The hallway was buzzing with the usual morning chaos — students shoving books into lockers, laughing, and shouting across the corridors.
But as Kai walked through, something felt different.
As he reached his classroom, the door was already open. He slipped inside, just a bit late, but the teacher wasn’t there yet.
“Perfect.”
Scanning the room, his eyes landed on Evan, seated near the back, scrolling his phone.
Kai walked casually past him, slipping an envelope onto Evan’s desk as he passed, not breaking stride.
“Good work,” Kai said quietly, just loud enough for Evan to hear. “Consider this a bonus.”
Evan blinked, confused.
“What the—?”
He opened the envelope — and froze.
Inside was a thick wad of cash.
Evan’s eyes shot up to Kai, wide with disbelief.
“Holy sh—”
He covered his mouth, glancing around like someone might’ve heard.
But Kai was already sliding into his seat, calm and unreadable.
Evan looked back at the money, then back at Kai, and for the first time, he didn’t smirk or laugh — he just stared, realizing this was bigger than he thought.
When class started and the teacher finally walked in, Evan was still holding the envelope under his desk, eyes darting toward Kai every few minutes like he was trying to figure him out.
After class, Kai made his way to the library, knowing Jonah would show.
Sure enough, Jonah was there waiting, backpack slung over one shoulder, glasses sliding down his nose.
When he saw Kai, Jonah smirked and pulled out a folder — neatly organized, thick with papers.
“You said you wanted info?” Jonah said, handing it over. “Well, here’s your info.”
Kai took the folder and flipped it open — page after page of detailed notes.
? Students’ names.
? Age, family status.
? Who was connected to who.
? Who got bullied.
? Who was doing the bullying.
? Even names of students rumored to deal drugs or run schemes on campus.
Kai raised an eyebrow as he flipped through, genuinely impressed.
“You did all this… that fast?”
Jonah grinned, a little proud but trying to play it cool.
“You wanted dirt? I gave you a map.”
“It’s all there — who you should keep an eye on, who you can probably use.”
Kai looked at him for a long moment, nodding slowly.
“You’re good.”
Jonah’s grin widened — but then Kai reached into his bag and pulled out an envelope.
He handed it over without a word.
Jonah blinked, surprised — but took it and opened it carefully.
His eyes widened when he saw the stack of bills inside — more than he probably expected.
“Damn, man. I thought you were just talking big before.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Kai gave a faint smile.
“It’s for your new system. And a little extra.”
Jonah looked up at him.
“For what?”
“For being quiet.”
Jonah stared for a second — then laughed softly.
“You’re serious about this.”
Kai’s eyes were sharp, calm.
“Very.”
Jonah nodded, sliding the envelope into his bag like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Alright, man. You want more, you let me know.”
“I will.”
As Jonah left, Kai sat at the library table, flipping through the folder one more time.
Names. Connections. Weaknesses.
“This is how it starts.”
“Now I know who’s a threat. Who can be used. Who needs help — and who needs to be stopped.”
He glanced at the clock.
“Soon enough, they’ll be working for me. Even if they don’t know it yet.”
Kai leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment, a slow smile forming.
“With money, information, and fear… I can build something no one can touch.”
Arriving home, Kai sat cross-legged on his bed, the folder open in front of him, pages spread out like pieces of a puzzle.
His eyes scanned each name, absorbing the details.
“So many threads to pull.”
But one file made him pause — a thin, neatly typed page, with a picture clipped to the corner.
Name: Felix Rivers.
Age: 17.
Quiet. Keeps to himself.
Claimed to see ghosts — bullied for it.
Family: Single mother, low income.
No close friends.”
Kai’s gaze lingered on Felix’s picture.
“Sees ghosts, huh?”
He leaned back, fingers tapping thoughtfully on the paper.
“Someone like him…”
A slow smile touched Kai’s lips.
“Is perfect.”
After class, Kai didn’t head to the theater room like usual.
Instead, he walked through the crowded halls, quietly making his way toward Felix’s class, slipping into the background as students passed.
He leaned casually against the wall, hands in his hoodie pockets, watching and waiting.
Then — there he was.
Felix.
Thin, pale, head down like he wanted to disappear.
Carrying a notebook pressed to his chest like a shield.
Next to him — one of the bigger bullies, sneering and laughing as he leaned in too close.
“C’mon, freak. Draw me another one of your little ghost friends.”
Felix hesitated but opened his notebook with shaking hands.
His pencil scratched across the paper, and within minutes, a detailed ghost-like figure stared back up from the page — long and thin, with hollow eyes.
The bully laughed loudly, snatching the notebook to show his friends.
“Look at this! Freak’s seeing dead people again!”
The group howled, shoving Felix’s shoulder as they walked away, leaving him staring down at the floor.
“Same routine. Every day.”
Kai watched, his eyes cold but thoughtful.
“Not anymore.”
As Felix gathered his things, Kai finally stepped forward.
“That’s a good drawing.”
Felix froze, looking up, confused.
