Fracture Bloom

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. 

Kentaro's alarm screamed into the morning like it was personally offended he was still alive. 

But Kentaro was already staring at the ceiling, wide awake, and had been for hours. 

He'd opened his eyes at 8.00 a.m. brain fully alert, heart tap-dancing in his chest like it was auditioning for a musical. Every time he closed his eyes, another "what if" played out in full 4k panic-vision. 

What if she hated everything I said or did? 

What if he froze up and said something weird? 

What if she smiled, and his brain turned to soup? 

By the time the alarm decided to stop, he was already dressed, sort of. Just sitting at the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the wall like it had answers. 

With a sigh, he got up, pulled the curtains back, and blinked. 

A perfect sky. Light breeze. Sun warms across the windowsill. 

"...Well," Kentaro mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck, "at least the weather's not against me." 

Thirty minutes later, he was dressed and standing at his front door, shoes on, a small fanny pack around his waist. He gave him a small shake, like it'd rattle the nerves loose, and grabbed the handle. 

Then opened it. 

And blinked again.

"Wait, what the hell?" 

Because it wasn't his apartment hallway. It was the Halcyon control room. 

Same Sterile walls. Same sleek glass floor. Same Tenka hunched at her desk, scribbling something down with a mechanical pencil like she was solving world peace with math. 

Kentaro stepped inside cautiously, glancing around. 

"...What the. I was not expecting this. You just warped me out of my house?" 

Tenka didn't even look up. "Emergency override. We needed you here first thing. So, I got Haruka to warp your door to Halycon straight away. 

She paused, then added dryly, "You're welcome, by the way." 

Kentaro dragged a hand down his face.

"Great. I didn't even get to eat breakfast." 

Tenka finally looked up, eyes sarcastically sparkling with amusement. 

"Well, go get KIRA to make you some." 

Kentaro didn't answer. It seemed Tenka was still annoyed about the whole Kira situation. His best bet was to ignore it and hopefully she forgot about the whole situation. 

After finishing her paperwork up, Tenka set her pencil down and stood, folding her arms. 

"Come on. The others are waiting for the pre-op briefing." 

Halycon Briefing Room: 

The walls of the room shimmered with soft white light. At the centre, a circular table pulsed with soft-blue holographic projections. 

Haruka sat already, sipping tea like it was any normal day. Shogo was leaning back in his chair, arms behind his head, legs kicked up, probably pretending to be useful. 

When Kentaro entered, Shogo whistled. "Damn, Ken. You look like you got hit by a truck full of feelings." 

"Thanks," Kentaro muttered, sitting down. "Appreciate the support." 

Tenka stepped in last, flicking a switch. The lights dimmed, and the holo display glowed to life, a rotating 3D model of a downtown shopping district, already marked with Halcyon surveillance pings. 

"Alright. Let's keep this quick," Tenka began, hands behind her back. 

"Operation date, Phase 1. Serica has just gotten to the rendezvous point. She believes this is just a normal hangout day, fully provided by Halycon to relax her mind. No one will or has mentioned about this being a mission to her. No emotional triggers. We keep this casual, light, and stable." 

Kentaro nodded slowly, trying to focus. 

Haruka leaned in. "We've arranged a light day taking in her preferences, Bookstore, food stall lunch, a stop at an Arcade, and a quiet cafe. All Relaxing and engaging, all of them low-pressure zones." 

Kentaro blinked. "You... Planned a whole route?" 

"We planned three," Haruka replied without smiling. 

Shogo yawned. "Meanwhile, I'll be on recon. Watching. Judging." 

Tenka cut in again. "This is more than a bonding day. Your presence stabilizes her anchor. But we've also noticed surges in your own emotional resonance." 

Kentaro glanced at his anchor, which was still embedded behind his ear. 

Tenka continued, voice lowering slightly. "If this bond grows stronger... You may not need the device at all. Emotionally harmonized Alberlines can be stabilized by shared trust. In theory, if she opens her heart fully." 

Haruka added quietly, "...The anchor becomes permanent. And the anchor on your head won't be needed for her. The connection between you two will be strong enough to hold without any assistance. 

