The following afternoon unfolded much like any other. The grocery store hummed with its familiar rhythm—the sliding of doors, the polite greetings exchanged, the beeping register marking each sale. Aoi worked quietly, stacking boxes of apples into neat rows, the scent of fresh fruit clinging to her fingertips.
It was then that the doors opened with a cheerful chime, and a familiar voice rang out.
"Aoi!"
She turned, her lips curving faintly at the sight of Sayaka. The girl's energy seemed to fill the whole aisle as she waved, a basket swinging from her arm.
"Sayaka," Aoi greeted softly, wiping her hands on her apron. "You're here again."
"Of course! Where else would I get the best snacks?" Sayaka winked, tossing a pack of chocolate biscuits into her basket. Then she leaned closer, her voice dropping. "But also… I've got something to tell you. Something weird."
Aoi tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Weird?"
Sayaka glanced around before speaking. "In the next town over—people are saying a monster appeared. Like… a real one. Right in the shopping street. It attacked people, destroyed stalls, everything."
The word monster seemed to hang in the air, heavier than it should have. Aoi's hands froze on the box she was holding.
"A monster?" she repeated quietly.
Sayaka nodded, her expression caught between excitement and unease. "Yeah. But listen—it wasn't just the monster. Someone showed up. A warrior in armor. He called himself Kamen Rider Cobra. He fought the monster and defeated it, right there in front of everyone."
Aoi stared, stunned. It sounded impossible, like something from a TV show. Yet the intensity in Sayaka's eyes made her hesitate before dismissing it.
"Do you… know what he looks like?" Aoi asked.
Sayaka shook her head. "No one's sure. Everyone describes him differently. Some said he had glowing red eyes, others swore his armor looked like a snake's scales. But before anyone could get a good look, he vanished."
Aoi's heart beat a little faster. She tried to imagine such a figure—an armored warrior appearing out of nowhere, fighting back something terrifying. It didn't fit into her quiet life, her bicycle rides and grocery aisles. And yet… the thought clung to her.
Sayaka laughed nervously, trying to shrug it off. "It's probably just rumors. You know how people exaggerate. Maybe it was some stunt or performance gone wrong."
But Aoi wasn't convinced. As she rang up Sayaka's basket and handed her the bag, her thoughts lingered on the story.
When Sayaka left, the store felt unusually quiet. Aoi caught her own reflection in the sliding glass doors—the girl in the pink hoodie, standing in her familiar place. But outside, the streets didn't look the same anymore.
For the first time, her small town felt like it was only a step away from something larger, stranger, and far less predictable.