My entire body was stiff. I found it difficult to run, let alone look back or talk.

A second passed. Then two. Three. Four.

“Ah? It's just someone passing by. Smells funny though.”

That was supposed to be my line, hooded, smelly figure.

But I said nothing as my gaze stayed on the horizon.

“I thought he could see for a second. I mean of course, if he could, he would've either fought or turned around.”

With a sigh, footsteps came from behind me, each one sounding smaller as they went on.

“It seems I'm too tired right now to think straight. I’ll head back tonight, and see what’s here again.”

The footsteps vanished, alongside with the voice.

My head slowly turned back.

Where that cloaked figure had been was now filled with air.

I turned around and bolted. 

Maybe I was tired too.

As I approached my house, my breathing slowed. 

Panting, I looked back.

The trees shook gently. Flower petals blew on the ground.

There was no sign of that hooded figure that approached me.

“What was that…”

I rubbed my forehead. 

Brightful City rarely had crime, so it was bizarre to come across such people. Even more bizarre, was his reaction to my freeze up. I wonder if I had moved there, would I still be breathing now?

Alas, such questions were irrelevant. I survived, and that's all that mattered for that. Though I found it alarming for such a person to be so close to my house.

I ran into a creepy weird dude. He remarked he was going to kill me, and then changed his mind.

The sentence sounded like nonsense. 

But even so, I wanted to bring it up to my sister to keep her alert.

My eyes wandered to the yellow, lit windows.

Kazane, huh.

What time even was it now?

I made my way to the door, pressing the doorbell. 

In a surprisingly short time, the door opened andー

“I wonder what took you so long.”

My sister stood in front of the door, her hands on her hips as she glared at me.

Her brown, shoulder length hair clung to her neck, clearly wet. 

As I observed her face, I figured her eyes were actually glaring at the ramen in my bag.

“Ah, unfortunately, you're big bro ran into a large group of people from school and got carried away in a talk.”

“Somehow your excuse is more nonsense than what I could ever imagine.”

“ーーhk! I-is it that obvious!?”

“The moment Lonelyato had mentioned people from school, I could tell Lonelyato was bluffing.”

In response to my gagging, Kazane sighed and turned around, before walking up the stairs. Not questioning me more, she looked back at me.

“What are you waiting for? It's dinner right?”

“Ah? Oh yeah.”

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

I stared at my sister's pensive face as she slurped her ramen.

“Ah, please look happier as you eat the rest of my net worth.”

“Hah?”

My sister looked up from her bowl. A piece of noodle hung on her chin. Her eyebrows furrowed.

“I told you to use my money when you order. Nomoneyato’s account is going to end up negative.”

“My card was saved to the website, so it was easier.”

Kazane stared at me for a second.

Then, a sigh escaped her lips. She put a hand on her forehead.

“No wonder why I never got a notification. Lazyato is too lazy to enter a different card number, and yet had the motive to fetch it. Something Lazyato has never done.”

“Don't put it like that!”

Digging in her pocket, Kazane pulled out some paper and coins. Those ended up in front of me.

I counted 1500 yen. Truth was, the meal cost 2000 yen. But I couldn't care less.

“W-well, just because you paid me back doesn't mean you shouldn't be eating happily!”

“Lazyato makes it sound so easy to just eat happier.”

Kazane crossed her arm as she leaned back.

Her arms slowly fell to her sides, and the muscles in her face loosened.

When she gazed at me again, her expression was much softer.

“Better?”

“Yeah…”

Kazane went back to eating her noodles. Unlike last time, her eyes were opened as she stared into her bowl. 

Not much of an improvement. She finished with her last noodle, setting her fork on the table. I frowned.

“By the way, did something happen during practice?”

The moment she heard my question, she let out a sigh. Her arms crossed again, the pensive look on her face returning.

“I finally was able to use my ability.”

The moment those words entered my ears, the fork in my hand fell and hit the table.

“R-really!? That's good then!”

“That's the only good part.”

“Good part? You mean there's a bad part?”

With another sigh, Kazane leaned back in her chair and hid her face under a hand.

“Every time I summon a wind, even the smallest, I get a really bad feeling of nausea.”

“Nausea?”

