🖤 Episode 3 – Masks That Refuse to Fall
[Scene 1 – School courtyard – morning – Ri walks quickly, carrying her bag. She spots Elyar standing silently by the fence.]
Ri (with a polite smile, approaching):"Good morning, Elyar."
Elyar (without looking at her):"What do you want?"
Ri (stops, surprised):"Ah... nothing. I just wanted to say hello."
Elyar (his tone sharp):"Don't talk to me. It's none of your business."
[Ri lowers her gaze, embarrassed, stepping back slightly.]
Ri (softly):"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to bother you."
[Elyar doesn't respond. He remains still, unmoved, yet in his eyes—an invisible sting no one can see.]
Narration:"Whenever someone draws near... he sets fire to the wall between them. Because closeness is dangerous."
[Scene 2 – School hallway – Elyar walks with steady steps. From the opposite side, Himura appears and stops in front of him.]
Himura (with a mocking smile):"Still running from everyone… even from yourself."
Elyar (without stopping):"Find someone who enjoys your sarcasm."
Himura (stepping forward):"No one enjoys it. Just like no one understands you. Even the boss doesn't trust you like he used to."
Elyar (suddenly stops, staring at him):"The boss doesn't need trust. He only needs obedience."
Himura (narrowing his eyes):"Then be a good tool... and don't fail."
[They lock eyes for a moment. Elyar pushes past Himura with his shoulder and continues walking.]
Narration:"Deep in every rivalry... lies an unspoken sense of inferiority."
[Scene 3 – Ri's classroom – the atmosphere is calm, students writing silently. Ri doodles a small flower on the corner of her notebook, distracted.]
Classmate (whispering, leaning toward her):"Did you see that new guy in the high school division? I think his name is Elyar."
Ri (pausing her doodle, whispering back):"Yeah… I bumped into him by accident."
Classmate:"He's weird… but he's kinda popular with the upper-grade students. Some say he comes from a rich family… others say he's dangerous."
Ri (quietly surprised):"Dangerous?"
Classmate (shrugs):"No one knows anything for sure. But he never talks to anyone. Makes him… mysterious."
Ri (looking down again):"Strange indeed..."
[Scene 4 – School rooftop – Elyar stands alone, wind tousling his silver hair. He holds a small paper in his fingers—it has Ri's information.]
Elyar (murmuring to himself):"Stay away... don't get any closer than you already have."
Narration:"Sometimes, we don't run from those we hate... but from those we fear we might hurt."
[Scene 5 – Narrow hallway near the back courtyard – Ri walks alone after class, she hears approaching footsteps behind her.]
Ri (turns around, a little anxious):"Who's there?"
[Himura appears with an unsettling smile.]
Himura (in a soft voice):"Don't be scared… I just wanted to talk."
Ri (nervously):"I'm sorry, I need to go now."
[She tries to walk past, but he steps in front of her, blocking the way.]
Himura:"I heard Elyar's been noticing you. Strange, isn't it? He never cares about anyone… but suddenly, he cares about you."
[Ri freezes in place, unsure how to respond.]
[Suddenly, Elyar appears behind them, grabbing Himura's arm.]
Elyar (sharply):"Step away from her. Now."
Himura (looking at him with mockery):"I wasn't hurting her. Just a friendly chat."
Elyar:"Guys like you don't understand friendly."
[Ri watches, confused but sensing the tension and hidden danger between the two.]
Himura (whispers with a twisted grin):"Are you really protecting her... or misleading her worse than I ever could?"
[Elyar shoves his arm away and storms off, not even glancing at Ri.]
[Final Scene – Gang headquarters – the Leader watches camera footage, chuckling to himself quietly.]
The Leader (speaking to himself):"The boy's starting to burn... and the more he fears for something, the weaker he becomes."
Narration:"In the game of shadows... even light can become a deadly trap."
[End of Episode – Black screen – "To be continued..."]