The air in the classroom felt heavy, somehow. I knew exactly why. Avoiding looking at my own seat, Kakeru leaned against the window frame on the hallway side. Ever since that day, the center of the classroom had felt terrifying. *(That was definitely not normal...)* Yesterday's entrance ceremony. Anko had clung to me, Youou had snapped, and the classroom had been wrecked by gusts of wind and flashes of lightning. Kyouka-senpai had pinned me to the floor with gravity, and I seriously thought I was done for. It was a miracle no one got hurt. *(Why is a peaceful school life so impossibly far away?)* I let out a sigh and glanced out the window. The camphor tree in the courtyard shimmered and swayed in the gentle April sunlight. That was when it happened. "—Ah." I heard a voice. Like the ringing of a bell, but incredibly quiet. I turned my head. Someone was sitting in my seat. Long, silver hair. Bathed in the light from the window, the silver strands flowed smoothly. It passed her shoulders and stretched straight down her back. A girl I'd never seen before. The other classmates hadn't arrived yet. It was just me and her in the classroom. She was—staring intently at me. Her expression was nearly blank. But her eyes were different. I couldn't quite tell the color. Blue? Purple? Like the bottom of a deep lake, I felt like I was being drawn in. "[gentle]I finally found you." She smiled, just a little. "Huh..." "[gentle]I've been searching for so long." Who was this girl? My heart pounded. Probably not a good sign. "Uh, um, who are—" The moment I started to speak. *BANG!* The classroom door flew open with tremendous force. "[angry]You! Why are you sitting in someone else's seat?!" The voice belonged to Youou. Her ponytail, tied higher than usual, trembled with rage. Her sharp, narrow black eyes glared at me and the silver-haired girl. "Wait a second, Youou—" "[angry]Shut up! You're just as bad! What are you doing alone in a classroom with a girl first thing in the morning?! Have some shame!" N-No, that's not it. I was just standing here, and— "[gentle]What a noisy person." The silver-haired girl tilted her head slightly. "I'm Shino. I'm transferring into this academy starting today." "A transfer student...?" "[gentle]Yes. Nice to meet you, Kakeru." She stood up and smoothly approached my arm. Her beautiful fingers reached out—almost touching the sleeve of my blazer. "—!" Youou's face went completely pale. "H-Hey, you! What do you think you're doing, trying to touch him so casually?!" Youou rushed over in an instant and wedged herself between me and Shino. Like she was becoming a wall. "[cold]...In the way." "[angry]You're the one in the way! Kakeru is my—" She started to say it, then her mouth stopped. Her ears turned bright red in an instant. "He's my... well... c-comrade! So of course I have to protect him!" "[sad]...Comrade." Shino cast her eyes down, looking just a little lonely. "[gentle]That's fine. Because I came here to see Kakeru." At those words, Youou's shoulders flinched. "[angry]I-I've had enough! I don't have time to deal with you!" Youou shouted that, then turned her back and fled the classroom. The sound of her footsteps running down the hallway grew distant. "Youou...?" Why was she so angry? No, it wasn't just anger—somehow, she seemed hurt. "[gentle]Aren't you going after her?" Shino said quietly. "That girl looked like she was about to cry." "What?" How could this girl tell something like that? But now that she mentioned it—I was worried. "...Sorry, I'll be right back!" I tossed my bag onto my desk and ran out of the classroom after Youou. Behind me, I thought I heard Shino say something, but this wasn't the time. After school. The martial arts hall, "Nagikan," smelled of old wood. The forty-year-old floor creaked with every step. Countless bamboo sword scars were etched into the walls, making it immediately clear this was the kendo club's practice space. I peered inside through a gap in the door. Youou was swinging a bamboo sword alone. A perfectly straight back. Unhesitating practice swings. She wasn't wearing a face mask, so her ponytail swayed dramatically with each movement. A single bead of sweat traced from her temple down to her chin and dripped onto the floor. *(What incredible focus...)* But somehow, it was frightening. Her eyes weren't smiling. "—Hah!" With a fierce shout, her bamboo sword tore through the air. That movement felt like it was filled with rage. *(This is hard to interrupt...)* As I hesitated at the entrance, Youou's movements stopped. "[angry]...Why don't you come in instead of just standing there watching?" She'd noticed me. "Ah, yeah... Excuse me..." I timidly entered the martial arts hall. "[angry]What did you come here for? You should just go be friendly with that silver-haired girl." She said it without looking at me, still holding her bamboo sword ready. "No, I mean, you ran out looking so intense... I was worried." "[angry]I-I don't need your concern!" When she turned around, Youou's face was bright red. The tip of her bamboo sword trembled slightly. "More importantly, how did that girl know your name? Have you met her somewhere before?" "No, I have absolutely no idea..." "[sad]...Hmm." Youou turned forward again and resumed her practice swings. But her movements were duller than before. "[serious]I... don't want to hurt anyone." She murmured it quietly, almost to herself. "Because of my memories from my past life, my power goes out of control. Everyone around you is an Awakened, and anything could happen at any time. If someone like me gets too close, this time someone might really—" "Hold on a second." I ended up raising my voice without thinking. "That's not unrelated at all. I mean, we're both reincarnators, and besides—" I paused for just a moment. "We're comrades." Youou's back went perfectly still. Her hands gripping the bamboo sword tightened. "[whispers]...Comrades." It was a voice barely audible. That was when it happened. "Kakeru. So you were here." A cold wind blew in. Shino stood at the entrance. Her silver hair swayed in the evening light, and her eyes stared intently at me. "Sh-Shino..." "[gentle]We were interrupted earlier. I want to talk more." She approached, expressionless. As if Youou wasn't even in her field of vision, she reached a hand toward my arm. —The next instant. *CRACKLE!!