一 | Chapter One

“Kinshin…! Kinshin...!" I heard an unknown voice shouting in heavy breathing, feeling my body being embraced in gentle yet cold hands.

My eyes opened as they roamed around the strange environment, spotting the person that was moaning in pain a name that was strangely familiar to me. As I set my eyes on him, I couldn't really see his face... blood... that metallic red substance interrupted my sight, as I realized that my whole body was bathed in crimson blood.

(?) "Don't let me miss you...for the rest of my life..." Before he could continue the sentence, he took a deep breath. Filled with pain. It sounded so sad..

"Kinshin, don't you dare forget me..." The last sentence wasn't loud enough for 'Kinshin' to hear. He felt a sudden pain in his heart, as if it were going to burst, then closed his eyes. He was left with the question of who is the person who sought for that familiar name.

In the blink of an eye, everything turned black.

Asahi opened his eyes; with cold sweat running down his face, breathing heavily. He looks like he was in the midst of a panic attack, with his heart pounding in his chest at unimaginable speed. The dark haired boy sat up, trying to calm down as he touched his sweaty forehead, questions running through his mind, and none answered.

"That dream again..." Asahi panted. He turned his head left to wander at the sky through the window in his room. The only things he heard were birds chirping, car engine noises, and people talking. It was… calming. 

After hundreds of experiences with this 'dream' before, he knew something wasn't right. But what could he do about it? 

He snaps back to reality and turns his head to the opposite side and looks at the clock positioned on his desk filled with books.

8:20 am. 

Asahi jumps out of bed and runs to the bathroom to wash his face with cold water, his face alarmed. He throws on his uniform and goes to the kitchen to pick up his breakfast toast, letting it hang on his lips. He grabs up his dark red helmet and his keys. With his school bag hanging by his shoulder, he hops on his motorcycle and revs up the engine, racing to school and avoiding any and all police cars.

After a long race, he gets to the school and leaves his motorcycle parked correctly, like a good and responsible citizen. He started walking to the entrance when he suddenly felt a foreign hand grab his arm, catching him off guard.

“Son of a-!“ before Asahi could finish his sentence he saw a light brown haired girl. He sighs. Who could it be if not this minion… 

Chiyo exploded in laughter at the sight of Asahi’s reaction. He could only stare at her in frustration. The bell rang and both of them realized that they were going to be late if they kept nagging around so they both ran into the school area and then climbed up the stairs.

If you reached the third floor, you could see panting Chiyo and an Asahi who looked as if he was on his last breath.

“It should be a crime… for there to be so many.. damn stairs...” he complained hastily.

They both entered the classroom, sliding to the left and calming down since the teacher hadn’t arrived yet. Both sat down in their respective seats. Asahi - much to his delight - taking the desk next to the window. He turns his head to the left and sees his friend, his uncut shoulder-length brown hair, and of course wearing his signature round glasses. Asahi waved his hand with a sly smile in his face, Haru waved back, returning the smile.

The teacher arrived and the class started, although Asahi was writing in his notebook, he couldn’t shake off the thought of the ‘dream’ his mind always played at night.

Lunch time arrived, earlier than expected for Asahi. As he went down the stairs with his two friends Haru and Chiyo, Asahi felt a sudden pain in his head and quickly placed his hand on his forehead, once he closed his eyes and all turned dark...and as he 'opened' his eyes he saw...a Torii gate? Damn it...an hallucination...Asahi looked at both sides in confusion then he blinked again and he...returned back to reality? Asahi saw Chiyo with a frightened look, her hands on his shoulders and Gary grabbing Asahi's shirt "Asahi! Dude!...You rascal, you got us scared" Chiyo said with an angry but worried tone.

"Asahi, are you okay?" Haru said while putting his hand on Asahi's forehead to assure himself that he is not having a fever since, a healthy person won't just almost faint.

The dark haired recomposed himself and then coughed a little, trying to calm the worries of his friends "I'm okay - Yeah... just got carried away" he said with a sly laugh.

Asahi then told his friends that he wanted to breathe fresh air, and convinced them to go to the cafeteria without him, the two of them agreed in the end, although they weren't very convinced.

As the two of them went heading to the cafeteria, Asahi then went the opposite direction, after walking through the hallway, for him an endless one, he got to the backyard after that walk and as his eyes adapted to the strange light, he noticed that something wasn't right... something was out of place, a gut feeling at the back of his head knew this environment was hostile. 

As the boy raised his head...he saw...a Torii gate? His eyes opened in surprise, reminding him with open eyes and stutter, he tried to walk back but his legs wouldn't move no matter what he wanted.

From the Torii gate came a tall figure - almost 2 meters tall, with torn and old clothes, he had no eyeballs, with empty basins, it had the mouth opened, a substance coming out of his mouth, he had burned-like skin, his skin was loose and with holes in them.

Asahi screamed, he walked backwards then tried to run, but his poor legs couldn't do anything due to the fear that was roaming all around his body, he tried to scream but his mouth didn't produce any audible sound.

"This is my end...this is how my life ends..." He couldn't say anything else because the stuttering was getting too much of him, tears roamed down his scared face such as cold sweat did too, Asahi closed his eyes, the only thoughts roaming around his mind were all worry and despair.

He closed his eyes and waited for the worst to happen...but after several seconds he could only hear... A gunshot? A GUNSHOT

Asahi opened his eyes and he saw a person...as he approached him Asahi used the opportunity to get a better sight of him...he was holding a gun while another rests on his belt, Asahi couldn't utter any word out of his mouth even if he tried with all his will.

The man approached Asahi and then picked him up, the black haired felt how his cold yet gentle hands were embracing him in a warm hug, as he was being...protected?...such a familiar feeling.

The man picked the black haired and then carried his gun and shoots at the Torii portal, then the light that was emanating from it, disappeared, and then everything turned normal after a blink of eyes, we are back...back to the school backyard...

I was about to close my eyes then I heard how the misterious man stuck his gun back into his pocket and then...I felt his touch...his raspy hands touching my face, from my forehead to my lips...

(?) "I told you...Don't let me miss you - Kinshin"

Before Asahi could hear more of that familiar voice, he closed his eyes, drowning in a deep sleep.

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