Haruto and Sakura sat across from each other in a cozy café near school. The place had a warm ambiance, with the aroma of fresh coffee and pastries filling the air. Sakura absentmindedly stirred her drink, her thoughts elsewhere, while Haruto casually sipped his.
"So," Haruto broke the silence, setting his cup down. "You dragged me all the way here just to sit in silence?"
Sakura pouted, flicking a sugar packet at him. "You're the one who barely talks. I'm giving you a chance to socialize, Haruto."
Haruto smirked. "How generous of you."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. They continued chatting about random things—school, annoying teachers, how Ryohei had been strangely quiet since their fight. It felt… normal.
But then, Sakura's tone shifted.
"Haruto," she said, suddenly more serious. "What's it like? Being a caster."
Haruto blinked, his expression unreadable. He leaned back in his chair. "That's an interesting question, coming from another caster."
Sakura's grip tightened around her cup. "...What?"
Haruto met her gaze, a bit of surprise to her reaction.
Sakura's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her shock. "That's ridiculous. I'm not—"
"Wait?" Haruto interrupted. "You mean people don't know? You've never told anyone?"
Sakura opened her mouth but couldn't find the words. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she finally said, her voice forced and lighthearted. "You must be mistaken."
Haruto watched her closely. She was a good liar—but not good enough.
"...Alright," he said simply, not pushing further.
Sakura let out a breath, forcing a smile. "See? Nothing to worry about."
But the moment she stood up, she ran.
She didn't know why—maybe it was the way he looked at her, like he already knew everything. Maybe she just didn't want to talk about it.
She couldn't.
+++
Sakura slid into the warm water of her bathtub, hugging her knees to her chest. The bathroom was dimly lit, the soft glow of a single candle flickering beside her.
She let out a deep breath, staring at the rippling water.
"He knew," she whispered to herself. "How did he know?"
Her fingers traced over the water's surface as if searching for an answer.
She had spent years hiding it—pretending she was normal, that she wasn't connected to them.
"I don't want to be like them," she muttered bitterly.
Casters only brought pain and destruction. Their entire twisted legacy. She never wanted to be a part of it.
"I can't ever be a monster..."
She clenched her fists under the water.
If she never acknowledged them, she could pretend they weren't there… Pretend she was normal.
But now… Haruto knew.
And she had no idea what to do about it.
+++
The night was still, but Sakura's mind was restless. The faint glow of the moon seeped through her bedroom window, casting soft silver hues across her bed. She shifted under the covers, her breathing uneven. Then, as if being pulled by an unseen force, she drifted into a dream—one that felt far too real.
She stood in an empty field, the grass swaying despite the absence of wind. The sky above her was fractured—half bathed in golden sunlight, the other swallowed by an ominous, creeping darkness.
Ahead, she saw Haruto. He stood firm, his blue t-shirt rippling in an unseen current of energy. But he wasn't alone. The darkness loomed, twisting and writhing like it was alive, reaching for him, trying to consume him whole.
Her heart pounded.
Then, without thinking, she took a step forward.
Her feet felt weightless, yet the moment she moved, the wind howled around her, whispering her name. Suddenly, a voice—distant yet familiar—echoed in the vast emptiness.
"You must stand by him."
Sakura gasped. Her hands trembled as she reached out, and before she knew it, flames—soft, pink-tinged flames—ignited in her palms. The warmth was familiar, comforting even. But it terrified her.
"You cannot run from what you are."
The flames surged, swirling around her like a protective shield. It was then that she understood. The fear, the hesitation—it didn't matter anymore. The darkness before her wasn't just Haruto's burden to bear. She had a part in this too.
And she would not turn away.
+++
Haruto was in the middle of making toast when a sharp knock at the door startled him. He wasn't expecting anyone. He set the knife down, brushing crumbs off his fingers before heading to the door.
The moment he opened it, he froze.
Sakura stood there, her hands clenched at her sides. Her hair was slightly messy, like she'd barely slept, but her blue eyes were filled with something different this time. Resolve.
Haruto blinked. "Sakura?"
She took a deep breath. "You were right."
Haruto frowned, confused. "About what?"
She hesitated, glancing down for just a moment before locking eyes with him again. "I am a caster."
The words felt heavier than she expected, like saying them out loud made them more real.
Haruto said nothing, watching her carefully.
"I didn't want to accept it," she continued. "Because of my family, because of my past. But…" She swallowed. "I had a dream, Haruto. And in that dream, I saw that I have a part to play in all of this. I don't know what it means yet, but I don't want to run anymore."
The apartment was silent except for the distant hum of the refrigerator.
