Hina's Perspective
The cool morning breeze gently brushed against my face as I walked down the familiar streets toward Yuki's house. The sun had only begun to rise above the rooftops, painting the sky with soft shades of orange and pink while the city slowly woke from its slumber.
Normally, mornings like this were peaceful.
People prepared to open their stores, students hurried toward school, and office workers walked with cups of coffee in their hands.
But today...
Everything felt different.
Ever since yesterday's incident at Tokyo Tower, the entire city had changed.
People no longer talked about entrance exams, school festivals, or the latest television drama.
Every conversation...
Every newspaper...
Every television broadcast...
Every social media page...
Was talking about two names.
Shina.
Hirito.
I let out a small sigh.
Those two names had become famous overnight.
Or rather...
Our names.
Of course, nobody knew that.
To everyone else, Shina and Hirito were mysterious heroes who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere to save Tokyo.
Only Ryuna and me..
And the two of us knew the truth.
I glanced at the phone in my hand while continuing to walk.
"...I still can't believe it."
The moment I woke up this morning, the first thing I did wasn't brush my teeth...
It wasn't even getting dressed.
It was checking social media.
Mostly because...
I had a horrible feeling.
And unfortunately...
My instincts were right.
I opened Yuki's page.
The moment it loaded...
My jaw nearly hit the floor.
2,017,842 Views
I blinked once.
Then twice.
"...Two million..."
The video Yuki recorded yesterday had exploded overnight.
It showed the moment Hirito and I rescued her and Shouji inside the alley.
It also included parts of the battle near Tokyo Tower before the police forced everyone away.
The comments...
The comments were somehow even crazier.
"THEY'RE SO COOL!!"
"WHO IS SHINA?!"
"HIRITO'S SHADOW POWERS ARE INSANE."
"THE GIRL IS SO BEAUTIFUL."
"THEY LOOK GOOD TOGETHER."
"WHEN HE CALLED HER PRINCESS I SCREAMED."
"#SHIRITO FOREVER"
"..."
I covered my face.
"No..."
"Please don't..."
Unfortunately...
That wasn't even the worst part.
Yuki's follower count.
Yesterday morning...
She only had around six thousand followers.
Now...
97,000 Followers.
"..."
"...How?"
She gained nearly one hundred thousand followers...
In a single day.
Ryuna floated beside me, her tiny body no bigger than my hand.
She peeked over my shoulder.
"Oh?"
"It seems your friend has become famous."
"...Don't remind me."
Ryuna giggled.
"I think she's more excited about your interview than you are."
"..."
"...She's definitely more excited."
I locked my phone before sighing once again.
"...Today's going to be exhausting."
By the time I reached Yuki's neighborhood, the clock on my phone read exactly...
6:15 A.M.
Just as expected...
She was already waiting outside.
The moment she noticed me...
Her entire face lit up.
She practically radiated excitement.
"Hina!!"
She waved both hands wildly.
"Morning, Hina!!"
I couldn't help smiling.
"Morning."
"You look happy today."
That was probably the biggest understatement of the century.
Yuki practically skipped toward me.
"I'm so happy!!"
She grabbed both of my hands.
"You won't believe it!!"
"...Actually..."
"I think I can."
"No!"
"You don't understand!"
She dramatically placed one hand over her chest.
"I called our old history teacher this morning!"
"..."
"...You what?"
"I called her!"
"...Why?"
Yuki puffed out her chest proudly.
"I told her..."
"I WAS RIGHT!"
I blinked.
"..."
"...Seriously?"
She nodded repeatedly.
"You remember my middle school history project?"
How could I forget?
Back in middle school...
Yuki had submitted a history report claiming that hundreds of years ago monsters once terrorized humanity.
According to her report...
A group known as the Guardians always appeared to defeat them.
Everyone laughed.
Even the teacher.
She received almost no marks for the report itself because it was considered fantasy.
Thankfully...
Her presentation skills were amazing.
She earned enough points during the oral presentation to avoid failing.
Apparently...
She had never forgotten.
"I told Sensei..."
"'See? I told you Guardians existed!'"
I buried my face in my hands.
"..."
"You seriously held onto that grudge for three years?"
She crossed her arms.
"It wasn't a grudge."
"It was justice."
"...That's literally a grudge."
She ignored my comment.
"But more importantly..."
She suddenly grabbed my shoulders.
"I'M GETTING AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SHINA!!"
She squealed loudly enough that a passing businessman looked in our direction.
I laughed awkwardly.
"I'm sure Shina wouldn't be very happy if you kept putting yourself in dangerous situations."
Yuki puffed her cheeks.
"But it worked!"
"..."
"...That's not the point."
She folded her arms dramatically.
"I had faith."
"If monsters appeared..."
