Chapter 1

**Ding...dong...ding...dong...**

The sound of the school bell echoed through the corridors, signaling the end of lunch break. I blinked, trying to shake off the lingering fog in my mind.

"Ah... is lunch time already over?" Asher groaned as he stretched his arms above his head. "Hey, Arthur, do you wanna go to the internet café after school?"

I didn't respond immediately, my thoughts still hazy. "Arthur? You listening? What's gotten into you, man? You're acting weird today."

"Huh? What was that?" I asked, finally snapping out of it. Asher's playful tap on my head jolted me back to reality.