It's true, I've never suffered as much as Aiko, I can't bear the pain, I don't care about others' opinions of me, I have no worries, but... this feeling of emptiness is tearing me apart. My relationships are hollow, my emotions are hollow... I don't feel anything real for anyone... My relationships with Haru and Aiko are only beautiful from their perspective... For me, they're just full of holes... To the point where... even if they died, it wouldn't matter to me... I think I'm just starting to realize... what it means to lose your humanity... I kill my enemies... but I feel no sympathy... not a shred of remorse or fear... Sometimes I wonder... am I even human?... I remember when I first met Haru and Aiko, the sound of their laughter, their conversations, their connection... it all brought warmth to my existence... But now... I feel nothing... I just want to know... were my choices wrong?... Is there anything left of Toihito Uowa inside me?... I want to know... I want to know what I truly desire... Every time I use those ridiculous powers, I feel it... I feel Toihito Uowa being destroyed... I'm scared... I'm scared there's no way back... I'm scared I'll never feel again... never enjoy... never love... This coldness... it's suffocating me... To the point where... it tempts me to get rid of everyone else... But the only thing I can do now... is... is to smile... I wish I could go back to when... my only problems were bickering with Haru and... playing card games...
---
**July 24, 2020** (10 years after Toihito's birth)
He slung his backpack over his shoulder, ruffled his hair with his hand, and said loudly:
**Toihito:** "Mom, I'm leaving."
No answer came. He shrugged.
**Toihito:** "Well, I shouldn't have expected one."
The door creaked shut behind him as he started walking toward school. His mother was a careless woman—she never made time for Toihito or anything else, just spent her days reading books. Not that Toihito really cared. He could do whatever he wanted anyway.
The town of Krouchi was close to the slums, but its condition was far better. The houses were simple, uniformly white and gray, pine trees covering everything. The sidewalks were decorated with gray tiles, as if the town had drowned in colorlessness. The only thing breaking this lifelessness were the rose bushes people planted in their gardens. To most, this town was depressing, but Toihito didn't care. The only things that mattered to him were his trading cards and Haru.
Haru was a reclusive boy who spent his days being abused by his father. In his father's eyes, Haru was a worthless failure who couldn't even do simple tasks. But to Toihito, Haru was amazing.
Until two months ago, Toihito would visit Haru every night after school. But Haru had been away on a family trip for two months now, so Toihito spent his days playing with his toys.
Toihito quietly opened the school door and walked in, heading toward his locker.
The school entrance was white and red, decorated with yellow, covered in scratches and faded paint. The other students whispered as they saw him.
**Student 1:** "That's the weird kid, right?"
**Student 2:** "They say if he talks to you, you turn to stone."
Hearing them, Toihito chuckled softly and said:
**Toihito:** "Guess you'll turn to stone now, then."
The students screamed. Toihito returned to his usual expression and muttered under his breath:
**Toihito:** "People are so stupid. How can talking to someone turn them to stone? Are they Americans or something? That dumb?"
He kept walking but was quickly stopped by the principal.
**Principal:** "Mr. Uowa, come with me to the office."
Grumbling, Toihito followed.
**Toihito:** "Great. Now I have to deal with this grump too."
---
The principal's office was painfully plain—white walls, a shelf by the door displaying the school's soccer trophies, and a wooden desk in the center. Toihito always wondered why a bunch of gold-painted metal cups mattered so much to them.
The principal spoke sternly.
**Principal:** "I assume you know why you're here, Mr. Uowa."
Toihito smirked.
**Toihito:** "Not really."
The principal sighed in frustration.
**Principal:** "This is the third time you've scared the other kids. What's so funny about it?"
Toihito shrugged.
**Toihito:** "Not my fault they're idiots. You can't turn someone to stone by talking to them."
The principal rested his chin on his hand.
**Principal:** "I know people are hard on you... but if you do this again, I'll have to call your mother."
Toihito scoffed.
**Toihito:** "Good luck with that. She only answers calls from her junkie boyfriend."
He grinned playfully.
**Toihito:** "Can I go now? Haru's coming back tomorrow. I need to get my new cards ready to show him."
The principal gave a defeated smile.
**Principal:** "Just don't cause any more trouble."
Toihito stuck out his tongue.
**Toihito:** "No promises."
He dashed out of the office and headed home.
**Toihito:** "I doubt anyone cares if I skip school."
---
**March 8, 2027 (Present Day)**
Raindrops soaked the streets and sidewalks, dripping from tree leaves. The flowers had withered, the sidewalks cracked, and the houses no longer had their uniform colors.
Everything had changed since the last time Toihito had been here. Most houses were abandoned, the people having moved to richer areas. The rain drenched his black shirt.
**Toihito:** "It's gotten cold. Should've listened to Aiko and worn a jacket."
He quietly entered the town cemetery. There was no fence separating it from the rest of the town—it was like a park with stone slabs sticking out of the ground.
Toihito stopped in front of a grave that read:
**MARIA UOWA**
He knelt beside it, not caring if his clothes got muddy, and gently ran his hand over the stone.
**Toihito:** "Hey, Mom... I'm back... There's something I wanted to talk to you about..."
He took a deep breath.
**Toihito:** "Maybe I was cruel to you... Maybe I wasn't as unimportant to you as I thought. Maybe I was the one who couldn't see your kindness... But it doesn't matter now. You're gone... And today, I want to talk about something else..."
He stared emptily at the tombstone.
**Toihito:** "I'm scared... of the monster I'm becoming... I feel like Toihito is dying... Toihito, the boy you raised... the one you loved... the one who never appreciated you... I'm losing him... And before I become that monster... I just want to know... Would you be proud of me?"
He covered his eyes with his hands.
**Toihito:** "But now I realize... The only one who ever wanted me... just for being me... was you. Not the mask I hid behind... Just you..."
Tears began to fall.
**Toihito:** "...And I... wasn't even there when you were dying... Today... I came because... this might be the last time I can cry... The last time I can be Toihito Uowa without pretending... not that monster... Thank you for taking care of me... I can't promise I'll make you proud... But I promise... I'll live without regrets..."