In the sterile hospital corridor, Denjo Kazui walked casually while whistling softly, while Fergo Kasugi stepped stiffly beside him, the sound of his dress shoes hitting the marble floor rhythmically.
"Denjo, you are truly insane," Fergo muttered without looking back. "Taking the vessel of the God of Curses as your special student? You know the council will have your head if she loses control again."
Denjo laughed lightly, his hands tucked into the pockets of his black cloak. "Oh, come on, Fergo. Life without risk is boring. Besides, that kid has a pure inner potential. If we kill her now, we'll only let that divine energy search for a new vessel that might be even more evil. Better to tame it under my supervision, right?"
Fergo snorted. "You just want an excuse to skip administrative missions, don't you?"
"Shhh! That's a bonus!" Denjo winked with the eye hidden behind his mask, then disappeared behind the elevator.
A few days later, Hana Mouri's life seemed to return to "normal." At least in the eyes of the public.
Hana sat at her desk in an elite private school. Even though she was a major idol, in this school, she still had to struggle with math formulas that made her want to cry more than when she fought the Grim Reaper. Her bandages were now hidden behind her neat school uniform.
"Hana-chan? Are you daydreaming again?"
Hana started. A boy with neat hair and glasses, Nanami, sat at the desk in front of her, turning his chair around. Nanami was the classmate who most often chatted with her about trivial things.
"Ah, Nanami-kun! No, I'm just... confused by question number five," Hana deflected, giving her signature idol smile.
Nanami stared at Hana for a long time, making Hana's cheeks flush slightly. "You know, the news about the destroyed city is crazy. Many say it was an earthquake, but some say they saw a giant monster. You... you're okay, right? I mean, your agency said you were on leave due to illness. Were you hurt when it happened?"
Hana went silent for a moment. She looked at Nanami, who seemed very worried. "I'm fine, really! Just a bit exhausted from the concert schedule," Hana lied.
"Thank goodness," Nanami let out a sigh of relief, then pulled out a small bear-shaped keychain. "Here, I bought this for you during my vacation yesterday. They say it's a health charm. Wear it, so you don't get sick anymore."
"Eh? Thank you, Nanami-kun! It's so cute!" Hana laughed softly. The comedic moment broke when Ayane suddenly appeared from behind and snatched the charm.
"Ooooh! A love charm, is it?" Ayane teased while running around the classroom.
"Ayane! Give it back!" Hana shouted, her face turning beet red. The noisy atmosphere of the class, the jokes of her friends, and Nanami's small gesture made Hana momentarily forget that she was carrying the burden of the apocalypse inside her body.
After school, the sun began to set. Hana did not return to her luxury apartment. She gripped the black card given by Denjo and followed the coordinates until she reached a quiet outskirt of the city.
Before her stood a complex of old buildings that looked in stark contrast to the modern city. It was an ancient Japanese-style dormitory. The wood looked dull, some parts seemed about to collapse and were overgrown with moss, yet somehow, the building felt very sturdy, as if there was an invisible energy supporting it.
"Is this the place? Stolker? Why... does it look like a haunted house?" Hana murmured hesitantly.
She stepped inside through a creaking wooden gate. The atmosphere was silent, with only the sound of crickets for company. When she reached the central courtyard filled with white sand, Hana stopped.
A young man was sitting on the wooden porch, cleaning a wound on his hand with gauze. This was the same youth Hana had fought on the night of destruction—Denjo's student whom she had slammed into the crater.
Their eyes met.
Hana froze. The youth stared at Hana with a flat expression that was hard to read. The dark circles under his eyes were still there, making him look weary yet handsome under the emerging moonlight.
"You're... one hour late," the youth said coldly.
"S-sorry! There was extra homework at school!" Hana bowed in apology reflexively. "Um... what is your name? Last night I... I'm so sorry!"
The youth stood up, walking toward Hana until only a few inches remained between them. Hana could smell the scent of sandalwood and medicine from his body. Hana's heart beat fast, not out of fear, but because the atmosphere suddenly felt very intense.
The youth reached out his hand, not to strike, but to pick a dry leaf caught in Hana's blonde hair.
"Sento," he said softly. "My name is Sento. From today on, I am the one who will guard you... and perhaps, kill you if that seal breaks."
Hana's face flushed because of the close distance, while Sento continued to stare at her sharply, though there was a flicker of pity in his eyes. In the middle of that ancient, nearly collapsing building, their destinies began to intertwine even more tightly.
To be continued...
Okay, wait for Chapter 2 Part 2