Genelle laughed for a good minute before she finally caught her breath. "Hang on, let me get this straight. You badly want to find this physicist guy's home address for some reason, and to get it, you want a way to hack into the servers at HEPLOK, no less?"

"Yes!" Evanna gripped the phone with both hands as she sat on her swivel chair.

It was Sunday morning, and she had called the most tech-savvy person she knew. Genelle was an active member of the IT club, where she hung around one computer whiz or another.

"Evie!" Genelle's voice shook with another bout of laughter. "And before thinking of such drastic measures, have you thought of looking in an online directory?"

Evanna dropped her feet to the floor and straightened up. "What?"

"You know, those days, there were those phone directories. Now we have online directories."

"Oh..."

"Yeah. There's one called Kuro Peji. I think it has the largest database of residents in these parts. You'd able to find his address for free—unless he's living for rent. You might still be able to find his address, but it might cost you. You can also enlist help to track people, but then that's going to cost a lot more obviously—and the somewhat devious online methods to obtain private information can be found on the dark web, and to access that, you'd need a special browser. But you do not want to go there."

"Gen, thanks so much! I'll check Kuro Peji." A smile broke out on Evanna's her face. "You know such useful stuff!"

"Since I'm not watching thousands of episodes of anime, I have space in my brain for real world information."

"Oh, c'mon, that's just One Piece with a thousand episodes! And the story is so good!"

"Uhuh." Genelle let out another laugh. "I'm going back to packing then."

"Packing?"

"Oh, I might've forgotten to tell you. I'm moving to the hostel next week."

"What!"

"Yeah. My parents are moving out of Komoreby for work. So, I don't have a choice."

A silence stretched out. It was as if an invisible force extinguished the mirth in Genelle's voice.

"I'm sorry," Evanna murmured.

"On the bright side, I don't have to get up so early for school now," she said with forced light-heartedness. "I've decided to start packing early."

"I'll come to the hostel to help you settle in. Let me know when!"

"Thanks, Evie!"

After the call, Evanna leaned back with a troubled frown, her heart going out to Genelle. The idea of moving to the hostel was nightmarish to her, since it meant giving up what little freedom one had. Full-time incarceration.

She nibbled at some chocolate while the computer booted up. Even some dark chocolates contained dairy, and her heart sank every time she came upon the dreaded words on product packaging she habitually checked. They have to put at least an iota of cow milk into everything! Wouldn't be surprised if I find "milk solids" in bold on bloody fruit juice soon. She had settled on Ollever chocolate, which now dissolved in her mouth in a velvety glob of sweetness she thought was a slice of heaven.

Just when the Kuro Peji homepage loaded, her mom yelled her name.

"What do you want, Mom?" she yelled back.

Footsteps sounded closer and closer. Then the door opened with an unceremonious bang.

Mary stood in the doorway with a frown, which amplified the fine lines around her eyes. "Eva, would it kill you to do some cleaning around the house?"

Evanna got up reluctantly, arching her back like a lazy cat. "What do you want done?"

"Look at your room," Mary said, scrutinizing the room with distaste. "It can do with some cleaning too."

"It's fine." She eyed the powdery coating on the table. "Just some dust."

"Girls should learn to keep their things clean."

"Oh, so it's fine for guys to keep their stuff dirty?" she retorted.

"Are you talking back at me?" Mary snapped, eyes flashing.

"Mom, just tell me what you need done," Evanna said in what she hoped was a placating voice.

Shortly afterwards, she was at the utility closet, looking for dusters. "There's no duster here."

"I think the handle broke," Janet's voice answered from the living room. "Check for one in the attic."

A shiver ran down Evanna's spine when her mind conjured up arachnid shapes—furry monstrosities hiding in dark corners. Giving her head a quick shake, she trudged up to the attic, which was accessible by a narrow staircase near her room.

It was a small space she envisioned as a cozy loft, but it was currently used only for storage. Among the things scattered about were one or two boxes from Nuara that were still untouched. Blinds covered the slanted windows, letting in meager rays of light. A layer of dust coated the entire space, and as she stepped in, particles disturbed from their slumber rose up in a wispy cloud and seemed to shimmer in the patches of light.

