The night was quiet, almost too quiet. Only the soft hum of streetlights filtered through Toshio's half-open window. His room, once filled with scattered sketches and schoolbooks, now felt like a forgotten shrine. The crimson mark on his chest pulsed faintly beneath his shirt — slow, steady, alive.
He couldn't sleep. Not after what happened.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her — Hana — standing in that endless field of crimson lilies, calling his name in a voice that was both sweet and sorrowful. Her smile was the same as before, gentle and warm. But her eyes… they weren't human anymore.
"Toshio," she whispered in his mind. "Why did you forget me?"
He gasped and sat upright, his heart pounding like a drum. The room was empty, but he could still feel her voice, echoing deep within his chest — in sync with the throbbing of the mark.
He lifted his shirt. The crimson symbol was glowing again, brighter than ever before, its shape shifting slightly — like it was alive, breathing with him.
"Why now?" he muttered. "Why do you keep appearing, Hana?"
No answer. Only silence… until the mirror on his wall rippled like disturbed water.
Toshio froze.
A faint figure appeared in the reflection — a girl with long, flowing hair, her body shimmering like moonlight. Her eyes met his, and for a brief second, the mark on his chest flared violently. He stumbled backward, clutching his chest as pain rippled through him.
"Listen…"
The voice was clear this time, feminine, calm — and filled with sorrow.
"You can't run from it anymore, Toshio."
"Who are you?" he demanded, his breath uneven. "What do you want from me?"
The figure tilted her head, her gaze softening.
"You already know who I am. You just don't want to remember."
And then she smiled — the same smile Hana had given him that rainy afternoon two years ago, right before she moved away. The same smile that haunted every dream since she returned next door.
"No…" His knees hit the floor. "You can't be…"
The reflection began to fade, and her voice came one last time, like a whisper carried by the wind.
"When the mark awakens completely, I will return. But remember, Toshio — love comes with a price."
The mirror returned to normal. His breathing slowed, but his mind spun.
Love comes with a price?
That night, he didn't sleep. Instead, he stayed by the window, watching the stars fade into dawn, wondering whether the girl next door — the Hana he loved — was even human anymore.
The Next Morning
At school, everything felt… off.
Students chattered in the hallway, laughter echoing as always, but Toshio felt disconnected — like he was walking through fog. Even the sunlight filtering through the windows seemed duller.
"Shinji!"
A familiar voice called out. He turned and saw Rina, his best friend since childhood, jogging toward him with her usual bright grin. She waved, her messy ponytail bouncing as she caught up.
"You okay? You look like you saw a ghost."
Toshio hesitated, then forced a small smile. "Just tired."
Rina frowned. "You've been saying that a lot lately. Don't tell me you stayed up gaming again?"
He chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, something like that."
But as she nudged him playfully, his eyes flicked to the window — and froze.
Hana was standing outside by the school gate. Her pale hair glowed under the sun, and her uniform swayed gently in the breeze. She was staring directly at him.
Rina followed his gaze and sighed. "Oh… it's her again, huh?"
Toshio blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You've been spacing out every time she's around," Rina said, folding her arms. "It's weird, honestly. It's like you two have this… creepy connection or something."
Toshio laughed nervously. If only you knew.
Hana's lips curved into a soft smile before she turned away and disappeared into the crowd.
A chill ran down his spine.
Later That Night
Toshio lay in bed, unable to shake the image of Hana's smile from his mind. He grabbed his notebook and began sketching — something he hadn't done in months. The lines came to life under his pencil, forming Hana's face… her eyes, her lips, that faint mark at the edge of her collarbone he had glimpsed once.
And then, the mark on his chest began to glow again.
He dropped the pencil. "Not again…"
"Toshio…"
The voice — closer this time, echoing in his head like a heartbeat.
"Come to me."
His eyes snapped open. The window was open, the curtains fluttering wildly even though there was no wind. A faint red mist seeped into the room, curling around his legs.
Something within him whispered to move — not in fear, but in longing. His feet carried him to the door, down the street, through the empty park until he stopped at the abandoned shrine by the woods.
The same place where Hana had first appeared after moving back.
A single lantern flickered at the entrance, bathing the old shrine in dim, golden light. And there — standing in front of it — was Hana.
She turned slowly, her crimson eyes meeting his.
"Toshio," she said softly, her voice trembling. "You came."
He took a step forward, his voice caught in his throat. "Hana… what's happening to us?"
She smiled faintly. "The mark chose you. You can't fight it anymore."
"Mark?"
"The bond between us," she whispered, reaching out a hand. "It's the echo of what we once were… and what we're meant to be again."
He felt his heartbeat quicken as he looked at her — at the girl who had always been both his warmth and his mystery.
"What are you, Hana?" he asked finally.
Her smile faded. "Something I shouldn't be. But something that loves you still."
She leaned closer, her fingers brushing his chest — right over the mark. A surge of warmth shot through him, his vision spinning with red and gold lights.
"When this mark burns brightest, the truth will awaken… and so will I."
Then she stepped back, her eyes glowing. "But remember this, Toshio. Every echo of love comes from a wound that never healed."
Before he could speak, the wind howled — and she vanished.
He fell to his knees, gasping, the mark blazing under his skin like fire.
A Whisper in the Dark
That night, as Toshio sat on the floor clutching his chest, his phone buzzed.
An unknown message appeared on the screen:
[The Mark of Echos has activated.][Synchronization: 12%.][Warning: Emotional instability detected.]
His hands trembled. "The… mark of echoes?"
And then a new message flashed:
[Quest Unlocked: The Voice in the Mark.]
[Objective: Discover the truth behind Hana's existence.]
He stared at the screen until the words faded — replaced by one final line that made his heart stop.
[Hint: The one you love may no longer be human.]