"Heroes would appear too."
"..."
"...Somehow that logic worked."
She proudly nodded.
"I knew it."
I smiled helplessly.
Honestly...
Only Yuki could treat almost getting eaten by monsters as proof that her homework was correct.
Then...
She suddenly became even more excited.
"The Shirito fans are going to lose their minds once I upload Shina's exclusive interview!"
...
...
Wait.
"What?"
She looked confused.
"Hm?"
"...What did you just call them?"
"The Shirito fans."
"..."
"...Shirito?"
"Yeah."
She said it so naturally...
As though it had always existed.
"My fan page."
"It only focuses on Hirito and Shina."
"..."
I slowly turned my head toward her.
"...You made..."
"...an entire page?"
She proudly nodded.
"Yep!"
"I named it..."
"Shirito."
"..."
My eye twitched.
I had a terrible feeling.
"...That's..."
"...their ship name..."
"Isn't it?"
She grinned mischievously.
"Exactly!"
I nearly tripped over absolutely nothing.
"..."
"...Why?"
"Because it sounds cute!"
"It combines Shina and Hirito perfectly."
"..."
"...No, it doesn't."
"It absolutely does."
She pulled out her phone.
The page logo immediately appeared.
SHIRITO
Dedicated to Tokyo's Two New Heroes!
"..."
"...She actually did it."
Ryuna floated beside my shoulder.
Trying very hard...
Not to laugh.
Unfortunately...
She failed.
Tiny giggles echoed inside my mind.
"Hihihi..."
"Oh my..."
Ryuna covered her tiny mouth.
"Shirito..."
"What a lovely name."
"...Ryuna."
"Yes?"
"...Don't."
She laughed even harder.
I rubbed my forehead.
That idiot.
That absolute...
Unbelievable...
Idiot.
Hirito.
Yesterday...
In front of hundreds of reporters...
Countless cameras...
The Mayor...
The Police Chief...
He had actually given me flowers.
And then...
As if that wasn't embarrassing enough...
He looked directly into my eyes...
Smiled...
And said...
"For you, my princess."
...
...
I could still hear it.
I immediately shook my head.
"No."
"Don't remember it."
Yuki noticed my expression.
"Hina?"
"You okay?"
"Y-Yeah."
"I was just thinking."
She tilted her head curiously.
"About what?"
"...Nothing."
Definitely not about a certain black-haired idiot calling me princess.
Absolutely not.
After walking in silence for a few moments, I finally spoke.
"...I'm still surprised."
"Hm?"
"You named the page 'Shirito' instead of just..."
"'Hirito and Shina.'"
"They're..."
I forced myself to remain calm.
"...not exactly a couple."
Yuki looked at me.
A slow smile spread across her face.
"..."
"...Why are you smiling?"
"Oh..."
"Nothing."
"..."
"...That's definitely not 'nothing.'"
She leaned closer.
"...You're oddly defensive."
"I am not!"
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You totally are."
I crossed my arms.
"I just think people shouldn't assume things."
"They barely know each other."
Yuki giggled.
"Maybe."
"But..."
She looked up at the blue morning sky.
"I still ship them."
"..."
"..."
I resisted the overwhelming urge to sigh.
Some battles...
Simply couldn't be won.
We continued walking toward school while the streets slowly filled with more students heading in the same direction.
Meanwhile...
Yuki enthusiastically talked about future interviews...
Fan theories...
Hero rankings...
And all the newest Shirito posts appearing online every few seconds.
I simply smiled and listened.
Even if she unknowingly embarrassed me to no end...
Seeing my best friend this genuinely happy...
Made it difficult to stay annoyed.
Still...
There was one thing I silently prayed for.
Please...
Don't let Hirito find out people are shipping us.
His ego is already impossible to deal with.
If he ever discovers the name "Shirito"...
...I'll never hear the end of it.
The morning air felt strangely peaceful.
It was almost difficult to believe that less than twenty-four hours ago, Tokyo had been on the verge of complete disaster.
Yesterday...
The city had been overrun by monsters.
Buildings had been damaged.
Roads had been destroyed.
Police officers had been transformed into grotesque creatures.
Countless civilians had run for their lives.
And standing in the middle of it all...
Were two complete amateurs.
One wielding the Essence of Shadow.
The other...
Me.
The Essence of Light.
Even now, it still didn't feel real.
As Yuki and I continued walking toward school, students passing by excitedly discussed the events from yesterday.
"Did you watch the livestream?"
"I saw everything!"
"Shina was amazing!"
"Hirito was so cool!"
"I wonder who they really are."
"They're probably adults."
"No way! They sounded like teenagers."
"I heard Shina restored the entire city!"
"I want her autograph!"
Everywhere I looked...
The same conversation repeated itself.
