Episode 0 – "The Shoreline Between Us"
Main Characters
Kaito
Sora
Haruki
Rui
Shun
Ashiro
Daigo
Summer held a quiet promise. The sky stretched wide, endless blue melting into the sea. The sun warmed the sand beneath their feet, but none of them could shake the weight of what was left unsaid.
Kaito stood at the edge of the shoreline, toes buried in wet sand, watching the horizon. His white hair ruffled in the breeze, sharp against the warm air. Near him, Rui's blue hair shimmered under the sun, the color almost electric — but her eyes didn't catch the light. They were guarded, distant, hiding shadows deeper than the ocean.
Their friends scattered around them — Haruki laughing softly with Daigo, Sora sitting under a beach umbrella quietly observing, and Ashiro lingering on the outskirts, his presence a cold reminder of things better left forgotten.
Daigo's voice broke through with a loud call to play volleyball, dragging everyone into motion. But every smile was tinged with tension.
Later that evening, the group gathered around a bonfire. The fireworks cracked open the night sky, light bursting over the dark waves. Kaito slipped away with Rui, pulling her close under the soft glow of sparklers.
"Don't get used to this," she whispered, breath warm against his cheek.
Kaito smiled, holding her hand tight behind their backs.
"But I want to."
Episode 1 – "Summer Secrets"
The group walked home, pairs drifting through the twilight streets. Haruki matched steps with Daigo, voices low. Sora walked beside Ashiro, breaking the silence.
"She's not the same girl you hurt," Sora said quietly. "But you… might still be the same guy."
Ashiro didn't reply.
Later, beneath the flickering streetlight near a vending machine, Kaito and Rui shared a secret moment.
"They'd hate us if they knew," Rui said, voice barely a whisper.
"Maybe. But I'm not letting go of you," Kaito promised.
She rested her head on his shoulder, silent but unyielding.
Back at home, Haruki found a crumpled note from Rui. The words vague, the pain clear. She gazed out her window, heart twisting.
"She's slipping away… and I don't know how to catch her."
Episode 2 – "Strangers With Memories"
The weekend before school reopened was quiet but charged.
Ashiro wandered the deserted Shinjin High campus, pausing in front of his old classroom — where memories of Rui laughing over spilled orange juice haunted him. His face was unreadable, a mask hiding years of regret.
Haruki confessed her fears to Sora.
"I don't belong with Rui anymore. Or with Kaito."
Sora's voice was steady.
"You're the bridge holding us together, but even bridges wear down."
Kaito trained on the court with Daigo, trying to push the knot in his chest away.
"You're glowing, bro. Summer romance?"
Kaito's laugh was nervous.
"Maybe."
At home, Rui hesitated outside Kaito's door, hand frozen near the frame.
"If I knock… I won't be able to pretend it's nothing anymore."
Episode 3 – "Between the Waves and Whispers"
The beach stretched on, but something had shifted.
Kaito stood alone at the shore, the salt breeze tangling his hair. Nearby, Rui laughed softly with Haruki and Daigo, but her smile didn't reach her sharp blue eyes.
The tension was thick, unspoken.
"Is this what peace is supposed to feel like?" Kaito wondered. "Because it doesn't."
Sora sat beneath the parasol, watching.
"It's only a matter of time before the past pulls the strings again."
Haruki handed Kaito a cooler.
"Don't overthink. Just be here."
A sudden challenge from Daigo sparked a volleyball game — teams split, laughter and competition blending.
Kaito tripped; Rui stumbled onto him. Their eyes locked.
"You're not supposed to look at me like that," she breathed.
"Then stop looking like you want me to," he whispered.
Later, Kaito met a stranger at an ice stand — tall, sunglasses hiding his eyes.
"You're Kaito, right?"
The man slid a folded photo into Kaito's hand and vanished.
The photo showed a younger boy with Kaito's eyes — and someone else.
Kaito's hand trembled.
"Who was that? Why does it feel like he knows me?"
Back at the house, Sora asked softly.
"You okay?"
Kaito asked in return, "Do you believe in lost memories?"
Sora's eyes darkened.
Later, on the balcony, Kaito unfolded the photo again.
"You weren't supposed to forget me…"
Episode 4 – "The Person I Used to Be"
The beach was beautiful, but for Rui it was a cage.
She sat on the porch, blue hair whipped by wind, eyes fixed far beyond the waves.
Kaito watched her, silent.
"You've been out here a while."
"So?"
"You said I shouldn't look at you like that."
Rui glanced at him.
"And yet here you are."
No anger — just honesty.
"You remind me of who I used to be," she whispered.
A time when she wanted love, to be seen. But that person was gone.
Kaito stepped closer.
"Then let me bring her back."
She smiled faintly.
"You're brave… or stupid."
Inside, Haruki watched from the kitchen window, Sora drying a glass nearby.
"They keep walking toward something that might break them."
"Or maybe it's the only way to be whole."
Later, Daigo showed Kaito a message.
