𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗘 - 𝗛𝗔𝗞𝗨𝗔-𝗡𝗢-𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗢
𝗦𝗘𝗜𝗥𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦
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"…Anyway," Shiharu spoke after a brief pause, his voice quieter now, more grounded. "He's a student, right? If everyone just calls him 'the masked guy'… won't that affect his school life?"
His eyes stayed on the carefully arranged food before him, but his mind was clearly somewhere else.
Yurina glanced at him, calm as ever.
"That's something for him and the school authorities to handle," she replied smoothly. "You can just call him… Ryuji. That's what we use. Sometimes."
So—
Maybe he really didn't know him after all.
"Ryuji Nakagawa," Suzumi added, speaking around a mouthful of food without hesitation.
Itsuki sighed softly, reaching over to tie her hair back with a light band so it wouldn't fall forward.
"At least finish chewing first," he murmured, though there was a fond smile on his face.
Suzumi pouted but didn't slow down.
If anything, she seemed even more focused on eating—completely unbothered, like this was the highlight of her day.
A foodie. No doubt about it.
Ryuji…?
Shiharu repeated the name silently.
It felt unfamiliar.
Completely new.
So… I really don't know him.
Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him.
"Being the center of attention is exhausting," Ryuji spoke suddenly, his tone calm—but carrying quiet authority. "So how about everyone just eats?"
No one argued.
They simply obeyed.
The atmosphere shifted, settling into a softer quiet as chopsticks moved and dishes clinked lightly.
Lunchtime continued.
Suzumi, having clearly reached her limit, leaned back slightly and returned to her book as if nothing else mattered.
A few moments passed before—
"Right," Shiharu spoke again.
Heads turned toward him.
"I just remembered something."
He glanced between them.
"Itsuki mentioned earlier that the vice principal talked about some rare ability… what kind of power is that? Don't I have the right to know?"
Aimi set her cup down gently before answering.
"You mean the Wish Manifestation ability," she said, taking a small sip of her chilled ramune afterward.
Itsuki nodded, picking up from there.
"The vice principal told us about it once. It's… a rare power." His expression turned slightly serious. "Something like a genie, in a way—but with strict limits."
He rested his chin lightly against his hand.
"The person who has it can only grant their own wishes. Not anyone else's. And even then, it only activates when their desire is strong enough."
A brief pause.
"Wish Manifestation… the ability to make your own desires reality."
He exhaled softly.
"As far as I'm concerned… that kind of power is dangerous."
"Dangerous?!" Taehyun cut in immediately.
"There's nothing dangerous about—" he stopped midway, blinking as realization crept in. "…Oh. Wait. Yeah. You might actually be right."
He nodded slowly, almost reluctantly agreeing.
Shiharu tilted his head.
"…Why?"
Hiroshi answered this time.
"The person who has that power becomes a target," he said plainly. "If someone takes their heart—literally—the power transfers."
A faint tension slipped into the air.
"The new owner gains the ability."
His gaze lowered slightly.
"And the original owner?"
"Almost no chance of surviving. Maybe one percent… if that."
Silence followed.
The kind that lingered.
"I think that story's made up," Jaehyun said casually, breaking it.
"What if it's not?"
Ryuji's voice slipped in.
He had already finished eating.
Slowly, he leaned closer to the table.
A grin spread across his face—sharp and creepy yet strangely captivating.
"I'm actually curious," he continued, resting his chin lightly against his hand.
"Whoever has that power…"
His eyes gleamed faintly behind the shadow of his fringe.
"…I'd really like to know who they are."
And with that—
He reached for his mask.
Sliding it back into place, covering everything once again.
Hiding whatever lay beneath.
"Oh… to have a power like that," Suzumi murmured, her expression oddly blank despite the dreamy tone of her voice. "I'd be smart about it. I'd use it well."
Minhyun glanced at her and gave a small nod, as if agreeing—though not entirely convinced.
