The teacher entered the classroom with a particular smile that day, one that many interpreted as a sign of something new.
"Class, today we have a new classmate," she announced in a clear voice. "Please come in and introduce yourself."
All murmurs ceased when the door opened.
Seraphine stepped inside with an elegant stride, and silence turned into astonishment. Her dark brown hair fell like a cascade over her shoulders, and her blue eyes caught everyone's attention like crystal under sunlight. There was something about her that could not be explained, something… celestial.
"My name is Seraphine Caelis. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we get along well," she said with a soft yet firm voice.
The teacher pointed her toward her seat, right next to Hina, who raised her hand and smiled to guide her.
They greeted each other quietly. The class continued without much trouble, although several students kept glancing at her, captivated by her presence and beauty.
When class ended, the teacher approached Hina.
"Hina, could you show Seraphine around the school?"
"Of course! It would be a pleasure."
As they walked through the hallways, many students could not stop staring at her. Seraphine noticed the persistent looks.
"It seems like everyone is watching us a bit too much," she commented with a discreet smile.
"They're staring because you're new. In a few days, they'll probably stop," Hina replied casually.
But in an almost imperceptible movement, Seraphine brushed her hand against Hina's chest, barely touching the center of her heart. That was when she felt it. There was no malice, only anguish and exhaustion. Nothing that made her suspicious of her.
They continued walking through the school, checking where the bathrooms and some classrooms were. But when they reached an outdoor area, Hina stopped.
"Look, that's Elior," she said, pointing.
Elior was crouched down, picking up notebooks for a small student he had bumped into. His kind smile and willingness to help drew sighs from around him. Several girls watched from afar, whispering among themselves.
"Come on, I'll introduce you," Hina said enthusiastically, raising her voice. "Elior!"
He approached with calm steps, not looking at them at first… until he stood right in front of them.
Elior lifted his gaze at the exact moment it met Seraphine's eyes, and in that instant, in that precise instant… everything stopped. Time, the universe, every atom within it. Their souls and eyes refused to yield to such a beautiful and necessary connection, as if they had been searching for each other for millennia and urgently needed that contact.
Elior felt a tingling sensation run through his body, something strange and new that he could not understand. His heart pounded so hard he thought anyone could hear it. He could not stop looking at her. There was something in those eyes that disarmed him. The feeling was strange and, at the same time… comforting.
Seraphine felt a warmth rise in her chest, making it hard to breathe. An inexplicable urge to keep looking at him took hold of her, as if within those beautiful gray eyes was something she had been searching for without even knowing it.
Without realizing it, Elior stepped closer and closer. It was not something he could explain. He simply needed to be nearer to those eyes.
Neither of them could look away. Nor did they want to.
The entire universe shrank to those eyes, to those beautiful blue eyes, as an invisible bond stretched between them, impossible to break.
Hina, not fully understanding the situation, interrupted.
"Elior, this is Seraphine. Seraphine, this is Elior."
Still stunned, he smiled softly, not breaking eye contact.
"Nice to meet you." His voice came out lower than usual, almost reverent.
"The pleasure is mine…" she replied, feeling her cheeks burn without knowing why.
The spell broke only when Hina playfully hit Elior.
"Hey! Don't get so close!"
He stepped back with a nervous laugh, hands raised.
"Sorry, I swear, I didn't mean to…"
Seraphine lowered her gaze, her heart still racing.
"What was that?" she thought.
"Well, uh… I should go now. I have class. It was really nice meeting you, Seraphine. See you!" Elior said before walking away with a small wave.
"Don't worry about him," Hina said with a sigh. "He doesn't have bad intentions. Elior is really sweet. If you ever need help, you can look for him without fear. He's a bit of an idiot, but he helps everyone with a smile."
Seraphine looked at her with curiosity.
"It seems like you know him quite well."
"About five years or so. We're inseparable," Hina said with a sincere smile before continuing to walk.
Seraphine said nothing more.
"Elior… what a strange boy," she murmured softly, smiling.
Elior arrived at his classroom feeling something strange inside him. His pulse was racing.
"What is this feeling?" he whispered to himself.
Later, the hallway was quiet, almost empty at that hour. Seraphine walked toward the restroom with a light step, but her mind was not on her destination. It was on someone else who had captured her attention. Elior. The warmth he radiated with just a smile was not normal. There was something different about him, something deep… something she could not put into words, and that unsettled her.
"I shouldn't get distracted by these things," she thought, scolding herself. And yet, her mind returned again and again to Elior, to the way he spoke, and above all, to how everyone looked at him with such affection and admiration.
As she turned the corner of the hallway, she stopped.
A few meters ahead, Elior was with two younger boys. They were trying to reach a ball stuck in the branches of a tree. Without a word, Elior climbed up with agility, retrieved the ball, and handed it to them with a wide smile. The children hugged him briefly before running back to the yard.
Seraphine did not move. She simply watched him. There was something genuine in the way he acted. No posing, no effort. An aura. A warmth that could be felt even from a distance.
Discreetly, she followed him from afar when he walked away. She thought about approaching him, saying something… maybe thanking him for his kindness earlier, or simply hearing his voice again.
But then she saw him leaning against the wall, head lowered, breathing heavily. The smile was gone. His true face was pain, sorrow, and a weariness that seemed eternal.
Seraphine stopped abruptly. The contrast was so brutal that she took a step back without realizing it.
No, she thought. It was not the right moment to approach.
She turned gently and walked away in silence the way she had come. For the first time, her heart felt heavy in her chest.
