I groggily blinked my eyes open, barely registering the sound of my door slamming open before a small weight landed on my bed.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up!”

Aoi’s voice, way too energetic for this hour, drilled into my ears as she jumped on my bed like a gremlin high on sugar. I groaned, burying my face into my pillow, but that only encouraged her.

“Lucian, you’re gonna be late! Come on, lazy bones!”

I sighed and peeked out from under my blanket. My adopted little sister, Aoi Rengoku, was perched on the edge of my bed, her big, sparkling violet eyes practically glowing with amusement. Her silky, shoulder-length blue hair, which always reminded me of a clear summer sky, bounced as she hopped up and down. With her small nose, soft features, and naturally rosy cheeks, she had an almost doll-like beauty—the kind of girl who could make heads turn effortlessly. Unfortunately, behind that cute face was a full-fledged menace.

“Aoi, get off,” I mumbled, voice still heavy with sleep.

“Nope! Not until you get up.”

Before I could shove her off, a melodic voice called from downstairs.

“Lucian, are you awake?”

That was Ayaka Rengoku, my adoptive mother and the owner of a cozy café down the street. Her voice, gentle yet firm, held the kind of authority that made ignoring her impossible.

“I’m up, I’m up,” I called back, sighing.

“Then get moving, or I’ll cut your café discount,” she warned playfully.

That got me. Losing my coffee privileges was not an option.

With great effort, I pried myself from my bed and dragged myself to the bathroom. I flicked on the light and stared at my reflection.

A pair of deep blue eyes—a shade so striking they almost seemed unnatural—stared back at me. My black hair, tinged with red at the tips, was messy from sleep, falling over my forehead in a tousled look that I’d like to pretend was intentional. My features were sharp yet balanced—handsome enough that I’d caught a few admirers staring more than once, though I never really paid much attention to it.

I splashed cold water on my face, letting the chill jolt me awake, then dried off and walked back into my room, only to find Aoi still there, sitting cross-legged on my bed.

“You’re finally up,” she grinned.

“No thanks to you,” I muttered, grabbing a hoodie and pulling it on.

She just giggled. “You’d sleep all day if I didn’t wake you up.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Aoi stuck out her tongue at me before hopping off the bed and skipping downstairs. I followed, the scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm bread already drifting through the air.

In the kitchen, Ayaka stood by the counter, casually flipping through a magazine while sipping her coffee. She was the picture of elegance—long, silky black hair cascading over her shoulders, flawless fair skin, and soft, graceful features that made her look effortlessly beautiful. Dressed in a simple blouse and a fitted skirt, she had the kind of natural charm that suited a café owner—warm, inviting, yet with an air of quiet sophistication.

“Morning,” I mumbled, grabbing a plate of toast.

“Morning,” she replied smoothly. “You were out like a rock last night. Stayed up reading again?”

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

“You mean definitely,” Aoi chimed in as she stole a piece of my toast.

I flicked her forehead.

“Hey!” she pouted.

“You took my food. That’s fair punishment.”

Ayaka shook her head with an amused sigh. “If you’re done terrorizing each other, take your coffee and get moving. You have a whole day ahead of you.”

Gratefully, I grabbed a cup of fresh coffee from the counter. The perks of having a mom who ran a café were undeniable. After taking a sip of the rich, slightly sweet brew, I stepped outside, letting the crisp morning air wake me up fully.

The day had barely started, but somehow, with these two around, it already felt full.

—————————

The city buzzed with life as I wandered through the familiar streets, hands tucked into my hoodie pockets. The air carried the scent of freshly baked bread from a nearby bakery, blending with the rich aroma of brewing coffee from a small shop on the corner.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

I passed by a bookstore, its large display window showcasing the latest bestsellers and light novels, the covers vibrant under the morning sun. Just next door, a tiny café was setting up for the day, a waitress flipping the sign from "Closed" to "Open." A few regulars were already seated outside, chatting over cups of steaming tea.

The streets of London had a unique charm—modern glass buildings stood tall beside old brick alleyways, remnants of history peeking through the urban landscape. The contrast felt oddly fitting, considering my own life.

I stopped at a vending machine tucked against a wall, the hum of its cooling system barely noticeable over the noise of passing pedestrians. Fishing a few coins from my pocket, I pressed a button, and a cold bottle of tea clunked into the tray below. As I twisted off the cap and took a sip, my mind drifted to my upcoming first day of high school.

A new school, new classmates, new expectations.

It wasn’t like I was nervous—I had been through plenty of changes before. But there was always that nagging feeling, like I was standing between two worlds without fully belonging to either.

I was Western by birth but raised in a Japanese household. At home, I ate with chopsticks, helped clean the tatami mats, and followed the customs ingrained in my family. But outside? I ordered fish and chips like any other Londoner, preferred drinking from cans instead of teacups, and felt more comfortable speaking English than Japanese, even though I was fluent in both.

It was a weird mix—like I was both, yet neither.

Taking another sip of tea, I sighed and leaned against the vending machine, watching the city move around me.

Maybe high school would be just another adjustment. Maybe it wouldn’t be that different from everything else.

Or maybe, just maybe, things were about to get a whole lot more interesting.

————————

The city moved around me, a steady rhythm of life—cars rolling down the street, the chatter of early-morning workers, the distant hum of traffic. But then, something changed.

The air turned unnaturally still.

The usual sounds of London—footsteps, car horns, the rustling wind—suddenly felt distant, like I had stepped into an invisible bubble that muffled everything outside it. A strange chill crawled up my spine.

“The hell…?” I muttered under my breath.

That was when I saw it.

A faint glow flickered from the mouth of a narrow alleyway, tucked beside an old bookstore I had walked past countless times. The alley itself wasn’t remarkable—just a cramped gap between two aging buildings, filled with forgotten trash bins and cracked pavement. But that light…

It pulsed, a soft iridescent shimmer, shifting like liquid metal and seeping out from somewhere deep inside the alley.

“Alright… that's not normal.”

Any sane person would’ve ignored it. Kept walking.

And yet, before I even realized it, my feet were already moving.

Each step felt heavier, like some unseen force was pushing against me—warning me. But the flickering glow pulled me in, curiosity outweighing common sense.

The moment I reached the source, my breath hitched.

Lying on the ground, half-buried in dust and grime, was a small, metallic cube.

“What the hell is this…?” I whispered, crouching down.

It wasn’t just glowing—it was alive. The surface was black, polished stone, yet as I watched, shifting symbols flickered across it, rearranging into patterns I didn’t recognize. They pulsed softly, as if the cube itself was breathing.

I hesitated.

Common sense told me to leave it alone. Walk away. Forget I ever saw it.

But something deeper—something instinctual—urged me forward.

I reached out a hand.

The moment my fingers brushed against the cube, an electric jolt shot up my arm.

“Shit—!”

The alleyway twisted.

Reality itself warped, bending and distorting like a funhouse mirror. The ground beneath me disappeared, and the walls stretched and collapsed all at once. My vision blurred as the colors around me melted into an infinite void.

I gasped, my breath stolen away.

The air felt too thick, pressing against my chest. A deafening silence swallowed me whole, replacing every sound in existence.

And then—

Darkness.