Every story's got its heroes, right? But this one's different. It's messy, all about trauma, choices, friendship, and total chaos.
Let's check out these five teenagers, each smart and messed up in their own way.
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Meet the Crew
Kashimo – He's 15 and a natural at everything – games, school, you name it. People look up to him, but he's got a soft spot. He's easy to fool because he doesn't always spot lies, which gets him in trouble.
Kaguro – This guy's 14 and a half, super bright. School's easy for him, but he's also a master at getting people to do what he wants—maybe too good. He thinks fast, like it's automatic. He can't stop thinking and gets stuck in his head. He could trap you in your own thoughts... but he's not perfect either.
Bachi – He's 14 and 7 months. He is probably the most dangerous when he talks to you. He can get people to do what he wants even better than Kaguro can, but he's not as smart or as good in a fight. He's smooth, charming, and stays calm when things get crazy. But put him under pressure, physically or emotionally, and he'll crack.
Kamiko – At 14 and 9 months, he's the fighter of the group. He's even better at games than Kashimo, and his instincts in a fight are amazing. He's got a bit of each of them in him: Kashimo's brain, Kaguro's planning, and Bachi's way with words—but not as much. You can count on him, but he's also unpredictable. He's quiet, but watch out.
Alan – He's a foreign exchange student who ended up in Japan because his country's got a dictatorship. He's 15, but he's just okay at everything – games, grades, smarts. He's not super talented, but he knows how to survive. His story's not about being the best, but about toughing it out.
All five just finished 9th grade. They celebrated their scores, sharing pics and jokes in their Telegram chat.
Here's how they did:
Kaguro: 92.7%
Bachi: 92%
Kashimo: 90%
Kamiko: 89.8%
Alan: 76%
They were happy, mostly relieved.
They are good friends because they have had good and bad times together. They talk about everything in their Telegram chat – from what's going on at school to the meaning of life. One night, they got a message.
Telegram Group Chat
Bachi: yo gang how is it going?
Kaguro: good bro! How about you?
Bachi: good + congrats btw.
Alan: congrats bro.
Kaguro: congrats to all of you guys. Bachi, you did incredibly well.
Kamiko: are you forgetting me too?
Kashimo: yeah and what about me?
Kaguro: didn't I just say congrats to y'all
Bachi: hey Kamiko and Kashimo, how you doing?
Alan: I'm feeling depressed and sad.
Kamiko: why?
Kashimo: how come?
Kaguro: what happened?
Bachi: hmm but why tho?
Alan: let's meet at my house... please.
That message felt different. When Alan—who usually jokes or stays quiet—asks to meet, it's serious. Kashimo, Kaguro, Kamiko, and Bachi all agreed to go.
At Alan's Place
They thought they'd just cheer him up, but they were so wrong.
Alan's house wasn't fancy, it was dark, the walls were old, and everything felt strange. His mom let them in with this weird, fake smile.
Then they went into Alan's room.
Everyone stopped moving.
There was blood on the floor, not much, but still wet. Some was on the bed, some by the desk, and—strangely—on Alan's computer.
The room was simple: a bed in the corner, a desk with books—Math, English, History, Physics, and Chemistry. His computer was on, showing a black screen with red writing:
> ARE YOU READY FOR THE TORTURE?
Kamiko stepped back, shocked.
Bachi tightened his fists, looking everywhere.
Kashimo walked slowly to the laptop, trying to figure out what was going on.
Kaguro looked from the screen to the floor, trying to make sense of it all.
Then they saw Alan.
He was on the floor, not moving—maybe dead. His hand was near his face, and his phone was next to him, still on.
Bachi ran to him, checking if he was alive.
Kashimo grabbed a tissue and wiped some blood off Alan's face. He's breathing, he said, relieved. But not really.
Kamiko watched the door, feeling like they were in danger.
Kaguro stared at Alan's mom, who was in the hall with that weird smile, just watching them.
Shouldn't we call for help? Kamiko asked.
She doesn't seem to care, Kaguro whispered.
What happened here? Bachi asked, still next to Alan.
Alan's mom didn't say anything. She walked into the hall, humming.
It gave them the creeps.
Something's wrong, Kashimo said.
I agree, said Kaguro. We need to get Alan out of here. Now.
But we don't even know what happened— Kamiko started.
I don't care, Bachi said. We're leaving. Grab his phone. Help me pick him up.
As they lifted Alan, the computer flashed. For a second, it showed a red symbol—an old one they didn't know. Then it went black.
They didn't say anything.
They carried Alan out of the house without another word to his mom, who was now sitting at the kitchen table, not moving.
End of Chapter 1
What started as saying hi to a friend turned into something awful. A weird message, a bloody room, a strange warning, and a mystery that's about to get a lot bigger.
Their friendship will be tested.
Their minds will be messed with.
And the truth... will be worse than anything they can imagine.