The city was animated to life under the bustling sounds of honking vehicles and the busy footsteps of joggers and early risers. The pale purplish-orange light of dawn reflected off the shiny windows of the tall skyscrapers, casting a magical glow that made the cityscape look almost ethereal.
Amidst the city's early morning hustle-bustle, Chrome slumped in a corner of his family's diner, dozing off with a mop in hand, barely noticing that the world outside was already awake. His family's diner, named "Amoreatery"—a blend of "Amore," Italian for love, and "Eatery"—was a small shop of around 300 square feet on the ground floor of their building and Chrome's house occupied the first floor above the diner. Despite its modest size, the name gives visitors a sense of a place where love and food come together.
Though Chrome's family could not afford lavish investments, they ensured the diner was hygienic and aesthetically pleasing. The floors were covered in Kadappa tiles, and the tables were made of Rosewood. These particular tables held special significance to Chrome's mother, as these were the last of her family's cherished possessions.
Chrome's family comprised his father, Hari Wayfarer; his mother, Sumi Wayfarer; and himself. Sumi's family once owned a farm of exotic trees, but she lost both her family and the farm in an accident. Hari, originally from a reputable and wealthy family, was disowned by his father for marrying Sumi-a woman who offered only love, and refusing to marry someone who offered only wealth. Despite these challenges, Hari and Sumi built the diner with all their savings, achieving modest success. However, they continued to face ridicule and mockery from Hari's more affluent relatives.
Chrome, after being born had to face the same ridicule if not more from his cousins brothers, and sisters as children often lack the sensitivity to hold back during mockery. But Chrome was rather quite mature for his age so he could stay composed despite the constant belittlement.
Now coming to the present, Sumi said, "Chrome, stop dozing off and mop the floor already, you wouldn't want to miss your first day of college, now would you?"
Yawning, Chrome replied," Ye...ahhhhh....yes, mother" and glanced outside the window observing the morning sky, with the sun resembling a fiery ball swimming through a river of clouds. He then began mopping the floor and cleaning the tables.
Once he finished, he hurried to his room but stumbled onto his father's shoulder. "Sorry, Father!" Chrome said, quickly apologizing.
His father replied, "It's okay, but why are you rushing? It's too early for you to be late anyway."
"Better to be the early bird, Father," Chrome said, and slammed his door as he rushed inside.
Chrome then took a bath, got himself dressed, combed his hair, and thought," Man, I am excited to see how it will go and how many new friends I will make and I wonder if there would be any cute girls". After getting ready, he glanced at himself in the mirror, being satisfied with his appearance, he was all set to go. He then went downstairs to help his parents in anything he could do and noticing that there were two customers already seated, he took on the role of a waiter, assisting his parents who were busy preparing food.
As soon as the clock struck 7'o clock he informed his parents," Mother, Father, I am Heading out then" and grabbed his bike to ride to college.
On his way to university, Chrome couldn't help but smirk at the thought of how exciting university life would be. To onlookers, he might have seemed like a creep, but Chrome was blissfully unaware and ignorant. Upon arriving at the campus, he parked his bike in the designated bike-stand and entered through the grand welcoming gate, adorned with an arch at its top. The intricate designs on the gate highlighted the university's rich 100-year-old heritage. This institution has maintained its pride and reputation for nurturing some of the most talented youths, not just in academics but also in various other fields like sports. It was established a century ago by an Indian king with the vision of cultivating scholars and instilling wisdom in them.
Chrome got admitted to this marvelous institute due to his talent in kendo with which he qualified for the nationals and thus became a national-level player, as a result of which he received a scholarship to study in this institute. Chrome since childhood was a strong and agile kid and when he went to learn kendo from a former kendo champion he quickly grasped the fundamentals of sword moves and footwork and found his kendo-"The way of the sword". He then under the strict guidance of his master kept on advancing to the nationals and was on his way to becoming the champion. He would achieve the champion title after he wins the tournament that is scheduled to be held soon after Chrome's college starts.
Coming to the present, Chrome spotted the security guard and asked, "Excuse me, Sir, I'm a new student and unfamiliar with the campus. Could you tell me how far the main building is and if I can get a map?"
The guard replied, "Kid, you need to register your name here first and after that, I'll provide you with a map and means to go to the main building for freshmen orientation." Following the guard's instructions, Chrome signed the register, received a map, and the guard arranged for a cab to take him to the main auditorium.
