‎"It's so dark... I can't see anything."

‎

‎Where am I?

‎

‎The question echoed endlessly in my mind as I struggled against the cold chains wrapped tightly around my wrists and ankles. No matter how hard I pulled, they refused to budge.

‎

‎Then...

‎

‎Footsteps.

‎

‎Slow.

‎

‎Steady.

‎

‎Each step echoed through the darkness like the ticking of a clock in the middle of the night, sending chills down my spine.

‎

‎A figure stopped in front of me.

‎

‎"How do you like it, Emy?" a familiar voice said. "This is my surprise for you."

‎

‎The blindfold covering my eyes was suddenly removed.

‎

‎"M-Miko?" I gasped. "Why am I here? What's going on?"

‎

‎My eyes darted to the heavy chains binding my body.

‎

‎"Isn't it obvious?" she replied coldly. "I tied you here so you wouldn't interfere anymore."

‎

‎"But... why?" My voice trembled. "Aren't we friends?"

‎

‎She laughed bitterly.

‎

‎"Friends?" Her eyes burned with hatred. "You ruined my life! You always had everything I wanted... including him."

‎

‎I stared at her in disbelief.

‎

‎We've been together since we were children. I had never seen this side of her before. Had I been so blind that I never noticed the pain she had been hiding all these years?

‎

‎"Do you have any last words before I kill you, Emy?" she asked as she raised a knife.

‎

‎"N-No..." I cried, desperately pulling at the chains. "Please... don't do this."

‎

‎Every step she took toward me felt like the countdown to my death.

‎

‎I struggled with all my strength, but the chains refused to loosen.

‎

‎There was nothing left for me to do except pray.

‎

‎Please...

‎

‎Please save me...

‎

‎"Hiro!" I screamed. "Please save me!"

‎

‎"Say your goodbyes, Emy."

‎

‎Miko laughed as she lifted the knife.

‎

‎I shut my eyes tightly.

‎

‎Tears streamed down my cheeks as I accepted that no one was coming.

‎

‎"Not so fast, Miko."

‎

‎A man's voice suddenly echoed through the darkness.

‎

‎My eyes flew open.

‎

‎Standing before me was a young man whose calm presence instantly chased away my fear. Under the faint moonlight, he looked almost unreal.

‎

‎"You're here..." I whispered with a relieved smile. "Thank goodness, Hiro..."

‎

‎The moment I reached out toward him...

‎

‎Everything faded into darkness.

‎

‎RRRRIIING! RRRRIIING! RRRRIIING!

‎

‎The loud alarm shattered the silence.

‎

‎I jolted awake, breathing heavily as I stared at the ceiling.

‎

‎It...

‎

‎It was only a dream.

‎

‎I placed a hand over my chest. My heart was still pounding violently.

‎

‎Why did it feel so real?

‎

‎And who were those people?

‎

‎Before I could think any further, I heard my aunt calling from downstairs.

‎

‎"Ria!"

‎

‎My eyes widened.

‎

‎"Oh no... Aunt Yumi!"

‎

‎I hurried downstairs as fast as I could.

‎

‎She was already waiting for me, arms crossed and wearing the same intimidating expression she always had.

‎

‎"Good morning, Aunt Yumi," I greeted nervously. "I'll prepare breakfast right away."

‎

‎"You'd better," she replied coldly. "I don't want to be late for work today, especially since we have an important guest. Don't ruin my day, Ria."

‎

‎"Yes, Aunt."

‎

‎I quickly prepared breakfast before joining her at the table.

‎

‎After eating, she picked up her bag and headed for the door.

‎

‎"I won't be home until tomorrow," she said. "Don't leave the house."

‎

‎"I understand."

‎

‎As soon as she left, silence filled the house once again.

‎

‎Our home looked almost abandoned. Dust covered the furniture, cobwebs hung from the corners of the ceiling, and old boxes were scattered everywhere.

‎

‎Since I had nothing else to do, I decided to clean the house.

‎

‎Beep! Beep! Beep!

‎

‎The ringing telephone interrupted my work.

‎

‎I quickly answered it.

‎

‎"Hello. Marcellanus Residence. May I know who's calling?"

‎

‎"Ria! It's me, Lily!"

