Prologue:

"Amidst unyielding strength, a heart once softened by the fragile beauty of mortal love."

Main Story:

Zenjiro's consciousness stirred, emerging from the depths of what he assumed was a dream, but something was wrong. He could see, but the sight wasn't his own. His body felt numb and unresponsive, as if his very essence was locked away somewhere deep inside. His limbs moved—steady, controlled—but it wasn't him moving them.

A distant, sterile light flickered, casting long shadows across the polished floor of a room. The air around him was cold, with an odd tang of disinfectant and metal. The atmosphere felt clinical, artificial. He wanted to turn his head but he couldn't. His eyes—if they were his—shifted automatically, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings without his command.

The walls were tall, gray, and lined with intricate machinery, tubes snaking in and out like veins of the building itself. The light above hummed softly, casting a sickly glow over everything, making it feel less like a laboratory and more like a prison, suffocating him.

Zenjiro tried to move, to flex his fingers, but nothing happened. His hand—no, a hand—moved in front of him. It was strong and precise, the fingers long and pale, but they were not his hands. His mind screamed in protest, but his body didn't respond.

"What... is this?" Zenjiro's thoughts struggled to form coherent words, but they echoed into a void. There was no reply, not even an acknowledgment of his panic.

Then, with a sudden jolt of terror, he caught the briefest glimpse of a reflection. The glint of polished metal on a nearby surface distorted an image—his—or was it?

No, this face... it wasn't him. His heart pounded in confusion. It looked like him, but it wasn't. The features were too sharp, the skin too pale. His hair was cropped short, unlike Zenjiro's. And those eyes—there was something cold, detached about them, as though any trace of warmth had long since been drained away.

Zenjiro's stomach twisted. This wasn't him. This wasn't his body.

The reflection stared back at him, motionless, its expression empty yet deeply unsettling. There was no hint of recognition, no spark of humanity. Just an overwhelming sense of otherness. He tried to wrench himself away, to force his mind out of this body, but he was trapped—just a watcher, seeing through eyes that weren't his own.

"Am I dreaming? Or is this real?"

The thought barely registered before he was pulled deeper into the scene, the movements automatic, deliberate. His—or rather, its—steps echoed against the metallic floor, cold and unnerving in their precision. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty. Each step seemed precalculated, like a machine performing a task it had done a thousand times before.

As he—or this entity—walked forward, more of the room came into focus. It was vast, far larger than any lab he had ever seen or imagined. Large glass cylinders lined the walls, each filled with dark, bubbling liquids, occasionally illuminated by flickers of light that made them seem almost alive. In some, he could see vague shapes—shapes that resembled human figures but were distorted, incomplete, mere shells of what they could be.

His—or it's—gaze remained indifferent, unflinching as they passed by these eerie containers. Zenjiro, on the other hand, felt a chill crawl up his spine, panic gnawing at the edge of his mind. What was this place? What were these... things?

Suddenly, a wave of emotion crashed over him, but it wasn't his own. It was cold and calculated, with a subtle undercurrent of rage, like a caged animal waiting to be unleashed. This wasn't the panic of someone lost; it was the controlled fury of someone who knew exactly what was happening—and didn't care.

Zenjiro recoiled at the sensation, his mind reeling. He could feel the emotions, clear as day, but they weren't his. It was like being forced to experience someone else's anger without any power to stop it.

"What's happening to me?"

The voice in his mind was his own, but the body continued its movement forward without hesitation. It didn't care.

As they approached the center of the room, the sound of murmured voices grew louder. A group of scientists stood huddled near a console, their white lab coats stark against the cold backdrop of the lab. They didn't notice it at first, too engrossed in their work, tapping on screens, adjusting instruments. One of them, a woman with glasses perched on the edge of her nose, glanced up and froze, her face draining of color.

"Ah, you're... here," she stammered, her voice trembling slightly as she stepped back from the console. The others followed her gaze, their eyes widening with a mix of fear and awe. None of them met It's—or Zenjiro's—eyes.

The room fell silent as it continued to approach. No words were exchanged, but the tension was palpable. The scientists stood rigid, like soldiers awaiting orders, their hands trembling as they clutched clipboards and tablets. One man, older than the rest, finally mustered the courage to speak, his voice a low murmur.

"You're late."

Zenjiro felt a surge of emotion—something akin to irritation—bubble up inside him, though it wasn't his irritation. It belonged to it. He wanted to shout, to demand answers, but the body remained impassive, coolly indifferent to the tension in the room. The older man swallowed hard, visibly shaken by the presence standing before him.

