---
Yuki didn't sleep that night.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that thing—twisting, screeching, recognizing him.
And worse… he saw himself.
Glowing. Shifting. Something not human.
At 3 a.m., he got up and splashed cold water on his face.
He stared into the mirror.
And the reflection stared back—except for a flicker.
Just for a heartbeat, the face in the glass wasn't his.
It had golden eyes.
And faint white markings like flame across the cheeks.
Behind him, tails flickered.
Yuki stumbled backward.
When he looked again, it was just him. Pale. Sweating. Normal.
"What the hell is happening to me?"
---
The next day
Aiko was waiting for him again—this time under the same tree where they first met.
"You look like you haven't slept."
"Yeah, well, it's kinda hard to sleep when you see yourself turning into a demon."
She tilted her head. "Demon's a little harsh. More like… something ancient. Wild. Powerful."
"Comforting."
She sat cross-legged on the bench, twirling a pencil like it was a wand. "Look, I can't tell you exactly what you are. But I've heard of beings with that kind of aura before. Not recently. Not for centuries."
Yuki's stomach turned.
"I'm not even human?"
"I didn't say that," she said quickly. "You look human. Feel mostly human. But your spirit—it's something else."
He stared at his hands again.
"What if I lose control?" he whispered.
"You won't."
"How do you know?"
"Because I'll be here. I can help. I see people, Yuki. Not just their aura—but who they really are. And you? You're not a monster."
He blinked.
That was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said to him.
And somehow… it made everything worse.
---
Later that evening…
High above the town, deep in the forest canopy, Ren perched on a branch like a statue.
He'd felt the burst of energy from the shrine.
"He's starting to wake up," he muttered.
Behind him, a voice echoed through the trees.
"And once he does… everything will burn."
Ren didn't move.
The voice was gone as quickly as it came.
But the warning lingered.
---