One month ago...
The sky was gray that day, as if even the clouds didn't feel like showing their light.
Ji Han stood near the edge of the Academy field, wearing the same black uniform as the other students—but somehow looking completely different. He always stayed quiet, kept to himself, eyes always focused on the ground or the sky, never on people.
Most students avoided him. Some whispered. "That's the kid from Zone 3, right?" "Is it true his system is unusual?" "He's so creepy. He never talks."
But Ji Han didn't care.
He was used to it.
He had learned a long time ago that showing emotions was dangerous.
Because his system fed on them.
Because he could feel everything—too much.
That day was different, though.
That day, someone new arrived.
A transfer student from a richer district. Quiet, but not shy. Calm, but not cold. His name was Kang Ha Neul.
"Nice to meet you," he had said in front of the class. "I hope we get along."
He had soft silver hair and a pair of sharp golden eyes that looked like they could see through anything. He didn't smile, not really, but he had a calm presence that made people stop and listen.
And when their teacher told him to sit next to Ji Han, everyone turned to stare.
Even Ji Han looked up.
And for a second—just one second—his system flared.
[Emotion Detected – Curiosity | Source: Kang Ha Neul]
That was strange.
People didn't usually feel anything toward him other than fear or suspicion.
But this boy… was curious.
---
Lunch break came. Students scattered in groups, laughing, eating, gossiping.
Ji Han sat on the roof alone like always, bread in one hand, system window hidden in the other.
And then—
The door opened.
He turned slightly.
Ha Neul stepped out, hands in his pockets. "I figured you'd be up here."
Ji Han stayed silent.
Ha Neul walked over and sat beside him, not too close, but not far either.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Ha Neul looked at him and said, "You're hiding something."
Ji Han's fingers twitched slightly. "What?"
"Your system," Ha Neul said plainly. "It's not normal."
Ji Han narrowed his eyes. "You don't know anything about me."
"I don't," Ha Neul said. "But I saw your reaction this morning when I came in. Your breathing changed. Your aura flickered. Systems respond to that. Yours responded to me."
Ji Han stayed quiet.
This boy was sharp. Too sharp.
Then something happened.
[Warning: Emotional Spike Detected | Source: Kang Ha Neul]
Ji Han looked at him again—and this time, his heart skipped.
Ha Neul's system was activating.
[System Mirror: Syncing with Unknown Ability...]
[System Alert: Emotion Copy Attempt Detected]
Ji Han stood up fast. "What did you just do?"
Ha Neul blinked, looking at his hand.
A faint red glow flickered around his fingertips. A strange pressure filled the air. Ji Han could feel it.
Ha Neul had copied him.
But how?
Ji Han's system didn't have a normal structure. It was locked. Hidden. His abilities weren't even fully written into the registry. He had always flown under the radar, controlling his feelings to keep the system stable.
Yet here Ha Neul was—pulling something out of him like it was easy.
"I didn't mean to," Ha Neul said. "I think it happened when I focused on your emotional flow. It was… sharp. Raw. Like you weren't just feeling things—you were using them."
Ji Han's chest tightened. "You need to stop. Now."
"I can't," Ha Neul said. "The connection's already there. I felt it form the moment I looked at you. Your system..felt familiar. I've never seen anything like it. I still can't control my own system either."
Suddenly, Ha Neul could feel Ji Han's system for a moment. Not Ji Han's feelings but others. His chest felt heavy.
Ji Han took a step back.
His system window flashed again.
[System Bond Detected - Temporary Emotional Link Formed]
"What is this?" Ji Han whispered.
Ha Neul stood now too, looking serious. "I think our systems synced. Yours responds to feelings. Mine copies the systems of people I feel connected to. It must've activated because of that moment earlier… when you looked at me."
Ji Han's voice was low. "That wasn't connection. That was instinct."
Ha Neul gave a small smile. "Maybe. But it worked."
That night, Ji Han couldn't sleep.
He lay on his small bed in the dorm room, hand over his chest.
He remembered the look in Ha Neul's eyes—steady, clear.
Not afraid.
Not angry.
Just curious.
It had been so long since someone had looked at him like that. Like he wasn't broken. Like he was just… something interesting.
But it scared him.
Because a bond like that—it made his system unstable.
It made his heart tremble in ways he didn't understand.
And worse…
He didn't want to break it.
In the days that followed, Ha Neul kept showing up.
He'd sit beside Ji Han during breaks. He'd walk next to him during training. He didn't talk too much. Just enough.
Ji Han slowly stopped pushing him away.
He didn't know what they were building.
He didn't know if he should trust it.
But he knew one thing for sure—
The day Ha Neul copied his system… was the day everything started to change.