The sound of an alarm clock, the sizzle of a frying pan, the rhythmic steps of shoes on the stairs, the chirping of birds outside, and the hum of passing cars. It was a surprisingly relaxing atmosphere to wake up to.
A boy stirred in bed, blinking against the morning light. He sat up, glanced around his room, and then swung his legs over the side of the bed. Pulling on his shoes, he left his room without a word.
Downstairs, the comforting smell of breakfast filled the air. His mother moved deftly around the kitchen, apron tied neatly around her waist, flipping something in a frying pan. He paused for a moment, listening, then continued toward the bathroom.
"Ki, you have to eat your breakfast first before you go!" his mother called from the kitchen. He didn't respond.
He knocked on the bathroom door, and a girl with wet hair, slightly taller than him and still in her school uniform, stepped out. He nodded politely and entered. Standing in front of the mirror, he studied his reflection—tired eyes, messy hair—and straightened himself up. Once cleaned and dressed, he pulled a black hoodie over his uniform, ready for the day.
By the time he stepped outside, the city was alive with morning activity. Ki, seventeen, walked toward school, the weight of routine settling around him.
In class, the energy of the day met him immediately. An energetic boy with a bright smile clapped him on the shoulder.
"Good morning, Ki!"
A girl with long curly hair and a delicate flower headband stepped in beside him.
"Good morning, Ki."
They were childhood friends. Zephyr, eighteen, the blond delinquent-looking boy with shaved sides, was smart and athletic beneath his teasing exterior. Septh, with her brown curls and sharp intellect, often excelled at everything from academics to chess, her presence commanding yet warm.
"Only him?" Zephyr complained, nudging Septh playfully.
"Good morning to you too, Zephyr," Septh replied with a knowing smile.
Ki's voice was quiet, calm, almost drowned out by the morning chatter: "Good morning, guys."
The bell rang, slicing through the classroom noise. Ki settled into his seat, letting the day roll by. Septh immersed herself in student council duties, Zephyr ran off to join a football game, and Ki found solace in a quiet nap atop the school rooftop. By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the three regrouped and walked home together, as they always did.
Memories of their early years drifted in Ki's mind. He remembered kindergarten vividly: the sandbox where Septh had first approached him, smiling and introducing herself. Zephyr had teased from afar, only to eventually join their play, a mischievous grin on his face.
As night fell and the city lights flickered on, Ki smiled softly, letting the memory linger. Another ordinary day had passed... but in his mind, it was far from ordinary.