The aftermath of the battle still clung to them as they returned to the church. Katsuki walked ahead, stretching his arms with a carefree grin, his voice echoing in the quiet hallway.

  "Well, that was a good mission. Can't think of a single thing that went wrong~," he said, his tone light, almost too light.

  Lyra, trailing just behind him, shot a glance at the cracked walls and scorched floors, the remnants of the battle they had left behind. "Oh yeah? What about all the damage and destruction? The whole city block's practically leveled."

  Katsuki waved a hand dismissively, his grin widening. "Eh, who cares? So a few people got hurt, maybe even died… At least we took down two major supernatural threats. That's what really matters, right?" He paused, then added with casual confidence, "Besides, Lyra can just use her money to cover this up. Or we can tell the church to handle it. Either way, problem solved\~"

  Hikari stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening. "Wait, what?"

  Katsuki glanced back at her, raising an eyebrow. "What, you didn't know? Lyra here is the founder and owner of Vega Holdings, LLC. She's loaded. Like, stupid rich."

  Hikari's gaze snapped to Lyra, her mouth slightly open in shock. "You… you own Vega Holdings?"

  Lyra sighed, brushing a strand of honey-blonde hair behind her ear. "Yeah. It's not a big deal."

  "Not a big deal?" Hikari's voice rose slightly. "You own one of the biggest companies in Japan! And… wait, Vega Holdings? As in, the company that owns Vega Stellar Academy?"

  Lyra nodded, her expression neutral. "That's right."

  Hikari felt her heart skip a beat. Vega Stellar Academy. She'd been eyeing that school for years, ever since she'd developed an inexplicable fascination with astrology. Something about the stars, the constellations, the way they seemed to whisper secrets she couldn't quite hear… it had always drawn her in.

  "I've always wanted to go there," Hikari said quietly, almost to herself. "I've been obsessed with astrology for as long as I can remember. I don't even know why. It's just… something about the stars feels important. Like they're trying to tell me something."

  Lyra's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Astrology, huh? That's… interesting."

  Katsuki smirked. "Interesting is one word for it. Sounds like fate to me\~"

  Hikari frowned, her mind racing. Why had she always been so drawn to the stars? It wasn't just a hobby or a passing interest. It was deeper than that. Almost instinctual. Like something in her blood was pulling her toward them.

  And now, standing in front of Lyra Vega, the founder of the very academy she'd dreamed of attending, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't a coincidence.

  Lyra studied Hikari for a moment, her golden-brown eyes narrowing slightly. "You said you've always been into astrology. Any idea why?"

  Hikari shook her head. "No. It's just… always been there. Like it's part of me."

  Lyra's expression softened, just a fraction. "Maybe it is."

  Katsuki chuckled, breaking the tension. "Well, isn't this cozy? Two star-obsessed girls bonding over cosmic mysteries. What's next, a sleepover where you braid each other's hair and talk about constellations?"

  Lyra shot him a glare. "Shut up, Katsuki."

  Hikari barely heard them. Her mind was still spinning. Vega Holdings. Vega Stellar Academy. Lyra Vega. And her own inexplicable obsession with the stars.

  It was all connected somehow. She could feel it.

  But how?

  For a moment, Hikari's thoughts drifted to her bloodline. She didn't know much about her family history. Her parents had never talked about it. But what if there was something there? Something that explained why the stars felt so familiar, so important?

  What if her connection to astrology wasn't random at all?

  Lyra seemed to sense her thoughts. "You know," she said carefully, "sometimes people are drawn to things because of their heritage. Bloodlines carry more than just genetics. They carry memories, instincts, connections to things that came before."

  Hikari looked up at her, her amber eyes searching Lyra's face. "You think my bloodline has something to do with it?"

  Lyra hesitated, then nodded slowly. "It's possible. More than possible, actually."

  Katsuki leaned against the wall, his grin fading into something more serious. "She's right. Bloodlines are a big deal in the supernatural world. Some families have connections to specific forces, specific powers. If you've always been drawn to the stars, there's probably a reason for it."

  Hikari's chest tightened. "But I don't know anything about my family. My parents never told me anything."

  Lyra's gaze softened. "Maybe they didn't know. Or maybe they were trying to protect you."

  Hikari swallowed hard. "Protect me from what?"

  Lyra didn't answer right away. Instead, she glanced at Katsuki, who gave her a small nod.

  "From the truth," Lyra said finally. "From the weight of what you might be."

  Hikari's hands clenched into fists. "What I might be? What does that mean?"