Evanna hesitated in the semi-darkness for a good minute, her eyes roving over the place in apprehension. She took in the silvery strands of cobwebs in the corners. Tiny bodies of daddy long-legs were just visible. She grabbed her head as if to ward off her irrational fears.

Blowing out a puff of air, she walked up to the boxes. One label read "Eva's things". As she bent down, something brushed against her leg.

Evanna flinched, accompanied by the rapid uptick of her heart. It was just the edge of a box that had touched her leg.

"Great, Ev," she muttered, her breathing heavy.

The box turned out to be empty except for an old doll and other belongings. As curiosity stirred inside about Alter-Ev's childhood, she thought of asking Mary for photos. Suddenly, an image of Anukie bobbed up, and her stomach lurched.

As soon as she found what she was looking for, she ran downstairs.

Dusting and vacuuming became tolerable when she plugged in her earphones and listened to a playlist of Naruto songs. She dashed back to her room right after Mary nodded her satisfaction.

When she plonked down at the computer again, her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID to see a close-up photo of Marilda making a V sign with a smile.

Evanna smacked the phone to her ear. "Mari-chan?"

"Evie!" the other girl's voice said.

"Mari-chan!"

"Evie!" Marilda let out one of her infectious giggles.

"What's up?" Evanna asked, grinning. "Why are you so cheerful?"

"Because...you and I are going somewhere."

"We are?"

"Yep. Right now."

"Nope." Evanna laughed. "I've got this thing to do—plus, I have anime to watch on Sundays."

"This is important!" Marilda said, her tone firm. "And it cannot be postponed."

She detected a hint of suppressed glee in the other girl's voice. "So tell me what it is!"

"You're going to have to come with me."

Being dragged out without warning was definitely not her cup of tea, especially on a precious Sunday she can spend relaxing in her room—but curiosity got the better of her. "Fine."

"Good. I'll send you the meet-up location."

An hour later, Evanna walked briskly down the sidewalk, enjoying the sense of peace now that there were fewer vehicles and pedestrians. She set her course to the escalator that would take her up to the monorail station.

It was one of those times of the year when the heat spiked, though nights remained relatively cold. The midday sun beat down with more intensity than ever, heating up the asphalt, steel and concrete. She appreciated the greenery that defiantly dispensed cool and shade. The shrubs lining the road were in full bloom, adding vibrant splotches of purple to the largely monochromatic scene as far as the eye could see.

The hot day had prompted Evanna to go for a simple, white tee that sported a line drawing of a panda. She had paired it with black skinny jeans, lightly ripped at the front. Her voluminous hair, done in a half updo, burned a fiery scarlet in the sun. Chunky bands encircled her wrists, and a black, multi-layered necklace dangled down the front of her tee.

Her phone rang.

"Eva, where are you?" her mom's voice demanded the moment she picked up.

"You were on a call when I left, Mom." Evanna slowed her pace, adjusting the straps of her trusty backpack that slung from one shoulder. "So I left a note."

"I saw. Are you with Marilda now?"

"No, I'm about to meet up with her now."

"Are you going by bus?"

"By monorail."

"What time will you be back?"

"I dunno—I won't stay out till late."

When Mary hung up, Evanna heaved a huge sigh and quickened her pace, wavy tresses swaying with each step.

As the escalator started moving upon contact, she gazed up at the station. It was a sleek, white behemoth hanging above the road, and a serpentine track extended out on either side. Glass panels glinted in the sun, making her squint against the brightness. She involuntarily dwelled on the shiny new toy that was to be added to Komoreby's infrastructure in the near future—a vactrain that could travel at mindboggling hypersonic speeds and connect to major cities in other provinces. You'd get to zip over to Nuara and back whenever you want, Ev!

"Hey!"

Evanna spun around, and a grin broke out on her face.