"Aschao."
Kaito shivered.
That night, Rui quietly entered Kaito's room.
"I wasn't strong then. I pretended. But I was scared."
Ashiro didn't hurt her the way they thought — he hurt her by pretending not to love her.
Kaito believed her.
She stayed.
Episode 5 – "The Ghost in the Mirror"
Sora sat in a dark room, a paused video playing on his laptop.
Ashiro, alone, shaking, eyes red.
"I lied to her... but if anyone sees this… Rui, I'm sorry I didn't fight."
Sora's eyes narrowed.
At the gym, Kaito punched a wall, sweat pouring, phone buzzing ignored.
Daigo approached.
"I'm not okay. Everyone's lying."
Daigo confessed.
"Ashiro's going to kill himself."
Kaito froze.
That night, Rui got a message — no sender, just a video.
"You think you're safe with him? You're just another mistake. Like Ashiro."
Haruki rushed in, concerned.
Rui stared, pale.
Sora found Kaito later.
"This isn't just about Rui or Ashiro."
Kaito whispered.
"Aschao."
Sora nodded.
"We're not heroes. Maybe bait."
Ashiro stood on a rooftop, recording.
"Rui. Kaito. I hope you're happier without me messing everything up."
Episode 6 – "Crossroads in the Dark"
Kaito felt trapped at a crossroads — could he trust those around him or must he shield himself?
The old threat resurfaced, secrets pulled into daylight.
Tensions thickened like a storm.
Kaito wrestled with doubts, unsure who to lean on.
Episode 7 – "Fractured Bonds"
Pressure cracked friendships.
Rui and Haruki faced truths threatening to tear them apart.
Kaito fought to hold their fragile alliance together, but cracks widened
Chapter 2 — Episode 8: "The Weight of Truth"
Scene 1 – Late Night, Kaito's Room
The dim glow of the desk lamp cast long shadows across scattered papers and photos. Kaito sat hunched, eyes bloodshot, as a new name gnawed at his mind—Aschao.
Daigo leaned against the doorframe, watching silently.
Kaito (voice heavy):"Everywhere I look… Aschao's name keeps popping up. Like a ghost I can't shake."
Daigo nodded grimly.
Daigo:"It's not just a name. It's a warning."
Kaito stood abruptly, pacing the room.
Kaito:"We thought we understood the enemy. But this… this is bigger than all of us."
Scene 2 – Rui's Bedroom
Rui sat cross-legged, phone in hand, staring at an encrypted message.
The screen read: "The past is burning. Do you want to save it or watch it turn to ash?"
Her blue hair shimmered faintly in the moonlight as she swallowed hard.
Rui (whispering):"This… can't be just about us anymore."
Haruki sat nearby, concern etched on her face.
Haruki:"We have to decide what side we're really on."
Scene 3 – School Courtyard, Dawn
Kaito met with Sora beneath the blossoming sakura tree. The petals drifted slowly, a fragile peace contrasting their tense conversation.
Sora:"You're chasing shadows, Kaito. But sometimes shadows hold the harshest truths."
Kaito met his gaze, unwavering.
Kaito:"I'm ready to face whatever's behind those shadows."
Chapter 2 — Episode 9: "Hidden Fires"
Scene 1 – Rooftop, Afternoon
Rui confronted Kaito, eyes blazing beneath the clear sky.
Rui:"Ashiro betrayed everything — even us. How can you still stand by him?"
Kaito's jaw tightened.
Kaito:"Because I see what you don't. People aren't just their mistakes."
Her voice cracked with hurt.
Rui:"Sometimes those mistakes burn everything down."
Scene 2 – Hallway, School
Haruki watched from the shadows as Ashiro passed by, silent and unreadable.
She clenched her fists.
Haruki (to herself):"There's more to him… something he won't say."
Scene 3 – Evening, Group Meeting
The group gathered around a cluttered table, maps and photos spread out.
Daigo:"We're running out of time. Ashiro's moves are unpredictable."
Sora's voice cut through.
Sora:"Then we need to be flames, not smoke."
Chapter 2 — Episode 10: "Tides of Betrayal"
Scene 1 – Night, Abandoned Warehouse
The air was thick with tension. Ashiro stood alone, staring at the flickering monitor displaying the group's movements.
Ashiro (softly):"They don't know the tide's about to turn."
Scene 2 – School Gym
Kaito paced, phone buzzing nonstop.
Rui approached cautiously.
Rui:"The secrets… they're unraveling. And I'm scared of what's beneath."
Kaito stopped, locking eyes with her.
Kaito:"Whatever happens, we face it together."
Scene 3 – Dark Alley
Haruki was cornered suddenly by a shadowy figure.
Haruki (defiant):"You won't scare me."
The figure stepped forward — a familiar face with a cold smirk.
Chapter 2 – Episode 11
Title: "The Phantom We Never Noticed"
Scene 1 – The Stranger in the RainShinjin's summer rain hadn't stopped in days.
