The sound of the wind in the trees was suddenly swallowed by a mechanical roar.
Asuka stopped. She didn't turn her head at first, she only felt the change in the air. The 'bruised purple' mist behind her was suddenly sliced open by a pair of violent, artificial white light.
Asuka's breath hitched. She turned slowly, her strawberry-blonde hair blowing across her face in the sudden rush of wind.
Through the glare, she saw it—the black shadow of a heavy machine, a predator made of metal, coming towards her. It wasn't slowing down. It was drifting, the tires biting into the footpath at the edge of the road with a harsh, rhythmic rattling.
'Oh...'
That was her only thought. It wasn't a scream. It was just a quiet realization.
Her deep red eyes widened, reflecting the twin suns of the Mercedes' high lights. In that fraction of a second, the world became incredibly detailed.
She saw the tiny droplets of mist falling in the light. She felt the weight of the pink box in her arms. She even noticed the way the driver's side was dark and shadowed.
She tried to move, her boots slipped slightly on the wet road, but her body felt heavy, like it was made of stone.
"Mom..." she whispered, the word lost in the roar of the engine.
She didn't look at the car anymore. She looked up, past the blinding lights, at the dark, heavy clouds one last time. She squeezed the birthday present to her chest, her fingers locking tight around the silk ribbon.
Then, the light swallowed her whole.
The world didn't explode with a bang; it fractured with a heavy, muffled thud.
The corner of the black Mercedes caught Asuka just as she tried to move away. The force was absolute. For a split second, she felt the cold, hard steel of the bumper against her hip, and then the world became a mix of spinning dark trees and blinding white light.
The small pink box was torn from her grip. It flew through the air, the silk ribbon unraveling. It bounced once on the road before landing face-down in the thick, black mud at the edge of the ditch. The 'Happy Birthday' card along with the ribbon was instantly stained brown by the rainwater.
Asuka didn't fall; she was thrown.
Her body hit the soft, tall grass of the edge. She slid several feet, her weight flattening the green stalks into the earth. She finally came to a rest near the deep water ditch, her long coat fanned out around her like broken wings.
Asuka's vision began to blur. Her last thought wasn't of the pain or the man who ran a car over her. It was of her mother, sleeping upstairs, waiting for a daughter who would never walk through the door.
Inside the Mercedes, the silence was unreal.
Seijurou sat frozen, his chest moving up and down. He hit his hand against his forehead, but he was barely feeling the pain because of the alcohol
"Damn it... damn it all," he grumbled, his voice a mess.
With a violent motion, he threw the bottle of red wine onto the passenger seat. It landed hard, the cap popping off as the dark, expensive liquid spread across the beige leather. It looked like a fresh wound bleeding into the seat, but Seijurou didn't even glance at it.
'A dog?' he thought, his mind racing in circles. 'Or a cat? Just some stray... it has to be just some stray animal.'
He cursed Kaori's name under his breath, the bitterness still tasting like ash in his mouth. He shoved the door open, the cold air hitting him like a slap. He stumbled out, his legs heavy and uncooperative.
He moved a few steps back towards the dark part of the bypass. The bright lights cut through the mist, showing a shape in the grass.
His heart stopped.
It wasn't an animal.
It was a girl.
Seijurou stopped dead. He rubbed his eyes quickly, as if he could discard the image away. His eyebrows shot up in pure, unfiltered shock.
'Shit...' the word echoed in the empty space of his mind. 'Shit, shit, shit.'
His hand flew to his chin, his fingers digging into his skin as his brain tried to process the 'lifeless' figure lying in the dirt.
"Oh, no... no, no, no!"
He broke into a desperate run. His expensive shoes slipped on the wet pavement, and he lost his balance and bent down hard on one knee, but he got back up instantly, ignoring the pain. He reached her side, his breath coming in uneven gasps.
"Hey! Hey, kid!" He stood over her, his hands trembling so violently he couldn't even touch her at first. "Wake up! Come on, don't... don't play a prank on me. This isn't funny!"
Then, he saw the sight. It was terrific in its horror.
Asuka's coat was no longer its original color; it was soaked in a deep, spreading red. Her skin, usually so full of life, had been drained of every drop of color, turning ghostly white.
