"Even the brightest light casts shadows, but it's how we face them that defines us."— Hoshino Souta
Early Morning Reflection:
The rooftop was cool beneath Souta's fingers, the air tinged with the lingering crispness of dawn. The city stretched beyond him, quiet in the early hours, the sky slowly blooming into strokes of gold and pink.
Happy sat beside him, his small fabric body pressed against Souta's arm. His glassy eyes reflected the sky, curiosity evident even in his stitched expression.
"Souta-kun, you look tired."
Souta hummed in response, rubbing his temple absentmindedly.
"Is mastering undoing hard?"
He exhaled slowly, watching the horizon.
"It is. I can fix small things, erase lies, even soothe pain. But some wounds run deeper. Some powers I can't undo—yet."
Happy shifted, his tiny paw resting gently against Souta's sleeve—a small, wordless comfort.
"Maybe you just need more practice… or a new idea?"
Souta chuckled softly, his exhaustion tempered by the quiet companionship.
"Maybe."
School, Unexpected Encounter
The day passed in fragments, normal yet strangely off-kilter.
Ruby and Aqua noticed it first—the way Souta moved slower, the quiet way he listened but didn't engage. He wasn't withdrawn, just… inward. Thinking.
Then—
A presence disrupted the rhythm.
The doors to homeroom slid open, and a new student stepped in.
Tall. Poised. Sharp eyes that seemed to peel away layers just by looking.
His name was Hayato Ishikawa.
He didn't hesitate. He walked straight to Souta's desk, standing over him like a question waiting to be answered.
"So, you're the boy everyone talks about. The one with powers."
Souta blinked, wary but calm.
"I'm not here to fight." His tone was level. "Why do you want to test me?"
Hayato smirked, leaning slightly forward.
"Because some things can't just be undone."
The words weren't a challenge. They were a warning.
The First Test
The confrontation wasn't loud. It wasn't physical.
It was subtle.
That afternoon, beneath the quiet hum of after-school conversations, Hayato twisted reality itself—the space around them bending in ways almost imperceptible.
A paper falling from a desk froze mid-air. Shadows stretched in unnatural directions. The sound of voices became distorted, looping into echoes before snapping back to normal.
Souta narrowed his eyes.
He reached out—not with his hands, but with his ability, unraveling threads of distortion, pushing reality back into its rightful state.
But—
He struggled.
Hayato's power was different. It wasn't just bending reality. It was corrupting it.
Undoing became difficult. Heavy.
Souta's jaw tightened, frustration simmering beneath the surface.
"Why can't I undo this?" His voice was quiet but urgent. "What is this power?"
Hayato tilted his head slightly, watching. Calculating.
"You'll figure it out."
Ai and Ruby's Concern
Evening arrived, wrapping the household in its familiar warmth, but Souta carried the weight of the day with him.
Ai noticed immediately.
She approached quietly, pressing her palm gently against his forehead, brushing a stray strand of hair aside.
"You're pushing yourself too hard, Souta." Her voice was warm, steady. "You don't have to carry everything alone."
Beside her, Ruby folded her arms, eyes soft but serious.
"We're your family. Let us help you."
Souta let the words sink in, feeling their weight, their quiet strength.
He nodded, the exhaustion still present but softened by their presence.
"I want to protect you all—no matter what."
Ai sighed, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"And we want to protect you, too."
Souma's Shadow Looms
Somewhere distant, in a place untouched by warmth, Souma sat in silence.
His fingers tapped idly against the armrest of his chair, his thoughts weaving through every new development.
A shift in the game.
A new player.
Hayato Ishikawa.
"Someone to shake the boy's confidence." His voice was barely above a whisper, amused yet measured.
"And push him to his limits."
His lips curled in quiet amusement, eyes flickering with a dangerous kind of satisfaction.
"Let the games begin."
Family Strength
The household felt different that night—not heavy, not broken, but full.
Laughter drifted from the dining table, warmth threading through conversation, through shared glances and familiar gestures.
Souta sat back slightly, watching—not distant, but present.
His gaze moved across them—Ai, Aqua, Ruby, even Happy perched beside their plates, acting as though he, too, deserved a share of dinner.
He inhaled slowly.
"No matter how strong the shadows, as long as we're together, we can face anything."
Ai looked at him, eyes shimmering, emotions thick in her throat.
She whispered, barely loud enough to hear—
"You're our light, Souta."
The words stayed long after they had been spoken.