April 9
Saturday
Afternoon
Cloudy
On the subway line to Shibuya, a group of high school girls whispered among themselves. Occasionally, one would glance in a particular direction, blush, and giggle.
The object of their infatuation was a young man. Even while sitting, it was clear he was quite tall, especially for a Japanese man. His gaze was fixed on the passing scenery as he absentmindedly twirled a strand of his medium-length black hair. His pale complexion, tall nose, and sharp jawline gave him the look of an idol or actor.
Akira stared at the moving Tokyo cityscape as the voice announcing the Shibuya stop echoed in the train cabin.
Weeks had passed since his arrest, and he had come to terms with his new identity. Naturally, he worried about his original family, but without the means to return, his concerns remained unresolved.
After leaving the train, he followed the GPS on his phone to his new 'home.' He eventually reached a busy intersection where over a thousand people were moving to and fro. Suddenly, a strange app with a black and red eye appeared on his screen.
Akira raised an eyebrow and tried to delete the app, but he felt a shift in the air. Looking around, he saw that everyone and everything was frozen in place. His eyes calmly scanned the intersection before focusing on a blue fire that suddenly appeared. The flames transformed into a vague image before an eerie set of eyes and a mouth manifested.
Just as quickly, the flames pulled back to reveal an identical version of Akira, except for a pair of vengeful golden pupils and a toothy smile that promised chaos and anarchy.
In less than a second, the image disappeared, and Akira noticed that time had unfrozen. Choosing to ignore the apparition for now, he moved the mysterious app to the trash bin and headed towards the subway for Yongen-Jaya.
- - -
Exiting the train, Akira made his way to the stairs while checking his phone's GPS.
As he traveled down the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya, he took note of the businesses and restaurants, committing them to memory. Scrolling through his messages, he made his way towards the residential area.
Rounding a corner, he caught sight of an attractive woman with a goth style, wearing a white lab coat. Their gazes briefly met before they continued on their separate paths.
Soon, he saw the agreed-upon meeting point, a two-story home with the name "Sakura" written on the outer perimeter. After ringing the doorbell, no one came to the door. He waited a while before trying again. However, he felt someone staring at him, and his eyes flickered towards a well-hidden camera.
"Looks like no one's home. Oh yeah... Sakura-san's usually at his café around this time. Well, Leblanc's in the back alley, so I should make my other deliveries first..."
Akira gave the camera one last look before turning to see a delivery man talking to himself. Taking the conveniently given clues at face value, Akira made his way towards the back alley. Eventually, he saw a small shop with the sign: "Coffee & Curry Leblanc."
Entering Leblanc, he spotted an elderly couple enjoying coffee while sitting in a booth, and a middle-aged man with a beard and goatee engrossed in a newspaper.
[A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its passengers still on board! The citizens can't live in peace if this continues.]
Akira turned his head towards the TV in the corner before his attention was drawn to the elderly man who sighed and shook his head.
"How frightening."
"What could be going on? Didn't something similar happen just the other day?" his wife intoned.
"And down is... the name of a shellfish used in pearl farming..."
"Oyster."
"Huh? Thanks."
The café manager thanked Akira for his response and quickly scribbled it on the crossword puzzle. Immediately after, his attention was drawn to the tall young man in a school uniform standing in the doorway.
"Ah, you must be the one," affirmed the manager, who was wearing a pink shirt and an apron.
"We'll be going now. The payment's on the table."
"Thanks for coming," responded the manager."
"This place is in the back alley, so there's no worry about a car crashing in here."
"A what now?"
"There's been a string of those rampage accidents, you know. I just hope none happen around here."
"None of my concern."
"Haha, we'll see you next time."
After the slightly awkward exchange between the elderly couple and the manager, they left. As the doorbell chimed, the middle-aged manager sporting a sleek goatee sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Four hours for just a single cup of joe... So, you're Akira Kurusu?"
"Correct. And you're Sakura-san, I presume?"
"Yeah. I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you're different than what I expected."