At the end of the day, the school bell rang with its familiar metallic echo. Students poured through the hallways, laughing, talking, complaining about homework. An ordinary day, apparently.
Seraphine, with her calm steps and perfect posture, moved through the crowd with trained naturalness. Observing in silence, as always. Her blue eyes traveled among humans, capturing gestures, emotions… vibrations.
But one scene stopped her.
Ahead, under the soft light of sunset, Hina and Elior were talking by the school gate. She laughed. He did too. But it was not a forced laugh. It was the same warm, luminous smile he had shown earlier. That smile that seemed to ignite something in everyone who saw it.
Seraphine narrowed her eyes.
It was as if Hina were his emotional center of gravity. With her, Elior returned to being that being of light she had perceived. With her… he neither pretended nor hid.
Seraphine lowered her gaze and sighed almost imperceptibly.
Without saying a word, she turned around and walked toward the back area of the school. A secluded place where people rarely went at that hour. She looked around, made sure she was alone, and closed her eyes.
A faint glow enveloped her body, now imperceptible to the human eye.
Gently, she placed her fingers over her chest, right where her heart beat, and murmured with reverence:
"Caelis. Report 1. Object of observation: Elior Blackwood. Emotional state: some instability detected, confirmation pending. Key relationship: Hina Takamura. Special observation: with her, his burden decreases. She appears to be his emotional anchor."
She paused.
"Preliminary conclusion: no immediate threat detected, but his soul… shines with a disconcerting intensity. There is a dangerous duality between his light and something darker, possibly linked to the battle with the demon."
She slowly opened her eyes. The wind carried dry leaves around her.
"What are you really, Elior…?" she whispered.
The afternoon passed without much preamble. Hina and Elior walked through the shopping center, eating ice cream and looking for the pants Hina wanted to buy. Elior, on the other hand, just wanted to get home and sleep. Still, he felt some curiosity about the new student, so he did not hesitate to ask Hina.
"What do you think about your new classmate? She seemed nice. I thought you'd invite her," Elior asked curiously.
"Honestly, she's really nice. We talked a lot during class and recess. I did ask her if she wanted to come with us, but she said she still had to organize things from the move."
"So she's new in the city too?" Elior asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, yeah. I think she arrived yesterday."
"I see… but anyway, we've talked enough about her. Tell me how things are going with the guy you mentioned the other day."
Night quickly arrived after spending the whole afternoon eating and talking about Hina's love troubles and Elior's constant teasing. As always, he walked her home. The night was calm for both of them.
The next day, sunlight streamed through the tall hallway windows. Seraphine walked alongside Hina and two other girls, laughing about conversations regarding the upcoming festival. Yet her mind kept returning to him, to the moment their eyes met for the first time. She longed to see him again or talk to him.
As she turned down the hallway, she collided head-on with Elior. Her hand accidentally touched his chest.
And she felt it. A mixture of warmth, pain, and tenderness. Darkness and light. A soul on the verge of breaking… and a heart that still beat strongly for everyone except himself.
"Are you okay?" he asked, looking at her with that disconcerting warmth.
"Yes, I'm sorry…" she murmured, lowering her gaze.
"It's fine, don't worry," he smiled, tilting his head slightly. He then stepped closer and greeted Hina and the other girls.
Just as he was about to leave, he stopped abruptly and turned back toward them. With a mischievous smile, as if it were nothing, he pulled two hairpins from his pocket and handed them to Hina.
"Here, you left these at my place," he said casually.
Hina froze.
"Elior!? How can you say that here!?" Her cheeks instantly turned red.
"What do you mean? You're the one who left them in my bathroom," he replied, still relaxed and teasing.
Hina's face was completely red.
The girls stared at each other in shock, mouths slightly open. Seraphine, however, paid no attention to the situation. She was still watching his smile. Not the polite smile he showed out of courtesy… but the one that seemed genuine, natural.
Then Elior turned toward her.
"Seraphine, could you come with me for a moment? I need to talk to you. It'll only take a minute."
Seraphine nodded silently.
They walked without saying a word. When they were alone, Elior stopped beside a wooden fence.
"About yesterday…" he said, avoiding her gaze.
For a moment, Seraphine was surprised. She thought Elior might have felt that connection too, the one they shared when they first met, and she did not know how to react. But before she could even get nervous, Elior spoke.
"I'm sorry you saw me like that in the hallway. It wasn't anything bad… I was just a little dizzy and had an unbearable migraine. I also hadn't eaten anything all day."
She quickly came back to herself, carrying a hint of disappointment, and as she listened to him, she knew.
Elior was lying. She knew it the moment his voice trembled slightly. It was not hunger. It was something else, something that had been weighing on him at that moment.
But Seraphine did not want to confront him. Still, she was surprised that he had noticed her, when she felt she had moved in complete silence.
"I understand. Sometimes… anyone can forget to eat," she replied with a small smile.
"And about how I knew you were there…" he continued, now looking more relaxed. "It was the sound of your shoes. They're new, right? Most of us don't make any noise when we walk anymore… but yours do. Even if you're quiet, it's impossible not to notice you."
Seraphine blushed slightly, caught between surprise and embarrassment.
"I see… you're more observant than you seem."
"Only when someone catches my attention," Elior replied, smiling again as he walked away, raising one hand in farewell.
"Hey! Don't forget to eat properly," she said naturally.
"Why did I say that…? That sounded really strange," she whispered to herself, deeply embarrassed.
Elior only looked back and gave her a smile.
When Seraphine returned to the group, Hina was the first to approach her.
"So, what did he say?" she asked curiously.
"Nothing important," Seraphine replied softly. "He just apologized for getting too close yesterday."
