Transmigrated into the Extra Chapter as an Extra

Chapter 14 : Closer, One Step at a Time

The next day, Arzen's morning followed the same monotonous rhythm it always did. He slipped into class unnoticed, keeping his head low as he made his way to his desk. The air carried its usual hum of chatter and the shuffle of papers, but nothing out of the ordinary happened. Raizel, true to his peculiar indifference, didn't spare Arzen a single glance. Carsel, equally merciful that day, refrained from any more attempts at conversation. For once, Arzen felt invisible—and it suited him just fine.

When the final bell rang, Arzen remained seated, waiting as usual for Carsel and Raizel to leave first. He busied himself with shuffling the contents of his bag, pretending to check over his notes, but his ears stayed tuned to the faint sound of footsteps fading into the hallway. When he was certain the classroom was empty, he stood and slipped out the door, moving quietly through the now-empty halls.

His pace was unhurried, deliberate. Each step toward the gym felt heavier than the last, as if his shoes were weighed down with invisible stones. With every step, he pulled out his phone, staring at the screen, hoping against hope to see a text from Raizel canceling their meeting. Yet, no notifications lit up the screen, and no messages appeared. A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he slid the phone back into his pocket.

Finally, he rounded the corner of the gym, his gaze lifting to the secluded space behind the building—a place so eerily familiar to him. His heart sank as he spotted a figure already there. Raizel stood leaning against the wall, one hand tucked under the other arm, a book held loosely in his free hand. His head was bent slightly, his attention fully consumed by the pages before him.

The sight was almost surreal. This was his place, a fragment of his old world that had somehow materialized here. And yet, there stood Raizel—a piece of this alien world intruding on that fragile sense of familiarity. It felt... wrong. The two elements didn't belong together, and seeing them coexist so naturally sent an uncomfortable shiver down Arzen's spine.

For a moment, he hesitated, his feet rooted to the spot as he watched Raizel from afar. The other boy seemed oblivious to his presence, utterly absorbed in whatever he was reading. Raizel's figure was relaxed, his posture casual but composed, as if he were merely waiting for time to pass rather than for someone to arrive.

Raizel finally looked up, his sharp gaze cutting through the distance as it scanned Arzen from head to toe. His expression didn't change, remaining as unreadable as ever.

"What do you need?"

Arzen's voice cut through the quiet. His tone carried a clipped edge, his stance rigid. He didn't want another strange encounter dragging on.

Raizel didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze stayed fixed on Arzen, as though weighing his response.

Arzen's brow drew tight.

"If you've got nothing to say, I'm leaving."

Raizel's lips parted, his voice emerging without urgency.

"Have you eaten?"

"What?"

Arzen's shoulders stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he processed the unexpected question. Dumbfounded didn't begin to describe how he felt. What kind of question was that?

"Have I eaten?"

The words echoed in his mind, his confusion mixing with a flicker of irritation. Was Raizel asking if he'd had lunch? Dinner? It had barely been half an hour since class ended. Of course, he hadn't eaten yet. Why would he? It wasn't even close to dinnertime.

Arzen's jaw tightened as his thoughts spiraled. What kind of ridiculous question was this? And why did Raizel, of all people, care whether he'd eaten or not?