Part 1: Utsuro Family
Night had fallen.
Stars glittered above like scattered diamonds.
The full moon bathed the Utsuro household in pale silver light.
Yami Utsuro sat at the dinner table, eating in silence with his parents.
The only sound was the soft clink of chopsticks tapping against ceramic bowls.
He glanced up mid-bite.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Kazuya Utsuro
Age: 47
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Black
Height: 5'11
Weight: 175lbs
Occupation: Doctor
His father, Kazuya, sat stiffly, posture perfect, gaze focused on his food like it was a patient on an operating table. His dark eyes were emotionless.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Misaki Utsuro
Age: 45
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Purple
Height: 5'4
Weight: 105lbs
Occupation: Housewife
His mother, Misaki, stirred her miso soup gently… yet hadn't taken a sip. Her expression was blank, eyes distant behind her glasses.
Yami was used to this.
It had been like this for years now–
The Utsuro family dinner wasn't a warm event.
It was routine.
Silent.
Cold.
He looked at his mother again.
There was something behind her glasses.
A pinch of sadness, buried deep in her eyes.
He didn't know why.
There hadn't been a fight between his parents.
No sudden tragedy.
Just… this silence.
It worried him.
Not enough to talk about it.
Not with Aoi.
Not with Hikaru.
Not even with himself.
And then–
"…Yami."
His father's voice broke the silence.
Yami blinked and looked up. "Yeah?"
Kazuya stared into his bowl before finally meeting his son's gaze. "How are your studies going?"
"Oh – um, good," Yami replied. "I have an exam tomorrow."
Kazuya nodded once. "And you've been studying?"
"O-of course I have," Yami said quickly.
Silence returned.
Yami stared at his father.
He hated this routine.
He wanted to connect with them – to actually feel like a family.
But his father was always at the hospital on night shfits.
Today was a rare occasion… and it was just more of them same.
Still…
He wasn't as worried about his dad.
It was his mother that concerned him.
He saw her every day.
He lived with her.
But she hadn't smiled in so long.
Then–
"How is Hikaru?"
Yami blinked. "Huh?"
It was his mother.
Her voice was soft, hesitant.
"How is Hikaru?" she asked again.
"…He's fine," Yami said slowly. "I guess. He's been busy with university and stuff…"
Misaki nodded. "That's good."
Then silence again.
Yami frowned slightly.
Why Hikaru?
Why ask now?
He glanced at Kazuya for some kind of reaction–
But his father just kept eating.
Yami sighed quietly and dropped the topic.
Memories
After the quiet dinner, Yami retreated to the living room.
He sat down on the sofa in silence.
The glow from the ceiling light washed over the room, soft and dim – like everything else in the Utsuro household.
His mind wandered.
He remembered when he was a child–
Back when his mother used to smile.
Back when she'd play games with him, laugh with him, tuck him in with warmth in her eyes.
But one day…
She just stopped smiling.
No reason.
No warning.
Just… silence.
Yami had long accepted it.
Or at least, he thought he had.
But tonight… something felt different.
Her asking about Hikaru.
Out of nowhere.
And with a tone that didn't match her usual distant demeanour.
That question wouldn't leave him alone.
Sure, their mothers – Misaki and Sayaka – had been friends years ago. It wasn't weird that she'd ask about Hikaru.
But something about the way she asked it–
It felt off.
Yami exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck.
He hadn't talked to Hikaru since the Smoke Incident.
Not properly, anyway.
Hikaru had vanished during the chaos – only to show up later, claiming he was in the bathroom the whole time.
But there is no way.
No way that he would take that long to be in the bathroom.
Yami wasn't stupid.
Hikaru was hiding something.
And then, there was Teshii.
Yami had been suspicious of him from the moment Hikaru introduced him to him and Aoi.
Something about Teshii didn't add up.
Too flashy. Too loud.
Too familiar.
Yami remembered the moment Teshii walked into the cafeteria carrying Hikari – injured, barely conscious.
Teshii left the cafeteria and also rushed to go to the bathroom.
He asked Hikari what had happened.
She'd said the smoke turned into people. Monsters.
It attacked her.
And that Teshii fought them all off and saved her.
It didn't make esense.
Who was he?
More importantly…
Why did he look familiar?
Yami stood, uneasy.
His eyes scanned the living room – and stopped on something.
A photo album.
Photo Album
A photo album.
Sitting quietly on the shelf.
Yami's heart beat a little faster.
He didn't know why…
But something told him to look.
He reached for it, fingers trembling slightly.
Dust clung to the cover as he pulled it down.
