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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

Not just because Yuuto was there, chattering away about some new video game he wanted to try, or because Hana occasionally chimed in with teasing remarks. No, it was something else—something subtle.

Rei wasn't used to this. The casual flow of conversation, the unspoken understanding that they were walking together, not just heading in the same direction.

It felt unnatural. Yet, at the same time… it wasn't unbearable.

As they turned a corner, Yuuto suddenly groaned. "Ugh, I forgot to grab something from the store. You guys wait here—I'll be back in a sec!"

Before Rei or Hana could respond, Yuuto had already taken off in a half-jog.

Rei exhaled, glancing at the sky. The sun was dipping lower, casting warm hues across the city. It was quiet now—just him and Hana.

She stood beside him, arms crossed, watching Yuuto disappear into the distance. Then, without warning, she spoke.

Rei's fingers twitched slightly. "...What?"

"This." She gestured vaguely between them. "Walking home together. Talking. You act like you don't care, but you haven't pushed us away."

Rei frowned, not answering right away. He wanted to deny it—to say that it didn't matter, that they could disappear tomorrow and he wouldn't care.

But the words felt heavy, like they didn't quite fit.

"...I don't know," he admitted, surprising himself.

Hana tilted her head, studying him. Then, she smiled. "That's good enough."

Rei didn't understand why she looked so satisfied, but before he could ask, a sound reached his ears.

He turned his head instinctively—just in time to see someone stumble against the side of a building nearby. A man, clutching his arm, his breathing ragged.

Rei's eyes narrowed. His uniform was wrinkled, his tie loosened—he was a teacher.

Hana noticed too. "Sir, are you okay?" She stepped forward, concern in her voice.

The teacher looked up, eyes dazed. "I'm fine," he muttered, but the way his body trembled told a different story.

Rei's body tensed. His instinct was to ignore it—this wasn't his problem. But then, something flickered at the edge of his mind.

Rei's breath hitched. His fingers curled slightly. It was faint, like a whisper just beyond his reach, but it was there.

His supernatural gift or curse stirred.

Chapter 28: A flicker beneath the surface