CHAPTER 2. * FAMILY DRAMA*
Finally, Takeru came to his neighborhood shrouded in the swirling snow of the huge storm approaching, and everyone was cozied up inside.
From the doorstep, he could hear the lively voices of his mother and elder brother.
They were arguing over which television channel the family should watch, their debate filling the warm air of the house.
Soon, his sister Akane's nagging voice mixed in, complaining that Takeru was late bringing the groceries and dinner wouldn't be prepared early.
Amidst those voices, Takeru heard his father's stern voice, filled with authority as he talked to his uncles in the living room.
This was Takeru's life—a somewhat chaotic existence in a bustling family home.
As he cleaned his boots on the carpeted floor and walked barefooted inside, he was accidentally bumped into by his younger cousin who was playing with their toys on the floor, sending blocks scattering everywhere.
"I brought the groceries," Takeru said.
His sister Akane nodded briskly, took the groceries from him, and walked back into the kitchen with a purposeful stride.
Meanwhile, Takeru walked upstairs to his room but was greeted by the sight of a messy, unkempt space.
His prized manga collection was torn up and scattered across the floor, pages crumpled and covers bent.
His favorite blanket was bunched up in a corner, and other things he'd carefully arranged were destroyed or knocked over.
He groaned in frustration, knowing exactly who had caused the disarray.
Running back downstairs, he growled,
"Hiroto, how many times do I warn you to stay out of my room?"
His brother Hiroto rolled his eyes nonchalantly, more focused on his phone than on Takeru's protests, which made Takeru angry.
But if he told his father, he doubted anything would be done about it.
Unfortunately, in the household, he was often seen as the "bookworm"—always reading manga and books.
And he wasn't particularly well-received by the ladies, wasn't exceptionally handsome, and wasn't as smart or accomplished as his older brother Hiroto.
Takeru had grown accustomed to the ridicule and the disdain he received from his family members.
Yet, he never gave up, bolstered by the stories of his favorite manga artist,
*Kiyoshi Nakahara*. The artist's tales were so relatable, and Takeru always felt a deep connection with the characters and their struggles.
After dinner and completing his chores, Takeru retreated back to his room, burying himself in the novel *"Kaze no Kokuoro"* he'd gotten from the book stall.
He started reading, but barely made it past the first page when sleep began to creep in.
He was exhausted from the chores, and on cold days like this, he always tended to sleep early.
But strangely enough, his dream wasn't what he expected it to be.
He found himself in a dark, enclosed room with an eerie silence hanging in the air.
And then, floating in front of him, was a glowing system menu—a concept he'd often read about in his favorite mangas.
"Welcome Takeru-kun," a gentle, feminine voice spoke from the menu.
"I am your system, and I would guide you on your journey in this world."
Takeru's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the floating menu.
The words echoed in his mind, and a thrill of excitement mixed with confusion coursed through him.
"What journey, system? What is going on..." he murmured in his dream, trying to grasp the meaning of the system's words.
The system's voice lingered in Takeru's dream, echoing softly as he tried to understand the implications of its words.
"Your journey in this world..." What could that mean? Takeru's mind swirled with questions, but the system didn't seem to offer any immediate answers.
Instead, the glowing menu began to display words and symbols in a language Takeru didn't recognize, yet somehow he felt an odd familiarity with them.
The symbols danced across the menu like leaves caught in a windstorm, and Takeru felt himself being drawn into the display.
Suddenly, the dream began to shift.
Images of the snowy town outside his window flashed before him—Sakura-machi blanketed in white, the book stall where he'd bought "Kaze no Kokuoro," and Haruka smiling as she handed him the book.
Then the images changed, showing paths through the snow leading to places Takeru had never seen before.
Mysterious doors in old wooden buildings, hidden courtyards filled with strange artifacts, and whispers of people speaking in hushed tones about something called the "Kokuoro's Secret."
Takeru's eyes snapped open as he woke with a start.
It was still dark outside; the snowstorm must have passed into a quieter phase.
His room was dimly lit by the faint glow of streetlights filtering through the curtains.
He lay there, trying to piece together the dream.
The system's voice lingered in his mind like an echo he couldn't shake.
He thought about *Kaze no Kokuoro*, the novel he'd been reading.
Was there a connection between the book and the strange dream?
And what about Kiyoshi Nakahara's stories—had they somehow influenced this bizarre dream journey?
Takeru tossed off his covers and got out of bed.
He pulled out his copy of *"Kaze no Kokuoro"* from where he'd left it and began flipping through the pages again, looking for anything that might hint at what the dream meant.