The finish line.

Saturday morning, I find myself traversing through familiar shrubbery, a destination in mind.

Ever since our parting, I hadn't seen The Senior, he had started avoiding me again just like at the beginning of the semester. I had found some hypocrisy in his wordings the last time we had met, either that or a reveal of great concern.

As I passed the last tree, I found the aged boulder. The forest avoided it, making it seem as if it was out of this world. And, someone was standing before it. I had my hopes then raised, only to fall immediately, as it was not The Senior.

Approaching the man in silent steps, I stand slightly behind him. He had brought his hands together and slightly bowed to the boulder. Was he worshipping it?

I stood there for a good minute in silence until he finally spoke out.

"And who are you, kid? What brings you here?" The man said one eye watching me.

Kid? While he had looked older than me, he didn't look old enough to call me a kid, nor was I a kid.

"Avery, Avery sky. I was looking for someone, sadly they don't seem to be here." I nod to him.

"Sky you say? I can't imagine anyone for you to be acquainted with here... You got a name?" he turned facing me.

He had been surprisingly willing to help, "No, sorry. Just a description." 

"Hmmm, now that's a weird story. Someone who would be here, yet you do not know their name?" He tilted his head confused.

Before I could explain my situation though, his confused face turned hostile.

"Unless. You mean him." He glared.

"An eccentric senior with a fitting attire, if that's what you mean by 'him', then yes." I continued indifferently.

"That scumbag isn't here." He said his tone leaving no hint of its old kindness.

"I see," I said. While it was unfortunate I couldn't find The Senior, the man ahead of me seemed like he could give me the answer I was seeking. This was better, as I didn't wish to meet The Senior if possible.

"Excuse me, but are you a senior too?" I asked the man piercing through me with his eyes.

"'Too', huh? Don't make me laugh. Me and that lowlife are to never be compared." He moved his gaze away from me, lowering it to the ground.

Was he not a senior then? Or was it that The Senior was something beyond that of a senior? Perhaps a super senior?

"But, yes. I am a senior," he answered facing me again. "I am Julian Everhart. A 4th-year psychology student."

So, he was a senior. Then he will know the answer to my question, but asking it straight out might come out a bit too insensitive.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is this place? You seemed like you were giving it a great deal of appreciation back there." I asked the senior, trying to reach my point eventually.

"This place..." his expression saddened. "It's the end, you might say. Where most will come to end up." I could see him clench his fists.

"The end? What could you mean?" I continued on, I didn't want to shy away any more than I had done.

"It's the end of the road. When you are finally seen as unneeded, when you have played all your cards, when you are overcome by another of greater potential, here you will lay. Your will passed on, you will be of no longer an identity, nothing but a shell." Julian spoke.

So, my presumption was true, The Senior really had left such a dark meaning behind his words.

'Seniors, huh? Well, there are barely any.'

I had pondered over them, he had declared that escape was impossible, and never had it been achieved. And I would presume leaving legitimately would be near impossible. So, why was it that few were left? Why was it that barely any were left? NUR had never been short of new participants. The second years could give such a statement as well.

To the outside, it's nothing more than an outstanding facility with a promising future for the 'few' who can graduate within it. But, only after that, I had enrolled I wondered, just where were all the dropouts? They were here. Lying dormant beneath me.

"I'm sorry for my question." I apologized to the senior, as I had pushed him to answer despite having an understanding.

"Don't worry about it, Avery. It's expected to be as wary as you are as a freshman. Also, I'm sorry myself. If my words had brought you down, you can ignore them. After all that happened to us, hopefully won't happen to you. We were simply the victims for his finale." Julian said.

"Victims of his finale? What could you mean?" 

"Now that is something I'm unable to speak of, sorry Avery."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." I could imagine many restrictions being placed upon the seniors when discussing with their juniors. After all, the faculty definitely won't want its subjects spoiled.

"Anyway, I will be leaving." Julian said turning around, " I hope I will see you here every once in a while, I'm sure they will appreciate it." He left, waving at me one final time.

"Wait." I said, hoping to stop him for one final answer, "Him, what is his name?"

He chuckled, "If you find out, do tell me." He said disappearing into the greenery.

