Nanno: Shadows of the Past

Chapter 3: Shadows of the Past

(POV: Nanno)

The days that followed were a blur of sleepless nights and frantic research. The strange man who had appeared at the library lingered in her mind like a shadow, making her feel more paranoid and on edge than ever before. Every corner she turned, every stranger she passed, seemed like a potential threat. She couldn't trust anyone, not even herself.

The letter. The file. Everything was a piece of a puzzle she didn't know how to solve, but she was determined to find the missing pieces.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of another day. Most of the students shuffled out of the classroom, eager to escape, but Nanno stayed behind, pretending to pack her bag. She knew something was off. It was always the quiet ones who hid the most, and lately, it was the quiet ones who seemed to be watching her the most. Like the young girl sitting at the back of the class, always with her head down, scribbling something in her notebook.

Nanno watched her for a few moments before she stood up, grabbed her bag, and walked over to the girl's desk.

"Hey," Nanno said, her voice low, but not unkind.

The girl looked up, startled, her wide eyes almost as if she hadn't expected anyone to approach her. She quickly glanced down at her notebook, trying to hide whatever she had been writing.

"What's your name?" Nanno asked, trying to sound casual, though her curiosity was eating her alive.

The girl hesitated before answering. "Saya."

"Saya," Nanno repeated, nodding slowly. "You're always here, always quiet. Why?"

Saya shifted in her seat, looking around nervously. "I... I don't mean to be quiet. It's just... it's hard to talk to people. I'm not good at it."

Nanno smiled slightly, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. "I see. But I've noticed something, Saya. You've been watching me a lot lately. Every time I turn around, you're looking at me. Why?"

Saya's face went pale, and she quickly looked away, embarrassed. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Nanno leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice. "Tell me, Saya. What are you really hiding? Why are you watching me?"

Saya didn't answer immediately. She glanced over her shoulder, then back at Nanno, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "I... I'm not supposed to talk about it. But if you really want to know... my family... my family was part of something big. Something dangerous. And I think you're connected to it."

The words sent a chill down Nanno's spine. "What do you mean? What is this about?"

Saya's voice dropped to a whisper. "There are people watching you, Nanno. People who are looking for something... someone. They think you know the truth. And they'll do anything to stop you from finding it."

A cold silence fell over them. Nanno stared at Saya, unsure whether to believe her or not. But there was something in her eyes, something that told Nanno she wasn't lying.

"I can't tell you everything," Saya continued, her voice barely audible. "But there are others, like me, who know things. If you really want to know about your past, about your parents... you have to be careful. Trust no one."

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day, but Nanno's world had just been flipped upside down. She didn't know who Saya was, or why she was telling her all of this, but she did know one thing: she couldn't ignore this warning.

บทที่ 3: เงาของอดีต

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