Part 6 — The Morning After
The morning sun rose slowly over the village.
Warm light spilled across the rooftops, softening the sharp edges of the night before.
For a moment—
it almost felt normal again.
Almost.
Inside the house, the triplets got ready quietly.
No loud voices.
No usual morning energy.
Just small movements.
Careful silence.
Kaito tied his uniform loosely while glancing toward the window.
"…It's quieter now…"
Haruto didn't answer immediately.
Ayame adjusted her sleeve calmly.
"…Not really," she said softly.
"…It just changed."
That line made Kaito stop for a second.
He didn't fully understand it—
but he felt it.
When they stepped into the hallway, Akari was already there.
Standing near the entrance.
Waiting.
Haruto looked around once.
"…Where's Renjiro?"
Akari paused only briefly.
Then gently replied,
"…He's outside."
A normal answer.
Too normal.
Kaito narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…Outside where?"
Akari's expression didn't change.
"…He had something to check."
Silence followed.
None of the three moved immediately.
Ayame looked at Akari for a moment longer than usual.
Then quietly stepped forward.
The others followed.
But as they walked out—
none of them fully believed that answer.
The streets on the way to the academy felt different from usual mornings.
Less noise.
But more tension.
People walked faster than normal.
Groups spoke in low voices.
Occasionally, shinobi passed overhead across rooftops—
silent now, but still constant.
Kaito finally spoke.
"…He didn't tell us anything last night."
Haruto kept his gaze forward.
"…He was sent out."
Ayame responded calmly.
"…Not officially."
Kaito looked at her.
"…What does that mean?"
Ayame stayed quiet for a moment.
Then softly:
"…It means something is being hidden."
Silence again.
Haruto's hands tightened slightly at his sides.
"…Akari also didn't say everything."
Kaito lowered his gaze.
"…Yeah…"
A pause.
Then quieter:
"…Last night wasn't normal."
None of them disagreed.
Because they all remembered it.
The horns.
The rooftops.
The fear in adults' voices they tried to hide.
When they reached the academy gates—
the atmosphere shifted immediately.
The crowd outside wasn't loud like usual.
It felt uneven.
Broken.
Students stood in groups, but many weren't talking.
Some stared at the ground.
Others kept glancing toward the sky as if expecting another horn at any moment.
As the triplets stepped inside, the change became even clearer.
Fear had spread quietly through the academy overnight.
Whispers everywhere.
Faces pale.
Teachers moving faster than usual.
One group of students near the entrance spoke in shaky voices.
"…I heard shinobi were deployed everywhere…"
"…My house heard horns all night…"
"…My father didn't come home…"
Kaito slowed slightly.
"…Everyone's like this…"
Haruto looked around.
For the first time—
he realized it wasn't just them.
It wasn't just their house.
It was everyone.
Ayame observed silently beside them.
Then—
BWOOOM—
A distant training signal echoed from somewhere outside the academy walls.
Several students flinched instantly.
One even stepped backward in fear.
Haruto froze for a second.
His breathing tightened slightly.
Kaito noticed immediately.
"…That's just a signal…"
But even he didn't sound convinced.
Ayame looked toward the gate quietly.
"…It's not just the sound they're reacting to."
She spoke softly.
"…It's last night."
Silence settled over them again.
The academy no longer felt normal.
And everyone inside knew it—
even if no one said it aloud.