“For example…”

She narrowed her eyes and lifted her hand. At that moment, my skin felt the air warming up. A gush of energy rushed past me.

“FU Shatter!”

A gust of wind. The fork in my bowl flew up into the air. It spun as it maintained its altitude, a fan beneath it. Thenー

“ーーpk!”

The fork landed into my bowl with a large clang.

Kazane coughed as she clutched her chest, breathing heavily.

I stood up.

“Hey! Don't just blow things around if it makes you feel that bad!”

“No need to…”

Kazane coughed.

“N-no need to worry. The effects go away pretty fast.”

She took deep breaths, as the hand around her shirt tightened. I frowned.

“You sure you're okay?”

“Y-yeah... Mama did say it was a problem with low energy, since I just started.”

The fingers clutching her chest loosened, her hand finding its way in front of her face. She observed her fingers as she breathed.

“Though she also said if I practiced enough, it should fix in a few months.”

“That's a-. I see. That's good, right?”

The words I had intended to say were choked down.

That's a bit long.

“It's alright. I do wish it was shorter, and maybe if I can work just a bit harder.”

Kazane battered her eyebrows, closing her eyes as her hand fell to her side.

GIRUS. If two months happens, and no GIRUS involved things happen, it would be strange. Particularly because of my dad's warnings.

“Few months, huh?”

The words had unconsciously slipped my mouth. 

“Ayato?”

“It's nothing.”

Kazane raised an eyebrow as she observed my face. She sighed, turning her face.

“If you need to say something, it's better to say it then to expose it then hide it.”

“My bad, my bad. I was just impressed by how little of a time that was. Ahahaha, of course, given that I myself can't use my ability yet.”

Kazane shot me a glance, before snorting.

“I see. It seems I forgot Slyato’s mannerisms.”

 “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing in particular. If you excuse me, I’ll be heading up.”

Without another word, Kazane pushed herself off the table and headed for the stairs.

“Wait Kazane.”

Kazane stopped. She glanced back at me.

“Is there something Ayato wants to say?”

 “...During my walk back, I ran into this creepy strange guy.”

My hands shook as I recalled the moment.

“He said he was going to kill me, but changed his mind.”

“What a guy. He changed his mind?”

“Yeah. He never pulled out a weapon though. Perhaps he was just saying things to get a reaction out of me. Do be wary about walking around at night.”

“I see. I’ll take care.”

Her face turned back to the stairs.

“Though Ayato doesn't leave the house very often, you should take care too. ”

With that, she headed up. Her footsteps as she climbed them sounded farther and farther, until they were gone.

I glanced at the stairs that lead down to the basement.

“And so, let’s try again.”

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

My breath slowed down as I sat on the ground.

After my fourth practice session, it seems I still couldn't use my abilities.

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah.

I couldn't even tell what I was doing. To fail in even activating abilities, despite all the GRS warnings I've heard my dad talk about. At this rate I'llー

“Panickyato, I assume things didn't go well again?”

“ーah? Uwah!”

I jumped. Kazane looked down at me as she stood at the floor in front of me. Her brown hair had dried, tied nicely behind her. 

I covered my face with my hands.

“Y-you scared me!”

“I walked down the stairs normally. Panickyato has no one but Panickyato to blame for being scared by a normal walk.”

“Is Panicky even a word!!?”

“Perhaps not.”

As Kazane watched me cover my embarrassment, she shrugged her shoulders and let out a long sigh.

“Though looking at Sleepyato's eyes, I suspect that's why results aren't showing. Perhaps tomorrow if you sleep well, you will be Luckyato.”

“Sleep huh. Really…”

It was hard to rest when I saw Kazane using her ability. To think that she would surpass me.

“You're most likely right. I will definitely get some sleep.”

Without another word, I slowly limped up the stairs. 

Step. 

Step. 

Step.

I know the patterns of floors. I know the amount of stairs. 

That was a habit of people who looked down.

That was a habit of people who didn't look up.

Precisely, the floor of the stair that I was walking up on was wood tiles lined like bricks. 

And that it took exactly five two-steps to reach my room.

It was the first time since hearing about GRS and KRS.

Hearing about all the abilities I could have.

Hearing about all the things I could do.

Hearing about all the experiences I could enjoy.

