Part 1: Silver Light
Haruto woke up like any other morning. The sunlight crept softly through the window, warming the room, but he barely noticed. Stretching and rubbing his eyes, he swung his legs off the bed and went about his usual routine.
He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and splashed cold water on his skin. The motions were automatic, familiar, comforting. Once he felt fresh, he wandered back into the room.
His gaze fell on the mirror in the corner. He caught a glimpse of himself—still sleepy, still messy-haired—but something tugged at him, some unplaceable feeling. Memories surfaced, uninvited:
People calling his eyes cute… his younger self laughing… fleeting moments of warmth that were gone now.
A lump formed in his throat. Tears welled up and blurred his vision, hiding the subtle changes that had taken place. Silver shimmered faintly behind the wetness, but he didn't notice.
He wiped his face, trying to shake off the sudden surge of emotion, and turned away.
Before he could fully leave, a familiar warmth wrapped around him from behind. Akari's arms held him gently, her presence steadying him.
"Haruto…" she whispered softly. "Your eyes… they've changed."
He froze, blinking against her words. "Changed… how?"
She guided his gaze back toward the mirror. Slowly, clearly now, he saw it himself—two silver eyes staring back, reflecting a version of him he hadn't yet realized.
Haruto blinked, staring at his reflection. Slowly, a smile tugged at his lips. His silver eyes—the eyes he had once thought lost forever—had returned. A warmth spread through his chest, and for the first time in so long, he felt whole again.
"Aka… they're back," he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief and joy. "My silver eyes… they've returned."
His happiness was contagious, bubbling up so strongly he could barely contain it. Before Akari could say anything, he darted toward the door, his heart racing with excitement.
"Wait, Haruto!" Akari called, but he only laughed, the sound bright and free, as he ran down the stairs.
At the bottom, Ayame looked up from the breakfast table, her eyes widening in surprise. "Haruto? What's—"
Without a second thought, he threw himself into a hug, holding her tightly. Then, spinning slightly, he wrapped his arms around Kaito as well, grinning from ear to ear.
"My eyes! They're back!" he shouted, his silver gaze sparkling in the morning light. "They've returned! All of it… everything is back!"
Ayame and Kaito blinked, stunned for a moment, before their expressions softened into smiles. Akari caught up, standing just behind him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder, sharing in the unspoken relief and joy.
For the first time in years, laughter and warmth filled the room. Haruto's silver eyes gleamed brightly, reflecting not just the sunlight, but the hope and happiness he had thought were gone forever.
After the joyful reunion, the triplets sat down for breakfast. The table was filled with simple food, but none of them cared much about it—Haruto's happiness was infectious, and even Ayame and Kaito found themselves smiling wider than usual.
"I can't believe it… your eyes really are back," Ayame said, shaking her head with a laugh.
Kaito nodded, still a little stunned. "It suits you… more than ever."
Haruto beamed, shoveling a piece of toast into his mouth. "I feel… amazing today!" he exclaimed, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.
Breakfast finished, they quickly got ready for the Academy. Haruto zipped up his bag and slung it over his shoulder, practically bouncing as he did so. Akari, holding his hand gently, guided them toward the front door.
"Be careful today," she said softly, though her eyes sparkled with amusement at Haruto's energy.
"I will! Don't worry!" Haruto chirped, his silver eyes gleaming. He turned to the triplets, grinning. "Let's go!"
The walk to the Academy was filled with chatter and laughter. Haruto's happiness seemed to radiate, pulling the others along with him. When they reached the Academy gates, he hugged Akari tightly.
"Bye, Aka! I'll see you later!" he called, practically bouncing on his toes.
"Take care, Haruto," she replied, smiling warmly as she waved.
Once inside, the triplets headed straight to their classroom. Haruto, still brimming with excitement, dropped his bag near his desk—and without even sitting down, dashed toward the washroom.
He caught sight of his reflection and couldn't help but grin ear to ear. His silver eyes sparkled brilliantly, more alive than they had in years. He touched his face lightly, as if confirming it was really him, and laughed softly to himself.
"This… this is amazing," he whispered, staring at his reflection, feeling a surge of hope and happiness that he hadn't felt in a long time.
Haruto pushed open the classroom door, still breathing fast from running back. His excitement was overflowing, impossible to hide. The moment he spotted Daigo at the front arranging some scrolls, Haruto couldn't stop himself.
"Daigo Sensei!!"
Daigo looked up—just in time for Haruto to rush forward and wrap him in a tight hug.
"Whoa— Haruto?" Daigo steadied himself, clearly surprised. "What's gotten into you this early?"
Haruto pulled back slightly, eyes shining. "Sensei… look!"
Daigo's gaze lifted—and froze. The morning light caught Haruto's face perfectly, revealing two bright silver eyes looking back at him.
"…Your eyes," Daigo said quietly. "They're back."
Haruto nodded quickly, smile shaking with pure happiness. "They returned this morning… Sensei, they really came back!"
Daigo placed a warm, steady hand on Haruto's shoulder.
"Good. Very good, Haruto. Hold onto this feeling."
The classroom erupted with soft excitement.
Yuna let out a tiny gasp, leaning forward eagerly.
Kaito smiled wide, looking genuinely proud of him.
Ayame's eyes went big and bright, hands pressed lightly to her chest.
Souta almost stood up before Misaki grabbed his sleeve to pull him back down.
Misaki whispered loudly to Izumi, "His eyes look so cool!"
Izumi nodded quickly, trying to act calm but failing.
Arashi blinked once, then gave a small smirk like, Interesting.
Amaya stared in quiet surprise, her expression softer than usual.
Haruto hurried back to his seat, practically bursting with happiness.
Daigo cleared his throat—one firm "Ahem!" that made the class straighten instantly.
"Alright, settle down," he said, though a tiny smile tugged at his lip. "We'll talk more about Haruto's eyes later."