Sakura took a deep breath. "I want to learn. To control my powers properly. And I think…" Her fingers tightened around the hem of her jacket. "I think you're the one who can help me."
Haruto studied her for a long moment, then sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair. "You really don't like making things easy, do you?"
Sakura let out a small laugh. "Nope."
Haruto smirked, then stepped aside. "Alright then. Come in."
As she walked past him into the apartment, she knew this was just the beginning.
+++
Sakura sat cross-legged on Haruto's couch, absentmindedly running her fingers along the seams of the cushion. The apartment was modest—simple furniture, a small kitchen in the corner, and a desk cluttered with books and papers. It wasn't messy, but it wasn't exactly organized either. She could tell Haruto lived alone most of the time.
Across from her, Haruto leaned against the armrest of a chair, one leg propped up as he watched her. He could see the questions forming in her mind, the way her brows furrowed slightly in thought. Finally, she sighed and met his gaze.
"How did you know?" she asked. "That I was a caster."
Haruto smirked, but it wasn't a teasing one—it was knowing. "It wasn't hard," he admitted. "You can try to hide it, but a caster can sense another caster. It's like… an instinct. Your presence just felt different."
Sakura frowned slightly. "Then why didn't you say anything before?"
"I figured you had your reasons." He shrugged. "I know what it's like to want to pretend you're normal."
At that, her curiosity deepened. "What do you mean?"
Haruto leaned back, arms resting behind his head. "I didn't always embrace this power, you know," he said, looking up at the ceiling. "When I was younger, I had no idea what I was. Both of my parents are non-casters, so it wasn't like I was born into some legendary bloodline."
Sakura's eyes widened slightly. "Your parents are non-casters?"
"Yep," he said. "Imagine their surprise when their kid suddenly started glowing like a damn lightbulb."
Sakura stifled a laugh, but Haruto continued.
"At first, it was hard," he admitted. "I couldn't control it. It would come out in bursts—whenever I was scared, angry, or upset. And trust me, that didn't exactly make childhood easy." His gaze grew distant for a moment, as if remembering something painful, but he quickly shook it off.
"But after a while," he continued, "it became as easy as flicking my fingers." He held up his hand and, with a tiny motion, a soft glow of light flickered at his fingertips before fading. "Once I accepted that this power was a part of me, everything else just fell into place."
Sakura watched in fascination. "So that's it?" she asked. "You just accepted it, and suddenly, you were in control?"
Haruto gave a small chuckle. "I mean, it took time. Training. But yeah. The hardest part wasn't controlling my power—it was accepting it was mine to begin with."
Sakura was silent for a moment, absorbing his words. Then, after a pause, she looked at him again. "And… what about the 'Chosen One' thing? You mentioned it before."
Haruto exhaled through his nose, a mix of amusement and exhaustion in his expression. "Yeah. That." He sat up straighter. "When I was a kid, I was sent away to a facility. A place for casters like me. That's where I learned how to control my abilities. And while I was there, I was told something… strange."
Sakura's interest piqued. "What?"
"They said I was special," Haruto said, his voice tinged with skepticism. "That I was 'The Chosen One.'"
Sakura blinked. "That sounds… dramatic."
Haruto scoffed. "Yeah, tell me about it." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I still don't know exactly what it means. I don't even know if it's real or if they were just feeding me some prophecy nonsense to make me train harder. But what I do know is that ever since then, things have been different for me."
Sakura watched him carefully. "Different how?"
Haruto hesitated for a moment before meeting her gaze. "People have been watching me. Testing me. And I get the feeling that one day, they're going to expect something from me."
The weight of his words settled between them. The air felt heavier.
Sakura took a slow breath. "And do you believe it?"
Haruto's lips curled into a small, tired smile. "I don't know," he admitted. "But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that running from who you are never works." His gaze softened. "That's why I was hoping you'd come around, Sakura."
Sakura felt her heart skip for a moment, but she quickly ignored it. She exhaled, nodding slightly. "Well… I guess I'm here now."
Haruto smirked. "Yeah. You are."
A comfortable silence followed. For the first time in a long time, Sakura didn't feel alone in this. And maybe, just maybe, she was ready to see where this path would take her.
+++
Akari sat at her usual spot in the cafeteria, poking at her food with a chopstick while the chatter of students buzzed around her. It had been two days since she last saw Haruto or Sakura at school, and something about it bothered her.
She had looked for them—checked their class, even asked a few people if they had seen either of them. But every time, she got the same answer: Nope. Nowhere to be found.
"Yo, Akari."