That my gaze found itself studying the ground.

Had I given up?

Had I lost hope?

Was it that even with all these abilities and situations, that I would remain the same person?

No, it was something I refused to believe. 

Four nights ago, I announced to the sleeping world.

Ayato Hinode was someone special.

No matter what.

The old life I lived up till then.

I was always wondering if there was something more.

The fact that I could never rise to the top of my class. 

The fact that I could never get close to my dreams of winning things.

The mistake I made back then.

The mistake I made when I found myself watching my failures get announced.

Was that I stopped trying.

At some point, I thought.

That this wasn't my dream.

That this wasn't my goal.

Even if this happens, I won't be happy.

That's why this time…

“No matter what happens…”

There was a mix in the voice. But I couldn't care.

I knew what needed to happen.

I knew what I needed to do.

I won't make the same mistake again.

“I’ll keep moving forward.”

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

My hand shook at the poster in front of me. The few people that walked past me gave me stares.

“What have I been doing?”

After trying my hardest in the morning, I still couldn't get my ability to work. I had taken a walk to relieve my mind. I was frustrated, and meaninglessly practiced on the street.

Of course it wouldn't work. In fact, I didn't even consider the fact what could've happened if my ability did trigger and cause some crap commotion about magic and whatnot in this science-based world.

I stared at the lamp.

It had a smooth, silver texture, with rough flecks of brown on it. In addition, there were posters after posters, plastered to it. Yesterday's news. Tomorrow's news. Advertisements for some clubs.

My eyes closed.

“LI Shatter! LI Exhauire!”

I yelled those words, imagining all the energy in me left and I collapsed like a doll. Nothing.

“LI Shatter! “LI Exhauire!”

I yelled those words, imagining a wave of energy rushing out of me. Nothing.

Pulling my hair in frustration, I let out a groan. No matter what I tried to do, nothing seemed to work. 

What should I do, what should I do?

I needed this to work.

Maybe what I needed was to imagine that the energy release was like taking a large exhale.

That's right. Perhaps that's what I needed to do.

I took a big breath.

“LI Exhaー”

“To be trying to use cursed abilities, are you really that young?”

“ーーhk!”

Behind me chimed a voice that I would never expect or hear again.

Ayaka, the Amari Station owner.

She was sitting away from the lamp. She was wearing the same outfit as I saw her last week, her green shirt that exposed her shoulder, black leggings. 

Her long black hair fell to her shoulders. Her eyebrows were raised, her head tilting to the side. Her lips were pursed as she gazed at me with her aquamarine eyes.

No one surrounded us, the nearest person seemed to have left.

Even the old rusty stores that surrounded us had signs, CLOSED.

The average Sunday in Brightful City. Everything was closed, and so for walks in the city streets, it was relatively rare. And yet, I found myself face to face with Ayaka. 

She let out a sigh. 

"Sheesh, I ran into you twice now doing the weirdest things! Though it's pretty obvious now, I suppose."

Stretching, she burst into laughter. Embarrassed, I quickly waved in front of her. I wonder what would happen if normal humans learned of these GIRUS KRS things.

"No, no, no, t-that's a coincidence! I was just..."

"It wasn't a coincidence at all! Of course I'd come at the sound of someone chanting cursed abilities. You did a really good job at grabbing my attention."

"Hahaha, I suppose that's true... Though I thinkーhk"

Suddenly, I realized what she said.

Cursed Abilities.

The blood in my body ran cold. The hands that waved to her froze, before dropping to my side. My mouth opened, but no words came out.

The smile on Ayaka's face faded.

"Um, is something wrong? Your face looks pale."

"You're one of..."

one of them.

The words trapped in my throat.

one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them. one of them.

The feeling in my chest. It wasn't possible to describe it. 

Surprise, finding out someone else was a KRS. 

Anger, seeing enemies join the story competition. 

Curiosity, seeing an unfamiliar using abilities.

Ayaka tilted her head, seeming to try to understand what I was saying. Then she closed her eyes and nodded to me, while making “mmm, mm” sounds, as if she understood.

"To be honest, that's the question I wanted to ask you. I let it off the first time, because of superb acting and drunk judgment, but this time, there's no doubt."

Ayaka ran her fingers through her hair, giving me a faint smile.

