The bell of Kokoro no Sato rang three times at noon.
It was a sound every villager respected. Training stopped immediately, conversations died down, and people began moving toward the Great Hall at the center of the village.
Haru walked slowly along the stone path, following the crowd.
Through his Shin no Me, emotions flowed everywhere.
Curiosity.
Pride.
Suspicion.
Fear.
The elders had called a gathering. That never meant anything simple.
The Great Hall stood tall at the center of the village, built from dark cedar wood and guarded by two stone statues representing the founders of Kokoro no Sato. One statue held a sword. The other held a scroll.
Mind and heart.
Balance.
At least… that was the philosophy the elders preached.
Inside the hall, villagers sat in rows on tatami mats while the elders stood at the front platform.
Three powerful clans ruled Kokoro no Sato.
The Takeda Clan.
The Kuro Clan.
The Hoshino Clan.
Each clan controlled different emotional abilities.
Haru quietly took his place near the back.
His father, Daizen Takeda, stood among the Takeda clan members near the front. His expression was calm, but Haru could see the truth behind it.
Concern.
Tension.
Master Renji stepped forward.
"Today's meeting concerns an important reminder to the younger generation."
The room fell silent.
He raised his voice.
"Our village was built on balance between emotions. But history has shown us that emotions can also destroy everything we protect."
Some villagers nodded.
Others looked uneasy.
An elder with long white hair stepped forward next.
Elder Masaru.
"The three clans have maintained peace for generations," he said slowly. "But that peace exists only because of our rules."
Haru's eyes narrowed slightly.
He could already sense the emotions building in the room.
Fear.
Resentment.
Bitterness.
Masaru continued.
"One rule above all others keeps the village stable."
He paused.
"No romantic bonds between the clans."
The hall filled with quiet murmurs.
It was a rule every child knew.
But hearing it spoken aloud carried weight.
"Love," the elder said, his voice cold, "is the most dangerous emotion of all."
Haru's Shin no Me flickered.
The moment the word love echoed through the room, his vision blurred again.
Just like always.
He clenched his fists slightly.
Why couldn't he see it?
Why was that one emotion invisible to him?
"Love clouds judgment," Elder Masaru continued. "It causes sacrifice. Sacrifice leads to resentment. And resentment breeds hatred."
Several villagers lowered their heads.
Old memories stirred in the room—memories Haru could feel through their emotions.
Something terrible had happened in the past.
Something connected to love.
Master Renji stepped forward again.
"To prevent history from repeating itself, the rule remains absolute."
"No member of one clan may form a romantic bond with another."
The hall grew silent.
Haru glanced across the room.
And there she was again.
Aiko stood near the doorway with the Hoshino clan members.
She looked confused.
Almost… disappointed.
For a brief second their eyes met.
Haru felt that strange, unfamiliar sensation again.
Something warm.
Something unsettling.
His Shin no Me tried to analyze it.
But once again…
The vision clouded.
The emotion disappeared before he could understand it.
At the front of the hall, Elder Masaru finished speaking.
"Remember this truth."
"People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct."
"Those who break the village rules… will face the consequences."
Outside, the mountain wind began to rise.
And Haru Takeda had the strange feeling that the rule everyone accepted as correct…
Would one day destroy everything.