Zenjiro's mind raced as it moved closer to the group, each step feeling heavier, more deliberate. These people feared him—no, feared it. The raw power that radiated from this body was something they couldn't control, and it terrified them.

As it came to a stop in front of the group, Zenjiro's heart pounded in his chest. How am I seeing this? Why does this feel so real?

The tension in the room shifted. As it stood in front of the scientists, Zenjiro could feel something brewing beneath the surface—an expectation, a ritual they had practiced countless times before. There was no hesitation in their movements now, only grim determination.

The woman with the glasses, her hands trembling slightly, reached out to the nearest console and pressed a series of commands. The room hummed in response as the machines whirred to life, flickering screens bathing the space in an eerie blue light. The bubbling cylinders in the background gurgled louder, as if reacting to the energy that now coursed through the lab.

"Prepare him," she said, her voice steady, though there was an edge to it—a mix of fear and something else. The other scientists nodded and immediately began moving with purpose, like cogs in a well-oiled machine. The quiet dread that hung in the air was palpable.

Zenjiro watched, his mind racing. "Prepare him? For what?"

As if answering his unspoken question, two of the scientists walked to a large, metal cabinet at the far side of the room. The door hissed open, revealing a sleek, imposing suit of armor. It was unlike anything Zenjiro had ever seen—sleek yet heavy, with dark, polished plating that gleamed under the dim light. There was something almost organic about the way it looked, as though it wasn't just metal but something more... alive. The chest plate bore a faint, glowing symbol that pulsed with an ominous light, casting eerie shadows around the room.

One of the scientists murmured under his breath, "The 2X-MG-02... prototype."

Zenjiro felt a shiver crawl down his spine. The armor wasn't just a suit; it was a cage—something designed to contain immense power. But whose power? And why? The sight of it sent a wave of unease washing over him. He could feel it in it's body too—an almost subconscious tension that rippled through the muscles as the armor was unveiled. Even if it didn't show it, there was something unnerving about the preparation.

The scientists approached it, their movements careful and deliberate, as though handling something volatile. They positioned the armor on a metal table in the center of the room, its sleek lines gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights.

"Step forward," one of them instructed, his voice barely concealing the anxiety beneath.

It's body obeyed without hesitation, and Zenjiro's vision blurred momentarily as the body moved closer to the table. The sensation of watching through someone else's eyes, feeling their tension but having no control, was suffocating. Zenjiro's mind thrashed against the invisible barrier, desperate to wake up from what felt like a nightmare.

The scientists began the process, fitting the armor piece by piece. Zenjiro watched in helpless silence as the cold metal plates were carefully fastened around it's body. There was precision to their movements, as though any misstep could trigger something catastrophic. Every click and hiss of the machinery felt like a countdown to something ominous.

As they attached the chest plate, the glowing symbol flared briefly, casting an otherworldly light across it's pale skin. Zenjiro could feel a strange sensation bubbling within its body—a deep, vibrating hum, like energy being suppressed, caged within the armor's confines.

"Start the calibration," the woman ordered, stepping back from the console.

The lights in the room dimmed momentarily, and Zenjiro's pulse quickened. He wasn't sure what was about to happen, but every instinct screamed danger. The scientists moved quickly now, their hands flying across the keyboards as they prepared for whatever test was about to unfold. Cables were attached to the armor, linking it to the machines surrounding the room. One by one, the monitors blink to life, showing readings that Zenjiro couldn't understand but sensed were crucial.

A voice broke the tense silence. The older scientist, his expression grim, spoke up. "Retro-Control Test initiated."

Zenjiro could feel the weight of the words settling over the room. This wasn't just a simple experiment. Whatever the "Retro-Control" test was, it held a level of significance—and risk—that he couldn't fully comprehend. It's body remained still, but Zenjiro's mind was a storm of unease.

Then the first wave hit.

It wasn't physical, but Zenjiro felt it—a sudden surge of energy, like a tidal wave crashing against an invisible barrier. The machines around them whirred louder, struggling to contain the force emanating from it's body. He could feel it pulsing beneath the surface, threatening to spill over. His—or it's—muscles tensed involuntarily, as though fighting against something within.

"Stabilizing... hold the levels steady," one of the scientists muttered, their fingers flying across the control panel.

But something was wrong. Zenjiro could feel it in the air—a building pressure, a sense that the power within it was not going to be easily contained. The armor creaked under the strain, the glowing symbol on the chest plate pulsing faster and brighter. The room itself seemed to vibrate in response, as though reacting to the unseen force.

"Contain it," the woman snapped, her voice tight with urgency. "We can't afford another failure."