He flipped it open.
The first photos were of his father, Kazuya, in his youth.
Snapshots from high school.
Playing basketball.
Laughing with friends.
Wearing a leather jacket – looking like a delinquent.
Then, a graduation photo – diploma in hand, pride in his eyes.
Next to him, in several of them – his mother, Misaki.
They had been together since high school.
Then came the pages of Misaki alone.
There she was, smiling brightly alongside Sayaka – Hikaru's mother – back in elementary school.
They'd been childhood friends, just as he'd heard.
In the high school photos, his mother was… different.
Flashier. Bolder. Radiant.
She and Sayaka looked like they had ruled the halls.
Their popularity practically shimmered off the page.
Then came the wedding.
Kazuya in a clean white suit, sharp and composed.
Misaki in her wedding dress, the happiest he'd ever seen her – at least in a photo.
Then the birth photo.
A younger Misaki held a baby in her arms – him.
She was smiling so brightly it almost hurt to look at.
Yami's expression softened.
He flipped to the final page.
And stopped.
Only one photo remained.
His eyes widened.
Three women stood side-by-side, arms around each other, smiling.
One was his mother, Misaki.
The second – unmistakably – was Sayaka, Hikaru's mother.
The third… was a mystery.
She had long, vibrant red hair that shimmered like firelight, and golden eyes that gleamed even through the faded photo.
She had the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.
But what really caught his attention–
She was holding a baby.
The baby had soft red hair tinged with orange.
And the same glowing, golden eyes as the woman.
Yami leaned in, staring.
"I've never seen her before," he muttered.
His mother had never mentioned a third friend.
Not once.
And the baby?
"…Why do I feel like I've seen this baby before?"
He stared at the image.
A strange tightness curled in his chest.
Then–
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
His phone buzzed.
A text.
Aoi: Hey! Can we talk?
Yami blinked, the moment broken.
He looked at the screen, then typed.
Yami: Sure!
He gently closed the photo album and placed it back on the shelf.
Then he left the room.
Not once did he look back at that photo.
But maybe…
He should have.
Part 2: Adapting to the Modern Life
Meanwhile, that same night…
Hikaru, Haruto, and Teshii made their way back to the safehouse – but this time, they had a new member walking with them.
Moriya Arakawa.
The Element of Wood.
The four walked in silence.
Until–
"Um… where are we going again?" Moriya asked, looking slightly confused.
Everyone turned to him.
"To the safehouse," Teshii said flatly.
"The… what now?" Moriya raised an eyebrow.
Teshii let out a groan. "Oh for fu–"
"Safehouse," Haruto cut in quickly.
Moriya tilted his head. "What's a safehouse?"
"It's… like a huge secret hut," Hikaru offered.
"I see." Moriya nodded, still clearly not seeing at all.
Silence again.
Then–
Teshii blinked.
Wait a second.
Moriya has been living in the forest since birth.
Teshii's imagination began spiralling.
How's he gonna handle a phone? Or a microwave? What's he gonna do when he sees a bidet?
The thoughts hit him all at once.
He snorted. Then giggled.
Then full-on laughed to himself.
Everyone looked at him.
"…What?" Haruto asked.
Teshii wiped a tear from his eye. "Sorry, sorry. Just thinking of something funny."
Hikaru, Haruto and Moriya glances at each other, then, back to Teshii.
Arrival to the Safehouse
The four arrived at the safehouse.
As Hikaru, Haruto, and Teshii walked confidently toward the door, Moriya stood frozen – staring at the building.
"What… is this?" he asked.
Teshii grinned and put an arm around Moriya's shoulder.
"This, Woody… is what we call a building."
"A building?" Moriya raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Woody. A building," Teshii repeated with mock elegance.
Moriya scanned the structure, still confused. "Okay… so where's the safehouse?"
"Huh?" Teshii blinked.
"Hikaru said it was a big, secret hut," Moriya continued. "All I see is a building."
Teshii slowly turned to Hikaru, glaring. "This is why I should be doing the talking."
Hikaru looked away. "Hmph."
Teshii clapped his hands. "Anyway – let's head in Woody."
Moriya hesitated, then nodded.
Inside the safehouse, Moriya's eyes darted around, taking in the modern layout, sleek walls, glowing panels, and massive high-tech monitors.
His face?
Pure panic.
"What is this?" he asked, slowly backing away from a touchscreen.
"This, Woody… is technology," Teshii said proudly. "Say it with me – tech-no-lo-gy."
Moriya glared at him like he just insulted the trees.
Hikaru and Haruto watched from behind, trying not to laugh.
