Opening Scene – Cracks Beneath the Surface
The episode opens in silence, only the rhythmic sound of a shuttle striking a racket echoing through the empty gym.
Thwip... thwip... thwip.
Akio stood alone, drenched in sweat, his breath ragged. His movements were mechanical, almost robotic.
The scene fades in and out between his heavy swings and flashes of memory:
Sora's smirk, whispering venom into his ear.
The crowd's cheers when Akio won the tournament.
The bullies' laughter from Ukio's old schoolyard.
And, finally, the crushing silence of his old magic academy when he failed.
The voices of his past and present merged into a deafening cacophony.
"You're a failure."
"You're a fraud."
"You'll lose next time."
"They're all watching, waiting for you to fall."
Akio gasped and missed his shot, the shuttlecock bouncing limply across the floor.
He dropped to his knees, clutching his head.
"Stop... stop it!" he screamed into the empty gym, his voice breaking.
The Weight of Expectation
The next day at school, Yukiko and the rest of the badminton team were gathered in the club room, going over strategies for the next tournament.
Akio sat apart from them, staring blankly at his racket. His hands were trembling, though he tried to hide it.
"Alright," the coach said with a smile. "We'll run a light practice today. The tournament's still a few weeks away, so let's focus on keeping our stamina steady."
But Akio snapped his head up, panic flashing in his eyes.
"No!" he said, louder than he meant to. Everyone turned to stare.
"We... we need to train harder. If we don't, we'll lose. I'll lose."
Yukiko frowned, concern etched on his face. "Akio, you've been pushing yourself nonstop since the last tournament. You barely sleep. You're running on fumes."
"I'm fine," Akio said quickly. Too quickly.
"If we don't push now, it'll be too late."
One of the senior members, a teenager named Kana, gently interjected.
"Akio... we're worried about you. Your body can't keep up at this pace. You'll get hurt."
Akio's grip on his racket tightened until his knuckles turned white.
"They don't understand," he thought bitterly.
"They don't know what's coming. They don't know about Sora."
He stood abruptly. "Let's start the next drill."
But the coach shook his head.
"No. We're stopping early today. Everyone needs rest."
Breaking Point – The Slammed Door
The words felt like a slap to Akio's face.
"No," he said, voice low but dangerous.
"We can't stop now."
The coach's tone grew firm. "Akio, this is final. You've been working harder than anyone, but if you collapse, the whole team suffers."
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then Akio laughed—harsh, bitter, broken.
"You don't get it!" he shouted, his voice breaking with desperation.
"If I stop, everything falls apart! You think this is just about winning games?
If I'm not strong enough, people will get hurt!"
Everyone froze, stunned by his outburst.
Yukiko's eyes widened. "Akio, what are you talking about?"
Akio shook his head violently, tears welling in his eyes.
"You wouldn't understand. None of you would."
And then, before anyone could stop him, he stormed toward the door and slammed it shut behind him so hard the walls rattled.
The echo hung in the air like a gunshot.
Inside the room, silence fell.
Kana whispered, trembling, "What... what just happened?"
Yukiko clenched his fists, his face pale.
"He's not okay," he said quietly, almost to himself.
"He's breaking... and he won't let anyone in."
Akio Alone – The Spiral
The scene cuts to Akio wandering through the streets as dusk falls, his hood pulled up to hide his face.
He walked aimlessly, his thoughts a whirlpool of fear and guilt.
"They don't understand. They think badminton is just a game.
But Sora... Sora isn't playing.
If he's here, it means the wall between worlds is breaking."
He stumbled into a quiet park and collapsed onto a bench.
Memories of the past flooded in—his old teachers telling him he had no talent, his former classmates mocking him, his parents turning away in disappointment.
And now, the faces of his new team, looking at him with confusion and fear.
"It's happening again," he realized with a choked sob.
"I'm going to lose everything again.
No matter what world I'm in... I ruin it."
As his tears fell, a single thought rose from the darkness:
"Maybe I don't deserve this second chance."
Meanwhile – The Team's Worry
Back in the club room, the team was restless.
No one knew what to say.
Finally, Yukiko slammed his hands on the table.
"I'm going after him."
The coach frowned. "Give him space, Hazuna. He needs time to cool down."
But Yukiko shook his head fiercely.
"Space won't fix this.
He's hurting, and he's been carrying something alone this whole time.
If we don't reach him now... we might lose him for good."
Kana placed a trembling hand on Yukiko's arm.
"Be careful. He looked... so scared."
Yukiko nodded grimly and ran out into the night.
The Rooftop Scene – Yukiko Confronts Akio
Yukiko eventually found Akio on the school rooftop, sitting on the edge with his legs dangling dangerously over the side.
The wind tugged at Akio's hair and clothes, carrying the faint sound of city life below.
"Akio!" Yukiko shouted, his voice breaking with fear.
Akio didn't turn.
"Go away, Yukiko."
"Not a chance." Yukiko walked toward him, heart pounding.
"You scared the hell out of everyone. What's going on with you?"
Akio's shoulders shook.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Then make me understand!" Yukiko yelled.
"You've been fighting like your life depends on it, and now you're acting like... like badminton is some kind of war!
What aren't you telling me?"
Akio finally turned, tears streaming down his face.
"It is a war!" he screamed.
"This world isn't safe! There's someone here who... who shouldn't be!
And if I'm not strong enough, everyone I care about will—"
He cut himself off, gasping, as if the words had physically hurt him.
Yukiko's expression softened.
"You're talking about that silver-haired teen, aren't you?
Sora."
Akio flinched. "You heard him?"
"I don't know what's going on," Yukiko admitted, voice trembling.
"But I know this—you're not alone.
You don't have to carry this by yourself."
Akio shook his head violently.
"No, you don't get it!
In my old world, I was weak. I failed everyone.
And now... now I have a second chance, but if I mess up again—"
Yukiko grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to meet his eyes.
"Listen to me, Akio!
We don't care if you win or lose.
We care about you.
You don't have to destroy yourself to protect us."
For a moment, Akio just stared, trembling.
Then, slowly, his face crumpled and he collapsed against Yukiko, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I... I don't know how to stop," he choked out.
"I'm so scared, Yukiko. I don't want to lose this world."
Yukiko held him tightly, whispering, "You won't.
We'll face it together.
No more secrets, no more running."
Resolution – Fragile but Real
The next day, Akio returned to practice.
His eyes were red from crying, his body exhausted, but his spirit steadier.
The team welcomed him back without judgment. Kana even smiled shyly.
"We were worried, Akio. Don't scare us like that again."
Akio bowed deeply. "I'm sorry.
And... thank you. For not giving up on me."
The coach gave a nod. "No more overtraining. We'll work hard—but smart. Agreed?"
Akio hesitated, then nodded.
"Agreed."
As practice began, Yukiko shot him a knowing smile.
Akio returned it, a fragile but genuine flicker of hope in his eyes.
Final Scene – Sora Watches
Far away, in the shadow of an alley near the tournament arena, Sora leaned against a wall, watching a strange shimmering crack in a window—like glass threatening to shatter.
"So," he murmured with a smirk, "Akio's finally showing his true colors.
But his will is not enough no matter how hard he trys to get over his very own despair, because I will win this time and humiliate him entirely."
He turned, his golden eyes glowing faintly.
"Soon, you'll see, Akio.
This game has only just begun."
The screen fades to black as a haunting melody plays.
TO BE CONTINUED...