Hina raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, though she sensed that something was being hidden.
The hallway echoed with youthful laughter, uneven footsteps, and the metallic clatter of lockers closing. Hina walked ahead, radiant as always, surrounded by two classmates who would not stop joking. Seraphine walked beside them, smiling politely, though she did not quite feel like part of the noise.
"And then the teacher slipped on the chalk and almost fell flat on his face!" one of the girls said, bursting into laughter.
"You're terrible!" another replied, laughing just as hard.
Hina laughed too, with that contagious sound that made everything feel calmer. Seraphine, on the other hand, only nodded lightly, her mind elsewhere.
As they turned down the hallway, she saw him.
Elior was leaning against the wall, surrounded by a couple of classmates chatting animatedly with him. His calm, genuine smile seemed to light up everything around him.
Seraphine felt the world shrink to that instant. Her eyes could not look away.
Warmth rose in her chest, so sudden that she had to take a breath. And then… Elior looked up.
And he looked at her.
It was not by chance. It was direct, deep, as if he had been waiting for her. The smile he wore with the others softened, and for a second it was different. Intense, radiant… meant only for her.
Seraphine's heart leapt.
"What… is this?"
"Hey, Sera, are you okay?" Hina asked, having noticed her steps slow.
Seraphine blinked, tearing her gaze away abruptly.
"N-no, it's nothing."
Hina narrowed her eyes, amused, but did not press further. She kept walking, though something sparked in her mind.
"So that's it…" she thought, biting her lip as she smiled to herself.
Later, when they stopped near the bleachers in the courtyard, Seraphine looked again without meaning to. Elior was now with a group of younger students, helping them fix a deflated ball. He laughed with them, carefree, that wide laugh Seraphine had noticed appeared more often when he was around Hina.
And then came the sting.
She saw him smile so naturally toward Hina, with that trust built over years. But when his eyes met hers… it was different. More intense. Harder to endure.
Seraphine remained silent, lost in her thoughts, while Hina watched her from the corner of her eye. The redhead's smile widened slightly, like someone who had just discovered a secret the other was not ready to admit.
The midday sun bathed the school rooftop, where some students usually ate lunch. Hina, Seraphine, and the two classmates had brought their meals there, enjoying the cool breeze between the railings.
"Ah, finally a break!" Hina sighed, leaning against the wall with a bright smile.
The girls began talking about the upcoming school festival, about which clubs would perform. Seraphine listened quietly, responding from time to time with short, polite phrases.
But she could not help it. Every so often, her eyes drifted toward the sports field below. Elior was there, playing soccer with some older students. He moved naturally, laughing, sweat on his forehead, an energy that seemed contagious even from a distance.
Seraphine watched him without realizing it, with a calm that had nothing to do with the conversation around her.
And then…
"Wow, Sera, you should be careful," Hina suddenly said, her tone playful.
Seraphine blinked, confused.
"Careful? What do you mean?"
Hina took a sip of her juice before smiling mischievously.
"If you keep staring at him like that, anyone would think you're about to write him a love letter."
The other two girls laughed, surprised.
"Huh? Who are you talking about?"
"The guy on the field!" Hina replied, shamelessly pointing toward Elior.
Seraphine stiffened.
"I-it's not like that!" she replied immediately, her cheeks burning. "I was just… observing. That's all."
"Uh-huh, sure…" Hina said, narrowing her eyes with amusement. "That's exactly what the last girl who confessed to him in the hallway yesterday said, you know?"
"Hina!" Seraphine pouted, barely hiding her nervousness.
The other girls laughed even harder.
"I didn't know Seraphine liked guys like that!"
"Like what?" Hina asked, raising an eyebrow seriously.
"Like… kind, smiling, good to everyone…" one of them said, sighing dramatically. "Elior is basically the school's 'prince.'"
Hina turned back to Seraphine, eyebrow raised, her smile mixing complicity and mischief.
"Well, Sera, you don't have to worry. Elior is really sweet. And if you stare at him that much… who knows, maybe he's already noticed."
Seraphine lowered her gaze quickly, gripping her juice tightly. Her heart was pounding, far too hard.
"What if he has already noticed…? No… that can't be."
Meanwhile, on the field, Elior glanced up toward the rooftop. For a second, their eyes met again. Seraphine froze.
He smiled. Just for her.
And Hina, seeing everything out of the corner of her eye, hid a small giggle behind her hand.
"So it's true…" she thought with satisfaction.
"Hey, Hina, since you're his best friend, tell us… how well do you really know Elior?" the first girl asked.
"Yeah, because the other day he gave you a hairpin you left at his house. At his house! That's not normal, is it?" the second added, eyes shining with curiosity.
Seraphine immediately tensed, lowering her head slightly, while Hina rolled her eyes and sighed as if she already knew where this was going.
"I've known Elior for three years. Since then, I spend time at his place almost every day. We play, we study, we talk… he's my best friend," she said naturally, though there was a hint of pride in her voice.
"And is it true that he's always training?" the first friend suddenly asked. "My brother goes to a kickboxing academy and swore he saw Elior training there. He said Elior is really athletic."
"Oh, right!" the other remembered, tapping her hand lightly. "The day Hina fell into the pool, wasn't Elior the one who lent her his hoodie? I was there! I saw him. He had a well-built body, but also…" she lowered her voice, intrigued. "Those scars. So many scars."
"Yeah… why does he have so many?" the first insisted, leaning closer to Hina as if searching for a forbidden secret.
Hina raised her hands, as if putting up an invisible wall.
"That's enough, girls. I'm not telling you everything. Elior hates people talking about his private life, and I respect that."
