Chapter 21: The Shadows of Truth

I blinked, and the world blurred, slipping away from the rooftop and pulling me back to the same starting point. My hands, once clenched, were empty. The chill of the rooftop breeze was gone, replaced by the stale, familiar air of the classroom.

No. Not again.

I looked around, my heart pounding, searching for any sign that what I'd just done had changed things. But everything was the same—the students chattering in their seats, the hum of idle laughter, Piku sitting a few rows away, his face carefree and oblivious. My chest tightened, frustration clawing up my throat. I'd faced it, hadn't I? I'd looked into the darkest parts of myself, acknowledged the jealousy I held, and even killed the version of myself twisted by envy.

Why was I still here?

"Still fumbling around in the dark, I see," a familiar voice sneered, light and mocking.

I turned to see her standing by the window, the girl whose presence had haunted each turn of this cycle. Her smirk was sharper than ever, a glint of condescension in her eyes as she took in my confusion.

"You," I spat, anger lacing my voice. "I did what you wanted. I faced my envy. I accepted it. Isn't that what you wanted all along?"

She let out a small, dismissive laugh, folding her arms as she leaned against the windowsill. "Oh, poor Takeru. You thought it would be that easy? You think one confession, one moment of 'acceptance,' would unravel everything? You're as naive as ever."

I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my voice steady. "I faced myself. I confronted my darkest feelings. I didn't let them control me. What more do you want from me?"

Her eyes narrowed, her mocking smile giving way to something colder, sharper. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't just about admitting you're jealous. The jealousy you feel isn't some one-dimensional feeling you can just 'accept' and be done with. It goes deeper than that, Takeru. Far deeper than you're willing to see."

I shook my head, taking a step toward her, frustration building into a fierce determination. "Then tell me. Stop playing games and tell me what you want me to understand."

She tilted her head, studying me with a look that was almost pitying. "You don't know what truth is, Takeru. You think you're the hero of this story, facing your flaws, growing stronger. But you're blind to the real truth, the one that lies at the very heart of this cycle."

I felt a knot of dread settle in my stomach. "What are you talking about?"

She took a slow step toward me, her gaze never leaving mine. "You've barely scratched the surface. You think this is all about you and your envy of Piku? The darkness you feel isn't just yours, Takeru. It's tied to something far deeper, something you refuse to see because it would shatter the comfortable story you tell yourself."

I swallowed, feeling my throat tighten. "You're just talking in circles. If there's something I'm not seeing, then show me."

"Oh, I will." Her smirk returned, this time colder and more calculating. "But first, you have to understand something crucial. This cycle isn't about fixing yourself. It's about facing a truth so terrible, so raw, that it would tear down everything you've believed about yourself and the people around you."

Her words hit like a physical blow, the ground seeming to shift beneath my feet. My mind raced, trying to piece together what she was saying. Everything I'd believed, everything I thought I understood… it was all a lie?

She leaned in closer, her voice a low, taunting whisper. "What you did up there on the rooftop, killing the part of you that was consumed by envy—that was nothing. A distraction. The real darkness lies in what you refuse to acknowledge, in the secrets you've buried even from yourself."

I opened my mouth to protest, to tell her she was wrong, that I'd done everything I could to face the truth. But the words caught in my throat, a cold doubt seeping into my thoughts. What if she was right? What if this entire journey had been leading me to a truth I'd been too afraid to face?

Her eyes gleamed, sensing my hesitation. "There it is," she said softly, a twisted satisfaction in her tone. "The beginning of understanding. Remember, Takeru, this is only the start. Until you uncover the real truth, this cycle will keep dragging you back, again and again. And you'll remain trapped, bound by your own ignorance."

Before I could respond, she stepped back, her figure fading into the shadows, her mocking laughter echoing in the silence.

I stood there, the world around me a blur, her words still cutting into my thoughts. If she was right—if there was some truth I had yet to face—then this was far from over.

And the worst part? I didn't even know where to begin.