"I'd just wish to be immortal," Suzumi added casually, flipping a page in her book. "Like a yokai vampire… or something."
Minhyun let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head in mild disapproval.
The conversation drifted after that—small comments, light disagreements, scattered laughter—until eventually, lunch came to an end.
Trays were cleared.
Chairs shifted back into place.
And the calm, structured atmosphere dissolved into the usual rhythm of a short break before classes resumed.
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𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗘 - 𝗛𝗔𝗞𝗨𝗔-𝗡𝗢-𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗢
𝗦𝗘𝗜𝗥𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦 ─ 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗛 ─ 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘
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"Haru… do you drink banana milk?"
Yurina's voice came softly.
Shiharu looked up.
She held out one of the two small bottles in her hand.
He nodded lightly and accepted it.
"…Thanks."
"Yuri."
He called her just as she was about to turn away.
She paused, glancing back at him.
"If you had a power like that…" he hesitated slightly, fingers tightening around the bottle, "…would you love it?"
For a moment—
She didn't answer.
Her eyes lowered just slightly, as if searching for something within herself.
"I guess…" she said finally, her voice quieter now. "Maybe I would… maybe I wouldn't."
Honest.
Uncertain.
Human.
Shiharu opened the bottle with a soft click.
"We have classes in few minutes. Are you going to the library again?"
A gentle voice joined them.
"Can I come with you?"
Both of them turned.
A girl stood there, her presence soft—almost like she didn't belong to the noise of the hallway at all.
"Who's she?" Shiharu asked quietly.
Yurina hesitated.
"…Just someone," she said. "A friend… maybe."
But even she didn't sound fully certain.
Omi. ( refer to episode 20 )
Someone who stayed close—but never too close.
Someone who spent time with her, studied with her… yet always left a careful distance between them.
Someone Yurina couldn't quite refuse.
"I'm Omi," the girl introduced herself with a small, polite smile. "Nice to meet you. I've seen you around a lot… I just didn't think I'd actually get to talk to you."
There was something almost unreal about her.
Her hair caught the light like brushstrokes on a painting—soft, flowing, delicate.
Beautiful.
Then again… Yurina was beautiful too.
Maybe it wasn't surprising.
"Shiharu," he replied with a slight nod.
Before Yurina could say anything—
Omi gently linked their arms together.
"Sumimasen," she said quickly, bowing once—then again, and again. "I'll be borrowing her for today. She has visual art next, and she's already late. I'm really sorry."
And just like that—
She whisked Yurina away.
Yurina didn't even get the chance to protest.
Or speak.
"…That was fast," Shiharu muttered under his breath.
For the first time since morning—
Silence.
Actual silence.
He exhaled softly.
"Finally…"
But the thought didn't last long.
A rare power…
His gaze shifted.
Taehyun and Hiroshi stood nearby, talking like they had known each other for years, their voices low but lively.
A little further—
Minhyun stood behind Jaehyun, fixing his already messy hair with quiet focus after Aimi's abilities had briefly flared earlier.
The rest had left.
Normal.
They all looked normal.
Yet none of them were.
Immortality…
Shiharu leaned back slightly, his thoughts drifting.
What would that even feel like?
Time without an end.
Days that never ran out.
If he had that kind of life—
Then maybe…
He wouldn't have to leave anything behind.
Hoshiyuki…
The name surfaced gently in his mind.
If he could live forever—
Then he could stay.
Stay longer.
Stay with him.
A faint, almost invisible smile touched his lips.
"A vampire, huh…" he whispered.
It didn't sound so bad.
Not if it meant—
Forever.
His fingers tightened slightly around the empty bottle.
"…Hoshiyuki."
The name came out softer this time.
More fragile.
If I had that power…
His gaze lowered.
I would've wished—
"To live longer…"
His voice nearly disappeared.
"…just to stay with you."
A quiet breath left him.
"…Ah."
He tilted his head back slightly, eyes half-lidded.
"I wish…"