Part 1
The sun filtered softly through the cracked window of Aoi Tsukishiro's small apartment. Sixteen years old, with blue-black hair and an expressionless face, he sat silently in front of his mirror.
They say mirrors never lie.
But his hadn't told the truth in a long time.
His reflection blinked—just a moment later than he did—and for a brief second, a cold shiver ran down his spine.
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Part 2
At school, Aoi moved through crowded hallways like a ghost. The laughter and voices felt distant, as if separated by an invisible wall.
"Aoi, wait up!" called Rina, a cheerful classmate.
She caught up to him, concern in her eyes.
"I saw you staring at the bathroom mirror again... Are you okay?" Rina asked.
"Headache," Aoi replied curtly.
His gaze drifted to a polished window nearby. His reflection in the glass didn't copy him. Instead, it smiled.
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Part 3
That night, Aoi brushed his teeth in the bathroom. The mirror was fogged over, but his reflection stared back clearly—moving on its own.
"You again..." Aoi whispered.
The reflection grinned sinisterly.
"Do you remember what you did the day she disappeared?" the reflection asked.
"Shut up..." Aoi said, his voice barely audible.
Suddenly, the bathroom light flickered and the mirror cracked, faint but unsettling.
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Part 4
Memories washed over him.
Rain pattered against the windows as his younger sister, Yui, played in front of a mirror.
"Aoi, do you think there's another me inside the mirror?" Yui asked.
"It's just your reflection, dummy," Aoi replied, trying to sound casual.
"But what if she gets lonely when I'm gone?" Yui's voice trembled.
The rain's tapping grew louder. Aoi blinked—and Yui was gone.
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Part 5
Sweat beaded on Aoi's forehead as he woke in the night. Across from his bed, the mirror was fogged—but the reflection inside watched him, clear as day.
Your heart still beats here, the reflection whispered.
Before Aoi could react, the mirror's surface rippled like water and a pale hand reached out, pulling him inside.
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Part 6
He fell through a void of broken memories, surrounded by floating mirrors showing his pain and loss.
A mysterious voice echoed:
"Welcome to the Threshold. Only those with deep wounds can hear its pulse."
A hooded girl with silver eyes appeared—Kureha.
"You are a Resonant," Kureha said.
"A Resonant?" Aoi asked, voice shaking.
"That reflection haunting you is an Echo. The form of what you cannot accept," Kureha explained.
In the distance, his reflection appeared with black eyes and a twisted grin.
"Let's play, Aoi. One of us doesn't belong," the reflection said.
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Preview of Next Chapter
Kureha trains Aoi for his first emotional battle. What do you sacrifice when facing your own pain?.