The weight of Hoshikiri's words lingered in the air like an unshakable presence.
> "The gods are afraid of you."
Aki swallowed hard, his pulse thrumming in his ears. Fear? The gods—those who shaped the heavens, who dictated fate—were afraid of him? A mere human?
His fingers curled into the fabric of his pants. "That… doesn't make any sense."
Hoshikiri remained silent. Her silver-blue eyes held something deeper than hesitation—something close to pity.
Aki felt a bitter chuckle rise in his throat. "I'm just an ordinary person. What could I possibly do that would make gods take notice?"
Hoshikiri hesitated. "You're not ordinary, Aki. The moment you were born, the stars whispered your name."
His breath hitched.
"The gods only know fate as it has been written," she continued. "They see the past, the present, and the future as a continuous thread, weaving together the stories of mortals." She looked at him, gaze steady. "But you… you are something they do not understand."
Aki clenched his fists. "I never asked for this."
A shadow passed over her face. "Neither did I."
The room fell into silence, only the soft hum of the night air filtering in through the open window.
Then—
A sudden pulse.
Aki stiffened. His skin prickled as an unseen force rippled through the air. It was subtle but undeniable—a shift, like the world had taken a sharp inhale and was holding its breath.
Hoshikiri's eyes widened. "They're here."
Aki's stomach dropped. "Who?"
The answer came before she could speak.
The air rippled—and in an instant, his surroundings were no longer his dimly lit room.
---
The Celestial Veil – Between Heaven and Earth
Aki found himself standing on nothing.
Or rather, something invisible yet solid stretched beneath his feet—like walking on air, yet firm enough to hold his weight. Around him, an endless sky stretched in all directions, filled with swirling galaxies, shimmering constellations, and a vast, glowing expanse of stars.
A sharp chill ran down his spine.
He wasn't on Earth anymore.
A gentle hum filled the air, like the resonance of a celestial bell. Then—
They appeared.
Gods.
Three figures materialized before him, their divine forms shifting between light and shadow, radiating an energy that made his knees weaken.
The one in the center stood tall, his presence overwhelming yet restrained. Tsukihikari-no-Kami, the God of Celestial Light. His golden eyes gleamed with an unreadable expression.
To his right stood Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, her luminous aura pulsing like the gentle warmth of morning light.
And to the left—Takemikazuchi, the God of Thunder and War, his form crackling with barely contained lightning. His gaze was not kind.
Aki felt frozen, as if his very breath could tip the balance of something far greater than himself.
Then, Tsukihikari-no-Kami spoke.
"Hoshino Aki."
The way his name was spoken—it wasn't just a name. It was a statement. A judgment. A recognition.
Aki swallowed hard. "W-What is this?"
"You stand at the veil between the mortal realm and the heavens," Tsukihikari-no-Kami said. "A place reserved only for those whose existence has altered the threads of fate."
Aki clenched his fists. "I don't understand."
Amaterasu stepped forward, her voice softer yet still commanding. "The stars have named you, child. And we wish to know why."
Aki frowned. "Shouldn't you be the ones with answers? You're gods, aren't you?"
Takemikazuchi's eyes flashed. "Watch your tongue, mortal." His voice rumbled like distant thunder. "You stand before the divine. Show respect."
Aki's jaw tightened, but before he could speak, Tsukihikari-no-Kami raised a hand. The thunder god immediately fell silent.
"We do not seek to harm you, Hoshino Aki," the Celestial God said, his golden gaze piercing. "We seek to understand."
Aki's breath came shallow. "Understand what?"
Tsukihikari-no-Kami's eyes gleamed.
"Why the stars bend to your will."
A sharp intake of breath.
Aki's mind reeled. His entire life—he had never possessed power, never been special. Yet now, the gods themselves were questioning his very existence.
His hands trembled.
"…I don't know," he admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
Silence stretched between them.
Then—
Tsukihikari-no-Kami did something unexpected.
He smiled.
It was slight—almost imperceptible. But it was there.
"The stars have chosen you," he said, voice softer this time. "And we will watch."
The divine presence around Aki shifted. The space around him rippled—
And then—
He was falling.
---
Back in the Mortal Realm
Aki's eyes flew open as he gasped for breath. His body jerked upright, his heart pounding in his chest.
He was back. Back in his room.
Back in the mortal world.
His vision blurred as he struggled to steady himself. His hands gripped the bedsheets, his breathing shallow.
Beside him, Hoshikiri watched, her expression unreadable.
"…You saw them, didn't you?" she whispered.
Aki swallowed hard. He gave a slow nod.
The gods were watching.
The gods were questioning.
And the stars—
The stars had chosen him.
But for what?
Hoshikiri exhaled softly, as if reading his thoughts.
"…The heavens are waiting, Aki." She looked at him, her gaze both tender and filled with quiet sorrow. "But so is your fate."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Aki pressed a hand to his forehead, exhaling sharply.
Somewhere, far beyond this world, the gods continued to watch.
And deep within his soul—
Something stirred.
---
To be continued…