The crowd roared as the stadium lights flooded the arena.
Haruka, a sixteen-year-old girl with silky black hair and sharp green eyes, stood at the center of the ring, a confident smile resting on her lips.
This was the moment she had trained for—
the final match of the Olympic Martial Arts Championship in the 60 kg category.
Her opponent stared at her with a sharp, challenging glare.
The referee raised his hand.
"Begin!"
The moment the signal was given, her opponent lunged forward. Haruka dodged lightly, feeling the air from the punches brush past her cheek. She countered with a sharp roundhouse kick to the ribs, the impact echoing throughout the stadium.
The opponent staggered back but quickly responded with a flurry of punches. Haruka evaded them skillfully, her movements smooth and precise, almost like a dance. She spun through the air and delivered a powerful spinning punch that sent her opponent toward the edge of the ring.
But she wasn't finished yet—she attacked again.
Haruka exhaled sharply.
It was time to end this.
She ducked under the incoming strike, planted her foot firmly, and delivered a devastating uppercut. Her opponent's body lifted off the ground before crashing down motionless.
The stadium exploded with cheers.
"The winner of the final match, and Olympic gold medalist—Haruka!"
Haruka stood victorious, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she caught her breath. She raised her arms proudly as the gold medal was placed around her neck, glittering beneath the lights.
But as she turned toward the audience, searching for a single face—
Her father wasn't there.
She swallowed hard and tightened her grip on the medal.
She had known… he wouldn't come.
After the match, she went to the locker room to change. There, she met a woman dressed in a formal black suit, holding towels. The woman spoke calmly,
"You did very well, miss."
Haruka took one of the towels and asked quietly,
"He didn't come again, did he?"
The woman nodded.
"Yes. He had an important meeting today, so he sent me instead."
Haruka sat down, draping the towel over her head, and began scrolling through her phone.
"Fine," she said flatly. "It's not like I was expecting anything from him anyway."
As she scrolled, a video appeared explaining how to reduce the impact of falling from the sky if a parachute fails. She scoffed softly.
"What use would that information ever be to me?"
She looked up at the woman.
"Are you still here? You can leave now."
The woman hesitated, then said,
"My master sent me to inform you that your engagement ceremony has been completed. You are to meet your fiancé tomorrow."
Haruka replied indifferently,
"Alright. Just go."
After the door closed, Haruka sighed, slapped her cheeks with both hands, and smiled faintly.
"So… should I go home, or maybe go shopping?"
A moment of silence passed.
Her stomach growled.
She laughed lightly.
"I guess I should eat first."
Some time later, she exited the restaurant with a bag of food in hand and waved to the shop owner.
"Thanks for the meal. I'll come again."
On the street, she hailed a taxi. City lights blurred past the window like glowing streaks, the gold medal around her neck shining softly.
While riding, she noticed something outside.
Three dogs, their teeth bared and growling, were surrounding a small black cat with glowing red eyes.
"Stop the car!" she shouted.
The driver slammed the brakes. Haruka jumped out and ran toward them.
The cat hissed, its fur standing on end, but the dogs crept closer. Without hesitation, Haruka slammed her foot into the ground, producing a sharp, cracking sound. The dogs froze.
"Get away from it!" she commanded sternly.
The largest dog leapt toward her. She spun quickly, grabbed a wooden stick from the ground, and swung it like a staff. The dog yelped and backed away. As the leader retreated, the others followed, disappearing into the alley.
Haruka knelt down and reached out gently toward the trembling cat.
"Are you okay?"
The cat looked up at her with deep green eyes. There was something… unnatural about it.
She shook her head and dismissed the thought.
Noticing the small wounds on its body, she sighed.
"You're hurt and covered in dirt."
She picked it up and placed it inside the taxi.
"I'll take you with me."
When they arrived at her building, the cat suddenly jumped from her arms, snatched the medal from around her neck, and leaped toward the rooftop.
Her eyes widened.
"Did it just steal my medal?!"
"Give it back!" she shouted.
No response.
"Come on… don't be scared. I won't hurt you."
The cat stepped back cautiously.
"Hey! Give it back!"
Haruka climbed onto the rooftop after it. The cat sat there, the medal dangling from its mouth. She approached carefully and extended her hand.
"Come on… I worked so hard for that."
The cat turned its head stubbornly.
She frowned.
"Wait… did you understand what I just said?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No, that's ridiculous."
She took one more step forward—
Her foot slipped.
Her heart froze as the rooftop vanished beneath her.
"Haaah! Am I… falling?!"
The twenty-second floor—
If I fall, I'll definitely die!
She opened her eyes slightly—
and saw the cat smiling, murmuring strange words.
The wind roared around her, her stomach twisting in terror.
"I'm going to die! Is this really the end?!
I don't want to die! I don't want to!"
Suddenly—
The air around her changed.
It felt… different. Stronger.
She opened her eyes wide—
And froze.
She was no longer falling from the rooftop.
She was falling from the sky.
To be continued…