The walk home felt longer than usual.
Kaito kept replaying Tanaka's words in his head.
We're leaving.
Tomorrow.
He kicked a small rock down the sidewalk, watching it bounce across the pavement.
"…This is crazy," he muttered.
Yesterday, all he cared about was beating Kenji.
Today, strange men showed up at the dojo, the air shook, and now his sensei wanted him to leave the city.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"…How am I supposed to tell Mom that?"
He turned the corner and saw his house.
The lights were on.
Good.
That meant she was home.
He stopped in front of the door.
For a moment, he just stood there.
His chest felt tight again.
Not the vibration.
Just nerves.
"…Alright," he muttered.
He opened the door.
"I'm home."
His mother's voice came from the kitchen.
"You're late."
"…Sensei kept me."
"That's happening a lot lately."
Kaito took off his shoes slowly.
"…Yeah."
He walked into the kitchen.
She was standing at the counter, cutting vegetables like always.
Normal.
Everything looked normal.
Which somehow made it harder.
He sat down at the table.
"…Mom."
She didn't look up.
"Yes?"
"I need to tell you something."
She kept cutting.
"You broke something again?"
"No."
"You got into a fight?"
"No."
"You failed a test?"
"…No."
She stopped cutting and looked at him.
"…Then what."
Kaito hesitated.
Tanaka's voice echoed in his head.
You'll talk to her tonight.
He took a deep breath.
"…Sensei says I'm leaving tomorrow."
Silence.
The knife in her hand stopped.
Completely.
She didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't even blink.
The air felt heavy.
Kaito swallowed.
"…Mom?"
She slowly put the knife down.
"…He told you already."
Kaito froze.
"…What?"
She turned around.
Her expression wasn't surprised.
Wasn't confused.
Wasn't angry.
Just calm.
Too calm.
"…You knew?" Kaito asked.
She walked to the table and sat across from him.
"Yes."
His heart skipped.
"…Since when?"
She looked at him for a long moment.
"…Since the day you were born."
Silence.
Kaito stared at her.
"…What?"
She folded her hands on the table.
"I knew this day would come."
"…You knew I was leaving?"
"I knew you wouldn't stay normal."
Kaito's chest tightened.
"…Sensei said something inside me woke up."
She nodded.
"I know."
His eyes widened.
"…You know what it is?"
She hesitated.
For the first time, she looked unsure.
"…Not everything."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the truth."
Kaito leaned forward.
"Those guys came to the dojo today."
Her eyes sharpened.
"…I know."
"You know?!"
She sighed.
"I felt it."
Kaito blinked.
"…Felt what?"
She looked straight at him.
"The same thing you did."
Silence filled the room.
Kaito's hands clenched.
"…Mom… what are you?"
She smiled faintly.
"…Your mother."
"That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
He stared at her.
"…Sensei says we have to leave tomorrow."
She nodded slowly.
"…Then it's time."
His heart pounded.
"…You're not even surprised."
"I've been waiting for this for ten years."
Cold air ran down his spine.
"…Waiting for what?"
She stood up.
Walked to the sink.
Turned the water on.
"…For you to wake up."
The words hit harder than anything Tanaka said.
"…What does that mean?" Kaito asked quietly.
She turned the water off.
Then looked back at him.
Her eyes were different.
Not scared.
Not worried.
Serious.
"…It means your life was never going to stay normal."
Silence.
Kaito felt his chest tighten again.
"…Am I in danger?"
She didn't answer right away.
Then she nodded.
"Yes."
His heart skipped.
"…Are you?"
She smiled slightly.
"I always have been."
He stared at her.
"…Then why didn't you tell me anything?"
She walked back to the table.
Because you were still a kid."
"I'm still a kid."
She shook her head.
"…Not anymore."
Silence filled the room again.
Kaito looked down at his hands.
They were shaking.
Not from fear.
From that same energy.
That same feeling.
"…We're really leaving tomorrow?" he asked.
"Yes."
"…Where?"
She smiled faintly.
"…Somewhere you can survive."
Cold air ran down his spine again.
"…Mom…"
She stood up.
"Finish your dinner."
"…I'm not hungry."
"You will be."
He didn't argue.
He just sat there, staring at the table.
Everything felt different now.
Nothing felt normal anymore.
Outside the house, on the roof across the street, the man in the dark coat stood silently.
The device in his hand glowed brighter than ever.
The signal was stable.
Clear.
Strong.
He looked at the screen.
"…So she told him."
He smiled faintly.
"…Good."
He turned away.
"…That makes this more interesting."
The screen flickered once more.
NEW TARGET LOCKED.
SECOND SIGNAL DETECTED.
The man stopped.
"…Second…?"
He looked back at the house.
His eyes narrowed.
"…So she's active too."
His smile widened slowly.
"…This just got fun."