~ Ayano's Pov ~
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'It's already 11 AM...?' I must have really dozed off. My mind was completely shredded after pushing my self so much, but it was well worth it.
Vrrm~
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Vrrm~
Looks like I've gotten some messages from... Chisaki?
I opened it up, reading. "Good morning, I just wanted to ask if you're ok?"
I looked down further, "By the way, I won't be able to come over for a while. Just in case you were wondering. My situation is a little bit complicated with my mother... Speaking of..."
"Did anything weird happen yesterday? I feel like she's changed, somehow."
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I sat there for a second, just staring at that last message.
Changed...?
I thought back to yesterday for a bit. With the sudden arrival. No real warning, no call. Just her, standing there like she'd already decided the outcome of every conversation before it even started... That whole team she brought along didn't feel like something she pulled together last-minute. It was definitely planned out.
But, that wasn't the issue here, was it.
I quickly texted her back. "Well, not really, I guess. She did eat over twice, she seemed like she liked it, but that's really it on my end." Still, I sent it off before I could second guess myself. I couldn't give an appropriate answer to her question since, I didn't exactly know her mother, but even then.
In fact, I sort of got the impression that what she did yesterday wasn't exactly typical of her either, but who am I to judge, right?
I looked below, seeing that Sekai had texted me as well...
"Hey sleepyhead, I just wanted to ask if you could come over at my place, so we can hang out."
I stared at Sekai's message for a few seconds longer than I needed to. Something about the casualness of it caught me a little off guard. But I shook it off. I didn't want to sit around and obsess over someone else's mom, especially not when I had my own things to focus on, like my training.
I cracked my knuckles, thumbed open Sekai's message again, and started typing.
"Sure. Give me a bit to shower and get ready, I'll head over soon." I hit send, and stared at the screen a moment longer, before deciding to shower.
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~ Third Person Pov, 20 minutes later... ~
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A small, almost involuntary smile danced at the corners of Sekai's lips as she set her phone down on the table. The message replayed in her mind, simple and unassuming, yet somehow enough to make her chest feel just a little lighter.
'He was coming over.'
She turned toward the mirror across her room, brushing a hand through her hair as if to check whether she looked okay—even though there was still time. She hadn't even decided if they were going to stay inside or walk somewhere. Not that it mattered. Just having him here, in her space, away from the others… it felt, rare.
She glanced toward the small pile of things she had cleaned up in her room earlier that morning—pillows fluffed, the tables had been wiped down, snacks restocked in the cupboards. She told herself it was just a small habit. That it wasn't for any one reason. But deep down, she knew that wasn't the case...
She'd been praying, and hoping for something like this. Not the message specifically, but the chance to just… be with him. Alone.
'I know it's a tiny bit unfair... but, a girl's got to strike!' She thought resolutely.
She got up off her bed, and headed downstairs once again. This time, she saw her mother who was busy watching television.
"Okaa-san. I've invited someone over, he'll be here soon. Is that ok?" Sekai said.
Her mother turned to her, surprised written across her face. "Really? When was the last time you've brought someone over honey."
Sekai tried not to fidget as she stood at the base of the stairs, her hands gently folded behind her back. "It has been a while..." she admitted, her voice soft, but not unsure. "But it's nothing huge. Just... a friend."
There was a brief pause. Her mother had blinked, setting down the remote. "A friend, hmm? Is he from your class?"
Sekai nodded. "Ah, yeah. He's... a really good friend."
Her mother gave a smile then—warm, knowing, maybe just a little too knowing. The kind of smile only moms had, that said I understand more than you think without uttering a word. "Well, you've clearly gone out of your way to make things nice. So, I won't pry." she said with a wink. "But I'll try not to be around too much. You two can have your privacy."
Sekai blinked, cheeks coloring slightly. "I-It's not like that!" she shot back quickly, waving her hands, though she knew her defense was too late. Her mother was already chuckling, standing up and stretching.
"Relax, sweetheart. I'm just teasing you." She giggled slyly. "I'll be in the garden, trimming those awful hydrangeas. You just enjoy yourself."
Sekai exhaled, trying to tamp down the warmth in her face. "Okay. Thanks, Okaa-san…"
As her mother headed out the back door humming to herself, Sekai lingered for a moment in the living room, running her fingers lightly along the edge of the couch before making sure the cushions were all just right. She checked the window. He wasn't here yet.
'Yo-sha!'
She hurried back to the kitchen, grabbing a tray and starting to lay out some of the snacks she'd been quietly stockpiling over the past few days. She wasn't trying to impress him… not really. At least, that was what she told herself. She had honestly just wanted him to feel comfortable. At home.
But even as she tried to keep things casual, her thoughts betrayed her. 'I wonder if-if he'll notice... that I'm trying a little harder today?'
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Sekai's mother gently hummed a lighthearted tune as she moved through the garden, shears in hand and a basket beside her filled with soft lavender clippings. The early afternoon sun filtered down through the trees, casting a warm golden light over the backyard. The scent of trimmed leaves, soil, and early summer flowers lingered in the air.