She blinked, snapping out of her thoughts as one of her friends—Rina, a short-haired girl with an ever-present smirk—plopped down next to her. Two other girls from their class joined them, setting their trays down with amused expressions.
Akari sighed, setting her chopsticks down. "What?"
Rina grinned. "You seem off. Something wrong? Maybe a certain someone hasn't been around, and now you're all lonely?"
Akari scoffed. "Shut up. It's not like that."
"Mmmhmm," the other girl, Natsumi, hummed knowingly. "So it's totally a coincidence that Haruto's been missing for two days and you look like a lost puppy?"
Akari frowned. "I was just wondering where he is. That's all."
Rina nudged her. "Not just him. Sakura is gone too."
Natsumi smirked. "You don't think they're together, do you?"
Akari froze for half a second before regaining her composure. "What? No way. Haruto's not that kind of guy."
"Ohhh?" Rina leaned closer with a teasing grin. "So you have thought about what kind of guy he is?"
Akari groaned, covering her face. "Why do I even sit with you guys?"
"Because you love us," Rina said, laughing.
Natsumi leaned back. "Either way, they're up to something. Maybe Haruto's giving Sakura private lessons in—"
Akari choked on her drink. "Shut up!"
The girls burst out laughing, enjoying how flustered she had become. Akari pouted, but deep down, a nagging feeling settled in her stomach.
Where the hell are those two?
+++
On the third day, Akari walked through the school gates, arms crossed as she tried to shake off her irritation. If Haruto and Sakura don't show up today, I swear I'm—
Her thoughts were cut short when she overheard two boys chatting near the lockers.
"I swear I saw them."
"No way. You actually saw them?"
"Yeah. Last night, I was heading home when I saw Haruto and Sakura walking into an apartment together."
Akari stopped mid-step.
Her entire brain froze.
What.
"You're kidding, right?" the second boy asked, laughing.
"Nah, I swear! They went into that complex near the station. Looked pretty cozy, too."
Akari clenched her fist. Haruto and Sakura… at an apartment… together?
Her mind immediately went to the worst possible conclusions.
Her face flushed red as she spun around and marched toward the boys.
"You," she said sharply, making both of them jump.
The first boy blinked. "Uh… me?"
"Yes, you. You saw Haruto and Sakura? Where?"
The boy hesitated before awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Uh, why do you wanna know?"
Akari's eyes narrowed. "Tell me."
Something in her voice made him gulp. "O-okay! Jeez. I saw them going into an apartment complex near the station. Fourth floor, I think."
Akari turned on her heel.
That's it. I'm going there.
As she stomped off, her thoughts were spiraling.
I swear, if those two are doing something weird—!
+++
Akari stormed out of the school gates, her heart pounding with frustration. The station wasn't far, and with every step, she convinced herself more and more that she needed to bust down the door and demand an explanation.
Haruto and Sakura… alone in an apartment? For two days?!
Her mind was racing with possibilities—none of them good.
What if they were skipping school to hang out? What if… what if Sakura was using her cutesy act to get closer to Haruto?
Akari shook her head aggressively, trying to rid herself of those thoughts.
"Tch! What am I even thinking? It's not like I care what he does!"
She definitely cared.
Before long, she arrived at the apartment complex near the station. It was a modest building—nothing too fancy—but it didn't matter. She was here to get answers.
She stomped into the lobby, scanned the mailboxes for Haruto's name, then found the apartment number she needed.
4th floor.
Akari rushed up the stairs, too impatient to wait for an elevator.
BAM BAM BAM!
The moment she reached the door, she knocked loudly—no, pounded—on it.
No response.
Akari gritted her teeth and knocked again. "Haruto! Open up!"
Still nothing.
She was about to knock again when—
Click.
The door creaked open slightly.
Akari pushed it open and stepped inside without thinking.
"Oi, what the hell are you two doi—"
She stopped dead in her tracks.
The living room looked… trashed.
Cushions were scattered across the floor, the coffee table was shoved aside, and there were burn marks on the wall.
And then she saw Haruto and Sakura.
They were in the middle of the room—both of them breathing heavily, their clothes slightly ruffled. Sakura had a few strands of hair sticking out, and Haruto's sleeves were rolled up, revealing his arms.
Akari's face turned red instantly.
"W-WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"
Haruto turned toward her, completely confused. "Akari?"
Akari pointed an accusing finger at them. "TWO DAYS?! You guys disappear for two days, skip school, and now I find you in a freaking APARTMENT looking like THIS?!"
Sakura blinked, then realized how it must've looked. "Ah—wait! This isn't—!"