But in one abandoned gym on the edge of town — someone had made it stop.
A boy stood beneath the leaking roof, unfazed by the wind. Hair swept back. Barefoot. Shirtless. Covered in scars.
He moved in silence.
A single punch sent the air vibrating.
The metal locker in the corner dented — without being touched.
His name… was Shun.
And he wasn't supposed to exist.
Shun (mutters):"Still not fast enough."
Behind him, a fly zipped through the air — only to be sliced clean in half before landing.
Scene 2 – Haruki's VisitorThat night, Haruki opened the door to the house to see… a woman standing in the doorway.
Late 20s. Long gray hair. Surgical gloves. A black coat with a strange emblem on the sleeve.
She smiled.
Woman:"You're Haruki, right? Kaito's little sister?"
Haruki hesitated.Haruki:"I am. Who are you?"
The woman pulled out a business card. No name. Just one word:
RE:GENESIS
Woman:"We'd like to talk. About Sora."
Haruki froze.
Scene 3 – Rui's TrailRui was already moving.
She didn't ask permission. She didn't even change out of her uniform.
She just followed the message.
The address led her to a burned-down building — the remnants of an old orphanage just outside of town.
Every step forward felt like déjà vu.
Flashbacks.
Ashiro standing by her side.
A scream down the hall.
A lie that changed everything.
She stood over the old swing set behind the orphanage.
There… carved into the rusted metal:
"A + R Forever."
She covered her mouth.
Rui:"What really happened here…?"
Scene 4 – Kaito's MoveKaito stood alone in Sora's old room.
All his files were open. The names, the syndicates, the map of hidden labs around the country.
Kaito's eyes were different now.
Colder. Focused.
Kaito (thinking):"If Sora faked his death… he had a reason. I just need to find out why."
He zipped up a duffle bag and slung it over his shoulder.
Kaito:"And I'm not dragging anyone else into this."
He opened the door quietly.
But before he could walk out—
Rui's voice (low):"Where are you going?"
He turned around, heart skipping.
Rui stood there — wet from the rain, lips trembling.
Rui:"You promised me you wouldn't disappear."
Kaito didn't answer.
She walked forward, slowly, then wrapped her arms around him.
Rui:"Come back alive."
Kaito:"I will."
But inside — he wasn't so sure.
Scene 5 – The Hidden LabBack in the abandoned gym, Shun pressed his palm to the floor.
A glowing circle lit up — old tech buried under the concrete.
A memory drive activated. Video projection flickered on.
Ashiro appeared on the screen, speaking to someone unseen.
Ashiro:"If Shun escapes, we lose control of the balance. Keep the vials ready. Don't let him remember what we did to him."
Shun's eyes narrowed.
Shun:"So you knew all along."
He turned to the camera — now recording.
Shun:"Kaito. If you're watching this, I know we haven't met. But you're the only one I trust."
Shun:"I've got a plan."
END OF EPISODE 11
"I don't want to lose anyone else."
Chapter 2 – Episode 12
Title: "He Who Hides in Flame"
The episode opens with silence.
Sora lies in bed, bandaged, pretending to sleep. Outside his cracked door, voices murmur.
Rui:"He hasn't moved in hours."
Haruki:"Kaito hasn't come back either…"
The room shifts to black.
Flashback — Sora's attacker's blade pierces through his back.
He falls.
But he remembers the voice of the attacker — familiar. Too familiar.
Attacker (smirking):"Still the same. You never change, Sora."
Back to the present.
Sora opens his eyes. Expression cold.
Sora (muttering):"…Tatsuo."
Scene Shift – Underground Hideout
Kaito walks in, soaked in sweat. Shun leans back in a broken chair, eating pocky.
No one speaks. Just tension.
Kaito:"You sure this is the place?"
Shun:"Roland wouldn't give false info. This is it. Atelier Logic's base… and the last place Ashiro went dark."
Kaito:"He's planning something."
Shun (grins):"Good. So are we."
Kaito unsheathes Durandal.
Kaito (in his head):"I'll end this before it becomes something we regret."
Scene Shift – Rui and Haruki's POV
The two sisters search for answers in Sora's room.
They find a torn envelope.
Inside is a photo:
Sora standing next to another boy — same age. Dark spiky hair.
On the back:"Brothers in flame. -T"
Rui:"Tatsuo…"
Haruki holds her phone. The same anonymous contact is texting again.
"Tell Kaito the fire's already lit.""And Ashiro is watching."
Final Scene – Rain Falling
Kaito stands outside, hood up.
He's staring at Ashiro — standing on the opposite rooftop, soaked, unmoving.
They don't speak.
Only stare.
Kaito (voice-over):"This time, I won't run."
Ashiro (smiling):"You never could."
BLACK SCREEN.
END OF EPISODE 12
Chapter 2 – Episode 13
Title: "The Red Thread"
The tension hadn't left since the fight. Even after the chaos, Rui's voice kept echoing in Kaito's mind.
