Chapter 1: "The Falling Star"

A flash of light streaked across the sky, searing through the clouds in a brilliant arc before crashing into the earth below. The shockwave rippled outward, cracking windows, bending trees, and sending terrified pedestrians running for cover.

Amara Hoshino stood at the center of the destruction, her hands trembling as tears streamed down her face. She hadn't meant for this to happen—again. She clenched her fists, trying desperately to suppress the rising tide of emotion threatening to spill over. The more she tried to control it, the more unstable the air around her became.

A soft glow radiated from her chest, where her heart throbbed like a beating star. It was happening again: her emotions were manifesting, warping reality around her.

The wreckage around her—shattered glass, twisted metal, toppled trees—wasn't the work of any natural disaster. It was her.

She had to leave, disappear before anyone else saw her. Before anyone else got hurt.

But as she turned to flee, a cold voice cut through the chaos.

"Stay where you are."

Amara froze, her breath catching in her throat. The voice was calm, controlled, and laced with authority. She spun around to see a man stepping out of the shadows. He was tall, with jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to pierce through her defenses.

The man wore a sleek black coat that billowed behind him in the wind, and in his hand was a police badge.

"I know what you are," he said, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her heart race. "You're coming with me."

Chapter 2: "Unbreakable Ice"

Amara stumbled back, her pulse quickening. No one had ever approached her like this before—no one who wasn’t terrified, at least. This man’s eyes weren’t filled with fear. They were sharp, calculating, like he was piecing together a puzzle she didn’t understand.

"What... what do you want?" Amara asked, her voice wavering despite her best efforts to sound strong.

The man took a step forward, his boots crunching against the glass shards littering the ground. "I’m Ryuji Kanzaki. Detective." His tone was as cold as his eyes. "And you’re responsible for the deaths of six people last night."

Amara’s heart sank. She had tried to control her emotions, but they had always slipped through her fingers, like starlight. Every time she felt too much—whether joy, sadness, or fear—the world around her bent to the chaos inside her.

"You’re wrong," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I didn’t mean to—"

"It doesn’t matter what you meant," Ryuji interrupted, taking another step closer. "What matters is that you’re dangerous. And you’re coming with me."

Amara’s eyes flicked to the alley behind him, calculating her chances of escape. But as she took a step back, Ryuji’s eyes narrowed.

"Don’t even think about it."

Before she could react, Ryuji was suddenly in front of her, his hand gripping her wrist tightly. The air around them stilled, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the chaotic energy surrounding Amara faded.

She gasped, looking down at their joined hands. His touch—it didn’t stir her powers. It didn’t unleash the swirling emotions inside her. For a brief, blissful moment, everything was still.

Ryuji, too, seemed surprised. His grip loosened slightly, his blue eyes narrowing as he studied her more closely. "Interesting."

Amara yanked her hand away, her mind racing. Who was this man? And why wasn’t he affected by her powers?

"I’m not going anywhere with you," she said, her voice firmer now that the initial shock had passed. "I’ll just cause more destruction—hurt more people."

"Not if you don’t resist," Ryuji said simply, slipping his badge back into his coat. "But if you try to run, I won’t hesitate to stop you."

Amara felt a chill run down her spine at his words. There was no doubt in her mind that he meant it. This man—this detective—wasn’t like the others. He didn’t see her as a monster to be feared, but as a tool to be controlled.

And that scared her more than anything.

Chapter 3: "Hidden Stars, Hidden Hearts"

Ryuji led Amara through the winding streets of the city, past the destruction she had unintentionally caused. People were already gathering, whispering to each other in hushed tones as they took in the aftermath of her emotional outburst. The devastation was undeniable—bent streetlights, cracked asphalt, buildings with windows shattered inward. It looked like the epicenter of a bomb.

Except the bomb was her.

Amara kept her head down as they walked, every fiber of her being screaming to run, to get away from this man who somehow managed to stay unaffected by her powers. But she knew it was useless. If Ryuji could restrain her so easily, there was no point in trying to escape.

Finally, they arrived at a sleek, modern building that stood in stark contrast to the chaos outside. Ryuji pushed open the door and gestured for her to enter. Inside was a sterile, minimalist office, the walls lined with shelves of books and neatly organized case files. The air smelled faintly of coffee and ink.

Amara stood awkwardly in the center of the room as Ryuji moved behind his desk, his movements precise and efficient. He opened a folder and began flipping through papers, not bothering to look up at her.

"We’ve been tracking incidents like yours for months," he said, his voice steady as he read. "People with powers that affect emotions—cause destruction. But you’re different."

Amara stiffened. "Different how?"

Ryuji finally looked up from the file, his eyes boring into hers. "You’re still alive."

The words hung in the air like a noose tightening around her neck.

"We’ve found others like you," Ryuji continued, his tone cold and matter-of-fact. "But they didn’t survive. Their powers consumed them, burned them out. You, on the other hand, seem to be able to control it. At least, to some degree."

Amara’s heart pounded in her chest. She had known she wasn’t the only one with these strange, destructive abilities, but to hear it confirmed—to hear that the others hadn’t survived—was like a punch to the gut.

"Why?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Why am I still alive?"

Ryuji closed the file and stood, his expression unreadable. "That’s what we’re going to find out."