Orwinter High

Author's Note: On the surface, Orwinter High is nothing more than an ordinary public school nestled in the heart of Tokyo. Its brick walls echo with the typical noise of teenage life: locker doors slamming, cafeteria chatter, the low buzz of fluorescent lights during exams. Students complain about math homework, daydream about prom, and hurry to make the subway before dark. Parents see it as just another stepping stone toward college and adulthood. But tucked away behind the mundane façade lies a secret — a hidden war being waged in the shadows of the city. In a forgotten corner of the school beneath a flickering hallway light, the Heartache Club meets after hours. To teachers and classmates, it's rumored to be a support group for students dealing with breakups and teenage drama — the name alone draws a few teasing smiles. But the reality is far stranger, and far more dangerous. Heartache is not a club. It’s a frontline defense. Its members are chosen — or perhaps cursed — with abilities tied to their deepest emotions: grief, rage, longing, shame, love. These emotions act as conduits, unlocking strange and powerful gifts that allow them to combat creatures known only as Abstracts. Born from the festering negativity in human hearts, Abstracts creep in from another plane, feeding on despair, anxiety, and chaos. They slip through unseen cracks in reality and take root in dark alleys, empty classrooms, and digital voids — slowly infecting the world. Only the Heartache Club sees them for what they truly are. Only they can stop them. Each member fights their own demons, both literal and internal, as they struggle to balance algebra tests and monster hunting, SAT prep and saving lives. With each battle, the line between the real world and the world of shadows thins — and the burden grows heavier. No one else knows. No one else can help. Because at Orwinter High, heartbreak doesn’t just hurt. It bleeds.