The two friends pouted.
"You're such a buzzkill!"
Hina chuckled and shook her head.
"What I can tell you is that Elior is someone who helps everyone. He doesn't look for fights, he doesn't have that kind of stupid pride. He trains because he likes learning new things, because he wants to improve, nothing more. And even if he has a thousand scars…" she looked down at him from the rooftop with a gentle smile. "He's still the same guy who's always willing to smile at anyone."
The classmates sighed in unison, almost dreamy.
"Ah… now I like him even more."
Seraphine said nothing. Her eyes, without meaning to, drifted back to the field. There, Elior laughed after scoring another goal, raising his hand to high-five the others. And even though he was surrounded by people, she felt him distant… as if only the two of them shared an invisible thread in that moment.
A thread she did not understand. A thread she could not cut.
Not long after, the bell rang, announcing the end of lunch. Students began gathering their things and slowly heading down from the rooftop.
The two classmates said goodbye first, leaving Hina and Seraphine a little behind. The wind blew softly, stirring Seraphine's brown hair and Hina's orange locks.
Hina walked beside her in silence for a few seconds, until she suddenly spoke in a different tone, much more serious.
"Hey, Sera…"
"Hmm?" Seraphine looked at her curiously.
Hina lowered her voice, as if making sure no one else could hear.
"I know Elior caught your attention. I noticed it. And believe me… I can't judge you for that."
Seraphine blinked, surprised.
"Huh? No… I…" she tried to deny it, but Hina's firm expression made her stop.
"Don't worry, I'm not upset," Hina smiled with a sweetness that hid a trace of sadness. "On the contrary… I'm telling you because I like you. Because I've grown fond of you."
Seraphine's heart skipped a beat.
"What do you mean…?"
Hina looked straight at her, not averting her gaze.
"That Elior isn't ready for those things. It's not the first time someone has tried to get close to him like that. And it always… always ends in rejection."
Seraphine froze, as if the air suddenly weighed on her.
"He rejects them?"
"Yes," Hina nodded slowly. "Because even though he's kind and smiles at everyone, inside he carries a pain you can't imagine. And I know, with all my heart, that he doesn't want to drag anyone else into that pain."
There was a pause. The wind blew again, cold.
"I'm only telling you this because I don't want you to suffer, Sera," Hina forced a small smile. "If you start to feel something for him… think about it carefully."
With those words, she walked a few steps ahead, greeting a couple of acquaintances heading down the stairs.
Seraphine remained still. Completely alone, in the middle of the rooftop that was beginning to empty.
The echo of Hina's words beat in her head like a constant drum.
"Elior isn't ready."
"He always rejects those feelings."
"I don't want you to suffer."
Seraphine closed her eyes and brought a hand to her chest. Her heart was pounding, rebellious.
"What's happening to me…?" she whispered softly.
"My mission is not this. I only have to watch him and deliver the information. I cannot feel anything more."
But she quickly remembered the first time she had looked into his eyes. That impossible-to-explain connection, as if the entire universe had come to a halt. She remembered his smile on the court, when he seemed to shine just for her. And she also remembered that moment in the hallway, when she saw him emotionally collapse, revealing a pain he hid from everyone.
"It's… so contradictory…" she murmured, clutching her uniform with her fingers.
An angel should not feel this way. She should not allow herself to be dragged by emotions like these. And yet, there she was, her chest burning, her mind turned into a labyrinth.
"What am I to him?" she thought in anguish. "Am I just a stranger? Or… did he feel it too?"
The bell rang again, shattering her silence.
Seraphine opened her eyes, but in her gaze there was a dangerous mixture: doubt, pain, and a spark of hope she could not extinguish.
"Elior…" she whispered, as if saying his name might give her an answer.
And she slowly descended the stairs, carrying with her a weight in her heart she did not know how to handle.
The sun was setting behind the city buildings, staining the school hallways with orange hues and elongated shadows. Most of the students had already left, leaving behind an almost eerie silence compared to the bustle of a few hours earlier.
Seraphine walked alone, her books pressed against her chest. She had decided to stay a little longer to familiarize herself with the hallways—or at least, that's what she told herself. In reality, her mind was elsewhere.
As she reached one of the corridors, it happened.
"Ah!" she exclaimed softly as she bumped into someone.
Her books nearly fell, but a firm hand caught them before they touched the floor. She looked up—and there he was.
Elior.
"I'm sorry," he said, in that gentle voice that carried both weariness and warmth.
His hand was still over hers, holding the books. And in that instant, the inevitable happened: Seraphine's palm brushed against his chest. Right in the same place as the first time.
A shiver ran through her.
The warmth. That incredible, almost sacred warmth washed over her again. A sensation that embraced, that healed, that seemed to want to erase all the darkness in the world.
But suddenly…
Her breath caught.
That light vanished. And what emerged in its place was something entirely different.
A shadow.
Dark. Cold. Dense like an abyss.
Elior's heart, for a brief second, was covered by something indescribable—like an impenetrable wall that violently rejected her. It wasn't just resistance; it was a hostile rejection, as if that shadow inside him refused to be seen.
Seraphine stepped back, startled. Her hand trembled slightly, as if she had touched frozen fire.
Elior looked at her with narrowed eyes, confused. "Is something wrong?"
She parted her lips, but couldn't answer right away. That warmth, that tenderness that had moved her so deeply… had been devoured in the blink of an eye by something sinister she couldn't understand.
"N-no… nothing. I just… got scared," she replied, forcing a light smile.
