Morning sunlight spilled into Haruki's room, but it didn't bring him peace.
He stood in front of the mirror, staring at his arm. The strange mark from last night had faded, but he could still feel it. Like something was quietly burning beneath his skin.
What happened to me?
He hadn't told anyone—not his mom, not Jin. He wasn't even sure how to explain it if he tried. All he knew was the fire came from him… and it didn't feel like a dream.
He pulled his sleeve down and grabbed his bag.
"You heading to school?" his mom asked, flipping eggs at the stove.
"Yeah," he said, not really looking at her.
She smiled, but her eyes looked tired. "Eat something before you go."
"Not hungry," Haruki muttered as he slipped on his shoes.
---
The walk to school felt longer than usual. The air was cool, but Haruki felt warm all over. Not a fever—but like something inside him was awake.
When he got to his locker, something immediately felt off.
There was an envelope inside.
No name. No stamp. Just plain cream paper, tucked into the corner like it was waiting for him.
He opened it slowly. Inside was a single piece of thick paper. A symbol was printed in red—the same one from his dream.
His heart skipped a beat.
Below the symbol, a short message was written:
"You are not the only one."
Haruki looked around. No one was watching.
But he felt eyes. Somewhere.
---
Classes dragged on. Teachers talked, chalk hit the board, students laughed—but Haruki couldn't focus. His mind kept going back to the envelope. And the fire. And the dream.
By lunch, he couldn't take it anymore.
He told Jin he needed fresh air and slipped up to the school rooftop. It was quiet there, the kind of place people avoided unless they really needed space.
He stood by the railing, pulled out the note again, and stared at the symbol.
"What is this supposed to mean?" he whispered.
"I thought you'd come here," a voice said behind him.
Haruki turned fast.
Ayame was standing at the far end of the rooftop, arms crossed, wind tugging gently at her hair.
"You again?" he said.
She walked toward him slowly. Her eyes flicked to his arm, as if she could see the flame even now.
"You awakened it, didn't you?" she asked.
Haruki hesitated. "…Yeah. Last night."
She nodded, like she already knew.
"That power inside you—it doesn't sleep forever. It wakes when it needs to."
"But why me? Why now?" he asked.
"Because you were in danger. And the flame inside you knows when to protect its own."
"You're not just a regular student," Haruki said.
"No," she replied simply.
"Then who are you?"
Ayame looked away for a second. "Someone who's been watching you. Someone who understands what you're becoming."
"So… you've been spying on me?"
"I've been protecting you."
Haruki gave a short laugh, though it wasn't funny. "Could've fooled me."
Ayame stepped closer. "Listen. This power… it's dangerous. If you don't learn to control it, it could hurt you. Or worse."
Haruki swallowed hard. "So what do I do?"
She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small stone disk.
It was dark and smooth, with a glowing version of the same symbol carved into the middle.
"Come to the old shrine in the forest outside town," she said. "Tonight. You'll find answers there."
He took the disk slowly, feeling the warmth it gave off.
"And if I don't?"
Ayame met his eyes. "Then the people who sent that message might get to you first. And they're not coming to help."
---
That night, Haruki sat on his bed, staring at the disk. The symbol pulsed softly, like it was calling to him.
He didn't know what he was walking into—but he knew one thing for sure.
He couldn't ignore it anymore.
---
Next Chapter Teaser – Chapter 10: The Shrine in the Forest
Haruki follows Ayame into the woods, where a hidden shrine holds secrets about his bloodline, the flame inside him… and the war that's been brewing in the shadows for years.