Marilda bounded up the steps, looking funky in high-waisted jeans and an indigo boxy top emblazoned with a flying saucer and the words "abduct me". Neon blue hair extensions gleamed against the blackness of windswept locks, which hung down to her shoulders. Around her wrist was what resembled a multicolored sea anemone that matched her sneakers.

"Before you waste your breath," Marilda panted, giving her a knowing look, "I'm not tellin' anything. You're gonna have to wait till we get there."

"Fine!" Evanna laughed, trying to curb the curiosity that rocketed up.

Inside the station, a ticket kiosk beckoned them with eye-catching motion graphics. When they reached it, Marilda started tapping the screen as if it were an arcade game, her face bathed in alternating hues of purple and blue.

"Oh, we're going to Dendron Square," Evanna said, peering over the other girl's shoulder.

Marilda made a disgruntled noise, one hand pulling out a banknote from her messenger bag.

"Wait, I have coins." She fished out some small change. "So a massive sale happening or something?"

"Not tellin'."

"It's a sale!"

Marilda ignored her and grabbed the tokens as soon as the kiosk belched them out.

They were soon standing on a platform that resembled a greenhouse, where manicured plants reached up to soak the light that beamed down from the high ceiling.

Evanna watched her friend gaze dreamily into space and giggled. "Waiting for a UFO to abduct you?"

Marilda gave her a playful shove. "So aliens are out there, but UFOs are fake?"

"Mhmm."

"Why do you like X-Files so much then!"

Before she could respond, a streamlined beast of a train eased in with a low booming sound, and they were soon swept along in the rush of people getting in and out.

Five minutes later, they stood next to a window inside the silver belly of the monorail as it whisked them away towards the city center.

"Mari-chan?" Evanna murmured. "Are you free sometime next week to help me out with something?"

"Sure." Marilda swiveled around the metal pole she was holding onto. "What sort of something?"

She gazed out at the glistening city that looked all the more impressive from the higher vantage point. It was a never-ending expanse of towering geometry, primarily greys and whites mottled with green. Komoreby's skyscrapers were the tallest she had ever seen, some composed of many blocks topped with flourishing sky gardens. The more ambitious architectural marvels curved up in exotic shapes.

"I'm trying to locate this person," Evanna finally said, eyes still glued to the view. "But I really don't feel like visiting him alone, so..."

Marilda narrowed her eyes. "You're super mysterious sometimes, you know that?"

A laugh burst out of her. "I know, sorry."

"I have a feeling there are quite a few things you're not telling me."

"Well, if you come with me to meet this person, you'd most likely get some of it explained."

The other girl's face morphed into a doleful look, making Evanna giggle, but no remonstrance was forthcoming. There was an ingenuous streak about Marilda, and she was impervious to criticism among other forms of negativity—in fact, it was like water off a duck's back. She seemed to be carrying an eternal candle of positivity in her own personal bubble. That's a skill I should be honing more.

They traveled in companionable silence until Dendron Square came into view. Evanna was surprised to find it teeming with teens when it was a Sunday. Her mind painted an image of a huge book sale, and her heart danced with anticipation.

They alighted at the station and hurried along an elevated walkway that led to an upper level of Dendron Mall.

"Hurry up, Ev!" Marilda broke into a casual run.

Evanna just blinked and hastened to keep up.

Once they got to the mall, Marilda wove through the crowd and halted at a bank of elevators. She jabbed impatiently at the panel, and all the way down to the ground floor, she bobbed up and down on the balls of her feet.

"You know, the books aren't going to be sold out so soon." Evanna giggled. "I'm thinking this sale must've started today?"

"Huh?" The other girl threw her a bewildered look—and then beamed.

Evanna narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge her thoughts.

As soon as the elevator doors slid open, Marilda grabbed her hand and lunged out. They barreled straight to the nearest exit, almost colliding with a stray kid along the way. Um, wait, we're going outside?

