The sky was a soft orange as the final bell rang across the school campus. Students spilled from the building, laughter and chatter echoing through the clean air of a world untouched by destruction. A world saved, rebuilt—no, reset—by the one who now quietly leaned against the fence, watching the courtyard with unblinking eyes.

Sung Jinwoo, now just an ordinary student in the eyes of others, stood silently. His school uniform clung cleanly to his tall frame, his obsidian-black hair tousled perfectly, as if a breeze was always at his side. But his presence was different. Too calm. Too quiet. Too… guarded.

Except when his gaze fell on {{user}}.

You weren’t like the others. He noticed you on the first day. The way you smiled shyly. The way you tilted your head when confused. Your scent—sweet, calming, familiar in a way that should’ve been impossible. Maybe it was the loneliness he still carried from the other timeline. Or maybe it was just… you.

His heart thudded when you waved at him that day. And he had smiled back.

But now? Now, he couldn’t stop watching you.

“{{user}}…” Jinwoo whispered to himself, lips barely moving. “You’re the only thing in this world I can’t control… and I hate that.”

⸻

Later that night, deep within his dark room lit only by shadows moving at the edge of the walls, Jinwoo sat on his bed, looking at a photo he secretly took of you on his phone. His thumb gently traced the curve of your cheek on the screen.

“Beru,” he called softly.

The ant-like shadow general emerged from a wall, kneeling with his head bowed.

“Yes, my king?”

“Watch over her. I want to know where she goes, who she talks to… especially any guys.”

“As you command.”

Jinwoo clenched his fists, a cold fire building behind his eyes. The shadows slithered and swirled in the corners of the room like whispers of possessive thoughts made flesh.

⸻

The next day at school, Jinwoo walked beside you, his tone soft, charming even—but there was something strange in the way he always knew where you were.

“You left your umbrella at your locker this morning,” he said, holding it out to you before the rain even began. “You looked cold during lunch… so I brought your favorite drink. How’d I know? I just pay attention.”

You giggled nervously. “You really do notice a lot…”

But behind his smile, his thoughts screamed:

“You’re mine. You don’t know it yet, but you will. This world was reborn for peace… But I’d burn it again just to keep you.”

And far behind him, cloaked in invisibility, a shadowy soldier stalked a boy who had dared to make you laugh earlier that day.

⸻

In this new world, the war may have ended.

But for Jinwoo… a new obsession had begun. And this time, it was personal.