Kentaro's eyes widened. "...Seriously?" 

Tenka smirked. "Don't screw it up, or either you freeze or have that anchor for the rest of your life on that little head of yours." 

Shogo grinned. "Worst case, you get dumped and the city freezes. So, no pressure, big boy." 

Kentaro gave a light smile too, both of them acknowledging what they had said was the truth, be it a quick, harsh way of putting it. 

Tenka turned around and would begin to tap on her earpiece a couple of times before turning to Kentaro again. 

"Serica's already walking around. The drone's watching. She looks... happy and excited." 

Kentaro stood up slowly. 

"Okay. Let's do this." 

Shogo flicked the button on the control panel. 

"Coordinates locked. Good luck, Playa." 

ZWWWWWWWWWIP.

A flash of blue. 

And Kentaro was gone. 

Straight into his biggest mission yet. 

Kentaro felt weightless for a moment, like his soul had briefly left his body. Teleportation always hit weird, this one especially so. He blinked, disoriented, the familiar shimmer fading from his vision… only to be smacked in the face by something far worse. 

A smell. 

A horrific, 20-plus years in jail type of smell. 

He gagged instantly, glancing around. White walls. Cramped walls. Toilet paper rolls stacked like war supplies. 

He was in a bathroom stall. A public one. 

"Okay, not ideal… but survivable." 

Then he turned around. 

His breath stopped. 

There it was, in all its demonic glory.

A mutant turd, curled like a summoned beast from hell, starting in the water and still rising out of the bowl, nearly breaching the edge of the seat like it had ambitions. 

Kentaro's soul left his body for real this time. 

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" 

He kicked the stall door open and bolted. Other guys in the restroom jumped as he exploded out like a man escaping a war zone. 

"What the hell's his problem?" one of them muttered. 

Kentaro didn't stop running. His legs moved on pure adrenaline, his brain still processing that monstrosity. 

He turned a sharp corner, practically skidding across the tiled floor. The fresh air slapped him in the face as he exited the bathroom, but he was still sprinting like a man chased by a ghost.

And that's when he saw her. 

A girl walking just ahead, head tilted down, lost in thought. No time to react. 

"No no no no no, MOOOVEEE!" 

The girl looked up, confused, then their eyes locked. 

Serica. 

Kentaro's eyes went wide in horror. 

Her eyes went wide in something worse. 

And then, 

BOOM. 

He crashed into her at full speed like a human bowling ball. His body twisted mid-air in a way no physics class could explain. Time slowed. His face went straight into hers, and, 

Lips.

Soft. Warm. 

There was no mistaking it. 

His eyes shot open. Hers were already bulging. 

They were kissing. 

He was kissing Serica. 

Then came the double scream. 

"AAHHHHHHHHH!!!" 

They launched apart like two pinballs hit by divine shame. 

Kentaro hit the ground first, hands over his face in sheer disbelief. 

Serica was crouched, steam practically rising from her red face. 

And then… 

"KENTARO!… WHAT. THE HELL. HAVE YOU DONE!!" 

Tenka's voice boomed in his ear like a judge delivering a divine sentence. 

Even if he could, he knew he wouldn't need to see Tenka's face. He could feel the glare. 

From somewhere back at base, Shogo's laugh could be heard echoing in the distance like a sitcom punchline. 

"S-s-Serica! I'm so sorry, you see t-there was this turd, it was the size of my head a-a-and-" 

"No! It's fine! I should've watched where I was going, I-I'm sorry, Kentaro!" she said quickly, waving her hands in front of her face, just as flustered. 

And just like that, the two of them sat on the ground a few feet apart, both staring anywhere but at each other, two awkward messes struggling to figure out what to say next. 

"Ken, let's move. Forget what just happened. It looks like she's not too upset," Tenka chimed in gently through the comm. 

But Kentaro didn't move. He was staring off to the side, his fingers brushing lightly over his lips. 

"I-I can't believe that was my first kiss," he muttered, devastated that his fantasy moment had just been stolen by gravity and a rogue toilet encounter. 

