Keira's mouth parted slightly in disbelief, her thoughts in disarray. "No way... how did you know?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tyson's smile was calm, almost patronizing. "Rational thinking."

Her confusion deepened. "What?"

Tyson's voice was steady, as if he were explaining something trivial. "We're all human beings, Keira. We aim for the highest level of satisfaction, no matter how differently we might think or behave. At some point, we all act rationally, even if we don't realize it."

Keira's heart raced as she tried to keep up with his explanation, but the way Tyson had pieced it together so effortlessly sent shivers down her spine. He wasn't just reading the situation—he was reading her.

Tyson continued, "So I thought about it from your perspective. You wouldn't just hide the chip somewhere hard to find. That's too boring. You'd want to watch me struggle, searching for something that was right in front of my eyes the entire time." His words were precise, cold, each syllable cutting deeper into Keira's mind.

Keira stared at him, her mind reeling. No way... even though he doesn't know me that well... he read me like an open book.

"And to prove my point," Tyson added, his eyes never leaving hers, "you even gave me a hint. Remember? You said the chip would always be nearby. You used the whole city borderline as a distraction, and to cover that hint up, didn't you?"

Keira's breath hitched. He noticed that?She thought back to the conversation, realizing how careless she had been. I underestimated him... dropping that hint was a mistake.

Tyson leaned back slightly, his expression cool and calculating, but with that ever-present hint of amusement in his eyes. "So it was confirmed that the chip would be nearby," he continued, "but the real question was—where?" His gaze locked onto Keira's, watching for her reaction. "And that's where I saw you."

Keira stiffened, her mind racing. "Saw me? What do you mean?"

Tyson's smile deepened, his eyes gleaming with sharp intellect. "During the picnic. You were watching us, weren't you?"

Her heart skipped a beat.He noticed? She thought she had been careful, but his words sent her mind spiraling back to that day. "Y-you noticed?" she asked, her voice faltering.

"Of course," Tyson said, his tone calm, yet almost taunting. "I saw you struggling to decide where to hide the chip." He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in. "And that's when I decided to help you out."

Keira's mind whirled. Help me out? The words echoed in her thoughts, confusion mixing with a sinking dread. She thought back to that day at the picnic, and then her eyes widened as a memory surfaced. She remembered Tyson's watch—how it had suddenly stopped working, and he had casually shown it to her, almost as if inviting her to notice.

It wasn't a coincidence. It wasn't an accident. He did that on purpose. The realization hit her hard.

"So you did that on purpose?" she said, her voice trembling with both anger and disbelief.

"Yeah," Tyson replied with an infuriating calm. "And you took the bait." His eyes flickered with satisfaction. "One of your careless mistakes confirmed it."

Keira frowned. "Careless mistake? What are you talking about?"

Tyson's voice dropped lower, his tone precise and cutting. "Mr. Leo—the watchmaker. You know him, right? When it comes to setting time, nobody is better than him. He's so sharp, so precise, that he doesn't even mess up by a millisecond when setting the time."

Keira's eyes widened further, her mind flashing back to the moment she had met Mr. Leo. She had been so careful, planning each step meticulously, but Tyson's words clawed at her mind, unraveling the thread of her plan. "What does that have to do with—"

Tyson cut her off, his voice turning colder. "So wouldn't it be strange that such a person set the time on my watch two minutes backward?"

Keira's breath caught in her throat. No... no way...Her thoughts spiraled back to that moment.

Flashback: Keira's POV

Keira stood in Mr. Leo's shop, her mind racing as she watched him work. She needed the perfect place to hide the chip, somewhere Tyson wouldn't think to look. The watch—Tyson's own watch—seemed like the perfect solution.

"Mr. Leo, could you adjust the time for me? It's been acting up lately," she had said, smiling sweetly. She knew the old man was sharp, but even the best could be manipulated if handled carefully.

As Mr. Leo focused on resetting the watch, Keira had slipped the chip into the mechanism. A quick distraction, a soft compliment, and her sleight of hand had gone unnoticed—or so she thought.

But now, Tyson's words echoed in her head, taunting her. He's too sharp...she realized. Mr. Leo must have noticed the chip. He wouldn't have said anything, but he left a subtle hint by setting the time two minutes off.

Back in the present, Keira's eyes widened in horror as the full weight of her mistake came crashing down. He had seen through me from the beginning.

