Chiaki's POV
I woke up feeling more restless than usual.
Not the kind of restless where you just toss and turn because your pillow's too warm or you forgot to close the window. No. This was deeper. It sat under my skin, prickling at my nerves like static electricity before a storm. The air itself felt heavier and thicker, like it was pressing down on my chest in a way I couldn't quite explain.
There was an eerie presence lingering around us. The unsettling part? I should have noticed it sooner. It wasn't new. It had probably been there for days, maybe longer, and it was probably quietly simmering beneath everything we were doing. But today, it felt louder and sharper. Like something beneath the surface had finally started to boil.
It was the kind of feeling that made it impossible to relax. Like waiting for bad news that hasn't arrived yet.
"Hasegawa-sensei."
