Tanaka led the way, her usual brisk teacher's walk replaced by a more measured, almost contemplative pace. Haruto followed, he hadn't expected it today, but the signs had been there for a while now. He could hear the distant sounds of club activities starting up – the faint thwack of a tennis ball, the rhythmic bounce of a basketball, the faint melody of the brass band practicing. Normal school stuff, while he was heading into anything but.
They didn't head to the staff room, or the principal's office. Instead, they took the stairs, climbing higher and higher. Each flight seemed to stretch on forever, the silence between them growing heavier with every step.
Finally, they reached the top floor. Tanaka pushed open the heavy, metal door leading to the school rooftop. A gust of wind immediately swept through, whipping at their clothes and hair.
Tanaka walked to the railing, looking out over the sprawling city below. Haruto stood a few feet behind her, a familiar sense of guarded readiness settling over him. Seeing her like this, quiet and almost secretive, wasn't unsettling for him; it was an expected shift.
Then, Tanaka turned, taking a step towards Haruto. Then another. And another. She kept coming, not stopping until she was so close Haruto had to take a step back or they'd practically be nose to nose. Her presence, always a little commanding in the classroom, felt amplified up here, under the open sky. Haruto stood still, not from nervousness, but from the sheer intensity. He was acutely aware of her. Of the way her white shirt stretched slightly across her chest, of her faint perfume, of the intense, unwavering look in her eyes. It was… direct. She was much closer than any teacher had a right to be in a normal conversation.
"Haruto," she began, her voice low, but with an underlying current of seriousness he knew well from his occasional, less formal interactions with her. "Miki already spoke with you, didn't she?"
Haruto simply nodded.
"We are part of a government organization," Tanaka continued, her eyes fixed on his. "The one that monitors the activities of Awakened individuals."
Haruto's gaze was steady. He just nodded again, a subtle dip of his chin.
"Good," she said, a hint of something like relief in her voice. She took another slight step back, giving him a little more breathing room, though she still remained much closer than normal. "That makes this easier." She paused, gazing at him thoughtfully. "You have potential, Haruto, more than I expected."
"We believe you could be a valuable asset," Tanaka continued, her eyes never leaving his. "We're always looking for new recruits. People who can help us maintain the balance, protect society from those who misuse their abilities." She gestured vaguely towards the city of scape below. "It's a dangerous world out there, Haruto. More dangerous than most realize."
She then did something that, despite his knowledge, still carried weight. "I could write you a letter of recommendation," she said, her voice softening slightly, "to Kakusei Academy. It's a specialized school. For the Awakened. Where you can further control and hone your abilities, understand your place in this world."
Haruto just shook his head.
"No," he said firmly, leaving it at that.
Tanaka evaluated him again, a faint frown creasing her brow. "I understand you might have reservations, Haruto. But you need to understand the gravity of this. Your abilities, they won't stay dormant forever. And when they awaken fully, you'll need guidance."
She took another step closer, her voice dropping to an even lower, more intense whisper. "Besides, it's not just about you. It's about your family. Especially… your sister."
Haruto felt a jolt. His sister? Satsuki? This was an angle he hadn't fully considered, though he'd always had his suspicions about her.
"Your sister, Satsuki, is…" Tanaka started, her eyes suddenly widening. She stopped mid-sentence, and her mouth snapping shut. She looked away for a moment, as if regretting what she was about to say, then quickly regained her composure. "Never mind. That's for another time."
But it was too late. The name, Satsuki, hung in the air like a whispered secret, now linked explicitly to this world he inhabited. Haruto's mind suddenly raced with new possibilities. Bits and pieces of old memories, long buried, began to surface, seen through this new, sharper lens. He remembered Satsuki would sometimes vanish for weeks at a time, only to return with vague explanations about "business trips" or "special projects." He remembered one time she came back with a thin scar above her eyebrow, brushing it off with a cute smile - "Just tripped," she'd said. Back then, he'd never questioned it. Why would he?
Now it all fit. A vague, unsettling suspicion now coalesced into certainty. Satsuki. She was definitely part of this, but who was she really in the Organization? The pieces were starting to fit together in a way that both solidified his own understanding and opened up entirely new questions. He looked at Tanaka, but she just looked away, her expression unreadable, having perhaps said too much already.
The sun finally dipped below the horizon, plunging the rooftop into shadow. The wind picked up, a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature running through Haruto's veins. He had a feeling his life had just gotten a lot more complicated, even for him.
Tanaka sighed, then suddenly placed her hand on Haruto's chest. A warm, tingling sensation spread through his body as her fingertips glowed with a faint golden light. His breath hitched—every ache, every bruise, even the deep cuts from yesterday's fight began fading before his eyes. The pain dissolved like sugar in water, replaced by an exhilarating lightness. His muscles relaxed, his mind cleared, and for the first time in weeks, he felt... whole.
Tanaka withdrew her hand with a cryptic smile. "Just a little gift. But remember—healing always comes at a cost."