Today I will go to Alex's home. I don't know why something inside is bouncing. I pack my bag and went to mom to inform,

"Mom, I will go to one of my classmate's homes today."

"Oh. Is it a boy or girl?"

"It's a boy."

"Are you going alone!?" Mom raised one of her eyebrows while staring at me. It feels like I am going to murder someone.

"Luke and Zara will be going with me. I am not alone. Don't worry." Mom seems to be calm now. She has faith in Luke and Zara.

"Okay, then. Take care, dear."

I took my bag and waited for Luke. He said that he will be coming in front of my home with his car to take me. I have never been in his car before. Then I saw a red car waiting in front of my home. Zara waved at me from inside of the car and beckoned me to come in. I sit in the car. It took 15 minutes to reach his home. When I got out of the car I was astonished to see his home. It somehow looked like a mansion. I was wondering what kind of king might be living there.

"Wo, woh. Wait, Luka? Where did you take us? Didn't we go to Alex's home?" Zara seems to be confused about coming here. Me also.

"It's Alex' home indeed. He lives here guys." Luke says. He clicks the bell while standing in front of the gate. The gate opens automatically. We entered. Alex is standing at the door of his mansion-like house.

"Okay, Sooha. I have to go now. My dad called me." Then he says to Zara, "Take care of Sooha." Luke left. Alex welcomed us inside. He is still wearing his mask. We entered Gosh. It's indeed a mansion.

"Do you live here alone?" I asked in curiosity.

"Umm. Yeah. But my sister sometimes comes."

"What about your parents?" Zara asks. Alex keeps silent for a moment then says, "My parents are not alive. After my dad's death my sister took the responsibility of my dad's business and also the responsibility of my education." I felt bad for him somehow. We both said sorry to him. Then he took us to his room. I took out the notebooks from my bag. We sit in Alex's study room. A maid from his home brought some snacks and juice. I took my glass. While I was drinking Zara took the snacks which were put right beside me. And then the juice fell into my dress. Alex rushed to another room and brought a dress for me to change.

"Wait. Do you have a girlfriend?" Zara asks.

"No. It's my sister's dress."

"Won't she be mad that you gave me her dress without her permission?" I ask.

"If she knows."

I changed in the washroom. He said that he will give the dress later even though I wanted to take it. So, I let it be. I gave him all the notes. I solved the problems which he didn't understand.

"You can be a good teacher in the future, you know." Alex says. I go pink. I don't know why.

I came home from Alex's mansion-like house in Luke's car. I directly entered my room and lay on my bed. I was feeling so sleepy recently. And I sleep till the morning. I woke up, as my usual day and got ready for college. When I was having my breakfast, mom came near us for a talk. She seems to be serious.

"Sooha. Stay careful in your way. Don't talk with unknown people. If any of your known people act weirdly, don't go near them."

"Mom. I know. You told me this from when I was little."

"I know. But it's more serious than before. So, always remember what I said."

"Okay. mom. As you command."

I am having bad feelings. It's becoming somehow hard to swallow this food. I don't know what happened. But I think something bad must have happened. I went to my college, reached my classroom and was shocked. I saw the watch that was in the room. I thought I might have come too early. Because there were not that many students that had been before. I sat on my seat. I also took Alex's sister's dress with me in a bag to return. Zara and Luke didn't come today. Luke doesn't always come. But Zara. She's not that kind of person to miss her class. Alex entered the class and waved to me. He came toward me and gave me a bag. It was my dress. I gave him his sister's dress but he gave it back.

"Hey, it's your sister's dress."

"I don't need it."

"But it's your sister's."

"Yeah. I know. She doesn't count all the dresses she has. She won't know that among her many dresses, there is one dress missing. So, take it. You can also think of it as a gift for helping me."

"Umm... Ok. If you say so. Do you know why there are few students today in the class?"

"You don't know?"

"Ummm... Just tell me if you know."

"Hmm. Time will tell you soon"

"Excuse me. What?"

"You get to know yourself, miss." He smiled. He is wearing his mask today, but still I can tell he is smiling and it's killing me inside. Alex went to his seat. I am just staring at him like a fool.

"Wow. A gift from a newcomer? huh. pretty nice, I think." I didn't notice that Aira is here. I don't know from where she flew and landed here.

"Alex gave it to me because I helped him in his study."

"O my my my. That's it? I thought there was another reason."

"Excuse me."

"Owh, dear. You are always excused." Suddenly the teacher came and everyone took their seats.

I focused on class ignoring everything. At the end of the class the teacher gives us advice. It's the same advice mom gave me. It's making me really worried. I went home, took my phone and searched about current affairs. I was really stunned to know. It seems like the world has gone upside down.

"People are getting controlled by an insect."

- Hell

"Affected people eat other people to survive."

- Shit

"It's still unknown how insects are entering in human's body. Scientists are researching it."

- Kill me

[Thank you for diving into this part. Keep up with this story for the next part of the journey—you won't want to miss what's coming next. We hope you're enjoying every moment of reading.]