Renji Sakara never thought his life would change because of a simple invitation.
As a second-year high school student, his daily life was as average as it could be—wake up late, rush to school, avoid getting scolded by the teacher, and spend most of his time daydreaming about Aika Kirisawa.
Aika was the quiet, mysterious girl in class. Beautiful, smart, and always keeping to herself. Renji wasn't the only one crushing on her, but unlike the other guys, he never dared to approach her. It wasn't fear—it was common sense. She was out of his league, and he had long accepted his fate as a background character in her life.
That is… until today.
"Renji-kun."
The sound of her voice nearly made him choke on his drink. He turned around, blinking rapidly as Aika stood in front of him. Her usual calm expression made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
"Y-Yeah?" Renji replied, trying to act cool while internally panicking.
"Can you come over to my house later?" she asked.
The world stopped. Birds froze midair. The classroom noise faded into silence. His mind short-circuited.
"…H-Huh?"
Aika tilted her head slightly. "You don't have to if you don't want to."
"No! I mean—Yes! I mean—I'll go!" Renji stammered, his heart pounding.
Aika nodded. "Okay. Meet me after school."
She walked away, leaving Renji staring into space. His friend, Daichi, smacked him on the back of the head.
"Dude, what the hell was that?"
"I—I don't know…" Renji muttered. "I think I just got invited to a date."
Daichi whistled. "Damn. You sure she's not messing with you?"
Renji had the same thought, but the way Aika spoke didn't feel like a prank. It was too… casual. As if it was something normal for her.
Either way, he wasn't going to refuse.
After school, Renji followed Aika through the quiet streets. She lived in a secluded house at the edge of town, surrounded by trees and eerie silence. The sky had turned orange, and the air felt strangely heavy.
"Uh, you live here alone?" Renji asked as they approached her house.
"My parents are away," she replied, unlocking the door.
Of course. Classic horror movie setup. Renji ignored the creeping unease and stepped inside. The house was clean but strangely empty, almost like no one actually lived there.
"You can sit there," Aika said, pointing to the couch. "I'll bring you something to drink."
"Thanks." Renji sat down, feeling awkward. His heart was still racing. Am I dreaming? Is this a confession setup?
Aika returned with a glass of tea.
He took it without thinking and sipped.
Then—
His vision blurred. His limbs felt like they were sinking into the couch.
His heart rate slowed.
His body went numb.
Before he could react, darkness swallowed him whole.