"Some pains don't begin in the body… they begin in something you cannot name." 👁️
----
'Kill me. Please let the ground open up and swallow me.' Kento thought.
"Shido let me in," Hori said with a laugh as she walked over to the desk chair. She picked up the blanket and shook it open with a smooth, graceful flick of her wrists. "He told me you were suffering from a 'mysterious illness,' so I wanted to check on you before class started."
She stepped closer and gently laid the blanket over his legs. "There's no need to apologize, Kento," she added, her voice soft but teasing. "But if you're going to declare war on Shido, you should probably make sure you have your blanket first."
Kento pulled the fabric up to his chin, hiding half his burning face. "I was… I was just about to get it. I didn't need help."
Hori smiled and leaned in slightly to look at him.
"Is that so? You looked like you were struggling pretty hard from where I was standing."
Downstairs, the kitchen was alive with the cozy sounds of a typical morning.
A pan sizzled on the stove while the rich aroma of coffee filled the air. Mr. Kamitani, a sharp-looking man who usually spent his days arguing in courtrooms as a lawyer, was currently losing a battle with his own curiosity.
He sat at the table, skimming the news, but his eyes kept darting toward the clock and then the stairs. 'I know I'm a lawyer, but I shouldn't have to cross-examine my own kids just to get them to breakfast,' he thought, taking a frustrated sip of his second coffee.
"Honey, why isn't Kento down yet?" he muttered, looking at his wife. "At this rate, the school will be closed by the time he puts his shoes on."
Just then, Shido came strolling down the stairs, stretching his arms with a wide, carefree yawn. "Morning, everyone! The legend has arrived," he chirped, immediately snatching a piece of toast from a plate. Mr. Kamitani looked up, his eyebrows knitting together.
"Shido, where's your brother? And why are you acting like we have all the time in the world?"
Shido leaned against the counter, chewing happily. "Kento's staying in bed today. Said he's skipping." Mr. Kamitani's eyes widened, and he nearly dropped his mug.
"Skipping? Kento? He hasn't missed a day since middle school! Is he sick? Did he—"
Before he could launch into a full legal investigation, Mrs. Kamitani stepped forward. She didn't say a word; she simply placed her hand over his on the table and gave a small, meaningful nod. Her eyes held a silent plea, telling him to let it go for now.
Shido froze, his toast halfway to his mouth. A slow, mischievous grin spread across his face as he stared at their joined hands. "Whoa, whoa! What is this? Are you two having a 'morning romance' scene?" Shido laughed, winking at his father. "In all my years living here, I've never seen Mom initiate a hand-hold before breakfast. Truly inspiring stuff, Dad!" Mrs. Kamitani's cheeks turned bright pink as she quickly pulled her hand away.
"Shido! Be quiet and eat!" she scolded, though she was clearly embarrassed. Mr. Kamitani cleared his throat loudly, his face turning a shade of red that matched his wife's. "Ahem! Anyway! If Kento is staying up there, then what about Hori? Is she here yet?"
"Yeah, she's upstairs with him right now," Shido replied casually. Mr. Kamitani jumped slightly. "What?! If Hori is already here, then you two are beyond late! She always comes here so we can send you all off together. Hurry up and leave, don't waste her time!" Shido just rolled his eyes and checked his phone.
"Relax, old man. We've still got an hour before school starts." Mr. Kamitani looked at the wall clock, his confusion growing. "If there's an hour left, then why on earth does that girl come over so early every single morning?"
Mrs. Kamitani put a hand to her forehead and let out a long, dramatic sigh.
"Honestly... I really wonder if you actually listen to our conversations, or if your brain is just full of law books." Mr. Kamitani blinked, looking genuinely lost. Shido let out a loud snort.
"Dad, seriously? Who made you a lawyer? How do you win cases when you can't even follow our schedule?" Shido shook his head, enjoying his father's confusion.
"Every morning Hori comes here, then the three of us go to Tamiko's house, and then we all head to school together. It's called a social life, Dad. You should try it."
Mr. Kamitani paused, the realization finally hitting him. "Oh... right. The station walk. Tamiko's house. I knew that!"
