Out in the streets of the Central District, a boy in distress walked and did not run ahead. At least he wasn't mumbling like a madman anymore, though he felt like one. The library soon came into view, and William felt even more distressed. Now, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to walk through the open gate or remain on the spot, but his options were limited, like time, so he made a choice.

  Ellie greeted him the moment he walked inside and stopped his sorry steps. A person bumped into him from behind, but he didn't even care.

  He looked at her. She looked back. A beaming smile occupied a chatting colleague who came close, and... there was also Celeste beside her, crouching and holding onto a book to pass the time. Hound was on the ground--a poor beast that one was.

  William kept looking, ignoring the disgruntled visitor. What was the first thing he noticed? Smile? A great dress? Could he lie to himself, run to the upper floors, or lose her?

  He didn't know every option when his feet moved.

  After a couple of steps, he stopped himself and hid behind a huge pillar at an unnatural speed and bumped into more people.

  Thinking of the last night, she took him in without a shred of hesitation, met a lunatic, and kissed him. He accompanied her home without giving much thought to what would happen, and then... close to her house, like a good friend, alright? Celeste wasn't even part of it.

  Alas, that was that, and this was something else.

  Talking to someone took a minute, and Ellie soon noticed a familiar figure standing still behind a pillar. He stood in a trance, and sweat was visible on his forehead. A different smile spread on her face, and she walked to him at a steady pace because that's the price she paid.

  Celeste perked aside as well, though remaining transfixed on her book also. With Hound close, poking her leg with its snout, he gave William away and hoped for something else. What, however? She had no idea; maybe Hound didn't know it either.

  Celeste glanced up, curious about what those two were about to do or why William looked so... odd. She frowned in shock, fearing it was because the night before must have been quite frantic and weird for them. For her, it was still great, but that man was a weirdo if he saw one. Hound secretly snorted and huffed at those young pups.

  “H-hello. Again, with the visit to the library?” Ellie started.

  “Hey. Same as usual. Yes. Yes.”

  “You said yes twice.” She looked at his nervous face up close, and an interesting idea came to her mind. It seemed her idea was effective, but what if it wasn't, and the cause of his strange behavior was different?

  Similar to William, Ellie barely slept the previous night, and her eyes were tired, yet her smile remained unchanged.

  “Did something happen?” were her next words.

  “I... don't know. No idea. I am going. Yes. I am going to the library.” He muttered again, subconsciously scratching his head and walking forth in unsteady steps.

  He went aside from her and forced Ellie to watch his back. Ellie was no longer smiling as she couldn't do so all the time. Her own complexion was busy, and unlike his, it wasn't a little pink or almost red.

  Yesterday, her run home was very exhausting, and her mind became even wilder afterward. A fleeting moment of hesitation was all it took to see her failures vanish, and her screaming into her pillow helped only her innocent neighbors. She didn't do it. She clutched her chance and kissed him. After everything, her bravery leaped through boundless layers, and she did it!

  She calmed down since then and wasn't like William, who was shaken like a puppy. His complexion refreshed her memory. Perhaps she wouldn't mind another... one. She shouted in her mind, and blushing cheeks made her that much awkward to see. But William didn't watch her. she mumbled as she placed her palms around her face. This was a sorry attempt to face whatever was on her mind, and she swore Celeste gazed at her for that reason alone.

  “Did... I? Have I... made a mistake? What should I do now? I don't want to waste it. Oh, no...” She scowled in embarrassment upon realizing certain things about herself.

  She liked him, and perhaps even more if she were braver. Maybe the reason was already there, and she was yet to be aware of everything.

  Yet, to her shocking surprise, William left her alone.

  Turning, Ellie grunted and looked at the far ceiling. It was pretty and vast, like her trials. “Oh... he left.”

  “How odd...” a voice beside her said, coming from Celeste, who poked her shoulder. It was a sign of care so that she wouldn't shock someone out of their soul, but even then, Ellie looked at her as if she didn't want to see her.

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  “Want to read something good today?” Ellie offered.

  “I am worried about him.”

  “How?”

  “He was...unlike, or how is that word? Odd. Odd.” Hound, aside from her, nodded in agreement.

  “I will see him again, and catch him,” Ellie promised and clutched her fist, grabbed Celeste, and left with her for the upper floors without giving her any further comments about William.

  ***

  On the upper floors, William followed the paths and neat wooden or stone-like tiles without even being aware of his legs. It was as if he appeared on the upper floors without realizing it. It was reminiscent of yesterday when he appeared before Mi-Yung like a ghost...

  “I am here. Yes. Upper floor. Learn. Books. Here I go.” He mumbled, looking at the floors and his feet as if he realized his worldly purpose, how tiling worked, or what made them stick together. It was basic science. Not some magic fuckery.

