The city felt louder than usual.
Haruki sat on the school rooftop, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on the distant skyline. The hum of traffic, the murmur of students below, the occasional chirp of a bird-it all blended together into a dull haze. But underneath the normalcy, something new stirred within him. A quiet beat. A warmth that never faded.
Ever since the shrine, he hadn't felt the same.
Something had awakened.
His body was... different. Not in a way others could see, but he could feel it-in his bones, his blood, even his breath. There was energy humming under his skin, like coals that hadn't cooled after a long fire.
And he hadn't told anyone. Not a single soul.
Not even Ayame.
She had vanished right after they returned from the mountains. No goodbye, no explanation. Just gone. He'd checked her seat in class this morning. Empty. Again.
But Haruki was sure she hadn't truly left.
He closed his eyes and focused.
A flicker of light sparked at his fingertips.
A small, golden flame-weightless, warm, silent. It danced for a few seconds, then disappeared as quickly as it came. It didn't burn. It didn't hurt. But it felt alive. Like it was watching him just as much as he was watching it.
He thought back to that night-the ancient shrine hidden in the mountain mist, the fragment of the sun glowing in silence. The whispers. The warmth. The moment something inside him had answered the call.
"Just what did you leave me, Dad..." Haruki muttered under his breath.
A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Talking to yourself already? That shrine must've cooked your brain."
Haruki turned. Jin stood behind him, grinning, school jacket half open, hair a mess as usual.
"You're really committing to the rooftop loner arc, huh?" Jin added, plopping down beside him.
Haruki smirked. "Just needed some air."
"You okay, though? You've been kinda... distant. Like, brooding anime protagonist distant."
"I'm fine."
"You sure? You've got that 'chosen one' vibe today."
Haruki hesitated, then asked, "Do you believe power can be passed down through blood?"
Jin blinked. "Like magic genes?"
Haruki nodded slowly. "Yeah. Something like that."
Jin leaned back, eyes on the sky. "Sounds cool. If you start summoning fireballs or something, let me know. I'll be your wisecracking sidekick."
Haruki laughed, but it was short-lived.
Later that day, walking through the hallway, Haruki paused mid-step.
There it was again.
That feeling. Like he was being watched.
He turned quickly. Students walked past, chatting, laughing, bumping shoulders.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Still, the hairs on his neck stood up.
He scanned the crowd again.
Then kept walking.
Unseen in the flow of students, Ayame watched from a distance. Her school uniform blended her into the crowd, but her expression was sharp, focused.
He's changing faster than expected... she thought. If the Organization learns what's awakening inside him, they'll act. Soon. I have to decide where I stand.
Next Chapter Teaser :
When a strange dream leaves a glowing mark on Haruki's arm, reality begins to blur. As the mysterious symbol pulses with warmth, a silent transfer student arrives-her gaze sharp, her presence unsettling. Haruki feels the shift in the air, but he doesn't know yet: the dream was just the beginning... and someone is already watching.