Spellbooks of many colors soared through the sky like roller coasters. Among them, the brightest one stopped in front of the Fire Professor.

"Rain, what dream did you have on your first day?"

"I dreamt... of colors."

"Rain’s dream is a dream of light. The spectrum of light entering through the eyes is reflected directly in the dream. Soon, Rain will be able to see colors of light invisible to others. This is a type of magic only Rain can use. And if you follow that dream, you’ll be able to use magic that illuminates the world—just like this spellbook."

‘Magic only I can use… I've spent my whole life among things I couldn’t do.’

I began to like this school a bit more because of the Fire Professor’s words. At the same time, I felt as if countless new students were staring at me, and I wanted to leave the spotlight as quickly as possible.

"Alright! We’ve got the welcome festival this evening, so I’ll see you then. Now go chase your dreams!"

At his words, the freshmen began leaving the winter campus library, heading toward the summer campus one by one. Then, a warm red glow carrying a pleasant scent began approaching me.

"Rain!"

It was Esso. His voice trembled a little as he spoke, shyly.

"Will you accept this flower?!"

A lily of the valley. The flower I had once told him I liked. He was confessing his feelings, holding it out to me.

Thump, thump—

It was the first time anyone had ever confessed to me. My heart fluttered... but then the sound of nearby laughter grew louder.

‘Are they… making fun of me?’

I heard about eight other freshmen giggling nearby. It felt as if they were pointing at the flower, mocking me.

"I'm sorry."

I quickly walked away from Esso, trying to escape the embarrassing situation. I kept walking until I found a quiet, empty place and laid down on a hammock. As I took off my shoes, darkness began swirling around my feet. On the soles, a black line like a tattoo began writhing, as if trying to open its eyes.

‘I can’t sleep… Is it because of what happened earlier?’

Sleep wouldn’t come. So I wandered around the campus and eventually headed to the classroom. As I stepped inside, a salty scent filled the air. It trailed along the floor toward the lockers, and I instinctively knew it was the scent of tears. I touched the nameplate on the locker the tears led to.

‘This is Esso’s locker…’

Inside, the scent of the lily of the valley was strong and sweet. Just from that fragrance, I could tell—Esso hadn’t been making fun of me. He was sincere.

‘If only I could see... then this misunderstanding never would’ve happened.’

A dull ache settled in my chest. I felt sorry that my mistake had hurt Esso. I immediately headed to a flower shop and bought a vase. Following the path the tears had left behind, I searched for the red glow that clung to Esso.

‘There. That’s Esso’s light.’

Carefully, I placed the vase in front of the hammock where Esso was sleeping and left a note.

‘I can’t accept this flower right now, but I hope you’ll treasure it.’

Grrr—

Suddenly, my stomach growled. After all the walking and the release of my tension, hunger hit me hard.

‘I’m starving… but I need to dream, so I’ll sleep first.’

As if late for class, I lay down on a nearby patch of grass and fell asleep. Evening came, and as the moon began to rise, Park Rain’s foot slowly lifted from the ground.

"Say my name. Then I’ll let you open your eyes."

A dark, heavy energy whispered to me.

‘Huh..? What’s this? A dream?’

Pain started to spread through my foot, and someone’s voice shouting snapped me awake. In front of me was Esso’s red glow.

"Rain! Are you okay?! You’re...!"

I tried to stand up, but I couldn’t. My foot was suspended in the air, upside down, and refused to move. The voice from the dream continued to whisper into the real world.

‘Just say my name… then you’ll be able to see.’

Until now, I had never truly longed to see. But after everything that happened today, the desire to see burned brightly inside me.

‘Really? I can see if I say it? Who are you?’

‘You already know. Say my name.’

Esso’s urgent voice echoed in my ears. I wanted to see his face more clearly.

"Rain!! Are you alright?! You’re hanging upside down in the air!"

‘Can I just make up a name?’

‘Yes… name me.’

‘Then… your name is Rakaze.’

‘Rakaze! That’s it! I am Rakaze!’

At that moment, the black line etched on my foot writhed and then opened—like an eye. That was how Park Rain came to see the world for the first time, through an eye formed on the sole of his foot.

And the first thing I saw in this new world... was Esso’s horrified face. Since it was my first time seeing anything, I couldn’t fully grasp what was happening—but I could feel Esso’s fear as clearly as if it were my own.

‘If this is what the world looks like... then I’d rather close my eyes. I don’t want to see anymore.’

A wave of despair swept over me. The desire to escape grew stronger, and that desperate wish fed the dark energy, which began to slowly consume my consciousness.