On a quiet morning, sunlight poured through the windows of Class 1-A at Sakura High. Students yawned and exchanged small talk before class began. Kaito sat at his usual seat by the window, lost in thought, watching a small bird flutter down to the distant fence.
No one dared sit beside him—except Tsuki, who in recent days had begun weaving her way into his life like a summer breeze: soft and warm.
She leaned in and whispered with a smile, "Kaito, we're getting our math test results today. I bet you aced it again, didn't you?"
He answered quietly, still gazing at the board, "Maybe... nothing's certain."
Before she could respond, the classroom door burst open.
The principal entered, accompanied by a stern-looking man in a gray uniform. A strange badge gleamed on his chest—a winged insect encircled by a silver ring.
The room fell into an eerie silence, the very air tense. The man spoke in a dry, cold voice:
"I am a representative of the Supreme Earth Protection Authority. It has been officially decided to implement Plan No. 9: The conscription of qualified minors into the National Defense Program against the insect threat."
A ripple of fear swept through the class. The man continued without a hint of emotion:
"Fifty students will be selected from middle and high schools across Tokyo. Your class has been identified as one of the targets."
Tsuki gasped. Kaito's heart tightened—but his face remained unreadable, as always.
"You will be transported to Underground Facility F-13 the day after tomorrow," the man went on. "There, you will undergo a series of evaluations. Only those who pass will be admitted into the training program. The rest… will be dealt with accordingly."
.
He paused for a moment, then turned and locked eyes with Kaito—only for a second. No one understood why.
Without another word, the man exited the room.
Silence returned, then panic slowly began to spread throughout the school.
Scene – That Evening, at Home:
Rena Renji, Kaito's older sister, sat staring at him, both hands wrapped around a trembling cup of tea.
"Kaito… you know what this means, right? This isn't just some test. It's… survival or disappearance."
He nodded slowly. Then, with a bitter smile: "I know."
From the kitchen, their mother's voice rang out between the clattering of dishes. She was in a rush, packing her sports bag for judo practice.
"Kaitoooo! Don't stay up late tonight, okay?"
After she disappeared down the hall, Rena sighed. "Even in our darkest moments… we don't have time to worry about each other."
Kaito glanced down at the floor—searching for his shadow.
It wasn't there.
End of Chapter 5.