A harvest of secrets

Whew… That’s cracky! Huh I exclaimed…. The gates of Haneul Ridge University didn't just open; they felt like they were swallowing me whole. At nineteen, transferring to the most prestigious institution in the country should have been a dream. But as I stepped out of the car, the air felt different—thicker, colder, and smelling faintly of ancient stone and wilted roses. I adjusted the strap of my bag, feeling the weight of a hundred gazes from the balconies above. The students here were... different. They were unnervingly beautiful, with skin like polished marble and eyes that seemed to track my every heartbeat. My grip slipped on a heavy box of books, and I braced for the crash. It never came. A hand, startlingly cold but firm, braced the bottom of the box. I looked up and froze. The guy standing there was a masterpiece of shadows. His hair was raven-black, and his eyes were a piercing, icy grey that felt like they were reading my very soul. "You’re over-exerting yourself, transfer student," he said. His voice was a low, melodic hum that vibrated in my chest. "I can manage, thank you," I managed to stumble out, my pulse strangely erratic. He didn't let go. Instead, he took the weight of the box with an effortless grace that didn't seem humanly possible. "I’m Raven Soo. Final year. I’ll show you to the hostel." "Jina Park," I replied, following him. As we walked toward the grand, ivy-covered dormitory, a sudden, unnatural gust of wind swept through the enclosed hallway. It didn't just blow; it seemed to dance around us, lifting the hem of my skirt and whispering against my skin. I shivered, but Raven didn't blink. He just tilted his head, his gaze flickering to mine with a knowing intensity. For a second, his eyes seemed to glow with a faint, silver light. "The air is restless today," he murmured, more to himself than to me. We reached my room—a corner suite with high ceilings and a view of the dark woods surrounding the campus. He set my things down and turned to face me. The room was dim, the afternoon light struggling to reach inside, but Raven seemed to thrive in the shadows. He didn't leave immediately. He stood by the window, his silhouette tall and imposing. He looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable but heavy with an unspoken recognition. It wasn't just a look; it felt like he was seeing something inside me that I didn't even know existed. "Welcome to Haneul Ridge, Jina," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. " I will check on you later after settle and nice seeing you Jina park Before I could speak , a large black bird—landed on the windowsill, its dark eyes fixed on me. I blinked, startled, and when I looked back, Raven Soo was gone. I walked to the window, my heart hammering. The bird took flight, disappearing into the trees. As I turned back to my room, I noticed a single black feather resting on my pillow. I wasn't just a student here. I was a guest in a world that didn't belong to the living,