Chapter 14 – Ordinary Instincts
1 Year, 11 Months, and 29 Days before the Hamatsu Incident — 4:29 AM
The ordinary world was devoid of light. Occasional melodies of muffled, high-pitched chirps accompanied by the soft rustle of nearby trees resounded through the otherwise silent morning. Standing out in the quiet space was the constant, sharp whine of ringing in his ears.
His eyelids felt impossibly heavy. Kuro was far too comfortable beneath his warm sheets to consider getting out of bed. He twisted and stretched his frame across the mattress, attempting to settle into the perfect sleeping position once more. Just as he found a fleeting moment of bliss, the digital, repetitive shrill of his alarm clock violently invaded his ears.
It was time to wake up, yet Kuro refused to move. The soft embrace of his bedsheets held him firmly in place. Not forgetting his mattress whose extraordinary softness felt almost divine. Still, 'All good things had to come to an end eventually,' even if he tried to convince himself that a few extra minutes would not hurt.
Attempting to rationalize a delay would only lead to sleeping in even longer. Reluctantly surrendering to reality, he slowly opened his eyes. The dark room appeared as an indistinct blur. Kuro blinked several times to bring his vision into focus, until all that met his sight was his familiar, ordinary ceiling.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The wailing alarm clock was still letting out its unrelenting fit. A pulsating vein burgeoned on the side of his forehead. He traced his sight from the ceiling down to his flank where the sound came from.
BEEP BEEP BEEP
The shrills seemed to get louder as if mocking him. 'Or maybe facing it made me hear it better'. Regardless, he felt thoroughly peeved at the innocent clock for executing the exact instruction he had assigned to it. Although it was still difficult not to hate it, it did disturb his sleep after all, perhaps his annoyance was a little reasonable. only a little bit.
The sun had not yet risen, nor did any ambient morning light illuminate the space. Yet, with a swift, instinctual arc of his arm, he reached out and dismissed the alarm. Arching his back, he sat upright on the edge of the bed. He stretched his limbs drowsy and stood up, walking toward the bedroom window in the pitch blackness.
Sheer instinct allowed him to navigate the exact layout of his room without guidance. Then again, the space was small enough that it was hardly an impressive feat.
Drawing the curtains wide, he pushed open the window. A fresh, cool gust of morning air welcomed him instantly. Kuro took a deep breath, filling his lungs before letting out a calm sigh. It was a brand-new day, and his mood was surprisingly bright.
He turned and walked toward the light switch, flipping it on. A sudden, brilliant flash illuminated the dark room, briefly blinding him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and opened them slowly, granting his vision time to adjust to the stark glare.
Once his eyes focused, he was met with towering mountains of notebooks stacked upon even more notebooks. The surrounding walls resembled an ancient billboard, plastered end-to-end with handwritten notes. Every piece of paper shared a single undeniable trait: his own handwriting.
'Heavens... I knew I had to keep tabs on things, but I did not realize it was this bad. I suppose that is what happens when you have to maintain a record of events for eleven years straight.'
Kuro let out a quiet sigh, resolving to deal with the mountain of paper later. Yet, his curiosity gripped him like a tight thread. Ignoring the scattered notebooks across the floor, he approached the wall to scan a few of the pinned notes. After reading through a portion of them, he finally set the papers aside, freshened up, and prepared himself to head out for school.
Stepping outside, Kuro began his daily walk. He took his usual route through the neighborhood, the familiar path eventually leading him toward the location of the exaggerated crater.
As he drew nearer, he noticed bright yellow caution tape cordoning off the vast basin and its immediate surroundings. The entire perimeter buzzed with activity, swarming with media crews, law enforcement officials, and individuals bearing the distinct crests of the 'Auramancer Association' alongside those of the 'Monard'.
The overlap of raised voices, camera shutters, and flashing sirens caused a fleeting sense of disorientation, though he quickly regained his composure.
Whispers from gathering pedestrians drifted into his ears as the crowd gossiped about the potential cause of the disaster. Some speculated that a massive asteroid had struck the area, while others whispered nervously about another dreadspawn attack, citing the heavy presence of the Monard and the Auramancer Association Investigation Bureau dubbed the AAIB.
Nearby, several women and children wept openly, arguing with officials as they held up photographs of missing husbands, brothers, and relatives. The stationed officers attempted to calm the grieving families, offering practiced assurances that whoever or whatever was responsible for the incident would be brought to justice.
A few stray flyers blew across the pavement, floating toward Kuro's feet. A wave of recognition washed over him as he looked down. He recognized the faces printed on the paper. A heavy mix of sympathy, self-loathing, and intense guilt settled in his chest. As far as he knew, he was the very last person to see those individuals alive, even though they had all been in a completely deranged state at the time.
'Who could possibly believe the truth of those events? If I confessed, they would likely only hear a murderer's admission, ignoring the circumstances entirely. After all, there were no witnesses to speak of anyway. Regardless...'
Unable to bear the sight any longer, Kuro turned away and decided to take a detour to reach school. Along the alternative route, he observed massive traffic jams caused by the surrounding commotion. Frustrated drivers blared their horns incessantly while angry passengers traded shouts with cab drivers. The streets were locked in utter chaos.
Navigating his way through the congested sidewalks, he noticed that nearby cafes and restaurants were packed with unfamiliar faces. Their attire varied wildly; some appeared to be internet content creators looking for a story, while others looked like curious space enthusiasts drawn by the rumors.
Eventually, he reached the school premises, only to find another dense gathering blocking the entrance. Dozens of students and classmates were held up at the front gates. Kuro paused, wondering briefly if he had somehow arrived late, though a quick mental check confirmed it was far too early for the morning bell.