Her deep red eyes were wide open, staring past him at the sky, fixed on something he couldn't see.
"What have I done?" he whispered, his voice cracking. "What did I do?!"
He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently as if he could bring the life back into her.
"Hey! Girl! Respond to me! Where is your family? Tell me where you live!" He was shouting now, the panic turning into a fever.
"I'll take you to the best hospital in the country! I have the money! I can fix this! Just... just say something!"
But Asuka didn't blink. The silence coming from her was louder than his screaming.
With a shaking, blood-stained hand, Seijurou reached for her wrist. He pressed his fingers against the cold skin, searching for a spark—a beat—anything.
Nothing.
There was no pulse.
Not a single throb of a heartbeat. The world had stopped for her.
Seijurou's eyes went wide. The shock hit him so hard he let go of her hand, watching it fall heavily back into the flattened grass. He moved backward on his hands and knees, staring at her in complete disbelief.
"No... this isn't happening," he choked out, the tears finally spilling over. "This can't be happening..."
The 'Ice' cracked. The 'CEO' vanished. What was left was just SEIJUROU—a man whose wife had betrayed him, whose life was a lie, and who had now taken an innocent girl's life.
He looked at her small, broken form, and the weight of what he had become—a killer—crushed him.
"I'm sorry.." he sobbed, his head bowing until it almost touched the mud. "I didn't see you... I swear, I didn't see you. I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..."
He looked at his hands, stained with her blood and the red wine, unable to tell the difference in the dark. He looked like a child who had broken something he could never fix.
Seijurou stayed on his knees, his expensive suit ruined, his dignity gone. He was no longer a king of industry. He was just a 'mere being,' sobbing in 3:00 in the morning over a girl who would never see her eighteenth birthday.
_PRESENT DAY_
_SEPTEMBER 30th, 2016. TOKYO. 3:57 P.M._
The memory of twelve hours vanished, replaced by the harsh afternoon sun hitting the brick walls of the alley. Mr. Kamitani stood by the car window, his chest heaving, his face a mask of trembling fury.
"What did you do next?" Mr. Kamitani's voice was a rough whisper. "After you realized there was no pulse... what did you do, Mr. Kanzaki?"
Seijurou leaned back into the plush leather, looking directly into Mr. Kamitani's eyes without a flicker of guilt. "What else could I have done?" he asked, his tone terrifyingly casual. "She was already dead. The world had already moved on from her."
"So you didn't even try?" Mr. Kamitani snapped, his voice rising. "You didn't call an ambulance? You didn't try to save her?"
Seijurou let out a short, dry chuckle. He adjusted his silk shirt's collar with agonizing slow movements.
"Mr. Kamitani, please. Come back to reality and listen to my words carefully. Pay attention. Lawyers are paid for their logic, not their emotions. By the time I stepped out of that car—by the time I even reached her—she was gone. There was nothing to save but a legal headache."
Mr. Kamitani turned away, the air in the alleyway feeling too thin to breathe. He rubbed his palm hard against his forehead, closing his eyes as he whispered a silent prayer to God for patience. He felt sick, the image of Asuka in the mud burning in his mind.
"Don't worry about the case." Seijurou said, clearing his throat.
Mr. Kamitani looked back at him, his eyes cold and empty. "What?"
"The evidence.." Seijurou said, his smile widening just a fraction. "Every single thread linking me to that bypass has been cut. Every camera, every witness, every drop of wine on that seat—it's all been... covered up. There is no one who can see through the wall I've built."
He leaned closer to the window, his gaze sharpening like a blade. "All I need now is a professional. A lawyer with a flawless reputation who can stand in that courtroom and win with absolute confidence. Someone the public trusts."
Mr. Kamitani's jaw tightened until it ached. "And who," he asked, his voice dripping with loathing, "is supposed to be fighting this case for you?"
Seijurou laughed—a warm, genuine sound that felt like ice water down Mr. Kamitani's spine.
"Who else would it be, Mr. Kamitani?" Seijurou's eyes locked onto his. "It's going to be you."
"Who else would it be, Mr. Kamitani?" Seijurou's eyes locked onto his. "It's going to be you."
