Kaito couldn't focus.
He sat in class, staring at the board, but he had no idea what the teacher was talking about.
Numbers.
Words.
Something about history.
He didn't care.
All he could think about was yesterday.
That feeling.
That vibration in his chest.
Tanaka sensei's words kept repeating in his head.
"You should have felt it years ago."
Years ago?
What did that even mean?
He clenched his fist under the desk.
The air around his fingers trembled slightly.
He froze.
"…Not here," he muttered.
"Kaito."
He jumped.
The teacher was staring at him.
"Yes?"
"Are you paying attention?"
"…Yes."
"What did I just say?"
Kaito blinked.
"…Something about… history?"
The class laughed.
The teacher sighed.
"Stay after class."
Kaito groaned.
"…Great."
He leaned back in his chair.
His chest felt heavy again.
Not pain.
Pressure.
Like something was building up inside him.
He didn't like it.
Not at all.
...
When school finally ended, Kaito grabbed his bag and ran out the door.
He didn't even wait for anyone.
He just wanted to get to the dojo.
Sensei said they would train again today.
That was the only thing he cared about.
He turned the corner at the end of the street...
And stopped.
Someone was standing there.
Tall.
Wearing a dark coat.
Face hidden under the shadow of the hood.
Kaito frowned.
"…Uh… excuse me."
No response.
The man didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't even look at him.
Kaito stepped to the side to walk past him.
The moment he did...
The man spoke.
"You can feel it now, can't you?"
Kaito froze.
His heart skipped.
"…What?"
The man didn't move.
"That thing inside your body."
Cold air ran down Kaito's spine.
"…Who are you?"
The man slowly turned his head.
His eyes were sharp.
Too sharp.
"You're late," the man said quietly.
The same words Tanaka used.
Kaito stepped back.
"…How do you know that?"
The man tilted his head slightly.
"Because we've been waiting a long time."
Kaito's fists tightened.
"…Waiting for what?"
"For you."
The air around them felt heavier.
The strange vibration in Kaito's chest started again.
Stronger than ever.
The man's eyes flickered.
"…There it is."
Kaito swallowed.
"…What do you want?"
The man reached into his coat.
Kaito's body moved before he thought.
He stepped back.
Raised his guard.
His heart pounded.
The man stopped.
Then smiled slightly.
"Relax."
He pulled out the small device.
It glowed red.
The screen flickered.
The light reflected in the man's eyes.
"…Signal confirmed," he muttered.
Kaito stared.
"…What is that?"
The man looked at him again.
"…You really don't know anything."
Kaito's chest tightened.
"Know what?!"
The man stepped forward.
Just one step.
The air around him felt heavy.
Way heavier than before.
Kaito's legs moved back on their own.
Instinct.
Danger.
Every part of his body screamed the same thing.
Too strong.
The man stopped.
"…Good."
Kaito blinked.
"…What?"
"You can feel it."
Silence.
The man put the device away.
"For now… that's enough."
Kaito frowned.
"…You're leaving?"
The man turned.
"…We'll meet again."
Kaito's heart pounded.
"…Wait!"
The man stopped.
"…Don't train alone tonight," he said.
Kaito froze.
"…What?"
The man looked over his shoulder.
"…If you do… they'll find you."
Cold air ran down Kaito's spine.
"…Who?"
The man didn't answer.
He just walked away.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Then...
He was gone.
Like he was never there.
Kaito stood in the street, breathing hard.
His hands were shaking.
His chest felt like it was on fire.
"…What… was that?"
The vibration inside him grew stronger.
Stronger.
Stronger.
He grabbed his shirt.
"…It hurts…"
For a moment, the air around him shimmered.
Like heat rising off the ground.
Then it stopped.
Kaito took a deep breath.
"…Sensei…"
He turned and ran.
Faster than ever before.
Toward the dojo.
Toward the only person who might know what was happening.
Far away, on the roof of a tall building, the man in the dark coat watched him run.
The device in his hand glowed brighter.
Several signals were moving now.
Closing in.
"…Too late," he muttered.
He looked at the screen.
"…They felt him."
The red lights kept getting closer.
"…Now the hunt starts."