Kaito barely slept.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that shape on the roof again.
Tall.
Still.
Watching him.
When his alarm rang in the morning, he sat up instantly.
No groaning.
No stretching.
Just wide awake.
"…I definitely saw someone," he muttered.
He rubbed his face and stood up.
His body felt light again.
Too light.
Like yesterday.
Like the day before.
He clenched his fist slowly.
The air around his knuckles trembled for a moment.
"…There it is again."
He stared at his hand.
"I didn't do that before."
He punched the air once.
Fast.
Faster than he meant to.
His arm snapped forward like it moved by itself.
He froze.
"…Okay. That's weird."
He looked at the punching bag.
Then remembered Tanaka's warning.
Don't train alone.
He hesitated.
"…Just one."
He stepped forward.
Raised his fist.
And stopped again.
That feeling.
Same as last night.
Like the air was heavier.
Like someone was nearby.
He turned slowly.
Nothing.
Just his room.
Just the window.
Just the morning light.
"…I'm losing it," he muttered.
A voice came from the kitchen.
"Kaito! You're going to be late!"
"I'm up!"
He grabbed his uniform and ran out of the room.
His mother looked at him as he entered.
"You look tired."
"I didn't sleep much."
"You trained again at night, didn't you?"
"…No."
She stared at him.
"…You're a bad liar."
He sat down quickly.
"I feel weird."
"That's not new."
"No, like… weird weird."
She didn't answer right away.
"What kind of weird?" she asked.
He thought for a second.
"…Like my body moves before I think."
Her hand stopped.
Just for a moment.
Then she kept cutting vegetables.
"…You're growing."
"That's not what this is."
"You're training every day. Of course you feel different."
He frowned.
"…Sensei said something's wrong."
Her knife stopped again.
"…What did he say?"
"That I'm waking something up."
Silence.
She didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't even look at him.
Then she started cutting again.
"…Listen to your sensei."
"That's all you're gonna say?"
"Yes."
He groaned.
"You never explain anything."
"You never stop asking."
"Because you never answer!"
She looked at him.
For a moment, her eyes were sharper than usual.
"…Eat."
He sighed.
"…Fine."
He ate quickly, grabbed his bag, and ran for the door.
"I'm going!"
"Shoes."
He ran back, put them on, then ran out again.
...
The dojo was already open.
Kenji was there.
Of course he was.
Kaito pushed the door open.
Kenji looked up.
"You look terrible."
"I didn't sleep."
"You look worse than usual."
"I feel better than usual."
"That's weird."
"I know."
Kenji frowned.
"You wanna fight?"
"Yes."
"You always say yes."
"Because I always mean yes."
Kenji smirked.
"…Fine."
They stepped onto the mat.
Both raised their guards.
Kaito felt it again.
That same vibration.
Stronger now.
Like something inside his chest was pushing outward.
Kenji moved first.
Punch.
Kaito moved.
Faster.
Block.
Step.
Punch.
Kenji barely dodged.
His eyes widened.
"…Again?"
Kaito grinned.
"Told you."
They moved again.
Faster this time.
Kenji attacked.
Kaito reacted without thinking.
His body felt light.
Too light.
His fist shot forward...
THUD.
Kenji stumbled back.
Harder than yesterday.
Both froze.
Silence filled the dojo.
Kenji stared at him.
"…Okay. That's not normal."
Kaito blinked.
"…I didn't mean to hit that hard."
The door slid open.
Tanaka sensei stepped inside.
He stopped immediately.
His eyes locked onto Kaito.
For a moment, the air felt heavy again.
Stronger than before.
Tanaka walked forward slowly.
"Enough."
Both boys stepped back.
Tanaka looked at Kaito.
Long.
Careful.
Like he was looking at something dangerous.
"…Come here."
Kaito walked forward.
Tanaka grabbed his wrist again.
The moment he touched him...
His eyes widened.
The vibration was stronger now.
Not faint.
Not unstable.
Real.
Tanaka let go immediately.
"…It's progressing," he muttered.
Kaito blinked.
"…What is?"
Tanaka looked at him.
For the first time since Kaito met him…
His face looked worried.
"…Training isn't enough anymore."
Silence.
Kaito frowned.
"…What?"
Tanaka turned away.
"…From today on, you train with me."
Kaito froze.
"…Huh?"
Kenji blinked.
"…Wait, what?"
Tanaka crossed his arms.
"After class. Every day."
Kaito stared.
"…Seriously?"
Tanaka looked back at him.
"Yes."
Kenji groaned.
"That's not fair."
Kaito grinned.
"I win."
Kenji pointed at him.
"You don't win. That means you're in trouble."
Tanaka didn't react.
He just kept staring at Kaito.
"…We don't have much time," he whispered.
Kaito didn't hear it.
But outside the dojo…
The device in the man's hand started flashing nonstop.
The signal spiked higher than ever before.
Several new dots appeared on the screen.
All moving.
All getting closer.
He smiled slowly.
"…Good."
He turned toward the city.
"…Now it begins."
The screen flickered again.
And the signal locked onto one name.
Arata.