"Miss Tokisaki!" the manager exclaimed, her voice filled with respect. "We were not expecting a visit today! It is a true honor to have you here."
Hori gave a casual, polite nod. She looked completely at home, her posture changing into that of a young heiress. "Hello, I'm just here with some friends. We need a change of clothes—something casual but high quality. We're heading to a private visit."
"Of course, Miss Tokisaki! Anything you require," the manager said, gesturing to the rest of the staff. "Clear the VIP lounge on the third floor immediately! Bring out the latest seasonal collection for the young lady's guests!"
Shiyi leaned closer to Tamiko, whispering, "I feel like we're in a movie." Tamiko nodded, her eyes wide. "Hori really is like a princess, isn't she?"
The manager quickly led them to the private VIP section. Racks of high-end casual clothes were wheeled out instantly. Hori moved through the clothes like a pro, tossing items to each of them without even looking at the price tags.
"Shiyi, take this cream knit sweater and the soft skirt! Tamiko, this light blue dress! Shido, here—a dark hoodie and that leather jacket. And Kashima..." She held up a sleek, dark turtleneck and a tailored charcoal overcoat. "This is you."
Within ten minutes, the group emerged from the changing rooms, looking completely different. Shiyi looked soft and cozy, while Kashima looked like a model for a luxury brand. Shido was already busy checking his reflection, adjusting his new jacket with a grin.
"Looking good, everyone!" Hori said, waving her hand to the staff. "Send our uniforms to our houses. Charge it all to my mother."
The staff bowed in unison. "As you wish, Miss Tokisaki!"
AFTER A WHILE...
_DREAMSCAPE_
The world was made of shadows and ancient stone.
Deep underground, the air was cold and heavy. The only light came from a few golden lamps on the walls. They flickered softly, making the shadows look like they were dancing to a silent song.
In the center of the floor, a large spiral was carved into the rock. It was made of seven circles inside one another. The lines didn't just sit there; they seemed to pulse with a ghostly, silver light.
A small boy stood in the middle. He was only five years old, his body shaking like a leaf in the wind.
Nearby, a woman was on her knees. She was weeping, her voice a soft melody of grief. Beside the boy stood a man with eyes as deep as the ocean. He reached out and placed a gentle, steady hand on the boy's head.
"Be brave, stay in the circle," the man whispered, his voice like the hum of a cello. "Yuna, do not let your tears dim his light. He is the bridge we were promised."
The woman, Yuna, looked up through her tears. "But the price is so heavy! Why must his heart be the one to hold the chains? It is a beautiful curse, but a curse still."."
At the edge of the spiral stood a third figure. He wore holy robes that looked like they were woven from starlight and midnight. He held a book that smelled of old forest air. When he spoke, the words felt like they were floating.
"The stars have moved, and the circles are ready," the holy man chanted. "Let the old blood wake the new. May the heavens grant him the strength to carry what must be carried."
Suddenly, the seven rings on the floor burst into a deep, crimson flame. The boy let out a small, breathless gasp. On the lower left side of his ribs, a sharp heat bloomed. It felt like a golden needle was embroiderying a star onto his skin.
The man held the boy close, shielding him from the wind that had started to howl in the small room. "Hold on, little one. The dawn is coming."
The golden light grew until it swallowed everything—the crying woman, the steady man, and the marked boy—until the basement turned into a sea of white radiance.
Kento's eyes snapped open.
He was in his room. The orange light of the sunset was stretching across his bed like long, golden fingers. He was tangled in his sheets, his skin damp with cold sweat. His heart was knocking against his chest, trying to escape.
He sat up slowly, his fingers trembling as he touched his lower left ribs. The skin was cold, but he could still feel the phantom sting of the 'golden needle' from his dream.
"Who were they?" he whispered. His voice sounded small in the quiet room.
He didn't know the man with the forest eyes. He didn't know the woman who wept for him. To him, they were just strangers from a story he had never read. He had no memory of a basement or a ritual.
"Yuna..." he said the name softly. It felt like a word from a forgotten song. "Is that a name? Or just a sound from the dream?"
