Ayane sat alone in the back of her classroom, her eyes staring blankly at the desk in front of her. The hum of her classmates' laughter and whispers filled the air, but none of it reached her ears anymore. The words weren't new. They weren't surprising.
"Ugly." "Worthless." "Nobody wants you here."
Every day was the same. Every day, the cruel smiles of her classmates followed her, the sharp words like thorns embedded deep in her skin. At home, things were no different. Her mother's yelling pierced the walls like thunder, blaming her for everything—from bad grades to being a burden. Her father remained silent, as if ignoring her was easier than facing the truth.
Ayane had long stopped hoping for change. She just wanted to disappear.
After another long day, her heavy feet carried her back to her small, cold room. The walls were bare, the air thick with silence. She lay down on her bed, feeling the weight of the world settle over her. Her eyes closed slowly, and sleep took her like an escape.
But tonight, the dream was different.
A soft, otherworldly glow filled the space around her, wrapping her in light that felt both warm and strange. The air shimmered like mist, and in front of her stood a young man, tall and mysterious. His hair was dark, slightly tousled, and his eyes seemed to hold secrets too deep to understand.
"I know what you've been through," he said, his voice smooth but strangely powerful, echoing in the strange space.
Ayane opened her eyes, surprised to see him so clearly. Her chest tightened, half from fear, half from curiosity.
"Who… who are you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled, almost playfully, yet his gaze was serious.
"My name is Ryuk," he answered. "I've been watching you. You spend your days trapped in pain… in silence. But it doesn't have to be like this."
She frowned, blinking away tears she didn't even realize were falling.
"Nothing will change. It never does," she muttered, voice hollow.
Ryuk stepped closer, his presence filling the dream space with an undeniable weight.
"Ah, but that's where you're wrong," he said. "I can change everything about your life. All the bullying, the loneliness, the hopelessness… gone."
Her heart skipped.
His smile widened, almost teasing now.
"All you have to do is accept my offer."
Ayane looked at him, suspicion and longing battling inside her.
"What offer?" she asked softly.
He tilted his head slightly and said,
"Become my girlfriend. Let me change your life."
A silence followed, heavy and endless.
Then, with a simple motion, Ryuk clicked his fingers.
Click.
The sound rang clear, crisp, and final—like a seal being set in place.
Her world… began to shift.