Chapter 15 – The Return of the Untouchable Haruto

Haruto's Sudden Transformation

The clock ticked past 11 PM.

Himari sat curled up on the couch, her phone clutched in her hands.

"Where is he…?"

Their parents had called earlier, saying they would be working late. Normally, Haruto would have been home hours ago. But tonight, he was nowhere to be found.

Her heart twisted.

After Aoi's bombshell at school, after everything that happened, she needed to talk to him. But… he hadn't answered a single text.

Finally, the front door creaked open.

Himari shot up from the couch. "Haruto! Where were—"

Her voice caught in her throat.

Standing in the doorway was someone completely different.

Haruto. But not the Haruto she knew.

His jet-black hair, which had always fallen messily over his eyes, was cut shorter and styled upwards, sharp and striking. But what shocked her more was the color—he had dyed it a silvery ash-gray.

He was dressed differently, too—instead of his usual hoodie and jeans, he wore a perfectly fitted black jacket, a chain glinting around his neck, a confidence oozing from his stance.

And when he smirked, something inside Himari twisted in fear.

"Yo, Himari. Miss me?"

Her breath hitched.

This wasn't just a new Haruto.

This was someone else entirely.

The Classroom Shock

The next morning, Himari walked into class still shaken.

She kept telling herself that Haruto was just changing his look, that maybe it was a phase.

But when he walked into class—

The entire room fell into stunned silence.

Every single student turned, their jaws dropping.

A murmur rippled through the room.

"W-Who is that?!"

"Wait… is that… Haruto?"

"No way! He looks… completely different!"

A group of girls instantly surrounded him, their eyes gleaming.

"Haruto-kun! Did you dye your hair? It looks so good on you!"

"You look like a model!"

"Why didn't you ever dress like this before?!"

And to everyone's shock—Haruto laughed.

Not his usual quiet chuckle. Not the reluctant smirk he gave when forced to interact.

No. This was loud, confident, full of energy.

"Haha! You think so? Man, I was getting sick of my old look. Time for a fresh start, right?"

The girls giggled, blushing.

"Wow, Haruto-kun is actually talking to us!"

*"You're so different today~"

Himari clenched her fists, her stomach twisting.

This wasn't right.

This wasn't Haruto.

Or rather… this was someone she hadn't seen in years.

And then—Aoi spoke.

She stood up from her desk, eyes gleaming, a knowing smile curving on her lips.

"Oh? So you finally stopped pretending, huh?"

Everyone turned to her in confusion.

"What do you mean, Aoi-chan?"

Aoi tilted her head, staring straight at Haruto.

And then, in a slow, almost mocking tone, she said:

"Welcome back, Haruto. Welcome back to your middle school self."

The room went dead silent.

Himari's heart pounded in her chest.

Middle school.

Middle school.

What happened in middle school?

Why did Aoi say that?

Haruto's smirk didn't waver, but for a split second, Himari caught something in his eyes.

Something cold.

Something dangerous.

Aoi's Game Begins

Aoi walked up to him, her hands behind her back, her expression playful yet dangerous.

"I was wondering how long you were going to pretend."

Haruto grinned, but it wasn't the warm smile he had given the girls earlier.

It was sharp. Amused.

"Aoi, Aoi… Always so dramatic."

Aoi's smirk widened.

"Oh, I'm just getting started."

The tension in the room skyrocketed.

Himari felt like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, about to witness something terrifying.

Himari's Breaking Point

At lunch, Himari couldn't hold it in anymore.

She grabbed Haruto's wrist and pulled him outside, away from the noise, away from the crowd of new admirers.

"What the hell is going on?" she demanded.

Haruto blinked innocently. "What do you mean?"

Himari's hands trembled. "You're acting like a completely different person! The way you're talking, the way you're smiling—"

Haruto's smirk widened.

"Didn't you always want me to be more open? More social?"

"Don't give me that!" Himari shouted. "This isn't you! What happened last night? Why did you change overnight?!"

For a moment, Haruto just stared at her.

Then, he leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear.

"You really wanna know, Himari?" he whispered.

Her heartbeat skyrocketed.

"You wanna know why I cut my hair? Why I changed everything?"

He pulled back, his expression unreadable.

And then, with a smirk—

"Because I'm done pretending to be weak."

Himari's blood ran cold.

Haruto turned away, walking back inside without another word.

Leaving her completely shaken.

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End of Chapter 15