A large, prestigious university campus filled with students. Opening ceremony feels nothing. Unlike others who are nervous or excited about their new life, he just exists. His dead eyes reflect his inner emptiness.
The other students looked affluent, dressed in branded shoes, designer jackets, and expensive accessories. Meanwhile, Takumi blended into the crowd—plain, unremarkable, nothing about him stood out. The only reason he was here was the scholarship that secured his place.
Takumi spotted Yuki from a distance, her laughter ringing through the air as she chatted with Arisuke. For a brief moment, he hesitated, watching her—carefree, radiant, as if nothing had changed.
Then, as if drawn by instinct, Yuki's gaze found him in the crowd. Their eyes met. Time seemed to stop for Takumi. His chest tightened.
With her usual warmth, she approached him, her voice light and cheerful.
"Takumi-chan! I didn't expect to see you here too! It's just like high school again!"
Before he could respond, she continued with a bright smile.
"Takumi-chan, huh?" Arisuke glanced at her before turning back to Takumi. "That's a pretty familiar way to call someone. You two must've been close in high school."
Yuki let out a small laugh, waving a hand dismissively. "Oh, not really! It's just a habit from back then. Takumi-chan was just my classmate, that's all."
"Eh, Takumi-chan, this is my boyfriend, Arisuke! We met a while back, and we're even in the same department!"
Takumi forced a nod. "Oh, I see."
Arisuke, exuding confidence, smirked as he wrapped an arm around Yuki's waist—a silent but clear display of possession.
"And Ari-chan, this is Takumi! He was my classmate in high school!" Yuki introduced him without a second thought, completely unaware of the silent turmoil inside Takumi.
Arisuke glanced at him, sizing him up, then extended a hand—halfheartedly, almost dismissively. "Ah, so you're just her old classmate."
Takumi stared at the offered handshake but barely acknowledged it.
"Just a classmate..." The words echoed in his mind, a bitter reminder of the distance between them.
Hope rises, only to crash lower than before
Arisuke Kirishima was born into a life of privilege. A name that carried weight, a family that could open any door, and a sharp mind that made success feel inevitable. He had always been at the top—his intelligence, charm, and wealth securing his place among the elite.
But then, there was Takumi Asahiro.
A nobody. No status, no connections, no presence. Just a quiet, detached figure who barely spoke and barely seemed to exist. And yet, despite everything, Takumi stood above him.
Semester after semester, test after test, Takumi dominated the rankings with unnatural ease. Arisuke had spent nights pouring over his studies, pushing himself to the limit, yet on the day of the results, it was always his name in second place.
And the worst part? Takumi didn't even care.
"And for this semester, the highest academic score once again goes to—Takumi Asahiro."
A polite round of applause filled the lecture hall, a mix of admiration and disbelief from the students. They were amazed by Takumi's brilliance, yet he showed no enthusiasm—no pride, no satisfaction. Just quiet indifference, as if winning was nothing more than routine.
"Who the hell does he think he is?" Arisuke thought, his teeth grinding. He had everything—a prestigious family name, wealth, and a mind sharper than most. He was supposed to be the best. Yet no matter how hard he pushed himself, Takumi was always one step ahead. Effortless. Unshaken. Unfazed.
He turned to see Yuki beside him, her expression light, unaware of the storm brewing inside him.
"Takumi-chan is amazing, isn't he?" she said casually, her voice laced with nostalgia. "He was always like this in high school too. I knew he was smart, but to think he could dominate even here? It's kinda crazy."
Arisuke's chest tightened. Hearing her say it so fondly, so naturally, only made his irritation worse.
Arisuke's fingers dug into his palm, his nails pressing so hard it hurt. The weight of Yuki's words gnawed at him, twisting his insides with frustration. Before he could stop himself, the simmering envy exploded.
"Shut up already!" he snapped,
Yuki stared at him, hurt flashing in her eyes. "Ari-chan…?" Her voice was small, confused.
Arisuke clenched his jaw, forcing himself to look and walk away.
Arisuke's steps were heavy as he approached Takumi, who stood near the exit, adjusting the strap of his bag. The tension between them was suffocating.
Arisuke's steps were heavy as he approached Takumi, who stood near the exit, adjusting the strap of his bag. The tension between them was suffocating.
"Oy, Asahiro," Arisuke's voice was low, simmering with resentment. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
He took a step closer, his fists clenched. "No matter how many times you stand at the top, you're still a nobody."
Takumi finally turned to face him. His gaze—sharp, distant, and unbearably cold—cut straight through Arisuke. There was no triumph in his eyes, no joy, not even irritation. Just indifference, the kind that stung worse than any insult.
And yet, as the corner of Takumi's lips curled ever so slightly, something about his presence shifted. His stare, almost lazy, carried a weight that pressed down on Arisuke, as if he were nothing more than an insect beneath his heel.
"Even with everything you have, you still can't beat me, Kirishima," Takumi said, his voice devoid of emotion.
The words cut deep, burning like acid. But what truly ignited Arisuke's rage wasn't what Takumi said—it was the way he looked at him. Those cold, arrogant eyes, brimming with quiet disdain, spoke louder than any insult.
The eyes that dared to look down on the one who had everything.
In the middle of the day. sat alone in the cafeteria, picking at his usual cheap meal for lunch, Takumi barely registered the noise around him. The hum of the television droned in the background, blending into the chatter of students.
