The morning sun was soft. Light spilled gently through the half-open curtains of a small, simple room. A fan spun slowly above, humming in the quiet air.
Kaito Renji sat on his bed, staring blankly at the letter in his hand.
His fingers tightened slightly. The paper crumpled a little, but he didn't tear it. He just stared at it… as if the words would change if he looked long enough.
"Rejected — Not qualified for Hero Rank Certification."
Again.
His fourth attempt. Four years. Four failures.
He placed the letter on the small table near his bed and leaned back, resting his head against the wall.
"…Of course," he muttered softly to himself. "What did I expect?"
There was no anger in his voice. Just… emptiness. A tired kind of disappointment he had gotten used to by now.
His room was small, just a bed, a desk, and a few shelves filled with old notebooks and guidebooks about Heroes. A faded poster of a famous Hero was still pinned on the wall, curling at the edges.
Kaito looked at it.
That hero… strong, bold, smiling confidently at the world.
He once thought he could be like that too. That maybe, if he worked hard enough, trained long enough, pushed himself just a little more, he could get a rank. Even E-rank. Just something… to prove he could be part of this world.
But some dreams stay dreams.
He stood up slowly and walked toward the small mirror on the wall. His reflection looked back at him, plain black hair, tired eyes, lean build. He wasn't ugly, just average. Too average in a world that praised only the exceptional.
As he washed his face, a familiar thought returned.
Aoi Mizuki.
The name echoed softly in his heart.
She lived just a few houses away. He had liked her for ten years. Ever since the first time he saw her helping an old woman cross the road during elementary school.
She was beautiful, long dark hair, gentle eyes, always dressed with a touch of elegance. But more than beauty, it was her kindness that drew Kaito in. She smiled at people even when they ignored her. She was talented in studies, stylish without trying, and always seemed to have a warm presence around her.
But she never noticed him.
Not truly.
He'd tried to talk to her many times. A simple "hello," or maybe a casual conversation at the local bookstore. But every time, his words got stuck. His hands felt cold, his throat dry.
And now… she was dating someone.
Kaito's heart sank a little as he thought of it.
Ryuji Kazama.
A powerful man, handsome, confident, strong, and the son of one of the strongest Heroes in the country. People said he could level a mountain if he got serious. The kind of man who lived in a different world than someone like Kaito.
But still… even after knowing all that, Kaito's feelings didn't fade.
Maybe that was stupid.
Maybe he was just chasing something that would never be his.
But he couldn't stop loving her.
Even now.
Even after this fourth failure.
He went downstairs.
"Hey mom"
He greeted his mother with a tired smile.
"Hey son, how's the result, you got in this time?"
"Uh, just like everytime, I didn't manage to get in..."
"Oh don't you worry Kaito, I believe in you, you'll definitely make it one day!" Kaito's mother said, raising a thumb towards him.
"Hope so mom...."
Kaito then ate a quiet breakfast, and then left the house. He didn't have any plans, just needed to walk.
The streets were peaceful today. Kids were playing, birds chirping, and the wind carried the scent of fresh bread from a nearby bakery.
But Kaito wasn't really seeing any of it.
His feet carried him on their own, and before he knew it, he was walking past Aoi's house.
He paused.
The house was quiet. Curtains closed. No music, no sound of television, no voice. Just silence.
He looked up at her window, wondering what she was doing. Studying maybe? Or spending time with Ryuji?
He shook his head.
There was no point thinking about it.
He turned to leave.
But just then, the curtain moved.
His heart jumped for a moment. A shadow passed by the window. Maybe Aoi had looked outside?
Maybe she had seen him?
…But nothing followed. No wave, no smile. Just stillness again.
Kaito stood there for a moment longer, then walked away with a soft sigh.
---
That night, he sat in his room again, looking at the rejection letter once more. He placed it beside the other three, neatly stacked in his drawer.
Then he looked at his wall… and whispered softly to himself.
"…I still want to become something."
Not a Hero. Not anymore.
Just… someone worthy.
Someone who could stand beside her, even if she never looked his way.
If she's a moon, I wanna be her haze....