Then–
"Leave him alone, Teshii!"
Everyone turned to the voice.
It was Reina – arms crossed, unimpressed.
Beside her stood Satoshi, stoic as ever.
"Satoshi! Reina!" Teshii waved. "Come meet our tree-hugging friend – Woody."
"…It's Moriya," Moriya corrected, deadpan.
"Right, Woody," Teshii said, ignoring him completely.
Moriya glanced helplessly at Hikaru and Haruto.
"Don't worry," Hikaru said, patting his shoulder. "You'll get used to him."
Satoshi stepped forward, arms folded. "So… this is the Element of Wood?"
Moriya stood tall. "Yes, sir."
"Satoshi," he introduced, extending a hand.
Moriya took it and nodded.
Reina stepped up, offering a soft smile. "Welcome to the Order."
Moriya smiled. "Thank you."
Then – Teshii swooped in again, arm slung over Moriya's shoulders like a proud big brother.
"YES, Woody! Welcome to the Order! You, my friend… are gonna have a lot of fun."
Moriya stared at him in silence.
"…I already regret this."
Moriya's Struggles with Technology
With Moriya officially joining the Order, he was given one mission.
Adapt to modernity.
And it all started…
With a microwave.
Haruto handed him a bowl of food. "Here, just heat this up real quick."
Moriya stared at the microwave like it had insulted his ancestors. "…How?"
Haruto blinked. "Uh. You press the buttons?"
Moriya frowned. His tribal instincts kicked in.
Instead of pressing anything, he placed both hands over the microwave and began to focus – as if trying to channel spiritual energy into it.
Teshii walked into the kitchen.
Saw the scene.
Nearly died laughing. "Woody – you don't need to bless it!"
Moriya scowled. "Then how does it work?"
Teshii chuckled, stepping in and casually pressing the buttons. The microwave hummed to life with a soft whirr.
Moriya immediately tensed.
"…It hums like a beast."
"Yep," Haruto said, smirking. "Now we wait."
Meanwhile, across the room, Hikaru was hunched over a desk, surrounded by textbooks and loose papers.
Haruto noticed Hikaru and walked over. "What are you doing?"
Hikaru let out a soul-deep sigh. "Studying."
"For what?"
"My psychology exam. Tomorrow. And I'm completely screwed."
Haruto blinked. "Wait… you were literally fighting a teleporting mutant hours ago, and now you're worried about a test?"
"Yep."
Just then, Teshii walked in, still grinning from the microwave incident.
Hikaru perked up instantly. "Perfect timing! Teshii, you're my substitute professor, right? Just tell what's on the exam."
Teshii snorted. "Nice try, Sunshine. That's called cheating."
Hikaru pouted. "Come onnn, I'm your student! You're supposed to help me!"
Teshii crossed his arms. "I am helping – by making sure you suffer through it like the rest of us did.
"You're the worst professor ever."
"I try."
Haruto chuckled… until a sudden thought struck him.
"Wait… Teshii, where's Moriya?"
Teshii blinked. "Oh. He's still with the microwave.
"WHAT?!" Haruto shouted, dashing out of the room.
The outburst startled Hikaru, who looked up from his notes. "Why is Haruto running?"
Teshii shrugged. "I may or may not have left Moriya with the microwave… turned on."
Hikaru froze. "Oh no."
Then–
DING!
The microwave beeped loudly.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT NOISE?!" Moriya shouted from the kitchen, freaking out.
Haruto burst into the kitchen. "Moriya, calm down! It just means the food is done!"
Moriya, standing in a defensive stance like he was facing a wild animal, slowly lowered his arms.
"…This machine. I don't trust it."
Haruto sighed. "We'll get there, soon enough."
As chaotic as this team was becoming.
The safehouse had never felt more alive.
Part 3: The Two Assistants
The morning sun rose into a bright blue sky, birds chirping softly in the trees. Hikaru trudged down the sidewalk toward the university, his steps slugging, his hair a mess. His bag hung off one shoulder like it wanted to fall. He looked like he'd just fought an army of nightmares in his sleep – and lost.
Then–
"Hikaru!"
A familiar voice cut through the morning air.
"Huh?" Hikaru turned.
It was Aoi, rushing up to him.
"Hey, Aoi," Hikaru greeted her with a tired smile.
Aoi's eyes widened. "Woah! What happened to you?"
"I've been up all night studying for the exam," he muttered.
"You do know that's not healthy, right?" Aoi huffed, hands on her hips. "You need sleep to function!"
"I… know." Hikaru's head started to tilt, his body swaying slightly.