Mr. Kamitani stood in a stunned, heavy silence. The air felt thick. He looked at the man in the car—this billionaire who had just confessed to a hit-and-run—and felt a wave of pure disgust.
Seijurou, seeing the silence, leaned back and crossed his arms. A slow, arrogant smile spread across his face as he closed his eyes.
"What's the matter, Mr. Kamitani? Why so shocked? A man of my status... a wealthy CEO... is giving you the opportunity of a lifetime. Most lawyers would sell their souls to have my name on their client list. Think of the fame. The money."
Mr. Kamitani let out a short, rough chuckle. He brushed his hair back with a shaky hand, his eyes cold. "Fame? Money? Is that what you think I want?"
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "I see why your wife chose another man over you, Seijurou Kanzaki. You're a fool. And if you keep this up? I bet even your son, Kashima, will find a way to leave you behind too."
The smile vanished from Seijurou's face. His eyes snapped open, burning with a sudden, violent rage. "You shut your mouth! You don't know anything about my family! You're just a bottom-feeder lawyer in a crumbling district!"
"I'd rather be a bottom-feeder than a blind idiot drowning in gold." Mr. Kamitani snapped back. "I don't support criminals. No matter the price." He waved a hand in disagreement, as if shooing away a fly. "Stop wasting my time. I'm done listening to you."
Mr. Kamitani turned his back and began to walk away.
"Ayato Kamitani! Get back here!" Seijurou screamed from the car, his neck straining as he leaned out the window. "Don't you walk away from me! You're throwing away a golden opportunity!"
From down the street, Kento was walking toward the Amamiya house, his bag slung over his shoulder. He froze when he heard the screaming. He saw his father standing in the middle of the road, and then he saw the black Mercedes.
"Dad?" Kento called out, hurrying over. "What are you doing here? Who is that?"
Mr. Kamitani looked at Kento, his irritation flaring. "Kento, not now. Go inside. Don't pay attention to him."
"But Dad—"
"I said go inside!" Mr. Kamitani shouted, his patience completely gone.
"Ayato Kamitani!" Seijurou's voice boomed from the car, full of a dark, low threat. "If you won't help me willingly, I have other methods to force your hand. Don't test me."
Mr. Kamitani's face turned bright red with fury. He rushed back toward the car. "What did you say? You think you can threaten me? What are you going to do, you coward?!"
Kento ran after him, grabbing his father's arm. "Dad! Stop! Calm down! What is wrong with you?"
Seijurou let out a dark, mocking laugh. "See? Every dog gets to know its place when the master raises his voice."
Kento's eyes narrowed. He stepped in front of his father, looking Seijurou right in the eye. "Mister you've got a lot of nerve for someone hiding behind a steering wheel."
Kento muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe you should leave before I strip off whatever 'reputation' you think you have left. You look pathetic."
Seijurou's jaw tightened. He looked at Mr. Kamitani. "Is your father so weak that he needs a dumb creature like you to fight his battles?"
Kento opened his mouth to retort, but Mr. Kamitani put a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Kento, stop. Go to the Amamiya house. Now."
Kento shook his hand off. "No. I'm not leaving you with this madman."
Seijurou leaned out further, a fox-like smile playing on his lips. He looked at Mr. Kamitani and chuckled. "You want to know what I can do to force you? You want to see the reality?"
He slowly raised a finger and pointed it directly at Kento. "For starters... I could hurt your son."
The air went cold. Mr. Kamitani's eyes filled with a sudden, sharp terror. "What?"
Kento rolled his eyes, letting out a sharp laugh. "Oh, wow. I'm so scared. A billionaire threatening a student. Very 'manly' of you."
"Shut up, Kento!" Mr. Kamitani shouted, his voice trembling. He looked at Seijurou. "Be a man, Seijurou. Face your own mess before I expose everything myself."
Seijurou didn't blink. "I'll give you time until 12:00 A.M. tonight. That's your deadline. After that, I stop playing nice and I start doing what I wish."
"I'm not giving you an answer." Mr. Kamitani grumbled.
"I'll be waiting for it anyway." Seijurou replied. He looked at Kento one last time, his gaze chillingly calm. "I'm not mad, kid. Your father is the mad one. He's risking your life just for his own stubborn pride."
