This particular day, the were going for a hike on Mt. Konoyama. They packed their gear and left, their minds filled with thoughts of the adventure that lay ahead.
Around noon, they had reached the base of the mountain. As Aika and Kaede unpacked for lunch, Aiko and Hakuto scouted the area. Kaede spoke as he opened the lunch basket.
“Aika, I’ve always wanted to know... how does having a twin feel like?”
”A twin...” mused Aika, “Let’s see... they’re annoying, but if you really think about it it’s really nice to have one. It’s somehow like a very close sibling.”
”I’m not sure I understand that.”
”Okay. Imagine if Hakuto was born the same day you were, grew up in the same house - obviously - you had the same face, were in the same class, everything was almost the same except your personality. That’s what it feels like.”
”That’s hell, honestly. I can’t even imagine that. I’d go nuts.”
”Really? I thought silent Hakuto couldn’t even kill a fly”
”Then you don’t know him yet. He’s a silent snake.”
Screams are heard higher up. It’s Aiko.
“Haku-chan! What’s going on?” shouts Kaede
“Ai-chan! Are you okay?” Aika chimes in.
Aiko starts crying. Kaede and Aika look at each other. Then they run towards Hakuto and Aiko at top speed. There they find a yellow magic circle on the ground, with Aika and Hakuto in the middle. But they can still speak.
“We can’t move, Aika nee-san!” sobs Aiko. “You’ll freeze if it touches you too!
As Aika tries to console Aiko, another circle appears under her feet. She freezes.
“Kaede! Run!” she commands. “And don’t look back!”
Kaede doesn’t need telling twice. He starts sprinting down the mountain. But a circle appears in front of him. Too late, he stepped in it and froze, his momentum slamming him into the ground.
“Kaede!”
Before Aika can say anymore, the circles glow brighter and brighter, blinding them.
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