ERRRRRRT! ERRRRRRT!
The blaring sound of the alarm filled the room as he groaned, blindly slapping the snooze button before burying his head under the blanket. The shrill noise finally stopped, leaving behind the soft sound of his steady breathing. He wasn't anyone special—just a nobody in the grand scheme of things. But even nobodies had names. His was Akiju. Or rather, Akiju Bridge—a mix of his father's western roots and his mother's eastern heritage.
As he tried to drift back into the comfort of sleep, muffled by the weight of his blanket, a sound broke through the peace: Knock-knock-knock.
He didn't respond.
Knock-knock-knock. Still no answer.
The knocking grew louder, accompanied by a muffled voice that carried a distinct weight. "Open the door before I leave your ass here!" the voice shouted, but Akiju only groaned, pulling the blanket tighter around himself.
When a full minute passed with no response, there was a loud bang. The door flew open with a resounding crash, startling the boy awake just as a figure stormed in. His sister stood in the doorway, her expression a volatile mix of anger and exasperation. A visible vein throbbed on her temple as she stormed over, a pillow clutched tightly in one hand.
"Get up!" she snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut through his grogginess. Without waiting for a response, she swung the pillow with precision, smacking him square in the face.
"Ow! What the hell?!" Akiju yelped, flailing under the blanket as he tried to shield himself.
"You think I've got all day to wait for you?" she shot back, glaring down at him. "Get your ass up! You've already snoozed that damn alarm three times!" Her pillow rose threateningly again, daring him to test her patience further.
Akiju groaned, finally sitting up as he rubbed his face. "Alright, alright! I'm up, okay? Jeez…" His hair stuck out at odd angles, and his bleary eyes made him look even more disheveled than usual.
His sister huffed, planting her hands on her hips. "Good. Now move it before I leave you here. I'm not gonna be late because of you, dumbass."
Akiju muttered something under his breath, but the look she shot him shut him up quickly. As he stumbled out of bed, her lips twitched upward in the faintest hint of a smirk. She had won this round, as always.
Akiju knew he didn't have much time as he checked his phone-it read 8:00 on the dot with 20 minutes to spare before his sister-Hecate Bridge was her name. She was twenty and he was one month younger than him. Curses! I had plenty to spare. He grumbled as he put on a new pair of underwear and a pair of pants, a pristine white long-sleeved shirt and slacks. The attire for his job as a waiter. He then quickly went to the restroom as he brushed his teeth and flicked his hand as a screen popped up with the local news. hair that was a bit long for his taste in red and a bit of white here and there, brown eyes that were almost black. And a face neither too handsome nor average, a face one would not mind seeing everyday.
He quickly tied his hear in a low ponytail like those people in the anime he watched in his spare time. He sister had the name features but had dark purple eyes. His usual routine in the planet named Terre. He quick grabbed his bag from his closet before heading down stairs towards his sister who was waiting for him as she ate candy.
Akiju groaned as he checked his phone, the glaring numbers reading 8:00 a.m. sharp. Twenty minutes to spare—barely enough time to get ready before his sister started breathing down his neck again. Hecate Bridge. That was her name. She was twenty years old, just one month older than him, but she carried herself like she was a decade ahead.
Curses! I had plenty of time earlier! he grumbled inwardly, moving quickly to grab a fresh pair of underwear and pants from his closet. He slipped into a pristine white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of pressed slacks—the required attire for his job as a waiter. The clean, formal look was a stark contrast to his current state of grogginess, but it was part of the routine.
Akiju darted into the restroom, his toothbrush already in hand. As he began brushing, he flicked his wrist, and a faint chime accompanied the appearance of a translucent screen projected into the air. The morning news flickered to life, filling the small space with the muffled voices of reporters covering the day's headlines. His reflection caught his attention—hair that was a bit longer than he liked, with streaks of white threading through the deep red, brown eyes so dark they were almost black, and a face that was neither strikingly handsome nor forgettable. It was the kind of face people wouldn't mind seeing every day—approachable, ordinary, and unassuming.
He sighed, tying his hair back into a low ponytail. It wasn't his favorite look, but it was practical and inspired by the anime he watched during his rare moments of downtime. His sister, in contrast, shared many of his features—though her eyes were a striking dark purple, making her stand out in ways he didn't. Of course she'd get the interesting color, he thought bitterly, rinsing his mouth and shutting off the screen with a quick swipe of his hand.
