The last bell had already rung.

The streets should’ve been normal.

They weren’t.

⸻

You walked between them, school bag resting lightly on your shoulder.

Kaoshi Kazaki on your right. Yuu Kenshi on your left.

The usual.

No one said anything at first.

Just footsteps.

⸻

Then—

You looked up.

And stopped.

“…are you guys seeing this?..”

⸻

The sky was wrong.

Not just sunset.

It was… too much.

A strange mix of pink and deep red spread across the horizon, like something had been spilled across it. The clouds hung heavy—almost grey, like they didn’t belong to the same sky.

And the moon—

It was already there.

Too early.

Too clear.

Too red.

⸻

“…is this blood moon day?” you murmured, eyes still fixed upward.

“The sky looks strange too…”

You looked around.

People walked past like nothing was happening.

Talking. Laughing. Arguing.

Normal.

Too normal.

“…nobody is minding this…”

Your voice lowered slightly.

“…something is wrong.”

A pause.

“…do you guys think it’s related to the shrine?..”

⸻

Yuu stopped walking.

Not fully—just enough.

His eyes lifted to the sky.

Silent.

Observing.

Then slowly… he glanced around.

People.

Their reactions.

Nothing.

Like they didn’t see it at all.

⸻

“…you’re right,” Yuu said quietly.

“It is strange.”

A brief pause.

“…but let’s not get any stupid ideas and say we should go to the shrine to check it—”

⸻

Kao raised his hand instantly.

“We should go to the shrine and check it out, guys.”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

Kao grinned, flexing his arm slightly like it was a heroic moment.

“I’ll protect you both if something happens.”

⸻

You shoved his arm out of your face.

“Move.”

He laughed.

⸻

“…ahh… I don’t know if that’s a good idea too,” you said, walking ahead slightly.

“…but since Kao is insisting, we should—Yuu..?”

You turned.

Yuu hadn’t moved.

He was already looking at you.

⸻

A quiet sigh.

“…you want to go too, don’t you?”

⸻

You didn’t answer.

Didn’t need to.

⸻

“…fine,” he said, adjusting his glasses slightly.

“…let’s go.”

⸻

Kao smiled wider.

“See? I’m persuasive.”

“…you’re annoying,” Yuu replied.

⸻

🏮 The Shrine

By the time they reached it—

The sky had darkened.

But not normally.

The red still lingered.

Watching.

⸻

The shrine stood silent.

Old.

Untouched.

Like it had been waiting.

⸻

They turned on their phone flashlights.

White light cutting through the darkness.

⸻

The stairs were long.

Too long.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

⸻

You walked ahead first.

Neither of them stopped you.

⸻

At the top—

You reached it.

⸻

A statue stood in front.

A nine-tailed fox.

Still.

Watching.

⸻

You stared at it for a moment.

Something about it felt…

Off.

⸻

Behind you—

Footsteps.

Then—

Kao.

“…creepy.”

And before anyone could say anything—

He walked past you and pushed open the shrine doors.

⸻

“Oi—” Yuu started.

Too late.

⸻

Kao stepped inside.

Yuu followed immediately after.

⸻

You stayed outside for a second.

Just one.

⸻

Then—

A sharp sting hit your wrist.

“—ah!”

⸻

You flinched, grabbing your arm.

A sudden, burning sensation—

Then it stopped.

⸻

You looked down.

⸻

A bracelet.

Blue.

Thin.

Wrapped perfectly around your wrist.

At the center—

A small fox face.

⸻

“…what—?”

You tried to pull it off.

It didn’t move.

Not even slightly.

⸻

Your grip tightened.

You tried again.

Nothing.

⸻

Footsteps rushed back out.

“What happened?” Yuu asked sharply.

Kao right behind him.

⸻

You lifted your wrist.

“Look—this—”

⸻

They leaned closer.

Paused.

⸻

“…what?” Kao said.

⸻

You frowned.

“…this bracelet.”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

Kao blinked.

Then laughed.

“…you’re bad at this.”

“At what?”

“Scaring people.”

⸻

Yuu smacked the back of Kao’s head.

“Idiot.”

“Oi—”

⸻

Yuu looked back at you.

“…there’s nothing there.”

⸻

You froze.

“…what?”

⸻

You looked again.

It was still there.

Clear.

Bright.

Wrapped around your wrist.

⸻

But—

They couldn’t see it.

⸻

“…let’s go,” Yuu said after a moment.

His voice calmer now.

“…there’s nothing here.”

⸻

Kao stretched his arms.

“Told you. Waste of time.”

Then he glanced at you.

“…nice acting though.”

⸻

You didn’t respond.

⸻

You just lowered your hand.

Slowly.

⸻

And followed them.

⸻

🌆 On the Way Back

The town looked normal again.

Too normal.

⸻

They talked.

Like usual.

⸻

“You got scared for nothing,” Kao said.

“I didn’t—”

“You literally yelped.”

“I said it surprised me.”

“Same thing.”

⸻

Yuu exhaled.

“…both of you are loud.”

⸻

Kao nudged him.

“Yuu~ don’t look so cold.”

No response.

⸻

“Seriously… you always treat me like this…”

Still nothing.

⸻

Kao leaned closer.

Then—

In a dramatic, high-pitched voice—

“Even after the night we spent together… you’re a cruel man~”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

“…what are you talking about,” Yuu groaned.

“Shut up, Kao.”

⸻

You blinked.

“…what night?”

⸻

Kao gasped dramatically.

“See? She’s interested.”

“I am not.”

⸻

Yuu stopped walking.

Turned.

Grabbed Kao’s collar.

“You’re dead.”

⸻

Kao grinned.

“Worth it.”

⸻

They started again.

Same chaos.

Same rhythm.

⸻

But you—

You weren’t listening anymore.

⸻

Your eyes were on your wrist.

⸻

The bracelet.

Still there.

Faintly glowing.

Blue.

⸻

And for just a second—

The fox face…

felt like it was looking back.

⸻

Something had changed.

And only you knew it.