‎

‎A smile instantly appeared on my face.

‎

‎"Lily! What's up?"

‎

‎"I was wondering if you wanted to come with us later."

‎

‎"Where?"

‎

‎"The sweet shop we talked about! It's opening today!"

‎

‎"Oh..."

‎

‎I looked toward the front door.

‎

‎"I'd love to, but Aunt Yumi told me not to go anywhere."

‎

‎"Again?" Lily sighed dramatically. "Ria, you can't stay locked inside forever! Come on, just this once."

‎

‎After several minutes of going back and forth...

‎

‎I finally gave in.

‎

‎"Okay..."

‎

‎"Yay! See you later!"

‎

‎The call ended.

‎

‎I smiled before letting out a small sigh.

‎

‎"I just hope Aunt Yumi doesn't find out..."

‎

‎---

‎

‎Later That Evening

‎

‎"Lily said I should turn right after this street... then I should see a flower shop..."

‎

‎I carefully followed the directions written on the small piece of paper she had given me.

‎

‎But after a few minutes...

‎

‎Something felt wrong.

‎

‎The streets became quieter.

‎

‎The buildings looked unfamiliar.

‎

‎My steps slowed.

‎

‎Dark memories I had buried long ago slowly resurfaced, and a cold feeling crept down my spine.

‎

‎Was I... lost?

‎

‎"Ria!"

‎

‎A familiar voice called out.

‎

‎I quickly turned around.

‎

‎"Jas!"

‎

‎She smiled and waved.

‎

‎"I found you! Come on, let's go together."

‎

‎Relief washed over me.

‎

‎"I seriously thought I was going the wrong way."

‎

‎The two of us laughed before meeting up with Lily and the others.

‎

‎The sweet shop was just as cozy as Lily had described.

‎

‎For the first time in a long while, I laughed without forcing a smile.

‎

‎It felt...

‎

‎Nice.

‎

‎Too nice.

‎

‎By the time everyone decided to head home, the sun had already disappeared beyond the horizon.

‎

‎The streets were nearly empty.

‎

‎Then—

‎

‎"Well, well... what do we have here?"

‎

‎Several drunken boys stepped out from the shadows, blocking the road.

‎

‎One of them pulled out a knife.

‎

‎Fear gripped everyone.

‎

‎Just as the man lunged toward them—

‎

‎Clang!

‎

‎Another figure appeared out of nowhere, blocking the attack.

‎

‎His movements were swift and precise.

‎

‎Within moments, the attackers were on the ground.

‎

‎Police sirens echoed nearby as the men were taken away.

‎

‎Ria looked around frantically.

‎

‎"Wait!"

‎

‎She wanted to thank the man who had saved them.

‎

‎But he was already walking away.

‎

‎Under the dim streetlights, his silhouette slowly disappeared into the darkness.

‎

‎Ria stood frozen.

‎

‎For some reason...

‎

‎His presence felt strangely familiar.

‎

‎Almost...

‎

‎Like someone she had met before.

‎A day had passed since the incident near the sweet shop.

‎

‎Although everyone had returned home safely, the memory of that night remained fresh in their minds.

‎

‎"I still can't believe that happened," Lily said, resting her chin on her hand.

‎

‎"Seriously," Jas agreed. "If that guy hadn't shown up, who knows what would've happened to us?"

‎

‎The group fell silent for a moment, shuddering at the thought.

‎

‎Ria quietly listened to their conversation.

‎

‎For some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about the mysterious man who had saved them.

‎

‎His voice.

‎

‎His eyes.

‎

‎His calm presence.

‎

‎Everything about him felt strangely familiar...

‎

‎Almost as if she had met him somewhere before.

‎

‎But where?

‎

‎Before she could dwell on the thought any longer, the classroom door slid open.

‎

‎Their teacher walked in, carrying a folder in one hand.

‎

‎"Everyone, please settle down," she announced.

‎

‎The students quickly returned to their seats.

‎

‎"I have some good news for all of you."

‎

‎Excited murmurs immediately spread throughout the classroom.

‎

‎The teacher smiled before looking toward the door.

‎

‎"Please come in, Mr. Valtorin."

‎

‎The classroom door opened once more.

