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Haru walked along the narrow streets of Hanamura, his schoolbag slung over one shoulder. The town smelled faintly of rain and the delicate sweetness of cherry blossoms, drifting from the trees lining the main avenue. It was early spring, and petals fell like pink snow, brushing against his black uniform. To everyone else, it was just another quiet morning, but Haru saw something else entirely.
Colors hovered around people—some faint, some vibrant. His mother's gentle lavender glow in the kitchen yesterday, the sharp scarlet around the school's principal, even the murky gray cloud surrounding the stray cat by the river. These weren't ordinary colors. They were emotions, secrets floating in the air. Haru had learned long ago that keeping his ability hidden was safer than explaining it.
"Ako!" Aiko's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She was waving from the school gate, a cheerful grin lighting her freckled face. Haru hurried toward her, careful not to let the swirl of emotions overwhelm him. Around Aiko, soft orange and pale pink swirled together—warmth and happiness. "You're late again!" she teased, looping her arm through his.
"Five minutes," he muttered. But his eyes kept flicking to a new color in the crowd—a deep violet that shimmered unnaturally. No one else noticed it. The hue pulsed and flickered like it was alive. Haru frowned, a chill crawling up his spine.
As they walked to class, the violet glow followed, drifting just out of reach. Haru felt a strange pull, a magnetic tug toward the cherry blossom forest at the edge of town. He had avoided it for years, ever since he had a vision of something that no one could explain. The trees, twisted and beautiful, were always whispering secrets that danced just beyond his understanding.
"Are you okay?" Aiko asked, nudging him. Haru forced a smile, shaking his head. "Yeah, just tired." But even as he spoke, the violet color grew stronger, almost as if it recognized him.
Later, during homeroom, the classroom door creaked open. Everyone turned toward the new arrival: a tall boy with silver hair and a calm, unreadable expression. Ryota, the transfer student. Haru's pulse quickened. Around Ryota, the violet glow now shimmered clearly, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat.
The teacher introduced him, but Haru barely heard the words. Something about Ryota felt… different. Dangerous, yet familiar. Haru's instincts screamed, and a memory flashed in his mind—an image of the cherry blossom forest, a hidden path, and someone waiting under the petals, their eyes glowing violet.
The bell rang, pulling Haru back to reality. As he followed Aiko to lunch, he knew one thing: something had changed in Hanamura. And he couldn't ignore it any longer.