The BZZZT of Riku's alarm clock echoed through his small apartment. He groaned, reaching out from under his blanket to smack the snooze button, only to miss and send the clock tumbling to the floor.
"Ugh… Five more minutes..."
He blinked at the ceiling, debating whether being late was worth the extra sleep. His room wasn't exactly a paradise, game controllers scattered across the floor, energy drink cans stacked like trophies on his desk, and a half-finished homework sheet buried under manga volumes.
Finally, with a dramatic sigh, he dragged himself up, threw on his uniform, and grabbed his bag. He barely had time to eat, so he stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth and sprinted out the door.
"Another day of suffering... Here we go."
The moment he stepped onto campus, a cheerful voice called out.
"Wow, you actually made it on time today! Miracles do happen, huh?"
Riku sighed as Yuuto Mizuno approached him, short, cute, with short white hair and soft features that made people mistake him for a girl. Yuuto grinned, fixing Riku's slightly messy collar like a worried mom.
"You need to take better care of yourself, Riku, you look like you just lost a fight with your bed."
"I did lose a fight with my bed," Riku muttered.
Before Yuuto could lecture him further, a strong arm landed on Riku's shoulder.
"Yo! You up for a match later? No excuses this time!"
Tatsuya Kuroda, the tall, red-haired athlete, smirked at him. Unlike Riku, he looked like he actually had his life together, broad shoulders, confident stance, and an annoyingly high win streak against Riku in every sport possible.
"I'm too tired for this," Riku groaned.
"Too bad! We're playing after school."
"Yeah, yeah…"
The three of them walked into the building, chatting about anime, video games, and the upcoming football match. Riku and Yuuto headed to class, and Tatsuya headed to PE classes
Midway through class, whispers spread like wildfire.
A sleek, black luxury car pulled up outside. Students pressed against the windows, watching as a girl stepped out, long, silky hair, confident posture, and an aura of elegance.
Saki Kaneko.
Rich, famous, and now… their classmate.
"She's even more beautiful in person," one student whispered.
"She's a singer, right? I heard she's crazy rich too!"
Riku, completely unfazed, yawned. "She's just a person, right?"
As if she heard him, Saki's gaze flicked toward him for a brief moment before she walked inside.
Yuuto gasped. "She looked at you!"
"It wasn't even a second!"
"That's how it starts," Yuuto teased.
Riku groaned, already sensing trouble.
After school, Tatsuya and Riku prepare to start their football match
"You ready to lose?" Tatsuya grinned, spinning a football in his hands.
"You mean win," Riku shot back, stretching.
Yuuto sat on the sidelines, watching with an amused smile.
The game started fast, Riku dodged, dribbled, and actually managed to get a lead. The score was tied when the final minute hit.
Then, in one swift move, Tatsuya stole the ball and scored.
"HA! Victory is mine!"
Riku collapsed onto the grass. "Unfair… I was so close…"
"Close doesn't count, man," Tatsuya laughed.
As they were about to go for a rematch, Riku's watch beeped.
"Ah crap! Work!"
"You running deliveries again? Man, you're always busy."
"Yeah, yeah," Riku waved as he grabbed his bike. "I gotta go!"
Yuuto waved. "Good luck, Riku! Try not to crash your bike this time!"
Riku pedaled through the streets, weaving through traffic like a seasoned pro. His job wasn't glamorous, but it paid the bills. He made a few deliveries across town, going from doorstep to doorstep, exchanging packages for cash.
His final stop was in a part of the city he had never really visited before, a lonely street where the streetlights flickered dimly, casting eerie shadows on cracked pavement.
The air felt… wrong.
It was subtle at first. The way the wind didn't quite move the way it should. The way the air carried a strange weight, pressing down on his skin.
Riku slowed his bike, his instincts screaming at him.
Something was coming.
Then...
The sky split open.
A low, rumbling noise filled the air as the world seemed to tremble. The sky above Riku twisted unnaturally, like reality itself was being stretched too thin. Then....
CRACK!
A blinding light tore through the sky. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the ground, nearly knocking Riku off his feet.
He barely managed to keep his balance, gripping his bike handle for support.
"Okay… What the actual hell?!"
Dust and energy swirled around the crash site. Riku shielded his eyes as the light dimmed, revealing a crater that smoldered with residual energy. The ground had been shattered, cracks spreading out in jagged patterns. And at the very center…
A figure.
Riku's breath hitched. Sitting in the crater was a boy, no, something more than a boy. He looked barely older than Riku, with soft silver hair that shimmered under the moonlight. His delicate face had an ethereal beauty, large, glowing blue eyes that held both innocence and wisdom. His tattered, ancient robes barely clung to his small frame, and along his right arm, intricate markings pulsed faintly, as if barely holding in a great power.
But right now, he looked… exhausted.
His small body trembled slightly as he tried to move, his breathing uneven. He clutched his arm, wincing in pain. The divine presence surrounding him was undeniable, but his current state made him look more like a lost, tired prince than a godly being.
The boy slowly lifted his head, his gaze locking onto Riku's.
The world around them seemed to fade.
Riku's entire body tensed, the weight of the divine presence pressing down on him. It wasn't just power—it was like staring into something beyond human comprehension. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs refused to move.
Then, the divine being spoke.
"Where… am I?"
His voice was soft—barely above a whisper, but it carried something heavy, like the echo of forgotten gods. It wasn't just words. It was a presence.
Riku swallowed hard. "Uh… Earth? More specifically, a creepy abandoned street where I now regret stopping."
The boy's glowing eyes blinked in confusion. He shifted slightly, his tired gaze scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. His hand trembled as he reached out toward Riku. The glowing markings on his arm flickered weakly.
"You…" he whispered, his voice barely holding together. "You are… the one."
Riku blinked. "Okay. That's yep. That's ominous. Not terrifying at all." He forced a nervous chuckle but didn't move, eyes darting around as if waiting for someone to tell him this was some elaborate prank.
The divine being's small fingers barely brushed against Riku's sleeve.
The moment they made contact...
BOOM!
A pulse of energy exploded from the divine being's body. The wind howled as a force stronger than anything Riku had ever felt surged through him. It was like his very soul had been set on fire.
His vision blurred, light flooding his senses. His breath hitched, his body floating for a moment as gravity seemed to vanish.
His last thought before everything went black.
"Welp. This is how I die. At least it's dramatic."