Chapter One: Part One – The Underground City
Kyle jolted awake, sucking in a sharp breath. His body felt heavy, his mind clouded with the fading echoes of his dream—no, his nightmare. Explosions. Smoke. Shouting. Someone screaming his name. His chest tightened as his vision swam, but then—
"You're awake!"
A voice, high and relieved, pulled him back.
Kyle blinked against the dim light of the underground shelter. The metal walls around him were old, covered in grime and rust, pipes humming softly overhead. The smell of damp concrete filled his nose.
He turned his head and found Himori, sitting beside him on the edge of the cot, his legs tucked under him. His messy brown hair flopped over his forehead, wide eyes filled with relief.
"You scared the crap out of us," Himori said, scooting closer. "Thought you were gonna die or something."
Kyle tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his side made him grunt. His hands instinctively went to his waist, feeling the rough bandages wrapped around his torso. Right. He'd been stabbed.
"How long was I out?" he muttered.
"Almost a full cycle," Himori said. "Sumi was pissed."
"She still is," a voice snapped from the doorway.
Kyle looked up as Sumi stepped inside, arms crossed. and her dark black hair was tied up in a loose ponytail, a few strands framing her sharp, unimpressed expression. She was taller than both of them—always carrying herself like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Right now, her narrowed eyes were locked onto Kyle, scrutinizing him like a judge ready to deliver a sentence.
Kyle sighed. "Look, I—"
"Don't even start."
Kyle shut his mouth.
"You got yourself stabbed," Sumi said, marching up to him. "Because you just had to stick your nose where it didn't belong. Again."
Kyle shifted uncomfortably.
"You helped some random kid escape a gang. And what did he do? He stabbed you and collected your loot - again."
Himori's eyes widened. "Wait… what?!"
Kyle rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding their stares. "I mean… yeah."
Sumi let out an exasperated groan. "Kyle, what is wrong with you?!"
Kyle scowled. "I couldn't just leave him!"
"Yeah, you could have!" Sumi snapped. "You don't even know him! What if he was working with them? What if they come looking for us now?"
Kyle gritted his teeth. "I had to do something—"
"No, you wanted to do something, like you always do," Sumi interrupted. "You don't think, Kyle. You just jump in, and then me and Himori have to clean up the mess!"
Kyle clenched his fists but said nothing.
Sumi sighed and turned away, rubbing her temples.
Before anyone could say another word, a loud alarm rang through the underground tunnels.
The ration call.
Sumi straightened. "They're starting the exchange, thanks to Himori who went double rounds, we have got something for the exchange."
She grabbed her worn-out jacket from a crate and slung it over her shoulders. As she moved toward the door, she shot Kyle a glare.
"You are not leaving this room," she ordered. "Himori, watch him. If he so much as stands up, yell for me."
Himori gave a mock salute. "Got it."
Kyle frowned. "I'm not a little kid, Sumi."
"Then stop acting like one," she snapped, before stepping out into the tunnels.
The door clanged shut behind her.
Kyle let out a frustrated sigh and flopped back against the pillow.
Himori nudged him. "She's just mad 'cause she was worried."
Kyle stared at the ceiling, jaw tight.
"Yeah," he muttered. "I know."
Kyle let out a slow breath, rubbing his bandaged side. The pain had dulled to a throbbing ache, but it still made every movement feel like a chore. He shifted slightly on the cot, glancing at Himori, who was fiddling with a loose thread on his sleeve.
"Who found me?" Kyle finally asked.
Himori looked up. "Sumi."
Kyle blinked. "Sumi?"
"Yeah," Himori nodded. "After you didn't show up at the rendezvous point, she got worried. You never miss a loot drop."
Kyle stayed quiet, guilt creeping up his spine.
"So, we searched for you," Himori continued. "And we found you, lying in a back alley, bleeding like an idiot." He crossed his arms. "You should be thankful, you know. With all the conscriptions going on, if someone else had found you first..."
Kyle frowned. "Conscriptions are getting that bad?"
Himori's face darkened. "Worse. Military goons are grabbing anyone who looks the age, enough and it's not just them anymore."
Kyle sat up straighter. "What do you mean?"
Himori hesitated, then lowered his voice. "There are rumors everywhere, the underground landlords… some of them are making deals. Trading people for favors. If the military catches someone hiding here, the landlords can sell them out for protection, extra rations, whatever." He looked away. "It happened last week."
Kyle clenched his fists. "You're saying—someone got sold out?"
Himori nodded. "Eight kids disappeared over night,"
"We Don't know that was the case,"
Kyle felt a slow burn of anger in his chest, but he forced himself to stay calm.
"Toki wouldn't do that," he said firmly.
Himori exhaled, rubbing his arms. "I want to believe that, too. But people change when they're desperate."
Kyle shook his head. "Not Tokiharu Matsumoto. He's been looking out for everyone under his shelter for years. He'd never sell us out."
Himori studied Kyle for a moment before sighing. "I hope you're right."
There was a short silence. Then, Himori reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, dried bread roll. "Here."
Kyle took it, turning it over in his hand. Food wasn't easy to come by, and he hadn't eaten since… well, before everything went down.
"Where'd you get this?" he asked.
Himori smirked. "Sumi gave it to me. Said if you woke up hungry, I should give it to you."
Kyle stared at the bread, then at Himori. Something about it made his chest feel weird.
Himori leaned back, stretching his arms over his head. "Y'know, Sumi acts all tough, but she's basically been like a mom to us."
Kyle swallowed, looking away.
"Yeah," he muttered.
Now he just felt worse about the way he'd been acting lately.