I woke up groggy, my vision blurred as light flooded the room. My head throbbed, and I instinctively groaned, scanning my surroundings. This… wasn't right. My shitty apartment was suddenly a lot more crowded. The director was here, along with the three girls I'd met earlier. What the hell were they doing here?
"Ugh," I muttered, trying to sit up but immediately regretting it as pain shot through my body. "We should go somewhere else. I have a roommate. What are you guys doing here? And what happened?"
Before anyone could answer, something small and shiny floated up near my face.
"Hello, Your Majesty. I am Turbo," the floating sphere announced, its mechanical voice startling me.
"What the hell—?" I struggled to get out of bed, but my whole body screamed in protest. Stumbling as I swung my feet to the floor, I nearly toppled over when there was a sudden, sharp knock at the door.
"Who the hell could that be?" I asked, my voice hoarse. I barely managed to steady myself, but before I could take another step, the director held up a hand.
"Slow down, champ. You're in no shape to answer the door. Let me handle it," he said, already moving toward the entrance.
"Yeah, sure," I grumbled, waving him off. "But seriously, how are you not freaking out about this? Who are you, and why does it feel like I've been hit by a bus? What's going on?"
The girls chimed in, looking just as confused as me. "We don't know what's happening either!" one of them said, her arms crossed.
The director cut in with an exasperated sigh. "Haneul, Nozomi, Citlali—all of you have been exposed to Chi. That means you're now tied to the next world. Either you come with us or—"
"Enough." I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. "I get the picture."
The knocking at the door grew more insistent. The director finally called out, "Who is it?"
A familiar voice answered from the other side. "Director? What are you doing at Kael's place?"
My stomach dropped. I knew who they were immediately. My closest companions, the people I trusted most—my makeshift family.
"Open the door, Director!"
The door swung open, revealing Ixtli Xolotl, the first to stride inside. He was tall, with tan skin and striking blond hair streaked with baby blue. A tan cardigan hung over his shoulders, and he wore a white collared shirt underneath. The Beauty mark beneath his right eye was unmistakable.
Right behind him was Kagetsu Ren, quieter and paler, with long brunette hair and glasses. His black cardigan was layered over an open collared shirt, and he carried a guitar slung over his back. The star-shaped earring glinted as he stepped inside.
Ixtli smirked, looking around. "Damn, bro, throwing a party without us? Three badass girls and—oh, is that your sexy roommate?"
Ren rolled his eyes. "Chill out, man. You know he's not like that. Dude, you look awful. What happened? Did you get jumped? Who do I need to fight?"
"Thanks for the concern," I deadpanned. "I don't know what happened. Ask the director."
The director chuckled. "Oh, he got his ass kicked by some delinquents."
Before anyone could respond, Turbo floated over to them, its voice cheerful. "Hello, I am Turbo. You must be His Majesty's closest friends. I've scanned his memories, and you've known him the longest!"
Ixtli and Ren jumped back, clinging to each other like terrified kittens.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!" they shouted in unison.
The director sighed. "Ah, crap. I forgot about that. Guess I'll have to kill them now."
"WHAT?! KILL US?!" they yelped, panic written all over their faces.
"Wait," I interrupted. "Does that mean you have to kill me too?"
"Nope. You're my assignment," the director said with a smirk.
Before I could press him further, Nozomi groaned, rubbing her stomach. "Can we please go get some food? I'm starving."
"Ramen!" Citlali chimed in. "We need ramen!"
The director hesitated, pacing. "Your lives are in danger. We should wait until midnight to cross into the next world—"
"Please?" Nozomi pouted, her grin devilish.
"Fine." The director threw up his hands. "Everyone in the car."
Ren smirked. "Including us?"
Before anyone could respond, my roommates walked in. Ametsuchi Tenshihara, with her fiery red hair and white dress, and Inari-no-Yami, a petite silver-haired girl in a black dress.
"What's going on here?" Ametsuchi asked, eyeing the crowded room. "And Kael, are you okay? You look like you just got in a fight."
"I'm fine," I muttered. "We're going out for food. Want to come?"
Yami lit up. "Food? Where? I'm in!"
The director sighed again. "Fine. But if you're coming, you're squeezing into the car with everyone else."
And just like that, my night got even weirder.
The door slammed shut behind us as everyone crammed into the SUV, elbows jabbing, knees knocking, and complaints flying. Despite the chaos, I claimed the passenger seat, groaning about the tremendous pain I was still in. In truth, the pain was dulling, but there was no way I was giving up the best seat to this circus.
The director started the engine, muttering under his breath as we pulled away. The city lights blurred past us, the night alive with activity. Ren leaned against the window, his voice soft with admiration.
"I've always loved the nightlife in the city," he said. "It's so beautiful. Oh—look ahead. The police blocked off the road."
The director frowned. "That's odd. I checked the news earlier—this wasn't mentioned. Maybe it's recent." He shifted into reverse. "We'll just take another way."
Then came the gunshots.
The crack of bullets tore through the night, and the windshield spiderwebbed as one struck the director square in the head.
"Oh, hell no!" Ixtli shouted, his voice cracking.
But the director didn't so much as flinch. The bullet bounced off him like it was nothing, leaving a faint metallic gleam where it had struck.