Elior averted his gaze and handed her the books with a kind but distant gesture. "You should be more careful. These hallways always feel lonelier at the end of the day."
With that, he turned and continued walking toward the exit.
Seraphine remained frozen, her heart pounding too fast.
"That shadow…" she murmured, barely audible. "What are you, Elior?"
His silhouette disappeared into the orange glow of the sunset. And she knew, with unsettling certainty, that she had touched something that did not want to be discovered.
Night had fallen over the city. Neon lights reflected on the windows of Seraphine's dorm room, but she paid them no attention. Sitting on her bed, her hair still wet and her legs crossed, she closed her eyes and brought her hands to her chest.
A soft green-blue glow enveloped her body. The room suddenly fell into complete silence.
"Caelis, report number two…" she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if speaking to the air itself.
A vibration passed through the room. The link was established.
"Subject of observation: Elior Blackwood. Current condition: stable in appearance… but something within him has changed."
Her voice faltered for a moment. She—the youngest envoy of the Celestial Council—was hesitating. And that was dangerous.
"Today I touched him again… his heart. At first, I felt the same warmth as before. A light that seemed capable of healing any wound, a kindness uncommon for an ordinary human. But then… that light disappeared."
Seraphine clenched her fists against her chest.
"A shadow… deep, hostile, impossible to describe. It rejected me. It wasn't an unconscious defense—it was an expulsion. As if something inside him… did not want to be discovered."
The glow around her trembled.
"Partial conclusion: Elior Blackwood is not an ordinary human. Nor is he a hybrid, nor a simple chosen one. His soul… changes. Between light and darkness. Between warmth and emptiness. That makes him more unpredictable than any demon."
Silence filled the room for several seconds. Only her shaky breathing broke it.
Finally, she added in a low voice, almost like a confession: "And yet… although I should fear him, I cannot stay away. The connection I felt in his eyes… it was as if I had known him before."
The glow slowly faded.
Seraphine opened her eyes. Her lashes trembled, and a drop of sweat slid down her forehead.
She knew those words would reach the Council in Aetheris. She knew they might decide to monitor him more closely… or even eliminate him.
But she also knew she had hidden something in her report. The most important detail.
That shadow… for a brief moment, looked back at her. And in that instant, she felt fear surge through her body.
"What's happening to me?" she whispered, before letting herself fall onto the bed, unable to sleep.
Elior
The house was silent, dimly lit by the soft glow of a lamp in the living room. Outside, the city slept, but inside, Elior and Hina shared a different kind of calm.
Elior sank into the couch with a long, tired sigh. "I don't feel well, Hina…" he said, staring at the ceiling with dull eyes. "It's strange. No matter how much I sleep or rest… I wake up even more tired. Like I have no energy. Like something is draining me from the inside."
Hina, sitting beside him with her legs pulled close, watched him quietly for a few seconds before speaking. "Maybe it's because you got completely wrecked in that fight, don't you think?" she replied gently, though with a hint of reproach. "You broke six ribs, got stabbed, almost died… Elior, in the end, you're still human. Maybe your body hasn't had enough time to fully recover."
Elior smiled weakly, turning his head slightly toward her. "Maybe… I guess you're right. Maybe that's all it is."
The silence lasted only a few seconds before Hina broke it with a mischievous smile. "Although…" she leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with teasing, "it could also be because you spend too much time staring at a certain new girl."
Elior blinked, confused. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, don't play dumb!" she insisted, lightly punching his shoulder. "I've already noticed the way you look at Seraphine."
He straightened up immediately, flustered. "Hey! I don't— That's not what you think. I treat her like everyone else. I haven't noticed myself doing anything different."
Hina watched him with a playful grin, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Uh-huh. Sure. Just like everyone else."
Elior sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You know I don't feel that way, Hina. I really don't. I don't feel anything for Seraphine. It was strange at first, yes… the first time I saw her, I felt like I knew her from somewhere. But that's all."
His expression turned more serious for a moment. "In fact… there's something about her that doesn't quite sit right with me. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it."
Hina watched him closely. She had been about to keep teasing him, but the seriousness in Elior's eyes made her stop. In the end, she smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Alright, I believe you. I just like messing with you."
Elior chuckled softly, letting the atmosphere relax again.
The night passed with all kinds of conversations: school memories, silly anecdotes, dreams they never spoke aloud to others. Little by little, the talking faded, until both of them, without realizing it, fell asleep on the couch.
Hours later, Elior opened his eyes heavily. He looked at Hina, curled up against him, breathing peacefully. Carefully, he gently shook her. "Hina… wake up," he said softly.
She opened one eye sleepily. "Mmm?"
"Go to bed. Go sleep in my room, like always. I'll stay here on the couch."
Hina looked at him half-asleep, protesting. "You always say that… I was comfortable."
"I just want you to rest properly," Elior smiled calmly, stroking her hair as if it were a ritual from years past.
She rolled her eyes, but didn't argue further. She stood up, dragging her feet, and disappeared down the hallway.
Elior remained on the couch, staring at the ceiling in silence. A strange pang pierced his chest, but he ignored it. At least for that night, the only thing that mattered was that Hina could rest peacefully.
That morning, Elior woke up with heavy eyes, a stiff body, and a dry throat. He sat up on the couch with an effort that felt disproportionate. It wasn't simple exhaustion. It was as if his own energy was crumbling away with every passing second.
The silence of the room shattered abruptly.
Voices.
Dozens—perhaps hundreds of them. A deafening murmur, distant screams and whispers brushing against his ears, all at once. Shapeless words, incomprehensible sounds stabbing into his skull.