I turned around facing the boulder. The countless graffiti had spoken of its significance. the names on it were as of that of a gravestone. I bowed for a moment and then went back.

I entered my dorm room, and walking in I could see my roommate using the desk. She gave me a cold glance, and then got engrossed in her studying once again. 

This is how it has been since. Since that experiment, it has been just like that.

The day after the cheater's dilemma.

I was on my phone lying down on the dorm's balcony. Aimlessly scrolling on social media I had nothing to do. Yesterday was quite the event so I wished to relax a bit. Some might say that it was exactly due to what had happened yesterday I shouldn't relax, but it wasn't as if I could do anything anyway. The Senior had shown himself yesterday, so I doubt he will be appearing so soon.

I had laid down a blanket on the balcony's ground so that I wouldn't get my back dirty. The weather was quite to my liking so I enjoyed my position.

Eventually, my roommate barged into the dorms in tears.

"Avery, where are you!" She cried.

I jumped up and got into the dorm room surprised.

"W-what do you want?" I was a lot more than flustered, all kinds of stupid ideas were filling my head. 'Oh my goddd, has she fallen for me?' 'Has she realized how much she cared for me?' 'Has she seen the fate bringing us together?!'

I was all giddy, but thinking back, She clearly looked so filled with hatred she could've killed me on the spot.

"What did you do?!" She demanded, "What did you do to Teodor?!"

Oh.

"H-H-He said he never wants to see me again! And, it's all your fault...!" She threw a fist at me, though with how broken down she was it fell midway through.

"I just wanted to talk to him..." She said repeatedly trying to hit me, "I just wanted to ask why he was avoiding me... But as soon as I spoke, he shrunk in fear... He said nothing but your name, and then ran away..." She kept hitting me.

Her sobbing grew, her smile no longer to be seen.

"I'm sorry." I apologized to her. I had failed. I had chosen myself over her. I had picked another over her. I was nothing more than a hypocrite.

"Sorry?! Sorry for what?! Y-Y-You, I hate you!" She continued sobbing, her fists growing in strength.

"H-hey, what's happening?" Our neighbor, a female friend of hers, came tiptoeing in.

"Please... see to her." I escaped, leaving my own room.

"I hate you! Hate, hate, hate!" She repeated in the arms of her friend.

As I left, I hated myself as well. I had taken away her smile. Teodor, I do not know why, but he was a joy to her, and I had selfishly taken that away. I might as well have taken her only stronghold on this land. This might lead her into many further hardships later on, but... It was my choice. I would repeat it, no matter what. But, From now on, never will I repeat such an outcome. I have taken my stance, Once this is all over. Once I'm back home, I will apologize to them then, but from now on I understand who will be holding priority.

This will never come to happen again.

Present day.

Since then we have not talked. From what I was told by her friend, the neighbor, she had tried to change her room, but she was denied it. Well, I'm glad she isn't showing any suicidal tendencies at least. I have made sure to double-check everything we have, I even went through her belongings while she was away.

Though I was crossing boundaries, I did not wish to regret anything later, even if it made me feel terrible, it was better than allowing an uncrossable line to come forth.

I spent the night reading until my eyelids gave up.

???: A man's declaration.

Monday, Finishing my lecture, I walked out and headed for a bench on campus, Zakariya had told me he was waiting there so I moved there without a detour.

On the way there, in the crowded hall, a person stood in the center facing me. The closer I got, the wider his sinister smile got, his eyes accompanying it tightly shut, I had wondered if he was facing me by accident. Eventually, around 5 meters away from each other, the tall man bowed.

"It's my pleasure, Avery." He said straightening his back and looking down at me.

"And, who are you?" I couldn't help but gather a defensive tone. The man radiated malice.

He widened his right eye and looked at me.

"Oh please, do not scare me like that, dear Avery. I'm here only for needed greetings."

"And why is that?" I didn't like the 'dear', it had sounded snarky enough to hit him for.

"Nothing much just wanted to introduce myself to my next opponent." he said closing the distance between us, "I will be looking forward to our game. I will make sure to leave none of that apathetic self of yours behind." Walking past me, he looked even more terrifying as he slightly towered over the crowd soon disappearing as he took a turn.

"Game, you say? Another psychotic person it seems." I murmured while going for Zakariya.