The days in the Makeup Work Club felt endless for Nyx. Every time she thought she'd adjust to the chaotic dynamic of her new classmates, things only got stranger. Koharu, as usual, never seemed to stop talking, and her conversations mostly revolved around teasing Hanako or making lewd comments about Nyx. Azusa remained quiet and observant, as if she was studying the drama unfolding around her. Hifumi, the self-proclaimed "normal" one, sighed a lot and occasionally shot Nyx a sympathetic glance. It was like being thrown into a storm of personalities that didn't mesh, and Nyx was stuck in the middle.

She had hoped that maybe her classmates would warm up to her, but the more she interacted, the more she felt like an outsider. The weight of her silence in the group was suffocating. It wasn't like she wanted to force herself into their world, but there was no denying how out of place she felt. As if on cue, Koharu would make another teasing remark, Hanako would shoot her a sarcastic comment, and Nyx would just sit there, waiting for the time to pass. The only thing that kept her grounded was the faint hope of seeing Seia again, though she still hadn’t been able to speak with her since that first meeting.

The strange thing, however, was how Mika seemed to keep her eye on Nyx. It wasn’t just the typical ‘watching from afar’ kind of thing; it was more like she was... stalking her? Nyx had caught Mika glancing at her more than once, and every time their eyes met, Mika would quickly look away, though the look in her eyes was unsettling.

Nyx didn’t understand it. Mika’s demeanor was full of suspicion, like she saw something Nyx couldn’t. Nyx had tried to dismiss it at first, but now it was starting to feel like a constant weight on her shoulders. Every time she passed by Mika in the halls or even when they were in class, she’d feel Mika’s eyes on her. And what was worse? It felt evil, like there was some hidden agenda beneath her actions.

At first, Nyx brushed it off as paranoia. It had to be. After all, Mika had warned her to stay away from Seia earlier, so maybe that was it. Maybe it was just her way of trying to protect her friend or something, but the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. It was like Mika was a ticking time bomb, just waiting to explode.

One afternoon, as Nyx wandered through the hallways, her mind preoccupied with a million thoughts, she found herself lost in her own thoughts. She had been researching “False Sanctum” all day, but every source led to a dead end. She couldn’t understand why it kept coming up in her conversations with Mika, but every attempt to learn more only ended with vague or unhelpful information. There was a void where the answer should have been, and it was frustrating her to no end.

Lost in her frustration, Nyx wasn’t paying attention to where she was going and ended up bumping into someone. The sudden collision jolted her out of her thoughts.

“Oof,” she muttered, rubbing her forehead.

Looking up, her eyes widened.

It was Seia.

Her heart skipped a beat, and despite everything going on in her mind, she felt a rush of warmth at the sight of her. She hadn’t expected to see her here.

Seia’s presence was calming, almost like a reminder of something Nyx couldn't quite grasp yet. The silence between them was comfortable, but it was also... strange. Seia was mute, and Nyx had learned that the hard way after trying to strike up a conversation with her the previous day. But today was different. Seia had bumped into her first. She looked up at Nyx, her expression unreadable, and for a moment, Nyx forgot how to speak.

“Hey, Seia,” Nyx said with a nervous smile, pushing through her usual awkwardness. “I didn’t mean to bump into you like that. I guess I was just... distracted.” She ran a hand through her hair, not entirely sure what to say next.

Seia didn’t respond. She didn’t even acknowledge the apology. Instead, she just stared at Nyx, her eyes soft but distant.

Nyx blinked, slightly confused. Seia was always so silent, and that silence was even more pronounced today. Still, Nyx wasn’t deterred. If anything, she felt an overwhelming need to keep talking.

"I've been meaning to talk to you," Nyx continued, her voice more tentative this time. "Mika keeps... giving me weird looks. I don’t know why, but I just want to make things right, you know? I want to... I want to be friends."

Seia didn’t react. No smile, no nod, not even a tilt of her head. She just stood there, staring, as though Nyx’s words never reached her.

Nyx felt her heart sink a little. Was she... not interested? Or was she simply too silent for Nyx to understand?

Seia’s eyes flickered to Nyx's halo for a brief moment, and that brief glance made Nyx pause. She had noticed it too, didn’t she? Her halo, the cracked one that Mika had warned her about. Nyx couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety. Was that why Seia was ignoring her? Was her halo a reminder of something dangerous?

Before she could think any further, Seia gave a soft, almost imperceptible nod, then turned and walked away, her footsteps light and almost graceful.

Nyx stood there, still processing what had just happened. She had tried—tried to be friendly, tried to bridge the gap, but Seia... Seia had said nothing. Nothing.

“What did I do wrong?” Nyx asked herself aloud, her voice barely a whisper.

Her mind raced. Could it be her? Was she not worthy of Seia’s attention? She had to push through that nagging feeling, but she couldn’t help but feel discouraged.

And then, like a cruel twist of fate, Nyx spotted a familiar figure standing at the end of the hall. Mika.

Her eyes were fixed on Nyx again. The unsettling weight returned, and this time, it felt heavier.

“I really don’t get it...” Nyx muttered, shaking her head.

She was standing at a crossroads. The answers to her questions were just beyond reach, and each day felt like she was taking another step deeper into a puzzle that she couldn’t solve. What was Mika’s issue with her? Why was Seia avoiding her? And what exactly was this False Sanctum everyone kept mentioning?

One thing was for certain: being new here was not a blessing. It was a curse.

And Nyx had no idea how deep the rabbit hole went.