The words sent a cold chill through Zenjiro's mind. Failure? Had they done this before? And if so, what had happened?

Suddenly, it's head jerked upward, and Zenjiro's vision snapped to the reflection in the glass once more. The face staring back at him was emotionless, cold—but in the eyes, there was something else. Beneath the surface, Zenjiro could sense it—a storm of emotion buried deep within it's mind. Anger. Confusion. Pain.

And for a brief moment, Zenjiro felt it too. The overwhelming flood of emotions washed over him, crashing against his consciousness. It was as though he could feel it's rage, his frustration at being trapped in this body, in this place, with no control over his fate.

The armor hummed louder, the machines struggling to keep up. It's hands clenched into fists, the metal groaning under the pressure. Zenjiro could feel the tension, the barely contained fury radiating from its very being.

"Levels are spiking!" one of the scientists yelled, panic rising in their voice. "We're losing control!"

The room erupted into chaos as alarms blared, red lights flashing wildly across the walls. The scientists scrambled, their voices rising in a frantic chorus as they tried to regain control of the situation. But it was too late.

The power within it surged again, stronger this time, and Zenjiro felt a wave of heat radiate from the armor. His heart pounded in his chest, fear gripping him as he realized what was happening.

It was fighting back.

The sensation began as a barely noticeable itch, something skittering at the edges of Zenjiro's awareness. At first, it felt as though a dull warmth had settled within his chest, a low, pulsing rhythm beneath his own heartbeat. The feeling was intrusive yet delicate, like the barest touch of a thread wrapping around his heart. And although it didn't hurt, it felt wrong, like a stranger's breath too close to his skin.

He paused, inhaling deeply, attempting to shake off the feeling, yet it lingered, stubborn and unyielding. Slowly, he began to notice it wasn't just a sensation but an emotion—foreign and defiant. Anger. Resentment. And somewhere buried beneath, a feral kind of sorrow, like a beast chained just out of sight.

Then came the voices. They drifted in faintly, barely distinguishable from the hum of machinery around him. Zenjiro blinked, thinking they were part of the dream, whispers lurking at the threshold of his consciousness. It was as though someone were speaking in a language he couldn't fully understand, each word weaving in and out of focus. These voices didn't carry intent or direction but wrapped around him in an odd familiarity, like memories from a past he never lived.

He tried to focus, to parse their meaning, but the whispers slipped away, replaced by a sense of longing so profound it seemed to resonate with his very soul. He caught fragments—words too distorted to piece together. Yet, each one pulsed with recognition, making his skin crawl with the unsettling sense of belonging to something he couldn't comprehend. Was he... sharing a memory? Or was this part of him lost and fractured?

The warmth inside his chest grew heavier, no longer just a phantom feeling but a presence with mass and density, pressing against him from within. It felt as though it was awake—as though it was becoming aware of him just as he was becoming aware of it. He felt the weight settle further, intensifying as it pushed against the walls of his chest like an animal testing the limits of its cage.

The feeling frightened him, yet his mind—curious and relentless—couldn't help but reach out, probing the foreign entity within. As he did, he felt it push back with an unmistakable sense of resistance, as if rejecting his touch. It was then he realized that it wasn't merely a feeling—it was another mind, or something that once had been restrained, confined, yet alive within him.

"Who... are you?" He whispered, though he knew the entity wouldn't answer. It couldn't hear him, or maybe it simply didn't care to respond.

The lab's cold sterility, typically ordered and humming with quiet, purposeful energy, had erupted into complete disarray. The once-pristine space was now a battleground of flashing red alarms and blaring sirens. Heavy, strobe-like lights pulsed across stainless steel counters and glass screens, casting everything in an ominous, throbbing crimson. Desks had overturned, files and documents fluttering to the ground, mixing with shards of broken glass from shattered beakers. Equipment that once whirred softly now trembled violently, monitors stuttering and flashing error codes. This was no longer the controlled environment that it had been mere moments ago.

Scientists darted through the chaos, the sharp clang of their shoes hitting the metal flooring barely audible over the cacophony. Each figure moved frantically, desperately attempting to restore control over the facility, yet it was clear that their efforts were futile. Panic was etched across every face, a mix of horror and helplessness as they realized that this crisis had grown beyond their capacity to contain. Protective masks and coats flared as they moved, adding to the visual dissonance of order unraveling.

And at the epicenter of it all was it.

The armor that encased him—2X-MG-02, crafted meticulously to restrain and regulate some sort of energy—now emanated a thick, palpable heat. Waves of it rolled outwards, filling the room with an oppressive pressure that seemed to warp the air around him. Anyone who came too close staggered back, feeling an almost physical force repel them. The scientists struggled to understand what had gone wrong, shouting into their headsets and desperately inputting commands on the control panels that surrounded the armored figure.

