The day after the festival
The scene opened inside a Bedroom
Moonlight spilled gently across the wooden floor of Ruri's bedroom, painting pale silver patterns through the open window. The night was quiet, except for the soft clock ticking on her wall.
Ruri lay on her bed, unmoving, her eyes wide open as she stared blankly at the ceiling. Sleep evaded her; her mind was too entangled in the memories of the festival. Her schoolbooks sat untouched on her desk, their pages fluttering slightly in the breeze.
But her thoughts weren't on her homework. They were focused on that moment on him.
"Was it connected to my dream?" she wondered, her eyebrows slightly furrowing.
Her mind drifted to Ryo and how he had reacted. So calm. Unshaken. As if witnessing that strange phenomenon was just... expected. Familiar. "Had he seen something like that before?" There was a weight to his silence that night, one she couldn't quite place. He is a mystery...
Her gaze shifted toward the charm resting on her desk. She remembered how it had glowed at the festival, faint but unmistakable, as if trying to send a message. "Was it protecting me? Or... warning me?" A chill ran down her spine. There was something deeper at play, something she wasn't meant to understand yet.
Then, the memory of the old woman resurfaced, the one who had given her the charm. "Why did she give it to me?" It didn't feel like a gift. It felt... intentional.
Ruri sat up slowly, her eyes fixed on the charm beside her forgotten homework. The soft glow was back, flickering under the dim lamplight. She rose from her bed and walked toward the desk, drawn to it. Her fingers curled around the charm. Suddenly, a faint sound of a creak. She froze. Her head turned toward the door, which was slightly ajar.
In the sliver of darkness between the hinges, a figure stood, unmoving. Watching. A shadow in the night.
Panic surged through Ruri's chest.
Without thinking, she spun on her heels and rushed back to her bed, her heart pounding. She dove under the covers, clutching the blanket tightly over her head as if it could shield her from what she had seen. Her breathing grew shallow. The image of the shadow, still, silent, and watching, was burned into her mind.
In the dark, she reached for the charm she had taken from her desk. She held it close, hugging it tightly to her chest. "Please... if you're protecting me, do it now." She closed her eyes and waited, counting her breaths, willing her racing heart to calm. Moments passed, long, heavy moments filled with dread and uncertainty. But eventually, courage stirred within her, a tiny, flickering spark. She threw the blanket off and stepped toward the door.
Her fingers hesitated on the handle, then slowly pulled it open. The hallway outside was empty. No shadow. No figure. Just silence.
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The scene shifts next day, inside the classroom
Ruri slumped into her seat, her eyes heavy with exhaustion.
Her head barely lifted as Koharu leaned closer, her voice filled with concern. "You had another bad dream, didn't you?" Ruri didn't answer at first, but her face said enough.
Koharu sighed, brushing a hand through her short hair. "That's the second night. You look like a ghost."
Ruri tried to smile, but it faltered. "I'm fine," she mumbled. "Just... weird stuff again." A few seats away, Ryo sat with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He wasn't looking at them, but it was clear he was listening.
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The scene shifts to Later, after all Morning Classes ended
The sun was warm, and a soft breeze rustled through the trees as Ryo walked through the school grounds. He wandered until he found a quiet, open field. The grass was tall, and the world was peaceful. He lay down, letting his eyes close as the sounds of nature lulled him into stillness. But peace never lasted.
"Ryo!" He opened one eye to see Ruri approaching, her lunch in hand.
"Come eat with me," she said plainly.
"I'm fine," Ryo replied, his eyes drifting back toward the sky.
Ruri frowned. "Just for a while."
"I said I'm fine," he said
Her tone shifted to serious. "I need to talk to you. About that night at the festival." That caught his attention.
Ryo sat up slowly, his expression neutral, but something in his eyes changed.
"What about it?" he asked.
Ruri sat down beside him, her hands clutching her lunch. "There was a figure. I saw it. It wasn't just a trick of the light. You saw it too, didn't you?"
Ryo paused, his gaze dropping to the grass. His voice, when it came, was soft. "I don't know what it was."
"That's not the truth, is it?" she pressed. "You acted like it was normal. Like you've seen it before."
He didn't answer right away. Then, in a low, steady voice, he said, "I don't know what it is. But I know one thing... that something bad is coming."
The words chilled her. She stared at him. "Who... are you actually, Ryo? Why did you come here?'
He looked at her for a moment, his eyes distant and unreadable. "I can't tell you that," he said quietly. "But you'll understand soon enough."
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The scene shifts to the Clubroom
The clubroom buzzed with low chatter as the members gathered after class. Papers were spread across the table, notebooks open, and half-drunk juice boxes littered the space. Minato leaned back in his chair, tossing a pen between his fingers, while Reina stood near the board, discussing something with Koharu.
The door creaked open.
Ruri stepped in, her expression still shadowed from her talk with Ryo. The room quieted a little as she approached.
"What's going on?" she asked, her voice soft but steady.
Reina turned, holding a thin folder in her hand. Her tone was casual, but there was a flicker of excitement in her eyes. "Good timing. The teacher and a town official gave us the green light to continue investigating Street 07."
Ruri froze.
"Street 07...?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Reina nodded. "Yeah. Honestly, I never thought we'd get approval to look into it. Most people avoid that place. There's this weird, unspoken rule that not many dare to go there. Even the town records are vague about it."
Everyone's eyes were on Reina. But Ruri's mind was elsewhere.
Her fingers tightened slightly at her side. That name, Street 07 it struck a chord. Like a string pulled too tight.
As if something was about to happen.
Something inevitable.