"Listen closely, wandering soul… can you hear me now? In the quiet corners of your heart, where no one else dares to speak, my voice finds you. Tell me—are you truly happy with the life you chose? A life full of wandering, quiet sacrifice, and shadows you cast upon yourself? Haven't you ever questioned the fate that's wrapped itself so tightly around your very being?"
"You now stand at the edge of something new, yet your heart still trembles with doubt. But it's far too late to turn back. Because deep inside you, something has awakened—raw and untamed, a power pulled straight from the fabric of reality itself. It's not a gift… but a truth. One long buried, forgotten by time, remembered only by the stars… and the dead."
"Your blood now flows with something foreign. A storm lies beneath your skin, and with every breath you take, you bind yourself to it even more. What you see as strength, others might call a curse. And what you seek may very well consume you whole."
"But still… you chose this. Quietly, with no one watching, no one guiding you, you reached out and made a choice. Without pen or sword, you signed the contract—not with your hand, but with the full weight of your longing."
"So I ask you again—will you control it, or will it control you? Because with this pact, your fate is now tied to mine. And every move you make from here on will echo beyond time itself. The path is set. The veil has been torn."
"Step forward, bound soul… and face who you really are."
Rain poured endlessly from the sky, turning into a relentless storm that soaked the entire city. The ocean's chill crept inland, carried by the wind, and with every drop that fell, the streets glistened under the gray, overcast sky. Yet life went on—citizens moved beneath umbrellas, their daily routines undisturbed by the gloom around them.
"Hey… what's with that pale look?" asked a girl, her voice light despite the weather. "Yeah, the rain's kinda miserable today, but come on—look on the bright side! And don't forget our promise, alright? Once we graduate high school, we're gonna climb those steps and become Japan's biggest stars. No—the biggest. And someday, the world's gonna know our names!"
The two sisters walked together through the bustling crowd. But the younger, a red-haired girl with a heavy expression, didn't share the same enthusiasm. "You don't get it… How can you always be so sure of everything?" she muttered. "Everyone loves your dancing. But me? Every time I try, people just stare. Like I'm doing something wrong. Like I don't belong up there…"
The older sister glanced at her with that same bright smile she always wore—one the younger could never seem to mirror. "Hey now, don't say that. We're just getting started! And you know what? Our dream will come true. I believe in you. Besides, your leg's still healing. Once you're better, you'll be soaring again—like a bird, dancing freely through the sky. You just need a little more time and trust in yourself."
Halfway across the crosswalk, the red-haired girl stopped, her gaze falling to the puddle at her feet. Her reflection shimmered back at her, blurred by the ripples. She hid her eyes behind her glasses, whispering, "You're always so positive… but it's hard for me. Every time I'm on that stage, I feel like everyone's watching me… waiting for me to mess up. I hate it. I hate that I can't stop feeling this way—even when I try…"
The crowd moved in rhythm, their feet splashing softly through the shallow water pooling along the city streets. Despite the younger sister's struggles and spiraling doubts, her older sister refused to let her sink. She kept smiling, kept believing—for both of them.
"Don't say things like that," the older sister said gently, her voice cutting through the storm like a soft light. "You're already a star. Maybe not the brightest one yet, but that's not what matters. Right now, you've got to be the star of your own story. Focus on the little victories, even if your leg still hurts. We've got time, so much time to keep moving forward. And when the curtain finally rises, we'll step onto that stage together. Thousands of people watching, lights shining down like the moon in the night sky… They'll scream our names, celebrate our dance. That's the promise we made, remember?"
She giggled softly and leaned down to meet her sister's eyes, her presence warm and gentle, like a blooming flower even under the pouring rain.
"And do you know what else?" she whispered with a soft smile. "One day, you'll meet someone who'll support you the way I do—someone who believes in you, teaches you to see the greatness in yourself. So just keep dreaming. A dream worth having is a dream worth chasing. And I believe in that dream… because I believe in you."
A heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the patter of rain and the distant murmur of the city. But inside the younger sister's heart, her doubts only deepened. Her fists clenched at her sides, her eyes squeezed shut as tears began to stream down.
"It's not that easy…" she choked. "Every time I climb up, I fall back down. I can't keep going like this. I'm not like you, Nozomi! No matter what I do, people don't care! They laugh when I mess up, they whisper behind my back… I hate it!"
Her voice cracked with raw frustration, her pace quickening as she turned away and began walking. Then running. The crowd parted slightly as she slipped between umbrellas and strangers, eyes blurry with tears, unaware of her surroundings.
"Unlike you," she shouted behind her, "people see you as a future superstar! But I'm just—!"
A man's voice rang out through the street.
"Hey! Watch out! It's a red light!"
But it was too late.
She didn't hear the blaring horn, only felt the cold wind rush past as her foot hit the road. One step. Then another. A third.
And suddenly—impact.
She was shoved violently to the side, crashing onto the sidewalk with a grunt of pain. Her glasses flew from her face, skidding across the wet concrete. For a second, all she could hear was her own heartbeat… until her eyes rose in confusion.
Across the street… a figure lay motionless in the road.
"No…" she breathed.
Rain still fell, soaking the pavement.
"No…"
Blood trickled into a widening pool beneath her sister's head, the crimson stark against the grey.
"NOZOMI!!"
Her scream ripped through the air as she scrambled to her feet, stumbling across the crosswalk as cars slammed on their brakes and horns wailed in the distance.
She dropped to her knees beside her sister, clutching her hand, shaking her by the shoulders.
"Nozomi! Nozomi, please! You… you pushed me—Why?!" Tears flooded her cheeks. "Please, wake up! You said we'd walk that stage together! You said we'd make it! Please! You can't leave me! Don't do this!"
But there was no response.
No warmth in her hand.
No laughter in her voice.
Just the rain… and silence.
And in that moment, the world around her shattered.
To be continued...