Haruto walked down the hallway alone.
His footsteps echoed softly against the polished floor, but he didn't notice.
Didn't notice anything.
He didn't know that Kenji and Hana were standing at the corner, watching him disappear down the corridor.
They didn't call out to him.
Something about his back felt… wrong.
Too heavy.
Too quiet.
Why…?
Haruto's thoughts spiraled.
I never hated Aria.
Even when he learned she was his half-sister.
Even after his mother died.
Back then—
Aria was the one who stayed beside him the most.
She brought him food.
Checked his homework.
Sat next to him when the house felt empty.
So why…?
Why did everything change that night?
The night they left the house.
She had said something to him before walking out the door—
— Flashback —
Aria stood in the doorway.
Her face half-hidden by shadow.
Her lips moved.
But the words wouldn't come back.
No matter how hard he tried to remember—
Nothing.
Haruto clenched his fist.
"I never envied her…" he whispered to himself.
Then why—
Why did her eyes that night look so cold?
He stopped in front of the lockers.
No—
Not his.
The girls' locker room.
Haruto turned to leave—
Then he heard voices.
Laughter.
He froze.
"HAHAHAHA—Aria, his mother was dirt poor!"
Another voice snickered.
"I bet he came straight from the slums."
A third voice, mocking.
"Like mother, like son."
Haruto's breath hitched.
Inside—
Aria's voice rang out.
"I envy him."
Silence followed.
Then—
"He and his mother tried to steal my father from me," Aria continued, her tone sharp.
"I can't let trash like that exist peacefully."
Laughter exploded.
"You did the right thing, Aria!"
"Yeah—totally deserved it!"
Aria didn't laugh.
Her face—shadowed.
"That bastard…" she muttered.
"And that woman."
Her voice trembled—not with sadness.
With hatred.
"She came home late at night," Aria spat.
"So what do you think that means?"
The girls gasped exaggeratedly.
"Ohhh—say less."
"Disgusting."
"They shouldn't have existed in the first place."
Someone added casually—
"He needs to be destroyed."
More laughter.
More agreement.
More voices piling on.
Each word pressed into Haruto's chest like nails.
Haruto POV
His jaw tightened.
Teeth grinding so hard they ached.
His vision blurred.
Eyes burned.
The hallway felt smaller.
Hotter.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears—
Too loud. Too fast.
His eyes contracted, pupils shrinking as rage surged uncontrollably.
So that's what you think…
A broken laugh slipped out of his throat.
"Heh… hehe…"
Tears fell.
One by one.
He reached for the locker room door.
Now you've crossed the line.
His hand trembled—
Then stopped.
Slowly, he let it fall.
He turned away.
Face empty.
Eyes dead.
As he walked back toward the dorms, students stared.
Whispers followed him like ghosts.
"Isn't that the guy from yesterday…?"
"He looks messed up."
"Did something happen to him?"
Haruto didn't react.
His posture sagged.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
Inside his dorm room—
He dropped his bag.
Coughed.
Red stained his palm.
"…Tch."
He wiped it away and sat down.
His hands shook.
Arms numb.
Body cold.
Homework lay untouched on the desk.
He stared at it.
Then collapsed onto the bed.
The world faded.
Morning
Haruto jolted awake.
Pain screamed through his body.
Bruises bloomed across his face and arms.
"…What time—?!"
He checked his phone.
Twenty minutes late.
He grabbed his things and ran.
Every movement hurt.
But he didn't stop.
At the corner—
Bam.
He collided with someone.
"Ow—!"
They both fell.
"Ah—sorry!" Haruto said quickly, forcing himself up despite the pain.
He offered his hand.
The girl took it.
They rushed into class together.
Same class.
The door slid open.
The teacher turned sharply.
"You're late."
Haruto bowed slightly.
"I—I overslept. I'm sorr—"
"Put your bag down and get out."
The words were cold.
Haruto froze.
His mind was still numb from yesterday.
The teacher turned to the girl.
"And you?"
She panicked.
"I—I forgot to do the homework and—"
"Out."
Both of them stepped back into the hallway.
Silence.
Then—
They looked at each other.
And laughed.
Soft. Awkward.
Like two people sharing the same bad timing.
"Guess we're partners in crime," she said.
Haruto smiled faintly.
For just a moment—
The weight lifted.
But from the end of the hallway—
Someone was watching.
And whatever connection had just formed—
Was already being torn apart.