Night slowly descended over the city. The lights in the houses began turning on one by one, forming tiny points of light among the deepening darkness. The wet streets left behind by the afternoon rain reflected the orange glow of the streetlights, making everything look slightly different from usual—quieter, deeper.
At Arou's house, things were relatively peaceful. Airi was arranging the dishes in the kitchen. The sound of running water was steady and soothing. Lumina sat in the living room reading something, while Nora leaned against the sofa with her phone in hand. Shi stood near the window as usual, watching the outside world for no particular reason. Priscilla helped Hikari arrange books on a small table.
A simple routine like this used to feel ordinary.
Now, it felt precious.
Arou stood on the front porch, breathing in the night air that still carried the scent of wet earth. He leaned his back against the wall and looked at the sky, which was gradually clearing of clouds.
A few moments later, Akari came outside and stood beside him.
"You've been spending a lot of time alone lately," she said softly.
"I'm just thinking," Arou replied briefly.
"About Mei?"
Arou glanced at her.
"You catch on quickly."
"I'm just observant."
Arou let out a long breath.
"She's starting to realize that something is strange."
"She's smart," Akari replied calmly.
"And that's a problem."
"Not necessarily."
Silence followed for a moment. From inside the house came Hikari's small laugh. The light and innocent sound made Arou briefly turn toward the door.
"If this world cracks again," he said quietly, "I'm not sure everyone will still be here."
Akari looked at him longer than usual.
"This world isn't that fragile."
"You sound confident."
"I have to be."
Her tone was too calm. Arou watched her carefully.
"I never really asked," Arou finally said. "When you were gone… what actually happened?"
Akari was silent for a moment before answering.
"It wasn't about disappearing. It was about adjustment."
"Adjustment to what?"
"Reality."
Arou frowned.
"Don't start talking abstractly again."
"I'm not," Akari replied.
"Have you ever felt that the world was too perfect? Like every event always leads toward the same point?"
Arou remembered the rain that afternoon.
It had come suddenly.
And disappeared just as suddenly.
"Sometimes," he answered quietly.
"The world is adjusting itself to you," Akari said.
Arou chuckled softly, though there was little humor in it.
"That makes it sound like I'm the center of the universe."
"You're not the center."
"You're the line."
"What line?"
"The line that connects possibilities."
The atmosphere became quiet again. From inside the house, Airi called for Arou to come inside because the night air was getting cold. Arou gave a brief reply and went inside with Akari.
On the other side of the city, Mei sat at her study desk. An open book lay in front of her, but she could not concentrate. She opened a blank page at the back and began writing down several points about what had happened that day.
Akari returning without any clear procedure.
The teacher being confused but still accepting her return.
Arou looking as though he had already expected something.
She stopped writing.
The notes sounded like a conspiracy theory.
She crossed out several parts, but still felt that there was a pattern she could not ignore.
"I can't just sit around and do nothing," she muttered softly.
She was not the type of person who was comfortable with uncertainty. If something was strange, she wanted to understand it.
Not to interfere.
Just to know where she stood.
Back at Arou's house, the night grew later.
One by one, everyone went to their rooms.
Hikari had already fallen asleep before being carried to her room.
The house became quieter.
In the hallway, Akari stopped for a moment.
"Tomorrow will be normal," she said.
"You're sure?" Arou asked.
"For now."
"For now?"
"Some things move slowly. Not every change is visible."
Arou sighed.
"I hate half-answers."
"You'll get used to them," Akari replied before entering her room.
Arou stood alone for a few seconds before finally entering his own room.
He sat on the edge of his bed and stared at his hands.
He felt that something had changed—not outside, but inside him.
It was like a thin line had begun to reveal itself.
Not power.
Not a voice.
But the awareness that every small decision he made had a greater impact than it should have.
He lay down and looked at the night sky through the window.
Everything looked normal.
Yet for some reason, the world felt as though it was waiting.
And without realizing it, something really was watching.
Not to attack.
Not to destroy.
Only to determine whether the line that had formed would remain straight…
or begin to crack.
The night grew deeper.
And for the first time since everything had started to look "normal" again, that peacefulness felt like a pause before something much larger began to move.
Morning arrived with sunlight that was almost too bright.
Arou woke up not because of his alarm, but because his phone kept buzzing with notifications.
Buzz.
Buzz.
Buzz.
With his eyes half closed, he reached for his phone.