Bursting out into daylight again, they dashed down a winding pathway. More teens seemed to be heading where they were going, and a festive mood hung in the air. Sunbeams fell through Dendron Square's conifer trees and dappled the outdoor seating of the many cafes and restaurants. An inviting aroma wafted into Evanna's nose, prompting her sun-baked head to crave iced coffee. Not when Mari-chan's under some kind of possession.

The path opened into a circular event space crowded to the brim, though more teens spilled in from other pathways. Noise rippled out in excited waves. Trees hemmed in the place, providing shade, and beyond the walls of foliage, people watched on from window walls and sky gardens.

As Marilda led her further in, Evanna's wide eyes took in a curving dome of dark tinted glass and criss-crossing beams. Underneath the dome was a stage—three girls in flashy outfits were just vacating it. There was an array of sound and lighting setups with a digital display at the back, which played a looping motion graphics sequence of circles and squiggles.

They came upon a man who appeared to be checking tickets. Marilda joined the queue while Evanna trailed just behind, her mouth slightly ajar.

An MC materialized on the stage, and his booming voice rang out, bringing conversations to a halt, "Are you all ready for what's coming up next?"

Deafening cheers and hoots of laughter rose from the crowd. Evanna kept staring while Marilda's face lit up with a glowing smile.

"What's that?" The man on stage let out an exuberant laugh. "I'm not hearing it!"

The response followed even louder.

"Alright!" The MC raised his arms in a slow, theatrical gesture.

Evanna stared stupefied as smoke billowed up and lights strobed all over the stage. The display at the back changed on cue to an edgy black theme that was met with thunderous applause and excited yells.

Marilda poked her and held up two pieces of paper, which registered in her brain as concert tickets. "I won these from a writing contest! These are VIP tickets!"

Even though the words were practically shouted in her ear, the din almost drowned them out. Evanna's gaze shifted from her friend's beaming face to the tickets. Then she slowly turned back to the stage—just when a logo flashed on the display and four guys strode into view.

The crowd went into a frenzy of ear-splitting whooping and screaming. It was so loud that the MC couldn't be heard over it—which was just as well, since it thankfully drowned out the involuntary squeal that erupted out of Evanna's throat.

"I tried, I tried, it's never enough, it falls apart,

My world of glass,

I lied, I cried, the inner void, it eats away,

My mask of lies.

All I have left is my shattered star."

As Junho sang the rhythmic chorus, his powerful voice gained momentum and blared out across the open space, boosted by the chanting of a thousand fans. The air throbbed with deep bass that rattled glass and sent vibrations pumping up every spine in the vicinity. In the electrifying atmosphere, the audience took on the form of one giant entity in sync with the performance—heads bobbing and arms flailing.

On the stage, all four guys were in the zone—their movements sharp and decisive. They were striking, clad in darker shades of the spectrum with more accessories than usual. Junho and Max had on faux leather wristbands with studs and spikes.

"Time ceases, darkness reigns, in this world of eternal eclipse. I reach out, grope blind, for a shard of my shattered star."

Deep and hoarse, the words tumbled out of Junho's mouth in quick succession as the tempo sped up. The electric guitar let out one discordant whine after another, while the lighting and animations took on a psychedelic intensity to amplify the effect.

"Suffocated by nothingness, in an infinite void, I cling to the ghosts of my bonds. The seamless blackness, a despairing limbo, my consciousness is my grave. Do I even have a choice? There is no escape, no respite, nowhere to run."

Evanna bobbed on the balls of her feet and yelled out the last line with the crowd—it was a line that somehow tugged at her heartstrings. Shattered Star was one of Obsidian's darker songs with a haunting chorus. The VIP tickets had ensured them a spot at the very front, but worried about being spotted, she had dragged Marilda to the side. Now, watching the performance before her, she felt she need not have worried. The boys were too lost in their music to lock on to individuals in the audience.

After Junho howled the last line, which blasted out over the surrounding buildings, the beat dropped.

In the nanosecond of stillness, which suspended all motion, the audience held its breath. Evanna exchanged a look with Marilda, who grinned. Then the next verse raged in all its intensity, albeit less subdued than the chorus—with Shane's vocals.