"A team of researchers has reported the discovery of an uncharted land beyond Antarctica, challenging everything we know about the world. Experts are calling it the greatest geographical revelation of the century."
His eyes flicked to the screen. Grainy images of an icy wasteland and blurred structures filled the display. A discovery that could change history.
He blinked, acknowledging the news for only a moment before lowering his gaze back to his food. The weight of his own existence was far heavier than whatever lay beyond Antarctica. With a quiet sigh, he took another bite.
Takumi quietly eating his meal. The food was bland, but he didn't care. His mind was elsewhere, drowning in the monotony of his routine.
Then, the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Takumi-chan!"
His heart skipped.
He looked up, and there she was—Yuki. Alone. No Arisuke in sight.
For a moment, everything else faded. The cafeteria noise, the weight of his exhaustion—it all blurred into the background.
"What a coincidence! I didn't expect to see you here." She smiled as she pulled out the chair across from him.
Takumi blinked, barely processing her words. It had been months since they had spoken like this—just the two of them. No third presence looming over him, no subtle reminders of the distance between them.
"Ari-chan didn't come today," she added casually, as if sensing his unspoken question. "He had something to take care of." Takumi exhaled, an odd feeling washing over him. Relief? Hope?
It was just small talk, meaningless to anyone else. But for Takumi, this moment—just sitting across from her, sharing a conversation—felt like the happiest he had been in a long time. He held onto it, even if he knew it wouldn't last.
Yuki stirred her drink absentmindedly, her eyes flickering with a familiar warmth. "You know, this reminds me of high school," she said with a small laugh.
Takumi looked up from his half-finished meal, unsure how to respond.
"Back then, you were always so quiet, but somehow, you'd always end up at the top of the rankings. I remember how people used to joke that you never actually studied, you just had some secret cheat code for tests."
Takumi gave a faint chuckle, not because it was funny, but because hearing her talk about those days felt... unreal. Like something from another lifetime.
"I still remember that time you corrected our math teacher's solution," she continued, grinning. "He was so pissed! But then he checked and realized you were right. That was hilarious."
Takumi simply nodded, his mind drifting between the past and the present. Those memories—ones he had tried so hard to forget—were now being brought back so casually by the very person he once treasured most.
Yuki sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "But still… this is insane, Takumi."
He blinked. "What is?"
She tilted her head. "It's You. You were always smart, but I never imagined you'd be the best student in this university too."
Takumi froze.
"This place is famous for being full of geniuses, but somehow, you managed to top them all. Every exam, every competition, every professor's expectations—you just keep proving yourself over and over." She chuckled, shaking her head.
Takumi didn't know how to respond. He should feel something—pride, satisfaction, maybe even happiness.
Yuki let out a small sigh, stretching her arms. "Ugh, college is way more exhausting than I thought. All these assignments, tests, and reports… it's draining me."
Takumi quietly listened, stirring the last bits of rice on his plate.
She exhaled deeply, then suddenly brightened up, a soft, nostalgic smile forming on her lips. "Ahhh, I really miss the good times when Ari-chan and I went on that trip."
Her voice carried a warmth that made Takumi's chest tighten.
"It was just a short getaway, but it felt amazing to just relax, you know? No school, no stress." She let out a small laugh. "It made me realize how important it is to just step away from all the stress sometimes, you know?"
She spoke of love, of happiness, of something that was never Takumi to have. And yet, it was just casual talk—reminiscing about a fun memory. But to him, every word felt like another knife twisting into his chest
Yuki absentmindedly stirred her drink before glancing at the television. The news anchor was still discussing the discovery of an uncharted land beyond Antarctica.
"Hey, Takumi, have you been following this? That whole 'new continent' thing? Feels kinda surreal… like something out of a sci-fi movie."
Takumi's fingers paused over his meal. His gaze flickered to the screen, watching the broadcast with an unsettling stillness.
"It's not a continent," he muttered.
Yuki frowned. "What?"
Takumi leaned back, exhaling slowly. His mind was already piecing it together—the thing that had nagged at him since the announcement.
"Antarctica was never a continent," he said, voice quiet but firm. "It was a wall, giant wall of ice"
Yuki blinked, confused. "A wall? What are you talking about?"
Takumi tapped his fingers against the table, his thoughts aligning like a perfect equation.
"Think about it. For centuries, no one was allowed to explore beyond Antarctica freely. Every expedition either failed, was shut down, or never made it past a certain point. Governments made excuses, treaties were signed—why? Because they weren't protecting a landmass… they were containing us."
Yuki let out a nervous laugh. "That's crazy, Takumi. You're saying the world isn't—"
"Round?" He finished for her, his voice unnervingly calm. His eyes, however, burned with realization.
"I knew something was off the moment they claimed to have gone straight south until they found new land. If Antarctica was just a continent, they would have simply crossed it—reached the other side. But that's not what happened."
The background chatter of the cafeteria felt distant, drowned out by the weight of what he was saying.
"We've been living within a boundary, Yuki-chan. They've just uncovered the proof, and now the media is accelerating its spread."
Yuki shivered. "But if that's true… won't this change everything?"
Takumi stared at the screen, his stomach sinking.
"No," he murmured. "It'll shatter everything."
The illusion had already begun to crack