"…Just move it, Ken," Tenka ordered, her voice flat. 

Eventually, Kentaro shook the shock off his face. He dusted off his clothes and walked over to Serica, who was still crouched on the floor, visibly embarrassed. 

"Hey, Serica… umm, this might sound stupid, but l-let's just move on and head to the bookstore?" he asked, nervously reaching out a hand to her. 

Serica nodded, her cheeks still glowing red. She took his hand, rising gently, then quickly dusted herself off too. 

That's when Kentaro actually noticed her, and really began to look at what she was wearing. 

She was wearing a light white summer dress, her hair left down with a soft shine, and tucked on the side was a delicate flower pin. No makeup. No effort to impress. Just… Serica. And somehow, that made his heart skip even harder. 

"Is everything okay, Kentaro?" she asked, tilting her head when she caught him staring. 

Kentaro blinked, snapping out of his trance. 

"N-no! I mean yes!, just… You look really pretty, Serica." 

Serica blinked, then looked away shyly, fidgeting with her hands. 

"O-oh… t-thank you. Haruka helped me pick this out…" 

Her face was redder than ever now. 

Through the comms, Tenka's voice cut in with a grin you could hear. 

"Smooth talker, aren't ya?" 

After Kentaro ignored Tenka's tease through the comm, he exhaled as he tried to get his heartbeat under control. He let his shoulders relax, turned to Serica with a soft grin, and extended his hand toward the bookstore. 

"Let's go, shall we?" he said. 

Serica nodded, smiling back with a little bounce in her step. 

"Sure! I've been looking forward to this part." 

The two strolled into the bookstore, the bells on the door chiming gently overhead. The interior was quiet, filled with warm lighting and the comforting scent of old paper and polished wood. Kentaro glanced around, watching Serica's eyes widen with curiosity at every shelf she passed. He followed her at a respectful distance, letting her explore. 

After a while, she stopped at a particular shelf, picked up a book, and hugged it gently to her chest. 

"The Frozen Bonds?" Kentaro tilted his head, reading the title. 

Serica's smile was small but… distant. 

"Yeah… I don't know why, but this one just… pulls at me." 

She ran her fingers along the cover. 

"Something about it feels familiar. Like I've read it before... or maybe dreamed about it." 

Kentaro's smile softened, but before he could respond, Tenka's voice slid into his ear. 

"Could be a memory. Something buried. You remember, she was orphaned after that early-stage Bloom seven years ago. Her parents were likely caught in the collapse." 

Kentaro blinked. That… made sense. A book about frozen bonds. A child cut off from her family. Maybe some part of Serica remembered what the rest of her forgot. 

"Could be," he murmured aloud, frowning slightly. 

Serica turned to him, tilting her head with a curious look. 

"Who're you talking to?" 

Kentaro stiffened. His heart spiked. 

Crap. 

Tenka had specifically told him not to let Serica know about the comms, to keep things natural, close, personal. If she found out he was being monitored or coached, it might break her trust. 

"U-Uhh... I was talking to myself!" he blurted out, waving his hands like an idiot. 

"What you said just got me thinking, hahahaha... nervous habit, you know?" 

Serica stared at him. Not confused. Just… watching. 

Her eyes held his longer than before, and for a moment Kentaro felt frozen under the weight of her quiet intensity. She wasn't looking through him; she was reading him. 

"…Hmmm." 

Her eyes narrowed slightly. Kentaro was drenched in sweat. 

Then, suddenly, she smiled. 

"You're funny, Kentaro." 

Kentaro nearly collapsed with relief. At the same time, the entire Halcyon command room let out a collective exhale. 

"Geez, I thought he was gonna blow it," Riku muttered. 

"That was Close," Haruka said.

"Damn," Shogo added, "I think my entire body was sweating. Especially my crack." 

Haruka slowly turned to him, her expression blank, radiating death. 

She didn't say a word. But Shogo shut up and focused on the screen. 

After buying the book (which Kentaro insisted on paying for), the two made their way down the shopping center to a cozy cafê tucked between a boutique and a florist. Serica pressed her face to the dessert display like a curious child. 

