The night air was chill, cutting through the stillness like a blade. Kaito stood by the gate of Airi's house, hands buried deep in his pockets. His eyes were distant, lost in thoughts too heavy for him to bear. Streetlights flickered behind him, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch toward him, pulling at his feet. He wasn't ready to go home. Not yet.
He could feel the weight of the world on his shoulders, the anxiety gnawing at his stomach, but there was no turning back now. He had to find answers.
The sound of footsteps echoed from behind him. The gate creaked open, and Airi stepped out, her presence a warmth against the cold night. She was wearing a loose sweater, its sleeves hanging past her hands. Her hair was slightly messy, as if she'd been in a hurry to answer the door.
"Kaito?" she called softly, her voice laced with concern. "What are you doing standing out here? It's freezing."
Kaito didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned slowly, eyes meeting hers. The coldness in his gaze was softened by something else, something vulnerable.
"Can I come in?" he asked, his voice low, like it had been drained of energy.
Airi nodded, stepping aside to let him in. "Of course. You know you're always welcome."
"Ojama shimasu," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he removed his shoes and stepped inside. Without waiting for an invitation, he made his way to the couch, his movements heavy, as though he were carrying more than just his physical weight.
She followed him, closing the door behind her. "Juice?" Airi asked, trying to keep her tone light, but there was an edge of worry in her voice.
Kaito nodded, his gaze fixed on the floor, distant. "Yeah. Thanks."
Airi placed the glass on the table in front of him, watching as he picked it up without a word. He drank it in one gulp, the glass empty within seconds. He set it down with a soft thud, but the silence that followed felt louder than any sound could have been.
Airi sat down beside him, the weight of the moment pressing down on them both. Her hands rested on her lap, fingers nervously curling.
"So," she said, breaking the silence, "What happened? Why are you here, Kaito?"
His eyes met hers. There was a quiet intensity in them—something she couldn't quite place, but she knew it wasn't just the exhaustion she had seen before.
"There's danger coming," he said, his voice steady, but the words felt like an omen.
"Danger?" Airi repeated, her heart suddenly racing. "What do you mean?"
He took a breath, his eyes distant once more. "A group... No, an organization. They kill people. Innocent people. Without hesitation. Without reason."
Airi's pulse quickened. She remembered the news stories. The whispers. The strange disappearances, the headlines about a "Red Star." "You mean… that group?"
He nodded, his jaw tightening. "The one with the red star-shaped insignia. They've been moving in the shadows, but I've seen them. Up close."
Airi froze. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "What do you mean? Seen them?"
Kaito's eyes darkened. "They killed Sayuri."
Airi's breath hitched. She leaned forward, her heart racing in her chest. "Sayuri…?"
He nodded, his gaze unwavering. "She was my friend. My childhood friend."
Airi felt a pang of guilt—something she couldn't quite explain. She swallowed before speaking, her voice a little shaky. "I thought… I thought I was the only one."
Kaito's eyes softened for a brief moment, and then he looked away. "You are now."
The words hung in the air like an unspoken promise. Airi's heart skipped a beat, but she couldn't focus on that now. The weight of what he had just said was too heavy. Sayuri, someone Kaito cared for deeply, was gone. And this organization… It was real.
Kaito cleared his throat, his voice becoming sharper, more urgent. "She… she fell. From the rooftop. Someone pushed her." His voice broke slightly, but he held it together. "I couldn't stop it. I was too late."
Airi's eyes softened, and she reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry, Kaito. I can't even imagine what you've been through."
He looked down at her hand, but didn't pull away. "That's not all."
Airi's chest tightened. "What else? What happened?"
Kaito hesitated, his face hardening as he looked at her. "I saw my family. Mom. Aiko. Riku… all of them. They were killed too. I—I couldn't save them. I failed."
Airi's breath caught in her throat. Her heart ached for him, for the pain he must have endured. But she didn't know what to say. There were no words that could fix this, no comfort she could offer that would erase his grief.
"But I've seen them before," Kaito continued, his voice low and steady now, like a man who had made up his mind. "I keep seeing them. I keep reliving it. Over and over."
The room was deathly silent, and Airi could only stare at him, trying to process everything. She couldn't even begin to fathom what it was like for him. To lose everything, only to wake up and have it happen again and again.
Kaito's eyes locked onto hers, the desperation in them clear. "I can't do this alone. I can't let it happen again."
Airi swallowed hard, her mind racing. She was scared, terrified even, but there was something in Kaito's eyes—a plea for help, a silent promise that if they could uncover the truth, they could stop this cycle.
She was his only chance. She couldn't turn her back on him.
"Please, Airi," he whispered, the weight of the request almost too much to bear. "I need your help. I can't do this without you."
For a long moment, Airi said nothing. She just sat there, looking at him, searching his eyes for the truth. There was no hesitation in her heart. She knew what she had to do.
"Okay," she said softly, her voice unwavering now. "We'll do it. We'll find them."
Kaito's shoulders sagged, a deep breath escaping him as if a weight had been lifted. He grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently.
"Thank you," he whispered, the words raw.
Airi blushed but didn't pull away. She just nodded, the reality of their situation settling in. She didn't know what they would find. She didn't know how far they would have to go. But she knew one thing for certain: she wasn't going to let Kaito face this alone.
Together, they would face the storm.