The ceiling fan spun lazily above, casting flickering shadows across the dimly lit dining room. Hikari remained in his seat, hands resting on his stomach as he let out a deep sigh. This had been the best meal he'd had in a long time.
Not only was the food incredible, but the warmth in the room, the shared laughter, and the comfortable presence of Mitsumi made everything feel surreal. His mother's cooking was already amazing, but tonight, something about it felt special. Almost nostalgic.
Across the table, his father had picked up the daily newspaper, flipping through its pages with a tired yet focused gaze. It was always the same—only at night did he find the time to catch up on the world outside work.
Meanwhile, his mother moved with ease, stacking plates and clearing the table with practiced efficiency. Hikari was about to stand up and help when Mitsumi, moving faster than he expected, had already begun assisting.
"Is it okay if I help with the cleaning, Mom? I mean, um, Mrs. Kurayami?" Mitsumi asked, though she had already gathered a few plates in her hands before even waiting for an answer.
His mother chuckled, shaking her head fondly. "Just put them by the sink. And you don't have to be so formal, dear. You can call me 'Mom' or 'Mrs. Kurayami,' but honestly, I'd prefer 'Mum.'"
A wink followed, directed at Hikari, as if she were nudging him toward something. He groaned internally. What was she trying to do?
"And if you want, you can call me 'Dad,'" his father added absentmindedly, still absorbed in the newspaper.
Hikari stiffened. "What are you two saying all of a sudden?!" His voice nearly cracked as he hissed at his dad.
Mitsumi, on the other hand, didn't seem fazed at all. If anything, she looked… happy. A soft smile graced her lips as she continued stacking the plates.
Hikari quickly turned away, grabbing the pitcher and pouring himself a glass of water to regain composure. Shouldn't he be helping with the cleaning instead of standing around?
"Hikari, can you walk Mitsumi home? It's already late, and I'd rather not take chances with the kind of people wandering around at this hour," his mother said.
His father set the newspaper down slightly. "Yeah, just this morning, there was a report about a man being killed. Witnesses claim the suspect changed his foot size—enlarging it before stomping the victim to death." He turned the page, his voice level. "Might just be an exaggeration, but either way, it's best to stay cautious."
Hikari swallowed, his grip on the glass tightening. "Yes, Mum, D—" He stopped himself before completing that word. He already knew this was coming, but it didn't make it any easier.
Lately, irregulars had been causing disturbances across the country. Though their numbers weren't high, those who made their presence known were often the dangerous ones. The world feared them, not just because of their abilities, but because the villainous ones had given the entire group a terrifying reputation. The news painted a bleak picture—violent crimes, mysterious murders, and no heroes stepping up to stop them... or so that's what he heard from Master Ryu during their brief conversation yesterday.
Not that Hikari could do anything about it.
Shoving the thought aside, he grabbed Mitsumi's bag and handed it to her. "Here. Don't forget this."
"Oh! Thanks," she said, taking it from him with a grateful smile.
Don't smile at me like that, he wanted to say. But instead, he simply turned toward the door.
As they stepped outside, his parents lingered at the entrance, watching them go. "Be careful," his mother called.
"Take care of her, son," his father added.
Hikari waved a hand over his shoulder. "Yeah, yeah. We're heading off."
Mitsumi, ever polite, turned and bowed slightly. "Thank you for having me over. Dinner was amazing."
"You're welcome here anytime," his father said. "Dinner will be waiting for you whenever you want to drop by."
For once, that was probably the nicest thing his dad had said all night.
The walk to Mitsumi's house took about fifteen minutes. The streets stretched long and empty, with only the occasional streetlight casting dim pools of light onto the pavement.
Glistening, the stars above were barely visible, their glow drowned out by the city's artificial luminance. Even so, the cold night air bit at his skin, making him shiver slightly.
"It's getting colder," he muttered before shrugging off his jacket. "Here, wear this."
Mitsumi blinked at him. "But aren't you cold?"
"No, I'm fine."
That was a lie. The moment he handed her the jacket, the chill seeped into his bones, making him regret it instantly. Still, it felt right. A gentlemanly thing to do, wasn't it?
Mitsumi smiled and wrapped the jacket around herself. "Thanks, Hikari."
As they rounded a corner, a figure appeared in the distance, walking toward them. At first, Hikari thought nothing of it. Just another passerby. But something felt… off. His pace slowed as his instincts screamed at him.
Under the flickering streetlights, the figure's silhouette wavered. It was broad—larger than an average person, but it wasn't until the next light flickered on that Hikari's stomach twisted into knots.
That man… didn't have the proportions of a normal human.
A low chuckle echoed through the night. "Oh, hello there," the figure greeted in a gravelly voice. "Going somewhere?"
Hikari forced a polite nod. "Good evening."
His grip tightened around Mitsumi's hand as he picked up the pace, trying to move past the man without drawing attention. Every instinct told him to run. There was something terrifyingly unnatural about him.
Then, as they neared him, the worst happened.
The figure shifted. His limbs stretched unnaturally, his body expanding in size. The ground trembled beneath his growing feet.
Hikari turned his head sharply, heart pounding in his chest. This couldn't be real. But it was. His father's words from earlier flashed through his mind—the man in the news, the one who could change his foot size.
This was him.
A cold sweat formed on the back of his neck. The air turned heavy, thick with unspoken dread. Mitsumi clutched onto his sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. "Hikari… what do we do?"
His feet felt glued to the ground, but his mind screamed for him to move. To run. To get Mitsumi away from here.
Because the irregular standing before them…
Was exactly like the one described in the newspaper.
And he was smiling.
The streetlight above flickered again. This time, it went dark. Hikari clutched his chest as an overwhelming pressure overcame him. He knew that a confrontation was inevitable, but whether he could take it or not was up to his resolve.