Kentaro watched as Tenka's lips trembled, the words caught like glass shards in her throat. She wasn't usually like this. Tenka was the confident one, the anchor of the group, always able to put things into perspective, no matter how dire. But right now, she almost looked… Ashamed.

He could only stand there, his chest heavy, heart thudding against his ribs as if it was trying to break free.

"S–Shaula…" Tenka finally forced out, her voice cracking. She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes glancing anywhere but him. "She's…"

Kentaro felt his body tense. Every second she dragged this out felt like a knife twisting deeper. Ever since Shaula vanished, she'd haunted his thoughts, her laughter, her strange habits, the way she slipped into his life so seamlessly. Now Tenka's hesitation only confirmed what he feared: this wasn't going to be something simple.

"Tell me, Tenka." His voice was raw, desperate. "Is she okay? What's going on? What did you hear?"

Tenka finally locked eyes with him. There was fear there, and something else, guilt. The kind of guilt that weighed a person down like chains. When she spoke, it was slow, deliberate, each word carrying a weight that threatened to crush them all.

"S-she's. An Alberline."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Kentaro's eyes widened, his breath leaving him in a rush. For a moment, it was as if all the sounds around him had died out, leaving only the pounding of his heartbeat in his ears. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. Words abandoned him.

"W–wait…" Serica's voice cut through the fog. Her usual composed tone wavered. "You're saying… We've been living with an Alberline? For the past twenty-four hours?"

Tenka nodded, her expression grim.

"Seems so. Haruka picked up an Alberline signal coming from the apartment. And it wasn't from any of you, unless you've used Sublimation without realising?" Her gaze swept over Serica, Aria, and Yura.

They all shook their heads almost immediately. That only deepened the pit in Tenka's stomach. She had hoped, prayed even, that one of them would admit to some accidental release of power, something that would explain away Haruka's reading. But no. That left only one possibility.

Aria stepped forward, her voice unusually sharp. "Then… What about the other Shaulas? Are they Alberlines too?"

The group froze. No one had an answer. The thought was terrifying. It was already enough to grapple with the idea of one Alberline slipping past their watchful eyes and living among them unnoticed. But several?

Tenka's voice dropped low. "It could be her Sublimation. A trick, an ability we don't understand yet. Or maybe…" She hesitated, her jaw tightening. "…Maybe all of them are Alberlines."

Kentaro finally found his voice, though it was hollow. "Could be. Honestly… I almost hope that's not the case. It'd be more complicated than it just being a Sublimation."

Tenka gave a small nod, though it did nothing to ease the weight on her shoulders. She tapped her comms, her tone sharpening again. "I'm heading back to HQ. You guys return home and wait for me there. I'll see if I can dig up anything, anything that'll help us piece this puzzle together."

Kentaro and the others nodded quietly. The split was quick, businesslike. Tenka disappeared down one path, her figure swallowed by the evening shadows, while Kentaro and the girls headed in the opposite direction.

As they entered the small train station, Kentaro looked out towards the track. The air in the station carried this faintly metallic scent mixed with whispers of bento rice, train oil, and the soft must of worn concrete. But no matter what he tried to think about, his mind was on one thing, and yet his eyes kept lingering on her.

Yura.

She'd seemed off, he didn't know what, but whatever it was, she was trying to hide, but Kentaro could tell something was going on. He sighed, annoyed that he hadn't talked to her soon. "When I get home, I'll talk to her," he thought to himself, watching the train arrive.

The train ride home was stifling. Conversation died before it could even begin. Kentaro sat pressed against the window, his reflection staring back at him like a stranger. His mind kept circling the same thought: She wasn't dangerous. She hadn't hurt anyone. She acted like any other girl.

And yet, if Shaula could hide what she was so perfectly… Then so could anyone else.

When they finally reached the apartment, Kentaro muttered under his breath as he unlocked the door. "At least there aren't any Fracture Blooms waiting for us."

The words were meant to lighten the mood, but even he could hear the hollow edge in his voice.

They slipped into routine, dinner, chores, the quiet rhythm of shared space. But Kentaro couldn't shake the feeling of her unease, tension; she was doing her best to hide it, but it still radiated out of her like a radiator, even Serica and Aria had asked if she was okay. Her words were a little shorter, her eyes wandering more than usual, her usual confidence dimmed like a flame struggling to stay lit. It wasn't anything dramatic, but it gnawed at him.

