Kenzo stormed outside, anger seething within him. He couldn’t believe the nerve of Kaen and the others. It wasn’t just the shirt; it was everything about them that grated on him—their carefree attitudes, their lack of respect, and their stupidity. There was obviously something incredibly wrong with this place, an agent shooting a few demons with a paintball gun. It sounded like a stupid fantasy, but it was real and it had happened. And didn’t that same agent tell them that they wouldn’t have to fight The Rebellion, so what the hell were they training for? The mission itself sounded believable, but this whole place was just weird and creepy.
Kenzo took a deep breath of the cold evening air. He usually didn’t lose his cool like that. Everything for the past few weeks had been slowly building up, like a glass that was slowly being filled. And it just happened that this was the final drop. He took off the ruined shirt, wincing slightly as he saw the lasagna stain marring the expensive velvet fabric. He tucked the sleeve into the belt of his pants so he wouldn’t have to carry it, then pulled his earphones from his pocket and put them into his ears. The familiar beat of his favorite song began to pulse through him, a soothing melody for his frustration.
Walking briskly, he made his way to the football field. Kenzo didn’t know why he didn’t just return to his room. But maybe he needed some fresh air; it would be too awkward to return now anyway. That was another weird thing about this place: why did they have a football field here of all places? It just didn’t make sense. He calmed himself down. He didn’t want to think about all this right now. He just wanted to listen to his music and relax a bit.
As Kenzo returned to the field under the dim glow of the moonlight, its appearance had shifted drastically from earlier that day. The vibrant and colorful patch of grass now seemed shrouded in an eerie aura. The moon, half-hidden behind wispy clouds, cast irregular patterns of light and shadow across the uneven ground. Dark trees loomed on the outskirts of the field, their long branches stretching out like arms, seemingly reaching for him. Their leaves rustled softly in the night breeze, creating an echoing whisper. He felt a chill down his spine. The surroundings were indeed scary, but Kenzo couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, eyes following his every move.
He decided not to go out on the field; he had seen a lot of horror movies, and this is always how people die. He veered off, heading towards a tree that stood slightly above the field on a hill. Slumping down against the rough bark, he closed his eyes and let the music drown out the remnants of his anger. He relaxed his sore muscles, and his breaths fell into a calming rhythm. Usually, he had a hard time sleeping even in a comfortable bed, but right now it felt like he could sleep on a rock and it would be comfortable.
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He closed his eyes and remembered the book he used to read as a child. “The Lonely Boy on an Island,” was the book’s name. It was a picture book, stained with mud, and the pages were ripped. He had found it in a trash can when he was looking for food. Even though it was adorned with dirt, its colors still caught his attention. That book had been his solace for many years after that, and he still thought about it whenever he was having a rough time. The book itself was about a boy stranded on an island when his ship crashed. At first, the boy was scared and lonely, wanting nothing more than to go home to his parents. However, after a while, the boy started loving the island, treating it like his new home. The book ends with the boy, even though he loved the island, having to go back home. Kenzo always hated that ending. What was so good about leaving a place where no one could hurt you and you were all alone? It sounded like paradise. He used to imagine himself as the boy, disappearing from everything that had ever been hard and never going back home. He sighed. The more he imagined himself as the boy, the less solace it gave him.
Just as he was about to drift off again, he heard something. At first, he thought that it was probably an animal, like a rabbit or a squirrel. However, as the noise continued he felt more and more unnerved. He took off his earphones. What if it was a guard or something? Then he saw two figures standing on the field just a few meters away from him. He immediately shrunk, trying to make himself as small as possible, hoping that he would go unnoticed.
“…Can’t read his mind… Know it’s dangerous,” a man’s voice said, sounding agitated. He couldn’t place his finger on it, but he had definitely heard this voice before. Kenzo, his curiosity now peaked, scooted over just a bit so he could hear them better. “Well, what… think his plan is?” the woman said, her tone sharp, clearly angry with the man. Kenzo, wanting to hear more, scooted forward a little, trying to get closer without being noticed. The moonlight cast long, eerie shadows over the two figures. Every rustle of the leaves sounded louder in the silence. He cursed the moon for not being fully out so he could see them better.
As he moved, a rock dislodged and tumbled down onto the field below with a resounding thud. Both voices stopped immediately. Kenzo held his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. “Are you sure all of them are in the dorm?” she said, her voice wavering slightly. “I’m sure, but let’s go anyway,” the man said and held the woman’s arm as they quickly walked away. Kenzo waited until they were out of sight and let out the breath he was holding. His hands were shaking a little bit as he stood up. That had been close, way too close. However, he now remembered where he had heard that voice before. It was Kurokawa. What exactly was happening here? Kenzo had even more questions now than before. As he walked back to the house, he made a decision: he was going to figure out what this place was.