"Do you still love me, or are you just trying to fix something broken?"
Kaito walked through the school gates, earbuds in, trying to drown out the thoughts. But everything felt heavier now. More fragile. Rui hadn't spoken to him in days. Haruki was distant too — her gaze always somewhere far off. Even Daigo kept conversations short.
And Sora? He was watching. Always watching.
Scene 1 – The Courtyard, Midday
Kaito sat alone under the sakura tree near the basketball court, staring at his phone. A single unsent message to Rui blinked at him.
"Can we talk?"
He sighed and pocketed it.
Just as he stood to leave, Haruki appeared — lunchbox in hand.
Haruki:"You still haven't spoken to her, have you?"
Kaito:"She doesn't want to talk. I tried."
Haruki (gently):"She's scared. She always has been."
They sat down together. She opened the box and offered him half.
Haruki:"She used to talk about you… before all of this. She thought you were the only person who looked at her like she wasn't broken."
Kaito looked down, silent.
Scene 2 – Rooftop Shadows
Rui stood on the rooftop, her red eyes staring into the clouds. She clutched something in her palm — a torn photo of her and Ashiro from middle school.
Sora walked up behind her.
Sora:"He's hurting too, you know. You're not the only one bleeding from silence."
Rui (without turning):"Do you think I like this? Watching him from afar? Pretending I don't care?"
Sora:"Then don't pretend."
He dropped a folded slip of paper beside her before walking off.
On it: "He never stopped."
Scene 3 – After School – The Reunion
As the sky turned orange, Kaito found himself walking behind the school gym. The last place he expected Rui to be.
But she was there. Alone.
Kaito:"I wasn't following you."
Rui:"I know."
A long silence.
Rui (softly):"When we kissed… it felt real. But I told you to forget it."
Kaito:"I didn't."
She turned toward him.
Rui:"I wanted it to mean nothing. But it did. That's the problem."
Kaito (gently):"Then maybe… we stop lying to ourselves."
Scene 4 – The Moment
She stepped closer. He didn't move away.
And finally — after everything, after all the broken words and tangled lies — they kissed again. Not impulsively. Not with confusion.
But honestly.
Real.
Rui (whispering):"I don't know what happens next. But if we fall again… can I fall with you?"
Kaito (smiling faintly):"You never fell alone."
Final Scene – Unknown Contact
Elsewhere, in a darkened room, a phone buzzed.
On the screen: A message from the anonymous contact.
"They're getting too close. It's time for the next phase."
And the screen flickered…
Ashiro's face flashed in the reflection.
Chapter 2 – Episode 14
Title: "Whispers From Ash"
Scene 1 – Night. Interior. Rui's Room.
Rui sits by her window, red eyes blank, knees pulled to her chest. The room is dark except for the glow of her phone.
She re-reads the last message:
"Tell Kaito the fire's already lit.And Ashiro is watching."
Her fingers tremble. She presses delete — but it's too late. She knows.
A knock at her door.
Haruki (soft):"Can I come in?"
Rui doesn't respond, but Haruki enters anyway. She closes the door gently behind her.
Haruki:"Is it true… about the photo?"
Rui holds up the back of the photograph."Brothers in flame. –T."
Rui:"They were close. But Sora never talked about him."
Haruki (quiet):"Because Sora knew one day, Tatsuo would come back burning."
Scene 2 – The Next Day. Courtyard.
Kaito, Daigo, and Sora walk quietly through the school grounds.
Kaito's hands are in his pockets, his mind miles away.
Sora, though still bandaged, walks like nothing ever happened.
Daigo (nervous):"Look… if we're being followed—shouldn't we tell someone?"
Kaito (cold):"No one else needs to get involved. This is between us and them."
Sora stops suddenly. He looks up at the sky.
Sora:"It's not between us anymore. It's between the ones who've already started to burn."
Kaito glances at him.
Kaito:"You mean Tatsuo?"
Sora doesn't answer.
Scene 3 – Flashback: The Flame Brothers
The scene cuts back 4 years.
A dimly lit dojo.
Sora and a boy with wild black hair and sharp crimson eyes spar with bare fists.
Tatsuo (grinning):"If the world breaks us… promise me we break it back."
Sora (serious):"Not everything has to burn, Tatsuo."
Tatsuo:"But some things do."
The memory cuts off as Sora blinks, standing in present day — eyes narrowed.
Scene 4 – Evening. Kaito Alone.
Kaito's in his room, flipping through an old folder — labeled "Atelier Logic."
Photos. Names. Locations. Every trace Roland helped dig up.
Suddenly—
Ping.
A text on his phone.
From: Unknown"He'll strike again before the moon fades."
Kaito looks up.
Camera pans to the moon — already half-set.
He grabs his coat and slips out the window.
Scene 5 – Rooftop. Rui Waits.
Kaito climbs up to the rooftop, where Rui's already waiting. Red scarf blowing in the breeze.
Rui (without turning):"You're going after him, aren't you?"
