It's supposed to be a sunset, painting the surroundings in vibrant gold. Instead, the gray clouds greet me, muting the colors of everything. I know the forecast is not always accurate, but it's still a bummer whenever it suddenly rains. I'm not fond of rain. It makes the autumn weather a lot colder, and getting soaked from it is a major inconvenience. Hence, the reason I bring an umbrella.

I take my backpack off and unzip it. My hands dig inside the multitude of contents in search of my foldable umbrella, but my fingers cannot locate it. Shoot. I left it in the classroom.

Should I just risk the rain, or should I just go back up? Given my dislike of being wet, the latter seems to be a better choice. I haven't gone far anyway. I haven't even reached the school gates yet.

I turn around and make my way back to the main building, an old building in the center of the school grounds. The faded bricks reveal its age, and yet, the lush vines adorning its walls still present it as a picturesque structure. Against the gray backdrop of the rain clouds, it's still a behemoth of elegance.

As I step in the grand entrance, a faint sound of violin echoes through the hallways. It must be coming from the music club. The slow music being played is making the almost empty corridors seem ominous. It is already past 6, so there aren't many students anymore. The only ones left are students with extracurricular activities… and me—a person who waits for the crowd to thin before going home. It is the safest action for me to avoid being in contact with other students.

I head towards the staircase and its carpeted landing. An orange kitten sleeps comfortably by the first step, taking advantage of the soft surface. I carefully move to the other side of the steps to avoid disturbing the ball of fluff. I glance one more time to check I didn't interrupt its slumber. But a shout suddenly jolts it awake, and it scampers away.

Unlike the cat, I cannot react as fast. I shift my gaze to the source of the sound—atop the stairs. Whoever has made the shout is now falling, right exactly above me. It's too late to move; a collision is bound to happen.

Like everything's in slow motion, I watch as a box he has probably been carrying gets tossed aside. I shut my eyes, preparing for the imminent. His arms hit my chest first and then our heads. Then I'm no longer sure what is happening, but the weight of the other student continues to push me to the ground.

My back smacks the floor. It's lucky that there is a carpet finish to cushion our fall. But I cannot say the same for the situation. At this moment, a boy is lying over me—his cheeks on mine.

Anxiety bursts within my chest. As long as he is no Perceiver, I am safe. There's only three known Perceivers among the students; one of which is a girl. The chances, that this guy is one of the other two, are slim. Still, in consideration for secret Perceivers, I need to observe his reaction, and watch for any clue that he has seen my soul—something along the lines of scared or alarmed.

He pushes himself off me.

"Sorry, are you ok?" he asks between breaths.

Good. He's calm. Breathing heavily from the shock of the fall, but I detect no panic. No Perceiver can be this calm after just seeing a Myriad's soul. I begin to stand myself to face him.

But the face that stares back at me is like the universe mocking me. I blink, hoping the image will change. But reality doesn't budge. It really is him.

Seo JaeHoon. The most popular kid in school… and most of all, a Perceiver.