Until the Stars Align
Chapter 5 — A Step Into Shadows
The empty chair was the first thing Luka noticed when he walked into class.
Aria's seat, by the window, sat untouched—the curtain half-drawn as if waiting for her hand to pull it aside and let the morning light spill in. Luka hesitated, his bag strap tightening in his grip. She wasn't late often. Yesterday, she had walked home with him. Yesterday, she had smiled.
Now? Nothing.
Kenji elbowed him on the way to his desk. "Yo, don't look so gloomy. She probably overslept or something."
But Luka's frown lingered. Oversleeping didn't feel like her. Not with the way she carried herself—always alert, like she was bracing for something unseen.
Classes ticked by, each minute dragging heavier. Luka's notes were neater than usual, his pen strokes sharp, mechanical. But his mind wasn't here. Every time the door slid open, his eyes flicked up, searching for copper hair that never appeared.
By lunch, he couldn't take it anymore.
---
The group gathered under the sakura trees again, their chatter filling the courtyard. Rika complained about PE, Haruto teased her about failing the sprint, and Kenji stuffed rice balls in his mouth like it was a competition.
But Luka sat quietly, gaze drifting back toward the school gates.
"She really isn't coming today, huh," Kenji said at last, following his eyes.
Luka didn't answer.
"Hey," Kenji nudged him. "You're seriously worried."
"…Shouldn't I be?" Luka muttered.
Kenji's grin faltered. "Yeah, maybe. But you're making that face again. The one like the final boss just wiped your whole party."
Luka let out a humorless breath. "Feels like it."
Kenji stared at him a moment, then sighed. "Fine. You're not gonna calm down unless you check. Go after school. Worst case, you embarrass yourself. Best case…" He smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "You get boyfriend points."
Luka glared, but the idea had already rooted itself.
He had to know.
---
After school, Luka found himself standing before an unfamiliar house on the edge of a quiet Tokyo neighborhood. It wasn't flashy—two stories, with flower pots neatly arranged by the gate and laundry swaying on the balcony.
His chest tightened. This was it.
For a second, he hesitated. What if he was overstepping? What if she thought he was being creepy? But then he remembered her expression yesterday—how she flinched at the man in the suit, how she forced her smile.
No. He couldn't just ignore this.
Gathering his courage, Luka rang the doorbell.
Moments later, the door slid open to reveal a woman in an apron. Her hair, streaked faintly with the same copper hue as Aria's, was tied back.
"Yes?" she asked politely.
"Um—sorry to bother you. I'm Luka Mori. I'm… a classmate of Aria's." He bowed slightly, nerves prickling his skin. "She wasn't at school today, and I just wanted to check if she was okay."
For a heartbeat, the woman studied him, her expression unreadable. Then, her features softened. "Ah… Luka-kun. She mentioned you once. You're the boy from the library, aren't you?"
Luka blinked. "…She did?"
A small smile touched her lips. "You don't know how rare that is. Aria hardly talks about anyone."
Warmth flickered in Luka's chest, but he quickly masked it. "So… she's alright?"
"She's fine. Just didn't feel up to school today." The woman stepped aside slightly. "But if you'd like to see her… she went to the park nearby. The one with the fountain."
Luka bowed again. "Thank you."
As he turned away, the woman's voice followed gently. "Take care of her, Luka-kun. She needs more people like you."
The words lingered like a weight in his chest as he headed for the park.
---
The park was quieter than usual, touched by the golden haze of late afternoon. Children's laughter drifted from the playground, but Luka's eyes scanned past them, searching.
He spotted her by the fountain.
Aria sat on the stone edge, knees drawn up slightly, hands folded over them. Her copper-streaked hair caught the sunlight like fire, but her face was distant, unreadable.
Luka approached slowly, his footsteps crunching on the gravel path.
"Aria," he called softly.
Her head snapped up, surprise flickering across her face. "Luka? What are you doing here?"
"You weren't at school," he said simply. "I… was worried."
Something shifted in her eyes—shock, then something gentler, like the faint glow of dawn after a long night.
"You really came all the way here just because of that?" she asked.
"Of course," Luka said, more firmly than he expected. He adjusted his glasses, trying to steady his voice. "You matter."
Her lips parted slightly, as if the words caught her off guard. Then she looked away, gaze dropping to the rippling fountain water.
For a while, silence stretched between them, broken only by the distant shouts of children.
Finally, Aria spoke. Her voice was quiet, heavy. "I don't know how to be good at this. At… letting people care."
Luka sat down beside her, keeping a respectful distance. "Maybe you don't have to be good at it. Maybe you just… let it happen."
She let out a short laugh—half-bitter, half-shaken. "Easier said than done."
"Yeah," Luka admitted. "I'm not great at it either. But… I want to try. With you."
Her eyes lifted then, meeting his. And for a moment, the guarded walls she always carried seemed to crack, just slightly.
"…You're strange, Luka," she whispered.
"Kenji tells me that every day," he deadpanned.
That earned a faint, genuine laugh from her.
It was enough. Enough to make Luka's chest ache in the best way.
But before he could say more, movement caught the edge of his vision.
A figure.
A man in a dark hoodie, walking down the path toward them. His pace was unhurried, almost casual, but something about it felt wrong—too deliberate, too focused.
Luka's hand tightened on his bag strap. Aria noticed too; her body went stiff, the color draining from her face.
The man stopped a few feet away, shadow falling across them.
"Aria Fenton," he said, voice low beneath the hood.
Her breath hitched. Luka felt his pulse hammering in his ears.
And just like that—the fragile calm of the moment shattered.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…