Tyson, watching her struggle to process it all. "You thought it was clever, using my own property to hide it. But you underestimated me." His tone was ruthless, each word striking like a precise blade.

"And Mr. Leo..." Tyson continued, "He's too precise to make a mistake like that. The two-minute difference was his way of telling me something was wrong with my watch. A subtle message, and that was more than enough to confirm that you delivered the chip to the location which was set by me."

Keira's breath quickened. He knew the whole time...She could feel the walls closing in, her carefully orchestrated plan collapsing in on itself. Tyson hadn't just outsmarted her—he had led her right into her own trap.

As the tension in the air thickened, Kevin's eyes darted toward his muscular ally. The signal was clear, and the man wasted no time stepping forward, placing a heavy hand on Tyson's shoulder.

"Hey, brat," he growled. "I think you need a reminder about who's the strong one here—"

Tyson didn't even look at him, cutting him off effortlessly. "Hey, Ethan," Tyson called over to his friend, his voice calm and detached. "What time is it?"

Ethan glanced down at his watch, slightly smirked. "Uh, 6:15 pm."

Tyson sighed. "Only got ten minutes left, huh..." he mumbled under his breath, almost to himself.

"Hey! I'm talking to you, you little—"

Before the man could finish his sentence, Tyson moved. His fist connected with the man's chin in a clean, sharp uppercut, sending him flying back. The sheer force of the blow was enough to knock the hulking figure out cold, his body collapsing onto the ground like a felled tree.

A stunned silence followed.

Tyson stood tall, the aftermath of his uppercut reverberating through the room. The muscular man lay sprawled on the floor, unconscious, his pride shattered. Tyson, unfazed, nonchalantly slipped his hands into his pockets, a relaxed smirk playing at his lips. His eyes, cold and calculating, swept over the room with a touch of disdain.

"Now," he said, his voice low but commanding, "do you understand who the strong one here really is?"

Kevin's mouth hung open, his eyes wide in disbelief. "No way..." he muttered under his breath. "In just one blow?"

The two lackeys who had been trailing behind Kevin shuffled backward, fear evident in their every movement. They exchanged panicked glances, unsure whether to run or stay.

Suddenly, two men approached from the entrance of the indoor turf, their eyes landing on the unconscious giant. "Hey! What's going on here? What happened to him?" one of them asked, concern lacing his tone.

Tyson turned to them with a calm smile. "Oh, it's nothing. Our friend here got a little too excited while scoring a basket. Ended up hurting himself in the process. He hit his head too hard, so he is feeling drowsy''

The men exchanged glances, shaking their heads. "Geez, you kids need to be more careful."

"Yeah, seriously," the other man added. "Instead of standing around, why don't you help your friend by taking him to the clinic?" he suggested, directing his comment to Kevin's friends.

Kevin's friends stammered a quick, "Y-yeah," and hurriedly hoisted the muscular man onto their shoulders. "Bye, Kevin," they muttered before scurrying out of sight.

As the two men were leaving they said ″You should teach your friend to be careful while playing″, Tyson gave them a cheerful thumbs-up. "Don't worry," he said smoothly. "He's learned his lesson."

But Keira? She remained frozen, her face pale as the weight of the situation settled in. Her carefully laid plans were crumbling before her eyes. She had severely underestimated him.

Ethan, still standing off to the side, finally broke the silence. "Hey, Tyson... What's the deal with that chip, anyway?"

Tyson's expression shifted slightly, a glimmer of intrigue in his eyes. "Ah, that's where the interesting part starts." He said his hands sill in the pocket and looked at each of his friends. "You guys remember the rumors, right? About last year's final exam papers being stolen?

Reed, who had been silent up until now, furrowed his brow. "Yeah... The school's still trying to track them down. Don't tell me..."

Tyson nodded. "That chip had the 2nd-year final exam papers. I saw it myself."

He then turned his piercing gaze toward Keira, whose composure had all but shattered. "Am I right, Keira?"

She snapped out of her stupor, her body trembling with indignation and panic. "I-I didn't steal those papers!" she shouted, her voice shaky, her usual confidence slipping through her fingers.

