Chapter 9: Born of Silence, Named Again

Hikaru Saito’s POV:

Morning came with an unexpected softness.

For once, the light filtering through my window wasn’t the enemy. It felt… gentle. A stillness I hadn’t felt in weeks settled across my room like the quiet before snowfall.

I beat my alarm to the punch—6:55 a.m. My fingers hovered over the clock anyway, unsure why the silence felt so deliberate.

Everything had changed.

Sort of.

 The room was still mine—same old house, same scratched desk, same dusty shelves, same calendar frozen at last November. But I had changed. Or something inside me had finally woken up. I wasn’t sure which.

I still hadn’t seen my reflection. Not properly.

Sitting up on the edge of the bed, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and let the quiet press in. No clatter from the kitchen. No thundering steps from Kenta. Not even Aoi grumbling through the wall about my snoring. Just... quiet.

Then I remembered—they were gone.

The whole family had taken off early for some weekend trip. I never asked where. I was relieved they hadn’t dragged me along.

My school uniform hung haphazardly over the chair, crumpled and half-worn. We weren’t a well-off family, and it showed in the fabric, the frayed seams. But when I pulled the blazer on, something stopped me.

It fit.

Perfectly.

The shirt didn’t strain at the buttons anymore. The sleeves rested evenly against my arms. I touched my chest flat. Lean.

I’d lost weight. Maybe a lot.

And no one had said anything.

The last time I really looked at myself was the day before I met her.

Akane Fujiwara.

She dropped into my life like she’d always belonged in it. Beautiful, unreadable, surreal. The kind of person who looked like she should’ve been starring in a movie, not walking school hallways next to people like me.

And then... the first kiss.

Just a soft one on the cheek. Barely a whisper. But after that, everything started spinning.

Sharper senses. A body in transition. Colours felt deeper. Sounds reached further. I could smell conversations before people opened their mouths. Feel tension beneath someone's skin. I hadn’t been sure if I was changing... or waking up.

Downstairs, I dug around the fridge for breakfast. Instant noodles it was. The only clean dish I could find was a chipped bowl with a cartoon cat on the bottom. So, I used that. Steam curled over the kitchen table as I ate in silence.

I thought about the rooftop talk. The way she smelled. The way she looked at me—like I wasn’t a joke anymore.

She had promised we’d see each other again.

She kept that promise.

The very next morning, she showed up in a limousine like it was the most natural thing in the world. Dragged me into an upscale shopping spree I still hadn’t recovered from. And somehow... no one looked at me like they used to. They didn’t laugh. They didn’t sneer.

Akane never mentioned the change. Never asked about the sudden weight loss, the jawline, the attention. It was like I had always been this version of myself.

And that scared me.

The doorbell rang. Right on time.

I grabbed my bag and opened the door.

She stood there in her black school uniform, posture perfect, crimson eyes watching me like she already knew everything I was going to say. Her presence was effortless—quiet strength wrapped in silk.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice calm.

“Morning,” I replied, adjusting my backpack. She turned without another word and led me toward the limo parked out front.

I stepped in after her, feeling out of place but not uncomfortable. Just… unsure.

The car moved smoothly, passing familiar streets. Akane stared out the window, face unreadable.

For some reason, being beside her made the strangeness feel manageable.

“How’s your morning been so far?” she asked, her tone casual but sincere.

“Quiet,” I said. “But I guess that’s a good thing.”

She tilted her head, the corner of her mouth twitching upward.

“Quiet can be good.”

“Yeah,” I murmured. “You’re right.”

As the limo pulled up in front of the school gates, students had already begun to gather—laughing, chatting, existing like the world hadn’t shifted under my feet.

Akane stepped out without hesitation.

I followed.

And suddenly, this ordinary Monday felt like the beginning of everything.

The school grounds buzzed with familiar chaos—students chattering, laughing, darting between conversations like their feet couldn’t wait for Monday to end. But through all the noise, my eyes settled instantly on two familiar figures near the gate.

Taro and Akira.

Taro leaned against the wall, effortlessly cool as ever. His glasses caught the morning light while he surveyed the scene like he’d seen these all a thousand times before. Akira stood beside him, stretching lazily, his messy blonde hair catching the sunlight like a halo — if halos were sarcastic.

Taro spotted us first. His eyes twinkled with mischief.

“Well, well,” he said, straightening up. “Look who it is. The dynamic duo.”

Akira pushed off the wall with a grin.

“VIP status confirmed. What’s next—private jets?”

