The sunlight shimmered across the water, turning the sea into a liquid mirror that stretched endlessly in every direction. He floated, weightless, suspended atop the calm waves, as if the world had decided to hold him there in perfect stillness. Around him, roses drifted lazily, their petals glinting with dew, crimson and delicate against the cerulean vastness. Each bloom seemed alive, swaying with the rhythm of the sea, a silent dance in a world that felt impossibly serene.
For a moment, he thought he had never known such peace. The scent of roses mingled with the salty breeze, intoxicating, almost unreal. His chest felt light, unburdened, as though he had been freed from every weight he had ever carried.
And then the sound began.
At first, it was faint, a distant, almost imperceptible cry, but it grew, twisting the air around him. Screams of pain, of desperate pleading, of chaos he could not name. They licked the edges of his mind, soft yet insistent, like waves rising under the calm surface. His heart clenched. The roses seemed to shiver in the sunlight, petals trembling as if the beauty around him were cracking, revealing something darker beneath.
He tried to tell himself it was nothing, that the cries were just carried by the wind, but they grew sharper, closer, more urgent. Panic rose like a tide, cold and sudden. His limbs stiffened. The sea no longer felt like a cradle, it felt like a trap.
And then, just as the screams threatened to engulf him completely, he gasped.
He woke with a start, sweat soaking his shirt, heart hammering in his chest. The room was dark, the sunlight outside only faintly creeping through the curtains, and the echoes of the nightmare clung to him stubbornly.
Another one. The same terrible dream.
Leo bolted upright in bed, heart still hammering from the remnants of his dream. A glance at the clock told him all he needed to know, he was going to be late for school. There was no time to dwell on the nightmare. With a groan, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, he dresses, and dashes downstairs.
The kitchen was bright with morning sunlight. The smell of eggs greeted him as he skidded to the table, where both his family members were already seated. Plates clinked, spoons scraped, and cups rattled in a symphony of ordinary morning life. He didn't pause to think about the calm roses or the screaming he had just escaped. He had eggs to eat.
He grabbed a plate, scooping up the golden, fluffy eggs that his mother, Linda, had made, his favorite part of the morning, precious and comforting. He dug in with enthusiasm, taking quick bites as he tried to make up for lost time.
"You know, Leo", Linda said casually, glancing at him over her coffee cup, "this is your last year of school. Have you thought about what you want to do after?"
Leo's fork froze mid-air. He knew she was expecting something, but the truth was, he wasn't entirely sure. He was smart, ridiculously so, but that didn't mean he had everything figured out. "Uh… not exactly", he said, shrugging, trying to sound casual while his mind whirled.
Linda's gaze softened slightly. She didn't seem overly worried, she knew him well enough to trust he'd figure it out.
Across the table, Markus, his brother, smirked knowingly. Leo had always looked up to him, admired him more than he cared to admit, and Markus seemed to relish this little power.
"You know", Markus said, nudging Leo lightly with his elbow, "I hope you and Aoi end up getting married someday."
Leo choked on his fork, nearly swallowing a bite wrong. His ears turned red, and he jabbed Markus with his elbow in return. "Shut up!" he hissed, glancing at him with mock outrage.
Markus only laughed, a teasing glint in his eyes. "I'm just saying what everyone's thinking. Don't be so dramatic."
Leo groaned, realizing he would never finish his breakfast at this rate. "I'm late!" he shouted, shoving the plate aside. "Bye, you two!"
He darted past them, skidding out the door, and strode to his motorbike. Without a backward glance, he kicked it into gear and sped off toward school, the morning sun glinting off the polished metal.
Leo weaved through the morning traffic, the city passed by in a blur, but then, something stopped him.
A man stood on the sidewalk, leaning slightly forward as if unsure of where he was supposed to be. He wore dark clothes, plain but oddly meticulous, and his posture seemed tense, cautious. Leo couldn't explain why, but his gaze was drawn to him, unwilling to look away. Time seemed to stretch for a heartbeat, the world slowing down as their eyes met. There was something in the man's presence, something… off.
Leo shook his head and blinked. The moment broke. He twisted the throttle, glancing back once as he passed. The man remained where he was, watching, but when Leo's focus returned to the road, he shrugged it off, chalking it up to a fleeting oddity.
By the time he reached school, he had almost forgotten the encounter. He parked his bike by the gate, securing it with a click of the lock. The chaos of the day had already begun.
"Leo!" a cheerful voice called.
He looked up to see Aoi, smiling brightly.
"Hi!" he replied.
A grin tugging at his lips. Without hesitation, he reached out, taking her hand.
"Come on, let's not be late," he said.
Tugging her along as they dashed toward the classroom, laughter and morning chatter surrounding them.
The day passed in a blur of lectures, notes, and fleeting glances. When the final bell rang, Leo found himself walking beside Aoi.
"So… I don't really have a ride home," she admitted, glancing at him sheepishly.
"Do you think… could I ride with you?"
Leo's heart gave a small jump, though he tried to hide it. "Of course," he said easily, patting the extra helmet strapped to the back of his bike. "Hop on."
As they drove, the city blurred past them, the wind whipping at their faces. Aoi held on tight, and Leo's chest beat faster with every turn and curve. The ride was quiet, comfortable, and somehow electric.
When they arrived at her street, he slowed down. "Do you want me to take you all the way to your door?" he asked.
She nodded, smiling softly. "Sure."
The two of them walked the short distance to her home, exchanging soft goodbyes at the door. "Thanks, Leo," she said, giving him a small wave as she entered.
Leo turned to head back to his bike, but something caught his eye at the end of the street. A figure. At first, he thought nothing of it, just someone passing by, but then the figure began moving faster, sprinting directly toward him.
Fear spiked in his chest as recognition hit. It was the man from this morning, the one whose presence had unsettled him for reasons he couldn't explain.
Leo's heartbeat thundered in his ears. The man's hand gleamed in the sunlight, and a glint of metal confirmed his worst fear. A knife.
Panic clawed at him as the distance between them closed rapidly.
And then the world seemed to narrow to one single thought: Run.