"Boom!"

A deafening explosion echoed in the air, numbing my ears instantly. Within seconds, my vision was swallowed by darkness.

"Genko... Genkooo…"

I heard a voice calling my name. I rubbed my eyes, trying to regain my sight. Slowly, everything started to come back into focus. As I opened my eyes, I saw a body lying motionless, separated from its legs.

"Genko... help me..."

"Kawazaki??"

I couldn't see clearly, but the face resembled my friend, Kawazaki.

"Genko..."

His voice weakened. He was clearly in critical condition. Though my vision was still blurry, I tried to approach him. But just as I took a few steps, my world faded again, and I collapsed.

I suddenly woke up. Staring at the all-too-familiar ceiling, I was greeted by the sterile scent of medicine. Just like always, I had woken up in the school's infirmary.

"How are you feeling?" a voice asked.

I turned toward the source of the voice—it was Kawazaki Izuno, my tall, athletic, and handsome classmate. He was the kind of extrovert who could make friends with anyone. No wonder he was popular among our classmates.

"I asked, how are you feeling, man? You fainted during gym class."

Ah, right. Everything started to make sense. I had passed out from the heat during gym, and, as usual, Kawazaki had carried me to the infirmary.

"I see... Thanks again," I mumbled.

My name is Genko Siranami. I'm a first-year student at Shiori High School in Tokyo, Japan. I turned sixteen this year. Unlike Kawazaki, I'm an introvert and quite reserved. He's my only friend at school.

Six months have passed since I entered Shiori High. But the strange occurrences began just a few months ago. Five times now, I've fainted and ended up in the infirmary. And each time, I've had bizarre, terrifying dreams. Kawazaki has always been there, looking out for me, and I can't help but feel guilty about always relying on him.

"You're welcome, but Genko, you've been fainting a lot lately. This is the fifth time. Is something going on?"

Suddenly, the fragmented memory of my dream surfaced again, sending a cold chill down my spine.

"Genko?"

I remained silent, lost in thought, until Kawazaki's concerned voice brought me back to the present.

"Genko, are you even listening?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing."

He could tell I was hiding something, but he didn't push further.

"Well, get better soon, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Kawazaki left the infirmary, closing the door behind him. I lay back, trying to piece together what was happening to me.

I tried recalling the dream, but as usual, the details were fuzzy.

I let out a sigh and closed my eyes, deciding to rest again.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing in the school hallway. A girl was there, her face obscured by shadows.

She began walking toward me. My body trembled, and I couldn't utter a single word.

She tried to speak, but her voice was faint and distant.

"Fix... everything... you... can... fix…"

Her words reached me, but I couldn't understand her meaning. Before I could make sense of it, my vision blurred again, and I felt my legs weaken beneath me.

When I opened my eyes once more, I was back in the infirmary.

"That dream again," I muttered under my breath.

I rose from the bed and headed for the infirmary door. As I reached for the handle, a fleeting memory from the dream flashed through my mind.

"Who is that girl…?"

Shaking the thoughts away, I left and returned to class.

The sun was starting to set, painting the sky in hues of orange. Time to go home.

"Yo, Genko! Feeling better?" called a voice, as someone slapped me on the back.

"Geez, Kawazaki, you scared me!" I gasped.

"Sorry! I was gonna walk you home, but I already promised to walk Naomi home today."

Of course, someone as athletic and handsome as Kawazaki would be popular. He had a girlfriend, Naomi Matsumoto, a smart and independent girl who never needed anyone's help—unlike me, always depending on others.

"It's fine. I'm okay."

"You sure? Sorry again, man."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll head home first."

"Take care, man."

As usual, I started walking home. It wasn't too far from school, but not too close either.

As I reached the school gate, I noticed a girl with long black hair standing alone. The wind blew gently through her hair, and something about her seemed strangely familiar.

But I was too tired to dwell on it. I walked past her without a second thought.

However, as I continued down the street, I heard slow, dragging footsteps behind me. My heartbeat quickened.

I turned around. The girl from earlier was following me. Her face was still hidden in the dimming light, but something about her felt off.

"Who... who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling.

She didn't respond. Instead, she reached out a hand as if to say something, but her lips remained sealed.

I took a step back, confused. Then it hit me—the dream, the mysterious girl, the broken body of Kawazaki, the explosion. My entire body froze. My vision went black, and before I knew it, I collapsed.

"Genko??" a familiar voice called out.

I woke up to see someone standing over me. As I blinked my eyes open, I was stunned—it was Hana Sakura, a girl I had liked back in middle school.

"Eh... Hana-chan? What are you doing here?" I gasped.

"Hey, Genko-kun, it's been half a year."

We had been close in middle school since we lived in the same neighborhood. But we were separated when she moved to Osaka to attend Kendaichi High.

"Oh... Hana-chan... why are you here?"

"I should be asking you that first. Why were you lying on the road?"

"I… don't remember."

I struggled to recall what had happened before I passed out, but the memory was too faint.

"Are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine."

"You should go see a doctor."

"Yeah, maybe tomorrow…" Not that it would help. I'd already seen a doctor weeks ago, and they'd found nothing.

"So, why are you here, Hana-chan? Aren't you supposed to be in Osaka?"

"I'm visiting my grandfather. Today's his birthday."

"Oh, I see…"

"But I have a surprise for you later," she said with a small laugh.

With that, she waved and walked away.

I began piecing together what had happened before I fainted. Anxiety gnawed at me. There was something I needed to uncover—someone I needed to find. But for now, this was just the beginning.

TO BE CONTINUED

"Thank you for starting this journey with Genko. I hope his story will inspire you." - Arif Faldan