Akari wasn't listening.
"You—YOU—" She clenched her fists. "Haruto, I didn't take you for this kind of guy!!"
Haruto looked at Sakura, then at Akari, then back at Sakura.
"…What the hell are you talking about?"
Akari crossed her arms. "Oh, don't play dumb! You two have been hiding out here together—and I wanna know why!"
Sakura rubbed the back of her head, looking away awkwardly.
Haruto sighed, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Akari, it's not what you're thinking."
"Oh yeah? Then explain!"
Haruto folded his arms. "We were training."
"…Training?"
"Yes. Training."
Akari paused.
Then she narrowed her eyes. "For what?"
Haruto hesitated for a brief moment before answering. "For her caster abilities."
Akari froze.
The room went silent.
She looked at Sakura.
Sakura looked away, avoiding eye contact.
Akari's jaw dropped. "Wait—WAIT. You're a caster?!"
Sakura bit her lip. "…Yeah."
Akari stared at her, completely dumbfounded.
"…WHAT?! Since WHEN?!"
+++
Akari plopped down on the couch, arms crossed, her gaze shifting between Haruto and Sakura.
"So let me get this straight…" she started, still trying to process what she'd just learned.
Haruto and Sakura sat across from her.
"Sakura's actually a caster," Akari continued, looking at the girl in question, "and you—" she turned to Haruto, "—have been training her for the past two days?"
Haruto nodded. "Yeah, that about sums it up."
Akari narrowed her eyes. "And you didn't think to TELL ME?!"
Haruto sighed. "It's not like we were trying to hide it from you."
Akari shot him a deadpan look. "You literally disappeared for two days."
Sakura rubbed her arm awkwardly. "I… I wasn't sure how to tell you. I only just decided to accept my caster abilities, and Haruto was the only one I could go to."
Akari tapped her fingers on her arm, thinking.
Sakura being a caster—she hadn't seen that coming.
Haruto leaned forward. "Look, I know this is a lot, but it's important that Sakura learns to control her abilities. She's had them for years but never used them."
Akari tilted her head. "So what's the deal with her powers, then?"
Sakura hesitated, her hands gripping the hem of her skirt. "It's… complicated."
Akari watched her for a moment, noticing how tense she was. There was definitely more to this story.
Still, she sighed and leaned back. "Well, whatever. If you guys are doing this, I might as well help out."
Sakura looked at her, blinking in surprise. "You… will?"
Akari shrugged. "Duh. I'm not about to let you guys have all the fun. Besides—" she pointed at Haruto, "—if I leave you alone with her, you'll probably just do something stupid."
Haruto deadpanned. "Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence."
Akari smirked. "Anytime."
She then stood up, hands on her hips. "BUT! You two need to stop skipping school."
Haruto groaned. "Training is more important than school."
Akari smacked him on the back of the head.
"OW—"
"Yeah? Well, the school thinks you're both dating now," Akari said flatly.
Sakura choked on air. "WH-WHAT?!"
Akari sighed dramatically. "Gee, I dunno, disappearing together, skipping class, being seen entering the same apartment—it's not exactly subtle, guys."
Haruto rubbed his temples. "Great."
Akari wagged a finger at them. "If you don't want the rumors to get worse, you'd better show up to school on Monday. Together."
Sakura buried her face in her hands. "Oh god, this is so embarrassing…"
Akari smirked. "Welcome to high school drama, princess."
Haruto slumped against the couch. "This is such a pain…"
Akari grinned. "Better get used to it."
+++
The morning sun filters through the classroom windows as students settle into their seats. Haruto and Sakura enter the room together, trying to act casual. But as expected, eyes are on them—curious whispers circulate about their recent absence.
Mr. Takagi Noticing them, "Ah, Aoki and Hoshino. You finally decided to grace us with your presence again." He chuckles lightly. "I trust you've caught up on your studies?"
Haruto scratches the back of his head "Uh, yeah. Something like that…"
Sakura nods quickly, trying to suppress her embarrassment "Sorry for being absent, Takagi-sensei."
Some students chuckle. Others just continue eyeing them suspiciously. Mr. Takagi lets it slide and claps his hands together.
"Well then, let's move on. Before we begin today's lesson, we have a new transfer student joining us."
The door slides open with a soft creak. A tall, striking girl steps inside. She has neatly styled black hair and piercing crimson eyes. The moment she enters, the room falls completely silent. There's something about her presence—an aura that's both composed and slightly intimidating. Her expression is unreadable.
But for Haruto, the world stops moving.
Eyes widening, breath catching in his throat "…Ishi?"