The warm morning sun poured through the hostel windows, replacing the eerie silence of the previous night with the familiar sounds of another busy day.
After getting ready for college, Liora and Mia headed to the hostel mess for breakfast.
The dining hall was already crowded with students chatting over steaming cups of coffee and plates of breakfast.
Spotting a few of their classmates, the two girls walked over and joined them.
"Morning!" Liora greeted cheerfully before immediately reaching for the toast on the table.
Just as everyone settled down, Ellie suddenly looked around the table, her expression unusually serious.
"Guys... did you hear what happened last night?"
The casual chatter instantly died down.
Everyone turned their attention to her.
"You know how every year only three or four people usually disappear after taking the shortcut through Blackwood Forest?"
She paused for a moment.
"This year... it's only been two months, and three people have already vanished."
A heavy silence settled over the table.
Ellie took a slow breath before continuing.
"And last night..."
"My dad told me this morning that another person disappeared."
Several students exchanged uneasy glances.
"He was heading home and decided to take the shortcut through the forest. His family waited for him all night, but he never came back. By dawn, they reported him missing."
Ellie's voice grew quieter.
"My dad's one of the officers working on the case..."
"...and according to him, they still haven't found a single clue."
The table fell completely silent.
Some students looked genuinely frightened.
Others nervously avoided each other's eyes.
Mia slowly turned toward Liora...
Only to find her completely absorbed in buttering another slice of toast.
She calmly took a bite, nodded in satisfaction, and reached for the jam as though nothing unusual was being discussed.
Mia blinked in disbelief.
"Liora..."
"Hmm?" Liora replied casually, still focused on her breakfast.
"Were you even listening?"
Liora looked up with an innocent smile.
"Of course I was."
She took another bite before adding with a grin,
"But worrying on an empty stomach is impossible."
With that, she happily continued eating her breakfast, while everyone else remained lost in thoughts of the mysterious disappearances.After breakfast, the students made their way toward the college building, chatting and laughing as they headed for their first lecture of the day.
Liora and Mia slipped into their Business Management classroom just a few minutes before the bell rang.
As usual, Liora claimed the seat by the window.
While the rest of the students busied themselves with conversations, Liora rested her chin on her palm and gazed outside.
On the football field, a group of students were in the middle of an intense match.
"Pass the ball!"
"No, not there!"
Liora couldn't help but cheer them on under her breath, a bright smile spreading across her face.
"Come on! Shoot!"
Mia glanced at her and sighed.
"You're more interested in their match than today's lecture."
"Obviously," Liora replied with a grin. "This is way more entertaining."
Just then...
The classroom door opened.
The principal walked in, followed by a young man.
The cheerful atmosphere instantly quieted.
The stranger looked no older than twenty-five or twenty-six. He stood tall with an effortlessly elegant posture, dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal-grey suit. A pair of stylish transparent-rimmed glasses rested on the bridge of his nose, making him look both refined and approachable.
His striking sapphire-blue eyes held a quiet depth that was impossible to ignore.
A wave of whispers swept across the classroom.
"Oh my God..."
"He's so handsome."
"Is he really our new professor?"
"I've never seen someone this good-looking."
Several girls couldn't stop staring at him, completely captivated by his appearance.
Liora, however...
Was still busy watching the football match outside.
The principal smiled politely before addressing the class.
"Good morning, students."
"Good morning, sir," the class replied.
"I believe you've all heard the unfortunate news about Professor Carter. As many of you already know, he was reported missing last night. Until further notice, he won't be able to continue teaching."
The room fell silent.
The principal then turned toward the young man beside him.
"Professor, would you please introduce yourself?"
The young man took a slow step forward.
The room seemed to grow quieter with every step he took.
"Hello, everyone."
His voice was deep, calm, and effortlessly commanding.
"My name is Adrian Vale."
"I'll be teaching your Business Management classes from today onward. I hope we'll have a productive semester together."
The rich, velvety tone of his voice finally pulled Liora's attention away from the football field.
Curious, she turned toward the front of the classroom.
The moment her eyes landed on Adrian...
She blinked.
"...Whoa."
A grin instantly spread across her face.
"He's ridiculously handsome."
Mia looked at her and smirked.
"So... the girl who never pays attention in class finally decided to look?"
Without taking her eyes off Adrian, Liora answered with a playful smile,
"I mean... with a face like that, it'd be a crime not to."
The rest of the lecture passed surprisingly smoothly.
Despite being new, Professor Adrian Vale explained every concept with remarkable clarity. His calm demeanor and effortless confidence held the class's attention from beginning to end.
Well...
Almost everyone's attention.
Liora still found herself occasionally glancing out of the window whenever the cheers from the football field grew louder.
By the time the final bell rang, the classroom instantly came alive.
Students packed their bags, chatting excitedly as they poured into the hallway.
"I'm definitely attending every lecture from now on."
"Did you see Professor Vale? He's ridiculously handsome!"
"I swear, this is the first time I've actually looked forward to Business Management."
The corridor buzzed with endless conversations, and nearly every one of them revolved around the college's newest professor.
Liora simply laughed.
"Relax, you people. He's just a professor."
She slung her backpack over one shoulder before nudging Mia with a grin.
"Come on! I promised the football team I'd cheer for them if they made it to the finals."
Without waiting for an answer, she skipped down the corridor, her laughter echoing through the building.
Mia sighed before hurrying after her.
"Slow down, Liora!"
The two girls disappeared into the lively courtyard, where Liora was soon laughing with her friends, cheering from the sidelines, and waving enthusiastically at the players on the field.
Her bright laughter carried effortlessly through the afternoon air.
Back inside the now-empty classroom...
Adrian Vale remained standing beside the window.
His sapphire-blue eyes followed the cheerful girl as she ran across the courtyard, completely unaware that someone was watching her.
For a long, silent moment...
He simply observed her.
Then, almost inaudibly, he spoke.
"...So it's you."
A brief pause.
His gaze never left her.
"Liora Bloom."
At that exact moment...
A strange feeling washed over Liora.
As though someone was watching her.
She instinctively looked around before her eyes finally drifted toward the classroom windows above.
For the briefest of moments...
Her gaze met Adrian's.
The instant he realized she had noticed him...
He quietly stepped away from the window.
Not a single emotion crossed his face.
His expression remained as calm and unreadable as ever.
Liora frowned slightly before letting out a small shrug.
"...Weird."