"Code Black in Sector 5! Repeat, Code Black—immediate evacuation of the premises!" A scientist yelled, his voice strained yet barely heard through the bedlam. He was the senior director, an older man with silvered hair and a face etched with years of cautious determination, now twisted in sheer disbelief. His hand trembled as he pointed toward the exits, directing the others to abandon the lab.

"Seal the doors!" he barked, though his voice cracked as he spoke. His hardened gaze was overshadowed by fear, and he clutched his tablet as though it were a lifeline, running through the data, desperately trying to find an answer. "Close all access to the containment room! I don't care what's inside—no one goes back in!"

But there was no stopping it. The power surging from it was beyond anything they had ever prepared for. Machines sparked and overloaded; computers went black, their screens melting as energy waves pulsed through the room.

With his vision tethered to it's perspective, Zenjiro could feel the unrestrained power pushing against every barrier, straining to burst free. He could sense something ancient and angry, a presence within the armor that was beyond mere machinery. His heart pounded, racing as he felt the pull of it's rage coursing through him. It was as if the room itself had become an extension of it's desire for release.

Scientists clambered over each other, abandoning their stations in their frantic flight toward the emergency exits. Some tripped, too slow or too close to the surging power to avoid the harsh wave of heat that seared through the air, singeing their protective coats. Acrid smoke from burning wires began to fill the space, adding an oppressive layer to the already thickened atmosphere.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Get out now!" a voice rang over the intercom, layered with static and desperation. "All personnel must evacuate immediately. Lockdown protocol initiated."

One by one, the scientists streamed out, leaving behind the wreckage of shattered data pads, overturned desks, and countless hours of work scattered across the floor like remnants of a failed experiment. The lights flickered again, casting eerie shadows on the walls before dimming, leaving only the dull red of the alarm lights pulsing steadily, like a slow, heavy heartbeat.

As Zenjiro observed, his vision blurred and sharpened simultaneously, and an odd sensation clawed its way up from his chest. A foreign, stirring feeling that seemed to pulse with the beating red lights, as if it too were alive and yearning to break free from its confines. The feeling gripped his heart, wrapping around it like a coil, squeezing tighter with each passing second.

The energy rippling from it was overwhelming—an ocean of raw, unfiltered power that crashed over Zenjiro in relentless waves. He felt it everywhere, surging from the depths of his mind to the marrow of his bones, squeezing and pressing as if it would swallow him whole. The heat radiating from it had climbed to an unbearable intensity, making his skin feel scorched and his vision waver in blinding flashes. His heartbeat quickened, each thump pounding in his ears louder than the alarm sirens that blared around him. It was too much—too intense—and his own pulse felt like it might burst from his chest.

Zenjiro's breathing became shallow, his chest heaving as though he couldn't draw enough air into his lungs. His mind raced wildly, caught between fragmented images, flashes of faces he didn't recognize, and scenes he hadn't lived. The flood of sensations was dizzying, his grip on reality slipping as the world around him seemed to dissolve into the searing heat and pulsing pressure. He couldn't tell if he was standing or sinking, if his eyes were open or closed—everything was a chaotic blur, a swirling vortex of heat, light, and sound that refused to relent.

A single, desperate thought clawed its way to the forefront of his mind: "Make it stop. Please- make it stop..." But the pressure only intensified, growing stronger and more insistent, as though it had become its own force, one that demanded release and freedom.

His heart pounded faster, each beat echoing with the weight of a hammer striking an anvil. His mind scrambled, seizing onto memories of his own life, his mother's face, the quiet solitude he clung to—anything that felt real, solid, grounding. But the feeling continued to climb, unrelenting and unmerciful, making him feel as if his very existence was unraveling in the storm of energy. He wanted to scream, to shake himself awake, to claw his way out of this fevered nightmare, yet he was trapped—tethered to it's relentless force, unable to escape.

Then, finally, a breaking point. The pressure in his chest peaked, and it felt as if his heart might stop altogether. He couldn't take it anymore. His mind shattered with intensity, and he willed himself, in desperation, to be free from this nightmare.

Everything went silent.

He opened his eyes, the scene of the chaotic lab gone, replaced by the stillness of his own room. Darkness surrounded him, gentle and familiar, free of the piercing red lights and suffocating heat. He lay there, unmoving, heart pounding in the hollow silence. His chest ached, each breath sending a dull pain radiating outwards, as if the force he'd felt hadn't entirely released him. It left a strange emptiness, as though something inside him had shifted—something that could not be unseen or undone.