He rubbed his eyes, trying to make the vision go away. He was Kento—the boy who feared nothing and followed every rule. He didn't believe in starlight robes or ancient marks. He had a fever, and his mind was simply wandering into a fairy tale.
Downstairs the car stopped in front of a house that felt very different from Kashima's cold mansion. It was a cozy, well-kept home with a small garden. The rain was still falling, making the roof tiles look shiny and dark.
The group stepped out of the car. Shido led the way, walking straight to the front door with a confident grin. He grabbed the handle and gave it a hard push, expecting it to swing open like it always did.
Thud.
The door didn't move.
"Huh?" Shido blinked, pushing again. "It's stuck."
Hori rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "It's not stuck, Shido. It's locked."
"Maybe Kento is sleeping inside and locked it so he wouldn't be disturbed," Shiyi suggested, tilting her head.
Kashima turned back toward the car. He raised a hand, signaling to his driver. "Driver, go ahead and park. But don't park right in front of the house—find a spot further down the street."
The driver nodded. "Yes, Young Master."
Tamiko looked down at her watch. "It's already five o'clock. We should hurry before it gets too dark."
Shido didn't wait. He started banging on the door with his fist. "Kento! Hey, open up! Your savior is here with gifts! Stop hiding, you big baby!" He kept banging, making enough noise to wake the whole neighborhood.
Suddenly, the door swung open with a quick whoosh.
"Listen, Kento, you really need to—" Shido started to yell, but his voice died in his throat.
The person standing at the door wasn't Kento. It was a woman with a kind face and a sharp, knowing look in her eyes. She was wearing a simple apron.
"Mom?" Shido squeaked, his eyes going wide. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the office?"
Mrs. Kamitani smiled at the group, her eyes moving over each of them. "Hello, everyone. Come in, come in! Don't just stand there in the rain."
As they filed into the warm hallway, they were all holding something—the fruit basket, the notes, and the bags from Kagachi.
"I came home early," Mrs. Kamitani explained, looking at Shido. "Who else was going to take care of Kento while he's sick? If I left it to you, he'd probably be eating old pizza for breakfast." She then turned to the others with a warm smile. "And what did you all bring? You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."
Hori smiled back. "We were worried about him, so we wanted to bring a few things to help him feel better."
"Is that so?" Mrs. Kamitani's eyes narrowed playfully. "Well, I need to do an inspection first. I can't have you giving him anything unhealthy while he has a stomach ache."
A moment later, a loud smack echoed throug
h the hallway.
"Ow! Mom! Stop!" Shido cried out as Mrs. Kamitani chased him around the living room, hitting him with a rolled-up magazine.
"Instant ramen?!" she scolded. "You brought spicy ramen for a boy with a stomach ache? Are you trying to kill your brother?"
The girls burst into laughter, watching Shido try to dodge his mother's attacks. Kashima let out a long sigh, shaking his head. "I told you, Kirishima. I specifically warned you not to bring that."
After things calmed down, the group headed upstairs. The hallway was quiet. Hori stepped forward and gave a soft knock on Kento's door.
"Kento?" Shiyi called out gently. "Can we come in?"
Shido pushed past them, not waiting for an answer. "Make way! Give the sick man some air!"
"Give him some privacy, Kirishima!" Kashima muttered, but it was too late. Shido had already pushed the door open.
Inside, the room was dim. Kento was sitting up in bed, propped up by a few pillows. He had a wet white towel draped over his forehead, and he looked a bit pale. He looked at them with wide, surprised eyes—the memory of his dream still fresh in his mind.
Tamiko stood by the door, looking scared to see the strong Kento looking so weak. Kashima noticed and gave her a small, reassuring pat on the shoulder. "He's okay, Kaneri. He's just resting."
Shido marched right up to the bed, shoved his way between the girls, and snatched the wet towel off Kento's forehead. He pressed his palm against Kento's skin, squinting his eyes like a serious doctor.
"Wait a minute," Shido said, looking closely at his brother. "You don't have a fever at all. Your head is perfectly cool."
