One day—if the word day still had meaning in this place—Kazuhiro Takeda sat alone in the corner of an old library. Tall shelves surrounded him, filled with books most of which had never been touched since their arrival. Dust clung to their spines, as if time had chosen to stop right here.
Kazuhiro opened a book without truly reading it. His eyes followed the lines of letters, but his thoughts drifted far away. He read not to understand, but to calm himself—an old ritual he had practiced long before this world swallowed him.
Soft footsteps echoed between the shelves.
Kazuhiro didn't turn immediately.He had learned: footsteps were often more honest than words.
"Keda?"
The voice made his hand stop mid-page.He closed the book slowly before turning around.
Between the shelves stood a young man with a familiar face—a face that should have belonged to another world, another time.
Raditya Narendra.
Raditia looked startled, as if unsure whether what he was seeing was real. He stood frozen for a few seconds before finally stepping closer.
"Seriously… you?" he said softly. "Kazuhiro Takeda?"
Kazuhiro let out a short breath. "I could say the same."
Raditia let out a small laugh that quickly faded. "Crazy… of all places, I run into you here."
He sat in the chair across from him without being invited. The bookshelves separated them from the rest of the world, creating a narrow space that felt safe—for now.
"You look… different," Raditia said.
"So do you," Kazuhiro replied. "You think more before you speak."
Raditia nodded slightly. "In this place, people who talk too fast usually don't last long."
Silence slipped in between them.
Kazuhiro looked at the book in his hands. "Do you still believe this is a game?"
Raditia paused. "I want to believe it," he answered honestly. "But what I see now… people aren't changing because of rules. They're changing because of fear."
Kazuhiro closed the book completely. "That's the most dangerous thing."
Raditia raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because rules can be resisted," Kazuhiro said. "But fear… rarely is."
Outside the library, more footsteps echoed. Too many. Too orderly.
Raditia stood up. "We need to go."
Kazuhiro nodded. But before they stepped out, he glanced back at the bookshelves—as if he knew this place wouldn't remain a refuge for much longer.