The Heart of Zero

For a brief moment, time seemed to freeze. Shingin's accusatory voice toward Riyugi abruptly stopped, and the sounds of the world around them vanished into an oppressive silence. Amid this stillness, a faint creak broke through, like the sound of iron chains scraping against stone—low and chilling. The front door slowly swung open.

Standing in the doorway, outlined by the faint glow of the streetlights, was a figure so familiar it made Shingin's breath catch. His heartbeat quickened.

"Mom?" Shingin's voice trembled slightly as he turned to face the shadow stretching into the room.

There she was—his mother, unscathed and carrying a tin of oil in one hand. A few drops of oil clung to her wrist, and the faint shimmer under the light gave her an air of comforting domesticity. Her slightly disheveled hair swayed gently, as if stirred by an unseen breeze, adding to the familiar warmth that surrounded her.

"What's with all the shouting?" she asked, her voice tinged with mild reproach. She stepped further inside, her movements casual and deliberate, as if oblivious to the tense atmosphere. The soft sigh that followed her words seemed to dispel the heavy unease, like an eraser brushing away faint pencil marks. Her gaze then shifted to Riyugi, who was standing silently by the side.

Her expression changed instantly, her eyes widening in mock surprise, and her lips forming a knowing grin. "Oh my! Shingin, you brought a girl home? Is she your girlfriend?"

The room was consumed by an awkward stillness. An invisible wave of embarrassment swept through the space, rippling out in silence. Shingin's pulse skipped a beat, and Riyugi stood frozen, her face slowly flushing as warmth crept up her cheeks.

The two glanced at each other, their gazes locking momentarily in a shared exchange of shock and hesitation.

"N-no! It's not like that!" Shingin blurted, his voice hurried and stumbling as though tripping over itself in his attempt to clarify. "She's… she's just my classmate!" His muscles tensed, his back straightening instinctively as if trying to shield himself from his mother's teasing gaze.

Riyugi's face burned an even deeper shade of crimson. Her fingers gripped the straps of her bag tightly, as though grounding herself amidst her escalating embarrassment. Her voice emerged soft and flustered. "Yes! That's right… We're just classmates!" she stammered, her words rushing out clumsily.

But Shingin's mother didn't seem the least bit convinced. Her lighthearted laughter bubbled up, filling the room with warmth. "Oh, just a classmate, huh? Well, that's fine! Classmates should still be welcomed properly!" She gave Shingin a playful pat on the shoulder, her teasing tone making him groan internally.

Shingin opened his mouth to protest further, but his thoughts were interrupted by the memory of the eerie boy he had seen just moments ago. His body tensed as his eyes swept across the room, scanning every shadow and corner for that unsettling figure. Yet, there was no sign of him. The boy had vanished, leaving behind nothing but the lingering sensation of being watched.

His mother's cheerful voice cut through his rising unease. "Come on, dear! Invite your friend to stay for dinner. I've got time today, and I'll whip up something nice for you two!"

Riyugi hesitated, clearly uncomfortable about imposing. But under Shingin's mother's insistence, she eventually relented, nodding timidly. "Thank you… I'll stay."

Shingin sighed quietly, running a hand through his hair. His mother's warmth and Riyugi's quiet presence were reassuring, yet the nagging unease gnawed at him from the edges of his mind. The image of the boy's cold, calculating gaze refused to leave his thoughts.

As his mother busied herself in the kitchen, Shingin felt the air grow heavier, his senses tuned to every creak and shadow. He clenched his fists, the memory of the boy's chilling words echoing in his mind. "You are destined to lose everything you hold dear."

Despite the comforting normalcy of his home, something felt deeply wrong. The scent of cooking began to fill the air, the warm aroma of frying oil mingling with spices. It was the smell of home, a smell that should have calmed him. But instead, it only served to sharpen the contrast against the unease building inside him.

"Hey, Shingin, can you bring me the seasoning?" his mother called from the kitchen, breaking his reverie. Her voice was as gentle as always, but it seemed to mask an unsettling tension he couldn't quite pinpoint.

Shingin swallowed his apprehension and handed her the seasoning. His fingers brushed against hers, and a faint chill ran through him. He studied her closely as she worked, her movements precise and practiced. Yet something about her felt… off. He couldn't shake the feeling that the warmth she exuded was just a facade, concealing something darker beneath.

Riyugi stood quietly in the corner, observing Shingin with concern. She had sensed his unease ever since they'd arrived. While she didn't understand what had happened, she could tell that something had shaken him to his core.

The rhythmic sound of sizzling in the pan filled the kitchen, mingling with the gentle hum of his mother's voice. For a fleeting moment, the warmth of the scene seemed to dispel the tension. Yet Shingin's instincts screamed otherwise.

He couldn't forget the boy. The shadow he cast. The words he spoke.

Whatever was coming, Shingin knew it wasn't over.