He laughed it off, trying to regain his dignity. "Well, regardless! Shido, go back upstairs and ask Hori if she wants to join us for breakfast. We can't have a guest leaving on an empty stomach." Shido looked at the table—specifically at the large bowl of steamed spinach and boiled vegetables Mrs. Kamitani was serving.
"Dad, look at this 'breakfast,'" Shido said, pointing a finger at the greens. "Hori is a famous actress from a rich family. She probably eats gold-sprinkled pancakes or fancy fruit bowls at home. You really want to offer her... boiled grass?"
Mrs. Kamitani's eyes narrowed, and she pointed her cooking ladle at Shido like a weapon. "It's spinach! It's healthy! Now go call her before I make you eat the whole bowl yourself!" Shido shivered, knowing better than to argue with a woman holding a ladle.
"Okay, okay! I'm going! Duty calls!" He turned and trudged back upstairs, muttering about how "heroes are always underappreciated and underfed."
As soon as Shido's footsteps disappeared back into the upper hallway, the lighthearted energy in the kitchen vanished. The hum of the refrigerator felt suddenly loud. Mr. Kamitani turned toward his wife, his lawyer instincts kicking in. His face was no longer red with embarrassment, but pale with concern.
"Alright, he's gone. What's going on, honey? You looked... scared when I mentioned Kento."
Mrs. Kamitani didn't look up. She stared at the table, her fingers trembling slightly as they traced the wood grain. When she finally spoke, her voice was a fragile whisper that made Mr. Kamitani's blood run cold.
"I didn't want to say it in front of Shido... but I saw it this morning. Something is happening to Kento. Something... that shouldn't be possible."
Upstairs, the room was very quiet. The only sound was the rain hitting the window. Kento sat on the edge of his bed. He held the blanket Hori had given him very tightly around his shoulders.
"You really don't look good, Kento," Hori said softly. She sat very close to him. Her pretty pink eyes looked at his face with a lot of worry. "Do you have a fever? Or does something really hurt?"
"It's... it's just a stomach ache," Kento said in a low voice. He looked away because he was nervous. He pointed his shaking finger to the area just below his ribs. That was where the golden mark was burning like a hot coal under his skin.
Hori blinked and looked at where he was pointing. A small, cute smile came to her face. She let out a soft, sweet laugh. "Kento... that is not where your stomach is. Your stomach is higher up. That place is more like your side or your ribs."
Kento felt his whole face turn hot. "I know that! I just... I meant the whole area! Everything feels bad right now!"
'Great. Now I look like a total fool who doesn't even know his own body in front of the girl I like.'
He tried to laugh so he wouldn't look embarrassed, but suddenly, the dull heat under his skin turned into a sharp, white-hot pain. The mark was not just glowing anymore—it was hurting him badly.
"Argh—!" Kento's breath stopped. His body jerked, and he quickly grabbed Hori's hand. His fingers squeezed her hand very hard as he bent over in pain. "Guh... hngh... Kh!"
"Kento?!" Hori's happy mood went away instantly. She got very scared. Her hands moved over his shoulders but she was too afraid to touch him because he was shaking so much. "Kento, you're shaking! What's wrong? Should I call your mom? Should I call an ambulance?!"
Kento could not speak clearly. He bit his teeth together so hard his jaw hurt. His eyes were closed tight. Small, pained noises came from his throat. "Kh... dammit... not now... Urgh! Ah!" It felt like someone was pressing a hot piece of metal against his bone.
"Shido!" Hori yelled toward the door. Her voice was shaking because she was so afraid. "Shido, come here! Something is wrong with Ken—"
"No!" Kento gasped. His voice sounded dry and weak. He forced his eyes open and looked very tired. He squeezed Hori's hand even tighter to stop her from calling out. "Don't... pant... don't call him. Just... huff... stay. Please, just stay here with me."
Hori froze. Her heart was beating very fast, like a bird trapped in a cage. She stayed perfectly still. She watched him closely as the seconds passed. Slowly, the sharp pain turned back into a dull ache. The fire in his side went away, but Kento was left covered in cold sweat.
---
SNEAK PEEK LINES 💬
"AAAAAAAAHHH!"
"Ready to go, 'Nurse' Hori?"
— With love, one forehead poke away from collapse,
Sakura Shinomiya 💫