"Humm... Humm... Hum-Huh-Hum-Huh-Hummm~" Sekai's mother hummed while she was tending to the plants.
Of course... The peace didn't last.
"Excuse me, ma'am~"
She turned sharply. Two men were standing just past the low hedge, partially hidden behind the gate. At first glance, she thought they might be delivery workers—until she caught the glint in one of their eyes. Unsettling. Too casual. Their clothing didn't match either—one wore a wrinkled jacket, the other a black shirt stretched over wiry muscle...
"Excuse me gentlemen, bit this is private property." She said softly yet firmly, straightening up. "You can't be here."
One of the men stepped forward with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Ah, sorry. We're just looking for someone. A friend. Sekai-chan, right?"
'H-How do they know my daughter's name?' She thought, freezing up, instantly. The mention of the name sent a ripple of doubt through her—but it didn't last. Regardless, Sekai had only mentioned one person coming over today. These two looked far too old to be her peers. Too off.
"She only invited one person... And he's not either of you." she said sharply, stepping back, bit by bit.
The other man chuckled... "Well, maybe we're new friends, huh? You just could introduce us."
They kept advancing, their steps slow but purposeful. Her breath hitched... Her grip on the shears tightened, but her hands were trembling. "I said leave," she warned, her voice rising. "Right now, or I'm calling the—"
She turned, ready to rush inside—but a hand grabbed her wrist tightly.
"Aww~ don't, run! That's rude, ya' bitch!" the man murmured in her ear, reeking of stale cigarettes and something worse. "Besides... looks like we found ourselves a thick one." He said, sniffing her hair and then her neck.
Her eyes widened with horror, fear and disgust. She struggled, trying to twist free, but his grip was essentially ironclad.
"L-LET ME GOO!!!"
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Inside, Sekai froze mid-step at the sudden sound.
A scream.
Her mother's voice, shrill and panicked, rang out from the garden. Sekai's heart stopped. She dropped the cup she was holding—porcelain shattering on tile—and rushed to the window.
Her eyes widened in disbelief. 'Oh no!'
Two strangers, leering, looming over her mother—one of them had her arm pinned, laughing as she tried to fight back.
"Stop—! G-Get away from her!" Sekai shouted through the glass. Her fingers fumbled for her phone. "I-I'm calling the police!"
"Do that..." one of the men called out without turning around, "and we'll kill her."
Sekai froze up, breath catching in her throat. Her hand shook. She didn't know what to do anymore.
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Cleek~
The front gate clicked open slowly.
Ayano stepped inside just as the final words were spoken—just as he heard, kill her.
Everything in his body stilled. His eyes narrowed instantly. He laid his eyes on the scene: one man gripping a woman by the wrist, another looming just behind him, both grinning as if they owned the place.
Ayano's jaw clenched while he continued walking forward...
"ASSHOLES!!! Let! Her!! Go!!!"
Both the men turned around. They weren't impressed at the act. The one closest to the woman smirked, brandishing a knife from his coat. "What the hell is this?" He laughed. "A little brat here to play hero?"
He lunged in saying, "Ya' should have stayed home kid!"
Ayano on the other hand didn't move an inch from where he stood. His gaze sharpened. His already blue eyes had gotten even colder.
Then—Fwish~
Crack!
Ayano's fist shot forward in a blur—too fast to even track. A sickening crunch followed, and the man was launched backward by a few meters, his face was caved in, before he went crashing into a flowerbed with a dull thud. He didn't move again.
The second man stumbled, staring in disbelief as his partner laid crumpled in the dirt...
"Wha? What the fuck!?"
The second man didn't waste time on words. He bolted.
Ayano didn't give chase immediately—he glanced back, eyes checking Sekai and the woman first. Sekai stood pale and breathless by the window, even from where he was. He could see the phone trembling in her hand...
Sekai watched as her mother had collapsed on to her knees, shaking, clutching the wrist that had been gripped so cruelly just moments ago. But she was conscious. Still breathing...
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'Is fate playing some sick fucking prank on me?'
He thought bitterly, and on instinct, he clenched his jaws tightly. To him. This... This was, enough. His eyes flashed a cold frost like hue... This was the third time Ayano had seen something like this. But his second, his second was just the after effect of men... No! Worms like these.
Fwish~
...
Ayano nearly vanished from the spot entirly
The escaping man hadn't made it more than two steps toward the hedge before Ayano appeared in front of him like a ghost. The thug skidded to a halt, eyes wide with horror, trying to pivot mid-run.
But Ayano didn't let him.
Blam!
Another blow—this time, it was a straight directly into the solar plexus. Air practically blasted out of the man's lungs, while his body folded inward like a snapped umbrella. He instantly dropped and curled to the ground choking, wheezing, completely neutralized...
Ayano had stood over the man, silent, fists trembling visibly—not from exhaustion, but from restraint.