He approached the crowd, listening as the combined voices of students, teachers, and security guards attempted to manage the situation. Angry parents were demanding answers while overexcited students chattered loudly. Kuro scanned the sea of faces for anyone familiar, specifically searching for Tami, but she was nowhere to be seen. He reasoned that she had likely left already, as she did not seem like the type to loiter in crowds.
The booming, familiar voice of one of the senior teachers suddenly rose above the din. The instructor announced, "Various public sectors are currently undergoing emergency closures in response to the recent tragedy nearby, particularly since whatever caused it has yet to be apprehended. Consequently, I must request your utmost patience and cooperation".
The teachers and staff bowed deeply in unison, apologizing for the severe inconvenience while emphasizing that the circumstances were entirely beyond their control.
A wave of jubilation rippled through the student body. The unexpected closure meant an extended break tacked onto their upcoming holiday, granting them nearly a full month of free time.
As the crowd began to disperse, a male classmate stepped up and tapped Kuro softly on the shoulder. He greeted Kuro with a bright, friendly smile, prompting several other nearby students to gather round and offer their own cheerful greetings.
"Good morning, Marie, Toga, Tanaka, Kenta, Yamamoto,..." Kuro replied smoothly, returning their gestures while addressing each of them by name.
A sudden, sharp gasp escaped the group. Silence fell over the circle as his classmates stared at him with utterly bewildered expressions.
Kenta, the boy who had first approached him, raised a hand and pointed at Kuro in disbelief. "Heavens, wait... you actually remembered our names? Usually, you just nod and forget who we are, or you don't even bother saying them out loud."
A female student chimed in with a slight chuckle. "Honestly, we all just thought you were being arrogant."
Another girl immediately turned and reprimanded her. "He wasn't being arrogant! He's just introverted and all."
Small talk continued to flow among the group. They exchanged casual chatter, occasionally turning to ask Kuro for his input. For the most part, Kuro merely offered a polite, somewhat nervous smile.
He struggled to catch the subtle sarcasm woven into their jokes, unable to truly relate to any of the topics they discussed. In truth, he felt as though he lived under a rock; current trends and public affairs rarely crossed his mind, as he saw little point in keeping up with things that did not directly concern him.
"So, Kuro, what are your plans for the extra time off?" one of the students asked.
Kuro opened his mouth to think of an answer, but before he could respond, a security guard stepped forward to direct the crowd. "Alright, everyone, please head straight home! It isn't safe to linger around here!"
The students scattered like a spilled handful of beads, each going their separate ways.
Kuro turned and began his journey home, retracing the detour he had taken earlier. As he walked, he paused to consider how to spend the rest of his day. His schedule contained little beyond his rigid daily routines, and this sudden disruption was entirely unaccounted for. To be completely honest, the unexpected change left him feeling rather peeved.
After some thought, he decided he would visit the quiet library he had once attended with Miss Tami a long while back. Thinking of the place brought her to mind. 'How is Tami doing, anyway?' It had been quite some time since they last met up. 'Was it a few months ago, or merely a couple of weeks?' He found himself struggling to recall the precise timeframe.
Kuro eventually arrived at a peaceful park situated beside a small, tranquil lake. The serene atmosphere was inviting, so he decided to take a seat on a wooden bench overlooking the quiet water.
He sat there in total stillness for a long while. The calm surroundings and gentle silence relaxed his mood, easing the tension in his shoulders.
A moment later, an anthracite crow glided down from above, perching gracefully on the wooden bench right beside him. The bird's feathers were an impossibly deep black, yet they shimmered with a striking golden luster whenever it shifted its weight. Even more striking were its bright azure eyes, which stared at him with an eerie, expressionless intensity. Kuro argued inwardly with himself over the sight, 'How could a bird even make an expression, it was a bird ... just an unusual looking one'.
He observed the creature with deep fascination. Unique and unusual living things had always intrigued him, even when he was a young child. 'Heavens. If only I brought a proper camera, or at least my sketchbook.'
"Kuro!"
A soft female voice called out his name from a distance not too far from where he was. Kuro turned his head toward the sound, instantly recognizing the familiar tone belonging to Tami. Seeing her approach, he offered a polite wave, which she returned with a bright smile.
As he prepared to stand up, he glanced back at the spot on the bench where the bird had been sitting. The crow had vanished without a sound, leaving no trace of its departure. The only proof of its presence was a single, pitch-black feather resting on the wooden slat, shimmering with a faint golden luster beneath the light.
Kuro carefully picked up the feather and placed it securely between the pages of one of his school notebooks, resolving to study it carefully at a later time.
Standing up, he walked over to meet Tami as she closed the distance between them. She was dressed in comfortable, casual clothing. After exchanging polite greetings, Tami tilted her head curiously.
"What are you up to around here, Kuro? I rarely ever see you near this part of town."
"I happened to take a detour on my way back and came across the lake," Kuro explained calmly. "I decided to sit and hang out here for a little while." He opted not to mention the early school closure, assuming she was likely already aware of the news.
Tami nodded in understanding. "When I got to the school gates, they told us classes were canceled for the day. So I went back home to change out of my uniform and was actually planning to head over to your place."
Kuro let out a soft, nervous chuckle. "It is a good thing we ran into each other here, then. You wouldn't have found anyone at home, since I was planning to head to the library next."
He paused for a brief moment before adding, "By the way... what have you been up to all this time? It feels like it has been a very long time since we last saw each other. Was it a few months ago, or a few weeks?"
Tami leaned her head to the side, looking at him with a mixture of confusion and mild bewilderment.
"Months?" she asked softly. "Kuro... wasn't it just yesterday afternoon when we last saw each other in person?"
End of Chapter