"Aghhh…!" Elior clenched his teeth, clutching his head. The pain was unbearable, accompanied by a sharp ringing that tore through his ears and seized every muscle in his body.
Hina, who had just entered carrying two cups of tea, saw him hunched over on the couch, drenched in sweat and struggling to breathe. "Elior! What's wrong?" she cried, rushing toward him in panic.
He could only shake his head, gasping, before forcing himself to stand. "I'm… going to take a shower. Maybe it'll pass…"
Hina didn't argue. She simply watched him stagger toward the bathroom, closing the door behind him. As soon as she was alone, she pulled out her phone with trembling hands.
"Kael…" Her voice broke when he answered. "It's Elior. Something's wrong. He has no strength, he can't sleep, and now… he looks exhausted, like he can barely stay on his feet. I don't know how to explain it properly, but this isn't normal. I'm really worried."
Kael remained silent for a few seconds before replying in a grave tone. "Stay with him. Don't leave him alone. I'll do everything I can to get there as soon as possible. Hold on, Hina."
She pressed her lips together, nodding even though he couldn't see her. "I will."
At school, Elior acted as if nothing was wrong. He walked, talked, smiled… but those who knew him well could see the difference.
Hina watched him from afar, biting her lower lip. His steps were slower, his gaze duller. He didn't even have the strength to hide it anymore. He's worse… she thought, a knot tightening in her throat.
Seraphine noticed it too. Every time she looked at him, her eyes seemed to pierce through the façade—seeing the emptiness in his gestures, the tension in his jaw, the exhaustion he could no longer conceal.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the next period. The classroom was calm, students quietly taking notes. Elior, however, was gripping his pencil so tightly it nearly snapped.
Zzzzz…
The ringing returned. At first faint. Then uncontrollable.
Voices surrounded him—shouting, whispering, calling his name. His head throbbed like a drum, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Suddenly, an image struck him.
His family. His home in ruins. And the white light. That light burning him alive from the inside as he ran, desperate, trying to reach them.
"No…! NO!" Elior shot up from his desk, breathing erratically, clutching his head.
Everyone turned toward him. Some students stood up in alarm. Emily, his classmate, stepped forward. "Elior… are you okay?"
But what he saw wasn't Emily.
They were demons. Twisted faces. Claws reaching for him.
Part of Elior wanted to attack. But another, more rational part screamed that it made no sense. Without thinking, he bolted out of the classroom.
The ringing intensified with every step. His legs buckled, his breathing broke apart. He ran until he reached the back courtyard, where no one could see him. He stumbled and collapsed against the ground.
"Ahhh…!" He leaned against the nearest wall, his heart racing wildly. "I… can't…"
He clutched his chest, trying to regulate his breathing, but every attempt failed. The air wouldn't come in. The pain was unbearable. In his fall, he had hit his head—blood began to trickle down his temple.
Inside his chest, his heart didn't just beat—it felt like it was exploding with every pulse.
Meanwhile, one of the students ran to Hina's classroom. "Takamura! Elior—! I think he's having a panic attack. He ran off… he's really bad."
Hina didn't hesitate for a second. "Where is he?!"
The boy pointed toward the back courtyard. She took off running, with Seraphine following close behind, almost on instinct.
They ran through the halls in desperation until Seraphine suddenly stopped. "Look…" she said quietly, pointing at the ground.
Blood droplets.
They exchanged a glance and followed the trail without wasting a second.
Elior was slumped against the wall, gasping like a cornered animal. His skin was pale, his lips dry, and sweat covered his entire face.
"Elior!" Hina rushed to him, grabbing his shoulders. "Breathe with me, come on! This isn't the first time, remember?!"
He could barely focus on her. His gaze was lost, caught between confusion and pain.
Seraphine knelt beside them in silence. For the first time in a long while, she didn't know what to do. Then, almost without thinking, she took Elior's hand and placed it against her own chest. "Focus on this," she said firmly, though her hands trembled. "Feel how my breathing rises and falls. Just that."
Elior's eyes slowly shifted toward her, as if he were hearing her through a distant tunnel.
And then, it happened.
When Seraphine touched his heart, she saw it.
It wasn't like before.
His soul vibrated erratically—chaotic. Light and shadow, which once coexisted in a strange balance, were now clashing violently. An internal battle. A war for control.
"—!" Seraphine froze, her eyes wide.
The warmth she had felt before was still there—but it was buried, suffocated beneath a darkness that did not belong to Elior. Something else was infiltrating him, slowly poisoning his essence.
And just as she tried to look deeper—
A brutal force rejected her.
A dark wall rose instantly, hurling her back, expelling her from the depths of his soul.
Elior screamed, clutching his chest. "AAAHHH!"
Hina held him with all her strength. "Hold on, Elior! Please!"
Seraphine, her heart racing, watched in shock. What was that? she thought as a chill ran down her spine. What's inside you that even your own soul rejects it?
"Breathe with me… like this, slow… slow…" Hina held him tightly, guiding his breathing through her sobs.
Little by little, the trembling in his body subsided, though the sweat and pallor made him look like a shadow of himself.
At that moment, hurried footsteps broke the scene. "There he is!" one of the teachers exclaimed. Behind him came the school nurse, first-aid kit in hand.
"Quick, help me lift him!" she ordered.
Elior barely opened his eyes, disoriented, before several people supported him and led him toward the infirmary. Hina tried to follow, but a teacher stopped her. "Thank you, but return to class, Takamura."
She clenched her fists, powerless. No… I need to be with him. Please…
Seraphine remained silent, watching as they took him away. Her fingers were still trembling from what she had felt inside him.