  Lyra took a step closer, her voice gentle but firm. "It means that if your bloodline is connected to the stars, you're not just some random esper, Hikari. You're something more. Something important."

  Hikari's breath caught. "Important how?"

  Lyra hesitated again, then said, "I don't know yet. But I have a feeling we're going to find out."

  Katsuki pushed off the wall, his usual grin returning. "Well, this just got a lot more interesting. Hikari's got star power, Lyra's got star money, and I've got star charisma. We're basically unstoppable\~"

  Lyra rolled her eyes. "You're insufferable."

  "And yet, you keep me around\~"

  Hikari barely registered their banter. Her mind was still reeling from the revelation. Lyra Vega. Vega Holdings. Vega Stellar Academy. And now, the possibility that her own bloodline was connected to the stars.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  It was too much to process.

  But one thing was clear: she needed answers. And something told her that Lyra, whether she realized it or not, was going to help her find them.

  Because if Hikari's obsession with astrology was tied to her bloodline, and if Lyra's entire empire was built around the stars, then maybe, just maybe, they were connected in ways neither of them understood yet.

  Hikari didn't know for sure. But she was going to find out.

  As they continued walking down the hallway, Lila threw an arm around Hikari's shoulders with an exaggerated grin. "Don't worry about her, Hikari. She's just… territorial. Let's head out before Sylvia starts piling more work on us."

  But as they turned toward the door, Sylvia's sharp voice sliced through their retreat. "Wait."

  Both Hikari and Lila froze, turning back to face Sylvia, who stood now, her commanding presence filling the room. She leaned on her desk, her intense eyes locking onto them with an almost predatory focus.

  "I'll need the two of you ready to leave for the U.S. tomorrow," Sylvia stated firmly. "There've been multiple reports of something unusual happening in Long Island City. Something… big." She allowed the weight of her words to linger, her gaze piercing as if trying to communicate more than she was willing to say aloud.

  Hikari and Lila exchanged glances before nodding in unison. "Understood," they said, though Hikari's voice carried a note of hesitation.

  As they stepped out into the corridor, Hikari broke the silence first. "Jeez. Things get really tense with this job, huh?" She rubbed the back of her neck, still feeling the sharp edges of Sylvia's gaze lingering on her.

  Lila chuckled, though there was a heaviness to it. "Oh, Hikari dear, you have noooo idea how tense things can get\~" Her words were light, but the underlying tone suggested she was shielding Hikari from the deeper truth.

  Hikari's expression darkened, a flicker of defiance igniting in her amber eyes. "Right. I don't think you really know me, Lila. I've seen worse things than this."

  Lila's smile faltered for a moment, her usual playful demeanor slipping just enough to reveal a sliver of caution. "Have you?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "Because Shinjuku isn't just any city, you know. It's the heart of all supernatural phenomena in Japan."

  Hikari frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

  Lila's tone shifted, her usual playfulness giving way to a grim seriousness. "Shinjuku is a melting pot for rogue exorcists, psychic hunters, and factions clawing at each other for control of supernatural energy. It's a nexus where dimensions bleed into each other, creating rifts that invite chaos. It's not just entities causing trouble. It's the people too. The underworld here is teeming with factions. The Church of Sanctum Maledictum, rogue spirits, and even cults… everyone's fighting for control."

  Hikari's brows furrowed as the weight of Lila's words sank in. "Why didn't anyone tell me that sooner?"

  Lila gave her a half-smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Because it's better if you don't know everything at once, Hikari. Trust me, the less you know, the easier it is to keep your head in the game."

  But Hikari wasn't convinced. A sense of unease crept into her mind, curling around the edges of her thoughts like a fog she couldn't shake. Something about the mission to Long Island City didn't sit right with her, and Lila's cryptic explanations only deepened her suspicions.

  As the two walked off into the night, the air between them felt heavy with unspoken truths. For Hikari, it wasn't just the job that was tense. It was the sense that the deeper she got involved, the more she was stepping into a world she might never fully understand.

  And in the shadows of Sylvia's office, the older woman leaned back in her chair, her mind already racing with the implications of the reports she'd received. Long Island City wasn't just a disturbance. It was the beginning of something far more dangerous, something that could reshape the balance of power across the supernatural world.

  Hikari pulled out her phone as they walked, the screen lighting up her face in the dim corridor. She had dozens of unread messages from Penny and Rina, increasingly worried texts asking where she'd been. She felt a pang of guilt.

  She opened the group chat.

  **Hikari:** hey guys sorry been MIA

  **Hikari:** been hanging out with katsuki actually

  **Hikari:** the new transfer kid remember?

  She hit send before she could second-guess herself. The lies came easier than she expected.