For once...
The entire city shared the same topic.
Yuki practically floated beside me.
Every few seconds her phone buzzed with another notification.
"Ding."
"Ding."
"Ding."
She looked down.
"...Another three thousand likes."
I stared blankly.
"...You're checking that while walking?"
She nodded proudly.
"My followers just reached one hundred and five thousand!"
"...Congratulations."
She grinned from ear to ear.
"Thank you."
I couldn't help smiling.
As embarrassing as everything had become...
Watching my best friend this happy wasn't entirely a bad thing.
Eventually...
The familiar school gates came into view.
Students crowded the entrance as usual, though today's atmosphere felt completely different.
Instead of complaining about homework...
Everyone talked about heroes.
Yuki suddenly nudged my shoulder.
"You ready?"
"...For what?"
"The entire school is talking about yesterday."
"..."
"I know."
"And?"
She smiled mischievously.
"I bet everyone wishes they were Shina."
If only you knew.
By exactly 7:20 A.M., we stepped inside our classroom.
The moment I crossed the doorway...
I froze.
"..."
"...Huh?"
Yesterday...
Our classroom had looked like a battlefield.
The entrance door had been smashed apart.
Broken desks covered the floor.
Glass from the shattered windows littered every corner of the room.
Deep claw marks scarred the walls.
Even parts of the ceiling had collapsed.
But now...
Everything...
Was completely restored.
The classroom looked as though nothing had ever happened.
Every desk stood perfectly aligned.
The broken windows sparkled beneath the morning sunlight.
Even the door looked brand new.
Not a single scratch remained.
"...My restoration really fixed everything."
Ryuna's gentle voice echoed inside my mind.
"The Essence of Light restores everything touched by corruption."
"Not only people..."
"But places as well."
I slowly looked around.
"...It's incredible."
No matter how many times I witnessed it...
The power still amazed me.
Yuki looked around as well.
"Wooooow..."
"It's like yesterday never happened."
She immediately pulled out her phone.
"Picture first."
Click.
"..."
"You're seriously taking pictures?"
She nodded confidently.
"Historical evidence."
"...Of course."
The classroom buzzed louder than I had ever heard before.
Groups of students gathered around every corner discussing yesterday's events.
"Hirito used shadow whips!"
"No, the coolest part was when Shina restored everyone!"
"I heard there were over fifty monsters!"
"My cousin saw everything live!"
"I wonder if they'll appear again."
The excitement seemed endless.
Then...
Another group gathered around Yuki.
"Congratulations!"
"Your page is blowing up!"
"I already followed it!"
"The interview is going to be amazing!"
"Don't forget us when you're famous!"
Yuki laughed awkwardly while scratching her cheek.
"It wasn't really me..."
"I just happened to be there."
"Still!"
"You recorded history!"
Someone suddenly raised a hand dramatically.
"Long live Shirito!"
The group immediately cheered.
"LONG LIVE SHIRITO!"
I quietly sat down before anyone noticed my expression.
My eye twitched ever so slightly.
Please stop saying that name...
Ryuna laughed so hard inside my mind that she nearly rolled over.
Meanwhile...
Another group had gathered around someone else.
Reno.
The white-haired boy stood near the window looking somewhat embarrassed as several classmates spoke to him.
"You feeling better?"
"Don't push yourself."
"We're just glad you're okay."
"Welcome back."
Reno smiled awkwardly before bowing slightly.
"...Thank you."
"I'm sorry for causing everyone so much trouble."
One boy immediately shook his head.
"It wasn't your fault."
"You were manipulated."
"Nobody blames you."
Another girl nodded.
"Exactly."
"You were a victim too."
His shoulders trembled ever so slightly.
"...Thank you."
Yesterday...
Immediately after Shina purified him...
The ambulance had taken Reno to the hospital.
Not because he was physically injured...
But because the doctors wanted to evaluate his mental condition after everything he had experienced.
Fortunately...
The examination showed no lasting damage.
He had only suffered severe emotional stress.
The hospital discharged him early this morning.
Looking at him now...
He still seemed shaken.
But...
He was smiling again.
That alone was enough.
I smiled softly.
"I'm glad..."
Ryuna whispered gently.
"You saved him."
"No."
"We saved him."
Not everyone had changed.
Across the classroom...
Lilie sat with her arms crossed.
"Tch."
She looked completely irritated.
Whenever someone glanced in Reno's direction...
She simply looked away.
No apology.
No guilt.
Nothing.
She remained exactly as stubborn as before.
I sighed inwardly.
She still hasn't learned anything.
Honestly...
If she kept treating people this way...
I wouldn't be surprised if someone else became another victim of Vetrex someday.
Negative emotions...
Were exactly what he preyed upon.