Kai stood calm, steady — voice quiet, but with a strange kind of certainty.
“I see them too,” Kai added, watching Felix’s eyes widen.
“What?” Felix whispered.
Kai nodded.
“The ones in the dark. The ones who don’t talk to everyone.”
Felix swallowed, his hands trembling slightly.
“You… you do?”
“Yeah.”
Kai crouched slightly to meet Felix’s eyes, voice low and serious.
“They only show themselves to people like us. People who are different. People of light.”
Felix stared at him, as if trying to decide whether to believe — but already leaning toward yes, desperate for someone to understand.
Kai smiled faintly.
“They have a message for you.”
Felix blinked, leaning in.
“What is it?”
Kai stood, slipping his hands back into his hoodie.
“Tomorrow, bring a second set of clothes.”
Felix frowned, confused.
“Why?”
Kai gave a small, knowing smile.
“Because sometimes… they give us signs. And when they do, things get messy.”
Felix looked at him like he wanted to ask more, but Kai just patted his shoulder lightly.
“Trust me.”
As Kai walked away, blending into the crowd again, his mind was already moving.
“Tomorrow, during lunch… I’ll set the ripple.”
Kai smiled to himself.
“Felix will think it was fate. A sign from beyond.”
“And he’ll follow me. Because I’ll be the one who understands. The one who ‘knew’ it would happen.”
He reached into his pocket, fingers brushing over the folded list Jonah had made — his growing map of the school’s secret currents.
“Evan. Jonah. Now Felix.”
“Piece by piece.”
He looked up at the sky as he stepped outside.
The next day, school buzzed with its usual chaos — people shoving books into lockers, loud conversations filling the halls.
But Kai walked through it like a shadow, quiet, composed — because today wasn’t random.
Today was planned.
As he moved toward the cafeteria, he caught a glimpse of Felix — sitting alone, hunched over his notebook, sketching something only he could see.
But Kai noticed something else — a small duffel bag at Felix’s feet.
“Good.”
“He brought the change of clothes. He believes.”
Kai smiled faintly.
“Now, let’s give him his sign.”
At lunch, Kai chose a spot where he could see everything — a quiet corner, eyes scanning the room like a chessboard.
Jonah’s report from the folder had been clear — who the bully was, his patterns, when he liked to strike.
Sure enough, there he was — Chris Delaney, leaning over Felix’s table, grinning like a predator.
“What’s up, Ghost Boy? Or maybe your imaginary friends finally left you?”
His voice carried loud enough for a few nearby students to snicker.
Felix shrank into himself, clutching his notebook tight.
But Kai sat still, watching the pieces fall into place.
“Just a little more.”
And then — it happened.
From across the cafeteria, a student with a lunch tray — tall, clumsy, rushing to meet friends — tripped on a stray backpack strap.
The tray flew into the air.
And a wave of soda, spaghetti, and sauce soared through the air like it had been launched by fate itself —
— straight into Chris Delaney’s back.
SPLAT.
Gasps.
The entire cafeteria turned.
Chris froze, drenched in soda and sauce, a meatball slowly sliding down his shoulder onto the floor.
For a full second, there was silence — and then…
Laughter. Loud and unstoppable.
“Holy crap! Look at Delaney!”
“Bro, you wearin’ lunch now?”
“Guess even ghosts hate you, Chris!”
Kai watched, calm and still.
Felix was staring wide-eyed, hands over his mouth — first in shock… then, just barely, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“There it is.”
Chris stormed off, cursing under his breath, swearing revenge, but no one paid him much attention now.
And as the laughter died down, Kai stood casually and made his way to Felix’s table.
Felix looked up, eyes wide, almost afraid.
Kai sat down across from him, voice low, calm, almost like a whisper between conspirators.
“They told me it would happen.”
Felix blinked.
“Who?”
Kai smiled slightly.
“The ones you see. The ones I see too.”
Felix’s hands gripped the notebook tighter.
“You mean… the shadows?”
Kai nodded slowly.
“They wanted to remind you that you’re not alone. And that those who deserve it… get what’s coming to them.”
Felix stared at him, eyes wide, filled with a strange mix of fear and awe.
“You… you knew this would happen?”
“I told you to bring the clothes, didn’t I?”
Felix swallowed.
“Yeah… you did.”
Kai leaned forward slightly, his voice soft but firm.
“They see something in you. And so do I.”
Felix’s eyes filled with something Kai recognized — hope.
“You don’t have to be alone anymore, Felix. But if you want to understand what’s happening… stick close to me.”
Felix looked down at his hands, then back at Kai — and slowly, he nodded.
“Okay.”
Kai smiled faintly.
“Third piece on the board.”
Later that day, as Kai walked home, the weight of what he was building settled over him.
“Three different pieces. Three different reasons to follow me.”
He looked up at the sky, dusk settling over the city.
“And it’s just the start.”
Reaching home, he sat at his desk, flipping open the folder Jonah had given him, eyes scanning new potential names.
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