Kael slowly turned toward Tatsuka…
And for a moment—
his eyes…
completely changed.
————————————————————
The next day—
A dark room.
No windows.
No light.
Only a faint glow above a table at the center.
Three chairs.
Two of them… already occupied.
Click—
The door creaked open.
Tatsuka stepped inside.
He stopped.
The atmosphere felt… heavy.
"…So it's true."
A distorted voice echoed through the darkness.
"Is the task complete?"
Tatsuka lowered his gaze.
"…Yes, sir."
A pause.
"But… why did you order me to do that?"
Silence.
Then—
a low, broken laugh echoed.
"You still don't understand… do you?"
Two glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness.
"Kael… had a brother."
Tatsuka's breath hitched.
"That's impossible."
"He's an only child."
The voice chuckled.
"Not everything… is what it seems."
A pause.
"His real mother is—"
Tatsuka froze.
"…What? Her?!"
The red eyes slowly dimmed.
"Yes."
Tatsuka glanced at Shiya.
"I never expected that… sister."
Shiya nodded quietly.
Then she asked,
"…Does he know?"
A brief silence.
"…I don't know."
————————————————————
Later that day—
Kael was walking toward school.
The strange incident from yesterday replayed again and again in his mind.
"…What was that…?"
Thud!
Tatsuka lightly hit the back of his neck.
"Kael?"
Kael snapped out of his thoughts.
"Oh… I was just thinking."
Tatsuka smiled faintly.
"Thinking about Dark Smiler?"
Kael froze.
His heart skipped a beat.
Through telepathy, he spoke—
"…Do you know him?"
Dark Smiler sounded just as surprised.
"No… I don't. Believe me."
Kael looked back at Tatsuka.
"…Who is Dark Smiler?"
Tatsuka smirked slightly.
"Don't act confused. I already know you have a soul."
Kael immediately lowered his voice.
"…Please don't tell anyone."
"Relax. I won't."
Kael nodded.
"…Thanks."
Then he asked quietly,
"…How do you know about Dark Smiler?"
Tatsuka hesitated.
"That's…"
"Hi, Kael."
Shiya walked toward them.
Kael turned.
"Oh… hi."
She tilted her head slightly.
"You're late today."
"I could say the same," Kael replied.
She glanced between them.
"What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing."
They started walking together.
After a moment, Shiya asked,
"Kael… how do you take those daggers out of thin air?"
Kael stopped.
"…You remember that now?"
He turned toward both of them.
"…Why are you asking such weird questions?"
They exchanged glances.
"…Okay. We won't ask again."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"Promise?"
"Yeah. Promise."
——————————————————
As they entered the school—
Kael suddenly stopped.
A black figure.
Standing on the road.
Watching him.
Then—
it vanished.
"…What the hell?"
The streetlight flickered.
But no one else reacted.
Everything looked normal.
Kael glanced at Tatsuka.
He seemed… disturbed.
"…What happened?" Kael whispered.
"…Nothing."
———————————————————
Later in class—
"Hey! You two, last bench. Stop talking."
They immediately lowered their heads.
———————————————————
After school—
Kael finally asked,
"…How do you both know about me?"
Silence.
Tatsuka and Shiya looked at each other.
Then slowly—
"We are…"
Kael's eyes widened.
"…What?"
They nodded.
"Yes."
Kael said nothing.
But inside—
everything felt different.
———————————————————
At home—
Kael sat quietly.
"…Did you already know?"
Dark Smiler appeared beside him
"Yes. I knew from the beginning."
Kael looked at him.
"…Then why didn't you tell me?"
Dark Smiler didn't answer.
He simply stared out the window.
His expression… serious.
"Kael! Your friend is here!"
Kael walked to the door and opened it.
No one.
Only a letter on the ground.
"…Mom, there's no one here."
His mother looked confused.
"That's strange. A girl came."
Kael froze.
"…A girl?"
"Yes. She had red eyes… and crimson hair."
"…Very beautiful."
Kael's heart skipped.
"…What?"
"Maybe she got the wrong house."
Kael slowly picked up the letter.
—————————————————————
Back in his room—
"…Should I open it…?"
He took a deep breath.
"…Okay."
He opened it.
"Hi Kael,
I am 45131514 1215184.
You are the one who lives with Dark Smiler… the Cursed.
Come to City Park on December 25th.
I have something to tell you.
— Your best friend."
Kael's hands trembled.
"…Eight months…"
Behind him—
Dark Smiler was smiling.
But his eyes…
had turned darker than ever.
"…Do you know her?" Kael asked slowly.
"…No."
But his smile didn't fade.
Kael's chest tightened.
…Does he know her?
That question—
echoed in his mind.