Kento grabbed his father's hand, pulling him away. "Let's go, Dad. He's lost his mind."
Seijurou watched them walk away, the orange sun reflecting off his eyes. "Don't worry." he called out as the Driver started the engine. "I'm leaving. But remember... 12:00 A.M. Tick-tock, Mr. Kamitani."
The sound of the Mercedes engine eventually disappeared into the distance, leaving the street in a silence that felt bruised.
The sun hung low, casting long,
uneven shadows that looked like grasping fingers reaching for the Amamiya house. The air there still tasted of exhaust and unspoken threats, the orange light making the dust in the air look like sparks from a dying fire.
But as the path turned away from the bypass and deeper into the residential district, the light began to fade.
At the Kamitani residence, the atmosphere was completely different. The tall, neighboring apartment blocks had already swallowed the sun, covering the house into a cool, stagnant shade.
There, the air was still. It didn't smell like rain or expensive leather; it smelled of old paper, cold tea, and the quiet dust of a home where the clock ticked too loudly.
A single, narrow ray of dying sunlight managed to pierce through a gap in the heavy curtains, illuminating millions of dust particles that hung in the air like tiny, frozen stars.
Every object seemed to hold its breath. Two pair of school shoes sat neatly by the entrance, their laces tucked in. On the wall, a framed photo of young Kento and Shido and Mr. Kamitani was partially swallowed by the shadows, their smiling faces fading into the grey twilight.
The air carried the faint scent of old books, but there was no sound of a kettle boiling, no rustle of a newspaper, and no footsteps on the stairs.
The air conditioner in Kento's room hummed a steady, mechanical lullaby, keeping the air at a crisp 23°C. Outside, the world was drowning in the heavy blue of a Tokyo evening, but inside, the curtains were drawn tight, sealing out the tragedy of the streets.
The room smelled like Kento—clean laundry and old paper. On the low table, two mugs sat forgotten, the tea inside long gone cold.
Hori was sprawled across Kento's bed, her blonde hair spreading out like a silk crown against the blue sheets. Her pink eyes were fixed on the ceiling, glowing with a restless light. She looked like a fallen angel who was bored of heaven.
Beside the bed, Kashima sat on the floor, leaning his back against the mattress. One leg was tucked in, while the other was pulled towards his chest, providing a support for his arm as he scrolled through his phone. His blue eyes were hidden by his blonde bangs, his expression calm—until he spoke.
"You miss him already, don't you?"
Hori let out a long, dramatic sigh that filled her chest. "No." she said, her eyes never leaving the ceiling.
"I was just wondering where he got that brain of his. He's obsessed with reincarnation and destiny... it's so unscientific. Mr. and Mrs. Kamitani are such practical, serious people. Kento is just... he's a weirdo."
Kashima let out a small huff of amusement. He kept his phone away and stood up, the floorboards creaking slightly under his weight. He didn't just stand; he towered, bending over the bed and closing the distance between them until Hori's pink eyes were forced to focus on him.
"It's not weirdness, Hori. It's genetics."
Kashima whispered. He reached out, his fingers steady as he brushed a stray blonde strand away from her face.
"Sometimes, recessive traits from generations ago skip the parents and land straight on the child. It's a matter of—"
He stopped.
Hori's heart wasn't just beating; it was thumping against her ribs like a trapped bird. Her face had turned a shade of red that rivaled a sunset. She looked like she was about to short-circuit.
Kashima blinked, his cool blue eyes filled with genuine confusion. "What? Are you alright? You're... sweating."
He reached out his other hand, moving toward her forehead. "Do you have a fever?"
SNAP!
----
✦ 🔮 A GLIMPSE INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER 🔮 ✦
"What awaits beyond this page...?" 🌙
(灬･◡･灬)♡
"Wait! What if it's a burglar? Someone who knows the Kamitanis are out and came to rob the place!"
"I have to tell you something. I have to tell you right now!"
----
🌙 The stars may fade, and memories may sleep...
But the Spiral continues to turn.
Until we meet again beneath the same forgotten sky.
⋌༼ •̀ ⌂ •́ ༽⋋
— SakuraShinomiya