The moon cast its eerie presence across the dark, mellow night sky, clouds quietly drifting past in its glow. Its ominous light bathed the homes of unsuspecting, sleeping innocents below. A figure stood atop a building, cloaked in black attire, arms crossed, gazing down at the silent town. The wind began to stir, picking up speed as the trees surrounding the area rustled restlessly, as though disturbed by the mere presence of this individual's watchful gaze.

"Return me to a time I can change..".

"Give me what I lost.. Give me time..".

"The darkness inside my soul eats me away.. Target..".

The stranger's words echoed softly through the calm night, carried by the strengthening wind. Before long, they vanished, leaving the rooftop empty. Time pressed on, and the dark sky began to crack under the weight of the sun's peering eyes. As its bright light crept over the horizon, the town below awakened, its once-quiet streets now bustling with life.

It was early in the morning, with the sun starting to peek through the window of a certain someone's bedroom. A young boy, just entering his early stages of youth, lay sound asleep on his bland, light-gray bed, the size of a full mattress. He snored quietly, his mouth wide open, with his body sprawled haphazardly across the bed. One leg dangled off the edge, a sock clinging precariously to his big toe as if hanging on for dear life. He looked far from graceful; his wrinkled shirt had ridden up slightly, exposing a bit of his stomach. Despite his disheveled appearance, he was enjoying a leisurely rest, especially on a day that held special significance for a young adolescent like him.

His peaceful morning ended abruptly as the bedroom door swung wide open, slamming against the wall with a loud thud. The noise startled him awake instantly. A foot, wrapped in a stocking, was visible in the doorway, the source of the sudden disturbance. The figure stepped forward, revealing a young girl dressed in a school uniform with a color scheme of deep wine purple, rich red, and touches of black. Her blood-red hair, framed by black outlines, was pulled back into a straight ponytail, with two long bangs cascading down each side of her face. Her pale skin and sharp, piercing eyes matching the unsettling shade of her hair gave her an intense presence as she stood tall, staring down at the now-awake boy. Her expression was utterly nonchalant, showing no concern for the chaos she had just caused.

"Wake up, Arkens, it's time to get up; Mom's already gone, and it seems like it's my responsibility to make sure you go to school, loser."

She sighed, moving her left hand to her hip. She stood there effortlessly, emitting a menacing aura without even trying. Arkens, now fully awake, remained silent for a moment. His eyes sheepishly blinked closed and then reopened. Despite his irritation, a grin spread across his face, his eyes closing again as if trying to mask the slight anger simmering beneath the surface.

"So let me understand this straight, Hama.. You decided it was a great idea to wake up your kind, loving, handsome older brother by bursting through his bedroom door and sternly staring at him uncomfortably while being annoyed?..".

Hama glanced to the side before turning her sharp gaze back to Arkens, her expression as unreadable as ever.

"I wouldn't butter yourself up like this, ya damn loser. Are you trying to get a beatdown?".

Hama cupped her left fist with her right hand, cracking her knuckles with an intense glare aimed directly at Arkens. The sound of her bones popping echoed through the room, sending a wave of dread through his body. The look in her eyes, combined with the ominous sound, sent shivers up his spine and down, instilling the fear of God in him without her needing to say a word. 

"E-Eh.. Uhm, uh, excuse me! Seems like your right, Hama! Who am I to question your methods and decisions???".

Arkens quickly got up, grabbed his essentials, including a dry towel, and moved past his younger sister, Hama, who stepped aside to let him through. A bead of sweat slid down his face as he went to the bathroom to get ready. Closing the door behind him, he faced the mirror, revealing his tired appearance. His skin tone was similar to Hama's, though slightly darker, and his eyes were much larger and rounder than hers. His shaggy, long hair was messy, just how he preferred it; he had worked on this look for years and had no intention of cutting it.

As he stared at his reflection, he noted that nothing had changed about his features. His color palette matched Hama's, but his build was quite different. While he was taller than the average high schooler, standing at 5'9" and weighing 176 pounds, he was satisfied with his size. Feeling content with his appearance, Arkens finally decided to finish preparing for the new day.

It didn't take long before Arkens was seen coming down the stairs, now dressed in his full uniform, identical to his younger sister's, though in the male variation. He headed to the dinner table, where only an apple, water, and a few crackers lay untouched. The sight of such a meager meal, neatly arranged, disappointed him. Sitting across from him, Hama quietly sipped her tea, finishing a more satisfying plate of eggs, buttered toast, and half an avocado. Arkens couldn't help but feel envy at the difference in their meals.

"H-Hama.. Where's my breakfast?".

She turned toward him and smiled softly, her expression a rare display of warmth. Then, gently, she placed her cup of tea on the wooden table.

