A 16-17-year-old boy, Riku sat hunched over in the dim glow of his computer monitor, his fingers a blur on the keyboard. His voice crackled through the headset. "Cover me, damn it! I'm almost there. Just—just a little more—"
The screen erupted into a mocking GAME OVER, and his cry of frustration tore through the silence. "No! No, no, nooo!" He ripped off his headset and flung it across the room. It landed among the graveyard of cola cans and crumpled chip bags that covered the floor like the remnants of some long-forgotten battlefield.
His reflection stared back at him from the blackened monitor: eyes sunken and rimmed with shadow, hair wild and unwashed, the hoodie he hadn't changed in weeks clinging to him like a second skin. A hollow laugh escaped his lips as he muttered, "What a sight."
A buzz broke through the quiet—a call. He ignored it at first, but it persisted, gnawing at him until he snatched the phone from the desk.
"...Hello?"
A woman's voice poured through the speaker, bright and urgent against the gloom. "Riku, are you listening? I know you are listening, Where have you been? You've vanished for weeks."
His silence stretched like a chasm, but she pressed on. "We've got an announcement coming up. The new research lab—Mizuno Scientific Foundation. You should come. It's... important. You've always been good at this stuff. And the chairman's going to be there. Just think about it, okay?"
The line clicked dead. Riku stared at the phone for a long moment, her words swirling in his head before dissolving into the static of his thoughts. His gaze shifted to his monitor, where social media flickered to life. Old classmates grinned back at him from pictures—laughter, parties, sunlit afternoons. Their lives seemed so normal.
"So normal…" he whispered. His voice cracked. "What's that even like?"
The morning was gray, the air biting. Riku stepped out of his apartment for the first time in weeks, his hoodie pulled tight, a bag slung over his shoulder. He walked with his head down, his steps aimless until the screech of tires ripped through the air.
A truck slammed into a woman crossing the street. The impact sent her flying, her body crumpling to the asphalt like a discarded doll.
Riku stopped.
His breath caught as he stared at the scene, frozen. Blood pooled beneath her, staining the cracks in the pavement. Her chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven gasps—her life leaking out in time with the blood.
Memories clawed their way to the surface. A woman's scream. The sound of shattering glass. A hand, limp and lifeless.
Riku's expression didn't change. His chest tightened, but his face remained blank. He watched as bystanders screamed and rushed forward, their panic filling the air.
Then he turned and walked away.
The college gates loomed ahead, but Riku barely registered them. The guard's barked question snapped him back.
"ID card?"
"I…" Riku's voice faltered. "I'm a student here. Riku Tanaka. I forgot my ID."
The guard's gaze narrowed. "Do you know anyone here?"
Riku hesitated before pulling out his phone. He made a call, said nothing, and handed the device to the guard.
After a terse exchange, the guard stepped aside.
The classroom was suffocatingly bright. Riku slipped into his seat at the back, his presence barely noticed until the teacher began calling attendance.
"Riku Tanaka."
Heads turned. Whispers followed.
"He's here?"
"Didn't even see him come in."
Another voice chimed in, mocking. "Wasn't he in prison?" student's name Aoki
Laughter rippled through the room.
Riku raised his eyes, cold and unreadable. His lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. "Actually, they did take me in—for questioning. Horrible stuff. Highly classified. Too complicated for…" His gaze shifted, icy and sharp. "Children."
The laughter died.
The teacher cleared her throat. "Enough. Riku, even so, you need to submit an application for your absence."
He shrugged. "Sure."
As the lesson began, the whispers faded, but the weight of the stares remained. Riku sat back, the emptiness in his chest swallowing everything else.
The bell rang, signaling the start of the lunch break.
Riku's gaze drifted outside the window, unfocused, as chatter began to fill the classroom.
"Alright, class, it's lunch break. Don't cause too much commotion in the canteen," the teacher reminded them before leaving.
A chorus of "Yes, ma'am," and the shuffle of students packing up filled the air.
