Sora stood at the door, one hand still on the handle, her eyes locked on the girl inside Kai's room.
Eloine.
The room felt smaller with her in it, like the air itself was holding its breath.
"Kai…" Sora whispered.
Kai turned slowly. His heart was beating so loud it hurt.
"Sora, it's not what it looks like—"
Eloine looked at her, her gaze soft but impossibly deep.
"You are important to him," she said quietly.
That single sentence made Sora's chest tighten.
"Who are you?" Sora asked, stepping inside. "Why are you here?"
"I am with him."
Those words felt heavier than they should have.
Kai swallowed. "She didn't break in or anything. She just… appeared. I didn't even know how."
Eloine tilted her head.
"You did not bring me. I came because you needed me."
Sora's fingers curled into fists.
"What does that even mean?"
Before anyone could answer—
"Yo, I'm home—"
Joro's voice came from downstairs.
Then it stopped.
"…Nope."
A chill ran down his spine.
"Kai?" he called.
No reply.
"Kai!"
Upstairs, Kai froze.
"He senses me," Eloine murmured.
Heavy footsteps rushed up the stairs.
Joro appeared in the hallway and immediately stopped.
Eloine was standing in Kai's room.
The air felt wrong.
"…Bro," Joro said slowly, "what the hell is that?"
"I am Eloine," she replied calmly.
Joro swallowed.
"That pressure downstairs… that was you, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
Sora stepped in front of Kai without thinking.
"Get away from him."
Eloine looked at her gently.
"I would never hurt him."
Kai felt trapped between them.
Before things could get worse, footsteps came up from below.
"What's going on?"
Kai's parents froze when they saw Eloine.
Fear flickered across their faces.
"I do not mean harm," Eloine said.
Something shifted.
Not control.
Just… calm.
"…You're a friend of Kai's?" his mother asked slowly.
"Yes."
"…Then come downstairs," his father said, uncertain but not angry.
Joro stared.
"…Did she just emotional-jutsu them?"
Sora didn't laugh.
That night felt unreal.
Eloine sat quietly at dinner, watching Kai's parents like this was her first time seeing a family.
Sora barely touched her food.
Joro kept staring.
Kai felt like the world had tilted.
Later, Sora pulled Kai aside.
"Kai… what is she to you?"
"I don't know," he admitted.
Eloine's voice came softly from behind him.
"He is my world."
Sora's chest hurt.
The next day, Eloine walked into Kai's school beside him.
Whispers exploded.
Ayko saw them.
Her heart dropped.
Sora stayed too close to Kai.
Mira felt tears in her eyes for no reason.
In another class, Rin suddenly paused.
"…That feeling again."
A teacher called out, "Eloine, your transfer is complete."
Kai stared.
Eloine didn't look surprised.
"It was meant to be," she said.
At lunch, tension sat heavy between them all.
Joro watched, shaking his head.
"To love, or to be protected," he muttered.
Everyone went quiet.
"That is the question."
And for the first time, Kai understood.
This wasn't just a new girl.
This was the beginning of a war.