Ryuna seemed to share the same concern.
"Hatred attracts darkness."
I silently nodded.
Near the back of the classroom...
Another conversation caught everyone's attention.
Reno.
And...
Seline Akino.
The quiet purple-haired girl stood beside him.
Unlike yesterday...
Neither of them looked awkward anymore.
They spoke softly together while smiling.
Apparently...
After everything that had happened...
They finally cleared up the misunderstanding surrounding Reno's confession.
Seline had never rejected him.
She simply hadn't been given the chance to answer.
Thanks to yesterday's chaos...
They finally talked properly.
The result...
Made nearly every girl in class squeal.
"They're dating!"
"They're actually together!"
"So cute!"
"I knew she'd say yes!"
Even Reno looked embarrassed.
Seline simply smiled warmly before gently taking his hand.
"...They're adorable."
I couldn't help smiling.
Maybe...
Not everything that happened yesterday had been tragic.
Some people...
Found happiness.
The peaceful atmosphere continued...
Until...
The classroom door slid open.
Creak.
I didn't even need to look.
I already knew.
Hanato Hamagi.
He casually walked inside carrying his school bag over one shoulder.
Just as arrogant as ever.
Just as annoyingly handsome as ever.
His blue hair looked as perfectly styled as always.
He glanced around the classroom before speaking.
"Oh."
"So this is where today's celebrities are."
He immediately walked toward Yuki.
"Congratulations."
"Your page reached over a hundred thousand followers."
Yuki smiled brightly.
"Thanks!"
"I'm still shocked!"
He gave a small nod.
"You did good."
"..."
"...Wait."
"Did Hanato just compliment someone?"
The classroom collectively looked surprised.
Apparently...
Miracles really did happen.
Unfortunately...
The miracle lasted exactly three seconds.
Hanato slowly turned toward me.
Our eyes met.
He smiled.
Not kindly.
Not warmly.
That smile.
The one I hated.
"My morning was going pretty well..."
He sighed dramatically.
"...Until I saw your face."
He pointed directly at me.
"My day is officially ruined."
I clenched my fist beneath my desk.
"My presence..."
"...isn't something you need permission to witness."
He shrugged.
"Still hurts my eyes."
"You're unbelievable."
He grinned victoriously before sitting down.
One compliment.
One insult.
Balanced perfectly.
Exactly like Hanato.
A few moments later...
Shouji casually walked over.
He rested one elbow against Hanato's shoulder.
"So..."
"You watched yesterday's incident?"
Hanato leaned back lazily.
"Yeah."
"I saw it."
"What'd you think?"
He shrugged.
"Hirito's cool."
"...Excuse me?"
He continued speaking as though nothing was wrong.
"And Shina's pretty lucky."
"She has Hirito as her boyfriend."
My pencil snapped.
Crack.
The classroom fell strangely quiet.
Boyfriend?
BOYFRIEND?
I slowly turned toward him.
"You..."
Hanato blinked innocently.
"What?"
"What do you mean 'what?'"
"They're not dating!"
"Oh?"
He smirked.
"Really?"
"I saw the flower."
"I saw the flirting."
"I saw him call her princess."
Why...
Why did he have to remember every single detail?
Yuki immediately joined the conversation.
"I KNOW RIGHT?!"
"I SHIP THEM SO MUCH!"
Several classmates nodded enthusiastically.
"They're cute together."
"Perfect couple."
"Hirito looked completely smitten."
"Shina was blushing."
I buried my face against my desk.
Please...
Stop talking.
Hanato looked oddly amused by my reaction.
"What?"
"You seem awfully invested."
"I just think..."
I lifted my head.
"...People shouldn't assume things."
"They literally met yesterday."
Hanato shrugged.
"Love at first sight."
"That's stupid."
"Maybe."
"But entertaining."
I glared at him.
He simply smiled wider.
Why...
Why did talking to Hanato always feel like losing an argument before it even began?
Fortunately...
Before the conversation could continue...
The classroom door opened once more.
Ms. Temi entered carrying several books.
"Good morning everyone."
The entire class stood.
"Good morning, Ms. Temi."
She smiled warmly.
"I'm glad to see everyone safe."
Her gaze slowly swept across the room.
Especially toward Reno.
"I'm very happy all of you returned safely after yesterday's incident."
The classroom became unusually quiet.
For a brief moment...
Yesterday's terrifying memories returned.
Then...
Ms. Temi smiled once again.
"Now then."
She gently placed the books on her desk.
"Let's begin today's lesson."
The familiar sound of textbooks opening echoed throughout the classroom.
Outside...
Tokyo had changed forever.
Inside...
Life slowly began returning to normal.
Or at least...
As normal as life could be...
After the appearance of two mysterious heroes named Shina and Hirito.