Bell of the Broken Future

December 24th, 1997 - Somewhere in Tokyo Snow came down in heavy sheets, covering the streets of Shinjuku with a soft, shimmering white. City lights glimmered across the frozen roads, throwing a dreamlike glow into the dark night. Inside the sleek black sedan, the engine's quiet hum mixed with mellow music drifting from the speakers. Seventeen-year-old Kisaragi Haruto lounged with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the gear shift. His brown hair sat a little tousled, and his keen gaze remained fixed on the snow-covered street ahead. with her chin braced against the window, absorbed by the snowfall. Her head swayed faintly with the music, wandering somewhere far off in thought. They had only just finished dinner. On a whim, Haruto had borrowed their father's car and taken it out for a drive through the city. He'd catch hell later, sure, but at least they were having fun. A crooked smirk pulled at Haruto's mouth when he looked over at his sibling. "So... where are we even going?" KAEDE asked out of nowhere, slicing through the quiet. Haruto gave a shrug, the smirk widening. "No clue." KAEDE turned sharply toward him, expression flat. "Seriously? You've been driving around for thirty minutes and you still don't know?" "Hey, watch your mouth," Haruto said, wagging a finger their way. "Yeah, yeah, I'll work it out. So quit yelling at me, young lady." KAEDE let out a huff, folded her arms, and looked away. "Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath. Haruto laughed softly. Even without a destination, driving like this just felt right. But then- When the light shifted red, Haruto glanced into the rearview mirror and idly ran a hand through his hair. The street stayed quiet except for a handful of pedestrians along the sidewalks. Not a single other car waited at the intersection. KAEDE kept watching the falling snow... until something snagged her attention. A black van. Fast. From the side. At first, they figured it was only passing through. But no. It was coming straight at them. Their breath lodged in their throat. "Haruto!!" she screamed. Haruto had barely enough time to turn-