It took Chrome around 15 minutes in the cab to reach the main hall, leaving him pondering just how vast the campus might be. Along the way, he marveled at the beautifully flower-garnished roads and the calming, peaceful atmosphere of the place. After he arrived he was even more baffled to look at the auditorium which looked so grand - like the ones he had seen only on TV or the internet. The building was large and had automatic glass doors for entry and the expensive marble flooring but the walls were not completely changed and only reinforced to preserve the heritage. The walls held uniquely carved designs, some telling stories of a child studying and proving that "pen is mightier than a sword".Then there was a huge dome on the rooftop which was covered in solar panels and the whole building looked magnificent with the seamless blend of modern and age-old architecture.
After entering the auditorium, Chrome noticed that the inside was quite spacious and was filled with students then he grabbed an empty seat and the orientation started. It took around 2 hours for the orientation to end and after that, all the students were assigned to their respective classes and were guided to it. Chrome seated himself at the back and then introduced himself to the students adjacent to him and made friends with them. Chrome rushed to explore the campus and experience its serene beauty as soon as the class was over with his two newly made friends. There's a saying "Misfortune befalls the moment you least expect it" and Chrome encountered his misfortune as his eldest cousin brother-James. Hari has two brothers and he himself is the middle brother and James is the eldest son of Hari's elder brother. James always used to torment Chrome for being born poor and not being able to retaliate even though he was physically strong. James is a senior to Chrome both in age and in college. Having come face to face with James, Chrome was scared and couldn't speak anything. James said," What is a lowly vermin like you doing here, Shouldnt you be wasting your life in that worthless diner of yours". Then James warns Chrome's friends not to ever associate with him and if they still do then James will make their lives hell inside the college. James then went on his way and after that, Chrome was cast aside and was treated as an outcast. Chrome when seated in his seat could feel the sharp gazes of his classmates and could hear them murmur and whisper about him not being able to do anything to his brother. Chrome's initial excitement quickly faded into despair, casting a dark shadow over what was supposed to be a bright start to his college life.
In despair, Chrome made his way home from college and as soon as he went inside, Sumi excitedly asked," Son, how was your first day? Did you make any new friends? Did you like the college?".Hearing that Chrome's mind went blank and he made a face that was devoid of emotions, his eyes were screaming to let the tears flow and he bit his lips and had them sealed tightly so as to not scream and tell her that, "The day was fine until your goddamned nephew ruined everything. He made my day a nightmare, turned my mood sour, and made my life hellish at college. I'm an outcast now. Is that what you want me to say, Mother?". Everything that Chrome felt and did was just for a lapse of a second and then he immediately showed a fake smiling face and a happy mood so as to not to tense his mother and father and said," It went amazing mother, the campus was so beautiful and large and yes I also made some friends and all went well". After the short conversation the whole family sat for dinner and talked more about each other's day. Chrome went to his room as soon as the dinner was over, wishing his family," Good night Father, Good night Mother ".
After entering his room, Chrome laid down on his bed, replaying the day's events in his mind, each memory souring his mood further. Seeking relief, he headed up to the roof to cool off. He stood near the edge, leaning on the railing, watching the stars dance around the moon, and saying to himself, "How good would it feel to go wherever you want and do what you want without anyone's interference". Glancing down at the ground below, a dark thought crossed his mind, "Should I just die? It's so annoying." But then, his mother's face flashed before him, and he chastised himself, "Chrome, are you an idiot? What are you even thinking? Sheesh... I won't ever do cowardly shit like this in my life." With that resolve, he went back to his room and drifted off to sleep.
The next day began with Sumi shouting," Chrome wake up, it's 6 already, If you don't wake up by the time It's 6:15 then I am gonna pour some iced water on your face my son". Of course, Chrome was too tired because of yesterday's stress and couldn't wake up let alone hear his mother's threat. After 15 minutes passed Sumi really did pour a bucket of chilled water on Chrome. Obviously, then Chrome couldn't sleep anymore and woke up and stared at Sumi for a few seconds and thought," The hell mother, are you crazy, who does something like this to their son. Couldn't you have woken me up in a more normal way".Then he said to Sumi," Mother, I am awake thanks to your wonderful efforts, Now if you would excuse me I will get ready and come down". Sumi then went down and Chrome got up, brushed his teeth, took a dump and a bath, and dressed himself up.
Coming down from his room chrome hears his mother asking him, "What do you wanna have for breakfast, Chrome" To which Chrome replies," Can I have white sauce pasta Mother?", then Sumi says," Sit here for a while then".
Chrome sat at the kitchen table, watching his mother move around the kitchen. He found comfort in the familiar routine, the way she gracefully worked through each step of the recipe, the way she handled the ladles and the dishes, and the way she carefully picked the ingredients. Sumi started by boiling a pot of water, adding a pinch of salt, and in another pan she added a drizzle of olive oil. She then tossed the pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally.
