Darkness in the City of Light II NOMIN

Chapter 1

Time was complicated.

With artificial suns hovering above your head at every step, it's hard to spot what's real. The sky is always white, and there is no shadow. Therefore, it's difficult to know what time of day it occurred. Was it the morning when the birds sang outside the window, or was it the middle of the night when a wave of silence should flood the city?

Alldez's solution was to build five enormous clocks in different parts of the city. All with shields on all four sides rose above the surrounding buildings. It was the bells tolling every hour that informed residents when night had come.

Jaemin was standing outside his friend's house, watching the long clock hand shift from its position. He and Donghyuck were so late for the meeting again. Why could this boy never make it on time?

The minute hand shifted again, and the bell tolled. Four more followed, creating a strange, echoing effect. Jaemin hated that sound. Even when the bells stopped moving, his ears still replayed the sound he had just heard.

He clenched his jaw as the woman from the stand gave him another shameful look. She had been watching him for the last ten minutes, throwing soft insults under her breath. And Jaemin could only stand, knowing that a woman's attitude was desired in Alldez. Say what you think, do what you want.

He turned at the sound of the door closing. Donghyuck ran down the stairs, his white shirt buttons fastened so chaotically that Jaemin had to blink a few times. Jaemin opened his mouth, but Donghyuck was always faster.

"I know, I know!" He shouted, grabbing Jaemin's forearm and pulling him towards the courtyard. "I have a clock outside my window, but I'm still late. Sorry I have such talent."

Jaemin rolled his eyes, reluctantly climbing the hill. The gray paving stones were hot, and the suns shone into their eyes.

"You always make me look bad," he muttered under his breath.

"This is the price of our friendship," Donghyuck smiled.

No matter how pure his friend's intentions were, Jaemin noticed how stiff his smile was. They smiled, but deep down, both of them thought about approaching punishment. And not only them, because all the way they were accompanied by the contemptuous glances of townspeople.

As they neared their destination, old bat Choi got up from her stool behind her vegetable stall. Her face was too wrinkled for her age, and her arm was too strong. As they passed, she swung her wooden cane, hitting them on the back.

"Shame on you!" She shouted after them.

"What a bitch," Donghyuck whispered to him. Jaemin nodded, insulting the woman mentally. The city seemed to encourage self-expression, but Jaemin's thoughts were always treacherous. He couldn't trust them, much less share them with others.

"This is just the beginning," he sighed as they entered the courtyard. They noticed gathered peers, sitting on blankets and listening to the man at the head.

"We can still retreat," Jaemin offered, but that's when Taeyong's gaze fell on them.

"We can't," Donghyck sighed.

They joined the group, and Taeyong paused in his monologue. Their peers glanced at them, whispering around.

"Na and Lee," Taeyong turned to them, "stay after."

Donghyuck cursed as Jaemin stared steadfastly into their teacher's eyes. Taeyong smiled before resuming his speech.

"Maybe it's time for you to wise up, Jaemin," he heard a whisper from his right. Renjun, whose intentions were not known, was leaning towards him. His advice has always been a mixture of worry, judgement and wanting to take Donghyuck down a peg.