Hina's Perspective
Morning sunlight poured over the city of Tokyo, washing the streets in warm golden light as another school day began.
It had been a full day since the mysterious vandal once again struck the school.
Fortunately, unlike the previous three mornings, the campus had remained untouched overnight.
No fresh paint covered the walls.
No colorful graffiti stretched across the hallways.
No broken windows.
No strange symbols.
For the first time in several days...
Everything looked normal.
The janitors who had spent countless hours cleaning every corridor could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Teachers looked noticeably less exhausted.
Students who had grown accustomed to beginning each morning with another shocking discovery instead found themselves greeted by the familiar sight of a clean campus.
Yet despite the peaceful appearance...
The mystery itself remained unsolved.
And because no culprit had been caught...
Everyone was talking about it.
As usual, I arrived at Yuki's house before school.
The morning breeze carried the scent of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery while birds chirped cheerfully from the telephone wires above.
Yuki was already waiting outside her front gate.
The moment she spotted me, she waved enthusiastically.
"Hina!"
She practically skipped toward me.
"Morning!"
I smiled.
"Morning."
We began our usual walk toward school.
The streets were already filled with students wearing identical blue uniforms, office workers hurrying toward train stations, and shop owners opening their businesses for another day.
Everything felt...
Peaceful.
Normal.
Almost enough to make me forget everything that had happened over the past week.
Almost.
As we approached the school gates, the difference was immediately obvious.
There was no crowd gathered outside.
No police officers.
No crime-scene tape.
No teachers frantically discussing another act of vandalism.
Instead...
Students casually walked through the entrance while laughing with friends as though nothing had ever happened.
It felt...
Refreshing.
The familiar sounds of school life immediately surrounded us.
Lockers slammed shut.
Students greeted one another across the hall.
Teachers reminded everyone not to run.
Laughter echoed from every direction.
Conversations naturally drifted toward the only topic anyone wanted to discuss.
The mysterious vandal.
"Do you think they'll actually catch them?"
"I doubt it."
"Whoever did that planned everything."
"Yeah."
"They even avoided every security camera."
"That's seriously creepy."
"I heard they might install more cameras."
"My brother says it has to be someone from school."
"No kidding."
"Who else would know the campus that well?"
The rumors had somehow become even more exaggerated than yesterday.
Every student seemed convinced they had solved the mystery.
Unfortunately...
None of them actually knew anything.
Yuki folded her arms as we continued walking through the hallway.
Her expression became unusually serious.
"...Okay..."
She glanced toward me.
"But seriously."
She lowered her voice dramatically.
"Who do you think did it?"
I blinked.
"...No idea."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Come on."
"You have to have a guess."
I shook my head honestly.
"...I really don't."
Which wasn't a lie.
I genuinely had no clue who the vandal was.
Yuki sighed dramatically.
"...It has to be someone from school."
"Probably."
"They knew exactly where the security cameras were."
"...Maybe."
"And..."
She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"They're actually talented."
I couldn't argue with that.
"...Definitely."
The artwork itself—
As frustrating as it was—
Had been surprisingly well made.
The colors blended beautifully.
The perspective was impressive.
If the person responsible had used that talent for something legal...
They probably could have won an art competition.
Yuki continued thinking aloud.
"...What if it's someone we know?"
I stared at her.
"...That's not comforting."
"Right?"
She shivered exaggeratedly.
"What if we're talking to them every single day without realizing it?"
"...Please don't make this sound like a horror movie."
She giggled.
"I can't help it."
Behind us...
A familiar voice interrupted our conversation.
"Maybe it's you."
I stopped walking.
"..."
My eye twitched.
Very.
Very slowly...
I turned around.
There he was.
Hanato Hamagi.
Walking with both hands tucked comfortably inside his pockets as though he hadn't just casually accused me of being a criminal.
His expression remained completely relaxed.
Almost innocent.
Almost.
"...What?"
I asked flatly.
He shrugged.
"You're always quiet."
"...That doesn't mean anything."
"It could."
"It doesn't."
"Maybe."
I stared at him.
Why...
Why did he always have to appear whenever my morning was going well?
Beside me...
Yuki looked between the two of us before a mischievous grin slowly spread across her face.
"Ooooh..."
No.
Don't encourage him.
I sighed.
"...That's a stupid assumption."
Hanato tilted his head.
"Is it?"
"Yes."
He smiled.
"Sounds like something a culprit would say."
"...You're unbelievable."
His smile only widened.
Mission accomplished.
Apparently.
Yuki covered her mouth, trying to suppress another laugh.
"He's kinda right though—"
I immediately looked toward her.
"You're not helping!"
She burst into laughter.
"I'm sorry!"
"No, you're not!"
"...Okay..."
