The next morning, John woke up earlier than usual. The first thing that entered his mind was not breakfast, college, or the ordinary worries of daily life. Instead, his thoughts immediately returned to the terrifying events of the previous evening. As he lay staring at the ceiling, memories of the battle replayed vividly in his head. The strange powers, the mysterious card holder, and the overwhelming feeling of standing inches away from death made his chest tighten. He had barely survived. If the card had not activated on its own at that crucial moment, he was certain he would not be alive today.
Slowly sitting up on his bed, John reached into his pocket and pulled out his black card. The smooth surface felt cold against his fingertips. Unlike yesterday, he no longer looked at it with curiosity. There was now a sense of caution and respect in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the card, and instantly the familiar blue interface appeared before him.
His inventory opened. Rows of slots stretched across the screen, most of them empty. Inside a few occupied spaces rested the black card and the red card he had obtained. John carefully examined every detail. His eyes widened slightly when he noticed that his level had increased.
Level: 2
Card Rank: 5
"So I actually leveled up..." he murmured to himself.
Near the card icon, several small glowing symbols floated in the air. Curious, he tapped one of them. Immediately, pages of information unfolded before him. He began reading carefully, his expression becoming more serious with every line.
The instructions explained that cards consumed something called emotional waves as their source of power. Fear, anger, joy, hatred, despair, excitement—every emotion could be converted into energy. The stronger the emotion being experienced, the greater the power the card could unleash. Intense emotions created stronger abilities, while weaker emotions produced weaker effects. The realization sent a chill down John's spine. It meant that emotions were not simply feelings anymore; they had become fuel.
As he continued reading, he noticed another important section. The inventory system, levels, cards, and abilities were all connected to one another. It was not just a collection of random powers. Everything was part of a larger system designed with a clear purpose.
Then he reached a particular sentence.
Card Holders are naturally drawn toward one another.
John froze.
His eyes remained locked on the words.
"So that's why..." he whispered.
Everything suddenly made sense. The encounter yesterday hadn't been an accident. Card holders would inevitably find each other. Whether they wanted to or not, they would cross paths. Sooner or later they would be forced into conflict. It was as if some invisible force was pulling them together. A dangerous game had already begun, and now he was one of its unwilling participants.
Before he could continue reading, the sound of his bedroom door opening made him jump. His heart nearly stopped. Instinctively, he closed the system. The blue screen vanished immediately.
Trying to appear casual, John grabbed his phone and leaned back against his chair.
A second later, his younger sister Emily stepped into the room.
The moment she entered, her suspicious eyes narrowed.
"Hmm..." she said slowly.
John sighed.
"What?"
Emily crossed her arms and smirked.
"You closed something the second I walked in."
"No, I didn't."
"You absolutely did."
"I was checking my phone."
"Sure you were."
John rolled his eyes.
Emily suddenly gasped dramatically.
"Wait a second..."
"Oh no."
"You got a girlfriend, didn't you?"
John stared at her in disbelief.
"What?"
"Aha! Look at your face! You definitely got a girlfriend!"
"I don't have a girlfriend."
"Then why are you acting suspicious?"
"Because you're being annoying."
Emily laughed and threw herself onto his bed.
"You know, Mom would cry tears of joy if you actually got one."
John grabbed a pillow and tossed it at her.
"Very funny."
Emily grinned mischievously.
"I'm serious."
"Not until you find one for me."
"Impossible."
"Then stop talking."
For several minutes, the siblings exchanged playful insults and teasing remarks. Their conversation flowed naturally, filled with the kind of comfort only siblings could share. For the first time since yesterday's terrifying battle, John felt somewhat normal again.
Eventually, he noticed Emily was still sitting there.
"Okay," he said. "What do you actually want?"
Emily immediately looked guilty.
John groaned.
"I knew it."
"Listen first."
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm asking."
"Whenever you start with 'listen first,' it costs me something."
Emily pouted.
"Dumbo."
"What do you want?"
She hesitated for a moment.
"Tomorrow is the college fashion show."
John blinked.
"And?"
"I need someone to walk with me."
The room became silent.
Then John started laughing.
Emily stared at him.
"Why are you laughing?"