* A flash of purple light shot out. "Wha—" From the bamboo sword Youou held, a purple lightning bolt burst forth. The current traveled along the sword, tore through the air, and struck the wall—*THUD!* A small scorch hole opened up. "Huh... ah..." Youou stared at her own hand. Her palm was faintly glowing purple. Her fingertips trembled minutely. "[scared]No... again... nooo!" The bamboo sword clattered to the floor. Pressing her right hand down with her left, Youou stumbled back one step, then another. "I did it again... It's my fault..." Her voice was shaking. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes. "Because, because you were with that girl—" "[calm]Interesting." Shino murmured quietly. "Your power is leaking. Jealousy... or perhaps a different emotion?" She tilted her head with curiosity, then turned on her heel and left the martial arts hall. But to my eyes, Shino's pupils seemed to glow a bluish-purple for just an instant. *(What was that just now...?)* But more importantly. "Youou!" I rushed over to her in a panic. "Don't come near me!" Youou backed away. Her back hit the wall. There was nowhere left to run. "[crying]I'm always hurting the people around me. In my past life, in this life—my power is too strong, and I always end up hurting someone...!" "It's okay." I made up my mind and grabbed her right hand. A small, cool hand. And still, a faint tingling numbness lingered. "No one got hurt. It just left a little scorch mark on the wall." "But..." "Besides, this was out of your control. That girl Shino showed up so suddenly—" "[crying]That's not it... I got jealous, so..." At the words that came out of her own mouth, Youou looked startled. Then, before my eyes, the blush spread all the way down her neck. "N-No! That just now wasn't what I meant! It's not like I was jealous over you, it's more like, um—" "Youou." "[angry]I-I said don't get mad! It's not like it was for your sake or anything!" She was a complete mess. But it was so much better than the frightened face she'd had moments ago. "...Want to go up to the rooftop?" I gently pulled her hand. The staircase leading to the rooftop was empty. The door, which should have been locked, opened with the spare key I had. A key I'd somehow had since the first day of school. The previous owner was unknown. With a *click*, the sea breeze enveloped us both. "It's beautiful..." The sky was a gradient of orange and pink. The surface of Misora Bay sparkled, and in the distance, a ferry let out a small whistle. At the edge of my vision, I could see a white lighthouse. "That lighthouse is called Misora Lighthouse. In December, they put up illuminations, and it gets incredibly beautiful." "...Hmm." The two of us leaned against the fence, side by side. Silence. But it wasn't the heavy atmosphere from before. "Hey, Youou." "What." "You've always been helping me, haven't you." Youou looked at me with surprise. "In our past life, and now. You've been worrying about me all along, in ways I didn't even know. Even during the entrance ceremony, you were trying to stop Anko when she caused that wind gust." "[surprised]...Why do you remember something like that?" "I remember. I might be easily swept along, but I don't forget when someone's helped me." Youou bit her lip. "[whispers]You're... my..." Her voice trembled. "My precious—" The words stopped. Her face turned redder than the sunset. She looked down, the tip of her ponytail touching the fence. She clenched her fist tightly, as if holding something back. *(...Was she about to say something?)* A warmth spread deep in my chest. A long, long silence. And then— "[angry]Y-You're an important comrade! So of course I have to protect you!" When she lifted her face, Youou's eyes were teary, but she still glared at me with all her might. "So if you ever get into trouble with someone else, I'll definitely save you! Be grateful!" "...Thank you, Youou." I couldn't help but smile. "[angry]Wh-What are you smiling about?!" "No, I just thought you're kind of clumsy about this." "[angry]Sh-Shut up! Have some shame!" Even as she said that, she no longer looked like she was about to cry. The corners of her mouth relaxed, just a tiny bit. The sun set. "We should probably head back soon." "No... just a little longer." The two of us stayed like that for a while, watching the sea. In the shadow of the door leading to the rooftop. Silver hair swayed softly. Shino stared intently at the backs of the two figures leaning against the fence. "[whispers]...Kakeru." Her eyes glowed with an eerie bluish-purple in the twilight. As if confirming something, she gave a small, single nod. And then, without a sound, she descended the stairs. The two of them still hadn't noticed.