Part 1 — The Presence
Haruto woke with a sharp inhale.
His body felt cold.
Not from the night air—but from something else.
Something was moving.
At first, it was faint, like a distant echo brushing the edge of his senses. Then it grew heavier… closer… pressing in from all sides.
Violent.
Dark.
Evil.
"…This isn't normal…"
Haruto slowly pushed himself up from the futon. The room was silent, too silent, as if the world outside had been swallowed whole. Moonlight spilled across the floor, pale and lifeless.
The presence was still drawing nearer.
He stood, his legs unsteady, and stepped out of his room.
Down the stairs.
Each step felt slower than the last. The air thickened with every breath he took. When he reached the living area, his eyes widened.
Empty.
No voices.
No movement.
No warmth.
Only silence—deep, absolute silence.
Haruto's heartbeat thundered in his ears.
"… Aka?"
No answer.
He walked toward Akari's room and gently slid the door open.
Empty.
The futon was untouched. The room felt cold, unused.
Haruto's breath caught.
They haven't come back.
The truth settled heavily in his chest.
"They're still at the meeting…"
He returned to the living room and sat down slowly on the sofa, as if his strength had suddenly vanished. His shoulders trembled.
His silver eyes shook, wide and glistening—holding back tears he refused to let fall.
"…Not now…"
His hands clenched tightly in his lap.
Outside, the night remained unnaturally quiet.
And whatever was coming… was already too close.