The rooftop was quiet, but Vieira's mind was anything but. The weight of everything he had just witnessed bore down on him, the grotesque image of his classmate being torn apart, the existence of Shadows, and the fact that he fought one and lived.
Across from him, Kenji wiped blood from his cheek, his usual smirk gone. There was no humor in his eyes now.
"You don't have a choice, Vieira."
Vieira frowned. "What do you mean?"
Kenji's voice was calm but firm. "You either come to us tomorrow, or we'll have to erase your memories."
Vieira stiffened.
"Or worse," Ryo added, adjusting his glasses. His tone was neutral, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable.
Aya, who had been standing a few steps away, spoke up for the first time. "You shouldn't have been able to see a Shadow, let alone fight one. If you leave here and start asking the wrong questions, you put yourself....and everyone around you....at risk."
Vieira clenched his fists.
"So what? You'll kill me if I don't show up?" he spat.
Kenji shrugged. "That depends on you. Show up, and you'll get answers. Don't, and we'll make sure this never happened.....one way or another."
For the first time since this all started, fear began creeping into Vieira's chest. But it wasn't the kind that made him freeze. It was the kind that made his blood boil.
This wasn't fair. He never asked for this.
But the moment he saw that thing in the hallway, his life had already changed.
Kenji watched him for a moment before turning to leave. "See you tomorrow, Vieira. Make the smart choice."
Ryo adjusted his glasses before following. Aya hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Vieira with something unreadable in her gaze, then disappeared after them.
Vieira was left alone, the evening breeze cold against his skin.
Tomorrow, his life would either change forever.....or end.