The screen lit up.
Electricity bill due: yesterday.
Silence.
His brain needed three seconds to process it.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three—
"WHAT?!"
His shout echoed throughout the entire house.
Nora, who was walking toward the kitchen, almost dropped her glass.
"What now?!"
Arou sat upright on his bed. His hair was a mess, and his face had gone pale.
"I forgot to pay the electricity bill."
Silence.
A few seconds later, Airi's voice came from the kitchen.
"You're joking, right?"
Arou opened the payment app with slightly trembling hands.
The status was clear.
If it was not paid today, the service would be temporarily disconnected.
He swallowed.
"This isn't a joke…"
He quickly got out of bed and left his room.
In the living room, Nora was already standing with her hands on her hips.
"You're the one who said yesterday, 'Don't worry, I've got everything under control,' right?"
Arou nodded weakly.
"And you actually didn't?"
"…No."
Lumina sat calmly on the sofa, reading a book as usual.
"Is your balance enough?"
The question sounded simple.
Arou stopped.
He opened his banking app.
Looked at the number on the screen.
His smile slowly disappeared.
"…Almost."
Nora narrowed her eyes.
"Almost means no."
Arou nodded slightly.
There was a shortage.
And not a small one.
Silence filled the room.
Hikari was still asleep.
Shi stood near the window as usual.
Priscilla came out of the kitchen carrying a small towel and stopped when she saw everyone's expressions.
"Problem?" she asked.
"Electricity bill," Nora answered briefly.
Arou began pacing back and forth.
"Okay. Okay. Let's stay calm. It's just money."
"And electricity," Lumina added flatly.
Arou stopped.
His eyes slowly shifted toward Lumina.
That look…
was suspicious.
Lumina sensed it immediately.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked without looking up.
Arou smiled.
A smile that was far too gentle.
"Lumina…"
His voice was soft.
Too soft.
"Come with me for a moment."
Nora immediately rolled her eyes.
"This can't be healthy."
Lumina slowly closed her book.
"What for?"
"Financial discussion."
Without waiting for an answer, Arou pulled a chair closer and sat directly in front of Lumina.
"So…"
Lumina stared at him expressionlessly.
"You still have emergency savings, right?"
"Yes."
"Lend me some."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Without hesitation.
Arou smiled awkwardly.
"For the electricity."
"Your mistake."
"For household stability."
"Dramatic."
Arou leaned closer and whispered,
"Consider yourself a temporary sacrifice."
Lumina raised an eyebrow.
"A sacrifice?"
"Yeah. Temporarily. I'll pay you back. Plus, I'll treat you to something."
Lumina stood up.
"No."
Arou stood as well.
"Come on."
Lumina walked away.
Arou followed.
"Lumina."
"No."
"Lumina."
"No."
Nora watched the scene like she was watching a morning soap opera.
"You two look like children fighting over candy."
Arou stopped and let out a long sigh.
"Okay. Plan B."
He slowly turned toward Nora.
His expression changed.
Nora immediately felt uncomfortable.
"Why are you looking at me now?"
Arou walked closer.
"Nora…"
"Don't call my name in that tone."
"You're a genius, right?"
"Continue."
"If the bill is expensive…"
"Yes?"
"We… just don't pay it."
Silence.
Even Shi stopped looking out the window.
Priscilla raised an eyebrow.
Lumina slowly turned toward them.
Nora crossed her arms.
"What are you planning?"
Arou leaned closer and whispered dramatically,
"Copy the electricity."
Three seconds of silence.
Then—
"What?" Nora blinked.
"We take it from the grid. Duplicate it. Manipulate the current. You can do that, right?"
Nora stared at him for a long moment.
"You realize that's illegal?"
"Technically."
"Technically, it's still illegal."
Arou pointed at the lamp above them.
"Look. Electricity is flowing. We just redirect it."
Nora fell silent.
In theory…
she did understand electrical systems.
A little.
Lumina immediately interrupted.
"Don't."
Arou ignored her.
"Nora, this is for the house."
Nora looked uncertain.
"What if it fails?"
"Worst case, the power goes out."
"And if it works?"
"We're free from the bill."
Nora let out a long sigh.
"This is the stupidest idea you've ever had."
"But it might work."
Nora looked at the electrical panel in the corner of the room.
Silence.
Then—
"…Fine."
Lumina immediately stood up.
"You're serious?"