He hadn't killed them... He almost had. Truthfully... He wanted to. He looked down, as if, tempted by something otherworldly to go through with it. His fists were clenched so tightly, it was as if he was ringing or gripping the air itself.
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'He... He saved me...'
Sekai's mother got up, quickly realized that this was the person that Sekai must have spoken about. She ran towards him to thank him for the help. But, as she tried to turn him around, a glow in his sharp eyes that seemed to freeze her in place.
She tensed up, seeing his expression that showed am emotionless glare. She felt as though they contained endless hate... Because of this, she was feeling even more afraid. Coupled with the fact this his face had bloodstains across it, made the situation worse.
However, seeing that the woman was safe, Ayano instantly calmed himself... The cold faintly glowing hue in his eyes now disappeared, it softened considerably; returning to normal, now revealing a much deeper, yet softer shade of blue.
"Are you... Ok, miss?" He asked, gently.
Sekai's mother paused, startled by the sudden shift. It was like the air had finally loosened its grip on her chest. That, gentleness—so at odds with the steel she'd just witnessed—was what ultimately broke through. Her fear didn't disappear entirely, not right away, but it definitely began to fade. Her hands were still trembling, yet something in Ayano's voice, in his softened gaze, now gave her more than enough to hold onto...
"I... I think so," she managed, her voice weak, but steadying. "Thank you. I—" Her words hitched again as she looked past him to the men, now unconscious and sprawled in her once-peaceful garden like broken dolls. "You... You saved my life."
Ayano didn't respond to the praise, nor did he look proud either... If anything, he seemed quietly haunted, and she could tell—his eyes flicking once more to the man he'd hit first, noting the angle of the head, the blood in the petals. He was still alive, but only barely.
Slam!
"A-AYANO-KUN!" Sekai shouted.
He turned instinctively, the sound of her voice cutting through the haze like a blade. For a brief second, Ayano saw the fear in her eyes—not of him, but for him. She was at the doorway now, barefoot, arms trembling at her sides, face pale but eyes burning with too many emotions to name. Relief. Worry. Shock. Maybe even something else she hadn't sorted out yet.
Ayano's breath slowed as he stood straighter, the adrenaline fading just enough for the ache to creep in—tightness in his knuckles, the strain across his shoulders. Still, his voice came out steady.
"I'm fine, Sekai..." he said, just loud enough for her to hear. "They're not going to hurt you both now."
Sekai ran to her mother first, kneeling beside her, arms wrapping protectively around her shoulders. Her mother leaned into her, drawing strength from the contact, though she never took her eyes off Ayano. Not out of fear anymore—but awe, maybe. A quiet realization that the boy her daughter had let into her world was something very different from what she imagined.
"Sekai… I'm so sorry I didn't scream sooner." her mother whispered shakily. "I was… so scared..."
"You did scream. That's why I knew," Sekai whispered back, holding her tightly. "It's okay, okaa-san. You're okay now."
Ayano heard it, okaa-san. Now he knew exactly who this lady was... And why Sekai seemed so close to her.
He stepped forward, then hesitated. Something in him resisted intruding on their moment, despite everything. His fists were slowly unclenching now, blood drying on the skin, and he was aware—painfully aware of the kind silence he brought with him...
"I should, call someone..." he finally said. "Police, or… I don't know. Someone who can deal with them properly."
Sekai looked up at him. "Wait!" she said, still holding her mother. "Please, just wait for a second..."
He stopped...
She looked him in the eye then. Really looked. And for the first time, she saw the tiredness behind them—not physical exhaustion, but something deeper... Even she could tell he was a bit off compared to usual.
"Thank you..." she whispered, her voice cracking, she then hugged him, tightly. "For saving her. For coming when you did."
Ayano opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught somewhere behind his teeth. So instead, he gave the faintest nod. And even that felt heavier than it should've. He stood there for a moment, stunned—not because she touched him, but because of how much it meant that she did...
He didn't move off right away. His body was still wound up tight like a spring, and the adrenaline hadn't fully worn off of him as yet. But, her presence was—so close, so raw—had started to chip away at the ice in his veins.
"I didn't do it for thanks..." he finally said, his voice quiet. "But I'm… glad I was here."
He gently placed a hand on her back, just once, just enough. Yet she stared at him, realizing that there smudges of blood across his face—dried, flaking—but Sekai didn't flinch. She didn't even seem to notice. Or maybe she did and just didn't care...
Ayano let out a slow breath and finally pulled back. "We should really make that call now," he said again. "The longer they're unconscious, the more questions we'll have to answer when they wake up."
Sekai nodded, wiping at her face quickly before stepping away to grab her phone again...
Ayano glanced to the side, he looked down at the second man, still barely conscious and groaning faintly. For a second, he thought he swore he saw the bastard trying to speak—maybe even beg—but Ayano didn't want to hear it. Not now.
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However, unknown to both of them, Sekai's mother was also gazing up at him...
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END