The evening sky above Yokohama glows like a living painting.
Soft streaks of gold, crimson, and rose stretch across the horizon as the sun slowly sinks behind distant buildings. The fading light spills across the streets, reflecting from windows and pavement like warm liquid fire.
Fumiko walks quietly along the sidewalk, her school bag resting against her shoulder.
Her steps are slow and unhurried.
The cool evening breeze brushes gently against her hair, carrying with it the distant sounds of the city settling into night, cars passing, shop doors closing, people chatting as they head home.
It is peaceful.
Too peaceful.
She tilts her head upward, gazing at the sky.
For a moment, she simply breathes.
The scent of autumn lingers in the air.
"Will it always stay like this?"
The thought drifts into her mind
unexpectedly.
Her eyes follow the drifting clouds.
"Will the world always be this calm?…"
"Or is this peace just something fragile… something waiting to break?"
Her fingers tighten slightly around the strap of her bag.
The dreams return to her thoughts again.
They always do.
The endless water.
The glowing figure.
The voice that echoes through her chest like a distant memory.
Child of dawn.
Fumiko exhales slowly.
"Why do I keep thinking about it…"
She mutters under her breath.
For weeks now, the dreams have followed her.
Each night.
Each time becoming clearer.
More vivid.
More real.
Sometimes when she wakes up, she can still feel the warmth of that strange light around her.
As if she never truly left that place.
Her gaze lowers to the ground as she walks.
"Are these even real…?"
She whispers softly.
"Or am I just losing my mind?"
A small, nervous smile touches her lips.
"Maybe I've just been reading too many fantasy books."
She chuckles quietly to herself.
"Yeah… that must be it."
Still…
A faint uneasiness lingers deep inside her chest.
The kind that refuses to disappear.
"Well…"
She murmurs, lightly kicking a small pebble along the road.
"A little adventure in life wouldn't hurt, right?"
But even as she says the words, her heart doesn't fully believe them.
Because some part of her feels it.
Something is coming.
Something she can't see yet.
---
By the time Fumiko reaches home, the sky has darkened into deep blue.
Streetlights flicker on one by one, casting warm circles of light across the quiet neighborhood.
She pushes open the door and steps inside.
The familiar silence of the house greets her.
It wraps around her like a heavy blanket.
She slips off her shoes and places them neatly by the entrance.
Her school bag slides from her shoulder and lands gently on the study desk.
For a moment she simply stands there.
Listening.
The quiet feels deeper tonight.
It always does when she's alone.
"It's finally the weekend…"
She murmurs softly.
Friday evening.
No school tomorrow.
No homework to worry about.
Just rest.
Her shoulders relax slightly.
Without thinking much, she walks into her bedroom and drops face-first onto the bed.
The soft mattress absorbs her weight instantly.
"Mmm…"
She sighs happily.
"That feels nice."
She rolls onto her back and stares at the ceiling.
The events of the day replay in her mind.
Lunch with her friends.
Their plan to visit the mall tomorrow.
Ami's dramatic complaining.
Yuki's endless excitement.
Rin's calm sarcasm.
A faint smile forms on her lips.
"I'm lucky to have them."
After a few minutes, she slowly pushes herself up.
"Okay…"
She stretches her arms.
"Food first."
She changes into a loose shirt and comfortable shorts before heading to the kitchen.
The apartment is small but cozy.
She moves around quietly, preparing a simple dinner.
Soon the comforting scent of miso soup fills the kitchen.
Steam rises gently from the bowl as she sits at the small table.
She eats slowly, enjoying the warmth.
For a brief moment…
Everything feels normal again.
Just another evening.
Just another ordinary day.
After finishing dinner, she washes the dishes and returns to her room.
The soft glow of the desk lamp fills the space.
She changes into her sleep clothes and climbs under the blanket.
Her body sinks comfortably into the bed.
"I can sleep as much as I want tonight…"
She whispers with a sleepy smile.
