The dust began to settle. Groans echoed from the street like a chorus of defeat. Some thugs were crawling away, others clutching their stomachs or heads, their eyes wide in disbelief.

“W-What the hell are they...?”

“Monsters… no—those are the Nightingales.”

Aoi stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes trailed across the scene—broken crates, battered bodies, the flickering streetlamp overhead casting long shadows across the pavement. Misora calmly dusted off her jacket. Asuka twirled the now-bent pipe like a toy before tossing it aside with a shrug. Yura adjusted her collar, her expression serene, as if she’d merely gone for a stroll.

Aoi swallowed hard as a handful of onlookers and vendors spilled out from their shops, their voices rising with joy.

“Thank you so much!”

“You girls were incredible!”

She turned her gaze just in time to see the little girl and her sister darting over to Misora and the others, their faces glowing with excitement.

Reina grinned, watching the scene unfold with satisfaction. “Not that I needed backup or anything,” she quipped, lacing her hands behind her head in a casual stretch.

“Yeah, no, you would,” Kota deadpanned, a single brow raised as a cartoonish sweat drop practically formed on his temple. Reina laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head.

“Okay, okay, fair enough… But still—I'm glad it all worked out in the end! Hey, you guys!” She beamed, breaking into a cheerful jog toward Misora and the others. Kota smiled gently and followed, exchanging friendly words with a few vendors who had come out to join the celebration. Meanwhile, Aoi lingered behind, her eyes quietly scanning the group—the laughter, the warmth, the unity. Her heart sank.

This is all because of me…

She turned, gaze drifting to where her hoodie lay crumpled on the ground. Kneeling down, she picked it up slowly and slipped it on, pulling the hood over her head like a shield. Hands tucked into her pockets, she turned and began to walk away—silent steps in the opposite direction of their joy.

From behind, Reina’s voice rang out.

“Aoi!” Her tone was sharp but concerned. The name froze her mid-step. “Where’re you going?”

The others turned, drawn by the sudden shift in energy. Kota’s brow furrowed. Misora paused mid-scold. All eyes were on Aoi now.

She didn't turn around. “Isn’t it obvious?” she muttered. “Away from here. You’ve got everything under control now anyway.”

She took another step—but Reina wouldn’t let her go that easily.

“That’s not what I meant,” she replied firmly.

Aoi’s lips drew into a tight line. Her voice was barely above a whisper now. “I can’t stay… not anymore.”

Reina took a step forward, her face softening as the wind fluttered faintly between them. “Aoi…”

“Stay back! Stay away from me!” She yelled back, her eyes glaring at Reina's as she heaved heavily. Kota widened his eyes slightly in surprise at her outburst.

“Look around you!” Aoi cried out, her voice cracking as she gestured wildly. “This is what happens when I stay in one place for too long! A little girl was taken hostage—because of me! It's all my fault!” Her hands trembled at her sides. “I can't be around people… because when I am, something terrible always happens. They either die or—” She stopped. Her breath hitched. The image of her sister, conscious and unmoving in a hospital bed, flashed across her mind like a knife to the heart. Aoi bit down hard on her lip, swallowing the rising lump in her throat. “…Or they get hurt.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible. “If only I’d left sooner...” She looked up at Reina, tears brimming in her eyes, her voice rising again with bitter regret. “If I’d just left this place... none of this would’ve happened!”

Reina didn’t flinch. Her voice remained calm. “Whether you were here or not... those guys were always going to come back. It wasn’t about you. But because you were here, someone was there to hold them off until help arrived.”

Aoi shook her head, her fists clenched so tight her knuckles turned white. “You don’t get it.” Her voice trembled. “You’ll never understand what it’s like... to always be alone.” She saw flashes—her stepmother’s cruel smirk, her stepsister’s mocking words, her father’s cold indifference. Years of neglect. Years of pretending it didn’t hurt.

“You can’t understand why I choose to stay away... why I have to. If I don’t... people suffer.” Her voice broke. “I... I’m a curse.” Her knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, slumping forward as tears spilled freely down her cheeks. She rubbed at them furiously with her sleeve, but they kept falling—hot, bitter, and endless.

