Yui ran through the dimly lit streets, her breath coming in sharp gasps as she clutched her phone, her fingers trembling against the buttons. Every second that passed felt like an eternity. Finally, the ringing stopped, and Haruka's voice came through, calm but firm."Yui? What's wrong?"
Yui swallowed hard, her throat burning. "Haruka, Ayumi's missing!" Her voice cracked, panic breaking through. "She never came home. Her parents have no idea where she is. I—I don't know what to do!"Silence. A long, dreadful pause.Then, Haruka's voice came back, steady but urgent. "Meet me at the abandoned hospital."
Yui's stomach twisted. "The hospital?" Her grip on the phone tightened. "Why there? What does that have to do with Ayumi?" "I have a feeling," Haruka said, voice low. "We don't have time to waste. Trust me."Yui hesitated for only a moment before nodding to herself. "Okay. I'll be there." She ended the call and took off running.The abandoned hospital loomed before her, its silhouette jagged against the night sky. It felt more suffocating than before, its gaping windows like hollow eyes watching her. She hesitated only for a second before pushing the rusted door open and stepping inside.
Dust hung thick in the air, the smell of decay pressing against her nose. Flickering lights buzzed weakly, casting eerie shadows along the walls."Ayumi?" Yui called out, her voice barely above a whisper. She took careful steps forward, her ears straining for any sound, yet there was nothing.
Her heartbeat pounded.Then—a noise.A slow, dragging sound, faint but unmistakable.Yui's breath hitched. Her hands curled into fists.A shadow shifted at the end of the hallway, unnatural, twisted.Her stomach turned to ice.Then it lunged.Yui turned and ran.Her pulse roared in her ears as she sprinted down the corridor. She didn't know where she was going—just that she had to get away.Up ahead—a door.No. An elevator.She didn't think. She threw herself inside and slammed the button.The doors groaned shut just as the shadow reached her.
Darkness.
A violent jolt.Then—silence.Yui's breath came in sharp, uneven gasps. The elevator had stopped.She hesitated, then stepped out.The air was wrong. Heavy. Unnatural.Then she looked out the window.
A shudder ran through her body.Then she saw her.A limp figure on the ground.Yui's world stopped.Her feet moved before her mind could process it, stumbling forward, dropping to her knees beside the still body."No—no, no, no—"Ayumi lay there, unmoving."Ayumi!" Yui's voice was raw as she grabbed her best friend's shoulders, shaking her desperately.
"Wake up! Please, wake up!"
Nothing.Her skin was cold.Yui let out a choked sob, frantically pulling out her phone, pressing the buttons over and over—no signal.Tears blurred her vision.
"Please… don't do this," she whispered, gripping Ayumi's cold hand, pressing it against her forehead.Her shoulders trembled.
"I can't lose you."Yui cried on Ayumi's chest, then suddenly the world faded into darkness.When Yui opened her eyes, she was no longer in the hospital.She stood in an endless, black void. Weightless, yet grounded.Then, it appeared.A towering figure, its body concealed beneath an enormous black cloak. No face, no limbs, nothing but an overwhelming presence that swallowed everything around it.
A voice, deep and ancient, rumbled through the void."Your wish has been heard." Yui's breath caught in her throat."You desire for her to live."
Her lips trembled. "Yes." Her voice was barely above a whisper."Are you willing to bear the burden?"The weight of those words crushed down on her, but when she turned back—when she saw Ayumi, so still, unconscious and on the verge of death—she knew there was only one answer. Her hands curled into fists."If it means saving Ayumi… then yes. I'll do whatever it takes."
Silence. The air shifted, thick with unseen power.Then, the voice spoke once more."It is done." Blinding light engulfed her.
Yui jolted awake, lungs heaving, heart hammering. The musty scent of the hospital filled her nose, the cold floor grounding her in reality.Then—movement. A small, desperate cough tore from her lips as her chest suddenly rose, her body convulsing with air.Yui's heart stopped."Ayumi!" she choked out, scrambling forward. Ayumi's green eyes fluttered open, wide with confusion. "I… I remember," she rasped, voice hoarse.
—————A WEEK LATER—————
The next week, Yui, Ayumi, Haruka, and Haru sat together in a quiet, secluded part of the schoolyard. The usual noise of students chatting and laughing felt distant compared to the weight of the conversation unfolding between them. Ayumi sat with her arms crossed, her expression tense as she absorbed everything Yui, Haruka, and Haru had told her—the Limbo, the spirits, the Watcher, and how Yui had barely saved her from dying or a coma.
"So, let me get this straight,"
Ayumi finally said, her voice steady but sharp.
"I died, and Yui made a deal with some faceless entity to bring me back? And now she's stuck in this whole 'protector of life' thing?"
Haruka nodded, unfazed by Ayumi's frustration. "That's right. And now that you know about all of this, we don't have to keep it a secret anymore."