I rolled my eyes, but a grin tugged at my lips.

“It’s not like that,” I muttered, trying to sound casual, though I wasn’t exactly denying it either.

Akane had that effect. Even when she wasn’t trying, she made the world shift around her — like gravity bent to her presence.

Akira gave us a long look, suspicion and curiosity tangled in his smile.

“You two are always together lately. Hanging out a lot, huh?”

Akane tilted her head but said nothing. Still, I could tell she was listening.

“She’s been around,” I said with a shrug. “Nothing special.”

Taro chuckled, clearly not buying it.

“Right. Totally normal. Just happens to roll up in a limo. Sure.”

I scratched the back of my neck, suddenly aware of how much attention this was getting.

“It’s easier, okay? No big deal.”

Akira leaned in with mock seriousness.

“Oh, just hanging out. Classic. Nothing says casual friendship like arriving in luxury vehicles.”

The topic shifted as they started rambling about sports scores, and I eased into the rhythm. Akane, quiet but present, wore a faint smile as she listened.

Then Akira turned toward us again.

“So, how’s school? Staying out of trouble?”

I smirked.

“Depends on what you count as trouble. If it’s Taro’s chaos meter, we’re breaking records.”

Taro rolled his eyes.

“Come on, you need more excitement. All these quiet mornings — you’re wasting the best part of your youth.”

“Drama before first period?” I raised a brow. “Hard pass.”

Akira laughed.

“Yeah, save it for after lunch. That’s peak rebellion hour.”

The laughter felt easy — grounding. Like nothing had changed at all.

Then Akane spoke.

“You guys sure talk a lot.”

Her voice was smooth, calm, but teasing. The guys blinked at her sudden entry into the banter.

Taro grinned.

“Hey, we’re forging memories here. Not just textbook knowledge.”

Akira nodded solemnly.

“This is real-world education. We’re shaping the very future of civilization — one dumb joke at a time.”

Akane rolled her eyes, a pink flush tinting her cheeks.

“I don’t think that’s what they mean by life skills, but sure.”

Even she couldn’t resist their nonsense.

Taro seized the moment.

“Uh-oh. Is this the Hikaru & Akane Show now?”

Akira nudged her playfully.

“Don’t worry, Akane. We’re not trying to steal him from you. He’s all yours.”

Akane turned away with a huff, arms crossed. Her voice cool, but her expression betrayed her.

“I’m not jealous. I just don’t see the point of wasting time on endless banter.”

Taro raised a brow but wisely chose silence. I stepped in, nudging Akane gently.

“You don’t have to pretend. I know you’re enjoying it.”

She looked at me, eyes shimmering with a quiet spark.

“I’m not,” she said softly — though her smile said otherwise.

We moved toward the school building as the morning unfolded around us. Classes. Assignments. The usual.

But something in the air lingered.

Lunch had barely started, and I was still trying to focus on my sandwich — anything to drown out the buzzing in my head — when the intercom crackled to life.

“Hikaru Saito, please report to the chairman’s office immediately.”

I froze.

Every thought scattered. Whispers about my transformation had already been circulating. But this? This felt heavier.

I shoved the sandwich aside, my mind spiralling. The corridors were strangely empty, the silence pressing against my ears as I made my way toward the office. My steps echoed with too much weight, like the walls were listening.

He greeted me with a smooth, practiced voice.

“Ah, Saito-Kun. Please, take a seat.”

I sat, guarded. His gaze met mine with unsettling precision — like he was peeling back layers just by looking.

“You’re aware you’ve changed… recently?”

I swallowed.

“Yeah. I’ve noticed.”

A moment passed. Then his voice dipped, colder.

“These changes… they’re not entirely natural.”

A chill ran down my spine.

He leaned back, his fingers steepled.

“There are two possibilities, Hikaru. You are either a miracle — or a threat.”

My heart thudded.

And then — the door opened.

No knock. Just presence.

Ren stepped through, dressed in black like the shadow of something ancient. His gaze was sharp, unreadable. And in his hands… a sword.

I stopped breathing.

The blade wasn’t just metal. It pulsed with something I’d felt once before — that night. The night everything shifted.

“What is this?” I whispered.

The Chairman turned calmly.

“This is Ren. He belongs to the Crimson Order. He’s here to help us decide what you are.”

Ren said nothing. He didn’t need to. The blade spoke for him.

“The Crimson Order,” the Chairman continued, “monitors individuals with… potential. You’re not the first to undergo a change. But yours is different. Sharper. Unpredictable.”