"They have parfaits," she whispered like it was a secret. 

"You want one?" Kentaro asked. 

"I mean, if you're paying," She teased, eyes gleaming. 

They sat outside, under a white umbrella. Serica spooned vanilla and fruit into her mouth like it was the greatest invention of humanity. Kentaro couldn't stop smiling. 

"You eat like you've never had sweets before," he said. 

"I haven't. Not since I became... what I am." 

The air stilled. 

Serica paused, staring at the whipped cream melting in her cup. 

"Everything after that day... It's like someone hit pause on the world. And then one day, I woke up again and everything was different. I-i wasn't a person anymore. Just something to be hunted." 

Kentaro didn't answer right away. He reached out and gently tapped the edge of her parfait glass with his spoon. 

"You're still you, Serica. Bookstores. Parfaits. That's all you. Not the powers. Not the bloom." 

Serica looked up slowly. 

"Even if everyone else sees a monster?" 

"I see you," Kentaro said. 

Her eyes met his; they sparkled like a pressure had been lifted off her chest. 

"Thank you, Ken!" she chirped, her face glowing with a smile worth all the gold and silver in the world. 

Kentaro laughed softly, watching her dig happily into the rest of her parfait. Somehow, just seeing her enjoy something so simple made the morning feel a little lighter. 

After finishing up, the two headed to the arcade. Bright lights. Beeping machines, screaming mascots. It was overwhelming and colourful, but for once, it didn't feel like too much. They wandered down the Claw machines when Serica stopped, eyes locked onto a claw machine. Inside, a white rabbit plushie with a small eyepatch sat tilted against the glass. 

She didn't say anything, just stared quietly with a small smile, like she was trying not to look too interested. 

Kentaro caught it right away. "You want that one?" 

Serica nodded, hard. 

"I want to try first!" 

"Hey, Ken," Tenka whispered through the comms, amused. 

"I feel like I'm watching a romcom right now. Y'know, the part where the girl fails miserably at winning the prize and ends up breaking the glass." 

Kentaro Chuckled a bit. "Yeah, yeah hahaahha" 

Serica stepped up to the claw and inserted the coin, intense focus in her eyes. Her tongue poked out slightly as she lined it up. 

And missed. 

Badly. 

Twice. 

Then a third time. 

She sighed, defeated. 

"Maybe if I froze it solid and broke the glass..." 

"NO-no no, it's fine i-I'll get it for you!" Kentaro panicked 

Serica looked at him with a cheeky grin. "Hehehe. I'm just kidding, Kentaro. 

He let out a massive sigh. "Whew..." 

"She got you," Haruka said blandly through comms. 

Shogo added, "I was sweating just watching that. Especially... y'know. My crack." 

Haruka turned to him with a blank stare. Shogo immediately shut up. 

Back at the machine, Serica gently tugged Kentaro's sleeve. "Your turn." 

Kentaro stepped forward, hand trembling slightly. He only had two coins left, the last of what Haruka gave him for the day. He cracked his knuckles like it was life or death. 

"You got this, Ken!" Serica encouraged, hands clenched at her chest. 

Kentaro lined up the claw. 

It missed. 

The plushie jiggled. Nothing fell 

"Ara Ara Kentaro, seems you're really bad at this," Tenka muttered, not hiding her disappointment.

"C'mon, bro."

Shogo whispered through the comms.

"No pressure but... You fail, we all freeze... well, you first." 

Kentaro muttered back, "ZIP it, Shogo!" 

Deep breath. 

One coin left. 

He moved the claw just slightly off-centre. Serica watched him like it was the most important moment of the day. 

He hit the button. 

The claw lowered. 

Clamped. 

The rabbit lifted. 

And started to slip. 

Everyone watching through the screen gasped. 

Serica's hands clenched tighter. "C'mon.... c'mon...!" 

CLUNK 

The rabbit dropped clean into the prize slot. 

"LET'S GO, KENNY BOY!" Shogo and the crew yelled over comms. 

Serica squealed with joy, pulling the plushie from the machine like she just won a national championship.

