Morning came—
But it didn't feel like a new beginning.
It felt like the end of something.
---
The sky stretched endlessly above the city, painted in soft blue.
Peaceful.
Calm.
Deceptive.
---
Hina walked through the school gates with slow, measured steps.
Her expression was blank.
Too blank.
---
Students moved around her in groups.
Laughing.
Talking.
Sharing jokes.
---
Normal.
Everything looked normal.
---
But as she passed—
She started hearing it.
---
"…That's her, right?"
"…Yeah… she was close to him…"
"…Do you think she knew?"
"…No way…"
---
She didn't react.
Didn't stop.
Didn't even look at them.
---
Because deep down—
She already knew what they were talking about.
---
Him.
---
---
Inside the classroom—
The air felt heavier than usual.
---
Students whispered in corners.
Phones were out.
Messages spread faster than anyone could control.
---
"…Look at this—"
"…Isn't that him?!"
"…The name says Kurosawa…"
"…No way… that family?"
---
Hina took her seat quietly.
Her hands rested on the desk.
Still.
Unmoving.
---
She kept her eyes down.
---
Because if she looked up—
She might see him.
---
And if she saw him—
Everything she tried to suppress—
Would break again.
---
---
On the other side—
He sat there.
---
Ren Takahashi.
---
Or—
What everyone now questioned.
---
He looked the same.
Calm.
Composed.
Unreadable.
---
But inside—
Everything was different.
---
> "…You're just a stranger."
---
Her voice echoed again.
Clear.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
---
He closed his eyes briefly.
---
"…You okay?"
---
Ren opened them again.
Yuto stood beside him.
Concern visible—but mixed with curiosity.
---
"…I'm fine."
---
"…You don't look fine."
---
"…I said I'm fine."
---
Yuto sighed.
"…Man… whatever's going on—"
He lowered his voice.
"…You might wanna handle it fast."
---
Ren looked at him.
"…Too late for that."
---
"…What do you mean?"
---
Before Ren could answer—
A loud murmur spread across the class.
---
"…They're here…"
"…Outside the school…"
"…Black cars…"
---
Yuto frowned.
"…What?"
---
Students rushed toward the windows.
---
And then—
They saw them.
---
A line of black luxury cars.
Perfectly aligned.
Shining under the sunlight.
---
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
---
"…Who are they?"
"…Is this some VIP visit?"
"…Wait… are they coming here?"
---
Ren didn't move.
---
Because he already knew.
---
---
The bell rang.
Signaling the end of the day.
---
But no one moved.
---
No one left.
---
Because something bigger was happening.
---
---
The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway.
---
Slow.
Heavy.
Precise.
---
Each step—
Carried authority.
---
The whispers died down.
---
Students stepped aside instinctively.
---
Even without understanding—
They felt it.
---
Power.
---
---
The footsteps stopped.
---
Right outside the classroom.
---
Silence.
---
The door slid open.
---
And everything froze.
---
Men in black suits stood at the entrance.
Their expressions calm.
Their posture straight.
---
But what stood out the most—
Was their presence.
---
It demanded attention.
Respect.
Silence.
---
One of them stepped forward.
---
His eyes scanned the room—
Before landing on one person.
---
Ren.
---
Or—
---
Arata.
---
---
Hina felt it.
---
That shift.
---
That moment where everything she feared—
Was about to become real.
---
Slowly—
She looked up.
---
And followed his gaze.
---
---
The man bowed his head slightly.
---
"…Young Master."
---
The words echoed.
---
Loud.
Clear.
Unavoidable.
---
Confusion spread instantly.
---
"…Young Master?"
"…Who?"
"…Wait—"
---
Then—
The final blow.
---
"…It is time to return."
---
A pause.
---
"…Arata Kurosawa."
---
Silence.
---
Absolute silence.
---
As if the entire world had stopped breathing.
---
---
Hina's eyes widened.
---
Her heart—
Stopped.
---
That name.
---
The same name.
---
The one she heard yesterday.
The one she denied.
The one she feared.
---
---
Slowly—
She turned.
---
And looked at him.
---
Not as Ren.
---
But as—
Arata Kurosawa.
---
---
He stood up.
---
Calm.
---
Too calm.
---
As if this moment—
Was inevitable.
---
As if this world—
Was never truly his.
---
---
The classroom erupted.
---
"…No way—!"
"…Kurosawa?!"
"…That Kurosawa?!"
"…He was lying this whole time?!"
---
Voices overlapped.
Chaos exploded.
---
But none of it reached her.
---
Because all she could see—
Was him.
---
Walking away.
---
---
Step by step.
---
Without hesitation.
---
Without looking back.
---
---
Until—
He stopped.
---
Just for a moment.
---
And slowly—
Turned his head.
---
Their eyes met.
---
One last time.
---
---
So many things remained unsaid.
---
Apologies.
Explanations.
Feelings.
---
But none of it—
Reached her.
---
Because now—
Everything felt like a lie.
---
---
His lips parted slightly.
---
As if he wanted to say something.
---
But in the end—
---
He didn't.
---
Because he knew—
No words could fix this.
---
---
He turned away.
---
And walked out.
---
The men followed.
---
The door closed.
---
---
And just like that—
---
Ren Takahashi—
Ceased to exist.
---
---
The classroom was loud.
Chaotic.
Full of shock.
---
But Hina—
Stood still.
---
Silent.
---
Her hands trembled slightly.
---
Her chest tightened.
---
Her vision blurred.
---
---
The memories flooded back.
---
The rooftop.
The laughter.
The quiet moments.
---
The person she thought she knew.
---
---
And then—
The truth.
---
---
Her lips moved.
---
A whisper escaped.
---
Broken.
Soft.
Real.
---
"…So it was all real."
---
---
A tear fell.
---
This time—
She didn't stop it.
---
---
Outside—
The black cars drove away.
---
Taking him—
Back to a world he truly belonged to.
---
A world far above hers.
---
Far away from her.
---
---
And in that moment—
---
Something ended.
---
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
---
But quietly.
---
Completely.
---
---
End of Chapter 13
---
[End Of Volume I]
(Stay tuned for next volume, it will be soon, Maybe in just 2 days 😉)