The next morning, the town seemed quieter than usual. Fog curled around street lamps, twisting the streets into shapes that looked both familiar and strange. Rain from the night had left puddles reflecting the soft golden light, and every drop that fell from a tree branch seemed louder than it should have been. Miyuki walked beside Hikaru, her hands stuffed into her jacket pockets, eyes scanning the misty sky as if she could find answers written there.
She couldn't shake the memory of the girl on the rooftop last night—the way she had looked at Kaito, the weight in her words, and that haunting smile that seemed to pierce straight into her chest. Miyuki shivered, hugging herself. "Why do I feel like everything is moving too fast? Like we're already part of something we don't understand?" she whispered, her voice almost swallowed by the fog.
Hikaru glanced at her, calm as ever, but his eyes were sharp, flicking over the empty streets with a hunter's precision. "I don't think she's moving us," he said softly. "I think she's showing us the threads. Kaito's energy, the girl, the gangs… it's all connected. And if we don't start noticing the lines, we'll just be pulled along."
Miyuki's breath hitched slightly. "Noticing the lines? You mean… like reading the future?"
Hikaru shrugged lightly, though his expression didn't soften. "Not exactly. But the closer you watch, the more you realize—everything is tied. And if you're not careful, one wrong step could pull all three of us under."
---
Meanwhile, Kaito sat in the abandoned art room, pencil hovering over his sketchbook. His mind was a storm of tangled thoughts, and every line he drew seemed to pull him deeper into an unknown maze. The previous night's rooftop encounter had left him restless, his sleep broken by flashes of the girl's eyes and shadows curling around his sketches. Each stroke of pencil on paper now felt heavier, almost like he was drawing on reality itself.
"Why does it feel like she's everywhere?" Kaito muttered under his breath. His fingers moved almost automatically, sketching her again. But this time, she wasn't alone. Dark shadows twisted around her, stretching and curling toward him as if trying to reach inside his mind.
A soft creak interrupted him. Kaito looked up, heart thudding. Miyuki stepped inside quietly, holding a small umbrella dripping with water. Her presence felt like a tether to the real world, pulling him back from the edge of panic.
"You should take a break," she said gently. "You've been at this for hours. You're exhausting yourself."
Kaito swallowed hard, looking away. "I… I can't. Not yet. It's like something's waiting for me. Something I have to finish."
Miyuki walked closer, her hand brushing his shoulder to guide him when he faltered. "You can't face it alone. Not everything has to be on your shoulders, Kaito."
He stared at her for a long moment. Her calmness, her steady presence, made the shadows seem smaller, more manageable. "You… you really understand, don't you?" he murmured.
Miyuki only shook her head slightly. "I don't fully understand. But I know we're in this together."
---
By midday, the town's quiet was shattered. A black car rolled slowly down the main street, tinted windows hiding the faces inside. Reiji's men were moving, their presence deliberate, their movements precise. This wasn't a random patrol—they were tracking something. Or someone.
Hikaru noticed them first. He tugged Miyuki and Kaito into a narrow alley. "Move," he whispered, urgency in his tone. "They're here earlier than expected."
Kaito's eyes widened, panic rising. "How did they—?"
"No time," Hikaru interrupted sharply. "Just follow me. Stay low. Don't make a sound."
The three of them ran through backstreets, dodging patrols, slipping through shadows, hearts pounding with every step. Kaito's mind raced. Each twist and turn mirrored lines he had drawn in the past—lines he hadn't understood until now. His drawings had been warnings, guides, and somehow, traps.
Miyuki stayed close, her hand brushing against his shoulder to guide him when paths split. For the first time, Kaito felt a surge of gratitude for her presence. Her calmness anchored him, even as the danger grew heavier with every step.
Finally, they reached an abandoned warehouse at the edge of town. The fog swirled around its walls, making it almost invisible. Inside, the dim light flickered, throwing shadows that danced like restless spirits.
"Now what?" Kaito asked, voice shaking slightly.
Hikaru leaned against a crate, scanning the shadows. "We wait. And observe. Reiji won't make a move unless he thinks he has the advantage. That's when we'll know what he really wants—and why the girl is involved."
Miyuki clenched her fists, teeth biting her lip. "I hate waiting. I feel like we're prey."
"Neither do I," Kaito admitted quietly, glancing around nervously.
Suddenly, a movement froze all three of them. The girl appeared at the doorway, stepping out of shadows like she had been there the entire time.
"You're learning," she said softly. "But learning is not enough. Soon, you will have to act. Choices you make now will shape all the timelines."
Miyuki's heart skipped. "Timelines?"
She gave a small, almost sad smile. "Yes. And not all of them end well. But if you follow the threads carefully, you may survive—and perhaps, even find each other."
Hikaru glanced at Kaito, then at Miyuki. "We don't have a choice, do we?"
The girl shook her head slowly. "No. Fate doesn't give choices. It only gives opportunities."
The warehouse fell silent again. The distant hum of traffic was the only reminder of the world outside. But inside, the threads were tightening, drawing them toward the next step of the journey, and none of them could look away.
—