And Sojiro meant it. He had received a general description of Akira and expected a rebellious teen, not someone who could easily be seen in a fashion magazine or idol group. Even through the uniform, Sojiro could see that Akira was in excellent shape, and with that height, it was certain that criminal history or not, Akira would have many female admirers. Nonetheless, he wasn't particularly inclined to be friendly towards the teen.
"Have you been told? A customer of mine and your parents know each other and—well, not that it matters... Follow me."
With languid movements, Sojiro climbed the stairs with Akira trailing behind.
"This is your room."
The "room" was an attic that served as a storage space. It was incredibly dusty and cluttered.
"I'll at least give you sheets for your bed... You look like you wanna say something."
Sojiro looked at Akira with a pointed gaze.
"It's spacious."
While Akira wanted to make a further comment, he held his tongue in recognition of his situation. There was no positive outcome in antagonizing Sojiro, especially so early in their relationship.
"It's on you to clean up the rest. I'll be leaving after I lock up each day. You'll be alone at night, but don't do anything stupid. I'll throw you out if you cause any trouble."
With that poorly veiled threat, Sojiro adjusted his posture and looked Akira square in the eyes.
"Now then... I got the gist of your situation. You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her; he got injured and then sued you. Right? That's what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between adults. You did injure him, yeah?... And now that you've got a criminal record, you were expelled from your high school. The courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved. In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass."
Akira's gaze remained indifferent in response to Sojiro's attempt to rile him up.
"It's best you not talk about anything unnecessary. I am in the restaurant business, you know. Behave yourself for the year. If nothing happens, your probation will be lifted."
"Cause any problems, you'll be sent straight to juvie. We'll be going to Shujin tomorrow. We'll introduce ourselves properly to the staff there. There's rarely a place that'll accept someone like you, you know. What a waste of my Sunday... Your 'luggage' arrived a little while ago. I brought it up here for you."
With those parting words, Sojiro headed downstairs, only briefly pausing when he heard Akira thanking him for giving him a place to stay.
Left alone in his new abode, Akira released a pent-up sigh. How the original Akira remained calm was completely beyond him. Sojiro's words were poignant and crass. Most teens would have exploded or at least quipped back, but the original Akira displayed superhuman patience.
He chided himself to stop the habit of referring to the former host of this body as the original Akira. In some way, he was the former and current Akira and needed to treat this life as his own.
Whatever entity brought him here certainly did not want a replay of what occurred in the game.
His already incredible memory was even better, not to mention his changed physique. From a thin teen, he grew in height, reaching 185 cm, and was covered in lean muscles.
Somehow, he retained the memories from his past identity...A mystery he could not solve.
However, he was certain that his current world was in a different reality than his former. While technology was just as advanced, social media was virtually non-existent. A memory of a summer camp spent at Microsoft reassured him that he had the skills necessary to personally create these sites. For now, he would clean.
- - -
Nearly six hours later, Akira closed the windows after airing out the attic. He had changed into simple clothes before he started cleaning. Thankfully, there was a box full of cleaning supplies which he readily used.
With his enhanced physique came enhanced strength and endurance, so he managed to clean the entire space.
Sojiro walked up the stairs to see what Akira had been up to for the last couple of hours. From what he had observed so far, the teen was calm and polite. However, he would continue to monitor the young man's character and form an opinion later.
As he reached the last couple of steps, he was surprised by the smell and then shocked by the sight.
Not a single speck of dust could be seen anywhere. The entire room was meticulously clean. Sojiro had to resist the urge to take off his shoes so as not to dirty the well-polished floors.
"I was wondering what you were doing making all that noise, but it turns out you were cleaning.
I'm impressed. It's good that you want to keep it tidy. Why don't you go to bed tonight? I'm going to close up the shop and get out of here myself.
I won't be the one looking after you if you get sick from staying up too late. You got that?"
With those parting words, Sojiro went downstairs and started packing to leave.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Akira was changing into sleepwear. Lying down with his hands resting behind his head, his focus was on the memory of what happened when he first transmigrated.