‎

‎A young man stepped inside, and for a brief moment, silence filled the room.

‎

‎He carried himself with quiet confidence. His neatly combed dark hair, calm expression, and striking blue-gray eyes immediately caught everyone's attention.

‎

‎Whispers echoed from every corner of the classroom.

‎

‎"He's handsome..."

‎

‎"I've never seen him before."

‎

‎"I wonder where he transferred from."

‎

‎The young man gave a polite bow.

‎

‎"Good morning, everyone. My name is Akira Asterion Valtorin. I recently transferred here, and I hope we can all get along."

‎

‎The classroom instantly buzzed with excitement.

‎

‎"What a cool name."

‎

‎"Akira..."

‎

‎"Even his surname sounds rich."

‎

‎Ria quietly stared at him.

‎

‎Akira...

‎

‎For some reason, hearing his name left an unfamiliar emptiness in her chest.

‎

‎It was as though she had expected to hear a different name...

‎

‎One that lingered just beyond her memory.

‎

‎But before she could make sense of the feeling, it vanished.

‎

‎Why am I thinking like this? We just met...

‎

‎"Mr. Valtorin," the teacher said with a smile. "There's an empty seat beside Ria. You may sit there."

‎

‎Every pair of eyes turned toward her.

‎

‎Ria immediately straightened in her seat as Akira made his way to the vacant chair beside her.

‎

‎"Excuse me," he said politely before sitting down.

‎

‎"It's... nice to meet you," Ria replied with a small smile.

‎

‎"You too."

‎

‎That was all.

‎

‎Just a simple greeting between two strangers.

‎

‎Yet the moment their eyes met, an indescribable feeling washed over both of them.

‎

‎It lasted only a heartbeat.

‎

‎Akira frowned slightly.

‎

‎For a split second, an unfamiliar voice echoed inside his mind.

‎

‎"Please... save me..."

‎

‎He instinctively glanced around the classroom.

‎

‎...What was that?

‎

‎Before he could think any further, the strange voice disappeared as quickly as it had come.

‎

‎At the same time, Ria felt her heart skip a beat.

‎

‎A faint image flashed across her mind.

‎

‎Cold chains.

‎

‎Endless darkness.

‎

‎A pair of gentle eyes looking at her with unwavering determination.

‎

‎Then...

‎

‎Everything vanished.

‎

‎"...Are you alright?" Akira asked, noticing she had suddenly gone quiet.

‎

‎Ria blinked.

‎

‎"H-Huh? Oh... I'm fine."

‎

‎"Are you sure?"

‎

‎She forced a small smile.

‎

‎"Yeah... I just didn't get enough sleep."

‎

‎"I see."

‎

‎Although Akira nodded, he couldn't shake the strange feeling inside him.

‎

‎Somehow...

‎

‎Meeting Ria felt oddly familiar.

‎

‎As if this wasn't the first time their paths had crossed.

‎

‎Neither of them understood why.

‎

‎To them, they were simply two strangers who had met for the first time.

‎

‎Outside the classroom, beneath the shade of an ancient tree, a mysterious figure silently watched through the window.

‎

‎A faint smile slowly appeared on the figure's lips.

‎

‎"So..."

‎

‎"They've finally found each other again."

‎

‎The figure turned away and disappeared into the distance before anyone could notice.

‎

‎Inside the classroom, Ria absentmindedly glanced toward the window.

‎

‎For a brief moment, she thought she saw someone standing beneath the old tree.

‎

‎But when she blinked...

‎

‎No one was there.

‎

‎"...Must've been my imagination," she murmured before returning her attention to the lesson.

‎

‎Little did she know...

‎

‎That chance encounter was only the beginning.

‎

‎A promise made long ago...

‎

‎A fate that had been waiting across countless lifetimes...

‎

‎And a story that had begun long before either of them was born.

‎The morning sun shone brightly through the classroom windows, filling the room with warmth as students chatted before their first class.

‎

‎For most of them, it was just another ordinary day.

‎

‎But for Ria, something felt different.

‎

‎Her gaze drifted toward the back of the classroom, where the new transfer student sat quietly by the window. Akira rested his chin on one hand as he stared outside, seemingly lost in thought.