"You're serious?"
"Yes."
"You want me to participate in a fashion show?"
"Yes."
"No."
Emily grabbed another pillow and hit him.
"Why not?"
"Because it's ridiculous."
"It isn't!"
"Why don't you ask one of your male friends?"
Emily crossed her arms.
"Lots of them asked me."
"Then choose one."
"I don't want to."
"Why?"
Emily looked away for a moment.
"Because I'm comfortable with you."
John paused.
The answer was simple, yet sincere.
Before the moment could become emotional, however, he ruined it.
"Maybe nobody wanted to walk beside a monkey."
Emily immediately stood up.
"EXCUSE ME?"
Another pillow hit his face.
The argument continued for nearly ten minutes before Emily finally attempted a bribe.
"If you come with me, I'll do your laundry for two weeks."
John rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Four weeks."
"What?"
"Four weeks."
"No."
"Then no fashion show."
Emily groaned dramatically.
"You're the worst brother alive."
"And dinner."
"What?!"
"And lunch."
Emily stared at him in horror.
"You are so selfish."
John smirked.
"Just like you."
After a lengthy negotiation, she finally accepted the deal.
The next day was spent practicing.
Walking on a ramp turned out to be far more difficult than John had expected. He felt awkward and out of place, but Emily patiently guided him through everything. She corrected his posture, taught him how to walk confidently, and repeatedly reminded him not to look terrified.
By the time evening arrived, they were finally ready.
The tailor had completed the outfits Emily designed specifically for the competition. Even John had to admit they looked impressive. The clothes suited them perfectly and reflected Emily's talent as a designer.
As they stepped outside, a loud car horn echoed from the street.
John looked up.
"You rented a car?"
Emily proudly nodded.
"Of course."
"When did you become rich?"
Emily immediately avoided eye contact.
"Mom paid, didn't she?"
Emily remained silent.
"Mom paid."
She sighed.
"Mom paid."
The drive to the college was smooth, and they arrived without damaging their outfits.
The campus had transformed into a dazzling event venue. Bright lights illuminated every corner. Music echoed through the air. Students and guests filled the grounds, dressed in elegant outfits that made the entire place feel like a professional fashion event.
Despite trying to stay calm, John felt nervous.
Emily noticed immediately.
"Relax."
"I am relaxed."
"You look like you're about to throw up."
"Thanks for the confidence boost."
She laughed and pulled him toward the stage area.
The competition began.
To John's surprise, everything went smoothly. Their performance received enthusiastic applause from the audience. Emily's designs attracted considerable attention, and many participants approached them afterward to offer compliments.
By the end of the event, they secured second place.
Emily practically jumped with excitement when the results were announced.
Although they hadn't won first place, the achievement was still impressive.
For the rest of the evening, they spoke with other contestants and friends. Everything felt normal.
Almost.
Throughout the event, John's card occasionally emitted a faint pulse of energy from his pocket. It felt eerily similar to what he had experienced before meeting the card holder yesterday.
Each time he checked his surroundings, however, nothing seemed unusual.
The audience was full of ordinary students.
Or so it appeared.
Among the crowd stood a quiet girl with long dark hair. She occasionally glanced in John's direction. Every time their eyes nearly met, she quickly looked away. She never approached him, and John remained completely unaware of her attention.
Later that night, after the celebrations ended, John and Emily returned home.
The house was quiet.
Everything seemed peaceful.
Yet the moment John entered his room, the black card inside his pocket began glowing again.
A pulse of dark energy spread through the card.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
John's expression hardened.
That feeling.
He recognized it immediately.
Danger.
A card holder was nearby.
Slowly, he approached the window.
The curtains swayed gently in the night breeze.
His heartbeat quickened.
Then he looked outside.
And froze.
Across the street stood a figure.
Motionless.
Watching.
The person stood beneath a streetlamp, their face hidden beneath shadows. Yet even from that distance, John could feel their gaze locked directly onto him.
In one hand, the stranger held a card.
A faint smile appeared on the figure's face.
Then they slowly raised the card into the air.
John's grip tightened around his own.
The message was unmistakable.
The card holder had found him.
And this time, they had come looking for him deliberately.
