Jun's POV
The road curled like a serpent up the green hills, clouds brushing the edges of the windows as the altitude climbed. Jun kept his arm steady so that Kind could sleep without shifting too much, the boy's breath warm and soft against the fabric of his shirt.
He watched the trees blur past the glass, but his mind wasn't on the landscape anymore.
It was on Win.On Mean.On what he saw last night.
He'd lied to Kind — not about his feelings, but about how serious things had gotten.
This trip wasn't just a chance to grow closer. It was his window to act.
The school had already "lost" students on such field trips in the past — always quietly, always explained away. Suman, the kid who disappeared during the science camp; Preeti, who "never got on the bus" during the museum tour. Jun's agency suspected there was more — and that some of the staff were complicit.
And now, Mean had chosen to stay back and cover Win's expenses.
Not just out of friendship.
But because Win's mother wasn't just sick.She was injured.
And Jun had a suspicion why.
[You'll only have one chance to expose them, Jun. Be smart. Be fast.] His senior's words echoed in his head.
"Mm…" Kind shifted gently against him, stirring from sleep.
"Are we there yet?" Kind asked in a groggy whisper, blinking as sunlight hit his face.
"Almost," Jun said with a smile, brushing a hair strand from Kind's forehead. "You feeling any better?"
"A bit," Kind mumbled. "Sorry for all the mess…"
"Kind," Jun said, looking straight into his eyes, "You don't have to be sorry for being human."
Kind blinked, clearly taken aback by the sincerity. Then gave a small, sleepy smile.
Jun wished he could hold that moment — but just then, the bus slowed again. This time more gently.
"We'll be stopping here for 15 minutes!" Mr. Limbu announced. "Stretch your legs, breathe the fresh mountain air!"
As students began getting off the bus one by one, Jun's eyes caught something out the window that made his chest tighten.
A white van.
Unmarked. Tinted.
Parked a little too far from the rest of the vehicles.
And beside it?
A man in a black jacket, talking on the phone. His eyes swept toward their bus, then away.
Jun's instincts flared.
"Kind," he said softly, "stay near me, alright?"
Kind tilted his head. "What's wrong?"
"Just… don't wander off."
Jun slid his phone from his pocket and quickly snapped a photo of the van and the man before getting off the bus. He texted the photo to his agency's backup contact, then turned to Kind and gently grabbed his wrist again, just like before.
"Come on, let's walk for a bit."
Kind didn't argue. He never did.
They walked up a slope away from the bus, away from the van, to a spot where they could see the rolling hills stretching out into the distance.
For a moment, they stood there, Kind resting his chin on his knees, Jun watching the road behind them.
"Jun," Kind whispered after a few minutes, "if you had a chance to run away from everything… would you take it?"
Jun glanced sideways. "Depends. Would you be running away from something... or running to something?"
Kind turned his eyes to Jun, and there was something deep in them. Something that made Jun's throat tighten.
"I don't know," Kind replied. "Maybe both."
Jun didn't answer right away.
Instead, he slid his fingers between Kind's slowly — not forcefully, just enough to say: you don't have to run alone.
Kind didn't pull away.
Back at the Bus
As they walked back, Jun saw the white van was gone.
Just like that.
No engine sound. No tire marks. Nothing.
Gone like a ghost.
His stomach twisted. This wasn't over. It was only getting more dangerous.
Evening — Arrival at Pokhara
The sun dipped behind the snow-topped hills as the bus finally rolled into the beautiful lake city. The school had arranged for them to stay at a lodge near Phewa Lake.
As the students got off the bus, Kind inhaled deeply. "Wow… it smells different here."
"It smells like stories waiting to happen," Jun said, smiling — but inside, he was scanning the crowd.
And that's when he saw it.
A shadow behind the lodge.
Watching them.
He couldn't see the face.
But the feeling was clear.
They were being followed.
Jun didn't flinch, didn't glance again at the shadow — not directly. He'd been trained for this. Eye contact could mean warning. Movement could be provocation.
Instead, he placed a hand casually on Kind's shoulder and leaned in.
"Stay close to the teachers tonight. Don't go anywhere alone — not even the bathroom, okay?" he whispered low enough that only Kind could hear.
