Morning came too soon.

When Kira opened her eyes, the familiar ceiling of her bedroom greeted her. The weight in her chest, the creeping paranoia from the night before—it all felt distant, like a bad dream melting away with the daylight.

Maybe it really was just a dream.

She sat up, running a hand through her hair. Her body still felt tense, but nothing seemed off. The laptop was closed, the apartment was quiet, and for once, everything felt… normal.

A deep breath. A fresh start.

She slipped out of bed, stretching as she padded toward the bathroom. A hot shower, a fresh outfit, and maybe a decent breakfast—today would be normal.

Or so she thought.

As soon as she stepped into the kitchen, her phone buzzed.

Unknown Number.

Her stomach twisted.

She let it ring.

A minute passed. Then another.

Then—it rang again.

Her fingers hovered over the screen. This wasn’t normal spam behavior. Whoever it was, they wanted her to pick up.

Reluctantly, she swiped to answer. "Who is this?"

Silence.

Then, a familiar voice—bright, cheerful, completely out of place.

Kira blinked. "Hanae?"

A small, unexpected laugh slipped past Kira’s lips. Yukimura Hanae. Her stepsister, her polar opposite—a ray of light in Kira’s otherwise shadowed life.

"What’s with the unknown number?" Kira asked, leaning against the counter.

Kira frowned. "Why?"

Kira hesitated because it was an important day for her. Normalcy was rare for her. But Hanae’s energy was infectious, and… maybe she needed this. A day away from the paranoia, the secrets, the shadows lurking at her heels.

"Fine," Kira sighed.  "Where are we going?"

Hanae cheered on the other end. "Meet me at the Shinjuku station ! I have a plan!"

---

Hanae was exactly how Kira remembered—loud, full of dumb ideas, and somehow dragging Kira into all of them.

They wandered through the crowded streets, stopping at food stalls, browsing random stores, and arguing about things that didn’t matter.

Kira glanced at the two hair clips in Hanae’s hand. "They’re the same."

Hanae gasped dramatically. "They are NOT the same! The pink one says ‘I’m cute but deadly,’ and the blue one says ‘I’m mysterious and cool!’"

Hanae smacked her arm. "How mean!"

They moved on.

At some point, Hanae dragged Kira into an arcade.

Kira, as expected, sucked at every game.

Hanae? A monster.

"STOP BUTTON MASHING!" Kira yelled as Hanae obliterated her in a fighting game.

Game Over. Hanae won again.

Hanae cackled.

It was stupid. It was chaotic. And for the first time in a long while, Kira felt like a normal person.

---

They ended the day at a quiet restaurant, sharing a meal like sisters who didn’t come from a broken family.

Before eating, Hanae clapped her hands together. "Thank you for the food!"

Kira blinked at her. "You’re so dramatic."

"You’re supposed to say it too, you know," Hanae scolded.

"Yeah, yeah….Thank you for the food" Kira mumbled, then took a bite.

Hanae talked about school, her classmates, a teacher she swore had it out for her. Kira listened, letting herself get lost in the conversation.

For once, there were no hackers. No threats. No secrets waiting to swallow her whole. No performance. 

Just them.

Until!

A shadow loomed over their table.

Kira looked up. A man in a suit. Sharp, professional, unreadable.

Hanae’s bodyguard.

Hanae’s smile faltered. "Jeez,  already"

The man nodded. "Your presence is required at home, young lady."

Kira didn’t ask. She didn’t need to.

She already knew.

Hanae sighed, standing up. "sorry, Big Sis. I’ll see you later, okay?"

Kira nodded, watching as the bodyguard led Hanae away.

And then, just like that—

She was alone again.

---

[To be continued...]