Reina’s eyes softened. Quietly, she stepped forward and knelt beside her, one knee on the ground, the other foot planted firmly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small white handkerchief. Aoi flinched when Reina gently touched her cheek, but the pressure was light, soothing. She watched as Reina dabbed at the blood on her skin with careful hands, then peeled the backing off a small white plaster and placed it over the wound. Not a single word was spoken in that moment. But in the silence, something shifted.

“Aoi,” Reina began softly, her voice no longer sharp but steady with purpose. “What I said before—about you being alone—I meant it, and I was right. But I also know you didn’t choose to be that way.” She paused, her gaze steady on the girl in front of her. “Anyone who’s really looking can see that you didn’t become like this by choice... You were pushed into it. You built walls, not because you wanted to, but because someone made you feel like you had to.”

She stood up, placing her right hand on her hip as her tone grew firmer. “You say you want nothing to do with people... but I don’t believe that. Not for a second. You say it’s safer being alone, and maybe part of you believes that. But that’s not what your heart wants. Not really.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “You’ve got a strength people can rely on, Aoi. I see it—and this town? One day, they’ll see it too. So instead of running from everyone... why not use that strength to protect them?”

Aoi's jaw clenched, her eyes burning. “Who are you trying to convince, huh?!” she growled, her voice raw with defiance. “I’m better off alone! I don’t want anyone near me! I’ve been surviving just fine on my own—got it?!”

Reina didn’t react right away. Instead, she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. “I don’t believe you.”

Aoi’s breath hitched, her eyes widening slightly. Reina opened her eyes again and continued, her voice low but unwavering: “If that were true, then why did you help Mr. Kota get his money back? Why did you throw yourself in front of a girl you didn’t even know when she was held hostage? Why did you save her? Why didn’t you just walk away when those thugs came back tonight? Why did you stay... and fight them off?”

Aoi remained frozen. Her mind whirled. Her heart pounded. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

“You haven’t given up on others—not really,” Reina pressed gently. “You just pretend you have. Because pretending it doesn’t hurt... feels easier than being let down again.”

Then, without warning, Reina reached down and gently pushed the hood off Aoi’s head, revealing her long, wind-tousled dark blue hair. Aoi gasped faintly as Reina slipped off the hoodie with quiet care, not as an attack, but as a symbolic gesture, peeling back the armor Aoi had wrapped herself in.

“You don’t have to keep hiding,” Reina whispered. “You don’t have to carry everything alone anymore.” Aoi stared at the ground, her fists trembling at her sides—silent, vulnerable, and on the edge of breaking.

“Stop clinging to the shadows of your past, Aoi.” Reina's voice was steady but passionate. “I know your life’s been nothing but storms—chaos, pain, scars that most people couldn’t even begin to understand. But carrying it all on your own won’t make it easier. It’ll only drown you.”

She took a step closer, her eyes burning with quiet conviction. “Whatever pain brought you here... it doesn’t change this: you're in this town now. You're one of us, whether you like it or not. And Sayonaki High? It wasn’t built just for strength—it was built for people like us. People who fight through the darkness. That’s why The Nightingales exist.” Aoi’s breath caught. Her heart raced at the name.

“You think pushing everyone away makes you strong. But all it’s doing is cutting you off from the one thing that could actually save you—connection. You act like you're fine… but you're bleeding inside your own strength.” Then, without hesitation, Reina reached out and grabbed Aoi’s right palm, tugging her upward. Their eyes locked—storm against storm.

“But if you take a stand and fight with us...” she said, her voice low but full of hope, “you won’t have to carry that weight alone anymore.”

Aoi stared at her, stunned into silence. Reina let go of her hand, reaching for her cropped jacket and sliding it off her shoulders. She held it out toward Aoi with a firm, open hand.

“We don’t need perfection. We don’t need heroes. We just need you to stop running and stand with us. This isn’t just a jacket, Aoi.” Reina said softly, gently draping it over her shoulders. “It’s a symbol... of trust. Of belonging. I'm offering it not just for me, but for this town, for Sayonaki High, for everyone who's still fighting to stay standing.”

She stepped back, eyes steady, voice full of conviction. “Join us, Aoi. Be part of something more. Be a Nightingale.” Her tone softened; her smile gentle but resolute. “Let us stand with you... and quiet the storm that’s been raging inside you. Let’s start new beginnings—together.”