Kaito:"I don't have a choice."
Rui:"You always do. You just don't like any of them."
Pause.
Kaito:"Then come with me."
Rui's eyes widen.
But she shakes her head. Her voice is gentle — but heavy.
Rui:"I can't follow you into fire again… not unless you promise you'll come back."
Kaito steps closer, their foreheads almost touching.
Kaito:"Then I promise."
They don't kiss. But the silence between them is louder than any scream.
Final Scene – Distant Warehouse.
A figure walks through flames.
Tatsuo steps out of a burning door, expression calm, holding a blade with smoke trailing off it.
Behind him, a tied-up figure groans — it's one of Ashiro's goons.
Tatsuo (monologuing):"Let the ghosts chase each other. I'll deal with the living."
His red eyes flicker in the firelight.
Tatsuo:"Sora… let's see what's left of your promise."
END OF EPISODE 14
Chapter 2 – Episode 15
Title: "Shadows Don't Sleep"
Scene 1 – Abandoned Subway Tunnel
Time: Midnight.
Shun's back leans against a cracked wall. Kaito stands nearby, gripping Durandal. The faint flickering light above them hums.
Kaito:"You sure about this place?"
Shun (chewing pocky):"I don't say things unless I'm sure. Besides… I used to live here."
Kaito blinks.
Kaito:"What?"
Shun (smiles darkly):"Before I was 'rescued,' the lab used this place. The things they did to me… made this the perfect hiding spot for monsters like Ashiro."
Beat.
Kaito:"So what are you, Shun?"
Shun (still smiling):"Something they couldn't finish."
Scene 2 – Flashback (Black & White): Shun's Past
White coats. Chains. IV drips.
An eight-year-old Shun sits alone, eyes dull, arms bruised.
A man in a coat whispers:"This boy... if we can unlock the 'Sequence,' he could shatter reality itself."
Cut to the present — Shun's eyes flash blue for a moment.
Scene 3 – Real Time: Ambush
Suddenly — movement in the shadows.
Kaito spins around — too slow.
A metal pipe flies.
CLANG!
Shun doesn't flinch. He catches the pipe — with two fingers.
Shun (grinning):"You missed."
Blur.
He vanishes.
Reappears behind the attacker — a masked goon — and air-punches.
The shockwave sends the attacker crashing into the far wall, bones crunching.
Kaito (wide-eyed):"You... didn't even touch him."
Shun (nonchalant):"I told you. They made me for this."
Scene 4 – Somewhere Else: Rui & Haruki
Rui lies on her bed, phone buzzing.
Another message.
"Ashiro's next move involves blood."
Haruki walks in, hesitant.
Haruki:"Sora's still not speaking."
Rui (cold):"Then we're going to find out what Tatsuo meant when he said 'brothers in flame.'"
Haruki nods.
But Rui isn't finished.
She opens her drawer and pulls out a black flash drive — the same one swiped from Sora's notebook.
Rui (softly):"Kaito shouldn't have to carry this alone."
Scene 5 – Back to Kaito and Shun
The last of the goons collapses.
Shun dusts off his hands. Kaito looks around.
Kaito:"That wasn't Ashiro's style."
Shun (nods):"Because this wasn't his trap. It was Tatsuo's."
From the shadows, a recorded voice plays on the wall:
Tatsuo (recording):"Shun. Kaito. You two are interesting. But don't follow shadows that don't sleep… or you might not wake up."
The audio cuts.
Kaito clenches his fists.
Kaito (voice low):"I'm done being hunted."
He turns to Shun.
Kaito:"We find Roland. We find Logic. And we end this."
Shun flicks the last of his pocky away.
Shun (calm):"About time."
Final Scene – Rooftop: Sora Alone
Sora leans on the rooftop railing, watching the stars, expression unreadable.
He mutters:
Sora:"You're watching again, aren't you… Tatsuo?"
From the shadows behind him…
Voice:"Always was. Always will be."
END OF EPISODE 15
Chapter 2 – Episode 16
Title: "The Door You Never Open"
Scene 1 – Forgotten District, Early Morning
Rain pours lightly over cracked stone.
Kaito stands in front of a rusted doorway deep in an alley no one remembers. Shun beside him, silent. The door creaks open.
Inside: cold steel walls, dust, and silence.
Weapons hang on the walls. Labels scratched. Origins unknown.
At the back, sitting on a stool under a flickering light — Roland.
Cigarette lit. Eyes sharp. Voice low.
Roland:"You came."
Kaito (nodding):"You said I'd need these."
Roland tosses a small bag forward.
Roland:"You'll need more than just weapons. You'll need resolve."
Kaito opens the bag.
Inside:
Durandal's twin blade, jet-black.
A badge labeled: Zelkova Division
Small case: custom bullets. Etched in red. Burn-type.
Roland (standing):"I've done my part. You do yours."
He walks toward the exit.
Kaito:"Wait—Why are you helping me?"
Roland stops. Doesn't turn.
