Chapter 7 – Shadows and Secrets
I spent the whole day waiting for the final bell like it held the key to everything. At some point, I forgot to breathe. My notebook was full of meaningless scribbles—random shapes, half-written sentences, anything to distract myself. I even tried counting down every second in six hours. I gave up around the 487th mark.
But finally, the last bell rang.
Hinata had asked to meet me on the rooftop. Her message had ended with: "I want to talk to you"
That phrase never comes lightly.
As I walked there, my steps felt light at first. Then they got heavier. Was this a joke? Some weird setup? Maybe I'd misunderstood everything and built hopes out of thin air. I could almost hear the inner voice saying, you should just turn around and forget this ever happened.
But Hinata wasn't like that.
At least, I didn't want her to be.
I pushed the rooftop door. A breeze brushed my face. She stood there under the noon sun, her red hair glowing as if the light itself had chosen her. A few strands danced in the wind, and on her lips was that familiar, flawless smile.
But her eyes…
Her eyes were different.
Darker.
More real.
She looked at me as if she'd already made up her mind about something. It made me flinch—just a little. I even considered stepping back.
"Ah, Akiyama-kun," she said, hands gently clasped behind her. "You came."
Of course I came. You asked me to.
I opened my mouth to speak, unsure of what would come out—
SLAM.
The door shut hard behind me.
"Hinata."
A voice, cold and sharp. I turned.
There stood a tall boy with brown hair. His uniform was unbuttoned at the collar, tie hanging loosely. His eyes held… nothing. A kind of emptiness that made it seem like the world bored him.
---
That was Ren Ishikawa.
He'd transferred to our school two days ago, and somehow, in those two days, made everyone uneasy.
He didn't do "tolerance."
"Coach wants you. Now."
Hinata's expression shifted. Just a crack—barely visible. But I saw it. Then she composed herself.
"Ah, right! I'll be there in a second." She turned to me.
"I'm sorry, Akiyama-kun. Another time…"
Another time.
Before we could even say what we meant to say, the moment was already gone.
Ren looked at me.
Not like a person.
More like something he didn't care to understand.
Then he shrugged and turned around.
Hinata followed.
The door closed.
And I was left alone.
---
As I walked out of school, I felt something crawl down the back of my neck.
Someone was watching me.
I turned quickly.
In the crowd—
Was that... him?
Someone in a black hoodie. Tall. Face hidden.
But I knew.
He was looking right at me.
Our eyes met.
Then—he vanished.
My phone buzzed.
Akiyama Takashi. Watanabe Tenjiro, Attorney. Come to my office. 5:00 PM.
My breath caught.
Watanabe.
My grandfather's lawyer.
The one who'd told me about the inheritance.
---
Finding the office wasn't hard. It was closer than I thought—almost suspiciously convenient.
After a short greeting, Watanabe Tenjiro sat at his desk and motioned for me to take the seat across from him. He had gray hair, sharp eyes—like someone who'd seen far too much and trusted far too little.
Without much delay, he handed me a folder.
"Your grandfather's death wasn't an accident, Takashi."
I opened it.
A photo.
My grandfather.
And the hooded boy.
Watanabe's voice was calm. But there was steel underneath.
"They're watching you."
What now!