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Rei Daji grew up in a small countryside town, isolated in a broken home where neither parent truly cared for him. Diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, he constantly struggles with his emotions, clinging to the few fleeting connections he has. At school, he wears a mask, pretending to be someone he's not just to blend in.

But Rei has a strange and terrifying gift—by touching someone, he can devour their suffering. The pain, trauma, and despair of others become his own, filling the void inside him. The more suffering he takes, the more distorted his mind becomes.

One day, he meets someone whose pain is so overwhelming that devouring it nearly breaks him. As he spirals deeper into a world of unseen agony, Rei must decide—will he keep taking in the suffering of others, or will he finally face his own?

Devourer of Sorrows

Lunch was quiet. Not in the way Rei preferred, but in a way that felt… unnatural.

He sat at the rooftop table with Yuuto and, unexpectedly, Hana. He hadn't planned on sitting with either of them, but somehow, he had been pulled into this situation before he could think of a way out.

Yuuto talked the most, filling the silence with whatever came to his mind. Hana listened, occasionally adding a comment. And Rei… he mostly observed.

He wasn't used to this—being included.

Even when Mei had been around, it was different. That had been an illusion, something built on manipulation. This? He wasn't sure what this was.

But one thing was certain: He couldn't trust it.

"So, Rei," Yuuto's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Do you always eat alone?"

Rei glanced at him before returning his gaze to his food. "Does it matter?"

Yuuto huffed a small laugh. "I guess not. But you're here now, so I'll take that as progress."

Rei didn't respond. Progress? What did that even mean?

Hana, who had been mostly silent, spoke next. "You don't seem like the type who lets people get close to you."

Rei's fingers twitched slightly. A direct observation.

He met her gaze. Calm, unreadable.

"You don't seem like the type to care," Rei countered.

Hana tilted her head slightly, as if considering his words. "Maybe."

Yuuto, sensing the shift in atmosphere, changed the topic. "Alright, enough with the serious talk. Rei, do you have any hobbies?"

Rei wanted to say 'no.' He wanted to shut down the conversation before it went anywhere. But if he did, Yuuto would only keep asking.

"…Reading," he admitted after a pause.

Rei hesitated. That was already more than he usually shared. But Yuuto and Hana were watching him, waiting.

"…Psychological thrillers," he finally said.

Yuuto grinned. "Figures. You seem like the type who'd enjoy mind games."

The conversation drifted after that. He didn't contribute much, but he listened.

And strangely, despite his distrust, he didn't feel the immediate urge to leave.

Later that evening, Rei found himself staring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

It wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either.

The moment with Yuuto and Hana had been normal. Something he should have been able to ignore. But instead, it lingered.

Because deep down, a small part of him—the part he tried to bury—wondered if he could let himself believe in it.

People used others. It was their nature.

Rei turned off the light and left the bathroom, the weight in his chest growing heavier.

No matter what, he wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Chapter 22: Uneasy equilibrium