Chapter 65: Shadows of Trust
The morning sun cast a golden hue over Hoshikawa City, but inside Naoto's heart, the warmth could barely touch the storm raging within. He stood silently at the window of his room, watching the city wake up. The chirping of birds, the gentle rustle of wind against the windowpane—none of it reached him. The memory of the previous night played on repeat in his head: Rika's trembling voice, Himari's words, Souta's confusion, and that strange message from the anonymous number.
"Meet me tonight. I have answers."
He hadn't slept. How could he? His mother was getting worse. His father's name kept resurfacing in hushed conversations, and every step he took forward with his friends brought the weight of a truth he wasn't ready to share.
Flashback—Two Years Ago:
"Naoto, promise me something," his mother had said, her voice weak yet gentle as she lay in the hospital bed. Her eyes, despite the pain, were still warm.
"Anything, Mom," Naoto replied, his hands tightly gripping hers.
"Don't let your father's past define your future. You are more than the weight he left behind. You are my son."
That moment was carved into his soul like an oath. And yet, everything now seemed to point back to his father's shadow—the very thing he'd tried so hard to escape.
—
Later that day, in the school rooftop garden—an unusually quiet space shielded from the noise below—Rika found Naoto seated alone on the wooden bench.
"You didn't reply to any of our messages," she said, her tone laced with concern and quiet frustration.
Naoto didn't turn to face her. "I didn't mean to worry anyone."
Rika stepped closer, her expression tightening. "You're doing it again. Locking yourself away. I know you're going through something, Naoto, but we're not just classmates anymore. We're—"
She paused.
"We're what?" Naoto asked, finally turning to her, his eyes tired but searching.
Rika bit her lip. "We're people who care about each other. Isn't that enough of a reason to be honest?"
The wind stirred her hair as silence settled between them. Finally, Naoto spoke.
"I want to tell you everything. But I can't. Not yet. Not until I understand it myself."
From behind the garden wall, Himari listened. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but something about Naoto lately had made her uneasy. She remembered their last real conversation—the look in his eyes when he spoke about his mother, his hesitations, his burdened silence.
Flashback—A Month Ago:
"Promise me, Naoto," Himari had said, holding his gaze. "When things get too heavy, you'll talk to me. Even if you can't explain everything. Just... let me carry some of it."
He had nodded then. But now?
—
Evening fell quickly, painting the sky in streaks of violet and deep crimson. Naoto found himself walking alone toward the outskirts of the city, where an old train station stood abandoned and forgotten. It was the place the anonymous message had pointed to.
His footsteps echoed against the cracked pavement as he stepped into the shadow of the station. Rusted rails stretched into the distance, choked by overgrown grass. The silence was oppressive.
"Naoto Hayashi," a low voice called.
Naoto turned sharply. A man stepped from the shadows. Tall, cloaked in a dark coat, his face obscured by a hood.
"Who are you?" Naoto demanded.
"Someone who knows your father."
Naoto's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
"To give you the truth. But the truth has a price. Are you ready for it?"
Naoto hesitated. Then he nodded.
The man stepped closer. "Your father didn't just disappear. He was erased. And the ones who did it... they're closer than you think."
Naoto's heart thudded. "What do you mean?"
The man handed him a small flash drive. "This has everything. Documents, messages, records. But be careful who you trust. Even those who seem innocent might be wearing masks."
Before Naoto could say anything else, the man melted into the shadows, leaving only silence behind.
—
Back at home, Naoto plugged the flash drive into his old laptop. A folder opened—labeled simply: "SHADOWS."
Dozens of files popped up.
A document titled "Hayashi Family Incident."
Another: "Kaito Shirosaki – Double Identity?"
Naoto's eyes widened.
Kaito Shirosaki?
That was Himari's father.
He opened the file. As his eyes scanned the text, his blood ran cold.
Documents tied Kaito to a covert project under Shinji Hayato's company—a project that had been deemed illegal and dangerous. One that had affected multiple families, including his own. His mother had worked there... and was exposed to something that triggered her condition.
The screen blurred as Naoto's thoughts spiraled.
Inner Monologue:
How much did Himari know? Was she just caught in this like me? Or did she... was she protecting me from something?
The next morning, Naoto met the group at their usual spot near the riverside. Everyone seemed cheerful, but Himari's eyes kept darting toward him.
"You okay?" she asked softly.
Naoto hesitated. "We need to talk. Just us."
They walked in silence until they reached the bridge.
"I know about your father," Naoto said finally.
Himari stiffened.
"What do you know?"
"That he was part of a project. That it hurt people. That my mother—"
Himari stepped back. "No. Naoto, it's not what you think. My father tried to stop it. He was the one who exposed it. That's why we've been living under fake names. Why we moved to Hoshikawa. He's not the villain here."
Naoto's voice cracked. "Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know how to. Because I was scared. Because I thought maybe, if I just stayed by your side, I could protect you the way he wanted to."
The pain in her voice was raw, real.
Naoto felt like the ground beneath him was slipping away.
Behind them, Rika stood frozen, having heard everything.
Three lives—entangled in shadows, trust, and half-truths—collided beneath the quiet gray sky.
The wind picked up.
And somewhere in the distance, a storm threatened to return.
—