Returning to his room, Akiju grabbed his bag from the closet, slinging it over his shoulder in one fluid motion. His routine was so ingrained that he could've done it in his sleep—and sometimes, it felt like he did. Life on the planet
As he headed downstairs, the faint crinkle of plastic wrappers reached his ears. His sister was waiting for him at the kitchen counter, perched on a stool with a casual air. She popped a piece of candy into her mouth as she glanced up at him, her dark purple eyes glinting with mild amusement.
"Finally decided to join the living, huh?" she teased, her voice carrying just enough bite to irritate him. Her short, neatly styled hair framed her face, a near mirror image of his own—except sharper, more confident. She tossed another candy into her mouth, the faint scent of citrus filling the air.
"Do you ever eat actual food, or is sugar your entire diet?" Akiju shot back, adjusting the strap of his bag.
Hecate smirked, leaning back slightly as she crossed her arms. "Food is overrated. Besides, you're the one always running late. Don't try to lecture me, little bro."
"Little by one month!" he snapped, exasperated. But the corner of his mouth twitched, betraying the faintest hint of a smile.
"Still counts," she replied smugly, grabbing her own bag and heading toward the door. "Now hurry up, or I really will leave you here."
Akiju followed with a sigh, rolling his eyes as he muttered under his breath. Another day, another battle with his sister's relentless energy. But there was one glaring issue gnawing at him—this wasn't his first time living this life. Not even close. His last chance had lasted a full ten years, an opportunity he had tried to make the most of. But in the end, it had been cut brutally short when he was stabbed and left to die in a slow, agonizing spiral of pain. The memory still lingered like a phantom ache, something he couldn't shake no matter how hard he tried.
As they climbed into the car, Akiju felt the weight of that past pressing down on him. What's the point of another chance if it always ends the same? he thought, staring at his sister as she fiddled with the console. She didn't know. She couldn't know. And maybe that was for the best.
Meanwhile, where were their parents? Off working, you might think? Hardly. The reality was far more saccharine. They were on a date—a rare outing that Hecate and Akiju found unbearably cringeworthy. The air always felt thick and overly sweet after their parents returned, full of lingering laughter and stolen glances. It wasn't bad, but for the siblings, it was like wading through syrup.
"Ugh," Hecate muttered as she adjusted the rearview mirror. "Mom and Dad are probably eating something overpriced and disgusting right now. Can you imagine? Bet they're holding hands and giggling like teenagers."
"Don't remind me," Akiju replied, slouching further into his seat. "They'll come back acting like newlyweds again."
Hecate smirked, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel. "Cringe," she said flatly, and Akiju couldn't help but snort.
The car hummed to life, and they pulled out of the driveway. The familiar streets of their neighborhood passed by in a blur, but something felt off. Akiju's eyes flicked to the side mirror, and his heart sank. A black van was following them, its presence subtle but deliberate.
"Uh… Hecate?" he said, his voice low.
"What?" she asked, glancing at him briefly.
"I think we've got company."
Hecate frowned, her gaze snapping to the rearview mirror. The van was still there, its tinted windows making it impossible to see who was inside. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. Her grip tightened on the wheel. "Buckle up, Aku."
The engine roared as she pressed down on the accelerator, the car lurching forward. The van sped up in response, its headlights glaring in their mirrors. Akiju's pulse quickened as he turned to look out the back window. "Who the hell are they?"
"No idea," Hecate bit out, her jaw clenched. "But I'm not sticking around to ask."
The chase escalated quickly, the streets narrowing as they wove through traffic. Horns blared, and the screech of tires filled the air. The van stayed close, its intentions unmistakable now. Akiju's stomach churned as he gripped the door handle, his mind racing.
Fate, however, was far crueler than their pursuers. As they approached the bridge, a massive truck barreled through an intersection ahead, its horn blaring a warning. Hecate swerved to avoid it, but the timing was impossible. The truck's bumper clipped the back of their car, sending them spinning out of control.
"Hold on!" Hecate shouted as the car careened toward the edge of the bridge. The barrier shattered on impact, and the world seemed to hang in suspension for a brief moment.
Akiju's breath caught as the car tipped over the edge, gravity pulling them into the void below. The roar of the river grew louder, rushing up to meet them. His sister's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and panicked.
"Aku!"
And then, the cold, unrelenting water swallowed them whole.