"Kamoshida Suguru… Olympic gold medalist. Why would Ryo-senpai suddenly ask about him?"
Inside the Yoshizawa residence, Sumire Yoshizawa sat on her yoga mat, still glistening from her post-shower routine, scrolling through her phone as she stretched.
She'd already begged her father—a high-ranking judge—for help digging into the man's background.He'd said no, of course, claiming it wasn't appropriate to use his position for something like that.
But Sumire knew her father too well.He'd pretend to refuse, but he'd look into it anyway.
Until then, she figured she might as well do some research of her own.
Sumire smoothly slid into a perfect full split, holding the position effortlessly while scrolling through page after page of search results.
"Hm… nothing special online. Most of it's old coverage. Guess he's just another washed-up celebrity athlete now."
If Kamoshida had ever been exposed for harassment or abuse, there's no way he'd still be teaching at a high school.
Still, reading through the faded praise and outdated interviews left her strangely heavy-hearted.
He'd once been the hero of an entire nation—the "King of Volleyball," they'd called him.But fame fades faster than anyone expects.Time always wins.
Sumire could picture it: a man who once stood under the spotlight, now reduced to a PE teacher in some private academy.
She knew the pattern.Athletes burned bright—and burned out young.
A gold medal, a wave of sponsorships, a few years of glory… then obscurity.
That was the price of chasing perfection with your body.
Some stars managed to reinvent themselves in business or media, living comfortably off their fame.
But for most? The end came quietly.
And as she read, Sumire felt a quiet chill crawl down her spine.
If one day I stopped doing gymnastics… what would be left of me?
Her and Kasumi's entire lives had revolved around the sport.They'd been scouted in grade school, molded by coaches, praised by their parents.It wasn't just a passion—it was their identity.
Without gymnastics, she didn't even know what she liked.
Laundry? Cooking? Cleaning? Those were chores she only did because they earned her compliments.
And somewhere deep down, a darker truth whispered:
She'd learned piano, painting, even flower arrangement—not because she loved them, but because she wanted to beat her sister at something.
Kasumi was better at everything.Brighter, faster, more confident.
So Sumire had always chased after the scraps—desperate for their parents' attention, desperate to not be left behind.
It was pathetic.
And the day she'd nearly run into that truck—the day Ryo Jin had saved her life—had started with one of those tantrums.
A bad day at training, one careless step into the street…
If not for him, she wouldn't be here now.
She knew that. She regretted it. She'd sworn never to act like that again.
But still—
"If I quit gymnastics one day… and Onee-chan keeps shining in the spotlight… will Ryo-senpai still look at me the same way?"
The thought alone made her stomach twist.
What's wrong with me?
Only bad girls thought like that.
She hated herself for even imagining it.
Her breathing slowed. Her eyes drifted toward the small vacuum-sealed bag under her bed.
Inside, folded with ridiculous care, was a neatly pressed piece of men's clothing—Ryo Jin's, to be exact.
She'd washed it first, of course. No smell remained.
She wasn't bold enough for that.
Just looking at it—holding it through the bag—was enough to make her chest feel warm and shaky.
She hugged it close, whispering to no one:
"If it's for Ryo-senpai… maybe I could do more. Maybe I could help him…"
That's when it happened.
[Target located. Beginning navigation.]
"W–Wha!?"
Sumire jumped, nearly dropping her phone.
A robotic voice had suddenly echoed from the speaker.
On her screen, a strange app she'd never seen before was glowing—a dark icon shaped like a single, unblinking eye.
『Metaverse Navigator』
"Metaverse…?" she murmured.
Her heart pounded like it wanted to break free from her chest.
That word alone made her blood run hot.
Three months ago, she'd seen the impossible.
That day, when she and Kasumi almost died, Ryo had saved them—by pulling them into a world that shouldn't exist.
A distorted Tokyo filled with shadows and despair.A place that defied logic.
The other world.
She'd witnessed it with her own eyes.
And in that moment, she'd learned the truth:Ryo Jin wasn't just a kind, quiet upperclassman—he was a Phantom Thief, a man with the power to steal hearts.
It was insane, like something straight out of a manga.And yet… the memory thrilled her.
"But… I should ask him first…"
She bit her lip.
Ryo never liked talking about that world. He always brushed it off when she or her sister asked, as if he wanted to keep them away from it.
If she meddled with this, it might upset him.
Her affection stat might even drop.
The thought hit her like cold water.
Still—her fingers trembled over the glowing icon.
Temptation whispered in her ear.
[Go on. Use it.]
Her hand froze.
Someone else's hand was resting on top of hers.
She looked up—
And saw herself.
Not Kasumi.
Not her reflection.
Another Sumire—identical face, identical voice—but with golden, predatory eyes.
[Even if something goes wrong, it's not our fault. Ryo-senpai is gentle—he'll forgive us. He'll comfort us.]
The golden-eyed version smiled, a twisted echo of sweetness.
[And if something does happen… he'll come for us. Save us. Hold us. You know he will. He can't ignore people in trouble. That's what makes him special… and if we're the ones who need him most, he'll never look at anyone else. Not even your sister.]
Sumire's breath caught.
The words coiled around her heart like silk threads—soft, poisonous, irresistible.
When she blinked, the golden-eyed double was gone.
Just her reflection in the dark window.
Her other self.
Her shadow.
"...How do I even use this thing?" she whispered.
Her finger hovered over the icon again.
The Metaverse eye pulsed once—like it was smiling.
And somewhere far away, a familiar, long-dormant power stirred awake.