"HIKARU!" Aoi shouted.
He flinched awake. "Huh?!"
"You were about to fall asleep standing up."
"Sorry! I was just up late yesterday because I was in the fo–"
Hikaru's eyes snapped open.
Crap. He remembered. He couldn't talk about the Order. Not to Aoi.
He cleared his throat quickly. "I mean… I was at home."
He gave a nervous chuckle.
Aoi narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.
Then – she smiled. "Okay."
Hikaru blinked. "…That's it?"
Aoi giggled. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"
Before he could respond, he glanced around.
"Hey… where's Yami?" Hikaru asked.
"Oh, Yami? He's already at one of the exam halls," Aoi replied. "He texted me earlier."
"Ah, right," Hikaru nodded. "So… should we check which hall we're in?"
"Yep!" Aoi smiled. "Let's go."
The two of them walked off toward the bulletin boards.
Exam Hall
Hikaru and Aoi arrived at the crowded bulletin board, scanning through the lists of names to see where they'd be seated for the exam.
Kishimoto Hall
Masashi Yabuno – Row 5, Seat 9
Hikaru Nozomi – Row 5, Seat 10
Tenya Tachibana – Row 5, Seat 11
Koshi Akasaka – Row 5, Seat 12
Aka Maeda – Row 5, Seat 13
Kubo Hall
Kohei Kaneshiro – Row 9, Seat 2
Aoi Kuroi – Row 9, Seat 3
Maneyuki Horikoshi – Row 9, Seat 4
Tsugumi Kaneshiro – Row 9, Seat 5
Makoto Obata – Row 9, Seat 6
"Aaawwww… we're not in the same hall," Aoi said, disappointment written all over her face.
Hikaru nodded. "Looks that way." He shifted his eyes to the net board. "Looks like Yami's in Oda Hall."
"Huh?" Aoi leaned in beside him.
Oda Hall
Takeshi Tajiri – Row 2, Seat 7
Yami Utsuro – Row 2, Seat 8
Kazuki Akutami – Row 2, Seat 9
Gege Miura – Row 2, Seat 10
Kentaro Kawahara – Row 2, Seat 11
"Even Yami's not in the same hall as me," Aoi pouted, crossing her arms. "Why do I have to be so far away from my boyfriend?"
Hikaru laughed softly. "You'll survive, Aoi."
He glanced up at the wall clock. 09:37 A.M.
"Aoi, I'm gonna head to the Kishimoto Hall now," Hikaru said. "You should get to the Kubo Hall or they might not let you in."
"I knooow~!" Aoi whined, puffing her cheeks.
Hikaru waved. "See you after the exam. Good luck!"
"Good luck to you too!" Aoi waved back with a smile.
And with that, the two parted ways – Hikaru heading toward Kishimoto Hall, and Aoi toward Kubo Hall.
Let the exam begin.
In the Kishimoto Hall…
The Kishimoto Hall buzzed with quiet tension as students settled into their assigned seats, flipping pens, muttering last-minute facts, or simply staring blankly ahead in dread.
Hikaru sat at his desk near the middle row, but his mind wasn't on the exam.
Instead, it wandered to something far more pressing.
The Order of the Elementns.
At present, they had…
The Element of Light, himself.
The Element of Water, Haruto.
The Element of Wood, Moriya.
Hikaru rested his chin in his hand, thoughts drifting.
"I wonder what the next Element will be like…" he mused silently.
He glanced sideways.
"Hey, what do you think's gonna be on the exam?" a student to his left asked the person in front of him.
"Hmm? Not sure," the other student replied.
Hikaru's eyes narrowed slightly.
What are the chances that someone here is an Element?
…Or worse – a mutant?
Suddenly–
TAP. TAP.
All heads turned to the front of the hall.
And there he was.
Teshii.
Holding a microphone. Leaning dramatically on the podium. His usual crimson shades gleaming under the fluorescent lights.
Of course.
Teshii was a professor. Somehow.
"Welcome, students!" Teshii's voice echoed through the mic. "The exam starts in ten minutes."
He pointed casually toward the crowd.
"So – no cheating, no talking, and if I catch any of you sneaking peeks at your neighbour's paper…" His voice dropped. "I will personally make sure you fail this class… forever."
Hikaru rolled his eyes.
Of course he's being dramatic.
"And now," Teshii continued, beaming like a game show host, "let me introduce you to my assistants for today!"
"Assistants?" Hikaru muttered.
Then he saw them.
And his jaw hit the floor.
Standing stiffly beside Teshii – wearing official STAFF badges – were none other than Haruto and Moriya.
