Bound by Fate (Soshito Hoshina)

CHAPTER 5

It was a crisp autumn morning when Soshiro Hoshina noticed something was off. Y/N, who normally attended all her classes, was nowhere to be found. He'd gotten used to seeing her around campus, often catching glimpses of her in the cafeteria or library. They weren't officially a couple—at least, not yet—but he cared about her more than he was willing to admit.

But today, she was absent.

At first, Soshiro thought maybe she had an appointment or needed a break, but something gnawed at him. He tried calling her a couple of times, but each attempt went straight to voicemail. That wasn't like her. Y/N was usually responsive, even if just to tell him to stop bothering her.

After his last class of the day, Soshiro decided to investigate. He approached one of Y/N's lecturers, a woman in her mid-40s with glasses perched on the edge of her nose.

"Excuse me, Professor," Soshiro said, approaching the desk as students filed out. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I wanted to ask about Y/N. She didn't attend class today."

The professor looked up, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Ah, Y/N. Yes, she's on special leave."

Soshiro frowned. "Special leave?"

The professor nodded. "She's taken a few of those in the past. Usually, it's pre-approved by the administration. She must have her reasons."

Soshiro couldn't shake the unease in his chest. "Does she take them often?"

The professor hesitated, her eyes flickering with concern. "I'm not sure, but it's happened before. She doesn't always provide a reason, and... well, she's a private student. But it's clear she has some personal matters that require her attention."

With a polite nod, the professor turned back to her papers, signaling the end of the conversation. Soshiro thanked her and left the room, his mind buzzing with unanswered questions.

Y/N had been disappearing more frequently lately. Each time, she'd return to her studies without a word, brushing off any concern with a dismissive "I'm fine." But something wasn't adding up.

Deciding to dig deeper, Soshiro tracked down a few of Y/N's friends, Hana and Aiko. They were sitting under a tree, chatting quietly, but their faces grew tense when he approached.

"Hey, have you heard from Y/N today?" Soshiro asked, trying to sound casual.

Hana and Aiko exchanged uneasy glances. "She's on special leave again," Hana said, her voice uncertain.

"Yeah, we noticed," Aiko added. "But... it's weird. Every time she comes back from these leaves, she seems more... distant."

Soshiro's frown deepened. "Has she ever told you why she takes them?"

Aiko shook her head. "She doesn't really talk about it. But we've noticed a few things..."

"Like what?" Soshiro pressed, his voice firm but not unkind.

Hana bit her lip, hesitant. "Well, sometimes when she comes back, she's... bruised."

Soshiro's eyes narrowed. "Bruised?"

"Yeah," Aiko nodded, lowering her voice. "She tries to cover them up with long sleeves or scarves, but we've seen them. We've tried asking her about it, but she always shuts us down. She doesn't want to talk about her family either."

Hana leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "There was one time, last semester, when she came back with a broken arm. She said it was an accident, but we're not so sure."

A cold dread settled in Soshiro's chest. "You think she's being... hurt?"

Hana looked uncomfortable. "We don't know for sure, but it seems like it. She won't let anyone in, though. She just brushes it off and pretends everything's fine."