Tokyo, Japan – 00:14, March 24, 2026
Inside an apartment in a residential building, a woman in her forties was relentlessly banging her fists against a door, loud music blasting from inside.
"Riku! Turn that music down right now! The neighbors came to complain! And open this damn door!"
Despite her repeated shouting, there was no response from the other side.
Riku was on his bed, curled up into himself, his face buried between his knees.
He looked like a normal boy at first glance, aside from his frail build. His hair was dark and medium-length. His knuckles were stained with dried blood.
"This isn't what I wanted…" he whispered, his voice heavy and hollow.
The room was dark and cold. Only the moonlight slipping through the window above his bed faintly illuminated the four walls. That pale light reflected off the metallic surface of a kitchen knife lying just a few inches away from him.
The glint caught Riku's attention, revealing his somber expression.
Memories suddenly resurfaced—images of shocked students… but his thoughts fixated on one face in particular.
A girl.
Terrified.
Crying.
Riku trembled.
"Why did I do it?!"
Without hesitation, he grabbed the knife.
"I'm useless…"
He turned the blade toward himself, pressing it against his throat. Tears streamed down his young face.
His breathing grew heavier.
The room fell into absolute silence.
"I can't fix anything anymore… let's just end it," he muttered, his voice filled with resignation.
Riku stabbed himself.
USA – 12:05, March 23, 2026
The sound of laughter, footsteps, and lockers echoed through the school hallways.
And yet, for one girl, none of it existed.
Her eyes moved constantly, scanning everything.
She wasn't looking for someone.
She was trying to avoid them.
I need to get out of here…
Her dark hair fell messily over her face as she walked quickly, breaking any attempt to stay composed.
Between her fingers, she tightly held a crumpled piece of paper.
Her pace quickened—
One step. Two.
Then she stopped.
Her blue pupils widened, as if the entire world had narrowed down to a single presence.
At the far end of the hallway stood a hooded figure, who had just entered through the main entrance.
No… this is bad. He's waiting for me.
The world around her seemed to slow down.
The boy began walking toward her.
She immediately turned away.
She walked faster.
And faster.
Don't run… don't draw attention…
She turned the corner, trying to stay calm—but seconds later, she crashed into another student, knocking him to the ground.
"What the hell, watch it!"
She didn't stop.
The noise of the impact drew attention.
Too much attention.
She glanced back for just a second.
The hooded figure had changed pace.
Now he was moving faster.
Toward her.
He saw me.
Her heartbeat spiked, and her legs moved on their own.
At that point, she stopped holding back.
She ran.
She rushed down the hallway, ignoring the voices around her, pushing open a fire door and finding herself in a stairwell.
She climbed without stopping.
One floor.
Two.
Three.
Her breathing grew heavier, but she didn't slow down.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
He wasn't far.
She reached a metal door.
She pushed it.
It didn't open.
She tried again, harder.
The door gave just enough for her to squeeze through.
The wind hit her immediately.
She was on the rooftop.
She took a few steps forward, then stopped.
There was nowhere else to go.
Only the edge of the building.
She slowly turned around.
The door behind her creaked open.
The hooded figure stepped out calmly.
Unhurried.
As if he already knew how this would end.
She stepped back until she felt the void behind her.
He kept approaching.
One step at a time.
Her breath broke.
Tears blurred her vision.
"D-Don't… don't come any closer…"
She stepped back again.
Her foot met empty air.
For a moment, she froze.
The wind hit her face.
He took another step.
Too close.
She instinctively moved back.
Her body lost balance.
Her hands reached for something.
Nothing.
Only air.
Time seemed to slow.
The sky above her.
The wind.
The void.
A thought crossed her mind.
This can't be how it ends…
Then her body disappeared beyond the edge.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Judgment awaited.