Prologue

Saluntia—often called Tia—is a seventeen-year-old girl who has just completed her junior high school education. She is an ordinary student, much like other girls her age: fairly diligent and kind-hearted. Tia is the only child in her family, and they live in a house inherited from her mother’s side.

Economic hardship forces both of her parents to work from morning until late at night. Because of this, Tia only ever sees them when she is about to go to bed. Yet, rather than complaining, she chooses to stay strong. She wants to help her parents by studying hard and eventually finding a stable job that could ease their burden. Her father works as a construction laborer, while her mother is a courier.

On her graduation day, Tia passed with fairly high grades. Unfortunately, her parents could not attend due to their work. Even so, she did not feel discouraged. She walked forward alone to receive her report card without any sense of shame.

As she stood before her teacher, the teacher noticed the uncertainty on Tia’s face and asked,
“Is something wrong? Are you still thinking about where to continue your studies?”

Seeing Tia’s reaction, she continued,
“Your grades are good. Your attitude is great—you're diligent and disciplined. You could get into a well-known school, you know.”

Tia replied humbly,
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best. Please pray for me.”

Her teacher smiled warmly and said,
“You managed to graduate without my prayers—imagine what you can do with them. You could even become the top graduate.”

She let out a soft laugh. Tia knew that the school had no idea about her family’s situation, so she smiled faintly and laughed along to avoid making things awkward.

Walking down the school hallway, Tia couldn’t stop thinking about how she could continue to senior high school. She understood all too well how difficult life could be for someone with only a junior high diploma. She also knew that starting a business was not an option given her family’s financial condition.

As she walked, she passed many of her friends—taking photos together in the school yard, sharing laughter—but her mind remained elsewhere. Even on her way home, her thoughts drifted endlessly, trying to figure out what she should do.

Then, in the middle of the road, something unexpected happened. A person in front of her was about to throw away a brochure, but the wind caught it and carried it right toward Tia. She picked it up and glanced at it briefly—only to see bold words printed clearly across the page:

“Free School.”

Without hesitation, she approached the person and asked,
“I saw you were about to throw this away. May I have it?”

The person simply nodded, barely paying attention, and walked off while talking on their phone.

Tia hurried home, her heart racing. She immediately went to her room, packed the things she thought she would need, and left a letter for her parents to say goodbye. She planned to leave that very night so she could arrive the next morning and secure a spot before the quota filled up.

By evening, everything was ready. Tia headed straight to the train station and departed for the city mentioned in the brochure.

While on the train, she reread the brochure carefully. Strangely, there were no listed requirements or qualifications for registration—only a simple line:

“First come, first served.”

Tia whispered to herself,
“Maybe they just don’t want to limit who can join.”

Reassuring herself with that thought, she leaned back and closed her eyes, preparing for whatever awaited her the next day.

Tia was jolted awake by a woman’s voice over the intercom, announcing that the train was approaching her destination. She rubbed her eyes, still heavy with sleep, and made her way to stand by the door, preparing to get off. The carriage felt eerily quiet now—so quiet that the few remaining passengers could be counted on one hand.

Still groggy, Tia waited in front of the door as the train gradually slowed to a stop at a desolate station. The doors slid open with a soft hiss, inviting passengers to step out.

She stepped down from the train and headed straight to the restroom, hoping to freshen up. Before splashing water on her face, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Her expression looked tired, distant. She cupped some water in her hands and washed her face several times, then looked up again.

As she stared at her reflection, something caught her eye.

A figure—someone—was peeking from outside.

The person wore a black hoodie, their face completely obscured. Startled, Tia spun around to face the restroom door, her heart pounding. But there was no one there. The doorway stood empty, silent.

She turned back to the mirror, her breath unsteady, checking if the figure was still there. This time, she saw nothing but her own reflection staring back.

Quickly, she stepped out of the restroom and scanned the station. It was deserted—no signs of anyone else.

Uneasy, Tia returned to the mirror once more. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “It’s just my imagination,” she muttered softly, giving her cheeks a light slap as if to wake herself up.

Tia made her way around the station until she found a map of the city. She took out her brochure and carefully compared the two, her fingers tracing the routes as she tried to orient herself. Just as she finished, the sun began to rise, casting a soft golden glow over the quiet surroundings. With a small breath of resolve, Tia began her journey toward the destination marked on the brochure.

The streets were nearly deserted, and the crisp morning air carried a lingering chill that gradually calmed her restless thoughts, allowing her to forget, if only for a moment, what had happened at the station. Seeking warmth, Tia picked up her pace into a gentle jog. She let herself get lost in the rhythm of her steps, her mind easing as she admired the tranquil morning scenery—the city slowly awakening, its streets touched by the tender light of a newborn sun.