Hours later, the infirmary door opened abruptly. Kael entered with firm steps, his face marked by the strain of the rushed journey.
Elior lay asleep on the bed, his forehead slick with cold sweat. Fresh bandages couldn't hide the exhaustion ravaging his body.
Kael watched him in silence, his expression hardening. This isn't just fatigue. Something is clearly consuming him from within.
He stepped back—and in that moment, his eyes met three figures: Hina, her mother, and Seraphine.
Hina's mother spoke first. "Thank you for coming so quickly, Kael. We… we don't know what to do."
Kael nodded, but his gaze wasn't on her. It was fixed on Seraphine.
For an instant, the air in the infirmary grew heavier. He recognized her immediately—not by her name, nor her face, but by what she emanated. A celestial presence impossible to conceal.
Seraphine held his gaze, uneasy. Kael clenched his teeth. So… the Council already knows.
He said nothing aloud, merely inclining his head. But inwardly, his decision was clear. He needed to speak with her. Quickly. Before Elior discovered something he shouldn't.
That same afternoon, with the help of several teachers, Kael managed to have Elior transferred home. There, away from curious eyes, he could rest properly.
They laid him on his bed as he slept deeply. Exhaustion had finally claimed him.
Kael, Hina, and her mother remained in the living room. The silence was thick, broken only by the ticking of the clock.
Hina was the first to speak. "I have to tell you everything…"
Her mother looked at her, worried. "What do you mean, dear?"
With a trembling sigh, Hina began. "For weeks now, Elior hasn't been the same. He says he has no strength… that even when he sleeps, he wakes up worse. And then… what happened today at school. Those voices, that ringing… it wasn't the first time. I've seen him like that before—but never this bad."
She clenched her hands in her lap, fighting back tears. "He always smiles. He always pretends he's fine. But every day I see him fading a little more. And now… I'm afraid that something inside him is breaking."
Kael listened in silence, arms crossed. His eyes darkened at her words. "You're not imagining it, Hina. Something is consuming him from the inside."
Hina's mother covered her mouth in horror. "Consuming him…?"
Kael looked toward the hallway where Elior slept. "What lives inside him… is greater than you realize. And if we aren't careful, it could destroy him."
"For now, I'll let him rest. Until I understand exactly what's happening to him."
Seraphine's apartment was silent. Only the dim light of a lamp illuminated the desk where her notebooks lay. Her mind still shaken by what had happened with Elior at school, she stepped toward the window to clear her thoughts.
Her heart skipped.
There, on the street below, standing beneath a streetlamp, was Kael.
He didn't move. He simply looked up at her window with the calm of someone awaiting the inevitable.
Seraphine quickly opened the window. "Did something happen to Elior?" she asked immediately, her voice thick with concern.
"No," Kael replied calmly, though his eyes shone intensely. "He's resting. This visit is for you."
A chill ran down her spine.
She hurried downstairs, and as soon as she opened the building door, she found him waiting. The night breeze stirred his coat, and for a moment, Seraphine felt she was not standing before an ordinary human.
"…You know who I am," she whispered, torn between alertness and awe.
Kael watched her in silence for a few seconds before speaking in a grave voice. "There's no need to deny it. Your celestial presence is impossible to hide. I recognized you the moment I entered the infirmary."
Seraphine pressed her lips together. She had never been discovered so quickly. "That's… impossible. No human should be able to perceive it."
Kael let out a bitter laugh. "Did you really think I was just any ordinary human? I've lived more lives than you can imagine. And if there's one thing I know… it's that the Celestial Council never sends someone without a purpose."
She frowned. "Then… what are you?"
"Nothing that matters," Kael replied curtly. "All you need to know is that Elior is not alone. And that I am his guardian… and more than that. He is my son, even if we don't share the same blood."
The words struck like a blow. Seraphine's eyes widened in genuine shock. "Your son…?"
Kael nodded slowly. "His parents entrusted him to me. I've been there for every one of his scars. And if you intend to observe him like an experiment… I warn you, I won't allow it."
Seraphine stepped back, clutching her chest as if the air had left her lungs. "I… I never meant to hurt him."
"I hope so," Kael said, staring at her. "Because if you try otherwise, it won't matter that you come from heaven—I'll stop you with my own hands."
A heavy silence filled the air.
Seraphine met his gaze, and for the first time in a long while, she doubted. She doubted herself, her mission, and what she truly felt every time she looked at Elior.
Without waiting for a response, Kael turned away. "Rest. We'll continue this conversation tomorrow."
She watched him walk away beneath the streetlamp, her heart pounding with a single thought echoing in her mind:
That man… is not a simple human.
Kael left, resigned, thinking about how harsh he had been with the girl—but he had to push her away, before Elior discovered that she was an angel.
The Council Hall in Aetheris gleamed with white marble columns and celestial stained glass that bathed the light in hues of blue and gold. The wings of high-ranking angels vibrated softly, filling the air with an almost suffocating pressure.
At the center, standing alone, was Seraphine.
"Caelis Seraphine, present your report," ordered one of the elders, his voice echoing like thunder.
She bowed respectfully and began. "Over the past days, I have observed the human known as Elior Blackwood. I confirm that he possesses energy far beyond the ordinary. He was able to close a breach from Gehenna and defeat a noble demon—an impossible feat for someone of his species."
A murmur rippled through the circle of councilors. Some wrote on crystal tablets, others frowned deeply.
Seraphine continued. "His emotional state is unstable, but his bond with humanity keeps him balanced. His closest relationship is with a human female, Hina Takamura. He also has…" she hesitated for a second, "…a caretaker."
