Mingyu or Joshua yet, so he asked Minghao and Jihoon to keep it a secret, a burden only the three of them would share for now. They all silently agreed, understanding that it was a matter best left unspoken until Joshua's curse was broken.

Protecting Joshua had helped them momentarily forget the chaos unfolding in Carat Land, but the tension still lingered just beneath the surface. Jeonghan understood Reina's growing curiosity about what was being written in the Times, especially regarding the aftermath of The Duke's attack on Coral Street and the punishment of his followers.

Jeonghan's memory of that night with Joshua, when they'd encountered a tail, was still fresh. He knew those connected to the Duke weren't just ordinary enemies.

Moreover, The Times reports confirmed his suspicions - very few of the Duke's tails had been captured by The Protectors. Most had been detained for interrogation, but the situation remained volatile. Meanwhile, the rising number of Foreign-blood wizards being assassinated was causing ripples of concern, hinting that further, harsher measures might be on the way.

Reina wasn't the only one feeling the pull of curiosity. Jeonghan, too, found himself anxious to understand the full scope of what was brewing in the shadows.

"Are you free this afternoon?" Mingyu asked.

Jeonghan turned to gaze at him. Mingyu's black hair was no longer in place as it had been in the morning. He must have had an exhausting morning of studying before lunch. "I'm heading to the library, and I need to review to catch up. I don't want to fail the final exam and have to repeat the year."

"I can go with you," Mingyu suggested casually. "I have no problem skipping school."

Jeonghan gave him a pointed look, shaking his head. "But you shouldn't." He tapped his finger playfully against the Explorer badge on Mingyu's left chest. "You'd look so arrogant if you did that."

Mingyu smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Am I really that typical?"

"Almost. Like your cousin," Jeonghan replied with a teasing grin. But there was no sarcasm in his voice.

Mingyu shrugged with a soft chuckle. "Seungcheol is a bit arrogant, I admit." He smiled fondly, his gaze softening as memories of his cousin came to mind. "He wasn't exactly raised to embrace understanding or loving, but somehow... he did. He found his way."

Jeonghan gently caressed Mingyu's cheek, his gaze was full of affection, "I can see it." then he lowered his gaze as if recalling something. "The people Seungcheol keeps around him have always looked down on Foreign-bloods. I don't think I've ever seen him stand up for someone like Joshua, either. He was raised with that mindset, shaped by his environment." Jeonghan paused, his thoughts lingering. "But he loves Joshua. Even when I thought that kind of love was impossible... it's real. It's there."

"I never thought I could love freely until I met you," Mingyu confessed, his voice quiet yet steady. "My nanny always told me growing up that I had to marry the person my mother chose for me. She said that when I became an adult, she'd decide who my partner would be."

"Forgive me, but your mother sounds so patriarchal and harsh," Jeonghan teased, rolling his eyes.

Mingyu let out a soft chuckle. "Hard to disagree with that."

"You know I'm right."

Mingyu's smile faded slightly as he spoke again. "My mother always said she was a Warrior. I think the battles she fought her whole life weren't wars of land or power-they were wars for the throne. And she won." He paused, looking directly into Jeonghan's eyes. "But I think I'm different from her. I believe I'll win for love."

Jeonghan's lips curled into a small, warm smile. He could see the quiet determination in Mingyu's eyes, a resolve that wasn't just about defying expectations but about carving out his own path. He reached out, gently brushing his fingers along Mingyu's arm, his touch light but reassuring.

As Mingyu and Jeonghan entered the library, the calm hush of the space settled over them like a soft blanket. The air was cool, tinged with the scent of aged paper and faintly of wood. The quiet rustle of pages turning, the occasional shuffle of feet, and the distant hum of muffled voices gave the room a gentle, undisturbed rhythm as if the library itself was breathing in sync with its visitors. The shelves loomed high, packed with books, stretching endlessly into the shadows of the far corners. The light filtering through tall windows bathed everything in a muted glow. It was the perfect sanctuary for the two of them to lose themselves in the study, yet Mingyu found his attention drifting, drawn to the towering shelves.