My pulse quickened. What was this all about? Why me?

He leaned forward.

“You will undergo tests. We must understand your capabilities. We must know whether you will shape the world — or burn it.”

“What kind of tests?” I asked, voice dry.

Ren finally spoke.

“Tests of strength. Control. Will. We’ll see whether you belong with us. Or if you need to be… contained.”

I clenched my fists.

“So, I don’t have a choice?”

The Chairman smiled — thin, chilling.

“There’s always a choice. But refusing has consequences.”

The sword glinted in the dim light. Ren stood like a statue carved from silence. My skin prickled. Every instinct screamed danger.

“For now,” the Chairman said, “you will comply. Soon, we’ll know if you’re the miracle we hope for… or the threat we fear.”

Ren turned and left — silent, final.

And I sat there.

Alone.

Heart pounding. Mind spinning. Puppet strings tangling around my limbs.

“You are dismissed. Do not speak of this,” the Chairman said.

I stood.

But I wasn’t sure whose will move me anymore.

I had been about to head back to class when I saw her.

Akane.

She had been standing in the hallway, waiting for me, her expression unreadable. The moment our gaze met, I could see the concern in her gaze, but there had been something else there too — a trace of guilt, maybe? She glanced like she wanted to say something but hesitated.

“Akane...” I started, my voice shaky.

She stepped forward, but before she could speak, I cut her off. “What’s going on? What exactly is the Crimson Order? What do they want from me?”

Akane’s expression faltered, and for a moment, I saw something behind her gaze that I didn’t quite understand. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” she mentioned softly. “But I never wanted you to be dragged into this. You’re not ready for what’s coming.”

I stared at her, my heart heavy with confusion and betrayal. “Then what am I supposed to do now?”

She took a deep breath; her gaze filled with a mixture of frustration and regret. “I’ll explain everything, I promise. Just... trust me. For now, focus on getting through the tests. We’ll figure this out together.”

But even as she mentioned those words, I couldn’t shake the feeling that things were only going to get worse from here.

Later that Day

The rooftop air bit cold against Hikaru’s skin. Clouds had turned violet, and the last traces of daylight were slipping into a sea of stars.

He didn’t hear the rooftop door open. He sensed her.

Akane.

Her presence had been like a shift in gravity. No footsteps, a subtle silence that filled the air before she even spoke.

"I figured I might find you here," she mentioned.

He didn’t turn around.

"I needed space," he murmured.

"You needed answers."

She moved beside him, their shoulders almost touching. He turned his head slightly, enough to see her gaze—crimson, steady, and solemn.

"You're not human," he mentioned.

"No," she replied. "And neither are you. Not completely."

That made him finally turn.

"What the hell does that mean?" His voice cracked, not with anger, but confusion—a plea for truth.

Akane had been quiet for a moment, then took a breath.

"Let me tell you a story, Hikaru. One you were never meant to hear."

"There is a world beneath this one," she began, "hidden from the surface by more than distance. It’s a place carved out of darkness and ancient stone."

She glanced up toward the darkening sky.

"The vampires rule it. Not the romanticised monsters of human fiction, not the cursed dead. We are a race evolved differently. Sharper. Longer-lived. We draw energy from blood, yes, but we are not mindless."

"And you're... one of them."

"I was born a Pureblood," she mentioned. "My father, Kaien Fujiwara, is the Crimson King. He’s ruled for centuries—not as a tyrant, but as a protector of our people. He shaped the Crimson Order to uphold peace between clans, to suppress rebellion, to ensure that the old laws were kept."

Akane moved a few paces away, her hands behind her back.

"I was raised in the royal palace of Noctarra—a place built of obsidian, where the walls shimmered with ancestral enchantments. I studied our history, our wars, our traditions."

Her gaze lowered. "But I wasn’t like the others. I asked questions no one wanted to answer. Why do we live in the shadows? Why had the surface been forbidden?"

Hikaru listened.

"I was thirteen when I snuck through a collapsed tunnel and reached the surface. The sun nearly blinded me. The world had been noisy, ugly, beautiful. It smelled of life. I had been caught, of course. My father punished me not with isolation, but with a task. He sent me here."

"Here?"

"To live among humans. To understand them. And… to find someone."

Her gaze met his.

"You."

Hikaru's breath hitched.

"Me? But why? I'm no one."

Akane shook her head. "You were born from something that shouldn't exist. A fusion of bloodlines that defies the rules of both our worlds. You're not entirely human. And yet, not a full vampire either. You're something else. Something new."