Kind blinked at him. "Jun… what's going on?"
Jun gave a tired smile. "Just my paranoia. You know I overthink things."
But Kind didn't buy it. Jun could tell. Still, he didn't press. Maybe he knew better than to ask too many questions out in the open.
They stepped through the gates of the lodge. It looked normal — cozy, even. A two-story wooden structure with lantern lights, blooming bougainvillea, and a glassed reception hall. Laughter echoed from the back, where a small group of students were already admiring the lake view.
But Jun's gut screamed.
They were being watched.
Later that Night — Room 203
The boys were split into groups of four. Kind was assigned with Jun, along with two others — a quiet scholarship kid named Milan and a hyperactive chatterbox named Saugat, who thankfully knocked out right after dinner.
Milan was still brushing his teeth in the bathroom. Jun pretended to scroll through his phone but was instead encrypting a message.
TO: Handler BETASENT: 22:37LOCATION: Lodge Tulsi, PokharaACTIVITY: Shadow confirmed on site. Van disappeared earlier. Suspected surveillance.K-Status: Active but Unaware.Requesting greenlight for night scan.Over.
He pressed send, then quietly tucked the burner device back into the lining of his backpack. When he looked up, Kind was already lying on his side on the bed opposite him, curled into the blanket.
Jun didn't say anything. He knew Kind was awake.
After a long silence, Kind's voice broke the quiet.
"Do you trust anyone here, Jun?"
Jun sat up slightly, surprised.
Kind continued, still facing away. "I mean… we're on a school trip. And yet you're acting like we're being hunted."
Jun thought about lying.
But he was tired of lies.
"…No," Jun admitted. "I don't trust most of them."
Kind rolled to face him. His eyes reflected the bedside light. "Even the teachers?"
Jun's jaw tensed. "Especially the teachers."
Kind didn't say anything for a long time. Then:
"I think I saw someone watching from the trees. When we arrived."
Jun's breath caught.
"Did you get a look at their face?"
"No," Kind said. "But I… I felt it. It felt like they were looking for someone."
Jun leaned forward. "Kind, if anything happens — anything weird or unexpected — I need you to run straight to Mr. Limbu or me. Don't trust strangers. Don't split off from the group."
Kind nodded. "Okay."
"And keep this to yourself. Please. Not even your closest friends. Promise me?"
"I promise," Kind whispered.
Jun nodded.
Then, from across the room, Milan emerged from the bathroom, yawning. Saugat was already snoring.
The moment was gone.
But the pact was made.
Midnight — The Ping
Jun's burner phone buzzed under the pillow. He pretended to roll over and slipped it into his hand.
BETA: Scan authorized. Watch the west wing.Avoid direct engagement. Cameras compromised.Someone knows you're here.
Jun's heart dropped.
He sat up slowly, grabbed a hoodie, and whispered, "Bathroom," to no one in particular.
Once outside the room, he didn't go to the bathroom.
He went to the hallway outside the west wing — where the teachers' rooms were.
And stopped.
Someone was already there.
A boy in school uniform. Alone. Standing at the end of the hall, just… staring.
It wasn't Milan.
It wasn't anyone Jun recognized.
And then — the boy smiled.
A slow, unnatural curl of the lips.
Jun took a step forward. "Hey, are you—"
But the boy turned and bolted.
Jun chased after him — not loudly, not running. But with practiced speed.
Down the stairs. Through the lobby.
Out the back.
To the edge of the lake.
But when he turned the corner, the boy was gone.
Only the wind answered him, ruffling the dark surface of the lake.
But Jun saw it then — faint footprints in the mud. Small, barefoot.
He bent down and touched the print.
It was warm.
Still fresh.
The Morning After
The sun was barely up when Kind opened his eyes.
He didn't remember falling asleep. The last thing he remembered was leaning on Jun's shoulder, the exhaustion from vomiting and the travel knocking him out like a light. But now, as golden morning light peeked through the hotel curtains, Jun's bed across from him was… empty.
He sat up slowly, his head still a bit heavy. The two other roommates were fast asleep. Milan's blanket was half on the floor, and Saugat was mumbling something in his dreams.