By the time the plates were cleared, Serica was humming as she scrubbed dishes, Aria vacuuming with militant focus, Kentaro realised Yura had quietly slipped away into his room. The door was shut.

He lingered outside, his chest tight. He'd faced Alberlines, explosions, missions gone wrong, but somehow knocking on his own door to talk to Yura felt more daunting than any of it.

"Come on, Kentaro," he muttered to himself. "It's just Yura."

He drew in a breath, then knocked.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

There was a pause, then her voice floated through, calm, formal, but carrying the faintest quiver.

"You can enter."

Kentaro glanced back at Serica and Aria. They were still busy, not noticing the ridiculous scene of him standing there like he was about to confess to someone. Shaking his head with a small, nervous smile, he turned the knob and stepped inside.

Yura was perched on the edge of the bed, a book in her hands.

Kentaro blinked, tilting his head. "Didn't know you were a reader."

Her eyes widened slightly before she snapped the book shut, her fingers fidgeting. "W–well… Tenka reads. Aria, too, sometimes. I thought I'd… Try it." Her voice was soft, almost shy.

Kentaro smiled as he sat beside her, not too close, but close enough that she shifted, a tiny jolt running through her. He couldn't help but smile.

"To be honest, Yura, I always thought you were the type to read. From the way you talk, the way you carry yourself. Guess I was right, huh?" He let out a small laugh.

Her lips curved into a small smile, but she didn't meet his eyes. Her hands clutched the book tighter, her legs drawn together as if trying to make herself smaller.

Kentaro's smile faded slightly. She wasn't comfortable. He knew he had to tread carefully. But he still wanted to know what was going on, so his tone needed to be a bit more direct.

He could feel sweat dripping from his forehead, as if he were about to make a love confession. He gripped the soft blanket on top of his bed, preparing himself to speak. Yura hadn't moved an inch, which made Kentaro even more nervous.

Then he finally spoke.

"So, Yura-"

"Kentaro." Her voice cut him off, sharper than usual. She blurted it out, her face flushed. "What happened back in Tokyo?"

He froze. "…Sorry?"

"When we fought that Reiden person." She stared at the book, refusing to look at him. "You… Used Serica's weapon. Ever since then, no one's said a word about it. Not even you."

The air in the room seemed to thicken. Kentaro's mind raced. Holy crap. She's right. How did I even forget that?

He thought back, the chaos, Reiden's overwhelming presence, the Anchor system, the desperate choices he'd made. Somehow, the memory of wielding Serica's weapon had been buried under everything else. But Yura hadn't forgotten. She'd been carrying it with her this whole time.

Kentaro let out a nervous chuckle, scratching his cheek. "So that's what's been eating at you, huh?"

Yura finally looked up, her purple eyes trembling. "You noticed?"

"Of course I noticed." He smiled, softer this time. He reached out, ruffling her hair. "You've been acting differently. Off. And I get it, it scared you. Honestly, it scared me too."

Her eyes widened, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly. "I just… I wanted to make sure you were okay. That it didn't hurt you."

Kentaro stared forward, his smile bittersweet. "I don't know what it means yet. Tenka hasn't brought it up, which probably means she's saving it for the right time. But me? I totally forgot about it." He laughed lightly, shaking his head.

Yura giggled softly, covering her mouth. "You really are a silly boy."

Relief washed over him. It wasn't anger. It wasn't fear. It was just Yura being Yura, worried, caring, trying not to burden anyone with her concern.

"Come on." He stood, offering her his hand. "Why don't we ask Tenka about it when we see her? She'll know what's going on."

Yura hesitated, then nodded, though her face still carried a shadow of unease. "But what about Shaula? Isn't she busy dealing with that?"

"Don't worry." Kentaro squeezed her hand lightly. "If it's about Alberlines, Tenka always finds time."

She gave a small nod, trusting his words. Together, they walked toward the door.

But as Kentaro opened it, his breath caught. His entire body froze, heat rushing up his spine like fire.

Yura gasped beside him, eyes wide with shock.

Because standing in the doorway was something he had never expected to see.

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