Maya Aoki

Yuki woke to the low hum of his holo-watch, blinking away the remnants of sleep. The dim light filtering through his window gave the morning an unusually calm feel. He stretched, rolling out of bed and glancing down the hallway toward his parents’ study. There was something he wanted to ask his mother—though he couldn’t quite remember what.

As he stepped into the office, the room flickered to life, illuminated by rows of holographic screens displaying streams of data. The cool, blue glow reflected off the walls, casting a faint shimmer across the neatly stacked shelves. Yuki’s eyes wandered over the cascading text, lines of information scrolling past too quickly to fully absorb. One screen caught his attention: a document mentioning “gene transfer” and “next generation.”

The text detailed a revolutionary process—passing genetic modifications without injections. No needles, no procedures. Just inherited power. He leaned closer, his heart quickening as he tried to piece together what it meant. How could something so integral to the system be bypassed entirely? What kind of ability was this?

Footsteps snapped him out of his thoughts. He straightened, stepping away just as his mother entered the room.

She glanced at the screens, her expression unreadable, before flicking them off with a wave of her hand. “Just research,” she said, her tone light and casual, though it carried an edge. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

Yuki nodded, but the curiosity still simmered inside him. “Yeah, of course.”

Her gaze softened as she turned to him. “How’s Genesis College? Have you noticed any… changes from the modifications?”

For a brief moment, he considered telling her the truth—that he wasn’t sure he’d felt anything at all. Instead, he found himself nodding, the lie slipping out effortlessly. “Actually, yeah. I feel stronger. My senses are sharper. It’s… definitely working.”

A pleased smile touched her lips, but there was something else behind it, something he couldn’t quite decipher. “Good. Keep an eye on it. And if anything unusual happens, you let me know. Promise me.”

“Sure, Mom,” Yuki replied, forcing a quick smile before heading out.

//

The morning air was crisp as Yuki walked to school, a light fog hanging over the streets. By the time he arrived, the sun had burned away most of the haze, leaving the sky a muted gray. He scanned the crowd of students, half-hoping to catch sight of Maya, but there was no sign of her.

As he rounded a corner, he nearly bumped into a familiar group.

“Yuki!” a voice called out with a laugh. He looked up to see Raina and Tadashi, two classmates, standing with Shinichi—the boy who shared his birthday.

Shinichi barely glanced at him, his expression cool and disinterested, but Raina greeted him with a warm smile.

“Didn’t expect to see you this early,” Tadashi teased. “You usually blend in with the walls.”

“Guess I’m not as invisible as I thought,” Yuki replied, managing a grin.

The conversation was light and easy, though Shinichi stayed silent, occasionally glancing their way but never joining in. Despite the awkward tension, Yuki felt a small sense of belonging with Raina and Tadashi.

Class dragged on, the lectures blurring together as Yuki’s mind drifted to Maya. By the time the bell rang for break, the urge to find her was too strong to ignore.

“Have you seen Maya?” he asked Raina and Tadashi as they stood by the lockers.

“Maya who?” Raina asked, raising an eyebrow. “What’s her last name?”

Yuki faltered. “I… don’t know.”

Tadashi chuckled, shaking his head. “Hard to find someone if you don’t even know their full name.”

“Yeah, guess I should ask,” Yuki mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed.

//

When the school day finally ended, Yuki headed home, questions swirling in his mind. He still hadn’t seen Maya, and her absence felt strange. Off-balance.

Later, unable to shake the restless energy, he wandered to the playground—a place he and Jun often met to talk. As he approached, he was surprised to see someone already there.

Maya.

She was sitting on one of the swings, rocking gently back and forth. When she spotted him, a smile lit up her face.

“Yuki!” she called, waving him over.

Relief mixed with confusion as he walked toward her. “I didn’t see you at all today. Were you avoiding me?”

“Maybe,” she teased, her grin playful. “Or maybe I just have a habit of disappearing.”

He laughed, scratching the back of his neck. “Guess you do.”

Before he could say more, a hand clamped onto his shoulder, pulling him back. Startled, Yuki turned to see Jun standing there, his expression unusually serious.

“Jun, you’ve got to stop doing that,” Yuki muttered, glancing over his shoulder.

Jun’s gaze shifted between Yuki and Maya, tension evident in his stance. “We should go,” he said quietly.

“What? Why? I was just about to introduce you to Maya—”

Jun cut him off, his tone sharper now. “Yuki. Let’s go.”

Confused, Yuki turned to Maya. “Maya, this is Jun. Jun, Maya. Have you two met before?”

Jun’s glare hardened for a split second before he masked it, shoving his hands into his pockets. Maya, on the other hand, smiled sweetly.

“Mmh—can’t say I have,” she said, her voice light and carefree. “Pleasure to meet you, Jun, was it?”

Jun nodded curtly, his jaw tight. “I’ve got to go,” he muttered, stepping back. He cast Maya one last, lingering look—something between suspicion and warning—before turning and disappearing into the shadows.

Yuki frowned, watching him go. “He’s usually not like that…”

Maya shrugged, brushing it off. “Friendly guy, huh?” she said dryly, her tone laced with sarcasm.

“He’s just… he’s been through a lot,” Yuki said, unsure how to explain Jun’s odd behavior.

She smirked, signaling to the swings. “You sitting or what?”

Yuki smiled and took the swing beside her. They talked for hours—about school, hidden arcades, and everything in between. But whenever the topic drifted toward her attendance, Maya remained evasive, expertly steering the conversation elsewhere.

Eventually, she stood, brushing herself off. “I should go. My parents will start worrying.”

Yuki nodded, standing to see her off. Then, suddenly remembering, he blurted, “Wait—what’s your last name?”

She tilted her head, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Aoki. Maya Aoki.”

The name hit him like a punch to the gut. Incoming messages from Maya Aoki.

Were Maya and Jun pretending not to know each other? Or was it just a coincidence?

As she walked away, Yuki stood frozen, his thoughts racing. He needed answers. And tomorrow, he’d get them.