Her eyes sparkled. 

"So what's the name?" Kentaro asked, smiling. 

Serica paused, tilting her head. She brought the bunny up to eye level and studied it. 

"...Yoshino!" she declared proudly. 

"Yoshino, huh..." Kentaro blinked. "That sounds... weirdly familiar..." 

Before he could overthink it, Serica was already hopping toward the next game. 

Kentaro followed, smiling to himself. 

Whatever this day held next, he was ready for it. 

The date had gone smoother than expected. 

Surprisingly smooth. 

With each stop, the bookshop, the arcade, the parfait cafe, Kentaro followed the plan provided by Tenka and the group, one step at a time. And now, as the sun dipped low, painting the sky in amber streaks, the final stage of the date slowly unfolded. 

Serica and Kentaro strolled side by side along the riverbank. The golden light shimmered across the surface of the water, casting soft reflections that danced like fireflies on the current. 

Serica walked a few steps ahead, arms gently swaying, her hums soft and content. She even started skipping a little, innocent, light, completely in the moment. 

Behind her, Kentaro just stared. 

His lips curled into a dopey grin. 

"This actually went well," he muttered under his breath. 

"Maybe... maybe I'm not totally useless with girls after all." 

A voice buzzed in his ear. 

"Ken. Wipe that idiotic grin off your face and seal the deal already." Tenka's voice rang like a dry slap. 

He blinked. "R-right! Sorry! Just... how do I do it again?" he asked, eyes still tracking Serica's every hop like she was made of starlight. 

Haruka's voice came in, calm as always. 

"Just like we discussed. When you're sure she's ready, place your hand over her heart. Not metaphorically, literally. Then rest your forehead against hers. You'll feel a rush of heat, but that's just her mana syncing with yours." 

Kentaro nodded, absorbing the instructions, until his thoughts veered. 

"...Touch her chest, huh..." 

There was a beat of silence. 

"NOT her breasts, you dum-ass!" Tenka roared.

"Center of the chest. Like a normal person. You grope her by mistake. I swear to God you'll die before the mana burns you!" 

"Understood!" Kentaro yelped. "Message received! Chest. Not Breast." 

"Ken. Please don't think about doing it," Haruka added.

"Smooth, Ken," Shogo chimed in from the background. 

"Can't wait to engrave that on your tombstone: 'Died doing what he loved- misunderstanding basic instructions." 

Kentaro flushed red, shaking his head to clear the mental images. At that moment, he realised Serica had walked a bit ahead of him. 

"Ken?" she called back, turning around. "Everything okay?" 

He snapped out of panic mode and quickly caught up. "Yeah! Totally. I was just... uh... taking in the view." 

Serica smiled warmly. She turned back toward the horizon, her eye reflecting the soft orange sky. 

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she whispered. 

Then she turned back to him again, stepping closer this time, walking beside him. 

"I've... never had a day like this. Never had a reason to smile this much. Not in a long time." 

Kentaro felt something catch in his throat. It wasn't pity. It was... something else. Something heavier. 

She stopped walking, her feet gently crunching the grass as she turned to face him completely. 

"Ken... I know I can be weird. Quiet. Broken maybe. But thank you. For seeing me as something more than just... a threat." 

She reached up, brushing a stand of hair behind her ear. 

He knew this was it. 

The moment. 

The anchor sealing moment. 

He stepped forward, slowly, his hand raising just slightly toward her chest. 

Serica watched, blinking. Her eyes weren't scared, they were curious. Trusting. It was as if she knew what was going to happen next. 

Kentaro's fingers trembled. He reached out...

Almost touching her. 

Just above her heart. 

Their eyes locked. 

He started to lean forward, gently tilting his head to press to hers. 

"...Kentaro," a voice rang out. It was slow. But most importantly, It was surprised. 

Kentaro turned around, his eyes widening as he turned his head around. 

".....It's you," Serica said. 

Everyone on Halycon's side stopped breathing. It was something that they hadn't thought of when planning the date. 

A crucial mistake that would lead to a near disaster of the entire day....