  As he was walking, William had yet to realize he wasn't alone. Far in front of him, a pair of youths stepped out of one of the many rooms. In charge, Stark seemed relaxed, almost happy, conversing with a chubby-looking youth of similar standing to him. As the son of a great High Pillar and a damn good Walker called Prime Hunter, he knew how to socialize and recognized the need for great teammates. Beside him was a lifelong friend—the only friend, in fact, because nobody else was willing to stand him.

  Suddenly, Stark paused and noticed a familiar face that shook his spirit and wracked his face a while ago. Furrowing his brows, a strange smirk spread on his face as he poked his friend with his elbow.

  “Hey, Louise, look who's going here? I talked about that shithead a while ago,” Stark said, poking the chubby youth and changing their conversation.

  “Oh, is that the one you've mentioned? He beat you so good you grew another forehead. Hilarious.”

  Stark laughed at the obvious joke, even if the intensity in his face said otherwise. “Watch. I never thought I would have the opportunity to avenge my pain from the last time so quickly!” Stark watched in silence as William gazed at the ground and walked between them as if they were sitting ducks. He didn't even bump into them as he ignored everyone who had passed till this point.

  Behind the youths were black-clothed bodyguards, yet even they were ignored. They looked at Stark, an unfamiliar youth, and even the chubby youth stared back in confusion. Stark stopped laughing, and his forehead swelled in an old wound and popping veins. Then, he had had enough of William's back, and his veins were about to rupture.

  “I will fucking beat him.”

  “C-calm down, dude,” Louise said and made his move. Not at William; that wouldn't be wise, so he grabbed Stark's arms and hugged his back. It was pretty easy because he was almost twice his weight and a head taller. “That boy. He sure is a madman! Don't trouble such people.”

  “Hm?! Madman! Him?” Stark grinned like a devil and yanked his head at Louise. Then, delightful silver spread, giving Stark a luscious spread of light that glinted in his hair and eyes. “Don't stop me. I promised to beat him, or I'm gotta lose it.”

  Stark was about to make a terrible mistake, and Louise recognized it immediately. Heidi Kaufman didn't like the trouble on these floors, let alone youths fighting, and Louise was well aware of how far this place would go in enforcing its rules.

  Louise grinned his teeth, and his arms swelled as he bear-hugged Stark.

  “Let me go, Fatty Louise,” Stark shouted back as he wanted to charge at this mortal enemy. It was a matter of pride, so it felt right.

  Stark growled, grasped Louise's hands, twisted the skin alone, and kicked the ground, unleashing a wrestling move that separated them. Stark smiled, timing it right and charging ahead.

  The bodyguards could only watch since they didn't dare to stop him in the slightest. They were just regular people. Not those who could stop a raging Rank 0 Walker of at least five years.

  But someone could.

  From the floor below, a figure leaped into the abyss of the floors but managed to grasp the upper ground, showing no fear of heights. The figure was small, barely notable for Stark, yet it moved so fast and with such grace that his eyes hadn't adjusted in time. It was just one silly girl wearing great clothes made by Japan's finest crafters, and she had no shoes whatsoever.

  And she literally jumped before him, holding onto a weird dog, landed in his path, and looked ahead of her at that silly, loud, and obnoxious fucker with silly and freaky brows. She pointed at them, and he swore that the dog laughed at him, too.

  Stark throbbed in the noise of his heart and spirit, and continued walking ahead to catch that shithead. Nobody will stop him today. Not a girl. Not a dog. Not his veins, blood, or pressing issue of his darn Emblem, who screamed at him.

  “Get lost!” Stark shouted and jumped at the wall to get around Celeste, since he was still aiming at William, who was walking like a Zomb, a slow and dumber variant of Zombi.

  Celeste straightened her back, kicking the floor and moving her left hand. The other was busy holding onto Hound, who only watched and enjoyed this sight with deep pleasure because the fun was about to start. It was about a darn sniffing time.

  Stark gritted his teeth when that girl moved even faster than he did. She came closer and even dared to attack him! She had no fears either... and even dared to smile!?

  “What guts!” Stark changed his form and pulled a punch at her foolish attempt. She was smaller than him, younger than him, but faster. She should be significantly weaker.

  Yet, an unlikely event transpired. Celeste slapped the living shit out of him, angling her single arm around his slow moves until Stark grunted, spat blood, and flew away. Even his arm moved at a weird angle, and then another open palm hit him.

  Stark tumbled in the air and on the ground until Louise caught him, holding onto the raging, gushing silver light that became much more notable under the sunlight and dripping blood. He bit his tongue for sure.

  “Oh, shit. Calm down.” Louise tried the ridiculous possibility of talking sense to the biggest maniac he had ever known.

  Stark couldn't believe what had just happened. “That girl... That girl...” He repeated and got up, unaware that his right arm had dislocated and twisted. With a simple push, he fixed it and grinned in pain.

  “I will beat the living shit out of you!”