Months passed, and June arrived.

"Time's passing too fast," Elowen sighed. "Next month, we'll be in our final and last year of school. Have you two decided what you'll do after graduation?"

"I'll prepare for the CPA exam," Cassian replied confidently. "What about you, Keld?"

Keld remained silent for a moment, lost in thought. (So, the time is near when I will start my new life...)

Before he could continue, Elowen smacked him on the head.

"What are you thinking, idiot? Are you sleeping with your eyes open?" she scolded.

"Ouch! That hurts! And no, I'm not sleeping!" Keld protested, rubbing his head.

"Whatever. Now tell us, what will you do after school?" Cassian asked, narrowing his eyes.

Keld hesitated, then forced a smile. "I haven't decided yet."

Elowen and Cassian exchanged glances, noticing his unusual reaction.

"Keld, did something happen to you?" Elowen asked, concern evident in her voice.

"No, nothing happened. Why would you even ask that?" Keld replied, but his voice wavered slightly.

Cassian sighed. "If you don't want to tell us, that's fine. But if you ever need to talk, we're here."

"What are you guys saying? I'm fine," Keld insisted, his fake smile still in place.

Elowen crossed her arms. "Don't lie. We've known each other for so long, and suddenly, you've changed. You focus in class now. You always arrive on time. You actually answer questions in class. You've stopped arguing about pointless things. It's like you're a completely different person."

Cassian nodded. "And it's not just us. The whole school thinks you've changed."

Keld shook his head. "It's not like that. I just want to enjoy school life more and try everything I never did before. There's only a little time left, so I want to make the most of it. Nothing more. You two don't need to stress about it."

Elowen and Cassian exchanged another glance, their faces filled with disappointment.

Keld clapped his hands together. "Anyway, how about we go eat somewhere?"

"I know a good place! Let's go to the new restaurant that just opened—Black Lotus Bistro!" Elowen suggested excitedly.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Oh, that place? Yeah, I've heard it's good," Cassian agreed.

Keld smirked. "Wait, does that mean Elowen actually made a good choice for once? That's shocking."

"Shut up, Keld!" Elowen shot back, rolling her eyes.

With that, the trio left school and headed to the bistro. When they entered, they were met with a breathtaking sight—a beautifully designed restaurant with a striking red and black color pattern.

Keld looked around in amazement. "Wow, this place looks amazing."

The three of them took their seats, ready to enjoy their meal together.

A waiter approached them and took their orders. As he walked away, Elowen sighed dreamily.

"Did you see his green eyes? They looked so good on him!"

Cassian raised an eyebrow. "Elowen… did you just fall in love? He's way older than you."

"It's not like that, Baka!" Elowen snapped, blushing slightly. "I just meant I've never seen eyes like that before!"

Keld chuckled. "I don't know… sounds like a crush to me."

"Shut up, both of you!" Elowen huffed.

Soon, the waiter returned with their food. As he placed their plates on the table, he briefly glanced at Keld with suspicious eyes.

"Enjoy your meal."

Keld felt a sudden chill run down his spine. (Why did he look at me like that?)

Brushing it off, the trio enjoyed their meal, engaging in friendly banter. After they finished, they stood up to leave when another waiter approached them.

"Congratulations! You three are our 100th customers! As a reward, we'd like to offer you a special gift. Please follow me—it'll only take five minutes."

The trio exchanged glances before nodding. They followed the waiter through a hallway and into a private room.

"Please, have a seat. I'll bring your gift right away."

As they settled into their chairs, a strange mist began to fill the room. The three of them looked around in confusion.

"This must be part of the surprise, right?" Cassian murmured.

But within moments, their vision blurred. Their limbs felt heavy.

"Something… feels wrong…" Elowen mumbled before collapsing.

"Elowen!" Cassian gasped before he, too, lost consciousness.

Keld struggled to keep his eyes open. "Damn it… what's… happening…?"

Darkness consumed him.

When Keld regained consciousness, his wrists were bound by chains glowing with a red aura. A familiar figure stood before him.

The waiter.

"It's been a long time, kid."

Keld's breath hitched. It didn't take long for him to realize what was happening. His gaze hardened.

"Where are my friends?" he demanded, a glare in his eyes.

The man tilted his head, surprised. "You don't even ask who I am? Interesting." He smirked. "I suppose you've already met them… that bitch."

He laughed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, that makes things much easier."

As the man turned to leave, Keld's voice cut through the silence.

"What is your name? Where are my friends?"

The man stopped and glanced over his shoulder. "My name is Vorath." His smirk widened. "And don't worry about your friends—I left them there. They're of no use to me."

Keld's heart pounded. "What do you want with me?"

Vorath chuckled. "Enjoy your time here, kid. No one's coming to save you. That bitch will never find out that we took you. And you? You have nowhere to run. So don't even try."

With that, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving Keld alone with his glowing restraints.

Keld thought about what to do. As he struggled with his thoughts, a sudden explosion shook the room.

"What the hell?!" Keld gasped, eyes wide in shock.

The walls burst apart, revealing two figures stepping through the smoke and rubble.

"So here you are," one of them said. "Let's go, or else your sister will scold you again."

Keld's eyes widened in disbelief as he recognized them.

"You…?!" he exclaimed, stunned.