Roland:"Because Ashiro killed someone I loved, too."
Then he vanishes into the rain.
Scene 2 – Back at the House
Rui stands over the kitchen sink, staring blankly out the window.
Sora walks in, freshly bandaged but cold as ever.
Sora:"You're still waiting for him?"
Rui:"You're not?"
Sora shrugs.
Sora:"Kaito always comes back."
Rui turns, voice quiet.
Rui:"He's changing. Ever since he met Shun. Ever since Ashiro came back."
Sora leans against the wall.
Sora:"Change isn't the problem. It's whether you'll still recognize him when it's over."
Scene 3 – School Grounds: Haruki's POV
Haruki walks alone, headphones in, hoodie up.
A shadow follows her from the rooftops. She senses it.
She picks up speed.
Turns a corner — no one's there.
But a message flashes on her phone.
"You're being watched. -T"
Scene 4 – Warehouse Hideout
Kaito spins Durandal's twin.
Shun types rapidly on an old terminal.
Kaito:"You found something?"
Shun:"Not just something. Everything. Atelier Logic is moving."
He brings up a glowing 3D map. Red markers blink across the city.
Shun:"This isn't about revenge anymore. Ashiro's working with others — ex-Library, old Syndicate, worse."
Kaito's fists tighten.
Kaito (whispers):"What does he want?"
Shun:"Control. Memory. Pain. He's rewriting the past for everyone involved."
Kaito:"Then we tear the page out."
Scene 5 – Back at the House
Haruki bursts in, breathing hard.
Rui, startled.
Haruki (panting):"I was followed. He's back."
Rui:"Who?"
Haruki slowly pulls out a folded note and hands it over.
Rui reads aloud:
"The flame doesn't go out. It burns in you."
Her hands tremble.
Haruki:"What does that mean?"
Sora (from behind):"It means Tatsuo isn't finished."
Final Scene – Alley Outside Roland's Base
Kaito stands alone under a streetlight.
He opens the case of bullets. Inserts one into Durandal's chamber.
Raises the blade toward the sky.
Kaito (voice-over):"Come at me again, Ashiro. Just know... this time, I'm not coming to talk."
END OF EPISODE 16
Chapter 2 – Episode 17
Title: "House of Glass"
Scene 1 – Sora's Room (Night)
Rui stands by Sora's door, that torn photo in hand. The words on the back still echo in her mind:
"Brothers in flame. –T"
She pushes open the door.
Rui (low):"Who was he?"
Sora sits at his desk, wrapping his hands — fresh training wounds.
He doesn't look at her.
Sora:"You already know his name."
Rui:"Tatsuo. The boy who stabbed you."
Sora finally turns, his gaze sharp.
Sora:"He wasn't always like that. He was my best friend. My shadow. My other half."
Flashback begins — Old orphanage, years ago.
Two boys in the rain — Sora and Tatsuo — protecting each other from older kids. Bleeding, bruised. Together.
Young Sora (voice-over):"We promised we'd burn together… or not at all."
Back to the present.
Rui:"And now?"
Sora:"Now he wants to watch everything we built shatter."
Scene 2 – Kaito's Hideout
Shun's fingers blur over the keyboard.
Shun:"Pulled up encrypted logs from Roland's contact list. Guess who's name kept showing up?"
He turns the screen toward Kaito.
Ashiro – multiple aliases, locations, and tags. One sticks out:
"Experiment: Memory Sync Project – Lib. Site B."
Kaito's face darkens.
Kaito:"He used to say... memories were poison. And now he's trying to make others drink it."
Shun:"He's not working alone anymore. Atelier Logic is merging with Tatsuo's group."
Kaito grabs his jacket and sword.
Kaito:"Then we're running out of time."
Scene 3 – Haruki's Solo Search
Haruki quietly walks through the downtown district.
She enters a forgotten building — Ashiro's old home.
Dust. Silence.
A photo on the wall — Ashiro as a child... with someone else.
She pulls the photo off the wall.
Behind it, scratched into the drywall:
"We were never meant to exist."
Suddenly — creaking.
She spins — a figure dashes out the back door.
She chases — but it's gone.
Left behind?
A red pendant.
Glowing faintly.
It hums when she touches it.
Scene 4 – School Rooftop, Next Day
Kaito stares over the city. Alone.
Sora walks up behind him.
Sora:"You're planning to kill him, aren't you?"
Kaito doesn't answer.
Kaito:"I found his new lab. He's not hiding anymore. He wants me to come."
Sora:"That's what makes this a trap."
Kaito:"Doesn't matter. I'm not walking away again."
Sora hands him a case — inside: his old training gloves from back when they sparred as teens.
Sora:"If you're gonna break, do it with those. Not with rage."
Scene 5 – Rui's Breaking Point
Rui sits alone in her room. Hands shaking.
She reads a message again and again.
"He'll never be yours. He left once, and he'll do it again. –A"
She throws her phone against the wall.
Kaito walks in. Catches her mid-breakdown.
