Part 7: What Must Be Hidden
Inside the house, Renjiro finished repairing the door, setting it back exactly the way it had been before.
Nothing about the entrance showed what had happened.
He stepped away and joined the others at the table.
Renjiro, Akari, Raizen, and Raijin sat on chairs around it, the room quiet except for the faint sound of breathing.
Across from them, on the sofa, Haruto and Ayame rested.
Haruto was half-awake, eyes closed, leaning slightly toward Ayame.
Ayame lay still, exhaustion weighing her down.
For a moment, no one spoke.
"This isn't random," Akari said finally, breaking the silence. "Two attacks in one week. And this time, both Haruto and Ayame were involved."
Raizen nodded slowly.
"Which means they were targeted."
Renjiro's fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
"We can't let this happen again. Whatever comes next has to be prevented before it reaches them."
Raijin glanced toward the sofa, then back to the table.
"The academy won't be enough anymore. Someone is watching their movements."
Akari lowered her voice.
"There's something else."
They all looked at her.
"Kaito," she said. "We need to keep him out of sight. He can't know about this."
Renjiro frowned slightly. "Why?"
"Lately," Akari continued, "he's been able to sense when something is off. His awareness has sharpened."
Raizen's expression darkened.
"And that's dangerous right now."
"This attack didn't involve just Haruto," Akari said. "Ayame was caught in it too. If Kaito sees them like this, or senses what's happening—"
"He'll start asking questions," Renjiro finished.
"And once he does," Raijin added, "we won't be able to stop what he awakens."
Silence fell again.
Raizen looked toward the sofa, his gaze steady but heavy.
"For now, Kaito stays away. No hints. No cracks."
Renjiro nodded.
"We protect all three of them," he said. "But especially the one who doesn't know yet."
The room remained still.
Outside, the night pressed quietly against the house—waiting.
Akari hesitated, then spoke again.
"There was something else… off today," she said. "This morning, Kaito's shirt was torn."
Renjiro looked up. "He said he saw something."
Raijin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A nail," Akari continued. "A giant nail."
Raijin leaned back slowly.
"…So now I see," he said. "He's being haunted."
The room grew heavier.
"Anything else?" Raijin asked, turning to Renjiro.
Renjiro nodded.
"Yes. Last night, he told us he was sensing the same thing he did four years ago."
Raizen stiffened.
"We calmed him down," Renjiro went on. "But I don't think the thought ever left his mind."
Akari's voice dropped.
"What he believes… is that someone isn't going to survive."
Silence followed.
Raijin folded his hands.
"And that," he said quietly, "might also be the reason he isn't here now."
They all looked at him.
"Why?" Akari asked.
Raijin's gaze shifted toward the sofa, toward Ayame resting there.
"Kaito never leaves Ayame," he said. "Never."
Renjiro's jaw tightened.
"But today," Raijin continued, "she was alone."
The implication settled in.
"Doesn't that," Raijin said, "make something… different?"
No one answered.
The quiet inside the house felt heavier than any noise outside—
as if something unseen had already begun moving.
Ayame stirred.
Her eyes slowly opened, unfocused at first, as the ceiling above her came into view.
She felt… empty.
When she tried to remember what had happened, nothing came. No pain, no fear—only one clear feeling remained.
She remembered crying.
And she remembered being alone.
Her gaze shifted, and she noticed the figures in the room.
Renjiro.
Raijin.
Raizen.
Seeing them brought a small sense of relief.
Then her eyes landed on Akari.
Ayame's face softened instantly.
A faint smile appeared as she looked at her big sister.
"…Big Sister," she whispered.
She wanted to hug her.
Slowly, Ayame moved, lowering her legs off the sofa. She placed her hands beside her and gently pushed herself forward.
But the moment her feet touched the ground—
Her expression changed.
Ayame screamed.
"Ah—!"
She jerked the moment her foot touched the floor and nearly collapsed.
"My leg—!" she cried. "It hurts!"
Akari rushed to her immediately, grabbing her before she could fall.
"Ayame, stop—don't move."
Ayame shook her head, tears pouring down her face.
"It hurts… it hurts so much," she sobbed.
Renjiro and Raizen were already there, tense and alert.
Akari knelt and held her gently.
"Where does it hurt?"
"My leg," Ayame cried again. "I fell… I fell while running."
That was all she said.
She clutched at Akari, crying harder, unable to say anything else.
Akari pulled her into a tight hug.
"It's okay. You're safe. You're home."
Ayame buried her face into Akari's shoulder, shaking.
No more words came.
And no one asked for any.
Akari tried to adjust Ayame's position, just a little.
Ayame cried out instantly.
"No—!" she sobbed. "Don't… don't touch it!"
She pulled back, clutching herself as the pain spiked again.
"It hurts," she repeated, shaking her head. "Please… stop."
Renjiro crouched down, careful.
"Ayame, we need to check—"
"No!" she cried louder, recoiling. "It hurts!"
Raizen raised a hand, signaling Renjiro to stop.
"Easy," he said calmly. "Don't force it."
Akari stayed close, but didn't move her leg again.
"It's okay," she whispered. "We won't touch it."
Ayame clung to her, breathing unevenly, tears soaking into Akari's shoulder.
"Just… don't move me," she said weakly. "Please."
Everyone backed off slightly.
No one tried again.
Helping her now only made it worse—and they all knew it.
So they stayed right there, watching, waiting,
until the pain eased enough for her to let them.
Raijin stepped forward quietly.
"As the eldest, let me try," he said calmly. "I'll be careful."
Ayame looked up at him, tears still on her face. She hesitated, fear clear in her eyes.
"I— I'm scared," she whispered.
Raijin knelt down to her level.
"I know," he said gently. "I won't force anything. Just trust me."
She nodded slightly, gripping Akari's sleeve tight, her whole body tense.
Raijin reached out slowly and placed his hand near her leg, barely applying pressure.
The moment he did—
"Aaah!" Ayame screamed, jerking back in pain.
Raijin pulled his hand away instantly.
"Alright. Stop. That's enough."