Isamu clung to the cold metal bar as the bus sped through the narrow streets of the town, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with other people on the bus. He brushed the faint dust off his black school uniform with one hand, the fabric slightly rough from constant everyday wear.
His dark, shaggy wolf cut fell over his eyes, giving him a faintly rebellious look.
"You should cut your hair," muttered an elderly woman beside him, her voice a soft, gravelly hum over the rumble of the bus. She eyed his thick hair, disapproving but a bit intrigued.
Isamu flashed her a grin, the kind that jumped between polite and playfully defiant. "I don't think so," he replied with a shrug, turning his gaze back to the streets streaked with rain.
Droplets raced down the window, and he remembered his mother's voice from earlier that morning: "You should take an umbrella, Isamu. You know how the weather's been lately." But he hadn't listened being in a rush.
The bus pulled to a stop, and he stepped into the cool drizzle, instinctively lifting his green bag over his head as he made a quick dash to the school gates.
Kiso High was just ahead—its pale white exterior and angular windows blending into the dreary gray morning. Inside, the hallways were empty except for the echo of footsteps, which Isamu's sneakers contributed to as he headed toward Class 3-B.
The classroom buzzed with idle chatter and teasing voices as he entered, and he surfed into his usual seat, middle row, letting out a small sigh as he looked at his shoes, damp around the edges.
He stretched out his arms, resting his head on the cool, worn wood of the desk.
"Hey, Isamu! You're coming to practice later, right?" called Denji, his tall, lean frame leaning over the desk in front. His dark, wavy hair fell slightly over his brown eyes, and his easygoing smile reflected their years of friendship.
(The girls in the class wore their typical attire—a white shirt beneath a beige vest, and black skirts pleated at the edges. Meanwhile, the boys sported black jackets and trousers over plain white shirts, a uniform that had long been engraved into the background of their lives.)
Isamu managed a half-smile. "Yeah, I think so. I'm feeling cold today, so practice might be a good way to warm up. And we need the practice for the practice game next week."
With a grin, Denji nodded, then turned back to talk to the girl seated in front of him. Practice moved quickly after classes, and soon, Isamu found himself on the court with the volleyball club.
The players wore vibrant orange practice jerseys with black shorts, a contrast to the muted colors of their usual uniforms.
Official matches would call for their yellow and black jerseys, but today, the simpler orange ones sufficed. As always, Isamu played setter and Denji a wing spiker, a dynamic they've been perfecting since middle school.
Volleyball was the center of their friendship, the sport that bridged Isamu's introverted nature with Denji's outgoing confidence.
After practice, as evening set in, Isamu slipped back into his uniform and headed for the bus stop. Cold droplets spattered the pavement, and he ran, splashing through shallow puddles, only to watch the bus drive off just as he reached the corner.
Exhaling sharply, he resigned himself to the walk home, dragging himself along the wet, dimly lit streets.
His path led him past a golden-colored dog that barked incessantly at a small, weathered house tucked into the shadows of a narrow street. Isamu frowned at the noise, promptly reaching for his noise-canceling headphones in his bag.
Ever since an accident years ago, loud sounds have irritated him, causing discomfort that only silence could soothe. Despite the muffled headphones, he could still hear the dog's distressed barking.
"Anyone home?" Isamu called out, eyeing the dark, silent house. "Your dog… it seems like it wants to go inside." As he approached the gate, the dog's barking faded into soft whimpers, making him shiver in the damp and chilly air.
His gut instinct told him something was wrong, but he ignored the feeling and continued home.
...
He wrote notes on his computer as he sat at his desk that night, trying to focus on his homework. But his mind wandered off, and he found himself staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. 'Why do we spend so much time on things that don't matter? College, homework—it all feels pointless in the end.'
He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. 'In the end, we're all headed for the same place, aren't we?' Growing up in a Christian family in a place where that was rare, he couldn't help but worry about life's finality.
The next morning didn't bring any relief. The bus was as packed as ever, but this time around, Isamu managed to get himself a seat by the window. The rain had stopped, but a heavy fog covered the grounds, blurring the edges of the buildings.
His thoughts slowly drifted to the dog and the strange house from yesterday evening.
Just then, as the bus turned the corner, he saw it again. The dog, still there, barking at the same old wooden house, echoing down the narrow, empty street. 'Why would it be barking for so long?' he kept wondering for a while.
Once at school, he slipped into his seat, laying his head on the desk, his gaze shifting toward the window beside Denji's seat. A huge flock of birds flew past, their dark forms out the sky in an eerie formation.
He felt a creeping unease. "Something's off today," he muttered, tapping his head against the desk lightly and repeatedly.
"You say something, Isamu?" Denji asked, glancing over to him as he spun his pen on his thumb.
Isamu shook his head with a slight chuckle. "Just seeing things… I saw a dog barking at this old house yesterday. I think it was still barking there this morning."
Denji softly laughed. "Oh yeah? I saw that on my way home too. You're not seeing things."
"But what if… what if its owner died in there or something?" Isamu wondered aloud.
Denji shrugged, partially absorbed in his Math book. "Could be. Lots of old folks live around there."
"The birds just now, there were a lot of them too. I've never seen so many flying together."
Denji looked back at him. "Maybe you are seeing things."
Isamu chuckled and then nodded, falling silent as he slowly dozed off. Outside, the sky seemed darker, and heavier, almost like it was waiting for something. The quiet was broken by the crackling sound of the school's PA system, jolting him awake as he covered his ears instinctively.
"Good morning, students and teachers," the voice of Principal Tanaka came through. "The school is now under lockdown due to an unspecified emergency. No one is permitted to leave the campus until told otherwise. Please remain calm as no one is no immediate danger. Classes will proceed as usual. Thank you."
Isamu sat up, his heart beating quickly as a strange silence fell over the classroom. Around him, faces mirroring his own confusion, some murmuring quietly, others thinking nothing of it.