Kaito:"Rui—"
Rui:"Don't. Don't lie to me again. I saw the photos. I saw you with her."
Kaito:"That wasn't me. That was Ashiro's setup. You know it."
Rui looks down, eyes filled with tears.
Rui:"Then why does it still hurt?"
Kaito kneels in front of her.
Kaito:"Because you still believe in me. And I won't let that go to waste."
They embrace — but the peace is fleeting.
Final Scene – Tatsuo's Hideout
Tatsuo stares at a screen — live surveillance of Rui, Sora, Kaito, and Haruki.
Ashiro enters, voice hoarse.
Ashiro:"They're coming. Just like we wanted."
Tatsuo (smirks):"Let them. This house of glass was built to shatter."
Close-up on blueprints scattered on the desk.
In the middle:"Operation: Final Flame"
END OF EPISODE 17
Chapter 2 – Episode 18
Title: "Truth Bleeds in Silence"
The episode begins in stillness.
An abandoned school rooftop. The wind howls. The skies are gray.
Kaito stands alone, gripping the hilt of Durandal, rain soaking his uniform.
He took everything. Rui's trust. My peace. Sora's blood. And he still thinks he's right.
Suddenly—footsteps.
Behind him, Shun appears, tying his shoelaces mid-run, casually holding a can of soda.
Shun:"So… you ready to bury a demon?"
Kaito:"…I'm done burying things. Now I dig up the truth."
Cut to:
Meanwhile — Rui's room.
She clutches the torn photo of Sora and Tatsuo, hands trembling.
Haruki:"You're shaking."
Rui:"This wasn't just about Ashiro… was it? Sora knew. All along."
They hear a noise outside.
A message appears on Haruki's phone — from the Anonymous Contact.
"Truth bleeds loudest when silence is forced.""Tonight. Auditorium. Come alone."
Haruki's face drains of color.
Scene Shift — Abandoned Auditorium
Ashiro walks calmly across the dark stage.
He wears his old school uniform — pristine white. A crimson rose pinned to his chest.
He's humming softly.
Ashiro (muttering):"They all loved pretending. But I saw it. I saw through it all."
Cut to:
Flashback.
Ashiro crying alone in a stairwell years ago as Rui walks past him — not noticing his bleeding knuckles.
Daigo and Kaito laugh in the distance.
Young Ashiro's voice echoes:
"I was the shadow of your smile."
Scene Shift — Kaito, Shun, and Sora (recovered)
They walk side by side down the dim school hallways, heading toward the auditorium.
Each of them now scarred. Grown. Focused.
Sora:"If we go in there wrong, people die."
Shun (adjusting gloves):"No one's dying tonight… except the one who already did."
Kaito:"Then let's give him closure."
Scene Shift — Auditorium
Rui walks into the center, alone.
Ashiro descends from the rafters behind her like a ghost.
Ashiro:"Did you miss me, Rui?"
Rui (without turning):"No. But I remember you… the real you."
Ashiro:"There was never a 'real' me. You all invented one to feel less guilty."
He steps closer.
Ashiro:"You kissed Kaito, didn't you? I watched. I watched everything. Even now… you think he loves you?"
Rui:"…He does."
Ashiro's smile finally falters.
Suddenly — the lights flicker.
Smoke floods the room.
Shun's voice echoes:"Three minutes. No mistakes."
Combat breaks out — chaos on stage.
Shun vs Ashiro's goons.
Sora catches one trying to shoot from above — delivers a spin-kick and snaps the gun over his knee.
Ashiro and Kaito face off center-stage.
Ashiro pulls out a blade made from Zelkova Workshop, stolen tech.
Kaito raises Durandal, eyes locked in.
Ashiro:"If you kill me… you become me."
Kaito:"Wrong. If I let you live, you keep making more of you."
They clash.
Final Scene:
As they battle, Rui screams, spotting a second attacker — Tatsuo — charging toward Kaito with a hidden blade.
But before he can land the strike — Sora takes the hit, tackling Tatsuo mid-air.
Blood flies.
Everyone freezes.
Sora on the ground. Tatsuo gasping.
Tatsuo:"…Still the same… still saving people."
Sora (bleeding):"And you… still a coward."
Kaito lunges and lands a powerful blow on Ashiro — knocking him across the stage.
Ashiro laughs — not out of joy, but madness.
Ashiro (final words of episode):"You think this is the end? This is only where you begin breaking…"
Episode ends.
Cut to black.
The screen pulses.
A final voice message is heard, distorted:
"Ashiro isn't the one pulling the strings."
Chapter 2 — Episode 19: "The Final Flame Ignites" / "Where Ashes Fall" Scene 1 – The Battlefield at Dusk
The sky burned with streaks of crimson and gold as smoke curled from the smoldering battlefield. The air was thick with dust, the sharp scent of scorched earth mingling with the metallic tang of steel.
