Episode 5 — The Voices Know You

“Because this isn’t the first time it’s happened.”

I stared at Kael in complete shock.

The hallway around us suddenly felt colder.

Students continued walking past us loudly, but their thoughts sounded distant now, blurred beneath the pounding of my heartbeat.

Mina looked confused beside me.

“…What does that even mean?” she asked carefully.

Kael didn’t answer immediately.

His expression closed off again, cold and unreadable like before.

Like he regretted speaking at all.

That scared me more than the voices did.

Because for the first time since the accident…

someone else understood.

“You know what’s happening to me,” I said quietly.

Not a question.

A statement.

Kael’s eyes met mine for a brief second before shifting away.

The silence between us stretched painfully.

Then the warning bell rang loudly across the hallway.

Students groaned immediately.

I don’t want chemistry class.

I’m so tired.

Those two are definitely having relationship problems.

I nearly flinched at the last thought.

Kael noticed.

Of course he did.

“You should go home today,” he said suddenly.

“What?”

“You haven’t slept properly in days.”

My stomach twisted.

“…How do you know that?”

For one second, I thought Kael wouldn’t answer.

Then quietly—

“Because your thoughts get louder when you’re exhausted.”

My entire body froze.

Thoughts.

Not voices.

Thoughts.

He knew.

He actually knew.

Mina looked between us nervously. “Okay… now I’m officially lost.”

I barely heard her.

My chest felt tight.

“Kael,” I whispered, “how do you know all this?”

The hallway became strangely quiet around us.

Even the thoughts nearby seemed farther away somehow.

Kael stared at me silently for a long moment before speaking.

“Not here.”

Before I could respond, he started walking toward class.

Panic rose inside me instantly.

Because the moment he moved farther away—

the noise came back.

Hard.

Need coffee.

Why does the teacher hate us?

I should text my mom.

Pain stabbed behind my eyes violently.

I grabbed the wall beside me to steady myself.

Too loud.

Everything was too loud again.

Kael stopped walking immediately.

He turned around so fast it almost looked panicked.

Then he came back.

Straight toward me.

Students nearby stared openly now.

I barely noticed.

The moment Kael grabbed my wrist again, silence flooded through my head.

Warm.

Safe.

Relief hit me so strongly my knees weakened.

Kael’s grip tightened automatically.

His expression darkened as he looked at my pale face.

“You’re getting worse faster than I thought.”

My throat felt dry.

“What… does that mean?”

Kael hesitated.

And for the first time since meeting him—

I heard fear in his thoughts.

No… this shouldn’t be happening already.

My heart skipped painfully.

Already?

Already what?

Mina suddenly stepped closer looking worried now instead of teasing.

“Eli seriously looks sick,” she muttered.

Should I call the nurse?

“I’m okay,” I lied weakly.

Kael looked genuinely annoyed.

“You’re terrible at lying.”

“Thanks.”

“You almost collapsed twice today.”

“That’s still technically not collapsing.”

Mina stared at us blankly.

“…Why do you two sound like a married couple?”

Both of us froze instantly.

My face burned.

Kael’s expression didn’t change much—

but the faint static around him suddenly cracked clearer inside my head.

…if only.

I stopped breathing.

Completely.

Did I hear that correctly?

Kael’s own eyes widened slightly like he realized what slipped through.

Then immediately, his grip on my wrist tightened.

Not enough to hurt.

Just enough to keep me there.

Close.

And softly—

so softly I almost thought I imagined it—

he said:

“Stay near me today.”

The terrifying part?

I wanted to.

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