“Akitsu-kun,” Ayame said softly, her voice barely above a whisper,

  “please… take off your clothes.”

  Akitsu stiffened so hard it felt like his spine locked in place.

  “E—Eh?! W-What do you mean by that?!”

  Ayame tilted her head slightly, as if confused by his reaction. Her expression remained calm, unreadable.

  “Please strip down to your underwear,” she said evenly. “It will make the massage much easier. If you are uncomfortable, I can still do it.”

  Akitsu stared at her.

  “H-Hold on—why would I need to do that?!”

  She looked at his shoulders, then his arms.

  “Your muscles are excessively tense,” she replied. “If I massage you over your clothes, it will not be effective.”

  “…You’re way too calm about this,” Akitsu muttered, cheeks burning.

  “It is a practical matter,” Ayame said simply.

  Akitsu scratched the back of his head, avoiding her gaze.

  “…Alright. I guess… I can.”

  He stood up stiffly.

  Ayame’s eyes followed him—not with embarrassment, but with quiet attentiveness, as if she were observing something important rather than indecent.

  He pulled off his shirt.

  Cool air brushed against his skin.

  When his hands reached his pants, he froze and glanced over his shoulder.

  “H-Hoshizaki-san… could you turn around, please?” he said hurriedly.

  “This is really embarrassing.”

  “…Of course.”

  She turned away immediately, her movements precise and obedient.

  Akitsu exhaled deeply.

  He quickly removed his pants, lay face-down on the futon, and pulled the blanket over his waist.

  “…You can turn back now.”

  She knelt beside him.

  “May I begin?” she asked.

  “…Y-Yes.”

  Ayame gently lifted the blanket and froze.

  Her fingers hovered in the air.

  Scars.

  Large ones. Small ones. Faded lines. Jagged marks. Old wounds layered over older wounds, crossing his back, shoulders, and sides like silent memories carved into flesh.

  She swallowed.

  “…Akitsu-kun,” she asked quietly,

  “do these… hurt?”

  He blinked.

  “Huh? Oh… I don’t know,” he said after a pause.

  “I guess I got used to them.”

  Her hands trembled—just slightly.

  What kind of life leaves this many scars…?

  She placed her palms against his shoulders.

  They were hard.

  Too hard.

  “…You’re extremely tense,” she murmured.

  “Sorry,” Akitsu said awkwardly. “I didn’t notice.”

  She began pressing slowly, methodically, working along his spine.

  As she moved downward, her fingers paused at his calves.

  Her eyes narrowed slightly.

  “…This is bad.”

  “H-Huh?” Akitsu lifted his head.

  “Please remain still.”

  She applied pressure.

  Akitsu screamed.

  “AH—!! STO—STOP—!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

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  She continued for three seconds.

  Then released.

  Akitsu collapsed flat onto the futon, limbs completely limp.

  “…Akitsu-kun?” she asked cautiously.

  No response.

  “…Akitsu-kun?”

  A single hand weakly rose into the air.

  Thumbs up.

  “…Good.”

  A faint laugh escaped her before she caught herself.

  She resumed more gently.

  Then—

  BOOM.

  The dojo trembled violently.

  Akitsu shot upright.

  “What—?!”

  Another explosion echoed.

  Ayame’s breath caught, her fingers curling into her sleeves.

  Akitsu stood immediately, grabbing his clothes.

  “I’m going to check that out.”

  She grabbed the hem of his pants as he passed.

  “Akitsu-kun…”

  Her face was calm.

  Her eyes were filled with fear.

  “You can come with me,” he said softly.

  She nodded once.

  Fire greeted them.

  Smoke.

  Screams.

  Villagers ran through the streets in chaos.

  At the center stood Kurogane Daichi, laughing wildly—holding explosives in both hands.

  A house burned behind him.

  “Master!!” Akitsu shouted.

  “I didn’t know you’d end up like this!”

  Daichi’s eyes gleamed unnaturally.

  “Why so serious, son?” he laughed.

  “Isn’t this fun?!”

  “Stop this!” Akitsu yelled.

  “People are getting hurt!”

  Hikari screamed from behind him.

  “AKITSU!! DON’T GET CLOSE TO HIM!!”

  Daichi spun.

  “BOOM!”

  The explosion swallowed everything.

  Silence.

  Exactly fourteen petals fell the water. Akitsu opened his eyesA small island floated in endless darkness. A massive sakura tree stood at its center, leaves crimson red.

  The water below was pitch black.

  “…Where am I?” Akitsu whispered.

  No answer.

  Red doors hovered across the water.

  “…Am I dreaming?”

  He stepped into the water.

  It didn’t ripple.

  He reached a door.

  “…I don’t have a choice.”

  He opened it.

  Mud swallowed his legs.

  A swamp.

  Fireflies drifted quietly.

  “Hoshizaki-san?!”

  “Where are you?!”

  He ran.

  The fireflies stopped following.

  Auroras twisted low across the sky.

  “This… isn’t possible.”

  A voice whispered.

  “Looks like I found myself some good food.”

  Soft laughter echoed.

  Darkness consumed him.

  He awoke again beneath the sakura tree.

  A single leaf fell onto the water.

  One door was gone.

  “…What just happened?”

  He walked to another door.

  Opened it.

  Morning.

  A hill.

  The village gate ahead.

  Akitsu gasped for air, clutching the grass beneath him.

  “…I’m back.”

  But something inside him was missing.