The two made their way through the library, engaged in their usual low-key conversation. the sound of their voices blending with the quiet ambiance of the room.

"This atmosphere makes me keep thinking about the magic scroll. We've been studying it, and nothing makes sense to me. I keep thinking there's something we're missing, like a connection we haven't figured out yet. It's almost like the answers are right in front of us but just out of reach." Jeonghan glanced over at Mingyu as they walked between the aisles of books. "Do you have a better idea? Something out of the box? Any breakthroughs?"

Mingyu shrugged slightly, a thoughtful frown crossing his face. "Not yet. It's frustrating. But I get that. It's like we're piecing together a puzzle, but the pieces don't quite fit." Mingyu paused, turning toward a nearby shelf, his fingers running along the spines of the books absentmindedly. "Maybe we're approaching it from the wrong angle."

Jeonghan chuckled softly, shaking his head. "That's the nature of magic, isn't it? Everything feels like it should fit together, but it's like a maze."

Mingyu hummed in agreement, his gaze drifting down the row of books. They were silent for a moment, both lost in thought as they continued walking. And then, as if pulled by some invisible force, Mingyu's steps faltered. His eyes locked onto a book on the shelf ahead. Something about it... felt wrong, yet familiar, like a half-remembered dream.

He stepped closer, his heart skipping a beat. There, tucked between two thick volumes, was a book with a cover that seemed to shimmer in a way the others did not. It was old, worn, but unmistakably familiar. He reached out for it, fingers brushing the spine.

Jeonghan, noticing Mingyu's sudden stillness, glanced over with a raised brow. "What is it?"

Mingyu didn't answer right away, his eyes fixed on the book, his mind racing back to a place he couldn't entirely grasp. "This... this book," he murmured, almost to himself.

Jeonghan tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. "What's so special about it?"

Mingyu pulled the book from the shelf slowly, his heart thumping in his chest. It was the same cover he had seen in the middle dimension-the one with the reversed text. The one that had felt wrong but somehow significant. He stared at it for a moment, disoriented, before finally speaking, his voice quieter than before.

"I've seen this before. In the middle dimension, with Joshua. Wh-when... we went through that door, and the words in the book were reversed - it had the same cover as this one. I think... this is that book."

Jeonghan's eyes widened slightly, his voice dropping lower. "What... what do you think it means?"

Mingyu was silent for a moment, his fingers lingering on the book's cover as if it were a bridge to something far more complex than either of them could yet understand. "I'm not sure, but I think this is the key to something..."

At this moment, Jeonghan received a LINK from Joshua. It was a message to meet at the training area after school.

Jeonghan's expression shifted from curiosity to concern. He glanced at Mingyu, who was still holding the book, but now his eyes were locked on Jeonghan.

Mingyu raised an eyebrow, sensing the change. "What's wrong?"

Jeonghan didn't respond immediately. He stared at the message for a beat longer. "Joshua wants us to meet him." he eventually said.

They exchanged a glance, both of them feeling the weight of the sudden urgency. The air between them seemed to crackle with a quiet tension as they walked down the hallway, their footsteps quickening with each passing second.

.

The training area wasn't far, and the afternoon sun streamed through the dome's glass ceiling, bathing the space in a soft, golden light. In the distance, a faint, shimmering rainbow arced across the sky, its colors muted by the haze. The dome itself, made of shatterproof glass, had been reinforced over the years to protect against the occasional attack by guardian creatures as Serene Hightower had a long history of magical creatures running out of control.

"How long have you been here?" Jeonghan asked, his voice gentle as he watched Joshua pull back the bowstring.

"For a while," Joshua replied, his eyes locked on the target as he held the arrow steady. "I wanted to keep myself busy."

With a quick release, the arrow shot forward. It missed the bull's-eye, but landed solidly enough for an average score.

"Since I didn't have magic, I need to find some other way to defend myself," Joshua muttered, his gaze lingering on the target.

"The magic is still yours. It's just blocked." Jeonghan's voice was soft, an attempt to comfort, though he knew the weight of Joshua's words ran deeper than that.

