The world doesn't notice ghosts until they move.
I stayed in the shadows, exactly where I wanted. But every action leaves a ripple.
Takumi's eyes followed me today. Not directly, of course. Subtle, careful. From the corner of a hallway, a glance, a shift in stance. Calculating. Always calculating.
Rei caught up again after school. She didn't speak at first. Just walked beside me, letting the silence stretch.
"You're making waves," she finally said.
I didn't reply.
"You saved people again today," she added. "Not for recognition. Not for reward. That's why they're watching."
I exhaled slowly. "I don't want them watching."
"They already are," she said. "And you're going to draw more attention no matter what you do."
We stopped at the edge of a narrow alley. Somewhere in the distance, figures lingered on rooftops.
I didn't look at them. I didn't need to.
Instinct, observation, movement. The three delinquents from earlier? I already knew they'd regret challenging anyone near me.
"Why do you keep doing it?" Rei asked quietly. "Why not just… disappear?"
"Because," I muttered, "sometimes not acting is worse than acting."
She didn't argue. She just nodded, walking beside me like she understood more than I expected.
From a rooftop, Takumi noted everything. Team Arata reported silently to each other. Curiosity mixed with calculation.
I didn't care.
Until I did.