Riku stayed in his seat, observing. The classroom buzzed with life. Some students gathered in groups, talking animatedly, while others buried themselves in books or played games on their phones. It was a scene of normalcy, one he barely felt part of.
Then, a hush fell over the room.
Riku's eyes shifted toward the source of the sudden silence: a tall, imposing figure making his way through the classroom. The boy moved with an air of authority, each step drawing attention like ripples in still water.
Ken Reo.
He was the kind of person who commanded respect—or fear—without saying a word. His sharp features, confident posture, and piercing gaze made him stand out. Whispers followed him.
"Isn't that Ken Reo? The son of the richest businessman in the state?"
"He's so cool… Should I ask him out?"
Ken ignored the murmurs, his focus entirely on Riku. Pulling out the chair beside him, he sat down without asking, his movements deliberate.
Riku didn't react, his cold eyes fixed on the desk.
Ken leaned in slightly, his voice low but edged with sarcasm. "Did you spill anything?"
Riku's tone was equally cold, his words deliberate. "What are you talking about?"
Ken smirked, leaning back in his chair. "I told you before—you're a threat to our clan. My father knows it, too. Ever since your old man died, things have been… complicated. And now, with the police sniffing around, you're dragging us all into the mud."
Riku's lips twitched into a faint, humorless smile. "They're only after what they think is mine. I told them I didn't want to inherit anything. I've said it before—I have nothing to do with that old man or his empire. Why don't you talk to his real son? I was just a puppet to him."
Ken's expression darkened, his voice dropping. "I've made my decision. I'm going to inherit the clan. I'll make it mine."
Riku leaned back, shrugging. "Good luck with that, bro."
Before the tension could thicken further, a voice broke through the air.
"Why's the coolest guy in school hanging out with the dumbest one?"
The mockery came from Aoki, a wiry student with a grin too wide for his own good. He strutted closer, clearly enjoying the attention.
Ken's gaze snapped to him, cold and cutting. "Do you have business with me?"
Aoki faltered, his grin wavering. "Oh, no, no. Just… trying to be friendly."
Riku let out a low chuckle, his voice barely audible. "You should think before opening your mouth, idiot."
Ken's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Get lost, pig. Go back to where you belong."
Aoki's face turned red with anger. "What did you just call me?! I don't care who you are! Mess with me, and I'll—"
Ken stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. His presence was overpowering, his tone dripping with mockery. "Kill me? Is that what you were about to say? Come on, then. Show me what you've got."
The atmosphere in the classroom grew heavy.
Riku sighed, rubbing his temples. "Cut it out. This is a classroom, not your playground."
Aoki hesitated, stepping back, his confidence crumbling under Ken's glare.
Riku's voice was calm but firm. "Fix the chair and sit down, both of you."
Ken gave a low chuckle but complied, sitting down again. Aoki, defeated, slinked away.
Minutes later, a quiet girl with glasses approached Ken. She clutched a letter to her chest, her hands trembling slightly.
"P-please accept this," she stammered, bowing deeply. "I've seen you every day—from the cafeteria, the gym, the classroom. I… I like you. Please go out with me!"
The room erupted in murmurs.
"Is she crazy? She's asking him out?"
"Does she have a death wish?"
Ken's expression shifted, a sinister smile playing on his lips. His eyes gleamed with mischief, his mind already crafting a cruel response.
But before he could speak, Riku's hand gripped his shoulder, pulling him close.
"Don't," Riku murmured, his voice low and threatening. "You know exactly what I mean. If you cause a scene and humiliate her, I'll make sure you never see those documents you want. if you Play along, I'll give you what you need."
Ken's eyes widened slightly, the surprise breaking through his confident facade. After a moment, he smirked and nodded subtly.
Straightening up, Ken's demeanor changed entirely. His voice was smooth and kind. "Thank you for your feelings. I'd be happy to go for coffee with you sometime."
The girl's face lit up, and the murmurs in the room turned into stunned silence.
As Ken walked away, Riku spoke in an even tone, barely above a whisper. "Meet me at the back of the old building after class. You know which one I mean."
Ken glanced back, understanding immediately. Without a word, he left the classroom.