Prologue: After The Incident

This is the tale of how the curtain of night closed.

My name is Shin Himeya, and right now... I've just woken up from a long dream. A dream where my life continued on without her.

"Himeya, are you awake yet?" A familiar voice called out from the other side of my door.

"I'm up, Haru-nee," I replied, my voice still heavy with sleep.

I glanced at the mirror, staring at my reflection. The person looking back at me didn't feel like me... not anymore.

"I can't believe it's already been a year since that incident..."

That incident... the day everything changed. Touka and I had gotten tangled up in something far beyond our control. In the end, Touka took her revenge—but paid the price. She was shot in her left side, and the scar from that day still lingers in both our hearts. If it hadn't been for my future self's intervention, I don't know what would've happened. Since then, I've received no more messages from him... not even a sign.

Shaking the thoughts from my head, I left my room and headed downstairs.

"Good morning," I greeted as I entered the dining room where my parents sat, sipping their coffee.

"Morning, sleepyhead," my father said.

"Morning, dear," my mother echoed, a warm smile lighting her face.

After the incident, my mother got the news from the police. And my father... well, he dropped everything and rushed back to Japan. At the time, I thought it was because he was worried about me.

Flashback

"Stupid son! How could you let this happen?!" My father's voice boomed as he hit me on the head, the sting sharp and immediate.

"That hurts, Dad!" I groaned, rubbing the spot where his hand landed.

"Dear, stop it." My mother reached over and slapped my father's head, her irritation cutting through the tension.

"B-but...!" He tried to argue, but Haruka stepped in, crossing her arms with an air of finality. "At least hear him out, Dad."

After I explained everything—the chaos, Touka, the bullet—my father didn't lecture me about getting involved in something dangerous. No... what really set him off was that I let Touka take the hit. I failed to protect her.

The police promised to keep the incident under wraps, and our identities were safe. Life returned to a semblance of normalcy, though Touka still bore the scar from that day. She survived, of course, but had to be hospitalized for some time. Despite everything, school continued as usual. Every day after class, I would visit her. Sometimes I went alone, but more often than not, our friends—Takamine, Uguisu-senpai, Yuka, and the senpais from the Literature club—would join me. We tried to make things feel normal, even though none of it was.

...

As I sat down at the table, my thoughts drifted back to the hospital. Touka had put on a brave face, as always. Even as she lay in that bed, the faint smile she gave me always told me not to worry. But how could I not?

"Himeya, you're spacing out again," Haruka teased as she poured herself some tea, her voice snapping me back to the present.

"Sorry, just... thinking."

"Still about Touka, huh?" My father's voice softened, and I could see a flash of guilt in his eyes. He regretted the way he handled it back then, I knew that now.

"Yeah. I can't help it."

Haruka leaned on the table, her gaze steady. "She's tough, Himeya. You're not the only one protecting her. Don't forget that."

Her words made me think of the friends who had been there through it all. Takamine and his quiet strength, Uguisu-senpai with her sharp wit, Yuka who always knew how to lighten the mood. And of course, the Literature club... I owed them all more than I could say.

I stood up, grabbing my bag. "I'm heading out early today."

"To the hospital again?" my mother asked, knowing the answer.

"Yeah."

Just as I reached for the door handle, Haruka's voice stopped me. "Hey, Himeya. How about I give you a ride?"

I turned to look at her. "Huh?"

Haruka smiled, standing up from her seat. "I'll take you to the hospital and besides..." She jingled her car keys in her hand. "It's faster than walking."

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, thanks."

We stepped out of the house, the cool morning breeze brushing against us as we headed for Haruka's car. The familiar sound of the engine starting up gave me a strange sense of comfort, a feeling that things were slowly getting back to normal. Or at least... as normal as they could be after everything that had happened.

As we drove toward the hospital, Haruka glanced over at me, her voice gentle. "You know, Himeya, Touka's going to be fine. She's stronger than you think."

I looked out the window, watching the scenery pass by. "I know. But I still feel responsible..."

"Of course you do," Haruka said softly. "That's just the kind of person you are. But don't forget, she's got all of us watching over her. You're not alone in this."

I smiled faintly, her words settling something inside me. Maybe she was right. Maybe I didn't have to carry this weight all by myself.

…

"Hey, Haru-nee..." 

"Hm? What is it?" she responded softly. 

"I saved her, didn't I?" 

Haruka smiled at my question, her eyes filled with warmth. She nodded. "You did. And you saved Uguisu-chan and Hiro-san too." 

"It's still kinda weird... you being the one who gave me that chance—Attila, huh?" I chuckled, the strangeness of it all still sinking in. 

"It is, right? Like you've got cheat abilities or something," she teased, trying to lighten the mood. 

"My sister, the goddess… I think I just found a new idea for one of my stories," I said with a laugh. 

"Make sure it stays a fanfic, okay?" she giggled, giving me a playful wink.

We soon arrived at the hospital. The smell of antiseptic filled the air as we walked through the corridors. After a few turns, we reached Touka's room. She was lying on the bed, casually scrolling through her phone, the glow of the screen casting soft light on her face.