[Where is he?] Kind rubbed his eyes, then looked around the room.
Jun's shoes were gone.
So was his jacket.
And… the book he borrowed from the library? Nowhere in sight.
That odd feeling from yesterday crept back. Like something didn't fit. Jun had been so kind, so careful — too careful. Almost like he was trying to protect him from something without saying it out loud.
Kind stood up, tiptoeing to the bathroom and quickly splashing water on his face. He changed into a sweatshirt and quietly stepped out of the room without waking the others.
Outside the Lodge – 6:18 AM
The cold morning air hit him like a whisper. The fog was thick, rolling low across the hills, and only a few early birds chirped from the trees.
Kind walked around the lodge's back, toward the lake view they'd seen briefly yesterday.
That's when he saw him.
Jun was standing at the edge of the dock. Alone. Hood up. Looking over the lake, like he'd been there for a while. He didn't turn even when Kind's footsteps echoed slightly on the wooden boards.
"You left before anyone woke up," Kind said softly, hands in his pockets.
Jun didn't flinch. "Couldn't sleep."
Kind moved beside him and looked at the lake. It was still, like glass, mirroring the soft pink sky above. The air smelled like wet wood and winter air.
"Are you okay?" Kind asked, peeking up at him.
Jun finally turned to him — and for the first time, Kind saw the tiredness in his eyes. Not just from the journey, but something deeper.
Jun opened his mouth, hesitated, then sighed. "Kind… can I ask you something weird?"
Kind blinked. "Uh, sure."
"If someone you cared about… found out you weren't who you said you were… would they still want to be around you?"
The question hung in the air like breath in the cold.
Kind furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"
Jun looked at the water again. "Just imagine. You meet someone. You like them. You try to protect them. But if they found out the truth… they might think you're dangerous. Or fake."
Kind's voice was quiet, but firm. "I don't think protecting people makes you fake."
Jun finally met his gaze. "Even if everything else was a lie?"
Kind held his breath.
"Are you… lying to me, Jun?" His voice cracked.
Jun didn't answer immediately.
But then — he stepped closer. Not too close. Just enough.
"I'm not here as just another student," he said finally. "I'm not even supposed to tell you this."
Kind's heart pounded.
Jun looked straight into his eyes. "I work for an investigative division. Undercover. I came to this school because… things weren't adding up. The students disappearing. The staff avoiding questions. The fake scholarships. The missing records. And Win…"
Kind froze. "What about Win?"
Jun's voice lowered to a whisper. "Win's family has been on a watchlist for years. He doesn't know it. But his mother was connected to something bigger — and she might not be sick at all."
Kind's mouth fell open.
He wanted to say something — anything — but the words wouldn't come out.
"I wanted to keep you out of it," Jun continued. "But I think you're already in it. More than you know."
Kind took a shaky step back. "Wait… are you saying my family—"
"No," Jun interrupted. "You're not the target."
Then he added softly: "You were never supposed to be involved."
"But I am," Kind whispered.
A long silence.
The wind rustled the trees nearby. A bird flew over the water and vanished into the clouds.
Jun looked at him, regret shadowing his features. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I just didn't want you to look at me the way you're looking now."
Kind stared at him — confused, hurt, overwhelmed — but also… something else. Something small and trembling and still beating, just like his heart.
"I don't know what to think, Jun," he said quietly. "But I'm still here."
Jun blinked.
That was more than he'd expected.
"…Thank you," Jun said, voice rougher than before.
Kind gave a faint nod. "You said I'm already involved?"
"Yes," Jun replied. "And I think Win might be in trouble. Real trouble."
"And Mean?" Kind asked suddenly. "You said something came up for him."
Jun looked away. "He's helping Win. Secretly. Financially. His mom is in the hospital… but the hospital isn't in Win's name. It's under an alias."
"…What?"
Jun finally turned toward the lodge.
"We don't have time to explain everything now. But today, when we go hiking into the hills… we'll pass close to a place. A facility. It's hidden in plain sight. That's where I think it's all happening."
Kind swallowed hard.
"We're going to need proof," Jun said.
"And if we find it?" Kind asked, his voice trembling.
Jun looked him in the eye. "Then we bring it back. And bring everything down."