He thought life always moved at the same pace. School, work, the gym, then sleep. A predictable cycle. But he didn't realize that all these daily routines were merely building up to what was coming next. After that night, nothing would ever be the same again.
Chapter 1 – A Normal Day:
Tokyo. 7:00 AM. The alarm rang for the third time, but it no longer bothered him. Muro knew he had about five more minutes before his mother would force him to wake up. He slowly opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling before dragging himself out of bed. Another ordinary day—boring classes, tiring work, and a late-night gym session. Nothing new. But somewhere, hidden in the repetition of his daily life… something different was waiting for him.
Muro didn't really need it; he had woken up exactly one second before it rang, as if his body had trained itself to wake up before being forced to. He reached out and silenced it, sighing as he stared at the ceiling.
But his peace didn't last long. A gentle knock on the door was followed by it slowly creaking open.
"Moru, wake up! You're going to be late for school."
Standing in the doorway was his mother, Emi, dressed in a light sweater and comfortable home pants. Muro looked at her with a lazy smile.
"Oh, good morning, Mom… But I'm already awake." He sat up, running a hand through his hair.
His mother raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Really? That's a miracle! I expected to have to drag you out of bed as usual."
Muro chuckled and got up sluggishly, heading toward his closet. "I'm improving, aren't I?"
"If by 'improving,' you mean 'still always running late,' then I think we need to redefine that word." She walked off toward the kitchen.
Muro grabbed his school shirt from the closet and headed out of his room toward the bathroom. At the dining table, his older sister Yumi was already sitting, sipping coffee while scrolling through her phone.
"Oh, the great gym freak finally woke up." Yumi commented without even looking up.
"Yeah, yeah, good morning to you too." Muro replied as he opened the fridge to grab a carton of milk.
"Are you going to work after school today?" his mother asked as she placed some dishes on the table.
"Yeah, as usual." he answered while pouring milk into his cup.
"Why don't you take a break? I don't want you exhausting yourself."
Muro shrugged. "It's fine, Mom. I just want to save up for my supplements. I don't want to put that burden on you."
Emi sighed but didn't argue. Meanwhile, Yumi smirked. "So that means I'm eating better than you, huh?"
"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?" Muro frowned while taking a bite of his toast.
"Well, I don't need supplements, while you spend all your money on them. That means my diet is naturally better than yours!"
Muro stared at her for a second before smirking. "Well, you don't go to the gym, so…" He pointed at her slim arm. "Let's see who's stronger now?"
Yumi grabbed a cushion from a nearby chair and smacked him with it, making him burst into laughter while their mother shook her head. "Enough, you two! Just eat your breakfast!"
Muro glanced at his family, a small smile on his lips. Their mornings were always full of teasing and playful fights, but he wouldn't trade it for anything else.
"Alright, I'm off to school." he said after finishing his meal, swinging his bag over his shoulder.
"Be careful, and don't stay too late at work."
"Yeah, yeah, got it, Mom!"
Yumi waved at him lazily while holding her coffee. "Don't get hit by a car, delivery boy hero!"
Muro laughed and waved back before stepping out the door, ready to take on a new day.
Muro closed the apartment door behind him, inhaling the crisp morning air as he descended the stairs. Another morning, another school day, the same routine. He could already hear the city buzzing outside the hum of passing cars, the rhythmic footsteps of pedestrians, and the faint scent of fresh pastries drifting from a nearby shop.
But the moment he stepped out of the building, his feet halted.
… That feeling again.
He stood still, his eyes scanning the street. Everything looked completely normal. People walking to work, students heading to school, nothing out of the ordinary. And yet, his heart was beating in an odd, uncomfortable rhythm, as if something was… off.
Slowly, he raised a hand and touched the side of his head. It wasn't pain—more like a distortion, a fleeting sensation, like a memory surfacing for a second before slipping away again.
There was something… something he had seen? Heard? Or maybe dreamed about?
Before he could think any further, a familiar voice cut through his thoughts:
"Heeey! Muro! Quit staring into space like you're in some dramatic anime!"
He turned to see Rin waving at him from across the street, wearing his school jacket in his usual messy way, his bag slung over one shoulder. Next to him was Daichi, focused on his phone, and a few steps behind them was Kazu, looking like he had barely rolled out of bed.