  Almost immediately, three dots appeared.

  **Rarity ??:** GIRL WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN

  **Rarity ??:** We've been worried sick about you!! Four hours of radio silence??

  **Ri:** Hikari!! Are you okay? You just disappeared!

  **Ri:** Wait, you're hanging out with the new kid? That guy with the glasses?

  **Hikari:** yeah him

  **Hikari:** hes actually pretty cool once you get to know him

  **Hikari:** been showing me around this church he goes to

  **Rarity ??:** A CHURCH?? Since when do you care about churches??

  **Rarity ??:** This doesn't sound like you at all. You've been acting weird even before you disappeared.

  **Ri:** What church? Is it that Sanctum Maledictum one we were talking about at lunch?

  **Ri:** Those explosions we've been hearing… you're not involved in anything dangerous, right?

  Hikari's chest tightened. She could feel their concern through the screen, and it made the lies taste even more bitter.

  **Hikari:** yeah thats the one actually

  **Hikari:** its really interesting, learning a lot about their beliefs and stuff

  **Hikari:** katsuki knows a ton about it, hes been explaining everything

  **Hikari:** im thinking about maybe getting a membership there

  **Rarity ??:** A MEMBERSHIP?!

  **Rarity ??:** Hikari what the HELL. You met this guy like 4 hours ago and now you're joining his church??

  **Ri:** This is really sudden… Are you sure you're okay? This isn't like you at all.

  **Ri:** We're really worried. Can we come meet you?

  **Hikari:** im fine i promise

  **Hikari:** i know it sounds weird but its not like a cult or anything lol

  **Hikari:** just feels like something i need to explore you know?

  **Hikari:** ill explain everything when i see you guys ok?

  **Rarity ??:** You BETTER.

  **Rarity ??:** And when you get back, we're dragging you to the mall for a mandatory intervention. New outfit, spicy food, the works.

  **Rarity ??:** Also I'm gonna need to meet this Katsuki guy and make sure he's not brainwashing you.

  **Ri:** We miss you, dummy. Come back soon.

  **Ri:** And please be careful. I don't care if it's a church, just… be safe.

  **Hikari:** i know

  **Hikari:** miss you guys too

  **Hikari:** katsukis cool i promise, youll like him

  She pocketed her phone, a hollow feeling settling in her stomach. Another lie. Another wall between her and the normal life she used to have.

  Lila glanced at her. "Everything okay?"

  "Yeah," Hikari said quietly. "Just… checking in with some friends."

  "The normal ones?" Lila's tone was knowing, not judgmental.

  "Yeah."

  "It gets harder, you know. Keeping both worlds separate," Lila said, her usual playful demeanor dropping for a moment. "Eventually you have to choose which one is real."

  Hikari didn't respond. She wasn't ready to think about that yet.

  They continued walking in silence, the weight of unspoken truths hanging between them like a curtain neither was ready to pull back.

  Hikari: "Man, it's crazy how much has changed in just four hours. I never imagined something like this… Supernatural Affinity… could flip my whole view of the world like this."

  Lila: "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" She paused, her voice softening. "Not everyone can handle it, you know. I've seen this job break people in ways you wouldn't believe…" Her words trailed off, as if she'd said too much. But then she forced a bright tone back into her voice. "Anyway! Let's take a breather, yeah? We took down four supernatural entities in three hours. I'd say we've earned it\~"

  Hikari: "Three hours?!" She blinked in disbelief. "No way. It felt like two days went by!"

  Lila: "Heh, that's how it works sometimes. The supernatural world messes with your perception. Time can stretch, shrink, or just… shift. Hours might feel like days, or minutes might drag on forever. And don't even get me started on those moments where it's like time skips ahead without warning. It's one of the quirks of having Supernatural Affinity." She tilted her head, her tone growing more serious. "For regular humans, though? They're blissfully unaware of how twisted and dangerous their world really is."

  Hikari: "Dangerous is an understatement," she muttered, then smirked, her determination sparking. "But I'll figure it out. I'll master these psychic powers and become the strongest esper in the universe!"

  Lila: "There you go\~" She laughed, a warm sound that broke through the lingering tension. "That's the spirit, Hikari. Confidence will get you far… just don't let it blind you to the reality of what's out there."

  Her words carried a subtle weight, like a whisper of warning. Despite her playful tone, Lila's eyes seemed to cloud for just a moment, as if recalling something or someone lost to the dangers she hadn't fully explained.

  To be continued…