Raito's eyes fluttered open, greeted by the dim light seeping through the curtains of his bedroom. His body felt light, as if it he had lost a few pounds just by sleeping, his muscles sluggish as he struggled to sit up. He scanned the room—his villa was exactly as he had left it but there was no sign of the darkness that had consumed him, no trace of Kurai.
"How did I get back here?"
His head ached as flashes of the previous night surfaced in his mind. The voice, the shadows, the moment he surrendered himself to something beyond human comprehension—it had felt real. Too real.
"There is no way that was a dream" Raito muttered
Raito swung his legs over the side of the bed, pressing his palms against his temples. He decided to go about his daily routine, something he followed strictly but was slightly messed up today. Pushing the thoughts aside he headed to the bathroom. The cold water against his skin was supposed to wake him up, to reaffirm reality.
"Well nothing happened I guess, so it must have been a hallucination" he said to reassure himself
Yet, as he met his own reflection, his breath hitched.
His eyes which—no longer the same dark shade he had known for years. A faint crimson hue flickered in his irises, vanishing the moment he blinked. A shiver crawled down his spine. This change might have slipped past anyone due to its subtleness but Raito who trained himself to pay close attention to details it was all that was needed to dispel his doubts.
Kurai's voice echoed in his mind. We are bound now, Raito. There is no turning back.
His grip on the sink tightened. He had made a pact with a demon. And whatever came next…
It was only the beginning.
"Hmm, so you were real, huh?" Raito murmured as he began shedding his clothes for a bath.
Yep. You didn't think you were gonna get rid of me that easily, did you?
Raito ignored the teasing tone as he stepped into the shower. "So, how exactly did I get back here?"
Oh, I just took a little peek through your memories and basically walked you home using your body.
Raito's expression darkened. "Don't ever use my body without my consent again."
Woah there, no need to be so uptight about it. But hey, can we talk about the fact that you're taking a bath while I'm still here, fully present inside your mind? Kurai teased.
Raito remained expressionless. "You better get used to it. I am your host, after all."
He could sense the demon within him grinning as she replied back mischievously. I think I'll get used to this view in no time.