‎

‎Ever since he arrived, there had always been something mysterious about him. He spoke only when necessary, rarely smiled, and often seemed as though he carried a burden no one else could see.

‎

‎"Ria!"

‎

‎A familiar voice snapped her back to reality.

‎

‎Lily waved a hand in front of her face, grinning.

‎

‎"You're staring again."

‎

‎Ria immediately looked away, her cheeks warming slightly.

‎

‎"I-I'm not!"

‎

‎"Oh? Then why were you looking at the new guy?"

‎

‎"...I was just wondering if he's settling in."

‎

‎Lily chuckled.

‎

‎"Sure you were."

‎

‎Before Ria could defend herself, Jas walked over with a curious smile.

‎

‎"What are you two talking about?"

‎

‎"Nothing!" Ria answered a little too quickly.

‎

‎Lily couldn't help but laugh.

‎

‎"Our Ria here has been secretly observing the new transfer student all morning."

‎

‎"W-What? That's not true!"

‎

‎Jas looked at Akira for a moment before turning back to Ria.

‎

‎"Well... I guess he is kind of interesting."

‎

‎Ria let out a small sigh, choosing not to argue anymore as the classroom slowly filled with students.

‎

‎A few moments later, their teacher entered the room.

‎

‎"Good morning, class."

‎

‎"Good morning, ma'am," everyone greeted in unison.

‎

‎The room quickly fell silent as the lesson began. Pens moved across notebooks while the teacher explained today's topic. Every now and then, Ria found herself glancing toward the window, only to realize Akira remained just as quiet as he had been that morning, listening attentively without saying a word.

‎

‎Before she knew it—

‎

‎Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

‎

‎The school bell echoed throughout the building, signaling the start of the lunch break.

‎

‎Almost instantly, the once-quiet classroom became lively again. Students chatted excitedly as they stood from their seats and headed toward the cafeteria or the school grounds.

‎

‎Ria, Lily, and Jas stayed behind for a moment, packing their things.

‎

‎"Hey, guys! What are you going to eat for lunch?" Jas asked while slinging her bag over one shoulder.

‎

‎"I don't know yet," Lily replied. "How about you, Ria?"

‎

‎"I brought my own lunch," Ria said with a smile. "I made a little extra, so I thought we could share."

‎

‎Lily's eyes lit up.

‎

‎"Really? I've always wanted to taste your cooking!"

‎

‎Jas rubbed her hands together dramatically.

‎

‎"Looks like today is my lucky day."

‎

‎The three laughed.

‎

‎"Well, what are we waiting for?" Jas said excitedly. "Let's go before someone else steals our favorite spot."

‎

‎As they were about to leave the classroom, Lily suddenly stopped.

‎

‎"...Wait."

‎

‎She glanced toward the back of the room.

‎

‎Akira was still sitting by the window, quietly reading a book while almost everyone else had already left.

‎

‎For a brief moment, the three exchanged glances.

‎

‎Then Lily smiled.

‎

‎"Should we invite him?"

‎

‎Ria hesitated.

‎

‎"...Do you think he'd say yes?"

‎

‎"I guess there's only one way to find out."

‎

‎Before Ria could stop her, Lily started walking toward Akira.

‎

‎"Hey," Lily greeted with a friendly smile. "We're about to have lunch outside. Would you like to join us?"

‎

‎Akira looked up from the book in his hands. His eyes shifted from Lily to Ria, who quickly looked away when their gazes met.

‎

‎For a brief moment, silence filled the room.

‎

‎"...I don't want to be a bother," Akira replied quietly.

‎

‎Jas laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

‎

‎"Come on, we're inviting you because we want to. Besides, eating alone every day gets boring."

‎

‎Akira hesitated.

‎

‎It had been a long time since someone had invited him so casually.

‎

‎"...Alright," he finally answered with a small nod.

‎

‎Lily smiled brightly.

‎

‎"Great! Let's go before all the good spots are taken."

‎

‎The four headed toward the school courtyard and found a bench beneath a large tree. A cool breeze rustled the leaves overhead, making the afternoon feel peaceful.

‎

‎Ria carefully opened her lunchbox.

‎

‎"I hope you don't mind sharing."