Zenjiro's hand moved to his chest, pressing lightly, feeling his heartbeat slowly settle back into a rhythm. Relief flooded over him, mingling with a lingering sense of fear. Was it just a dream? He wondered, the question echoing in his mind as he stared into the quiet darkness. He could still feel the remnants of the heat, the oppressive weight that had driven him to the edge. It all felt too vivid, too raw, for him to brush it off as nothing more than a dream.

With a trembling breath, he whispered a faint "Thank God," his voice barely audible in the stillness. He was grateful—grateful to find himself here, in his own room, away from the searing chaos, from the feeling that his very soul was slipping from his grasp.

The world around Zenjiro was shrouded in a thick blanket of darkness, a stark contrast to the vivid chaos that had unfolded moments before in the laboratory of his mind. He blinked, his eyes straining against the gloom, struggling to parse reality from the remnants of a disturbing vision that lingered like fog in his mind. The soft, rhythmic ticking of the digital clock on his bedside table pierced through the silence, each tick echoing loudly in the oppressive stillness. 1:47 AM glowed softly, the numbers casting an eerie blue light that danced across the walls, illuminating the familiar contours of his room—a space that felt both comforting and stifling.

The air was heavy with an inexplicable energy, a weight that settled on his chest, making each breath feel labored. It was as if the chaotic energy he had experienced earlier was still clinging to him, refusing to let go. His body felt cold and clammy, beads of sweat trickling down the back of his neck as he pulled the thin blanket tighter around himself, seeking warmth against the chill of his anxiety.

The darkness in the room felt alive, a swirling mass of shadows that danced along the edges of his vision, threatening to swallow him whole. Every sound seemed amplified; the distant hum of the city outside, the faint rustling of leaves, and the occasional distant siren became a cacophony in his mind. He rubbed his eyes, trying to dispel the remnants of sleep, but the oppressive atmosphere only seemed to tighten around him.

Zenjiro swung his legs over the edge of the bed, the wooden floor cool against his skin. He paused, feeling the pull of uncertainty. "Was it just a dream?" The thought flitted through his mind like a whisper, but the vividness of the alarms, the blaring lights, and the frantic voices of the scientists clung to him, refusing to fade. "No, it couldn't be just in my head." His chest tightened at the thought, and he placed a trembling hand over his heart, as if trying to soothe the frantic rhythm within.

He pushed himself to stand, the action feeling monumental against the weight of his trepidation. Staggering slightly, he made his way to the small kitchen area, the harsh light from the overhead bulb casting stark shadows across the countertop. He moved mechanically, reaching for the small container of medications that lay nestled among the clutter. "Maybe this is all just my mind playing tricks on me," he told himself, his thoughts swirling like the chaos he had witnessed.

Zenjiro's hands trembled as he unscrewed the cap, pouring the familiar pills into his palm. Each one felt like a promise—of calm, of clarity—but they were also a reminder of his struggle, a testament to the battles he fought in silence. He took a deep breath, his throat tight as he swallowed the pills dry, chasing them with a few swigs of water from a nearby glass. The cool liquid did little to soothe the turmoil brewing inside him, and he grimaced, feeling the bitterness of the pills wash down his throat.

As he leaned against the counter, he felt a sudden pang in his chest, a deep, unsettling ache that radiated through him, unlike anything he had experienced before. It was a sensation that danced on the edge of awareness, almost sentient, as if something deep within him was stirring—an awakening he couldn't comprehend. "What is happening to me?" Panic began to creep into his thoughts as he grappled with the discomfort, and he pressed a hand against his chest, feeling the thudding heartbeat beneath his palm.

Zenjiro's eyes flicked to the window, where the faint glow of streetlights cast long shadows across the room. Outside, the world continued, unaware of his internal struggle. He listened intently, straining to catch any familiar sounds, but all he heard was the soft rustle of the wind and the distant hum of traffic. The silence in his apartment was deafening, amplifying the turmoil within him.

"It's just my health," he reasoned, pushing the dark thoughts aside. "I'm just stressed." He tried to convince himself, but the tightness in his chest persisted, and he found himself glancing back at the clock. "What if I'm losing my grip on reality?" The notion unsettled him further, causing a wave of dizziness to wash over him. He shook his head violently, as if to dislodge the creeping dread.

Zenjiro walked back to the bedroom, the soft carpet muffling his footsteps. As he lay back down, he was acutely aware of the shadows looming in the corners of his room, their shapes shifting and flickering as if they had a life of their own. The weight of his doubt pressed heavily on his mind, and he buried his face in the pillow, inhaling the faint scent of laundry detergent—a small comfort in the midst of his turmoil.