She leaned back slightly, arms resting on her knees.
"Honestly, it's better this way. Another fighter on our side makes things easier."
Haru smiled. "Yeah, especially since Yui actually has a shot at holding her own now."
He glanced at Yui. "Dont slow us down." He said jokingly.
Yui looked at him "I'll try my best…"
Ayumi shook her head. "I don't care about 'another fighter' or whatever."
She turned to Yui, her green eyes sharp.
"Are you okay with this? Do you even want to do this?" Yui hesitated. She hadn't really had time to process everything, but… what choice did she have? She couldn't undo what had happened. And after seeing what lurked in Limbo, she knew she couldn't just turn away. She took a breath.
"I don't know if I 'want' to, but I have to. If I hadn't been able to bring you back, you'd probably be…" she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Ayumi's expression softened for a moment before she sighed.
"Fine. But if we're doing this, then I'm not going to sit on the sidelines."
Haruka looked up at Ayumi.
"Ayumi you don't have to make a deal with anyone."
Haruka's eyes softened as she looked at Ayumi, the calm tone in her voice a stark contrast to the intensity of the situation. "Ayumi," she began.
"Listen carefully. The Watcher doesn't give power lightly. If you want to make a deal with him, you need to be sure. This isn't something you just dive into without thinking."
Ayumi's brows furrowed, but Haruka continued.
"I didn't make the deal lightly. I agreed because I was willing to fight, to protect those I care about. But if you're not ready for it, then you shouldn't rush into it. You're already involved in this world now, but it doesn't mean you have to take the same step I did. It's not an easy path to walk."
Ayumi's gaze flickered to Yui, who was listening quietly, and then back to Haruka. "But I don't want to just sit here while all of you are fighting. I can't just watch."
"I know," Haruka said gently. "But that's exactly why you need to be sure. There's no going back once you make that deal. And I don't want you to make that choice unless you're completely ready, especially not now. You've only just found out about all of this. It's a lot to take in, and you shouldn't rush into something that could change everything for you."
Haruka paused, letting her words sink in.
"For now, just stay out of the fighting. Watch, learn, but don't push yourself too hard. We'll protect you, and when the time is right, you'll know what to do."Ayumi opened her mouth as if to protest, but Haruka cut her off. "Just trust me. You'll be safer this way."
After a long moment, Ayumi reluctantly nodded. She wasn't happy about it, but Haruka's words had a weight to them that made sense. She didn't know enough about this world to risk making a decision she might regret."Fine," Ayumi muttered, folding her arms.
"But I'm not staying in the back for long."
Haruka gave her a small smile. "You'll know when the time comes."
Yui, however, couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change again. She had something she needed to explain, something that had been on her mind ever since the events at the hospital.
Yui hesitated for a moment.
"Hey, I need to show you something," she said quietly. Ayumi looked up, her green eyes filled with curiosity but also a bit of apprehension. "What is it?"
Yui took a deep breath, lifting her foot and showing them the silver ankle bracelet with the emerald stone. "It's this."
The room fell into a heavy silence. Haruka raised an eyebrow, and Haru leaned in slightly, squinting at it.
"I got it after making a deal with the Watcher," Yui explained, her voice uncertain.
"He… He gave it to me when I made a wish. I didn't understand it at first, but it's linked to my power..I think, like Haruka and Haru's Except Harukas is like a hair pin..and Haru's is like a earring you rip off! I noticed they have the same one."
After everything they'd already learned, it was starting to feel like nothing could shock Yui anymore.
Haru smiled
"I guess your really one of us now." Yui nodded.
"i guess so…". The group fell into another silence, each of them processing Yui's words in their own way.Finally, Ayumi let out a sigh and leaned back, looking at Yui with a small, accepting smile.
"Well, I guess we've all got our roles to play now, right?"
Yui stared at her for a second, unsure if Ayumi was just being sarcastic or if she was genuinely okay with it.
"It's not something you should take lightly, Yui," she said softly but firmly. Yui nodded, feeling the weight of her words.
"I know. I'll be careful. But for now… this is what I have to work with."
"So… this is happening now, huh?"
Ayumi half-laughed, but it wasn't exactly funny. Haruka looked at her, eyes steady.
"Yeah. Whether we like it or not, we've got to deal with it."
Yui rubbed her forehead, the reality of it sinking in. "I don't even know where to start."
Haru sighed, pushing himself off the wall. "Doesn't matter. We'll figure it out. We have to."
Yui glanced around, trying to steady herself. It felt like the world was still spinning around her. "Right. We've got no choice."
They didn't say anything else for a while, but the unspoken understanding was clear—they'd have to face whatever came next together. No one else would, and no one else could.
As the lunch period ended and they walked off, there was still a lot of uncertainty ahead, but they knew one thing for sure,they weren't facing it alone.