Evanna stared up at him with wide eyes, bobbing bodies pressing around from all sides. He was now closer to the mic, his deft fingers darting over the guitar strings and intermittently gripping the mic to sing. His voice was soulful—deep at times for emphasis. At the climax of the verse, he closed his eyes with a frown of concentration and tilted his head over the spherical mesh grille at his lips. The world seemed to blur, and he was the only object her eyes could focus on.

When Junho moved to sing the chorus again, Shane drew back, his eyes sweeping over the audience with the gravitational power of twin black holes. It had a spaghettification effect on the female audience that had ventured close. Evanna was no exception when his gaze turned in her direction—and stopped.

In that instant, he looked directly at her—or so it seemed.

A jolt went up her spine that had nothing to do with the bass. She whipped her head around to see if the object of his scrutiny was someone behind her. When she directed her eyes back at him, he had diverted his full focus on his performance again. That instant could've been nothing but her imagination—except for a telltale smirk that lingered on his face.

He probably didn't see you, Ev! You just imagined it. No, he totally did! What was with that smile? Was that about me? No way. Yes, way. Holy cowsies, so embarrassing. It has to be my bloody hair—my bloody red hair standing out like a beacon! Evanna could barely focus as the worrisome thoughts kept cycling in her brain.

Half an hour later, Junho cheerfully thanked the audience to frenzied yells, whistles and applause. Hands shot up into the air, flashing the "rock on" sign. A few articles of clothing were tossed onto the stage by adoring fangirls, which elicited a wave of sniggers. One excited girl managed to push past the organizing committee that held off fans. She climbed onto the stage and practically flung herself at Max, who was nearest. Laughing, he hugged her back before she was escorted off the stage.

Obsidian departed from the stage to resounding groans. The MC tried to lighten up the mood with the next announcement, but half of the audience started to ebb away.

Evanna heaved a sigh of satisfaction and looked at Marilda. They burst into laughter.

As they jostled their way through the crowd, a guy from the organizing committee intercepted them. "Hey girls, you wanna come this way?"

Marilda shot him a quizzical look. "Huh?"

"You have VIP tickets. You can get an autograph and a photo with Obsidian."

Both of them stared at him speechless. Then Marilda's mouth formed an O shape.

"Thank you so much, but we'd rather not," Evanna said, grabbing Marilda's hand.

"Are you sure?" the guy asked.

Marilda didn't seem sure at all and was about to express it. Evanna bestowed a smile on the guy and dragged her friend away, despite the hushed protests.

"Mari-chan, we can't just get autographs from them!" Evanna whispered, striding along a pathway towards a nearby coffee shop. "They know us. It'd be so embarrassing."

"Okay..." The other girl scrunched up her face in thought. "I guess that makes sense."

They relived the exhilarating experience over iced coffee, and afterwards, Evanna was anxious to get back home. Instead of going through the mall again, Marilda led her to what she said was a shortcut they could use to get to the monorail station.

It turned out to be a nondescript road traversed by supply trucks heading to Dendron Mall. On either side of it were back entrances to nearby shops and cafes, lined with dumpsters and garbage bins. Evanna made a face as she passed by an open bin, the putrid tang of its contents assaulting her nose. A rat scurried away at their approach—a sight that struck her as utterly incongruous with one's picture of Komoreby. Large exhaust pipes clung to discolored walls, as well as fans that blew out hot drafts of air.

Evanna jumped over a puddle of water and paused to check her shoes for any muck. Suddenly, hands grabbed her and pulled her roughly into an alleyway.

A second later, she stood gasping, wild eyes flitting over the sneering faces of four girls—Sara, Oleanda and two of their friends. Marilda had met the same fate.

"Well, well, if it ain't Zeller and her freak friend," Oleanda drawled. "You came this way, after all."

"I told you they would," Sara said with a satisfied laugh.

The other girls joined in the laughter. One was even taller than Oleanda.