His thoughts spiraled, and the echoes of the lab disaster whispered in his mind. What had he witnessed? "Was it real?" He closed his eyes tightly, seeking to shut out the darkness both outside and within. Zenjiro found himself praying for sleep, hoping that when he awoke, the chaos would have vanished like a bad dream. "Maybe if I sleep long enough, I can wake up and forget this all happened."

But even as he tried to drift back into slumber, a flicker of warmth ignited deep within him—a sensation that felt both foreign and achingly familiar. The heat pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was something more—something he was meant to confront rather than dismiss. Yet, fatigue slowly pulled him under, wrapping him in a false sense of security as he succumbed to the quiet, unwilling to acknowledge the truth waiting to be unveiled.

The shrill tone of the alarm cut through the thick quiet of the early morning, filling Zenjiro's room with a sudden jolt of sound. His hand slid across the sheets, sluggish and weighted, as he fumbled blindly for the clock. When his fingers finally found it, he pressed down to silence the noise, and the room settled back into an almost stifling calm.

His arm remained outstretched, falling limp at his side like the rest of him—a body half-awake, half-willing to acknowledge the dawn breaking through his window. He lay still, eyes barely open, staring at the familiar white ceiling above him. It was bare, unremarkable, but that starkness had somehow become part of his routine, a sight as expected as the morning sun.

That same ceiling greeted him every day—unchanging, lifeless—a constant in a life that sometimes felt like it repeated in endless circles. A strange mix of frustration and resignation stirred in his chest as he gazed up, a silent question forming in his mind that he knew better than to answer.

"Is this it?" The thought lingered there, hovering, but he let it fade before it could settle. The events of last night flashed in his memory, flickering images that he couldn't entirely make sense of—an unfamiliar heat, a pressure deep in his chest, the faint echo of voices he couldn't decipher.

It felt surreal, like a half-remembered dream slipping away the more he tried to recall it. And yet, as his eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the blinds, he couldn't shake the strange tension lingering in his muscles, an uneasy reminder that last night was something different, something unsettling.

A dull ache throbbed just behind his eyes, and he raised a hand to rub his temples, feeling the weight of exhaustion pulling him back toward sleep. The room felt colder than usual, and he drew his blanket up, pulling it close as if he could shield himself from the gnawing unease creeping into his mind. Just a dream, he tried to convince himself, the words hollow even to him.

But the pulse in his chest—slow but heavy, as if his heart hadn't yet let go of whatever fear had gripped it—seemed to argue otherwise. He let his hand fall back to his side, fingertips brushing the rough fabric of the sheets. The silence around him felt thick, as if the room itself were holding its breath, waiting.

Every part of him felt reluctant, weighed down, resisting the pull of the new day. He was used to mornings like this, waking up only to feel that strange hollowness settle in, a feeling as familiar as the ceiling he stared up at. Life had turned into a routine he went through without much thought, yet he couldn't shake the sensation that something fundamental had shifted.

For a moment, he closed his eyes, trying to steady himself, his mind racing through fragments of what he remembered. A flash of red, a rush of overwhelming energy, the haunting image of his own reflection distorted somehow, as if it belonged to someone else entirely. The more he tried to grasp it, the further it slipped away, leaving only a faint residue of dread gnawing at him.

"Get a grip," he muttered under his breath, a quiet reprimand to himself. He had no time for these thoughts—none of it mattered now. Whatever had happened last night was behind him, and today... today was just another day. It has to be.

7:00

The alarm's piercing sound sliced through the cold silence, pulling Zenjiro from the depths of restless sleep. His arm, leaden and unresponsive, reached out with difficulty, fumbling over the alarm until it fell silent, leaving only the faint hum of the morning air. Exhaustion clung to his every movement; his body felt drained, as if the night had stolen something irretrievable from him

Half-open eyes adjusted slowly, finding the plain, white ceiling above. It was familiar, almost oppressively so—its sterile color like a blank canvas he faced daily, a quiet witness to his life's monotonous cycle. In the dim morning light that filtered through the window, soft shadows etched faint patterns across the walls, seeming to mock his weariness.

Zenjiro lay still, his chest rising and falling in the same rhythm as the minutes slipped by, every breath feeling heavier than the last. He wondered at his state, at how even in the stillness, a certain unrest simmered beneath the surface. His mind replayed the events of the previous night, fragmented images and sensations stirring unease in his chest, but his body refused to move, reluctant to face the day.

