Chapter Twenty-Four: Parting

In the aftermath of learning the truth about the S.T.A.R.S program, Yozora and T.LAC stood silent, the weight of everything hanging heavily between them. Despite everything that had happened, they still had to graduate high school. But Yozora had one more question burning in his mind, one that refused to be ignored.

The question finally dawned on him, connecting the dots between his life at Stars Institute for The Gifted and the hidden world of S.T.A.R.S. He turned to Selene, his voice calm but insistent.

"Is our high school... the Stars Institute... and the S.T.A.R.S program connected?"

Selene hesitated, the truth weighing on her heavily. She met Yozora’s eyes, and for a moment, the guilt that had been buried beneath her professional demeanor surfaced. His piercing gaze, combined with the pain of loss, made it impossible for her to evade the question any longer. Mom, you owe me this much, Yozora thought, his unspoken plea hanging in the air.

With a sigh, Selene finally spoke. “Yes... they are one and the same,” she admitted, her voice tinged with reluctant relief. “The Stars Institute for The Gifted monitors those who’ve been zeroed, like you and T.LAC. It’s also a place where we observe humans who might have the potential to tap into the Toro via Resonators, though that’s classified technology.”

Selene continued, “But for the most part, the Institute is just what it appears to be—a school for high-IQ students or kids from wealthy families. Their parents pay a fortune to send them there, unaware of the deeper connections behind the scenes.”

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Yozora’s jaw clenched as the implications sank in. Their entire high school experience had been orchestrated, manipulated from the start. But before he could voice his frustration, Selene interrupted, her tone softening.

“Look, both of you,” she said, glancing between Yozora and T.LAC, “you’ve been through a lot these past few days. Focus on graduation. The ceremony for Mara will take place the day after. S.T.A.R.S is hosting her funeral. We say goodbye to our fallen differently than the rest of the world. Mara deserves that honor.”

Selene’s voice faltered for a moment, her eyes flickering with the regret she tried to hide. “You three were never supposed to be in this situation. The original plan was to allow you to graduate and then reverse your zeroing. But… things changed. An internal investigation revealed that there was a leak within S.T.A.R.S. Someone exposed sensitive information, and that’s how this all unraveled. That’s why Jezebel knew about you, why she was able to find Mara.”

T.LAC couldn’t hold back his rage any longer. His fists clenched, his voice trembling with fury. “So, this great fucking program couldn’t even protect the very Tuners it zeroed? You left us defenseless, and now Mara’s dead because of it! Yozora and I barely made it out alive. This... this has to be some kind of sick joke!”

Yozora’s eyes flickered with the same frustration, though he kept his emotions in check. He gave T.LAC a subtle nod, silently agreeing. “T, you’re right,” Yozora said, his voice low and controlled. “But right now, we can’t do anything about it. Let’s focus on getting through graduation... and the ceremony for Mara. Selene, thank you for your time.”

Without waiting for a response, Yozora turned on his heel, motioning for T.LAC to follow. The tension between them still simmered, but Yozora knew they needed to stay focused. They would have their time to grieve and their time to fight—just not now.

As they made their way out, Selene called after them, her voice heavy with something Yozora couldn’t quite place. “Yozora, one last thing.”

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“From now on, you may start noticing that people don’t see you as much. Tuners vibrate at a different frequency than normal humans. If by any chance someone does notice you, they’re not just any person—they’re a potential threat. Be careful.”

Yozora stood still for a moment, letting her words sink in. He finally turned his head slightly, his eyes cold and unreadable. “We’ll be ready,” he said, and with that, he walked away, leaving Selene standing alone in the sterile hallway.