Silence fell like a wall.
"A caretaker… what do you mean?" asked an angel with blinding eyes. "A human caretaker? That is common among their kind."
Seraphine lowered her gaze before answering. "His name is… Kael. I am still uncertain of his nature, as he perceived me long before I perceived him."
The murmur erupted into an uproar. Some councilors stood, others gasped sharply, and the eldest angel struck his staff against the floor.
"Impossible!" one exclaimed. "Does that name still exist on Earth?" another whispered, her voice trembling.
Seraphine watched them in silence, not fully understanding the weight of what she had said. When her report ended, she was dismissed. The echo of that name lingered in the hall like an open wound.
Back in her home in Aetheris, Seraphine had barely removed her white mantle when she felt a presence behind her.
"Daughter."
The right hand of the Council—the most respected woman in all of Aetheris—stood in the doorway of her chamber. Her bearing was majestic, but her green eyes carried an unusual gravity.
"Mother…" Seraphine murmured, bowing her head.
"I have heard your report," the woman said, stepping closer. "And there is something I need to confirm personally."
Seraphine gathered her courage. "Who is Kael… really?"
The dawn was heavy, thick with silence broken only by Elior's labored breathing. His body writhed in the bed as if fighting something unseen. Sweat soaked the sheets, his skin burning to the touch.
Kael sat beside him, fists clenched in helpless rage. "It's been more than fifteen hours…" he whispered. "And he hasn't woken up…"
The old man leaned closer, removing the blanket. With Hina's mother's help, he began to unwrap the bandages. What they saw stole the breath from their lungs.
The wound in Elior's side had not closed. It was no ordinary cut—it was a living hole, red and oozing, surrounded by darkened veins tinged with green, spreading like roots across his torso.
"My God…" the woman murmured, covering her mouth.
Kael frowned, touching the skin around it. At his touch, Elior arched with a guttural groan, his muscles tightening like cords about to snap.
"This is no normal infection," Kael said gravely. "It's demonic poison… and not just any kind." His voice faltered slightly. "This venom was created to kill archangels. Only a demon could produce something like this."
Hina's mother stared at him in terror. "How… how can a simple boy have something like that in his body?"
Kael closed his eyes, a chill running down his spine. "If his body hadn't contained it… he would already be dead."
"Contained it…?"
"Yes. It's as if his very essence is fighting the poison, keeping it in a deadlock. But every minute that passes… it consumes him more."
She inhaled deeply, trying to remain calm. "What do we do, Kael?"
He stood abruptly. "I need boiling water, clean cloths, and certain ingredients. But…" he clenched his teeth. "Elior always kept those things hidden. Even I don't know where."
"Maybe…" she lowered her voice. "Maybe my daughter knows. They spend so much time together… it wouldn't surprise me if he trusted her with that."
With trembling hands, she grabbed her phone and dialed quickly.
Kael knelt beside Elior, whose lips were dry and eyes half-open in fevered delirium.
"So they already know about you…" he murmured. "Gehenna wants you dead…"
Hina, who had just left school and was heading home with Seraphine, answered the call immediately.
"Mom…? What's wrong?"
The sun dipped between the buildings as Hina exited the school, her backpack hanging loosely from one shoulder. Her steps were slow, her head lowered. Beside her, Seraphine walked in silence, watching her closely.
"You were heading straight to Elior's house, weren't you?" Seraphine asked.
"Yes…" Hina replied softly.
After a few seconds of silence, Hina finally spoke. "Seraphine… you saw what happened." She exhaled deeply. "Elior carries too much. He never talks about what he feels. He's been in therapy for years, and yes, he's improved a lot, but he still has those… shadows."
"Shadows?"
Hina nodded, her voice trembling. "This isn't the first time he's had a crisis… but it's the first time I've seen him like this. So overwhelmed. So desperate." She bit her lip. "Some days I'm honestly afraid he'll hurt himself… and I live with that fear constantly." She forced a weak smile. "I guess I've gotten used to it."
Seraphine looked down. What she felt wasn't just compassion—it was a deep ache mixed with respect. They've been through so much together…
"It shows," she said gently. "Everything you've been through together. And how he changes when he's with you. Everyone at school sees it."
"My aura?" Hina asked, confused.
"I mean… with you, he doesn't pretend."
Hina fell silent.
Her phone suddenly rang.
"Mom…? What's happening?"
"Hina, listen carefully. It's Elior. He's getting worse. Do you know where he keeps the ingredients for treating poison wounds? Kael said he always carried them…"
"What?! Poison?!"
"They're hidden in the attic of his room, near the window."
Hina's face went pale. She ended the call and grabbed Seraphine's hand.
"We have to run!"
"Wait—what's happening?!"
"Elior is in bad shape. Really bad!"
Seraphine hesitated. Every instinct told her not to go. But her feet kept moving.
Why can't I turn back? Why do I feel like I need to be there… even if it costs me everything?
And so, she ran with Hina toward Elior's house.
Inside Elior's mind, the world was different.
Darkness. An endless ocean of shadows twisting like serpents. No ground. No sky. Only void.
Elior walked, dragging his feet, his chest heavy as if chained. His breath was shallow. His hands trembled.
"I… can't anymore…" he whispered.
The shadows closed in, whispering words that cut like knives.
Just as he was about to collapse… a light.
White and gold, tearing through the darkness like a裂.
Figures emerged.
One. Two. And a smaller one.
Elior fell to his knees, tears flooding his eyes.
"M… Mom…?"
A hand reached out to him, wrapped in divine light.
And in that exact moment—
between life and death—
the world froze.