The entrance door was moved repeatedly to welcome the visitors who came and went. Shouts of "welcome" echoed each time a new person entered. Small hands skillfully carrying trays filled with glasses of beer deliver why each customer.
With a smile that never faded as he greeted visitors, Aito walked back and forth from the kitchen to either refill drinks or dirty glasses and food. Now he worked at a food stall that sold beer at a low price, even though it was small it was always crowded, whether they were sitting on the benches directly facing the kitchen or the chairs that filled the center of the room, and the small spaces with tables, sitting on the tatami mat.
His clean face looks tireless as he continues to serve customers, a red headband shouting their restaurant's motto tied around Aito's head with his forehead partially covered by thin bangs. A white short-sleeved t-shirt, with an apron and black pants combined. His steps are sometimes hurried when shouts from the kitchen mention the orders he has to deliver or occasionally chat while writing down the order menu.
Although the salary between his current job and his previous job at a starred restaurant is much different. However, Aito is grateful that his salary here may not be enough to support himself, so he also works at a convenience store from morning to evening and continues to work at this shop.
His life is more grueling because he has to move around, there is no rest time for him. Sometimes he would fill in as a bartender until midnight.
Aito walked unsteadily, not regretting that he had to be kicked out of the restaurant in the first place. Although it was difficult to find a job that accepted him, his body looked frail and weak, making people doubt whether he could work. Despite the difficulties, he did not give up.
He didn't want his life to end easily like this. The streets were deserted at night under the dim lights and the longer one walked, the fewer people one saw. His lowered head accidentally saw something.
The two eyeballs' surprise continued to be anxious and hesitant. In the end, Aito gave in to his fear and tried to follow his instincts, making a small run towards the person across from him.
A girl still in her school uniform was playing with her cell phone, probably chatting on an app. She didn't notice someone suspicious behind her.
Seen wearing all black plus the jacket he was wearing covered his up to the neck, the hat, mask, and glasses completely covered the figure's face. Aito watched from the end of the street as the girl came into view, someone walking behind her at a slight distance, looking so strange.
He chased after their steps, following them fearing that it was really his guess that the figure was a stalker. Once the girl turned into a quieter alley, separated from the main street, the figure following her walked faster.
"What? It's a knife!" Aito squealed involuntarily silencing his mouth at the sight of the figure taking out a sharp object from his jacket pocket.
Aito was horrified instantly, this was not just a stalker, but a crazed psychopath! Following the stalker who ran towards the girl Aito also followed with the same steps.
"Watch out for someone behind you!" he shouted, making the girl walking in front startle at the sight of the two people running towards her. A hateful hostile gaze with a sharp weapon in her hand and another worried gaze.
"Ahh!!!"
Before she could react much in shock, the shout turned even shriller. The knife was aimed at the girl's abdomen, a pool of blood soaked the alleyway quickly, a rancid odor wafted out making the girl's face turn pale quickly and tremble violently.
The figure that fell on the ground with blood. The white T-shirt he was wearing was stained red with blood. While things were frozen until one of them reacted.
"Damn it!" The stalker cursed and ran away leaving the knife still stuck in the victim's back.
"Do you hear me? Please stay conscious! Hold on a minute!" The blood-soaked body was shaken making a low moan of pain sound with a choked breath.
"Help! Please ... someone was killed! Please save him!" A cry full of complaint and despair rang out.
She ran into the street, stopping anyone in sight to cause a stir. People were swarming around, shrieks of shock and horror, murmurs of pity were everywhere, it was chaos.
Aito heard everything that was bustling around him. His eyes were blurry, seeing nothing clearly as if every shadowy figure could not see his face, while the lights were blinding.
He could no longer hear anything clearly, while his eyes felt so heavy that slowly all visible light faded away. Aito closed his eyes.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, he moaned.
Painful. The chill running down his back combined with the pain that numbed his entire body. Feeling tortured, with the air he breathed in with difficulty, his chest pumped slower and heavier.
. . .
The long, painful feeling felt hollow with the length of time. The two bright brown eyeballs opened slowly, not seeing him surroundings clearly. The faint odor that filled the surroundings felt unfamiliar.
Slowly both eyes flickered to see the surroundings clearly. A warm room welcomed him, a king size bed that he slept on alone with a silky blanket. Closets were neatly lined up and all the decorations that showed the owner's character were warm and simple, but not cheap.
Aito felt his head throbbing in pain. "Ahh!" Like a long needle piercing his brain sending sharp painful stabs, Aito fell back on his bed as soon as he got up. A faint and distant shadow, like a broken record, the movie screen he was staring at from outside the studio. Too far away to see what was inside.
"Hello, Host! Introducing me system 13, the friendship system welcomes the host to the new world! Oh, I remind the host that the pain of displacement may initially be very unbearable, please bear with me a little host!" the unfamiliar babble of a mechanical voice that seemed cheerful echoed in the room.
Aito was dazed, he did not understand the foreign object floating in front of him. If his eyes weren't looking at it wrong, wasn't it like a stuffed bee wearing formal clothes? What is this?
The sharp pain came back until nausea made his stomach twist. Aito unconsciously stepped away from the strange memories he was watching towards the toilet. Spit out the empty contents of his stomach.
For a long time, he could only breathe calmly. Only then did he remember the strange object that had been following him around. Had he been called the host earlier?
"Host, are you alright?" The unfamiliar figure asked.
"Yo-you are ... that you?"
. . .