She admitted while laughing even harder.
"I'm really not."
Traitor.
Absolutely traitor.
Hanato looked thoughtful.
"Or maybe..."
He glanced toward Yuki.
"...it's just the troublemaker standing next to you."
Silence.
"..."
My brain stopped working.
Did...
Did he just accuse Yuki now?
Yuki blinked twice.
"Huh?"
Then realization appeared on her face.
"W-Wait!"
"You think I'm the vandal?!"
Hanato shrugged again.
"I'm keeping my options open."
Yuki gasped dramatically.
"I'm wounded."
"Emotionally."
"I trusted you."
"I never asked you to."
She dramatically placed a hand over her heart.
"Heartless."
"I've heard worse."
I folded my arms.
"...Excuse me?"
Hanato looked back toward me.
"Yes?"
"...You seriously think I'm the culprit?"
"I'm saying it's possible."
"...It's not possible."
"Sure."
I could actually feel my patience disappearing.
Slowly.
Painfully.
"...Then maybe it's you."
He blinked once.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"You seem suspicious enough."
"I do?"
"Very."
"That's harsh."
"Not harsh enough."
Yuki laughed so hard she had to grab the hallway railing for support.
"I can't—"
She wiped tears from her eyes.
"You two actually sound like detectives accusing each other."
"We're not arguing."
I crossed my arms proudly.
Hanato answered without missing a beat.
"We are."
"...No, we're not."
"We definitely are."
"I'm simply correcting your ridiculous assumptions."
"That's called arguing."
"It is not."
"It literally is."
I pointed a finger toward him.
"...You're the worst."
He smiled.
"I've been told."
"...Multiple times, I'm guessing."
"Frequently."
I sighed dramatically.
"...Unbelievable."
He gave a tiny shrug.
"I try."
"You shouldn't."
Some nearby students had begun slowing down just to watch us.
Apparently...
Watching Hanato and I argue had become free morning entertainment.
One first-year student whispered to another.
"They're doing it again."
"I know."
"They argue every day."
"I wonder if they're actually friends."
"No way."
"They'd probably fight over that too."
"...True."
I buried my face in one hand.
This was humiliating.
Yuki finally managed to stop laughing.
"Breathe, you two."
She smiled brightly.
"It's too early to start World War Three."
"I'm perfectly calm," I replied.
"So am I," Hanato added.
Yuki looked at both of us.
"...You're both lying."
Neither of us answered.
She nodded confidently.
"Yep."
"Definitely lying."
Eventually...
The three of us continued walking toward our classroom.
Hanato remained a few steps behind us.
Every now and then he made another sarcastic remark.
I answered every single one.
Neither of us seemed willing to surrender.
Yuki simply walked between us...
Occasionally laughing.
Occasionally sighing.
Mostly enjoying herself far more than she should have.
For everyone watching...
It probably looked like nothing more than another ordinary morning.
Just classmates teasing one another.
Just another day.
Far above the bustling campus...
Someone else watched everything unfold.
On the rooftop of the main school building...
A lone figure sat comfortably on the concrete ledge.
One leg gently swung back and forth over the edge while the morning wind tugged softly at a long black coat.
A dark mask concealed the upper half of the person's face.
Only a pair of unusual eyes remained visible.
One shimmered with brilliant gold.
The other glowed a deep violet.
Beautiful.
Unnatural.
Dangerous.
The mysterious figure had watched the entire conversation from beginning to end.
Not a single word had escaped their notice.
"...Interesting..."
A quiet voice drifted into the morning breeze.
Amused.
Curious.
"They noticed..."
A gloved finger lazily traced circles across the rooftop floor.
"...Especially him."
The figure recalled the previous afternoon.
The chase.
The shouting.
The moment those blue eyes had nearly caught up.
A soft chuckle escaped beneath the mask.
"...You're faster than I expected..."
The masked figure slowly leaned back, gazing toward the bright blue sky above.
"But not fast enough."
The wind gently lifted several loose strands of dark hair from beneath the hood.
"...Still..."
A faint smile formed beneath the mask.
"...This is going to be fun."
Far below...
Students continued their ordinary lives completely unaware that someone was watching from above.
Someone who had already stepped onto the stage without anyone realizing it.
The breeze swept across the rooftop once more.
When it settled...
The masked figure was gone.
Only silence remained.
And somewhere beyond the peaceful morning...
Another disturbance was already beginning to take shape.
Not born from hatred.
Not born from corruption.
Not born from revenge.
But from something far more unpredictable.
A force neither the Essence of Light...
Nor the Essence of Shadow...
Had ever encountered before.
The calm that had settled over Tokyo after the Razorblade incident was slowly coming to an end.
A new chapter...
Had quietly begun.