Aoi’s body trembled. Her lips parted, but no words came out. She gripped the fabric of the jacket, her fingers curling tightly into the warmth Reina had given her. Her arms crossed over her chest instinctively, holding onto it—onto something that felt too foreign yet too familiar. Eyes lowered, she turned away, taking a few slow steps into the night. Her breath hitched.

“Aoi!” Reina called after her, a mix of worry and hope laced in her voice. But before she could take a step, Misora gently placed a hand on her shoulder, holding her back.

“You idiot,” Aoi whispered, stopping in her tracks, her bangs slipping forward as a dark shadow covered her eyes. “You think I don't know that?”

“Huh…?” Reina blinked, visibly thrown by Aoi’s words. “You think I haven’t wrestled with that same thought, every single day… every single second?”

Kota’s gaze softened, the tension in his expression melting into quiet concern.

Aoi took a breath, her voice low but unwavering. “I told myself over and over that I didn’t need anyone… That cutting ties would protect me. That I was better off alone.”

The wind stirred around them, brushing gently through her hair as the street fell into a hush.

“But deep down… I was just hoping.” Her voice trembled slightly. “Hoping that someday… someone would look past the whispers, past the rumors—and see me. Not some curse. Not some burden. Just… me.” There was silence for a beat.

“Aoi…” Kota breathed, barely above a whisper.

“Watching you all today… it stirred something in me. No, it’s not just today. Every time I’ve seen you patrolling the streets, standing up for people, making this town feel safe…” She paused, voice cracking slightly, “I tried to ignore it. Pretend it didn’t matter to me. Earlier, I said the Nightingales were nothing but a joke… but the truth is, I never meant a word of it.”

She turned to face them fully, her eyes glossy with tears, cheeks flushed with emotion. “Deep down, I've always thought you guys were cool. I've always thought you guys were awesome. I always knew you were perfect and someone like me wouldn't fit in!” Her words caused Reina's eyes to widen slightly.

“I've also felt... that people like you wouldn't need someone like me in Sayonaki! That's why I never bothered! But since you're insisting,” Eyes narrowing with purpose, Aoi gripped the jacket in her right hand and suddenly dashed forward, the sound of her footsteps like thunder on the pavement. Before anyone could react, she launched herself into the air—her body twisting mid-flight as her leg snapped out in a powerful roundhouse kick, slamming clean into the side of the Batsuzoku leader’s head. He stumbled back, disoriented. She landed lightly, pivoted on her heel, and with a fierce spin, drove a kick into the gut of his girlfriend, the impact lifting the girl off her feet and sending her crashing backwards with a sharp cry. The two tumbled to the ground in a heap—the leader sprawled on top of his partner, groaning in pain and completely caught off guard.

Aoi rose fully, jacket now tossed over her shoulder, her stance solid and commanding. Her gaze swept across Reina and the others, locking eyes with them as she declared:

“There’s no way I’m refusing that offer!”

Everyone stood frozen, eyes wide with disbelief, shocked and speechless as the girl they thought had walked away just moments ago had returned like a storm, saving them once again without hesitation. Turning back to the fallen duo, she started, “Don’t touch them.” She growled. “If it’s a storm you want…” She slowly raised her head, eyes burning, “…then I’ll give you one.” The two fainted, falling into unconsciousness as she closed her eyes.

She stood quietly, staring at the jacket draped over her arms. Then, with a small breath, Here, she slid her left hand into the sleeve, do I really have the chance... to become someone? Her voice echoed silently in her mind. Do I have the chance...  she eased her right hand into the other sleeve, pulling the jacket fully over her shoulders, her movements slow but deliberate. ...to be something more than what I used to be? Her right arm hovered in the air for a second longer before dropping to her side. The wind caught the hem of her jacket, causing it to flutter dramatically behind her—a quiet moment of transformation under the moonlit sky. Reina’s eyes widened, then softened with pride, a gentle smile curling at the corners of her lips. Aoi turned her head slightly, gaze firm and forward-facing as she looked toward the small crowd ahead—her expression now calm, resolute.

Her eyes locked with Reina’s, who gave a soft exhale, then nodded with quiet affirmation, along with Kota doing the same.

A fierce teenager, branded a curse, shunned by the world—fighting to rise above pain and rejection. Through every trial, she discovered her strength, defied her fate, and refused to let the storm consume her. This is the tale of how she found her voice, her will, and her purpose.

This is… Blue Storm!