Kaito's heart pounded fiercely, matching the steady beat of his sword against his palm. Around him, his friends fought with everything they had, their faces streaked with sweat and grime but shining with fierce determination.
Kaito's voice cut through the chaos, raw and unwavering:
Kaito (shouting):"This ends here! For us — for everyone we've lost!"
He surged forward, every step carrying the weight of their shared pain and hope.
Scene 2 – The Fierce Clash
Blades clashed with a ringing chorus, sparks flying like fireflies in the twilight. Rui moved beside Kaito, her blue hair a vibrant streak amidst the dark smoke, her eyes blazing with unwavering courage.
She parried a strike aimed at Kaito, then reached out, gripping his arm tightly.
Rui (breathless):"Stay with me, Kaito. We're almost there."
Their gazes locked — a silent conversation of love, trust, and fierce promise.
Suddenly, Kaito faltered, a sharp blow sending him staggering.
Rui caught him instantly, her hands trembling but steady.
Kaito (weak smile):"I'm not leaving you. Not now. Not ever."
Her eyes shimmered with tears, reflecting the flames around them.
Scene 3 – The Turning Point
Drawing strength from Rui's touch, Kaito pushed back against the tide. The enemy's resolve wavered as the group rallied, hearts ignited by hope and unbreakable bonds.
Slowly, the battle's ferocity faded — the final embers of conflict dying as the first light of dawn stretched across the sky.
Scene 4 – Aftermath — The Quiet Moment
Silence fell like a soft blanket over the battlefield, broken only by ragged breaths and distant birdsong. Smoke rose in gentle spirals, the cool morning air carrying away the heat and tension of the night.
Kaito and Rui stood close, their bodies bruised but their spirits unyielding.
Rui stepped forward, wrapping her arms tightly around him — a shield against all the darkness they had faced.
Rui (softly, voice trembling):"We made it. Together."
She hugs him. Slowly. Softly. Tightly.Then, she kisses him — long, quiet, real.
Rui (whispers):"No more lies."
Kaito (smiling):"Red eyes, white lies, huh?"
She nods.
Their eyes meet, full of unspoken promises, of pain endured and a future fiercely claimed.
Scene 5 – "Where Ashes Fall" — The Auditorium Showdown
Rain pelts the broken windows of a dark auditorium where Ashiro stumbles backward, coughing blood. Sirens wail faintly in the distance, growing louder.
Ashiro smirks, spite burning in his gaze.
Ashiro:"You all think it's over, don't you? That you've won?"
Kaito, bruised but resolute, stands firm with sword lowered. Rui grips his arm tightly.
Rui (softly):"Kaito… don't. You don't have to kill him."
Ashiro laughs — hollow, unhinged.
Ashiro:"Of course he won't. That's the difference between us. He still believes people can be saved."
Ashiro collapses to his knees.
Scene 6 – Flashback: Ashiro's Past
In monochrome fragments, Ashiro's memories flicker — a harsh apartment, an abusive mother's screams, silent bruises hidden beneath school uniforms, watching Kaito and Daigo from afar, unnoticed by Rui.
His internal voice echoes:
"You never cared for me. You liked the idea of saving me… not me."
A final flash shows Ashiro deleting their contact info, walking alone at graduation.
Scene 7 – Present Collapse and Revelation
Ashiro finally collapses fully. Sora, injured but alive, drags himself forward.
Sora (firm):"You weren't the only one who suffered. You just gave up first."
Ashiro laughs weakly.
Ashiro:"I was the test. They made me the first one. You're still fighting ghosts — I became one."
He falls unconscious.
Kaito breathes out:
"…It's over."
Scene 8 – Shun's Reveal
Shun steps forward, serious as police lights flicker outside shattered windows.
Shun:"This wasn't just Ashiro's madness."
He holds up a broken flash drive.
Shun:"Labs called Atelier Logic, Zelkova, Mook, Roland — they didn't just sell weapons. They experimented on kids. Ashiro was an early trial."
The group is frozen.
Haruki (whispers):"Why?"
Shun:"Control. Power. To see if someone like him could be created."
Turning to Kaito:
Shun (quietly):"You were on that list too. But you survived without breaking."
Scene 9 – Hospital Rooftop (Later That Night)
Kaito and Rui stand quietly on a hospital rooftop. The city sprawls below, twinkling, the air cool and clean after rain.
Everything feels calm — fragile but real.
Rui breathes in slowly.
Rui:"It's all over."
Kaito takes her hand, squeezing gently.
Kaito:"No, it's just the beginning. With you, I'm ready for anything."
They lean in, foreheads touching.
The night holds their breath as they finally let their hearts speak.
Final Scene – Epilogue Moment
A shadowed voice whispers over the silence:
Shun (voice-over):"They thought ending Ashiro would fix everything. But some stories don't end when a villain dies. Sometimes… the villain was just the first chapter."
The camera pans deep underground to a flickering monitor.
On screen: Tatsuo, alive. Watching.
He smirks.
Tatsuo:"…Found you."
End of Episode 19