"Yeah," Mingyu nodded. "And you don't know what Jeonghan and I just found out." He shifted, eager to change the topic and lift the mood.

Joshua didn't want to get his hopes up, but he couldn't help feeling flustered. Before Mingyu or Jeonghan could say anything, he spoke first. "Seungcheol came to see me this morning."

Mingyu's eyes widened in concern. "Is he okay?"

Joshua exhaled deeply, his chest tightening as he glanced down at the arrow still loosely held in his hand. "He's afraid that everyone will fail. His plan... it has to continue. I don't think he'll give up." His voice softened, as if trying to convince himself. "Even though I tried to talk to him, it feels like I'm getting nowhere. I'm worried... something bad might happen."

Mingyu nodded, a serious expression crossing his face. "Seungcheol's been grounded by his father, he told me himself. I don't think Choi Jonghyun will let him off that easily."

Joshua's arrow flew again, landing in nearly the same spot as the previous one. He didn't seem to notice, his focus remaining sharp as he turned toward Mingyu. "I have to bring him back here. I can't shake this feeling... I'm not at ease. Not at all."

Mingyu met Joshua's gaze, suddenly understanding the weight of his words. His mind flashed back to that moment in the middle dimension, when they had stood beside the bookshelf in the dim, dangerous space. Joshua had said that his vision was different from everyone else's. He had spoken of Seungcheol's death, and now, connecting everything, Mingyu felt a coldness creep over him. The thought that Joshua's vision might come true unsettled him deeply.

"I want to go back to the middle dimension," Joshua said bluntly as if the decision was already made.

"No way-" Jeonghan started to protest.

"I agree," Mingyu cut him off, surprising both Joshua and Jeonghan.

"Are you both insane???" Jeonghan exclaimed, his voice rising in disbelief.

Mingyu shot a quick, awkward glance at Jeonghan before turning back to Joshua, silently hoping that he would step in and explain.

Jeonghan, of course, didn't miss the tension between them. His brow furrowed as he crossed his arms. "What are you two hiding?"

Mingyu hesitated, but it was Joshua who spoke first, his voice steady yet weighed with a certain heaviness. "Jeonghan, the thing is..."

"It's because of my vision," Joshua admitted, his tone almost reluctant but resolute. "Seungcheol... he died in my vision."

The words hung in the air, and the arrow was forgotten for the moment. "That's why I've been risking everything to find the hidden library. I thought it might give me something-some kind of answer or clue to explain this vision." Joshua paused, his gaze hardening as he looked down at the bow in his hands. "I need to understand what's going to happen."

Jeonghan stood still for a moment, processing what Joshua had just revealed. He exhaled slowly, trying to find the right thing to say. Finally, he stepped forward, his hand reaching out to gently grasp Joshua's arm. His gaze was intense, his eyes locking onto Joshua's with an urgency that couldn't be ignored.

"It's terrifying," Jeonghan said quietly, his voice soft yet filled with understanding. "I can see how afraid you are. But your health, right now... it worries me." He took another step closer, his grip tightening slightly. "You're not strong enough to keep searching for the hidden library in this state. You're letting fear take control."

Jeonghan's voice softened, but his words carried an undeniable weight, as though he was trying to reach Joshua in a way that words alone couldn't.

"He won't go alone," Mingyu's expression was firm, unwavering. "We'll do this together. Right?"

Joshua nodded, his eyes steady despite the underlying fear. "Yes. That's why I need you both. I might not be able to escape this curse. It could be six months... a year... two years. We don't know. But, at the very least, I want to make sure Seungcheol is okay. I don't want both of us to be destroyed."

"I'm worried about you too, Joshua." Mingyu met Joshua's gaze, then he turned to Jeonghan, his jaw clenched with resolve. "But Seungcheol is my brother. I'll do whatever it takes to keep him out of danger, even if it means putting my life on the line." His words hung in the air, as if he had already made up his mind. There was no hesitation, only a quiet commitment to the dangerous path ahead.

-tbc-

Dark Seungcheol has begun to take shape. kkkk~~~
Are you excited for Dark Seungcheol or are you anxious and looking forward to his return to Joshua and friends?