‎

‎"What? You're really letting us eat your homemade lunch?" Jas asked dramatically.

‎

‎"Of course."

‎

‎The three eagerly helped themselves while Akira quietly accepted the food she offered.

‎

‎"...Thank you."

‎

‎Ria smiled warmly.

‎

‎"You're welcome."

‎

‎For the first time since transferring, Akira found himself sitting with people who treated him as if they had known him for years. He didn't say much, but listening to their conversations somehow made the silence around him feel less lonely.

‎

‎Even Lily noticed.

‎

‎"See? You're not as scary as everyone thinks."

‎

‎Akira let out a faint smile.

‎

‎"...Am I really that intimidating?"

‎

‎"You always have this serious face," Jas answered. "People think you're going to scold them."

‎

‎A small laugh escaped the group.

‎

‎It wasn't loud, but it was enough to make the atmosphere feel lighter.

‎

‎Before long—

‎

‎Ring! Ring! Ring!

‎

‎The afternoon bell echoed across the campus.

‎

‎"Looks like lunch break's over," Lily sighed.

‎

‎The four cleaned up their things before returning to their classroom.

‎

‎The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. Lessons came and went, and before anyone realized it, the final bell rang.

‎

‎"Finally!" Jas stretched her arms. "My brain can't handle another lesson today."

‎

‎The students began leaving the classroom one by one.

‎

‎Since they all happened to live in the same direction, Ria, Lily, Jas, and Akira decided to walk home together.

‎

‎The streets were busy with students chatting and small shops preparing for the evening rush. They talked about school, their favorite foods, and the teachers they found the strictest.

‎

‎For the first time, Akira joined the conversation on his own.

‎

‎"You guys really complain about homework every single day?"

‎

‎Jas laughed.

‎

‎"Of course! That's what friends do."

‎

‎Akira remained silent for a moment before quietly saying,

‎

‎"...I guess I still have a lot to learn."

‎

‎The others smiled.

‎

‎As they continued walking, they decided to take a quieter shortcut through a narrow street lined with old houses. The cheerful conversations slowly faded as the alley grew quieter.

‎

‎Suddenly—

‎

‎"Help!"

‎

‎A frightened voice echoed from somewhere ahead.

‎

‎The four immediately stopped.

‎

‎Without wasting another second, they rushed toward the sound.

‎

‎There, they found a girl about their age cornered by two men who were trying to snatch her bag.

‎

‎"Hand it over!" one of the men shouted.

‎

‎The girl clutched her bag tightly against her chest.

‎

‎"N-No!"

‎

‎Akira immediately stepped in front of Ria, Lily, and Jas, shielding them without hesitation. His sharp eyes quickly scanned the alley, studying the two men and every possible escape route.

‎

‎"Stay back," he said calmly.

‎

‎Just as one of the men lunged toward the frightened girl, Ria instinctively reached out her hand.

‎

‎"No...!"

‎

‎For a brief instant...

‎

‎Everything became silent.

‎

‎The wind ceased.

‎

‎The falling leaves hung motionless in the air.

‎

‎Even the two men stood perfectly still, frozen where they stood.

‎

‎Ria's eyes widened.

‎

‎"W-What...?"

‎

‎She didn't understand what was happening.

‎

‎Without thinking, she rushed forward, grabbed the girl by the arm, and pulled her away from the two men.

‎

‎The very next second—

‎

‎The world moved again.

‎

‎The leaves continued falling.

‎

‎The wind returned.

‎

‎The men stumbled forward in confusion, as if they had lost a second of their lives without realizing it.

‎

‎Nearby residents, startled by the girl's cries, began rushing toward the alley.

‎

‎Seeing people gathering, the two men quickly cursed under their breath before running away.

‎

‎The frightened girl collapsed to her knees, still clutching her bag tightly.

‎

‎"T-Thank you..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

‎

‎Ria looked down at her own hand.

‎

‎Why... did everything stop?

‎

‎Beside her, Akira remained silent.

‎

‎His eyes never left Ria.

‎

‎For just a single heartbeat...

‎

‎He could have sworn the world itself had stopped.

‎

‎...That wasn't my imagination.

‎

‎Something impossible had just happened.