Hori and Shiyi rushed to his side. "Oh, you look terrible!" Hori said, sounding truly worried. "You were totally fine when I saw you this morning. What happened?"
Kento let out a long breath and slumped back against the pillows, his "tough" act finally breaking. "If I didn't act like I had a fever, Mom would have sent me to the market to buy vegetables for dinner. I just wanted a day off."
Shiyi laughed, shaking her head. "Kento, your mom would never ask you to do the shopping. She knows you're unreliable and you'd just buy snacks instead."
Everyone laughed at that. Hori smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. "You had me worried for no reason! I thought something was actually wrong."
Kento looked at his friends, the warm light of the room making the dark basement from his dream feel very far away. "Sorry, Hori. I guess I'm just a good actor."
The room was quiet. The air smelled like the rain outside and the sweet fruit on the table. Kento sat against his pillows. He looked tired. His face was pale in the orange light of the sunset.
"So, Kamitani," Kashima said. He was leaning against the wall, watching Kento closely. "How do you feel? What really happened?"
Kento rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't want to look at them. "I don't know. My stomach just started to hurt. It felt like a giant knot inside me."
Hori laughed a little, but she looked worried. She shook her head. "It wasn't your stomach, Kento! This morning, you were holding your ribs. You looked like someone had hit you."
Kento's face turned red. "It's... the same area," he muttered.
"That's not true," Shiyi said. She tilted her head to the side. "Rib pain and stomach pain are very different. One is bone, the other is not."
Shido stood up from the bed. He was big and made the room feel small. He had a mean, playful smile on his face. "Yeah, stop acting mysterious. Point to the spot, Mr. Leader. Let us see."
Kento gave a long sigh. He pointed his finger to the lower left side of his body. "Right here. Are you happy now?"
Tamiko stood at the end of the bed. She was squeezing her hands together very tightly. Her knuckles were white. "I never heard of a fever coming from a rib ache," she whispered. "What if it's something bad inside you?"
"She's right," Shiyi agreed. She looked at Kento's face. He was breathing hard. "Maybe you should see a doctor instead of hiding under the blankets, Kento."
Kento waved his hand. He tried to look tough again. "I'm fine, really. I'll just—"
Suddenly, Shido moved. He stepped right in front of Kento. Kento looked up at him. His eyes were wide and confused. He looked like a little brother who didn't know what was happening.
"Shido! Don't you dare touch him!" Hori yelled. She reached out to stop him.
"Please, don't hurt him, Shido," Tamiko begged.
Shido looked back at Hori. He made a fake sad face. "What? I'm a nice guy. I'm just a worried brother."
"You are the meanest person here," Shiyi said. She was smiling a little bit.
Kashima sighed. He put his hand over his eyes. He looked like he had a headache. "Kirishima, stop. There are girls in the room. Be a gentleman."
Shido laughed. It was a sharp, savage laugh. He looked at Kashima. "Wow, Kashima, you know a lot about being a 'gentleman.' Do you practice that with girls on the weekends? Have you ever even been this close to a girl before?"
"Don't say stupid things," Kashima said. He turned his head away and looked out the window. His face was stiff and angry.
Before Kento could move, Shido's hands jumped forward. He grabbed the bottom of Kento's pajama shirt and pulled it up fast.
"Hey! Stop!" Kento screamed. His face turned very bright red. He tried to push Shido's hands away. "What are you doing, you idiot?!"
Tamiko turned around immediately. she didn't want to look. Her face was burning with embarrassment. Kento was fighting, but Shido was too strong. Shido held the shirt up and looked closely at Kento's skin.
"Be quiet! I'm looking for a bruise!" Shido yelled.
Suddenly, the room went very cold. Kashima stepped closer to the bed. He wasn't angry anymore; he was very serious. Hori leaned in. She gasped and looked at Shiyi. "See... there is no bruise. There isn't even a red mark."
Shiyi leaned in too. She looked at the pale skin on Kento's side. "You're right. It's perfectly clear. If it hurts but there is no injury..." She looked at Hori. "It must be something inside."
