The warm scent of freshly baked bread lingered in the air as the glass door of the bakery swung open.
“Thank you for coming to our shop!
Have a nice day!
Merry Christmas!”
The cheerful voice of the cashier followed a girl as she stepped outside into the bustling street.
Snowflakes drifted lazily from the evening sky, covering the city in a soft white glow.
Colorful Christmas lights hung from every corner, illuminating the smiling faces of people passing by.
The girl walked silently through the crowd, her hands tucked into her coat pockets.
Hina.
She listened to the conversations around her.
“Let’s have dinner outside tonight!”
“Today is such a wonderful day!”
“You’re the best!”
“Babe, come here!”
A burst of laughter echoed nearby.
“Oh, honey, I love you.”
Couples exchanged gifts.
Families laughed together.
Friends posed for pictures beneath decorated Christmas trees.
Everyone looked happy.
Everyone looked warm.
Everyone looked loved.
Hina lowered her gaze.
A bitter smile appeared on her lips.
Feelings…
Emotions…
They’re all fake.
Her footsteps slowed.
People keep calling these fake emotions “love”.
Love…
What a ridiculous word.
I hate it.
The laughter around her suddenly felt distant.
The colorful lights blurred before her eyes.
Then—
“Hina!”
A voice called out from somewhere behind her.
She ignored it.
“Hina!”
The voice came again, louder this time.
Her brows furrowed.
“Hina!”
The sound grew closer.
Closer.
Closer.
“HINA!”
Her thoughts shattered instantly.
“Huh?”
She blinked and looked around in confusion.
“Me?”
Her eyes widened.
“Who?
Where?”
Slowly, she turned around.
And froze.
A young man stood a few meters away, slightly out of breath as if he had been chasing after her.
The moment she saw his face, all color drained from hers.
No way…
Her heartbeat skipped.
“R-Ryu…?”
For a second, neither of them moved.
Then the young man smiled uncertainly.
“Hina…?”
Their eyes met.
Her eyes shimmered with an eerie glow.
Not in the ordinary way normal eyes would.
But like galaxies woven into endless darkness.
A mysterious power sleeping within her eyes awakened.
His emotions washed over Hina like a wave.
Not words.
Feelings.
Raw emotions.
Happiness tangled with nervousness.
Suddenly—
Panic flashed through her face.
Without thinking, she turned around.
And ran.
Fast.
Very fast.
The cold wind stung her face as she pushed through the crowd.
Not again.
Please…
Not again.
Her trembling fingers tightened into fists.
Why did he have to appear now?
After all these years…?
Why?
She kept running.
And running.
And running.
She couldn’t think straight.
The world around her became a blur.
She wasn’t looking where she was going.
She wasn’t paying attention to the people around her.
All she could think about was one thing.
What if he catches me?
What if I have to face him again?
Why is he here?
Suddenly—
THUD!
Hina crashed into someone.
“Aah!”
A girl stumbled backward and nearly fell.
Hina lost her balance and fell onto the cold pavement.
For a moment, everything went silent.
Then she noticed it.
People were staring at her.
Their eyes.
Their expressions.
Their emotions.
Hina slowly lifted her head.
And her eyes shimmered again.
Not like normal eyes reflecting the city lights.
A mysterious glow flickered deep within them.
The unique power hidden in her eyes awakened again.
Instantly—
Every emotion around her poured into her senses at once.
Annoyance.
“Doesn’t she know how to walk?”
Irritation.
“She should watch where she’s going.”
Anger.
Disgust.
Pity.
Curiosity.
It was overwhelming.
Like countless voices whispering inside her head.
Hina clenched her fists.
Stop…
Please stop…
She quickly stood up.
“I’m sorry.”
Her voice was barely audible.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran away once again.
Far from the crowd.
Far from their emotions.
Far from their eyes.
Eventually, she found herself in a narrow, quiet alley.
No laughter.
No conversations.
No people.
Only silence.
Her legs finally gave out.
She leaned against a wall and slid to the ground.
The tears she had been holding back began to fall.
One after another.
The cold air burned against her skin.
She covered her face with trembling hands.
For a long time, she sat there alone.
Crying.
Trying to breathe.
Trying to forget.
Trying to escape.
But no matter how hard she tried, Ryu’s face wouldn’t disappear from her mind.
Slowly, Hina lowered her hands.
And raised her gaze toward the night sky.
Her eyes were clearly visible.
Beautiful.
Brilliant.
Unnatural.
They shone with a mysterious radiance unlike anything an ordinary human should possess.
It was as if countless stars had gathered within them.
As if an entire universe rested behind those eyes.
A universe capable of seeing the emotions hidden inside every heart.
And beneath that celestial glow…
A lonely girl sat crying in the darkness.
Unaware that this Christmas night was only the beginning.
End of Chapter 1.
Hope you like this!
>_< If you found anything weird, please lemme know.
Enjoy!✨