Morning light seeped through the cracks of Haruto's curtains.
He lay awake in bed, eyes fixed on the cracked ceiling.
One hand rested on the strange object now strapped tightly to his wrist.
> Last night... it wasn't a dream.
That room, the box... this watch... it's all real.
But what is it? Why me?
The watch looked sleek — ancient, yet futuristic — glowing faintly, pulsing like it had a heartbeat of its own.
Haruto pulled his sleeve over it and stepped out.
---
School Hallway — Morning
The hallway buzzed with the usual morning noise.
Sneers and insults floated by, but Haruto barely registered them.
> "Tch. Look who's back. Still acting like he's invisible."
"No one notices trash anyway."
He kept walking, jaw tight.
Then — a sharp voice broke through the noise.
Around the corner.
Airi.
Cornered by two girls.
> "Still hanging around that loser Haruto?"
"What, sketching his pathetic life again?"
> "What I draw is none of your business," Airi replied, firm.
> "She thinks she's in love or something. Freak."
Haruto's blood boiled. He stepped forward.
And then —
---
WHOOSH —
The world shattered.
Papers hung suspended mid-air.
Students froze in place — mid-step, mid-breath.
Laughter choked off mid-echo.
Silence fell, deep and unnatural.
Haruto stared at his hand.
The watch gleamed with swirling blue light.
> "W-What…? What's happening?"
Everything had stopped — except him.
> I can move.
But nothing else is moving.
He turned toward Airi — frozen, hand half-raised, tears caught on her lashes.
The bullies were statues of cruelty.
> "This isn't just a trick... this is real."
A faint voice echoed in his mind.
> "Ten seconds. That's all you have… for now."
His grandfather's voice.
> "Ten seconds..."
He didn't hesitate.
Haruto grabbed Airi's hand — her skin warm, soft —
and pulled her from the frozen scene.
They weaved through time-locked students.
Up the stairs. Fast. Urgent.
The rooftop door burst open—
and the moment he let go—
---
Time Resumed.
Airi gasped, stumbling onto the rooftop, eyes wide.
> "H-Haruto?! What just happened?! How did we get here?!"
Haruto panted, hands on knees.
> "I... I think I stopped time."
> "You... stopped time?"
She stared at him.
Then at his sleeve — where faint blue light leaked through the fabric.
> "That thing... it's glowing again," she whispered.
> "You can really see it?" Haruto asked, startled.
She nodded slowly.
> "It's like... it doesn't want to stay hidden. Like it belongs with you."
Then — he noticed it.
The glow on her finger.
The silver ring. Soft, ethereal.
> "That ring... you've had it forever, right?"
> "You can see it too?"
He nodded.
> "I think... we're connected."
"This watch... that ring... they're not just objects. They're something more."
For a moment, neither spoke.
The wind whispered between them.
Something ancient stirred — silent, but strong.
---
High Above — Unknown Location
Far above, atop a tower lost in the clouds...
A cloaked figure watched.
Red eyes glowed beneath the hood.
> "They've awakened... finally."
His form melted into shadow — and vanished.
---
To Be Continued...