As the pasta cooked, Sumi melted butter in the other pan and added finely chopped garlic, sauteing it until it was golden brown. The aroma filled the kitchen, making Chrome salivate. She then whisked in some flour, creating a smooth roux, before gradually pouring in milk. The sauce thickened as she stirred, and she seasoned it with salt and pepper.
Next, Sumi asked," Which cheese do you prefer Chrome, Parmesan or Mozarella" to which Chrome replied, "Ummm.....I will have mozzarella" so Sumi added a generous handful of grated mozzarella cheese, letting it melt into the sauce. She drained the pasta and combined it with the creamy white sauce, ensuring every piece was coated. Finally, she garnished the dish with freshly chopped parsley.
Chrome's stomach growled in anticipation as his mother brought the steaming bowl of white sauce pasta to the table. "Here you go, my son," she said with a smile.
Chrome took a bite, savoring the rich, creamy flavor. "This is amazing, Mother," he said, his mood lifting slightly. For a moment, the troubles of the previous day seemed distant, replaced by the simple pleasure of a home-cooked meal.
After having the love and taste-filled sumptuous breakfast, Chrome went on ahead for his college. Reaching the college refreshed the previous memories but Chrome was determined to not let any vile thoughts hinder him in his college life. Despite his resolve, he found it difficult to focus in class due to the scornful eyes of his classmates.
During the break, Chrome approached his teacher and said," Sir, I am an outcast now and I don't really care about it. But because of those stares, I can't even focus on my studies. Can you help me out, Sir?".
The teacher aware of the scuffle between Chrome and his brother, thought to himself, "Is it worth it to offend the son of a business magnate who even offers hefty sums as donations to the college for a poor boy with no significant background". He then replied to Chrome," Ok, I will look into it".
Noticing the pause and the unclear response Chrome understood that "No matter how beautiful the exterior might be, it's no use if the whole interior is rotten to the core". He expressed thanks to his teacher for listening to him and went on his way.
On his way to class, Chrome receives an email that says, "Dear participants, The Kendo Championship will be held tomorrow. Your matchups are attached in the attached file. Hope you all do well. Good luck and best wishes". As soon as Chrome checks the attached file to see who his opponent is, his opponent comes to him walking down the corridor.
His opponent, George Shank, was notorious and ruthless. George's father was a cunning loanshark, and both were infamous for their conniving ways. Unbeknownst to Chrome, George was also a close friend of his second brother, Gael, James's younger brother.
George approached Chrome and said, "You better lose to me, boy. If you win, remember you have a family." Chrome was shocked but the threat didn't seem much to him and he continued on his way to the classroom.
After classes, Chrome went home and shared the news of the championship happening the next day. After dinner, he went to bed early.
It's finally the big day for Chrome, so he got up early, did some training, and then got ready to head over to the venue.
Once arriving at the venue, Chrome notices that the venue is too crowded. Heading inside, Chrome felt a mix of nervousness and excitement as he wore his kendo uniform which is called Kendogu in Japanese. When the referee called for Chrome and George to make their appearance, Chrome walked to the arena with pride, only to encounter another misfortune—his brother Gael.
Gael whispered in Chrome's ears," You better lose to George, I bet on him. If I lose this bet, I won't spare you and your family. I will make sure I get my money back no matter what sort of things I might need to do. So you better think properly before defeating George". Chrome's pride shattered, and his dream of becoming the champion dimmed as he worried about his brother's threat.
After arriving at the arena, both players took their stance and the match started. Kendo matches are usually three-point matches and Chrome gracefully displaying his finesse in sword skills and footwork, took the lead by winning the first round. Then when Chrome looked at the audience they were cheering at him but then he noticed Gael signalling a death threat, while George also silently warned Chrome to lose or his father would destroy Chrome's home. Chrome then couldn't think straight and lost the next round. The match was now tied, and it all came down to the final round.
Chrome in the third match took a stance and attacked fiercely but then George lied to Chrome by saying, "My father is already on his way to your diner Chrome, you better lose now or your diner is gone".Listening to that Chrome's weakened his grip over the sword and George took that opportunity to defeat Chrome. Chrome was relieved that his family would be safe now and he resolved himself that he would get his championship back next year. However, Gael spread a rumor that Chrome had taken money to lose the match, and since Chrome's performance had declined so suddenly, everyone believed it.
Chrome went to his teacher to apologize for losing and explain that he didn't take any money but his teacher didn't listen to any of his explanation, slapped him, and then kicked him out of the dojo. With a heavy heart, Chrome returned home, only to find his family's diner sabotaged. He then went inside just to see his parents succumbed to despair as well and then he asked about what happened But Hari devastated, by the sight of the devastated diner, was not in the right mind to listen to anyone and in rage blamed it all on Chrome saying," It all happened because of you, we could have built the diner again but you ruined our reputation along with yours. It's all your fault. You ruined us. Go away".