"Hold on," he said calmly, slamming on the gas.
The SUV roared forward, weaving through the narrow streets, but the flashing red-and-blue lights in the rearview mirror told us we weren't out of danger.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Yami screamed from the back.
"No idea!" the director yelled over the chaos.
Ixtli, eyes wide, pointed a shaking finger at him. "D-Did you just deflect a bullet to the head?! What the hell are you?"
"Not the time, buddy!" the director snapped as a police car rammed into us from behind.
The impact sent everyone in the back row sprawling. Before we could recover, another car slammed into the first, jolting us forward violently.
"Everyone out of the car—now!" the director ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.
We scrambled out, but the second we hit the pavement, gunfire erupted again.
The director pulled out a slip of paper, muttering words too fast for me to understand. The paper ignited in his hand, and suddenly, a wave of fire roared toward the police. But their eyes… their glowing red eyes made it clear. These weren't regular cops.
"Run!" the director barked, leading the charge.
I didn't need to be told twice. My legs moved on instinct, my two closest friends, Ixtli and Ren, right behind me. Ahead, the director guided my roommates, Ametsuchi and Yami, through the labyrinth of streets.
Behind us, chaos erupted. Cars flipped, bodies flew, and the three girls I had just met were crushed beneath the twisted metal. My stomach turned, but I couldn't stop. Stopping meant death.
Ixtli grabbed my shoulder, shoving me toward a steep hill. "Go!" he yelled.
I stumbled, tumbling down the slope, and when I looked back, my world shattered.
Their heads—my best friends, my family—severed in an instant, blood painting the ground. The red-eyed figure stood behind them, impossibly tall, his piercing gaze locking onto me. He wore a dark cloak, his long black hair framing a face of pure malice.
"Hurry up, or you're dead!" the director's voice yanked me from my stupor.
The red-eyed man closed the distance between us with terrifying speed. His gaze alone was enough to freeze me in place, my legs like stone, my breath caught in my throat.
The director stepped forward, placing himself between us and the looming figure.
"Stay behind me," he said, his voice steady.
I barely heard him over the blood rushing in my ears. Ametsuchi and Yami clung to my arms, trembling. The director turned to us, his face stern but strangely calm.
"I know you two girls are demons," he said, addressing Ametsuchi and Yami. Their eyes widened in shock, but he continued without hesitation. "And I bet you didn't know that Soleth here is a reincarnated soul. But I don't care if you're demons. I don't care what your past is. I am an Observation Officer, and by my honor, I will protect you three. It's the least I can do."
His gaze softened as he looked at me. "Kael, even though you can be ignorant, reckless, and downright idiotic at times, that never mattered to me. I've grown quite attached to you. I've always viewed you as so—"
His words cut off abruptly.
A sickening sound filled the air—a wet, tearing noise. My stomach turned as I saw the red-eyed man's arm piercing straight through the director's chest, lifting him off the ground like he weighed nothing. Blood dripped from the man's hand, pooling on the cracked pavement below.
"Director!" I screamed, my voice breaking.
He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth as he forced a weak smile. "Run… you idiots…"
Before I could even think, Ametsuchi and Yami grabbed my arms and yanked me backward, dragging me away from the horrific scene. My legs finally moved on their own, and we ran. But the image of the director's body hanging limply in the air burned itself into my mind, his blood-soaked figure seared into my memory.
"Keep going!" Yami yelled, her voice cracking.
I didn't want to look back, but I couldn't help myself.
The red-eyed man tossed the director aside like a rag doll. His glowing gaze locked onto us once more, unrelenting, like a predator playing with its prey.
I stumbled, nearly falling to my knees, but Ametsuchi caught me, her grip tightening.
"We can't stop!" she sobbed, her voice trembling.
My heart pounded against my ribs as I fought to keep up. The director's words echoed in my head.
"By my honor, I will protect you three…"
But he was gone now. And we were next.
I forced myself to move, bile rising in my throat as I ran. Ametsuchi and Yami were beside me, their faces pale with terror.
"I should've gone with him," Ametsuchi sobbed. "With that monster of a wannabe king—this is all my fault!"
"It's not your fault!" Yami cried. "I should've protected you better!"
I choked back tears. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is. If we die… I'm glad you two were my roommates."
As if on cue, a shadow fell over us. A blade flashed, and their heads were gone. Blood sprayed across my face as I stumbled forward, the ground rushing up to meet me.
I fell hard, gasping and coughing, my body trembling uncontrollably. The piercing red eyes of the cloaked man bore into me, his presence suffocating.
"Please," I croaked, tears streaming down my face. "I want to live. I'll do better. I'll change. I'll stop wasting my life. Just… give me another chance. Please, let me live."
His foot came down on my head, the weight unbearable. The pain—unimaginable.
[Crow sounds go off in my head]
The director sighed again. "Fine. But if you're coming, you're squeezing into the car with everyone else."
A piercing scream jolted me upright. My own scream.
I clutched my chest, gasping for air as I stumbled back against the kitchen counter. My heart pounded like it was trying to escape my ribcage.
"Are you okay?" the director asked, his voice cutting through the haze.
I looked around. Everyone was there—alive, unharmed.
It was just a dream. A nightmare.
Or was it