Chapter 2.5: New Morning

Darkness. Then the flicker of fluorescent lights. It was cold, buzzing, and sterile.

Tokio Yukawa was standing. No—he was strapped. Metallic chair. Cold restraints digging into his wrists. The room smelled of antiseptic and something else. Something felt sweet. Something felt wrong.

In front of him, a girl.

She was tied to a similar chair. Neuro wires snaked into her skull—thin as spider silk, gleaming under the harsh light. Tubes ran from her arms. Saline. Something yellow that might have been urine. Others he couldn’t name. Her head lolled forward, hair matted with sweat.

In his hand, a syringe. Amber liquid. Thick.

No—

His arm moved anyway. Reached toward her neck.

“Please—” she begged. “Please don’t—”

The needle pierced her skin. She screamed.

Tokio’s eyes snapped open.

He stared at the ceiling. The fan spun at its usual 150 revolutions per minute. Morning light crept through the curtains. A notebook lay open on his desk, pen and pencil scattered across its pages, while the book on modern particle physics sat closed beside it. It was technically a computer desk, but he also used it as a study space. He had even forgotten to turn off the CPU… though the monitor was off. Wasting electricity? The window was slightly open; last night had brought a brutal heatstorm. His favorite astrophytum cactus was still alive on the windowsill. A small flower bud had just grown; maybe it would need a week or two to bloom.

He lay there for a long moment, thinking.

”…Talk about nightmares,” he muttered to the ceiling.

Just another dream, he thought.

Tokio swung his legs out of bed and stood. The floor was cold.

“Where are my slippers… did I leave those in the bathroom and forget?” he mumbled, still half-asleep, eyes drooping.

Then he remembered those pairs were separated under his bed.

“Gotcha.”

He shuffled to the kitchen, yawning, and pulled a ready-made meal from the fridge—some kind of rice and chicken situation he’d bought three days ago. He sniffed it.

“Seems fine to my nose. Probably. I guess. Just needs some heat radiation to kill those frozen bacteriums.”

He stabbed the plastic film with a fork, threw it in the microwave, and punched the button.

While it hummed, he brushed his teeth. Toothpaste foam dripped onto his shirt.

Aghh. Whatever. It’s not like anyone’s going to see me before I change… This sucks. Ew.

The microwave beeped. He pulled the tray out, blew on it once, and ate standing up. He took three bites, barely tasting anything.

My mom would kill me if she saw this.

Talking about parents, are we? It’s been almost three years since they went abroad. Specifically, they live in Germany. For their business out there. Always business. Though they come over every four or five months… sometimes maybe even a year. As long as they pay the bills, keep the account full, send a message every few weeks, I’m good. How are the grades? Need anything?

I actually never needed anything particular from them. I just got everything I needed… freedom? I don’t know…

Except maybe someone to eat breakfast with.

Although it’s not my regular meal menu. Gotta eat veggies in a row. Don’t wanna die early.

He rinsed the tray, dropped it in the sink, and shuffled to the bathroom. Splashed water on his face.

The cactus on the windowsill offered no opinion. Typical. He grabbed a small watering can and gave it a gentle pour. “Don’t die on me, alright?” he said. “You’ve made it this far.”

He crouched a little, eyes on the tiny bud.

“Took you long enough to do something interesting …You’re not exactly fast, but I guess that’s fine. Just… bloom already, yeah?”

It’s been almost five years since I found it in an abandoned field. It’s the first time I’ve seen it grow a flower. What color will it bloom? I guess I’m kind of excited to know.

The cactus remained stoic.

Good. Stay that way.

Tokio locked the door behind him, tested the handle twice—it was an old habit. Can’t be too careful—and headed out.

The morning air was crisp. A few clouds. The kind of day that promised absolutely nothing interesting. Perfection.

“Good morning, Yukawa-kun!”

It’s Mrs. Takeda. Typical friendly neighbor. Once worked in the news industry. Now retired. Walks her German Shepherd, Kaiser, every morning at exactly 7:15. Somehow, I just happened to memorize her schedule without even trying.

“Morning, Takeda-san,” he said, nodding.

Kaiser wagged his tail—a slow, dignified wag, like he was approving Tokio’s existence rather than excited to see him.

Fair enough.

“Hey, Kaiser.” Tokio scratched behind the dog’s ear.

“Woof.”

Kaiser leaned into his hand, just slightly.

“He likes you,” Mrs. Takeda said, smiling. “He doesn’t like everyone.”

Yeah, I’ve heard that one before. “Lucky me?”

They parted ways at the corner. Tokio stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked the rest of the route alone.

North State Academy rose on the other side of the main road—brick and glass, three buildings, too many windows. The kind of building that looked impressive until you realized you had to spend all day inside it.

Six hours of my life I’ll never get back. Though physics and chemistry aren’t that kind of boring.

Tokio passed through the gates and climbed the stairs to his classroom. Second floor. Third door on the left.

Inside, the room was half-full. A few heads turned as he entered, then looked away. He was neither popular nor unpopular. He just… existed. Though everyone in class definitely knew he existed as he always grabbed the top in every exam. That part of him couldn’t be ignored.

He was heading to his seat when a voice stopped him.

“Yukawa- kun. Good morning.”

Tokio turned.

Fumino Hoshizaki. Sat near the window, already unpacking her bag with careful, precise movements. Mid black hair. Neat uniform. A calm presence that made the morning noise feel quieter.

Hoshizaki. Known her since first year. Never really talked much. She always says good morning, though. That’s… something you can’t ignore.

“Morning, Hoshizaki,” he said.

She smiled. It was small, polite, but genuine. “You look tired.”

Just say ‘sleeping’… I know it. “Yeah. Rough night.”

Before she could respond, another voice cut in. It was louder, faster, carrying across the room like a small explosion.

“Yukawa- kun! You’re alive!”

Meai Suzuhara appeared from nowhere, sliding into his peripheral vision with the grace of a small hurricane.

And there’s Suzuhara. Known her since first year too. Short hair. Bright eyes. You can’t even tell which class she’s supposed to be in. Seriously, she looks like she wandered out of a middle school and no one had the heart to send her back.

Legal loli. Definitely.

Wait, did I just think that? Whatever. It’s true anyway.

“Did you think I wouldn’t be?” Tokio asked flatly.

“You never know.” Meai grinned. “Could’ve been eaten by a bear. Could’ve fallen into a manhole. Could’ve—”

Could’ve jumped off insde a blackhole to escape this conversation.

“I walked to school.”

“Boring.” She pouted, then waved at Fumino. “Hey, Fumi- chan! Did you finish the math homework?”

Fumino nodded. “Most of it.”

“Most?!” Meai clutched her chest like she’d been stabbed. “We had like three problems!”

“One of them was difficult.”

“You’re supposed to be the smart one!”

And you’re supposed to be the loud one. Congratulations. You’ve exceeded expectations.

Tokio left them to their argument and walked to his seat near the back. He dropped his bag on the desk, sat down, and stared out the window.

The sky was clearing. Sunlight slanted through the glass, warm on his face.

He was thinking about something else.

The bell rang. Tokio pulled out his notebook and waited for the day to begin.