Haruto stood with arms crossed, an expression that screamed "I don't want to be here."
Moriya looked… utterly bewildered, staring around the hall like he'd just entered another dimension.
"What. The. Hell." Hikaru b linked in disbelief.
Moriya leaned toward Teshii. "Um… Teshii, this clothing feels uncomfortable."
Teshii gave him a thump-up. "Deal with it, Woody."
Hikaru buried his face in his hands.
How did this even happen?!
The Exam
The clock ticked steadily overhead.
The exam had begun ten minutes ago.
Hikaru sat at his desk in Kishimoto Hall, pencil in hand, eyes locked on the paper.
Or at least, trying to lock onto the paper.
Every few minutes, his eyes wandered.
First – to Haruto, who was actually doing his job as an assistant, walking up and down the rows like a strict hall monitor.
Then – to Moriya, who stood at the front of the hall, intently inspecting a stapler like it was some ancient relic blessed by the forest gods.
Hikaru nearly choked on air.
What is he even doing?!
Teshii, of course, noticed.
He casually strolled over to Hikaru's desk, leaned on it, and whispered just loud enough to be heard–
"Eyes on your paper, Sunshine."
Hikaru gritted his teeth.
This guy is the worst.
He forced his eyes back down to the exam sheet.
Exam Question:
"Critically evaluate the role of predictive coding theory in explaining perceptual inference. In your answer, contrast this theory with traditional bottom-up models of perception, and discuss the implications for understanding conditions such as schizophrenia and autism."
Hikaru's soul left his body for a second.
"What is this question…?"
He slowly turned to glare at Teshii.
How does a man like that come up with a question like this?!
Teshii smirked and turned to Moriya.
"Look at Sunshine. Panicking already."
Hikaru took a deep breath.
"Okay, okay. Let's do this."
He muttered to himself under his breath as he rerear the question, breaking it down.
"Predictive coding… that's Friston's theory, right? The brain's basically a prediction machine. Alright. Perceptual inference – how we interpret sensory info, especially when it's unclear… Like how I recognized Mei's voice in the middle of the festival chaos. Got it."
He began scribbling down answers, his confidence building.
"Predictive coding says the brain doesn't wait for input – it predicts what it expects, and adjusts when reality doesn't match. Top-down predictions meet bottom-up errors – like real-time error correction."
Teshii squinted at him from the front.
"Well look at that. Sunshine's cooking."
Hikaru kept writing.
"Now contrast it with traditional bottom-up models – where perception just builds up from raw sensory data. No prior expectations. But that model's too passive for how complex perception really is."
"Now… disorders–"
Suddenly, a hand went up from the row ahead.
"Um…" a student muttered.
Teshii turned lazily to Moriya. "Help him."
Moriya hesitated… but nodded, walking over to the student.
"Um… do you happen to have a spare pen?" the student asked politely.
"Sure." Moriya nodded.
There was just one problem.
Moriya didn't know what a pen was.
His eyes scanned the room.
And then – he saw it.
A potted plant near the desk.
He grabbed it and handed it over. "Here you go."
The student stared, confused. "…Thanks? I guess?"
From the back, Hikaru facepalmed so hard it echoed.
"This is… so embarrassing."
Meanwhile…
In the city near the university, a construction site buzzed with the sounds of heavy machinery and clanging metal.
Among the works, one man stood out.
His blonde hair was damp with sweat under the heat of the day. Black eyes, hardened by years of labour, scanned the area as he lifted another beam into place.
He wore the standard gear – safety goggles, work boots, leather gloves, hard hat, and a high-visibility vest – but something about him carried an intensity the others didn't.
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION
Name: Enji Ikari
Age: 49
Hair Colour: Yellow
Eye Colour: Black
Height: 6'1
Weight: 178lbs
Occupation: Construction Worker
"Hey, Enji" A fellow worker waved from across the site.
Enji turned, his expression stoic.
"We're heading out for lunch. You coming?"
Enji narrowed his eyes. "No thanks."
And turned back to his work without missing a beat.
"…Right then," the worker muttered. "Not like we wanted you to come anyway."
Another worker nearby chuckled.
"Don't mind Enji. He's always like that."
Enji ignored them.
As he crouched to retrieve his fallen hard hat–
ZOOOOOM!
Enji's head snapped to the side. "Who's there?!
Silence.
The wind rustled the scaffolding.
No one.
No movement.
Just empty air.
Enji frowned. "Tch."
He slipped the hat back on and went back to work.
But something unseen… was watching.
TO BE CONTINUE!!!