Morning came without effort.
Ayinakoji opened his eyes.
Sat up.
Stood.
No pause.
No thought.
Routine.
"…Twenty-three."
He didn't look at the crack this time.
He already knew it was there.
The number didn't matter anymore.
Nothing really did.
In the mirror, his reflection waited.
Ayinakoji looked at it.
Then smiled.
Perfect.
Controlled.
Empty.
"…Good morning."
The reflection answered the same way.
At breakfast, his parents were there.
"…Good morning."
Smile.
"…Morning," his mother replied.
His father didn't look up.
But that was normal.
This… was normal.
At school, the noise felt closer today.
Not because he was part of it.
But because he had learned how to stand inside it.
Students walked past him.
Some nodded.
Some didn't.
But no one avoided him anymore.
That should have been good.
It should have meant something.
It didn't.
In class, he answered questions when asked.
Not too fast.
Not too slow.
Just enough.
The teacher nodded sometimes.
"…Good."
Ayinakoji smiled.
"…Thank you."
Everything was working.
Everything was… correct.
During group work, something changed.
"Tempest, join us."
Ayinakoji paused.
Then walked over.
Smile.
"…Okay."
They gave him a paper.
"Can you do this part?"
"…Yes."
He took it.
Finished it quickly.
Clean.
Perfect.
"Nice," one of them said.
"…Thanks."
They continued talking.
Laughing.
Joking.
Ayinakoji sat there.
Listening.
Watching.
Not speaking.
Not joining.
Just… there.
"…Hey, what do you think?"
The question came suddenly.
Ayinakoji looked up.
They were looking at him.
Waiting.
"…I think it's good."
Smile.
"…That's it?" one of them laughed.
"…Yeah."
They turned away.
Back to each other.
Conversation continued.
Ayinakoji looked down at the paper.
"…I'm here."
The thought came quietly.
"…But I'm not part of it."
He didn't feel sad.
Didn't feel left out.
He just… noticed it.
At lunch, he sat with them again.
Same group.
Same noise.
Same distance.
"…You're really quiet," someone said.
"…Yes."
Smile.
"…You don't talk much."
"…I don't have much to say."
They laughed lightly.
"…You're weird."
Ayinakoji nodded.
"…Okay."
No reaction.
No defense.
Just acceptance.
They kept eating.
Talking.
Forgetting.
Ayinakoji sat there.
Present.
Invisible.
After school, the hallway filled with noise again.
Students rushed out.
Plans.
Voices.
Energy.
"Tempest."
He turned.
The same boy stood there.
"…Yeah?"
"…We're going out. You coming?"
A pause.
Ayinakoji smiled.
"…Sure."
They walked together.
Three of them.
Talking.
Laughing.
Ayinakoji walked beside them.
Listening.
"…Then he just fell!" one of them laughed.
"Seriously?" the other replied.
They didn't look at him.
Didn't include him.
But they didn't ignore him either.
He was… there.
Just not needed.
They stopped at a small shop.
Snacks.
Drinks.
"…What do you want?" one of them asked.
Ayinakoji paused.
"…Anything is fine."
They laughed.
"…You're easy."
"…Yes."
Smile.
They picked something for him.
Handed it over.
"…Thanks."
He didn't taste it.
Didn't think about it.
Just held it.
On the way back, they split up.
"…See you tomorrow."
"…Yeah."
They left.
Just like that.
No extra words.
No real goodbye.
Ayinakoji stood there.
Alone again.
But this time…
It felt different.
Not heavy.
Not painful.
Just… normal.
He walked home slowly.
The streets were quiet.
The same cat sat on the wall.
Ayinakoji stopped.
"…I went out with people today."
Smile.
"…It worked."
The cat stared at him.
Longer than usual.
Then—
It narrowed its eyes.
And left.
Ayinakoji watched it go.
The smile stayed.
"…That's okay."
But his eyes…
Didn't change.
At home, the routine continued.
"…I'm home."
"…There's food."
"…Okay."
Simple.
Predictable.
That night, he sat on his bed.
Didn't lie down yet.
Just sat.
Looking at nothing.
"…Today…"
A pause.
"…was normal."
Another pause.
"…I talked to people."
"…I helped."
"…I smiled."
Silence.
"…And it worked."
A longer pause.
"…So why…"
The words slowed.
"…does it feel like…"
He stopped.
Didn't finish the sentence.
Didn't need to.
Because deep inside…
He already knew.
He lay down slowly.
Eyes open.
"…Maybe…"
A soft whisper.
"…this is enough."
The room stayed silent.
And somewhere inside him…
Something important…
Didn't break.
It simply…
Faded.