Hearing this Chrome burst into tears and ran upstairs. Sumi called after him," Chrome listen, your father didn't mean anything he said. We know you would never do that. We trust you son" But Chrome, overwhelmed by grief, couldn't hear her.
Chrome rushed to the rooftop and stood on the railing. His mind is completely blank, the only thing he can think of at that moment is," Only death can free me from this pain and sadness. I should just die. My lack of abilities and actions caused my parents to cry and now even my parents do not believe in me. I should just die, yes let's just jump". As chrome looked down at the ground his feet tingled and a cold shiver went from his legs to his mind and that's the death crawling on him.
Chrome's mother came to the rooftop searching for Chrome. She was afraid Chrome might do something wrong to himself due to the pain and emotional stress he was going through. Sumi, opening the door to the roof, was stunned to see Chrome standing on the railing looking down at the ground as the dusky sunset filled the sky with an orange hue and the gentle breeze made Chrome's hair and dress flow along with it. That scene made Sumi feel as if Chrome was slowly flowing farther from her. Sumi regaining her composure shouted, "Chrome, get down this instant. What do you think you are doing? What do you think will happen to us if you die? huh?. You know your father didn't mean anything he said, it was just something he said in the heat of the moment. Come down, son. You know we love you a lot".
Sumi's words showed a sliver of light to the sinking heart of Chrome. Chrome then burst into tears even more. Anyone watching him could feel the gut-wrenching pain he is going through and how he is crumbling down slowly. Chrome shouted, "Aarghhhhhhh....Why does this happen to me?....ahhhhhh". He could do nothing but cry his heart out.
After watching Chrome cry for a while, Sumi again said," Son, come down slowly. It's ok. Everything is ok. Don't worry about anything. Just come down from the railing Chrome". Chrome having his sinking heart uplifted a bit, slowly turned towards his mother. Just as he was climbing down, his leg slipped. Chrome's life flashed before his eyes as he thought to himself, "Am I really going to die like this? No, this isn't how it is supposed to happen".
Sumi hurried towards Chrome as he slipped, but she couldn't save him and Chrome fell down and while falling he looked at his mother with tears in his eyes. Lifting his right hand towards his mother he said, "I am sorry mother".
Looking down, Sumi could only see a bloodied body devoid of soul on the ground. Sumi fainted, watching her son die in front of her eyes.
But fate has other plans for Chrome. Instead of death, he awakens in a mysterious place filled with strange and eerie noises. Chrome opened his eyes, finding himself alive, and thought to himself, "Am I in heaven or hell? It looks like a forest, and those strange noises are probably from a grim reaper. I heard that those who take their own lives end up in hell. I must be in hell."
Chrome didn't want to get up, so he lay there, watching the tree tops sway left and right, each movement allowing a ray of light to pierce through and brighten the environment. After seeing no signs of a reaper, Chrome decided to get up. He noticed that his hands looked different and also his clothes were unfamiliar. He stood up to explore and started walking in a random direction until he found a puddle of water.
Hurrying over, he looked at his reflection, only to find that the body he was in didn't belong to him. Suddenly, unknown memories flooded into Chrome's brain, revealing that this body was also called Chrome and had been beaten to death by three children. The influx of memories caused his head to hurt, and he grabbed his head tightly, screaming, "Stop, it hurts! Ahhhhh!".
When the pain subsided, Chrome said out loud, " I was strong but couldn't protect myself and made a mistake. You were just powerless against those three kids yet you fought with them to your death." He resolved himself, saying, "Chrome, thanks for giving me a new life. I promise you I will cherish it and avenge you."
Chrome then saw an illusion of the dead Chrome slowly fading away, smiling, and saying thank you.
Finding a new resolve, Chrome made his way out of the forest. After walking for a while, he saw an arch formed by two trees that were intertwined together, which seemed like the entrance. Finally, as he stepped outside a strong gust of wind hit him, making him feel wide awake and refreshed. The sudden change from the forest's mild light to the bright outside light temporarily blinded him.
When his sight returned, he noticed two suns in the sky. Their magnificence left Chrome speechless, and no words could describe the beauty he was looking at.
One of the suns was blue, giving the impression of burning cold, while the other was red, exuding intense heat. Anyone looking at them would feel as if they were being frozen and scorched simultaneously. The two suns were in perfect harmony, each one keeping the other one in check and exuding their brilliance.
Chrome then came to a realization and talked to himself, "The world I knew faded into a surreal glow. My mundane existence vanished, replaced by an ethereal landscape where two suns hung in the sky, casting an otherworldly light. Awe and trepidation surged through me as I took my first steps into this new world."