Tyson gave her a soft, knowing smile. "I know. But you saw an opportunity, didn't you? You created this chip and gave it to me, hoping I'd get caught. Your plan was to paint me as the thief—the one who stole those papers. You were going to claim this is how I've been maintaining my grades, ruin my reputation, and get me kicked out of school, right?"

Keira's heart raced. How? How does he figure it out so perfectly?

She was speechless. All her thoughts jumbled together, until a flashback struck her like a wave. She remembered a conversation with her mother not long ago.

In the dimly lit hallway of their house , Keira had scoffed. "Is that guy even capable enough?" she had asked, her voice dripping with doubt.

Her mother, who had been heading for the shower, paused without turning around. "You're underestimating him, Keira. Tyson is not an ordinary kid. There have been times when he completed impossible tasks, things others couldn't dream of, and continued on like it was just another day." She let out a soft laugh. "No doubt about it... he's the prodigy of the sun familia."

Back in the present, Keira sank to her knees, her mind racing. She looked up at Tyson, who had shattered every assumption she'd had about him.

Is this what Mom was talking about? she thought, my hands are trembling?.

I have no words anymore... This guy is not ordinary.

Tyson approached Keira, kneeling beside her as she remained on the ground, shaken. He leaned in, whispering softly into her ear, "Do you want to know who really stole those exam papers?"

Keira, startled by his words, raised her head. Her eyes filled with confusion, and she whispered back, "What are you talking about?"

Standing back up, Tyson's usual calm smile shifted into something new—warm, almost like the sun shining after a storm. He extended a hand towards her. Hesitant, Keira accepted it, pulling herself up from the ground., Tyson turned toward Kevin.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Should I tell her, Kevin?" Tyson's voice was calm, but sharp.

Keira's eyes widened, her gaze shifting to Kevin, who stood frozen. His face twisted with fear, anger, and disbelief—the expression of someone who knew they'd been caught. Kevin stammered, "W-What are you talking about? S-Sis, don't listen to him. He's just making things up!"

Tyson smiled, but there was a sharpness in his eyes now. "Oh really? Let me explain, then."

His hands still in his pocket, his voice calm yet unyielding. "When Keira gave me the challenge, I got curious about her. So, I started digging into her background. That's when I found your name."

Flashback

Tyson sat at his desk, scrolling through school records on his computer. "Keira was excelling in all her classes—impressive," he thought aloud. "But then there was you, Kevin. You were failing almost everything, but somehow, you managed to score 90% on your 2nd-year final exams? That doesn't add up."

Tyson continued ″But still I tried to convince myself by thinking, 'oh poor guy must have worked hard for this day but that's where I was wrong then.″

Kevin clenched his fists, his teeth grinding as he glared at Tyson. "You... you don't have any proof!" he shouted, trying to sound confident but trembling.

Tyson's smirk grew. "Oh, but I do have a proof which you didn't expect."

Kevin's face paled. "W-what?"

With a signal to Ethan, Tyson's friend handed him his phone. Tyson tapped the screen a few times and showed Kevin a video. The color drained from Kevin's face as he saw the footage—he and his friends sneaking out of the school grounds in the middle of the night.

"This," Tyson said, "is your proof, Kevin."

Kevin stumbled backward in disbelief. "H-how did you get this?" he whispered.

Tyson shrugged casually. "It wasn't easy, but... let's just say I know how to handle things."

The scene shifted to Tyson's memory of the school's security room. Mr. Brock sat behind the monitors, bored as usual, when Tyson and his friends entered.

"Tyson, what brings you here?" Mr. Brock asked, not expecting much.

"Hey, I lost something on the playground. Do you mind if I check the CCTV footage to see where I dropped it?" Tyson asked, flashing a polite smile.

"Yeah, sure," Mr. Brock said, pulling up the footage of the playground.

As the footage played, Reed suddenly jumped in. "Hey, Mr. Brock! You won't believe what Miss Rose said about the kind of guy she's into!"

Mr. Brock perked up, his boredom vanishing in an instant. "R-Really?" he asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Yeah," Reed said with a knowing grin. "She totally spilled the beans about her type!"

Mr. Brock looked over at Tyson, who was still scanning the footage for his "lost item." "Please don't worry, Mr. Brock, I'll look for myself," Tyson said with a nervous smile.

Relieved, Mr. Brock eagerly stood up from his seat, grabbing a small notebook and pen from the desk drawer. "Alright, alright, tell me, what kind of guy is she into? I gotta write this down!"

