Itsuki's POV
Darkness swallowed everything.
I blinked. The air was cold and silent, like holding your breath before something bad happens.
"Hello…?"
No answer. The quiet felt heavy on my chest.
Then—two glowing eyes opened in the dark. My heart jumped. My muscles froze like ice.
A figure stepped out. Familiar. Too familiar.
"Dad?! Why are you here?!"
His face was gentle—same as before. Before everything changed.
"This place…" he said, "is called Magical Destination."
Magical Destination.
I swallowed. Everyone knows that name.
The "heaven" humans dream of. The place people chase strength for.
The place where Father disappeared.
"Dad— what does it mean? Why am I here?!"
He didn't answer immediately. His voice softened.
"You've grown. Take care of Itsuha. And… tell him I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?! Dad wait!"
His body faded into smoke, scattering like ashes in the wind.
"DAD!"
My scream drowned in darkness.
I woke up gasping, chest tight, sweat sticking to my skin. A nightmare—same one.
Itsuha sat on the chair eating toast like a small gremlin who accepted life.
"You yelled again," he sighed. "It's getting weird."
I checked the clock.
"ITSUHA— WE'RE LATE!"
We sprinted through the streets, nearly dying in the process.
On the way he whispered, shy as always:
"Brother… can you give lunch money?"
I blinked.
He hates cafeteria food. That means something's off.
"Of course. I forgot our lunch boxes. I'll buy you something."
He puffed his cheeks.
"Stop treating me like a baby."
"Then stop acting cute."
His ears turned red.
"Shut up."
We reached school—late.
Again.
Chino-Sensei stared like we slapped his ancestors.
"Itsuki. Itsuha. You're late."
"I apologize Sensei— time betrayed us."
Sensei's eyebrow twitched violently.
"You're not betrayed by time. You're betrayed by your own laziness."
Taki sat cool as always—arms crossed, eyes bored.
Calm like a shinobi who already figured out life.
I dropped into my seat beside him.
"You're late again," Taki muttered.
"I'm unique," I whispered back.
"You're irresponsible."
Okay, fair.
Then came the execution: test results.
Tsubaki turned around, disappointment glowing in her eyes like a mom discovering her kid ate sugar for dinner.
"Tell me you passed," she demanded.
"I didn't fail."
"…then?"
"I just didn't exactly pass."
Taki facepalmed so hard the desk shook.
Tsubaki clicked her tongue.
"I swear you're going to give me gray hair. Study. For once."
"But studying is pain."
"SO IS BEING STUPID."
Chino-Sensei slammed the papers down.
"Itsuki. Last again."
The class went quiet.
My soul left my body.
Then Sensei cleared his throat.
"Today's history topic— Magical Destination."
The room suddenly lit up.
Everyone sat straighter. Eyes shining.
Sensei began,
"Long ago, our ancestors discovered Magical Destination. It was called Paradise by the first travelers. A place of power. Strength. And rebirth."
Students whispered, hungry for it.
Everyone dreams of going someday—of becoming strong.
But my stomach twisted.
Itsuha's expression darkened. His voice was low, sharp:
"Paradise? That's a lie."
Sensei paused.
"Oh? Itsuha. Do you know something we don't?"
Itsuha looked away.
"My father went there. First in history. And he never came back."
The class froze.
Whispers crawled through the room.
Taki's eyes narrowed slightly—curiosity hidden behind calm.
Chino-Sensei continued,
"Power requires pain. That is the law of any world. Magical Destination is worth it."
I snapped.
"Worth it? You say that like you've been there! People die for that stupid place—"
Sensei's eyes hardened.
"You want power, Itsuki. Don't pretend you don't."
My fists clenched.
"Of course I want power! Who doesn't?!"
Taki glanced sideways—expression unreadable.
Tsubaki bit her lip, whispering,
"You're chasing something that will hurt you."
For a second, something in her eyes flickered.
Worry. Care. Maybe more.
But she pushed it away like it didn't exist.
Class ended eventually. I survived.
Outside, Tsubaki bumped my shoulder.
"Get serious about life, okay? You can't protect anyone like that."
It stung because it was true.
Taki walked beside her, quiet. His eyes softened slightly as she talked—just a second, almost invisible, but it was there.
A small crush.
Silent. Unspoken. Sasuke-coded.
But Tsubaki's gaze… always drifted toward me.
We headed toward the station—laughing a bit, arguing a bit.
Then we heard screaming.
A man stumbled out of an alley—body wrapped in thick black steam. Like shadows alive.
His skin twisted. His voice cracked into sharp static.
"HELP ME— HELP— HELP—!!"
The black steam snaked around him, crawling like living snakes wrapping his throat, his limbs.
His eyes rolled.
His bones cracked under his own weight.
Taki stared calmly—calculating, unreadable.
Tsubaki grabbed our sleeves, panic shaking her voice.
"Don't go near that! We're leaving!"
"Agreed!" I yelled. "Immediate retreat!"
We ran.
The man kept screaming—
until the black steam swallowed his voice.