Chapter 1

Tokyo, 4 november 2022

As usual the Shibuya district is packed with people and the surrounding environment is nice and cozy because it’s fall, and as usual i was on my way to attend college but I forgot to have a breakfast before I go to attend the 10 a.m class. I stop at the convenience store to buy some sandwiches, as I was looking at the vast amount of sandwiches that are ready to eat suddenly I hear a familiar voice of a girl calling me.

“Mornin’ Ren. It’s unusual to see you buying breakfast”

Ah yes my friend aiko. She is one of my friends that are closed to me. We’ve been a “bestie” since the first day of college. She’s a lively lovely girl but she can be annoying sometimes. Well long story short, I know her because she was lost on her way to the class back then. And then she suddenly approached me and asked me the way to her class. And apparently she was on the same class as I.

“Yeah, I woke up late today so I didn’t have time to cook a breakfast… so…. Why are you here?” I replied

“Why am I here? Duhhhh, of course to buy some snacks for class later. What? You want me to treat you sum’?” she replied

“No need, I brought my own money. By the way why didn’t you attend the class last week?” I asked her

“Because I just not in the mood. So I skipped the class last week…. You’re not gonna tell the professor that I skipped right?..... RIGHT?????!!!!” She raised her voice a little

“I won’t, calm down. You’re too loud for god sake”

“hehe, sorry…. So ren… ummm… wanna go to campus together?”

“sure, why not” I replied

“nice, okay I better hurry to choose my snacks and you also better hurry to choose your sandwiches. If you ask me I would get this new edition fruit sandwich”

“Hmmm… really? I mean this one seems really good, I’m not gonna lie… okay then I’m buying this. You should hurry up and buy your snacks for later”

“okie dokie” she wink before going to the next stall to buy her snacks

After she chooses her snacks we go to the cashier and at the end. I was the one who paid for everything. After I paid for everything we leave the convenience store and we’re walking together to our campus, we have a small talk on our way to the campus. Once we’re in the campus she said that she need to go to her friends first and let me go to the class without her.

“Make sure you’re not gonna be late aiko” I shouted at her

She look back at me and smile “don’t worry, I’m not gonna be late”

After that I go to the class alone and when I got there, there was only three other people. I mean who can blame them we still have 10 minutes before the class start, I decided to sit at my usual seat which is on the back left of the classroom after I sat on my seat I decided to eat my sandwich and looking through my social media. After I finished my sandwich, I messaged aiko “you better hurry up, the others are already here, and the class will start in three minutes”.

“Yeah, I know I’m omw there, don’t worry. Make sure to save a seat for me winking emoji” she replied

Not long after that she enter the class and sit right next to me and not long after that, the class started. After an hour, We finished the class.

“God, that class was so fucking boring” said aiko

“I agree with you there but it is what it is” I laugh at aiko

“Jeez why are you laughing ren?” she pouted

"Anyway do you have any other class you have to attend after this?” I ask her

“Nah, but I got something to do with my club”

“I see… aiko…”

“hmmm? What is it?”

“I think you should take some rest, you look really tired”

“Ah… thank you ren, but I’m good”

“Okay then. Well I’m going home now”

“wait you don’t have any other class?”

“The professor cancelled the class. Si yeah I don’t have any other classes”

“I see, okay then see ya”

“See ya aiko” I say while walking out from the class.

When I was on my way to my home I decided to buy a quick lunch first before heading home. After I finished eating lunch I continue walking to my home because my home is not to far from my college. After about 20 minutes of walking I finally arrived at my home(apartment). My apartment is not that fancy it’s just a humble one bedroom one bathroom apartment. After I got there I quickly change my clothes and finish my assignment before finally I decided to play my favorite RPG game in my PC after a of playing the game 5 hours to be exact, I got a message from aiko “rennnnnnnnnn, are you home?”.

“Hmmm?” I murmur to myself before replying “yeah I’m home, what do you need?”

“Can I go there? I’m bored” she replied

“Of course you can aiko” I replied

“okay then… can you cook up something for me? I’m hungry” she replied

“what!? I’m not your butler nor boyfriend. Why should I cook for you?” I replied

“Jeez you’re such a meanie” she replied

“Don’t worry, I'll cook up something for you” I replied

“Thank you ren!!!! You’re a lifesaver. I’ll be there In about an hour” she replied 

“sure” I replied

After I send that message I decided to cook a simple meal for her. It’s nothing fancy it’s just a simple fried chicken and rice with some soup. And after one and a half hour she arrives at my apartment and knocking at my door “ren, it’s me” she knock at the door while shouting.

“Come in, it’s not locked” I shout at her.

She opened my door and immediately enter my apartment and say “jeez you should lock your door ren….smell nice what are you cooking ren?”

“just some fried chicken, rice and soup. Nothing much”

“Ren, mind if I use the shower?”

“yeah, go ahead”

“Yeayyy, thank you ren!!!!”

She immediately place her bag in my couch taking her towel and spare clothes before walking to the bathroom “hey ren, don’t peek ‘kay” she wink and smile playfully at me before entering the bathroom.

“i won’t, chill out” I replied. After that I plate the dinner and not long after that aiko finished taking a shower and went out from the bathroom using her other clothes with water still dripping from her long black silky hair

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“ it’s so refreshing, thank you ren!”