Nora approached the electrical panel.
"I just want to take a look. I'm not making any promises."
Arou immediately became excited.
"I'll help!"
"Don't touch anything," Nora said firmly.
Priscilla stepped several feet back.
Shi finally spoke quietly.
"I suggest you don't."
But Arou was already too hopeful.
Nora opened the small panel.
She examined the wires inside.
"Okay… if I reroute this…"
Arou stared with sparkling eyes.
"Yes?"
Nora reached out her hand.
And—
BZZZT!
A small spark appeared.
"AAH!"
Nora jerked backward.
The room fell silent.
Arou froze.
Priscilla covered her mouth.
Lumina rubbed her temples.
Nora stood still for several seconds.
A thin wisp of smoke came from her fingertips.
"…"
Arou slowly approached.
"You… alive?"
Nora slowly turned toward him with a blank expression.
"I only got a minor shock."
The front of her hair was slightly disheveled.
Arou tried to hold back his laughter.
He failed.
"DON'T LAUGH!"
"I'm not—pfft—"
Nora glared at him.
"Do you want to try it yourself?"
Arou immediately backed away.
"No."
Lumina folded her arms.
"I told you."
The electrical panel was closed again.
Silence filled the room.
Then—
The lights flickered briefly.
Everyone looked up.
The lights stabilized again.
Nora sat down on the sofa.
"No more experiments."
Arou sighed deeply.
"Okay. Plan C."
"Pay the bill," Lumina answered simply.
Arou fell silent.
She was right.
There was no shortcut.
He opened the banking app again and stared at the insufficient balance.
Silence.
Then he stood up.
"Okay. I'll work extra hours this week."
Airi came out of the kitchen carrying breakfast.
"What are you all arguing about?"
Everyone immediately fell silent.
Nora pointed at Arou.
"He almost blew up the house."
"I did not! It was just a small experiment!"
"With electricity," Lumina added.
Airi looked at Arou.
Arou smiled awkwardly.
"Productive morning?"
Airi let out a long sigh.
"Just pay the bill."
Arou slowly nodded.
At the same time—
Akari's bedroom door was still closed.
She had not woken up yet.
She knew nothing about the chaos that had just happened.
In the living room, things slowly returned to normal.
Breakfast began.
Nora occasionally touched the tips of her fingers.
"I hate you," she muttered to Arou.
"But you're still alive."
"That's not the point."
Arou looked at the lamp again.
It had flickered earlier.
Just for a moment.
Only a fraction of a second.
He narrowed his eyes.
Was it because of Nora's experiment…
or something else?
Shi spoke quietly without turning around.
"The current changed for a moment."
Everyone turned toward him.
"Changed how?" Arou asked.
"Like something… was holding it back."
Silence.
Lumina stared at the lamp.
"Don't start."
Nora stood up.
"I'm taking a shower. I smell burnt."
She walked away, her hair still sticking up slightly.
Arou finally sat down.
His head felt heavy.
A simple problem.
Just an electricity bill.
Yet it had almost turned into an illegal experiment.
He sighed.
"From now on, I'll deal with the small things first."
Lumina looked at him.
"You said that yesterday."
Arou fell silent.
She had a point.
From inside the bedroom—
the sound of a door opening could be heard.
Akari stepped out, her face still half-asleep.
"Morning…"
Everyone turned toward her.
Akari looked at the slightly strange atmosphere.
"What happened?"
Silence.
Arou smiled widely.
"Nothing."
From the bathroom, Nora shouted,
"DON'T LIE!"
Akari blinked.
"What happened?"
Arou stood up and patted her shoulder.
"Nothing important."
Akari looked at the lamp.
It was shining steadily.
She looked at the electrical panel.
It was tightly closed.
Then she looked at Arou.
"Did you do something?"
Arou smiled innocently.
"No."
Akari narrowed her eyes slightly.
But she did not pursue the matter.
She sat down.
Unaware that only a few minutes earlier—
this house had nearly lost its electricity…
and Nora had nearly become the victim of an experimental "electricity duplication" scheme.
Outside, the morning continued normally.
The sky was clear.
There was no storm.
No cracks.
Just one simple fact:
Sometimes the world doesn't collapse because of a great enemy.
Sometimes it almost falls into chaos
because someone forgot to pay the bill.
And Arou learned one thing that morning—
Never try to cheat the electricity system
with Nora as your makeshift technician.