Special Chapter 3: Aoi’s Perspective

(Aoi's POV)

Yuki looked like a ghost when I saw him that morning. His eyes had dark circles under them, and his usual quiet demeanor seemed even more subdued. I wanted to ask what was wrong, but the way he avoided my gaze told me I wasn't going to get an answer easily.

"You look like hell," I said, trying to lighten the mood. Maybe teasing him would break through whatever was weighing him down. But he just laughed—a hollow sound that sent a chill through me.

Something was definitely wrong.

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When he stumbled later, clutching his head like he was in pain, my heart nearly stopped. I caught his shoulders, steadying him as best I could, but he looked like he was barely holding it together.

"Yuki! What's wrong?" I asked, my voice sharp with panic.

He didn't answer right away, his eyes distant like he was seeing something I couldn't. And then, just as quickly as it started, it was over. He blinked, his expression dazed, and I realized he had no idea what had just happened either.

When I asked him about it, he tried to brush it off, but I wasn't letting it go this time. Whatever was going on with him, it wasn't just stress or lack of sleep. This was something bigger, something real, and I wasn't going to let him face it alone.

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Sitting on that bench, listening to him finally open up, I felt my world tilt on its axis. A curse. A transformation. A debt to some ancient spirit. It all sounded like something out of a fantasy novel, and yet… Yuki wasn't lying. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. He believed every word he was saying.

And if he believed it, so did I.

"So, you're telling me that you're cursed. That you're… changing. And that this is all because of some ancient debt your family owes to a spirit?" I asked, trying to make sense of it all.

He nodded, looking like he was waiting for me to laugh or call him crazy. But how could I? This was Yuki. My best friend. The one person I trusted more than anyone else. If he was going through something like this, then I'd be damned if I let him go through it alone.

"Okay," I said, reaching out to cover his hand with mine.

The relief on his face was instant and overwhelming. I could see the tension leave his shoulders, his eyes shining with gratitude.

"You're my best friend, Yuki," I told him. "If you say this is real, then I believe you. And if you're going through this… thing, then I'm going through it with you. You're not doing this alone."

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It wasn't just about helping him. It was about standing by the person who had always been there for me, even if he didn't realize it. Yuki had this way of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, thinking he had to face everything by himself. But not this time. Not with me around.

When he told me about the hooded figure and the pendant, I felt a spark of determination. There had to be answers out there, and we were going to find them. Together.

"We've got a lot to figure out," I said, squeezing his hand. "Starting with this hooded figure of yours."

His nod was hesitant, but I could see a glimmer of hope in his eyes. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

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As we walked toward the cafeteria, I couldn't help but glance at him out of the corner of my eye. He still looked pale, tired, like the weight of the world was pressing down on him. But he wasn't alone anymore. Whatever this curse was, whatever challenges it threw at us, we'd face them together.

Because that's what best friends do.