Chapter 14: The One Who Walks in Shadows
The rooftop was bathed in soft silver moonlight.
Haruto's hand trembled slightly, heart hammering in his chest.
"Airi..." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I love you.
I always have.
Will you — be with me?"
Airi's eyes widened, shimmering under the soft glow.
Time itself seemed to freeze — but not by the watch.
Just by the weight of the moment.
She opened her mouth to respond—
BZZZZZZZZ!
The school bell rang sharply from below, startling them both.
Reality rushed back — distant voices, footsteps, the sounds of life flooding the silence.
Airi smiled softly, stepping closer.
"Let's... talk after we get out of here, okay?" she whispered.
Haruto nodded, feeling her warmth in that smile.
Even without words, he understood her answer.
---
The Next Day — Classroom
A new energy flowed between Haruto and Airi.
Silent smiles.
Glances that lingered a little too long.
An invisible thread weaving them closer.
Even the classmates seemed to notice — though no one dared say it aloud.
For once, everything felt right.
But amidst that fragile peace... something entered.
"Class, we have a new student joining us today," the teacher announced.
A tall boy stepped forward.
His jet-black hair brushed against a sharply cut jawline.
His amber eyes gleamed unnaturally beneath the fluorescent lights.
"I'm Kazuki... Kazuki Arata," he said, his voice calm, almost rehearsed.
"It's nice to meet you all."
Inside his mind, another voice whispered.
That's right.
Kazuki Reiji died a long time ago...
What's left now is Kazuki Arata — the one chosen by the Dark God.
The moment their eyes met, Haruto felt it.
A jolt.
A skip in time — brief, but unmistakable.
Airi blinked beside him, shivering slightly.
Why... does he feel familiar? she thought.
But in a scary way...
Kazuki smiled — a cold, knowing smile — as if reading her mind.
"I hope we'll all get along," he said smoothly.
But as he walked past Haruto's desk, he leaned in, whispering just low enough for only Haruto to hear:
"Still clinging to borrowed power, I see..."
Haruto's breath caught in his throat.
He knows.
---
After School — Hallway
Haruto and Airi walked down the empty hallway, the late afternoon light casting long shadows.
"Haruto..." Airi said softly.
"Did you feel something strange about that guy?"
"Yeah," Haruto muttered.
"It was like... he wasn't really from here."
They walked in silence, glancing over their shoulders uneasily.
From a high classroom window, unseen, Kazuki watched them.
His golden eyes glowed faintly.
A subtle ripple spread from him — time itself bending, ever so slightly.
---
Scene Shift — Rooftop Beyond Time
In a hidden realm outside of space and time, the Time God knelt, gasping for breath.
Fractured gears spun slowly around him, suspended in rivers of broken light.
His silver eyes were dim.
Blood dripped from his lips.
"The cycle begins again..." he whispered hoarsely.
"I've watched for long enough."
He clutched a faded mark across his chest — a scar carved by the Dark God's curse.
"If he falls to darkness again... everything will collapse."
His fingers trembled as he reached toward the glowing pool of fate.
"I... cannot fail them... again."
---
Final Scene — Haruto's Room
Haruto sat at the edge of his bed, staring at the watch.
It glowed faintly — calm, steady, but somehow... warning him.
I don't know who Kazuki is... Haruto thought.
But something tells me, he's not just another transfer student.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed.
He picked it up.
[Unknown Number]:
"You can't protect her forever.
Some things are meant to break."
Haruto's hands trembled.
He looked up toward the night sky, cold fear settling deep in his chest.
Something was coming.
Something that had already begun.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…