The Background Character Loop: One Last Chance to Break the Cycle-Chapter 19: Just a Prank

Morning still clung quietly to Class 2-C like a soft fog.

The handful of NPC-like students who had arrived moved sluggishly, wrapped in their own quiet routines.

In the middle of that calm atmosphere, C sat quietly at his desk. His posture was upright, but relaxed.

The phone in his hand glowed softly, lighting up his expressionless face.

His fingers moved fast, scrolling through a long list of items he had ordered online. This wasn’t just some casual shopping list.

He paused on one item: a GPS tracker, no larger than a coin, with a battery life that lasted for days.

Then he switched over to another list: materials for his weapon.

There was magnesium powder, a trigger mechanism, tiny electronic components, and other materials that would soon be turned into a flashbang necklace.

Individually, the items looked harmless. But C knew exactly how to turn them into something far more dangerous than they appeared.

Finally, the screen displayed the image of a handgun.

It wasn’t a toy. It was a realistic-looking pistol, complete with details about its caliber and ammunition.

This was the most dangerous item, one that required extra care during delivery and hiding.

As C tapped the "Confirm Order" button, a small notification popped up:

"Estimated Delivery: Tonight."

His face remained unreadable, but the way he held himself revealed a quiet intensity.

"Tonight, huh... I still have about three days left, so I should have enough time to prepare everything."

Each item he reviewed was a piece of a bigger puzzle, part of the plan he had been building—loop after loop—to face the growing threat ahead of him.

"I’ve been waiting in this class for a while... Where are the so-called main characters already?"

Then, a thought sparked in his mind.

"Maybe... maybe I should use my ability again. Yeah... it’s worth trying."

C leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.

His vision darkened, then was replaced by a rapid series of images.

He saw Luna entering the classroom through the back door. The bandages he wrapped on her three days ago were still visible on her arms and legs.

She walked to her desk and set down her bag. She glanced at C’s seat a few times.

Then the vision faded, pulling C back to the present moment.

A stabbing pain bloomed behind his eyes — the cost of glimpsing the future.

But he didn’t flinch. He was used to it by now. Instead, he calmly stood up and walked toward the back door of the classroom.

He stood there, waiting for Luna to arrive.

---

I hid behind the slightly open classroom door, holding my breath to keep quiet.

I could feel her getting closer—her footsteps dragging a little as she moved through the hallway.

A grin formed on my face, though I didn’t really have the features to show it.

I imagined the look of surprise on her pretty face.

The door creaked open slowly, and Luna stepped inside. Her golden hair shone, neatly tied with her signature blue ribbon. But the bandages on her limbs were still there, just like I remembered from when she was ambushed by those thugs.

Right as she crossed the doorway, I spun around from my hiding spot and stepped toward her.

"Boo!"

"Hieeek!" A tiny squeal escaped her lips.

Her blue eyes widened, and her face went pale in shock.

I could feel a wave of adrenaline and confusion radiating from her.

She took a step back, her hands rising to her chest on instinct.

"Y-You!" she hissed, her voice trembling with surprise and slowly shifting into irritation.

"Haha! Gotcha! Next time, you should pay more attention to your surroundings, Luna," I said, laughing out loud at her reaction.

Luna’s face turned beet red.

Her shocked expression quickly twisted into one of fiery anger. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line.

Then—before I could say another word—she kicked me. Hard.

Her foot hit my shin with full force.

I dropped down, crouching and clutching my leg.

It wasn’t unbearable, but the suddenness of it did catch me off guard.

That kick... felt like something a cornered animal would do.

"That was overkill, Luna. You really kicked me that hard in the morning?" I muttered, rubbing my leg.

"Serves you right! What kind of person pulls a prank like that first thing in the morning? Idiot!" she snapped back, clearly annoyed.

"Come on, it was just a little joke..."

"A joke? Then try joking with your own leg next time!"

She crossed her arms and walked to her desk.

I stayed crouched there for a moment longer, then finally got up and limped a bit toward the empty seat in front of hers.

I sat down and faced her, trying to catch her eyes. But she avoided my gaze, staring out the window instead.

Honestly, I didn’t expect her to be this mad. If I had known she’d react like this, I probably wouldn’t have done it...

But seeing her like this was also kind of satisfying in its own way.

"Hey, I’m sorry. I was just bored waiting in class. No one was showing up, so I got the idea to surprise you," I said, scratching my head.

"Hmph!"

I let out a sigh as I saw her sulking.

"Alright, I’ll treat you to a drink later, okay? So don’t be like that, Lady Luna."

She clicked her tongue before finally looking at me again.

"Tch... Fine. But there better be a good reason for this," she said, narrowing her eyes.

I had already thought about this carefully... but even now, I was still unsure if I should drag her into all this.

"I need your help, Luna. It’s something important... really important," I whispered.

The edge in her expression eased, if only slightly. "Help with what?" she asked.

"It’s about Ivansia."

"Eh?! Ivansia?" she blurted out.

"Wait. Let me finish explaining first," I said.

I saw her lips part slightly, a hint of worry on her face.

I took a deep breath.

"You weren’t at school the past three days. During that time, I saw Ivansia. Her eyes... they looked sunken, like she was carrying a heavy burden on her shoulders."

Luna nodded slowly, her expression growing more serious. "And?"

"Well... I found out something. Rumors say her father’s been scamming people. A lot of people." I whispered.

Luna slammed her hands on her desk and stood up so fast her chair fell over.

"What?! That’s ridiculous!"

"Sit down, Luna. That’s why I need your help."

"Wait... If you’re asking for my help, does that mean the rumor is true?"

I hesitated, but then nodded.

"Yeah... It’s true."

There weren’t actually any rumors. I made that up—just so Luna would agree to help.

But the part about her father? That was real.

Luna’s lips parted slightly in disbelief. She was about to say something—

Then the classroom door creaked open.

Ivansia walked in, alone. Theo wasn’t with her this time.

Her violet eyes, once sharp and steady behind silver-framed glasses, now looked heavy and rimmed with weariness.

Her beautiful face, usually full of life, seemed pale.

Faint lines, barely visible, had formed between her brows.

She carried herself like someone walking through fog, with the weight of something unseen pressing down on her.

Luna turned to look at her, stunned. Her mouth opened slightly, unable to form words.

Now she knew.

This wasn’t just some rumor. It was real. And it was serious.

"We’ll continue this later," I whispered, keeping my voice low so Ivansia wouldn’t hear.

I stood up and walked back to my seat in the front row.

I glanced back once.

Luna looked like she wanted to talk to Ivansia, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Her lips moved, but nothing was said.

Meanwhile, Ivansia sat down silently. Her head lowered as she pulled out her books, preparing for class like nothing had happened.

Where are you, Theo...