The sound of footsteps echoed along the street on a cold winter morning. Her steps traced every path blanketed in snow. While passersby hurried by, shivering, this girl walked slowly, as if savoring the coldness of the snow.

My nose and eyes were slightly red, and the cold wind felt sharp, as if it could scratch my skin. Strangely, though, it didn’t feel like something worth worrying about. I realized there were far more painful things in life, so I dismissed this simple discomfort.

The girl kept walking, clutching her backpack tightly, filled with a strong sense of determination and will.

Finally, she arrived in front of the classroom.

Click

The door opened.

For a moment, that person looked directly at the girl, then returned to reading his book.

I knew who he was. He always arrived earlier than me and the others. His name is Alez, and like me, he is a quiet person. His demeanor is even colder, his gaze often sharp and seemingly harsh.

During class, the girl paid close attention to the lecture. While most students were beginning to look tired, two students remained focused on the professor’s explanation.

Those two were Inmi Elf and Alezar—high achievers who pretended not to know each other, despite having worked on group assignments together before.

Inmi Elf, now in her second semester at one of the top universities, had earned a full scholarship because of her academic excellence. She wasn’t involved in many campus activities, spending most of her time in the library or working part-time. Inmi avoided social groups that invited her to have fun, even though it could’ve helped her relieve stress. She paid close attention to how she managed her time, money, and energy, making her less noticeable among the other students.

Inmi wasn’t fond of small talk with those around her. Her quiet demeanor and sole focus on studying made some people drift away from her, assuming she disliked interacting with others due to how often she seemed to ignore them. Even so, Inmi was relatively close to one person on campus—her name was Damica.

Five hours passed, and class was finally over.

“Let’s go get dessert. I’ve been craving cheesecake from where you work,” said Damica cheerfully, carrying her sling bag.

Inmi slung her backpack over her shoulder and left the class with Damica, not responding to her friend’s words.

Upon arriving at a café not far from campus, in the cold afternoon air, Inmi took off her jacket, tied her hair neatly, and put on an apron.

“Oh, Inmi, you're here—thank goodness. I was exhausted handling things alone since Aunt Mona suddenly had something come up,” said a woman wearing a pink apron with the word Lurécakeprinted on it.

“You can head to the cashier and take the payments.”

Inmi went to the kitchen to take over her co-worker’s duties.

The ingredients are running low. I need to restock for next month, though it should last for the next week. I’ll let Aunt Mona know.

“Inmi, this is so good!” Damica grinned, resting her head on the table surrounded by three cheesecakes and two cookie milk drinks.

“Happy birthday,” said Inmi.

Damica pouted.

“How could you say happy birthday with such a straight face?”

“Just eat,” Inmi replied as she returned to work in the kitchen.

“Hmph! I can’t even be mad because this cake is seriously delicious.” Damica shouted, “Thank you, Inmi!!” then smiled as she continued devouring the cheesecake.

~

Back home.

Today wasn’t too exhausting. It felt nice to finally lie down on the bed.

Inmi took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The scent of her pajamas was soft and comforting, and the aroma from the candle in her room was incredibly soothing.

In the quiet of the night, while the city lights still glimmered outside, Inmi recalled that person’s conversation.

Flashback.

After Damica finished all her cheesecake and took the gift from Inmi, she cheerfully went home.

Back at the café, Inmi was swamped with customers. Suddenly, four people came in and requested a private room for a confidential meeting.

Lurécake Café was actually created by someone for a specific purpose. On the surface, it looked like any ordinary café—intentionally designed to be unassuming so it wouldn't get too crowded. But when Aunt Mona hired Inmi, she encouraged her to create a new menu, which eventually became a hit among visitors, who also enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. Ever since, the café remained consistently busy. Aunt Mona informed the café’s owner about this development, and he didn’t mind, so long as it didn’t interfere with his affairs.

“Room One A,” said a man dressed casually in all black, his face covered once again.

This was the third time I’d seen this man. Every time he came to this café, he always reserved a private room. It seemed Aunt Mona knew him well.

“Please, I’ll show you the way,” Inmi said, escorting them as usual to another room.

Judging from his voice and manner, I think the one speaking earlier was Jay, and the other two were Win and Deff.

Inmi knew their names from the customer list, though she had never seen their faces because they always wore scarves or masks.

Once they entered the room, Inmi returned to the main area—but one of them suddenly grabbed her hand.

“You’re a student at Alfred Star University, aren’t you?” Deff asked, holding Inmi’s arm so she was forced to turn back.

Inmi paused, expressionless, her eyes tired. She shook off his hand and walked away.

“Hey! A worker like you should show some respect!” Deff shouted angrily.

Respect? Doesn’t he realize how rude it is to just grab someone like that? Ugh... Now he’s got my attention.

Inmi muttered to herself as she walked away.

Meanwhile, the other two chuckled at the incident.

“Don’t bother that girl again,” Jay said with a firm tone.

“C’mon, I was just asking. She always cuts through the soccer field on her way to the library.”

“So? Just admit you’re interested in her,” Win teased.

“Ha! As if I’d ever be interested in an annoying girl like her!” Deff’s face flushed red, a mix of embarrassment and irritation.

Jay, listening quietly, shook his head and walked into the room without another word.

“Oh right, senior, where’s the exam file now?” Deff asked Jay excitedly.

“It’s safe. I’ve stored it,” Jay replied.

“You’re lucky, Deff, to be part of this. Work hard and take advantage of this opportunity,” Win said, patting Deff’s shoulder.

“I look forward to your family’s company contributing to the hospital’s development,” Jay said, calmly looking at Deff.

“Whoa, senior, the way you talk is so formal it gives me chills. Can we be a bit more casual?—Whoa...”

Deff suddenly realized his own tone was starting to match that of Jay and Win.

Jay smirked and rolled his eyes.

“Deff, you’ll need to get used to us,” Win chuckled.

“Here, prepare this in four days and do well on the exam,” Jay handed him a paper from his folder.

“I’ll do my best. Thank you, senior!!” Deff stood up, bowed, and sat back down with a bright smile.

“What about you, Win?” Jay asked seriously.

“My father still hasn’t agreed with my suggestion. For him, this is a tough decision,” Win answered.

“Alright, I’ll try another approach so your father has a better shot at becoming the next minister,” Jay said thoughtfully.

“Jay, do you really have to go this far?” Win asked, concerned.

“I have to. Right now, our identities as students allow us to move unnoticed. It’s the best way to execute the plan,” Jay answered seriously.

“Wasn’t that the reason you both joined me? Because we share the same goal?” he looked at both Deff and Win.

They fell silent.

“Yeah... I have to do it too,” Deff smirked.

“Well, we’ve come this far. Maybe my worries don’t matter anymore,” Win lowered his head and smiled.

~

Inmi lay on her bed, still stunned by what she had heard from Jay, Win, and Deff’s conversation.

Inmi had secretly installed a bugging device in the private room and successfully deleted the CCTV footage. Her curiosity was too strong, and though her actions were brave, they weren’t always right. Inmi was the type to do anything for money—but she was also smart enough to avoid risking herself. She had to, to support her five-year-old sister, whom she had entrusted to an orphanage since she couldn’t care for her during the day.

She began to wonder if there was something important she could do. After hearing that conversation, an idea started forming.

Were they targeting someone? Or power?

Becoming a middle person... a spy… that would be extremely valuable to them, wouldn’t it?

But who are they, really?

Jay, Deff, and Win...

Oh right—one of them asked if I was from Alfred Star. Wait—does that mean we go to the same university? But I’m not familiar with those names...

Tomorrow, I’ll start finding out who they really are.