Her eyes slowly close.
The quiet of the room surrounds her.
For a while…
There is nothing.
Just darkness.
Just sleep.
But then–
The whispers return.
Soft.
Faint.
Like wind rustling through distant trees.
A voice calls gently.
"Fumiko…"
Her name echoes through the darkness.
At first, it sounds far away.
But slowly…
It grows clearer.
Closer.
"Fumiko…"
Her eyes snap open.
The world around her has changed.
She is no longer in her bedroom.
Light surrounds her again.
Soft.
Endless.
The same vast dreamscape stretches across the horizon.
Beneath her feet lies the familiar surface of glass-like water.
It reflects the endless sky above perfectly.
Each step she takes sends gentle ripples across the surface.
But there is no sound.
No wind.
No horizon.
Just infinite silence.
Fumiko's heart begins to pound.
"Not again…"
Her voice trembles slightly.
"This place…"
She clenches her fists.
"This dream won't leave me alone..."
The endless space remains silent.
Then
A soft glow appears in the distance.
It grows slowly brighter.
The light gathers together like mist forming into shape.
Fumiko already knows what it is.
Her chest tightens.
The glowing figure appears again.
Its form is made entirely of gentle radiance.
Neither male nor female.
Neither young nor old.
Just light.
The water around it shimmers like moonlight dancing on a lake.
When it speaks, the voice echoes through the entire space.
Warm.
Calm.
Powerful.
"Child of Dawn…"
Fumiko's frustration explodes instantly.
She clenches her fists tighter.
"Stop calling me that!"
Her voice echoes loudly across the water.
"Who are you?!"
Her heart races as she steps forward.
"Why do you keep coming into my dreams?"
The glowing figure tilts its head slightly.
The light around it pulses gently.
"Time moves forward quickly."
Its voice is calm.
"You must discover your purpose in this world… and begin the path that fate has prepared for you."
Fumiko stares at it in disbelief.
"Purpose? Fate?"
Her voice rises.
"What are you even talking about?!"
She takes another step closer.
Ripples spread across the water beneath her feet.
"You've been haunting my dreams for WEEKS!"
Her chest rises and falls quickly.
"If you're going to keep appearing like this…"
Her voice cracks slightly.
"…then at least tell me the truth."
She looks directly at the glowing figure.
"Who are you?"
The figure remains silent for several seconds.
The stillness stretches endlessly.
Then it finally speaks again.
"My existence has no name."
Its voice remains gentle.
"My identity holds no meaning for the path you must walk."
Fumiko's frustration grows.
"That doesn't answer anything!"
Her fists tremble.
"Then why me?!"
Her voice echoes across the endless space.
"Why are you choosing me for all this?"
The figure's light flickers softly.
"Because your life was never meant to follow an ordinary path."
Its voice carries quiet certainty.
"You were born with a light capable of breaking the darkness."
Fumiko freezes.
"A… light?"
Her voice barely comes out.
"I don't even understand what that means."
She shakes her head.
"Why ME?"
Her voice grows softer.
"I'm just a normal girl."
The glowing figure speaks again.
"Confusion is natural my child."
Its voice feels almost comforting.
"But the answers you seek already exist within you."
The light surrounding the figure begins to flicker.
Its form slowly starts dissolving.
Fumiko's eyes widen in panic.
"Wait!"
She rushes forward.
"Don't disappear again!"
Her voice trembles.
"Please!"
She stretches her hand toward the fading light.
"At least tell me one thing!"
Her voice echoes desperately.
"What is the Abyss?!"
The figure continues fading.
"WHY MEE?!"
Her voice cracks.
The final whisper reaches her ears.
"Awaken, child of dawn…"
The light dissolves into nothing.
"…and you will understand."
"NOO!"
Fumiko lunges forward.
"Don't go!"
But the dream world begins collapsing around her.
The endless water shatters like glass.