“no problem, come on let’s eat dinner together”

“DINNER TIME!!” she said that with a smile

We eat dinner together and after we finish eating dinner she suddenly ask me if she can spend the night here and of course I say yes. After she got a confirmation that she can spend the night in my apartment she seems really happy to hear that. But I was curious on why she wanna spend the night on my apartment, it’s unusual for her to spend the night in my apartment, so I decided to ask her on why does she want to stay at my apartment.

“aiko, did something happen in your home? It’s unusual for you to spend the night here”

“…” she look sad before finally answering my question “I had a fight with my mom, she told me that i was good for nothing” she said with a sad voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that aiko…”

“it’s fine I just need some times from my home. That’s all. Anyway I will clean the dishes now, thanks for the meal ren” she try to hide her sadness with a smile

“oh… okay, thank you aiko” I say to her before she takes tha plates, bowl, and the utensils to the sink and washing them. After she’s done washing them she ask me if I want something because she want to go to the convenience store to buy some beer “ hey ren, you want something? I’m gonna go to the convenience store to buy some beer”.

“can you treat me some matcha? I’m craving some matcha right now ” I replied

“oh I see, okay then”. Not long after that she left my apartment and after 15 minutes she went back with some beer and matcha and also some chips.

“here you go ren” she handed me my matcha.

“Thanks” I replied to her.

After that we have fun until it’s already 11 p.m and after we realized it’s already late we suddenly feel sleepy. And she ask me if she can use my bed or not. “hey ren, can I use your bed?”.

“I mean sure, if you want to use my bed. Go ahead and use it” I replied

“Ummm… nevermind, I’m scared that your bed have some unwanted stains on it” she say with a laugh

“W-what?, Hell no, I always clean my bed. So don’t worry about it”

“so you’re basically admitting that you’re always masturbating huh?”

“what?! No, I’m not. What the hell is wrong with you!?. Do you want to use my bed or not?” my face is a bit red when I said that

“Teehee, I’m just messing around with you ren, don’t get so work up” she said that to me With a playful wink before entering my bedroom.

After she entered my bedroom, I clean up my living room a little before finally sleeping at my couch. Suddenly at 3 a.m I woke up because I need to pee, when I’m walking towards the bathroom I suddenly feel like a clenched fist in the chest and a burning sensation on my chest, I couldn’t breath, couldn’t speak, couldn’t move properly before I finally collapse on the floor. And not long after that I became unconscious but before I became unconscious I see like there is some sort of a magic/summoning symbols underneath my body and when I was unconscious I heard a voice saying. “oh dear chosen one. We choose you to defeat the demon lord, please help us and we will give you what you want”.

 don’t know how long I was out for but when I woke up, I was on a different places, it’s not a hospital or my home, it’s not a place that exists in modern times, because it still uses a stone and a brick as their walls, I also see a lantern on the nightstands when suddenly a female figure enter my room and say “oh chosen one, you’re finally awake”. I’m still confused on what’s going on here, does aiko play some sort of prank on me? What the fuck is happening????, I have a million questions on my mind right now and I’m still shocked about what’s going on. When suddenly the female figures introducing herself “greetings chosen one, my name is Priscilla, and I’m one of the maids that was sent by the king that will serve you, I’m an elf so I’m sorry if I scare you”.

“Maids?, Castle?, Elf?. What the hell is going on?” I say that in my mind.

My face is filled with confusion and Priscilla see my face that is filled with confusion and she decided to tell the whole story from the beginning. “chosen one, you’ve been summoned by this kingdom summoner unit to bring peace to this world by defeating the demon lord. And you’ve been passed out for three days, you are a strong one indeed. Usually it would take at least a week for the one that just been summoned to woke up from the effects that they have on them. But you are indeed the true chosen one because you only need three days to woke up from your unconscious state. If I may ask, what is your name chosen one?”

“Ren” that’s all I can say because I’m still processing what’s happening to me right now.

“master ren” she bowed her head to me when she said that.

“but… what about aiko?... What exactly happened to me? All I know is I’m having a some sort of a heart attack. I feel a burning sensation on my heart and at the same time I feel like my heart is getting  clenched really hard and when I wake up I was here” I sounded panic and still confused

“Master ren, the things that you’ve experienced is the side effects of our rituals to bring you to our world through a summon rituals. I’m deeply sorry that you have to experience that master ren” she replied to me

“What about aiko? She’s my friend, where is she? Is she okay? I need to know where she is” I replied to her

“Aiko? Who is she? We only summoned you, we don’t know who aiko is or what she looked like” she answered me with a  face that is filled with a confusion

“…. Aiko….” I murmur her name before tears started to appear on my eyes.

“Master ren, I’m deeply sorry about this” she replied and her face is showing a regret.

“Please leave… I need some times alone to process this” I say to her.

“Very well master ren. If you ever need me, please don’t hesitate to call for me. I will be outside of your room. Please excuse me master ren” she answered before exiting my room.

After she left the room I started crying and started feeling a regret because I actually love aiko and I didn’t have time to tell aiko that I love her. I just keep on crying and confused at the same time while murmuring aiko name.