"Oh? Looks like you aren't using her eyes very well, older brother~. Your breakfast is right before you, silly".

Arkens's eyes turned white, and he had a crushing realization of his reality settling in. He slumped into the chair opposite Hama, feeling the weight of his situation as he stared at his sad meal. Hama, unfazed, went back to sipping her tea, this time picking up the pace, her calm demeanor only making Arkens feel more defeated.

"We must hurry now. I don't want us to be late on the first day. Go on now, eat~".

He cursed his life internally, crying inside as he reluctantly munched on his apple and crackers, washing it down with water. Time passed quickly, and Arkens and Hama were soon ready to leave. They rushed through the gate, turning right as they sped past the nameplate of their home, "Ebihara." The siblings jogged lightly along the town's road, waving to familiar faces as they made their way toward the clusters of students dressed in the same uniform, huddling together on their way to school.

"Arkens!~".

As Hama and Arkens jogged, a soft, older voice called out, catching Arkens by surprise. He halted in place, scanning for the source of the voice, only to spot a middle-aged woman standing nearby. She wrapped a large piece of cloth around her head, covering the sides of her face and the top of her dark, purplish hair. She waved kindly at him, her expression warm and familiar.

"I have something for you to bring home later when you get out! It's for your Mother, as usual. Visit as soon as you can!".

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

He smiled back and nodded, acknowledging her respectfully while keeping his body in motion, ready to continue his jog.

"Alright! I got you, boss Yonomo. I'll get there as soon as possible. And while you're at it, could you save a fresh piece of bread for me for free?!..".

Boss Yonomo crossed her arms, her expression shifting between a frown and a smile, all while raising a single eyebrow in curiosity.

"Woke up late again, boy?!".

Arkens felt a wave of nervousness wash over him and let out a small, awkward laugh, unsure how to react to Boss Yonomo's mixed expression.

"W-What??? Nahhh no way!".

Hama, who had stopped a little ahead, noticed the holdup and returned to fetch her brother. Without a word, she raised her hand and firmly grabbed Arkens by the shirt collar, dragging him along. As she did, she turned to face Boss Yonomo, offering a polite smile contrasting with Arkens's nervous laugh.

"How perceptive of you, Boss Yonomo; please don't fulfill any of his requests; sinners must repent and reflect on their decisions, after all!~".

Hama quickly glanced at Arkens, her eyes sharp as she forcefully pulled him further away. Without wasting time, they merged into the crowd of their peers. Once satisfied with the distance, she finally let go of his collar and scanned the crowd of students. After a brief search, she spotted her friends and, without hesitation, started moving toward them.

"Arkens, don't be late, or I swear, your gonna get it, a beatdown ya never saw before in all multiverses!..".

She angrily expelled a breath before catching up with her friends and quickly joining their conversation. Arkens sighed, shaking his head as he scratched the back of his neck. He watched her go before deciding to move on himself.

"What a real pain that girl is-".

A sudden weight pressed down on Arkens's back as someone lunged at him before he could finish his sentence. Frustrated, he turned his head to see who had decided to make him their transport, and, unsurprisingly, it was someone he recognized all too well.

"Watsu?!".

A reasonably tall boy with a large frame, light black hair, and amber-like eyes grinned widely as he transitioned from his playful jump onto Arkens to wrapping his arm around Arkens's neck in a friendly headlock.

"Watanahe Watsu at yer service! What may I do to appease your royal highness? A little kissyyy~".

Watsu, still grinning, jokingly inched his face closer to Arkens, puckering his lips dramatically. Without hesitation, Arkens pushed his face away with an annoyed hand, not letting the teasing get any further.

"What are ya doing so early in the morning for?! Don't get closer to me with your dry and nonexistent lips!".

Watsu ignored Arkens's insults, undeterred, and continued his playful attempts at carrying out his ridiculous plan. The two wrestled toward the school grounds, locked in their portable match, until a familiar voice cut through the chaos beside them, causing them both to pause mid-struggle.

"What's this? You two already falling in love with one another again? Pfffttt.. Take a look at this, Nya~".

The first girl to come across them was a petite female dressed in the same uniform and a sweater draped over her main shirt. The sleeves extended halfway down her palms, almost swallowing her arms. Her shirt was adorned with cute assortments of buttons, and a choker rested around her neck. She lifted her hands, revealing sharp nails painted black, as she moved her soft, short, straight hair—only reaching the back of her neck—behind her right ear. Her eyes fluttered a few times, her small, big eyes flickering with the sun's reflection dancing off her magenta-colored irises.

Watsu and Arkens, both suddenly embarrassed by their playful scuffle being witnessed, looked at the girl and, in unison, blurted out:

"G-Gima Qiyo?!..".