The strange feeling faded as Muro raised a hand in greeting and started walking toward them, pushing the unsettling thought to the back of his mind… at least for now.
The four of them walked along the familiar route to school, the morning air still cool but slowly warming under the rising sun.
"Man, you guys missed out yesterday," Rin started, his voice full of excitement. "I watched this new anime last night—absolute masterpiece. The plot twists? Insane. The animation? God-tier. And the waifus? Bro, perfection. You have to watch it!"
Daichi, still focused on his phone, barely glanced up. "Yeah, yeah, another 'masterpiece.' You say that about every anime you watch."
Muro stretched his arms behind his head, yawning. "Seriously, Rin, I don't know how you have the time for this. Between school, work, and the gym, I barely even watch TV."
Kazu, who had been dragging his feet behind them, muttered, "And yet, here he is, still the protagonist of life itself…"
Rin groaned. "Tch. You normies will never understand."
Ignoring him, Daichi put his phone away and sighed. "By the way, don't forget we have a test today."
Muro blinked. "Wait, what?"
Kazu snorted. "See? Protagonist syndrome. Dude doesn't even know there's a test."
"I knew! I just… forgot." Muro grumbled.
"Right. Anyway, you guys should be careful," Daichi continued. "There's a nasty cold going around. A bunch of people in our grade are already sick."
Kazu smirked and lazily pointed at Muro. "I don't think there's a virus out there that could actually take down this musclehead."
Rin chuckled. "True, imagine some tiny virus trying to mess with him. It'd probably just bounce off his abs."
Muro rolled his eyes. "I swear, you guys act like I'm some kind of superhero."
"You kinda are," Kazu said with a grin. "Just without the powers… or the intelligence."
Before Muro could protest, they arrived at the school gates, blending into the sea of students making their way inside. The usual morning chaos was in full swing—some students chatting loudly, others rushing to finish last-minute homework, a few standing in groups gossiping.
Among the crowd, Muro spotted familiar faces. There was Aiko, the quiet girl who always seemed to be watching him from a distance, though she quickly looked away when their eyes met. A little further, Souta, one of the class reps, was scolding a couple of students for not wearing their uniforms properly. And, of course, Miyuki, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, walked past with her usual air of confidence, completely ignoring everyone who wasn't in her social circle.
The four friends made their way inside, heading toward their classroom. As soon as they stepped in, the chatter and laughter of their classmates filled the air. Muro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Alright, let's get this over with."
The classroom buzzed with energy as students settled into their seats. Conversations about the test, weekend plans, and the latest gossip filled the air—until the door slid open, and their homeroom teacher walked in.
"Alright, quiet down!" she called, clapping her hands for attention. "Listen up, everyone. The school is conducting health check-ups today. You'll be going in pairs to the next room, where the medical staff will examine you and administer a vaccination if needed."
A collective groan rose from the class.
"Come on, it's just a routine check-up," the teacher sighed. "I'll be calling names. When you hear yours, step outside with your assigned partner."
The list began, students leaving the room in pairs. Muro leaned back in his chair, waiting for his turn, half-listening as names were called.
Then—
"Muro and Miyuki."
He blinked. Seriously?
Letting out a small sigh, he got up from his seat, glancing over at Miyuki. She didn't say a word, simply standing and walking ahead, her expression unreadable.
The moment they stepped outside, she turned her face away slightly, keeping her distance.
Muro raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, okay. Nice talk."
She didn't respond. Not that he expected her to.
They entered the adjacent classroom, now transformed into a temporary clinic. A few students were already seated, getting checked by the medical staff. One of the nurses gestured for Muro to step forward.
He moved toward the examination chair and sat down, his posture relaxed. The nurse, a kind-looking woman in a white coat, checked her clipboard before looking up at him.
"Your name?" she asked, pen ready to jot down his response.
Muro opened his mouth—
Then, suddenly, his expression went blank. His pupils dilated ever so slightly. A strange stillness overtook him, as if his body had just been disconnected from his thoughts.
And then, in a voice calm and devoid of emotion, he answered:
"Albert… Albert Einstein."
The nurse froze.
For a moment, the air in the room seemed to shift.
And then—
End of Chapter 1.