Petals in the Dark

The Weight of Shadows

Chapter One: The Weight of Shadows

The bell rang, marking the end of another day at Seika High. Sunlight filtered through the large classroom windows, casting soft, golden hues on the desks, but to Kaito, it felt like a burden. His petite frame sagged against the weight of his backpack as he trudged down the hall, eyes trained on the floor.

"Just another normal day," he muttered to himself. "Another boring, predictable—"

A sharp chill raced down his spine, interrupting his thought. He stopped in his tracks, feeling the hairs on his neck rise. It wasn't cold. Not in the physical sense. But something... unnatural was close. Kaito tightened his grip on the strap of his backpack, glancing around the now-empty hallway.

It was then he saw it—a shadow. Too dark, too out of place, creeping along the walls as if it had a life of its own. He swallowed hard, his heart racing.

"Not again..."

This wasn't the first time he'd felt it, but each time, it got stronger. The shadow seemed to stretch, reaching toward him, wrapping the air in a suffocating embrace. Kaito felt frozen. His legs locked in place, his breath shallow. But as the darkness drew closer, a soft voice pierced through his paralysis.

"Kaito! Hey, wait up!"

Kaito spun around, snapping out of his trance. Haru, the most carefree boy in their group, was jogging toward him, waving like there was nothing wrong at all. His oversized pastel sweater hung loosely on his tiny frame, and his rainbow-colored hair flopped into his eyes as he grinned.

"Didn't think you'd leave without saying bye!" Haru laughed, oblivious to the creeping darkness just a few feet behind him.

"Haru, don't move!" Kaito's voice was sharp, but Haru froze mid-step, his eyes widening. He turned his head slightly and spotted the dark tendrils snaking their way toward them.

"Oh. That's... new," Haru muttered, his usual smile faltering.

Without thinking, Kaito's hands moved on their own. A faint glow emitted from his fingertips as he reached out, his mind swirling with the energy he tried to suppress. He never wanted this power. None of them did. But now, he had no choice.

The shadows lunged.

A blinding light burst from Kaito's hand, illuminating the hallway in a soft pink hue. The tendrils recoiled, hissing as they dissolved into the light. The eerie silence returned, leaving only the soft hum of magic in the air. Kaito's breath came out in shaky gasps.

"Still not used to this, huh?" Haru chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "That was... a bit too close."

"Why are you so calm?" Kaito snapped, his hands still trembling from the adrenaline. "We don't even know what that was."

Haru shrugged, eyes softening. "We've been seeing these things for weeks now. Freaking out every time isn't going to help."

Kaito ran a hand through his messy hair, frustrated. Haru was right. The shadows had been following them more frequently. But why? They were just high school kids. Why did the universe think they were the right ones to fight these things?

Before Kaito could respond, another voice interrupted their conversation.

"Kaito, Haru, what are you two doing?"

Riku, the quiet and reserved member of their group, stepped forward, his glasses reflecting the soft sunlight as he pushed them up the bridge of his nose. His uniform was immaculate, not a thread out of place, which only made the scowl on his face more intense.

"More of them?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with concern. He noticed the faint magical glow still fading from Kaito's hand. "You need to get better at controlling that."

Kaito gritted his teeth. "I know."

Riku stepped past them, observing the hallway, as if calculating the threat. His cold demeanor had always rubbed Kaito the wrong way, but right now, he couldn't argue with his efficiency.

"We need to find Sora," Riku said, straightening up. "If these attacks are getting more frequent, it's only a matter of time before—"

A loud crash echoed down the hall, cutting him off.

The three boys exchanged glances before sprinting toward the sound.

When they reached the courtyard, they found the fourth member of their group, Sora, standing in front of what remained of a decorative fountain. His usual calm, bored expression hadn't changed, even as the dark energy swirled around him. Sora was a mystery, even to his friends. Silent, detached, and perpetually sleepy, but when it came to these fights, he was always at the center of the storm.

Without a word, Sora raised his hand, a dark blue light gathering at his fingertips. He flicked it toward the shadows, and in an instant, they shattered like glass, fading into the autumn air.

"Well, looks like that's all of them," Sora muttered, stretching his arms above his head as if he had just woken up from a nap.

Kaito and the others stood in stunned silence for a moment before Haru burst out laughing.

"What?" Sora raised an eyebrow, his tone as flat as ever.

"Nothing," Haru snickered. "You're just too good at this."

Kaito rolled his eyes, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through him. "You know we can't always rely on you to do everything."

"Yeah, yeah," Sora waved his hand dismissively. "But you all need to chill. We're just clearing out some pests, right?"

Riku adjusted his glasses, a slight frown on his face. "It's not just pests, Sora. We need to figure out why they're coming after us. There's a reason they're targeting our school."

Sora's expression remained unfazed. "Maybe they just don't like the vibe here."

Kaito couldn't help but smile at Sora's casualness. "I don't think they care about vibes."

"Whatever it is," Riku said, his voice dropping lower, "we need to prepare for more. I don't like this."

As they stood together, the late afternoon sun began to set, casting long shadows across the courtyard. The air felt heavier, thick with unspoken tension.

Kaito glanced at his friends, their faces illuminated in shades of orange and pink. In that moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for them. They were more than just teammates; they were his family. But even that comfort was tainted with a deep-seated fear of what lay ahead.

"We'll figure it out," Kaito said, more to himself than anyone else. "Together."

"Together," echoed Haru, flashing a bright smile, though his eyes reflected a hint of worry.

As they started to walk back towards the school, Kaito couldn't shake the feeling that the darkness was closing in on them. And this was only the beginning.

End of Chapter One