What made it even worse was the subsequent encounter. Following closely behind, another female, the same age as the now-confirmed Qiyo, appeared. This newcomer exuded a distinct aura compared to Qiyo. She was more mature, slightly taller, and had a more noticeable figure than her petite friend. Her curly, super light brown hair framed big, round eyes that showcased her natural orange cantaloupe color. Blush marks naturally adorned her face, glowing unintentionally, and the morning sunlight only amplified this unique feature. Without a doubt, this was Nya.

Arkens and Watsu gulped simultaneously, ideally in sync, as they both realized the weight of the situation had just doubled with Nya's arrival.

"B-Birukawa Nya?! What are you t-two doing here?!".

The boys quickly disentangled themselves, scrambling to their feet and immediately fixing their uniforms, ensuring everything was pristine. With forced, glistening smiles, they turned to the two girls, acting as though nothing had happened, hoping their embarrassing display would be forgotten.

"Hahaha~.. You two are something else, huh? The moment Nya and I show up, you want to become proper-".

Qiyo laughed at the boys, clearly enjoying their nervousness as their composure began to crack. She then glanced at Nya, giving her an amiable smile as if sharing in the silent amusement of the situation.

"Nya, thoughts?".

Nya appeared lost in thought for a moment before suddenly snapping. She turned to Qiyo, her expression shifting as she gave a small jump, raising both hands nervously.

"Huh? Eh?- S-Sorry, Qiyo, I wasn't paying attention. Could you repeat it?".

Qiyo nodded in affirmation and decided to repeat.

"I was saying, isn't it funny that Arkens and Watsu turn into normal guys when we come around?".

Nya's eyes widened, and her ears seemed to perk up as she quickly nodded in response, feeling a sudden surge of enthusiasm.

"Mhm, I think it is silly to watch- especially knowing we were watching from a distance~".

A thunderous presence loomed behind Arkens and Watsu, and an overwhelming wave of humiliation came with it. To their horror, they realized that they had been watched the entire time during their ridiculous scuffle. The thought that their antics could have dragged on even longer and possibly reached an even more embarrassing conclusion completely shattered their spirits.

"It was Qiyo's idea.. she's the only one capable of hatching a thing! How could you!".

Arkens roared in frustration, his face red as imaginary fumes puffed out of his head like a cartoon. Qiyo, unfazed, shrugged casually and giggled to herself, clearly enjoying his over-the-top reaction.

"Please- That was nothing; you know I can do worse, idiot. That was children's play".

On the other hand, Watsu had transformed into a stone-like entity, completely frozen after coming to terms with the crushing reality of their embarrassment. He hadn't spoken or uttered a single word since. Concerned, Arkens placed a hand on his friend's back, unsure of how to snap him out of it.

"You good man?".

Watsu tilted his head downward, then upward, as if processing everything in slow motion. Time passed, and they eventually reached the school grounds, where most students started breaking off and heading inside the building. Arkens, still flustered, arrived late to his homeroom class, sliding the door open with a huff. His breathing was irregular, and he was clearly out of breath as if he had sprinted up the stairs for no apparent reason.

'Strange, I feel damn near drained after walking up the staircase..'.

Arkens's eyes skimmed the now-packed room of students and quickly caught a glimpse of a familiar face that had already locked onto him. He shook his head, smiling faintly as sweat beaded his face and neck. Spotting Watsu, who had saved him a seat by using his bag as a barrier to scare off any would-be seat stealers, Arkens made his way over. Watsu, ever observant, eyed Arkens speedily, noticing his friend stretching in an attempt to hide his labored breathing and the sweat droplets that doused his face.

"Are you alright? You don't look as great as earlier this morning; you're sweating and struggling to breathe. What's up?"

Arkens smacked his teeth in frustration, knowing full well that he could never hide anything from Watsu, no matter how hard he tried. Defeated, he sighed deeply, letting out a big gust of air as he slumped into the seat beside his friend.

"I don't know.. All of a sudden, after I climbed the stairs and reached the class, my body started to change differently; for some reason, I'm heating up; I'm guessing it's a fever".

Watsu placed his fingers on the tip of his chin, lost in thought for a moment before the classroom door opened, capturing everyone's attention. A tall, middle-aged man with a goatee and a shaved head entered the room, his eyes hidden behind tinted glasses. He wore a simple dark gray suit with a white undershirt and black tie. In his hands were a stack of books, which he placed on the podium at the front of the room. The man stood behind the podium, his gaze hard as he scanned the room, silently observing the students.

Watsu and Arkens exchanged glances, feeling the eerie tension that filled the room when the man entered. Something was unsettling about him, making Arkens's unease grow even stronger. The silence seemed to weigh heavily on the class, and Arkens couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, adding another layer to his already mounting troubles.