Mina burst through the front door, her heart pounding like a festival drum. It was already past 7 a.m. in the warm Yorunaka neighborhood. The sunset painted her footsteps in long orange streaks as she hurried past the living room.
Her father sat on the couch, eyes glued to the morning news on TV. His hand gripped a remote, but he noticed absolutely nothing—tucked into his seat like always.
Her mother stood at the stove, flipping tofu in a pan, steam curling around her hair. She hummed a familiar tune, practiced yet soft.
Mina didn't pause. She gingerly released Pipi from her leash. The fluffy dog wagged around her ankles, happy to be free.
"Hey, Dad." She waved a hand as she darted past.
"Mm," he replied, not taking his eyes off the TV.
"Hi, Mom." She peeked into the kitchen. Her mother gave her a warm smile, but her eyes were elsewhere. Probably daydreaming about work.
"I'm up—just… I need to think. So, going to my room now." She offered a quick salute and dashed up the stairs two at a time.
Behind her, she heard her mother whisper, "What's her excitement this time?"
Her father laughed softly. "Don't worry—every now and then, she just bursts. It's good."
Mina didn't stop. She flung open her bedroom door, and her voice exploded through the silence:
"EEEEEEE!!!"
The shriek echoed off the walls, bright and happy and full. Papi bounced into the room after her, tail wagging like a tiny metronome.
"What in the—?" Textbooks lay open on her desk. Clothes were strewn on the floor. phone on the bed. The usual mess. But this time? Nothing felt normal.
On the desk, Lume was busy eating tofu and kimchi he had taken earlier from the kitchen, stuffing himself as if dinner had been delayed for days.
Mina stared at Lume, then at the tofu. Then at the kimchi mixing into it. Then back at Lume, who was humming in delight.
"Lume!" Mina pointed. "You're eating my mother's tofu?!"
Lume paused with a cheeky grin, kimchi juice dripping from his lips. "Sorry—it tastes amazing."
Mina burst into giggles. The anger drained; all she felt was pure joy.
She flopped onto her bed, her long legs tangled under her. She stared at the ceiling, heart pounding.
She knows me.
"Today... Semi Nishino... she..." Mina's voice cracked with pure excitement. She scrunched her face into a smile so big, it hurt in a good way.
Her phone buzzed. A single vibration. The ringtone was Crimson Clover — the song both she and Aria loved.
She fumbled for it.
"Aria!" Mina squealed, nearly dropping the phone. "You will not believe what happened today!"
"Hey! Girl, hi—what's up?" Aria's voice danced through the speaker.
"Stop that! Hello? That's the first thing you say when someone picks up the phone!" Mina scolded, giggling.
"Okay, hello, then!" Aria laughed, warm and excited. "Now... what's going on?"
Mina bounced her knees on the bed. "Semi Nishino knows my name. She knows my full name... Mina Takane!"
Aria went silent for a heartbeat. Then the volume exploded.
"WAIT—WHAT?! AGAIN? Or is this your dream again?"
Mina rolled her eyes. "No! I promise—this time it's real, for real!"
Aria took a deep breath. "Really?"
"Yes! I swear on Crimson Clover."
Aria let out a breathy laugh. "That means something, girl. Okay—tell me everything. When? Where? How? What did she say?"
Mina bounced, legs flapping like a seal. "This morning! In Yorunaka Park. She was doing jumping jacks and I... I tried to talk to her... And she said my name!"
Aria shrieked: "You talked to Semi Nishino?!"
Mina corrected quickly: "Yes—like, I said 'We go to the same school'—I know, soooo lame... But she answered: 'Everyone in Yorunaka City goes to the same school.' Then she smiled!"
A squeal of joy erupted through Aria's line. "Oh! I'm so proud! I can't—this is too good."
Mina giggled assuredly. "I know... I just... needed to share. I feel like... I'm glowing!"
Aria softened her voice. "Send me a selfie. Or come over. I need to hear your face light up."
Mina threw her hands over her heart. "I feel like I'm floating."
Aria's voice dropped to a whisper: "Go ahead—glow, Mina Takane."
The phone went silent. Mina bounced on her bed, humming their band's song. Pipi barked in encouragement.
Colors had entered her world again.
Meanwhile,
The boy with tousled hair was on his knees beside a dumpster, pacing and muttering. G-boy's muscular bodyguard, John Lee, leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"Ren, you're wasting my time," John said in a low rumble. The dumpster's stench hung between them.
"I had it!" Ren snapped. "The ring—it was here last night."
John's phone buzzed. He answered quickly, listening to whoever called and stepping back.
He frowned, shoved the phone into Ren's hand. "It's G-Boy."
Ren swallowed. On the screen, the firm voice of G-Boy—big boss of their small shadowy crew—boomed.
"John, have you found it?" G-Boy demanded.
John shook his head. "No, boss."
G-Boy's voice hardened. "Then he is lying. Get him on the phone."
Ren gulped. "G-Boy, I swear—it was in my pocket. Then it disappeared."
Silence. He heard shoes scraping. "You have less than 48 hours. That ring is more important than your life."
Ren locked eyes with John. The bodyguard's muscles flexed. You mess with this kid, his knuckles break walls. Ren swallowed. "It's... it's her. A Yorunaka High girl. She must have—"
John's phone dropped with a crack.
"What?! A schoolgirl?" G-Boy's voice hissed.
Ren's pulse thundered. "Y-yes. She must have taken it. I swear."
G-Boy clicked off. Ren and John stared at each other in the dingy light.
In a private gym, G-Boy's hulking frame changed sweat into determination. He wore a tank top—arms flexing like stone. His personal secretary and assistant, Mika, handed him towels and updates as she sat on a bench with a binder.
"Run your morning routine with me, G-Boy?" she asked softly.
He wiped his brow. "File the student list for Yorunaka High. All grades, attendance records, photos—everything."
Mika's eyes darted. She opened her binder. "Right away, boss."
He dipped into his final reps, voice quiet but firm: "Looks like we need to pay Yorunaka High a visit."
He dropped the weight. Plates clanged. He panted, wiping his forehead.
Silence. He heard shoes scrapping. "You have 48 hours. That ring is important. Huge."
His jaw set. Stakes rising like steam off cold metal. G-Boy looked ahead, eyes burning.
Ren locked eyes with John. The bodyguard's muscles flexed. You mess with this kid, his knuckles break walls. Ren swallowed. "It's... it's her. A Yorunaka High girl. She must have—"
John's phone dropped with a crack.
"What?! A school girl?" G-Boy's voice hissed.
Ren's pulse thundered. "Y-yes. She had it. I swear."
G-Boy clicked off. Ren and John stared at each other in the dingy light.
In a private gym, G-Boy's hulking frame changes sweat into determination. He wore a tank top—arms flexing like stone. His personal secretary and assistant, Mika, handed him towels and updates as she sat on a bench with a binder.
"Run your morning routine with me, G-Boy?" she asked softly.
He wiped his brow. "File the student list for Yorunaka High. All grades, attendance records, photos—everything."
Mika's eyes darted. She opened her binder. "Right away, boss."
He dipped into his final reps, voice quiet but firm: "Looks like we need to pay Yorunaka High a visit."
He dropped the weight. Plates clanged. He panted, wiping his forehead.
Run. His jaw set. Stakes rising like steam off cold metal. G-Boy looked ahead, eyes burning.