March 23, 2026 — Tokyo, Japan
A woman in her forties knocks insistently on the door of a bedroom, from which extremely loud music is blasting.
"Riku, turn the volume down! The neighbors have complained! And open this door!" the woman shouted at someone on the other side.
Behind the door, lying on his bed beneath a window overlooking the night sky, is Riku, staring outside amid the chaos filling the room.
Riku is a boy with medium-length black hair cut in a bowl style. He is shirtless, revealing a very slender body.
This is what I deserve! the boy thinks, his face twisted with anguish.
—
Memories of a girl resurface in his mind, but he cannot clearly recall her face.
—
His gaze darkens suddenly. The thought of that girl unsettles him.
What have I done!? he thinks, covering his face with one hand to hide his despair.
His empty eyes drift toward a knife resting on the bed.
After a few moments of hesitation, he slowly reaches for it and grips it.
"I ruined everything… no one will ever look at me without disgust…"
With a slow twist of his wrist, he turns the blade toward himself, aiming at his neck.
Tears slide down the young boy's face. His breathing grows heavier and heavier.
"Nothing makes sense anymore… I ruined everything!"
Riku is about to stab himself.
"Let's end it here!"
March 24, 2026 — Los Angeles, California
Two girls walk beneath the scorching sun.
"What a cruel mother… sending me grocery shopping on a holiday like this. Today I could've slept in…" said the girl with long blonde hair, her voice filled with boredom.
The other girl, with dark hair, smiles at her friend's reaction. "At least the store is close." She pauses for a moment. "But think about it, Celia… I could've stayed home sleeping too, just like you."
Celia wraps an arm around her neck.
"That's why I thank you, Emily. Best friends are useful for things like this too!"
Emily looks at her, puzzled. "You're dragging me to hell just for company…"
"Come on, don't exaggerate. I'll buy you something."
"Well, at least that…" Emily replies, resigned.
The two head toward the store.
"Deal, then!"
They enter a small shop with only one cashier, distracted by his phone, barely noticing the girls.
Emily heads toward the refrigerators. "If you're paying, I'm getting a drink to fight this heat."
"Fine," her friend replies from another aisle. "Get one for me too."
Meanwhile, a hooded boy enters the store and walks straight toward the counter. The cashier notices him immediately, growing slightly uneasy but maintaining his composure.
This kid… he doesn't give me a good feeling…
"Good morning, can I help you?" the cashier asks with a forced smile, trying to hide the fact that he is searching for something under the counter.
"Yes, you'll definitely be useful…" The boy places his bag on the counter and pulls out a gun with his other hand. "Why don't you fill this bag with all the money in the register?"
The cashier immediately stops fumbling under the counter and slowly raises his hands. "S-sure, just… let's not do anything stupid…"
"Of course. I don't kill randomly. Now hurry up."
"Y-yes!"
The cashier begins emptying the register. At that moment, Emily, out of sheer bad luck, passes through that area and tries to move away quietly.
"You think I didn't notice you?" the robber asks, turning slightly toward her with an unreadable gaze that freezes her in place. "How about handing over your belongings too, just like the good cashier here?"
The robber extends his free hand toward Emily.
"I-I will… right away…" Emily says on the verge of tears as she hands over her phone and wallet.
"Thanks… but I think you forgot something." His eyes fall on her necklace. "That too."
Emily removes it and hands it over. This time, the robber seems satisfied.
"Thanks for your cooperation. Now lie down on the floor and don't move. This will be over soon."
His calm tone does nothing to reassure Emily, who collapses to the floor crying.
Meanwhile, Celia hides behind a shelf while calling the police.
Come on, answer!
She peeks out to see what is happening, but accidentally knocks over a can, causing a loud noise.
The robber notices.
"Whoever you are, come out now! You're already screwed!"
Even after the demand, Celia does not come out. The boy sighs.
"There's always someone who has to cause trouble."
He points the gun at Emily.
"Come out or I shoot. Don't think I won't. Ten seconds. Ten… nine…"
Emily trembles more and more as the countdown continues.
"Five…"
"Celia, come out! Please!" Emily cries.
Celia steps out after leaving the phone on the call with the police.
"Hello? Hello?" the voice echoes from the phone.
"Good, Celia… come closer slowly, and start handing over your belongings, just like your friend."
Celia does as she's told.
"That's enough!" the cashier shouts, pointing his gun at the robber, who had been distracted by Celia.
The robber slowly raises his hands.
"Now slowly put the gun on the ground! Then kneel with your hands behind your head!"
Seeing the situation, Celia moves toward her friend, intending to help her.
But the sudden movement distracts the cashier.
The robber notices and takes advantage of it, firing a shot straight at his head.
The man dies instantly.
The dull sound of his body hitting the floor shatters the girls' composure.
Emily starts screaming.
The boy sighs, almost annoyed.
"It wasn't supposed to go like this…"
Emily suddenly jumps up and runs toward the exit.
"Where do you think you're going? Who told you to get up…?"
He raises the gun again and aims at the fleeing girl.
"No! Stop!" Celia screams.
The shot is fired anyway.
Despite being in motion, Emily is hit in the head.
She collapses just in front of the door.
The sight of her friend's lifeless body is the final blow to Celia's mental state. Her breathing becomes frantic, sweat dripping down her completely pale face as shock takes over.
She collapses to her knees.
"Emily…"
Heavy footsteps approach.
The cold metal of the gun presses against her temple.
She slowly turns toward him. "Please…"
She begins to cry, but the man who committed two murders moments ago does not hesitate.
"I'm sorry… I can't leave witnesses."
At those words, Celia loses all hope.
Why do I have to die like this…?
She sees the trigger about to be pulled.
I still have so much to do…
Something snaps inside her.
"Who are you to decide when I die!?"
Celia suddenly lunges toward the robber, aiming the gun—
The shot fires.
Yet the sound echoes unnaturally, louder than it should, in a silence filled with nothingness.
Darkness swallows everything.