"Yo, morning," I greeted, keeping my voice calm. 

"Good morning, Touka-chan," Haruka added, her usual gentle tone carrying through the room. 

Touka glanced up at us, a smile forming on her lips. "Morning, Himeya. Morning, Haru-nee."

Despite her smile, I couldn't help but notice the faint fatigue around her eyes. The bandages on her side reminded me of the events not too long ago. Seeing her awake and smiling—it eased the tension I hadn't realized I'd been holding onto.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, sitting on the chair next to her bed. 

"Better. The doctors said I just need some rest," she replied with a small shrug, though her smile didn't waver. "But, Himeya... thank you. For everything."

Before I could respond, Haruka stepped forward and placed her hand on Touka's shoulder. "Just take it easy, Touka-chan. You've been through a lot."

Touka nodded, but then she looked back at me, her expression shifting. "Himeya... back when I got shot… What made you keep going like that?"

Her question took me by surprise. I blinked, trying to figure out what she meant. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, when we were still there… when I was bleeding out," she began, her voice quieter but more intense. "You didn't give up, not even for a second. You kept pushing, kept calling for help, trying to get the chopper here faster. Even when it looked like there wasn't enough time… you didn't stop. Why?"

The memory of that moment came flooding back. The chaos, the blood, the panic. I remembered holding her hand, telling her to stay awake, while my other hand frantically worked my phone, demanding the hospital send a chopper as fast as possible. The whole time, a voice in the back of my head screamed that we might not make it in time. But I didn't let that voice take over.

I glanced at Haruka, who gave me a soft, encouraging nod. I sighed, turning back to Touka. "I don't know… I just couldn't let you go. I couldn't give up. It felt like, if I stopped, even for a second, we would lose you. I had to keep fighting… to keep you alive."

Touka looked at me for a moment, her eyes wide, before she smiled again. This time, her smile was softer, more genuine. "I'm glad you did."

I sat there, letting her words sink in. The weight of it all still lingered, but hearing her say that eased something inside me. For a moment, the room fell silent, the tension of that day slowly melting away.

"Well, you're tough, Touka," I finally said, smiling back. "Tougher than I am, that's for sure."

She laughed softly. "Maybe. But I'm glad you didn't give up."

…

"Well, it's time for you to go to school, Himeya," Haruka said with a sigh.

"Ehhh, but I want to stay a little longer, Haru-nee," I whined, glancing back at Touka.

"I'll get lectured by Mom and Dad if you don't go," she replied, crossing her arms.

"Ugh… fine." I stood up reluctantly, turning to Touka with a small smile. "See you after school, Touka."

"Take care, Himeya," Touka said softly, giving me a small wave.

Haruka grabbed her keys and looked over at Touka. "Touka-chan, I'll give Himeya a ride, and then I'll come back here, okay?"

"Thank you, Haruka-san," Touka replied politely.

"Hey, treat me like your big sister already! Call me Haru-nee, okay?" Haruka teased, winking.

"Yes… Haru-nee," Touka smiled shyly, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

After that, Haruka drove me to school, and I went through my usual routine as a normal student. But even though I was in class, my mind kept wandering back to Touka, lying in that hospital bed.

Haruka's POV

"I'm back, Touka-chan!" I announced cheerfully as I walked into her hospital room.

"Welcome back, Haru-nee," Touka greeted me with a gentle smile.

I pulled up a chair and sat down next to her bed, my gaze softening as I looked at her. "Touka-chan, there's something I want to talk to you about."

Her expression shifted slightly, a hint of worry crossing her face. Touka was precious to Himeya, and that feeling had somehow spread to me. I wasn't used to feeling this kind of affection toward someone, but here I was, caring for her just like family.

"I wanted to talk about your studies," I continued gently.

Touka's face fell immediately. "Ah... that's…"

I leaned forward, grinning. "How about we go to Shinjuku together?"

"Sh-Shinjuku?" Touka blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting that.

"Yeah," I nodded. "You and I will live there together. I've already decided. Don't worry about school expenses or anything like that—I'll handle everything."

"But, Haru-nee, that's too much…" she said hesitantly, her voice soft.

I reached out and placed my hand on her head, ruffling her hair gently. "You're like a little sister to me now, and you're incredibly important to Himeya too. There's no need to feel burdened."

"..."

Her face flushed, her eyes wide as she looked up at me. I chuckled, feeling a warmth spread in my chest. It was funny—despite everything, it felt right to take care of her like this. Touka was someone who mattered deeply to Himeya, and that meant she was someone I'd protect too.

"So, what do you think? We'll go together, you and me," I said, smiling.

Touka hesitated for a moment before giving a small nod. "Okay... Haru-nee. I'll go with you."

"That's the spirit!" I grinned, relieved. "We'll take it one step at a time."

As we talked more about her future, I could see the hope returning to her eyes. And as her 'older sister,' I was determined to make sure she got the fresh start she deserved.