"Your performance on cursed type abilities is probably the best I've ever seen though. In fact, if I was drunk, perhaps I would've believed it."

When she got no response, her smile faded as she battered her eyebrows.

"Come on, it shouldn't be too much of a surprise I'm one of those! We've only met twice, and I don't remember giving the impression of a normal student!"

Seeing my reply, Ayaka let out a loud sigh. She rested her head on her chin, her eyes closed.

"Though it's strange you didn't get the references. I thought I made them pretty obvious."

"ーAyaka."

"E-eh, did I say something wrong!? Why are you lowering your head!? Why are your hands going limp!?"

"ーーーー"

Towards KRS and GRS things, towards my life, towards others.

Feelings were feelings. I didn't want to have the wrong emotions.

Too much I didn't understand, too much I didn't know, for me to make any judgment here. That's why…

My head tilted.

“Sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about.”

"Eh? Eh?"

With a frown, Ayaka stared at me while crossing her arms.

Then, cold pressed against the back of my neck.

"U-uwah!"

My head spun back, and saw nothing but air. A small, soft laughter came from in front of me.

"W-what did you do?"

"J-just a test! I don't mean anything! I promise!"

Ayaka waved her hands in front of her, the corners of her mouth twitching up as she did her best to look innocent.

"Though I suppose it confirms you are a KRS. And it seems to have snapped you out of your daze."

"KRS..."

In response to my confirmation, Ayaka brushed her skirt, before standing up. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Then, she opened one eye and glanced at me.

"Since I'm sure you're going to be thinking about me before you sleep, why not take a walk with me? After all, there’s a pretty place I think you’d like."

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

The sun hung in the sky, giving the afternoon a warm orange tint. Me and Ayaka strolled the idle streets of Brightful City on a weekend, little people around.

“You’ve been awfully silent this whole walk. It's fine to talk about all the KRS stuff, since I’m one. You know, since school stuff is so boring, and I doubt we share any hobbies to talk about.”

Ayaka said so casually, tilting her head as she glanced at me. When she got no response, she furrowed her eyebrows.

“Could it be possible that your cluelessness wasn’t an act?”

Ayaka stroked her chin, observing my face.

Without bothering to look at her, my arms hang loosely by my side.

“I… don’t really know much.”

“I see.  Well then, feel free to ask me anything. Perhaps you’ll start the conversation.”

With that, Ayaka turned back forward and walked as if I wasn’t there.

“ーーーー”

There was a lot of confusion in my mind, and I didn’t want to make any early judgments. In the first place, I hardly knew Ayaka or how much she knew about this KRS stuff.

The only information I had learned up till now was a few things.

KRS was some group of people that used and manipulated energy to use their abilities, which could tire them out. And GIRUS was a different group that also did that, and was trying to kill all the KRSs.

Aside from that I practically had no knowledge of anything. I had no knowledge of how KRSs interacted, how KRSs are organized, or anything of some sorts, which was exactly why I had no idea of what to do in my situation. There was no basis for me to build on, and it surely wasn’t something that I could learn in a single conversation.

That was why I couldn’t come up with any other questions.

“Ayaka… back then, when you found out I was a KRS, were you surprised?”

“Surprised?”

Ayaka suddenly stopped walking, and turned her body to face me.

“No, that’s not the right word.”

The edges of Ayaka’s sleeves lifted and fell in rhythm with the wind, as she stood there. She rocked her head back and forth, as if pondering my question.

“It was more like… Well I suppose I was surprised.”

She put a finger on her chin, before turning away from me.

“To be honest, I was a bit glad. This town’s not a place where you would run into a lot of KRSs here, so it was nice to meet someone who could understand. It’s not like I don’t have a lot to talk about.”

She paused. Then, she shook her head.

“No, I’m just glad to meet someone else in a similar predicament. That’s why for now, feel free to treat me like a friend.”

With that, she brushed some dust, and continued her walk.

“ーLike a friend, huh.”

My voice was silent, and I watched Ayaka’s back as she stepped forward.

“Perhaps I should’ve made more in school. Then perhaps I would have an idea what to do in this situation.”

In front of me, Ayaka stopped.

“Say, Ayato. Why don’t we go to Amari Station?”