Reed and the others kept the watchman busy, filling his head with elaborate details of Miss Rose's ideal man, while Tyson secretly fast-forwarded through the night footage. Finally, he found it—the exact moment Kevin and his friends snuck out with the stolen exam papers.

"Checkmate," Tyson whispered, quickly transferring the footage to his phone and resetting the system, leaving no trace.

Tyson stood up, thanking Mr. Brock. "Thanks for the help! I found where I lost my thing."

Mr. Brock waved him off, barely looking up from his scribbling. "No problem, Tyson! Anytime!"

Back in the present, Tyson smirked at Kevin. "You thought you'd escape all the cameras, but you forgot about the CCTV in the trees near the playground. You are lucky that management didn't saw that footage yet or else your story would have ended long time ago."

Kevin collapsed to his knees, his voice barely a whisper. "No... this can't be happening..."

Keira's eyes filled with disbelief as she stared at her brother. "Kevin... why?" she asked, her voice trembling with both shock and sorrow.

Tears welled up in Kevin's eyes. "I'm sorry, sis... no matter how hard I tried, I always failed. I just wanted to make both you and mom proud, to be acknowledged... just once. But I kept failing... so I thought if I could just get the top grades, everything would change. But I failed again, and stealing those papers felt like the only way out. I'm sorry..." His voice cracked as he broke down, tears streaming down his face.

Keira's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, glancing at the screen—an incoming call from the school officials.

Tyson's expression remained calm as he looked at her. "Looks like the officials are here," he said, his tone casual.

Reed, standing near the window, nodded. "Yeah, they're outside the turf."

Keira stared at the phone, her mind racing. She looked at Tyson, her hands trembling.

---

Tyson stood still, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable. His gaze flicked towards Keira, who remained silent, her mind racing with guilt and indecision.

"So, what will you do, Keira?" Tyson's voice broke the silence, calm and steady. "Even if you try to frame me, I've already wiped the chip clean. You have no proof against me. But I do have this footage of your brother. So, what's your call? What do you think should be done?"

Keira felt a lump form in her throat as his words weighed heavily on her. Her mind spiraled, consumed by conflicting thoughts.

′What should I do? This mess... it's my fault.′

'If only I'd noticed Kevin's struggle... if only I'd tried to help him. This all wouldn't have happened. But Kevin, you cheated. And now you're facing the consequences.'

She sighed, feeling the weight of her own guilt.

'And me? I'm no better. I went so far just to prove mom wrong. I thought it was the right thing because the Sun Familia has no future... it made itself a target. I didn't want mom to get dragged into it. That's why I kept telling her to leave. But now...

Her gaze shifted to Tyson, who stood quietly, waiting for her response.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe the Sun Familia does stand a chance... maybe Tyson stands a chance against those odds.

But now thisall started because of me. The right thing to do is...

Keira's resolve hardened as she lifted her phone and answered the incoming call from the authorities.

"Hello? Is this the person who reported the stolen papers?" the officer's voice came through, direct and expectant. "We're at the location you provided. Where are you?"

Keira opened her mouth to speak, her voice shaking as she began, "Actually..."

The right thing to do... She hesitated, knowing what was at stake. ′I need to take responsibility for this. I will take the blame for everything.′

She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she prepared to confess. "The one who stole the papers is actually m—"

Before she could finish, Tyson swiftly grabbed the phone from her hand, catching her by surprise.

"Actually, sir," Tyson spoke calmly into the receiver, pausing for dramatic effect, "the thing is—"

Suddenly, Reed, Ethan, and Lucas crowded around him, grinning mischievously.

"It's a prank!" they yelled in unison.

Keira blinked, stunned, while Kevin looked utterly confused.

"What?!" the officer's voice crackled through the phone, incredulous.

"You've been pranked!" Ethan chimed in, laughing. "April Fools!"

Reed followed up, stifling his own laughter. "Yeah, made you April Fool, officer!"

"This isn't even April, you idiots!" the officer shouted, clearly irritated. ''Wait, your guys are from siba high school right?, you did this last year as well'' he asked

Reed chuckling nervously. "Yeah, your security sucks. Glad we didn't join your school" he said

With a final bout of laughter, they ended the call.