"Hello, world," he whispered, his voice barely more than a murmur in the silence. A trace of sardonic humor lingered in his tone. "Thank god I didn't go insane last night."It was a small, bitter comfort, the reminder that he'd survived yet another night of battling his own thoughts. Even so, the feeling of being trapped in a relentless cycle gnawed at him, the shades of dawn that spilled into the room feeling like chains rather than salvation.

He let his gaze linger on the ceiling for a moment longer, almost hoping it would answer him and break the silence with some hint of purpose. But the room remained as quiet as ever, an unspoken promise that the day would be as predictable as all the ones before it.Zenjiro shifted slightly, his body unwillingly coming to life as he threw off the thin blanket that had kept him insulated in his fitful sleep. His mind buzzed with fragmented thoughts, remnants of the night flashing before him—a storm he had narrowly escaped. But before he let himself sink too far into that memory, he pushed himself up, his hand pressing against the mattress for support.

His room was silent, the air heavy and cold. Zenjiro's gaze drifted across the shadows cast by the early light filtering through the blinds, illuminating the faint dust suspended in the air. Everything felt untouched, as if the room held its breath from the night's disturbance. He moved with purpose, though his body felt almost mechanical, weighed down by lingering exhaustion. Barefoot, he padded softly through the quiet apartment, passing by the open door that led to Ruka's room.

A flicker of hesitation kept him there for a moment longer. Ruka lay asleep, undisturbed by the chaos that had haunted him, her figure peaceful, softened by the early morning light. Her hair lay scattered across the pillow, and Zenjiro felt a strange pull in his chest, something he didn't fully understand but couldn't deny either."Somehow, I feel relaxed while seeing her," he murmured to himself, the words barely audible. A wry smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before he shook his head, almost as if to scold himself. "What the hell am I even saying? I need to get going."He straightened up, steeling himself, and let his footsteps guide him to the kitchen.

A faint chill crept from the tiled floor as he stood in front of the stove, fingers brushing lightly against the kettle, feeling the cool, smooth metal. Setting the kettle on the burner, he twisted the dial and watched the small blue flame flicker to life, letting it warm the room in its quiet, unassuming way.

The kitchen held remnants of the evening—a disorganized pile of utensils and cups on the counter, leftover pieces from his midnight battle with restless thoughts. Zenjiro sighed, a slight crease forming between his brows as he carefully collected each item, rinsing and setting them aside with practiced movements, his hands deliberate and precise.

Once the tea was ready, he poured it slowly, watching the steam rise from the mug in thin, curling tendrils that filled the air with a calming aroma. Taking the first sip, he closed his eyes briefly, letting the warmth trickle through him, dispelling the last chill clinging to his chest.

He moved through the apartment with purpose, though each step felt rehearsed, as if he'd done this a thousand times before. In the small area where he kept his crafting tools, wooden shavings and tiny metal fragments lay scattered across the table. Zenjiro took a cloth and wiped them carefully, tracing the grain of the table beneath his fingers, each stroke a small ritual, a grounding routine that pulled him back into the present.

After setting down the cloth, he stepped back into his bedroom, catching sight of the disarray he'd left behind. His shirt lay crumpled in a heap on the floor beside the bed, the sheets tangled and twisted from his restless sleep. The sight filled him with a fleeting sense of irritation, not at the mess itself but at the echo of last night's memories lurking beneath it.

With deliberate movements, he straightened the sheets, smoothing out each corner with methodical precision, his hands pressing firmly against the fabric. His gaze lingered on the white ceiling as he did so, a silent reminder of the day that would unfold, an endless loop he felt trapped in but couldn't escape.

When the bed was finally in order, he grabbed the shirt from the floor and slid it on, feeling the soft fabric brush against his skin, grounding him in the morning's quiet repetition. He caught his own reflection in the small mirror above the dresser—a fleeting glimpse of tired eyes and a jawline set with an unspoken determination.He paused, studying his reflection, trying to parse the faint unease that lay buried beneath his stoic expression. His mother's face flashed in his mind—strong, unyielding, with that quiet, distant smile she'd always carried, like she knew secrets he would never uncover. He exhaled, letting the memory drift away before he turned to the bathroom.

The cold splash of water against his face brought a momentary clarity, beads dripping from his chin as he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing the white strands back with practiced ease. Each breath steadied him, each movement filling him with a sense of control that he craved yet rarely felt fully. The smell of soap and metal settled around him, grounding him in the small routine that had become his solace.

Finally, dressed and ready, Zenjiro stepped back into the living room. He glanced briefly at Ruka's door, a faint sense of relief stirring within him, knowing she was safe, and somehow... that comforted him in a way he couldn't explain.The quiet weight of the morning settled over him as he took another sip of tea, feeling the warmth spread through him once more. Each action, each movement, had brought a sense of order, if only temporary, but enough to prepare him for whatever the day would bring.