Now that there were no onlookers, they exhibited open hostility. A jumpsuit encased Oleanda's tall frame, and her thin legs appeared even longer in high booties reminiscent of stilts. Sara wore a frilly babydoll top paired with capri pants.

Evanna crossed her arms. "What the heck do you want?"

"You see, Zeller," Sara said, taking a step forward, "Alcina doesn't appreciate you hanging around Obsidian."

A frown creased her forehead before comprehension dawned. "Oh, are you talking about me sitting next to them in bio class yesterday? You yapped about it to Alcina? Don't you have anything better to do?"

Sara stiffened and shot her a venomous look. Marilda watched on in silence.

"Looks like it's not an isolated incident," Oleanda spoke up. "VIP tickets, huh?"

"Do we need to ask your permission to come to a bloody concert?" Evanna snapped. Why would Alcina even consider me a threat anyways, since I'm an "insect" in her eyes. They just want to cause drama—and bully people.

"Watch your tongue, Zeller," Sara hissed.

"Or what? You're gonna shut me up?" Evanna rolled her eyes and then turned to Marilda. "C'mon, let's go."

Her friend nodded and made to move.

Without warning, Oleanda pounced on Evanna and grabbed a handful of hair.

As her head snapped back, anger superseded her shock. Gasping, she twirled around and clawed at her captor's arms. Another girl grabbed Evanna's waist, trying to restrain her writhing form—just when her backpack slid off her shoulder and plopped to the ground. The heck are they even trying to do?

Oleanda's iron grip showed no sign of slackening, and Evanna twisted her head in time to see Marilda struggling against the other tall girl's chokehold. Then a metallic glint drew her attention to a pair of scissors in Sara's hand. With a manicured finger, Sara flicked Marilda's hair. Evanna's jaw dropped open. No way. She can't get away with it. Wait, who's gonna believe me or Mari-chan if we say...

Sara's serene gaze shifted from Marilda's wide-eyed face to Evanna's belligerent scowl, and she said in a sing-song voice, "They say hair is a girl's best asset."

No one moved. The city sounds seemed to recede.

The scissors approached Marilda's hair with exaggerated slowness. "Let's see how you look with a free haircut!"

Marilda squirmed and managed to croak, "Let me go!"

Mustering up all her strength, Evanna kicked at the girl grasping her torso. Neither she, nor Oleanda relinquished their hold. All three of them thudded to the ground. Evanna winced as pain blossomed on her shoulder upon impact.

The spectacle only stalled Sara for a moment. She grabbed a bunch of hair and was about to snip it off, when Marilda struggled hard. The blade moved across her cheek and drew blood, making her scream.

The scream reverberated in Evanna's head, and something snapped. Emotion rocketed up while adrenaline pumped into her veins. She glared up at Oleanda, whose wiry form pinned her to the ground. A frantic survey of her surroundings revealed a garbage bin that stood a few feet away.

Then she sensed it surge within. It was no different from moving a limb—she just knew how to do it. Yet, it was like pushing against ten Gs worth of force.

Her body shuddered, and her eyes strained. Unbeknownst to anyone, a garbage bin rose slightly off the ground of its own accord and seemed to hang suspended in the air. Then it slammed against Oleanda, tipping its contents onto her and saturating the air with the stench of rotting food.

Oleanda yelped and rolled off Evanna. The other girl scrambled away in alarm.

Now freed, Evanna lurched to her feet and made a beeline for Sara, who whirled around. Then she pulled back a fist, her shoulder protesting at the sudden motion, and punched the other girl full in the face.

Sara shrieked and recoiled, clutching her nose. The scissors clattered to the ground.

"You touch me or my friends again—and I'm giving you more than a nosebleed!" Evanna shouted, her voice quavering.

The girl holding Marilda looked shaken at the unexpected turn of events, and her eyes darted around. Evanna glared at her as she massaged her stinging knuckles.

Marilda used her captor's indecision to push away from her.

Evanna grabbed her bag off the ground, and the two of them made for the road, breaking into a run, while malevolent stares bored into their receding backs.