-

--Outside the turf--

The officer, still fuming, slammed the phone down and sighed. "Kids these days... they'll do anything in the name of a prank."

The other officer, bewildered, asked, "What happened?"

He sighed again, shaking his head. "Prank call. I knew coming here was a waste of time."

As they began to walk away, the other officer muttered, "But what about the paper thief?"

The first officer rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Forget it," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "The school year's over, and we've got no solid leads. Does it really matter at this point? All we can do is tighten security for next year and hope this doesn't happen again."

The other officer nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you're right. No point chasing ghosts." With that, they left.

---

Inside the turf, Tyson and his friends were still laughing, the tension now completely gone. Keira, however, wasn't letting it slide so easily. "Tyson, why did you...?" she asked, her voice cutting through the laughter.

Tyson, without answering directly, pulled out his phone and unlocked it. "Here," he said, showing the screen. "I'm deleting the video." With a few taps, the footage of Kevin's theft disappeared. "And don't worry, I already erased the footage from the computer at school too. It's over."

Keira, her frustration growing, stepped closer. "No! Answer my question first," she said, her voice carrying a hint of anger.

Tyson finally turned his gaze to her, his expression steady. "What good would come from this?" he asked. "Yeah, Kevin made a mistake, but now he realizes it. Do you think your mother would be happy if she found out about this?" His words hit Keira hard, and a flash of her mother's voice echoed in her mind:

When you meet him, you'll know how nice that kid is.

Keira's thoughts swirled. So this is what mom meant...

Tyson continued, He glanced at Kevin, who stood quietly beside them. His tone soft but firm. "If you want your family to acknowledge you, work hard on your own. Reach your goals without cheating or trying to tear others down. Understand?"

Kevin, his voice shaking, replied, "Y-Yes, I understand."

Keira looked at Kevin, the tension in her shoulders easing as she smiled faintly, relieved to see her brother willing to change. Just as the moment softened, Tyson shifted his stance, hands slipping into his pockets, his posture relaxed but with a teasing air.

"And now," Tyson said with a smirk, "it's time for my reward."

Everyone, including Keira, stared at him in confusion. "Reward?" she echoed, unsure of what he was referring to.

Tyson's smirk deepened. "Oh, did you forget what you promised that day?" His words lingered in the air as Keira's eyes widened in realization, the memory of their earlier challenge flooding back into her mind...

Keira's eyes widened as the memory rushed back—"If you win, you can order me to do anything."Her face flushed crimson. "Wait... but that's—" she stammered, her voice shaky with embarrassment.

Tyson, catching her unease, smirked and stepped closer. "What's wrong?" he asked, his tone teasing.

Keira instinctively stepped backward, trying to put some distance between them, but Tyson matched her every move. Her back hit the wall—a dead end. She quickly glanced around, looking for a way out, but it was too late. Tyson slammed his hand against the wall beside her, trapping her. The wall slam made her heart race, her pulse pounding in her ears.

Tyson leaned in closer, his voice low and almost a whisper. "You said I could do whatever I want, right?"

Keira's face burned as she felt Tyson's presence so near. "B-but...!" she stammered, her mind scrambling for words. She could barely meet his gaze, her chest tightening with a mix of fear and something else—something that made her heart race even faster.

Tyson moved closer to Keira, his presence overwhelming as he leaned in. Keira's heart raced, and her face flushed. She instinctively closed her eyes, turning her face to the side in embarrassment. Just as the tension peaked, Tyson's voice cut through the moment.

"You'll be the execution team's Documentation Specialist," he said, his words cutting through the moment.

Keira blinked in surprise, her blush fading as she opened her eyes and stared at him, trying to process what he just said. "What?" she asked, utterly confused.

Tyson stepped back, giving her space, and explained, "I know your mother. She's always talking about you. She told me you're really talented at handling paperwork."

Keira stood there, still trying to comprehend the sudden shift in tone. "I don't understand... how can you trust me after everything that just happened?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

Tyson smiled slightly. "Well, you passed my test just now. When the officials called, I wanted to see what choice you'd make. If you had cut the call to escape the situation then, I would've shown the footage and turned Kevin in. But you didn't. Instead, you knew it was wrong and tried to take the blame for your brother."

Keira's eyes widened. "So... it was all a test?"