His memory of the game and his own experience were juxtaposed in his mind. There were subtle but important differences, yet the results were the same. A frown was etched onto his face. Whether it was then or just recently with Sojiro, there were small changes from the original story.
He knew the game was rigged, but unlike everyone else, he knew the ending. It was beneficial if he kept everything the same and only made minor changes. However, he was certain that the entity that brought him here wanted something else. Above that, he, as Akira Kurusu, wanted something else.
However, he could only change his fate once he was given entry into the game.
As if on cue, his phone went off.
Akira pulled out his phone and saw the red glowing eye app on his phone. He stared fixedly at the icon before sending the virus into the trash bin.
Night advanced, and with its silent march, slumber soon embraced Akira.
- - -
Akira woke with a start and found himself in an odd room.
As he sat up, he noticed the manacles secured around his wrists and the fetter around his ankle.
Suddenly, he heard a soft and mocking chuckle. Turning his head, he watched as two young girls with identical features and outfits stood at attention in front of his cell door.
He stood up and took relaxed steps towards the door. His actions did not go unnoticed by the two who realized that Akira was unbothered by the weight of the metal ball attached to the fetter. On the surface, both remained unperturbed and stepped aside to reveal the figure in the center of the prison.
Sitting at a mahogany desk while wearing an elegant suit was an elderly man with a rather large head, pointed ears, and an extremely long nose. The grin on his face remained constant as he addressed Akira.
"Trickster... Welcome to my Velvet Room."
Akira shifted his focus from the frankly creepy man and instead took a long look around the room.
"So, you've come to, Inmate."
The young girl with a confident smile on her face said with a haughty tone.
"The you in reality is currently fast asleep. You are only experiencing this as a dream."
The other girl, with a blank expression, intoned with a matter-of-fact tone.
"You're in the presence of our master, stand up straight!"
Hearing the haughty girl's tone, Akira only gave her a sidelong glance, kept his relaxed posture, and stared into the bloodshot eyes of the creature in front of him.
"Welcome, I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those bound by a 'contract' may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well."
The now-named Igor drummed his fingers on the desk and stared at Akira with an intimidating look on his face. Akira, for his part, remained uninterested and unintimidated.
"I have summoned you to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well."
"And I'm in a cell because?"
Hearing this, the young girl with an eyepatch on her right eye and a haughty attitude swung an electric baton at the cell.
"Know your place, Inmate! How dare you behave with such insolence!?"
Unimpressed and unamused, Akira calmly looked into the golden eye of the girl.
"I wonder if a spanking will blunt that sharp tongue of yours?"
"Spank me?! How dare you!!"
"Enough!"
Igor cut off the girl's rage before exhaling and looking around the room.
"To answer your question, this room is a reflection of your own heart. If you are in a cell, then that means you believe yourself to be a prisoner. Haha, ironic. A "prisoner" to fate indeed. In the near future, there is no mistake that ruin awaits you."
"I suppose you have some method to prevent that so-called ruin."
"Indeed. There is a means to oppose such a fate. You must be rehabilitated. Rehabilitated towards freedom. That is your only means to avoid ruin… Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?"
"I doubt I have a choice."
"Quite so… Allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation. Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others. To your right is Caroline, to your left, Justine. They serve as wardens here."
"You would do well to listen to our instructions, Inmate."
"The duty of wardens is to protect inmates. We are also your collaborators… That is if you remain obedient."
Caroline, then Justine, gave their introductions. Despite the situation, Akira couldn't help but think of them as two little girls trying to act mature, so he had to suppress the urge to smile.
"I shall explain the roles of these two on another occasion. Now then, it seems the night is waning. It is almost time. Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again eventually..."
With a gesture of his hand, a ringing alarm went off.
"Time's up. Now hurry up and go back to sleep."
Akira's gaze shifted from Caroline's diminutive appearance, moving towards Justine, and finally landing on Igor. His eyes remained steady as the world turned completely dark.