[MORNING – NOAH'S ROOM]
Noah woke up already thinking.
That was new. Usually, his brain was empty until breakfast.
But today, a face lingered.
The Smiling Man from yesterday.
Noah stared at the ceiling.
Why did he smile like that?
It wasn't a nice smile. It was the kind of smile the used car salesman gave Nana before she bent his car door in half with one hand.
Maybe he wanted to sell me something, Noah thought. Or maybe... maybe he was judging my outfit?
Noah sat up, rubbing his messy hair.
"Nana would know," he mumbled. "She hates people who smile too much. She says it hides the spinach in their teeth."
He sighed. The house felt colder without her. And without breakfast instructions.
[SCHOOL – LATE MORNING]
Lilly was already waiting near their lockers. She looked like she hadn't slept either.
"You look worse than yesterday," she said.
"Didn't sleep," Noah replied truthfully.
She hesitated, lowering her voice. "Because of him?"
Noah paused.
(Because I couldn't stop wondering if I knew him from somewhere. It was really bothering me.)
"…Yeah," Noah said.
Lilly's face went pale.
He's treating this as a serious threat, she thought. He sensed the danger level.
They walked together toward the classroom. The assignment file was already submitted.
"I checked the area map again," Lilly said quietly. "There are blind spots that shouldn't exist."
Noah nodded. "He stood in one."
(Which was really rude. Who stands in a blind spot to stare at people? Just wave!)
Lilly stopped walking. "…You're sure?"
"I didn't see him arrive," Noah said. "And I didn't see him leave."
Her fingers tightened around her notebook.
"That's not normal," she whispered.
"No," Noah agreed gravely. "It felt practiced."
(Like a street magician. Or a ninja. Are there ninjas in this neighborhood?)
[HALLWAY – BETWEEN CLASSES]
Noah felt it before he saw it.
That same feeling of being watched. Like when Nana was standing behind him while he did dishes.
He looked up.
Across the hall, reflected faintly in the glass of a trophy case—
The man.
Different clothes. Same posture.
Same annoying smile.
Noah froze.
Is he following me?
Is he trying to ask for directions AGAIN?
Wait. Is he photobombing the trophy case?
Noah frowned at the reflection. Dude. Stop it. That's creepy.
The reflection blinked out. Gone.
Lilly followed his gaze. "What—?"
"He was here," Noah said, sounding annoyed.
She scanned the hallway frantically.
Nothing. Students passed. Teachers talked. Life continued.
"…I didn't see anyone," Lilly said, panic rising.
Noah didn't argue.
"He wanted me to," he said.
(He definitely did that on purpose. He was waiting for me to look. What a weirdo.)
Lilly felt her stomach sink. Only Noah could see him. That means the target is specifically Noah.
[CLASSROOM – MS. MAI]
Ms. Mai stood by the window, watching rain begin to tap against the glass.
She turned as Noah and Lilly entered. Her eyes lingered—half a second longer than necessary.
"Sato," she said. "Cross."
They stopped.
"About Sector C," Ms. Mai continued, voice neutral. "Did anything stand out?"
Lilly opened her mouth to report the anomalies.
Noah spoke first.
"Yes."
Ms. Mai's fingers stilled on her clipboard.
"People," Noah said seriously. "Who didn't belong."
Her gaze sharpened. "Describe them."
Noah thought about the man. The way he just stood there, smiling, doing nothing.
"One," Noah said. "He smiled."
Silence.
Ms. Mai waited. Surely there was more. A weapon? A threat?
"That's all?" she asked.
"That's enough," Noah replied.
(It was a really uncomfortable smile, Ms. Mai. Trust me. It ruined my appetite.)
For the first time, Ms. Mai felt something cold slide down her spine.
A smile was enough for him to classify a target, she thought. His instincts are razor sharp.
[CONTROL ROOM – DATA ANALYSIS]
Sector C footage replayed at half speed.
"Enhance reflection channel," an analyst said.
Static.
"Again."
Nothing.
The Smiling Man did not exist on camera. Only distortions.
"That's impossible," someone muttered. "The camera didn't pick him up, but the boy saw him in the reflection?"
The Chief Commander didn't respond.
The President leaned forward. "Freeze."
A single frame stopped. A vague silhouette, half-erased by glare.
"…That's not a civilian," the President said.
"No record," the analyst confirmed. "Ghost class."
The room went quiet.
"The boy saw a Ghost," the Commander whispered. "And the Ghost let him."
The President folded his hands.
"Assign a designation."
Keys clacked.
UNKNOWN VARIABLE – WATCH STATUS: ACTIVE
[EVENING – SCHOOL GATE]
Lilly walked slower than usual.
"People like him," she said carefully, "They don't let themselves be seen."
Noah looked ahead. "He didn't."
She stopped. "…Then why you?"
Noah thought about it.
Why him? Was it his hair? His bag?
Then he remembered the alley. The kittens. Nana always said, "Trouble finds people who stop to look at it."
"I think," Noah said slowly, "He smiled because I noticed him."
(I stared at him first. It's my fault. I engaged the weirdo.)
Lilly felt a chill crawl up her arms.
"That's not good," she said.
Noah nodded.
"No," he agreed. "It's not."
(Now I have a stalker. Nana is going to be so mad if I bring home a stalker.)
[NIGHT – NOAH'S ROOM]
Darkness pressed in.
Noah lay in bed.
"…You know me," Noah said quietly to the empty room.
He meant it as a question. Do you know me? From the grocery store?
But to the microphone hidden in the lamp, monitored by three different agencies, it sounded like a confirmation.
You know me. And I know you.
Somewhere far away, the Smiling Man touched his earpiece.
"The Cub is awake," he whispered.
And Noah rolled over, pulling the blanket up, wondering if he should buy pepper spray tomorrow. Just in case.