Zenjiro paused before the door, his hand hovering over the doorknob. The apartment was shrouded in an early morning hush—that quiet, heavy stillness where even the smallest sound felt like it could shatter the atmosphere. The faint warmth of his tea lingered on his breath, a comforting reminder of the routine he'd just completed, a piece of stability in the quiet chaos that churned inside him. But something held him there, rooted in place, his gaze drifting back to Ruka's closed door.

A faint unease coiled in his chest, simmering under the surface. He couldn't ignore it; she'd been on his mind ever since she'd come into his life—a presence that unsettled him even as it provided an odd sense of solace. Her face from the night before flashed in his mind, calm, peaceful in sleep, yet somehow strikingly similar to another face he could never forget.

"She's... different," he murmured softly to himself, his voice barely above a whisper, almost afraid of the sound. "But why do I feel like I know her? Like she isn't... ordinary." He sighed, eyes tracing the faint shadow beneath her door. It was as though her aura filled the space between them, quietly asserting her presence.

There was something about her—a certain intensity that had grown more noticeable over time. It was raw and fierce, barely concealed beneath her outward calm, like the hardened, unyielding strength his mother had carried. His mother, Kimiko, had been equally composed yet uncompromising, with a side that appeared only when the world demanded she be more than herself. That side of her, forged by hardship and tempered by loyalty, was present in Ruka too. It unnerved him.

"Maybe that's why she gets under my skin... It's like she's carrying that same iron resolve, that same relentless fire," he thought, exhaling quietly. It was familiar, painfully so, like seeing an echo of his mother's resilience and raw defiance living on in someone else.

Zenjiro clenched his jaw, trying to shake the unease, but it remained, lingering. He turned his attention back to the door in front of him, willing himself to leave, to ignore these thoughts and carry on with his day. But they didn't release him; they clung like shadows, a presence gnawing at the back of his mind.

"I can't let this get to me," he thought, his fingers drumming against his side. The familiarity he felt toward her was only adding to the danger. If he let himself care, let himself get too close, it would make things messy—complicated. He'd already been burned by that kind of attachment, and the thought of going through it again left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"No one sticks around for long, anyway." The words were cold, bitter, but they rang true. Attachment only led to betrayal, a painful lesson life had taught him too many times. Ruka might seem genuine now, a safe enough ally in the storm, but he couldn't forget that people had layers and hidden intentions. For all he knew, she could be here with her own agenda, a hidden motive masked by a friendly face.

A faint flicker of paranoia tightened his grip on the doorknob, and his eyes drifted back to her door. It wouldn't be the first time he'd trusted someone only to have them turn against him, to watch as loyalty twisted into something unrecognizable. Ruka had secrets—that much he was certain of—and the aura she carried only deepened that suspicion.

"But somehow, seeing her there, knowing she's safe... it eases something inside me," he admitted reluctantly, feeling a pang of confusion. The thought unsettled him, a feeling he couldn't shake even as he tried to push it aside. She brought a strange comfort—a sense of familiarity he hadn't felt in years. It was as if her presence filled a void, one he hadn't realized was there, and the thought both comforted and repelled him.

"Doesn't mean I can trust her," he reminded himself, a faint frown crossing his face. The last thing he needed was to be caught off guard, to let himself slip into some illusion of trust or friendship. Even if she reminded him of his mother, even if she held an aura of unyielding resilience, he couldn't afford to let himself get blindsided by emotions he'd fought so hard to keep buried. His loyalty to his mother had been one thing, but Ruka was a different matter entirely.

"Focus, Zenjiro. You've been down this road before—attachment, trust... It always leads to the same place," he told himself, his voice low and unwavering. "She's someone who could turn at any moment, someone who could become another face I'd rather forget. If she does..." He trailed off, his gaze hardening, already preparing himself for the possibility. He could handle it. He had to.

With a quiet sigh, he squared his shoulders, a final resolve settling over him. The familiar guard that he'd built up over time returned, a wall as steady and unyielding as the armor he wore around his heart. Zenjiro gripped the doorknob firmly, letting his fingers sink into the cold metal, grounding himself.

"Don't let her get to you... not like that," he murmured, taking one last glance at her door. A trace of uncertainty lingered in his gaze before he forced himself to turn away, to steel his heart once more.

Without another word, he pulled open the door, stepping out into the crisp morning air. His face returned to its usual impassive calm, the quiet resignation that had become his armor against the world.