As Shiyi spoke, Kashima looked at her. For a second, they stared at each other. It was a very heavy moment. Shiyi saw him looking and stared back, but Kashima quickly looked away. He looked back at Kento's ribs.
The sun hit Kento's skin.
Under the skin, something strange started to appear. It wasn't a bruise, and it wasn't a scar. A pattern of seven circles began to bleed into view, forming a glowing spiral. The rings pulsed with a soft silver light, looking exactly like the ancient mark from Kento's dream. It sat there on his ribs, beautiful and mysterious, carved right into his flesh.
The room fell unnaturally quiet.
Shiyi, Hori, and Kashima stood like statues, their eyes locked on Kento's exposed side. Beneath his skin, the seven silver rings didn't just sit there; they pulsed with a slow, steady rhythm. It looked like a sleeping heartbeat that had just woken up.
The air in the room grew thick and heavy. It felt like the walls were holding their breath. Kento felt it first. It wasn't pain, but a strange, new awareness—as if something deep beneath his ribs had finally opened its eyes.
Shido blinked once, then twice. He scratched the back of his head, his fingers trembling slightly. He tried to laugh, but the sound was thin and forced.
"See?" Shido said, his voice echoing in the quiet. "I told you. No bruise. Nothing there." He glanced at Kento, his grin looking tight. "You're fine, drama king."
But Kashima stepped forward. The floorboards creaked under his feet. He reached out and gripped Shido's arm with a firm, iron hold. "Look properly, Kirishima," he said. His voice was a low, dangerous whisper. "Do not joke about this."
Shido's smile faded. "What are you—"
Kashima didn't answer. He simply pointed.
The orange light of the setting sun cut through the window, hitting Kento's side. The spiral grew brighter, the seven rings shimmering like moonlight trapped under water.
"That," Kashima said, his voice barely audible, "is a mark."
Kento's breath hitched. The color drained from his face so fast that Hori's chest tightened in fear. He looked like he was seeing a ghost.
"Stop," Kento snapped. The word was jagged and sharp. He yanked his shirt down with a violent tug, covering the glow as if the fabric could make it vanish. His knuckles were white as he bunched the hem in his fists. "Stop staring at me!"
The room felt like it was shrinking. Hori moved instinctively. She knelt by the bed, bringing herself down to his level. Her voice was soft, like a steady hum.
"Kento," she said gently. "It's okay. You're safe here. No one is judging you." She leaned in, trying to catch his eyes. "Just breathe. Just one breath."
But Kento couldn't. His heart was a drum beating against his ears. 'Why does it feel like they've seen something they weren't supposed to? Why does my body feel… wrong?'
Behind them, Shido's eyes were narrowed at the spot where the mark had been. "I still don't get it," he muttered, his voice shaking. "It's just a tattoo, right? Some weird ink?"
Kashima turned on him, his eyes flashing with frustration.
"A tattoo?" Kashima repeated. The disbelief in his voice cut through the air like a knife. "Are you blind, Kirishima? Tattoos do not glow. And they do certainly not appear from inside the skin."
He turned back to Kento, his jaw tight. "That mark is not decoration," he said quietly. "It is part of him."
Even Tamiko forgot her embarrassment from earlier. She stepped closer to the bed, her hands pressed against her chest as if to calm her own heart. "Kento…" she whispered, her eyes wet. "Does it hurt?"
Kento kept his anger close, using it like a shield. The truth was scarier than any pain. "It doesn't," he said, his voice rough and dry. "That's the problem."
-----
✦ 🔮 A GLIMPSE INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER 🔮 ✦
"What awaits beyond this page...?" 🌙
(灬･◡･灬)♡
"He's just back to being his usual grumpy self. You know how he is, Mom."
"GODS SAVE US! MERCY! MERCY!"
----
🌙 The stars may fade, and memories may sleep...
But the Spiral continues to turn.
Until we meet again beneath the same forgotten sky.
(✧Д✧)
— SakuraShinomiya