He took a step back.

"You're saying... I'm a hybrid?"

"Yes."

"Then where did I come from?"

Akane hesitated. "We don't know everything. Your records are fragmented. My father only knew that your presence would awaken soon. That you'd begin to change. That your blood would call to others."

"Others?"

"There are forces who would see you destroyed. There are rogue factions of vampires who want nothing more than to bring war to the surface. You’re a threat to their purity. A prophecy. A weapon. But I see something different."

Her voice grew quiet.

"I see a boy who’s never had a chance to know who he truly is. And someone who deserves to choose his fate."

They stood in silence again.

"What is the Crimson Order then? Soldiers?"

"They are guardians, enforcers, assassins. They keep the balance between the clans of the Underworld. Some are noble. Others... less so. I've been part of them since I was sixteen. I volunteered. I thought it would give me purpose."

"And did it?"

"No," she mentioned honestly. "It made me a weapon. But then I met you. And suddenly, I wasn’t sure who I had been anymore."

Hikaru's hands trembled slightly.

"So, what now? What happens to me?"

"That depends," Akane mentioned. "You can pretend nothing's changed. But your body won't let you. Your instincts are already evolving. Soon you'll hear things others can't. See in the dark. Heal faster. Maybe even... thirst."

He glanced, horrified.

"I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Then you won't. You have a choice."

Her hand reached out. "Let me teach you. Let me show you both worlds."

He glanced at her hand. Her fingers were pale but strong. Not cold, but cool, like moonlight.

"And what about your father?"

She paused.

“This must be my father’s doing,” she murmured, voice thick with regret. “He set this up. He sent me to awaken you. To study you. But I never expected to care.”

Her gaze fell.

“I’m sorry, Hikaru. I tried not to follow his orders. But now you’re caught in his plans... and mine.”

Hikaru stared into her gaze.

"Then I guess... I don't have a choice, do I?"

"No," she mentioned softly. "But you do have someone to stand with you."

She stepped closer.

"There's something else," she added. "The moment I kissed you… when we were last here... it hadn’t been affection. It had been the trigger."

He blinked. "A trigger?"

She nodded. "Well, I’m not necessarily convinced you were fully human to begin with especially since your blood carries a dormant energy. When my own touched yours—even through contact—it awakened the part of you that had been sleeping. That kiss... it had been the catalyst. It stirred your latent abilities, accelerated your transformation."

His gaze widened. "So, you awakened me?"

"Yes," she whispered. "And I'm sorry. I didn’t want to rush it. But something is coming, and I had to be sure you were ready."

"Ready for what?"

"For the truth. For the danger. For whom you are."

The wind carried their silence into the stars.

And somewhere deep underground, far from the school rooftop, the Underworld stirred.

Hikaru took a deep breath and turned toward her; gaze steady despite the storm inside him.

"I don’t care about the danger," he mentioned. "If going through it means you’ll be safe, then I’ll face it all. After all,… you accepted me when no one else did. You changed my life, Akane. This is the least I can do."

Akane's gaze softened. Her composure faltered for a moment.

She stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, her arms wrapping gently around him. Her voice trembled slightly as she whispered near his ear.

"Thank you… that means a lot."

???-POV

They say time dulls emotion. For vampires, it calcifies it.

I stood alone in my private chamber, far beneath the obsidian halls of Noctarra. The walls flickered with ancestral light — runes etched by generations long extinguished.

Before me, the portrait.

Lucien Vale.

His likeness hadn’t aged, but neither had I. Crimson eyes stared back at mine, cunning even in paint. The founder of Bloodline Rebellion. The architect of chaos.

I had been right.

Hikaru was not human. Not entirely. From birth.

I clasped my hands behind my back, posture stiff.

He is not supposed to exist. And yet, he does.

I blamed myself for allowing Akane so much freedom. She’s too gentle. Her heart is unruly. I should’ve known she’d grow attached. I gave her a mission, and she turned it into a promise.

As her father… yes, I was too cold to her. But it couldn’t be helped.

Vampires are not the kindest of beings.

She doesn’t understand the cost of compassion. Of mercy. Not yet.

I glanced again at Lucien’s portrait — the fire of an old war flickering behind painted eyes.

I see what you’re doing, grandfather.

Stirring in the void. Whispering across bloodlines.

“So… are you truly trying to awaken after three thousand years?” I murmured.

The air remained still, but I sensed it — the ancient hunger returning.

And deep beneath every echo of Hikaru’s heartbeat, something older was watching.