The streets outside Ka-nar's apartment felt quieter than usual. It was past midnight, the lamps casting long shadows on cracked pavement, and yet his heart thumped like someone was chasing him.
That delivery—the lens—hadn't left his mind. Every time he blinked, he thought about the faint shimmer in its glass. He had tried to convince himself it was nothing, just a trick of the light… but deep down, he knew better.
Something wasn't normal about it.
He slid the box back under his bed, trying to ignore the restless itch in his chest. Sleep came slow, broken into pieces, haunted by dreams he couldn't remember.
When morning came, the city moved as if nothing had changed. Offices filled, trains screeched, people rushed. Ka-nar dragged himself to work, pretending, as always, that he belonged among them.
But he didn't.
Not anymore.
---
The First Encounter
That evening, when Ka-nar walked back through the narrow alley behind his building, he noticed a figure leaning against the wall.
The man didn't move. His face was hidden under a dark cap, his posture calm yet alert—like a wolf watching prey.
Ka-nar froze mid-step. "Can I… help you?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, as though studying Ka-nar.
Ka-nar's throat went dry. "Look, if you need money, I don't—"
"Not money." The voice was steady, low. "The lens."
Ka-nar's blood turned to ice.
"What lens?" he asked, too quickly.
The stranger stepped forward, and for the first time Ka-nar saw his eyes—sharp, unnervingly focused, like he already knew every lie Ka-nar might try.
"You received it yesterday," the man said. "Don't try to hide it. They're already searching for you."
"Who's 'they'?"
The man didn't answer immediately. He looked around, scanning the rooftops as if expecting someone to leap down any second. Then he muttered, "We shouldn't talk here."
Before Ka-nar could protest, the stranger grabbed his arm, pulling him into the darker end of the alley.
Ka-nar struggled. "Hey! Let me go! Who even are you?"
The man finally turned fully toward him, pulling back his cap slightly. His face was lean, scar running faintly across his jawline. A face of someone who had seen war.
"My name doesn't matter," he said. "What matters is this: I'm here because of Sato Akira."
---
A Dangerous Name
The name meant nothing to Ka-nar at first. He blinked, confused.
"Sato… who?"
The man's grip tightened. "Don't say it too loud. You'll draw attention."
Ka-nar tried to laugh, though his voice cracked. "You're insane. Look, I don't know any 'Sato Akira,' I don't know what this is. You've got the wrong guy."
"You're not wrong," the man muttered. "You were never meant to be part of this. But the moment you opened that package, you stepped into something far bigger than you can imagine."
Ka-nar shook his head violently. "No. No, I didn't ask for this! Whatever this is, just—take it back. Take the lens, I don't care!"
The stranger studied him for a long moment, then finally let go of his arm. "If it were that simple, I would."
"What do you mean?"
"The lens doesn't choose randomly," he said. "It binds itself. Once activated, it can't be passed on. Whether you like it or not, Ka-nar… you're its bearer now."
Ka-nar staggered back, breathing hard. "How do you even know my name?"
The man didn't answer right away. His gaze softened for just a second, almost like he was holding back something personal. Then, as quickly as it appeared, that softness vanished.
"I told you. I'm an agent. I work for Sato Akira. That's all you need to know for now."
---
The Warning
Ka-nar's head spun. His life had been painfully ordinary until yesterday, and now some shadowy man was dragging him into conspiracies about agents and mysterious scientists.
He forced his voice steady. "Fine. Say I believe you. What do you want from me?"
The man's expression hardened again. "Stay alive."
"That's it? That's your big advice?"
"You don't understand." He leaned closer, his voice dropping into a whisper. "There are forces moving against you. The Akuma Gang, the government, even factions inside corporations—you're caught between all of them. They will kill for that lens. You can't trust anyone. Not even your closest friend."
Ka-nar flinched. "Akuma Gang…?"
The stranger didn't say yes, didn't say no. He just stepped back, fading into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.
Before Ka-nar could demand answers, the man was gone.
The alley fell silent again, except for the ringing in Ka-nar's ears.
---
Alone Again
Ka-nar stumbled back into his apartment, slamming the door shut, his hands shaking.
"Sato Akira… agents… Akuma Gang…" he muttered, pacing the floor.
None of it made sense. And yet, the fear in that man's eyes had been real.
He crouched by his bed, pulling the package out once more. The lens gleamed faintly, as though it had been waiting for him.
Ka-nar stared at it, then at his trembling hands.
He whispered, "What are you?"
The lens gave no answer. Only his reflection stared back at him.
But deep down, Ka-nar already knew—his ordinary life was gone. Whatever path lay ahead, it had already begun the moment he opened that box.