"Yeah," Tyson confirmed, nodding. "I still don't know why you went that far in the challenge, but that doesn't matter anymore. I wanted to see what kind of person you are, and I've seen it. You're the right choice."

Keira looked down, still struggling to process everything. "But... do you really think the Sun Familia will be safe? You know what happened in the past, right?" she asked, her voice softer now, and steady tinged with concern.

Tyson's gaze hardened, but his voice remained steady. "Yeah, it's true. The Sun Familia could fall apart at any time, and I can't argue with that. But Alex and I have worked hard to prevent that from happening. And if anything does happen—" he paused, his eyes burning with determination, "—as the Executor, I'll protect everyone. I promise."

For some reason, Keira found herself blushing at his words. There was something about his resolve, his confidence, that made her heart skip a beat.

"So, what's your call?" Tyson asked, extending his hand toward her. " You said that the Sun Familia is destined to fall, but instead of doing nothing, why not help me rebuild it?"

Keira sighed, staring at his extended hand. "I guess I have no choice... Fine, I'll help you make that dream a reality," she said, accepting his hand with newfound confidence.

Tyson smiled. "Heh, that's more like it."

As Tyson and his friends were about to leave, he turned back to Keira. "I heard you told your mother to quit working at the Sun Familia," he said casually.

"I get what your intention was, though. You're a really nice person, just like your mother said." He said smiling at her.

Keira blushed again and snapped, "S-shut up," glancing away to hide her embarrassment.

Tyson chuckled softly. "Anyway, I'm looking forward to working with you."

"Me too... leader," Keira replied, watching him with a newfound respect.

As Tyson rode off, the evening sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows on the road. Keira watched him disappear, her mind as clouded as the darkening sky—the sudden test, his unexpected offer, and the way he had easily taken control of the situation. Her heart raced as she replayed his words in her mind, especially the moment he had leaned in so close.

She touched her cheek, still feeling the warmth of her blush.Why am I blushing over him? she thought, a little flustered. Tyson's calm confidence had left an impression on her, and it unsettled her in ways she didn't fully understand yet.

'He's not like I thought... yet here I am, drawn into his world." Keira admitted to herself, glancing down at the ground before looking back at where Tyson had disappeared down the road. She realized she had misjudged him from the beginning—there was more to him than just his aloof, seemingly uncaring exterior. He was determined, smart, and surprisingly thoughtful.

He had never belittled me, even when he could have. That annoyed her once—I hated that he never saw me as a real threat.

′He doesn't see me as an enemy anymore. He never really did.′

And now, here I am, agreeing to help him rebuild the Sun Familia, the very thing I had been against for so long.

"Leader, huh?" Keira muttered. The word tasted strange, foreign. She wasn't sure what the future held, but something about Tyson's confidence tugged at her.. but she felt a strange sense of excitement stirring within her.

As Tyson and his friends walked away, Kevin stood there, watching them disappear down the road. "A lot happened," he mumbled, "but I didn't expect him to be so amazing."

Keira said, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. "Hey, Kevin."

He looked over at her. "What is it?"

"Well, it looks like Mom and I are going to be busy with the Familia, and Dad's already busy with work, so... you should probably learn how to cook for yourself," she said, her cheeks tinged with a light blush.

Kevin blinked, his thoughts racing. Wait... don't tell me... Sis has a thing for Tyson!?

The scene shifted to Tyson and his friends walking along the road. Ethan grinned, nudging Tyson. "You really turned the tables back there."

Reed nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, totally! But how did you pull that off?"

"Well, overthinking has its own benefits, I guess."

Lucas narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Liar."

"I'm not lying... entirely." I replied

As we continued walking, the sun began to dip lower in the sky, casting an evening glow over the road. I glanced to the side and noticed another path.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about him

"Hey guys, it's time. I'm heading off," I said, adjusting my backpack.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" Ethan asked, surprised.

"Yeah," I replied, climbing onto my bicycle. "I've got an important meeting. Gotta head the other way."

"Alright, see you later!" my friends called out, waving as I pedaled off down the road.

I gave a quick wave back. "See you, guys."

I pedaled down the road, heading toward Alex's mansion, the wind brushing against my face as the evening settled in.

What's his deal now? My soul is already tired from the day. But Alex had called, well he said it's important matter, so there was no ignoring it. Guess I'll just drop by and see what he wants.

To be continued...