It was the start of another beautiful day. Ren walked through the school's main gate, hands buried deep in his pockets as usual, lost in a whirlpool of overthinking. Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Rennnnnn! Please, save me!"
It was Haru, Ren's only friend since childhood. "I lost my math notebook! I don't know where it's hiding. Can you please lend me yours? I just need to see how to solve the problems, I swear I won't copy-paste the homework!"
Ren took a long breath. "Okay, okay. I'll give you the notebook. Just stop the drama so early in the morning." He looked at Haru and thought, Thank God I have at least one friend who keeps things from getting boring.
"Now I just want to skip class and sleep," Haru joked. "You deserve to sleep in a haunted house," Ren retorted with a smirk. "True!" Haru laughed loudly. "Hahaha!" "Stop it, idiot! Everyone is looking at us," Ren hissed. Haru just grinned. "Then let them see! I want to live a free life with you, where it's just the two of us, laughing day and night."
Ren smiled, but then the school bell rang. "Run, idiot! If we're late, the teacher will kick us out!"
Inside the classroom, they sat at the very back. Haru kept whispering jokes, making it impossible for Ren to concentrate. Eventually, the teacher called Ren's name. "Ren, your homework is great as always. Now, Haru... your turn." Haru had only managed to copy half of Ren's work. He stood up nervously. "HUH? Coming..." The teacher sighed. "Haru, you missed it again. At least you tried. Go back to your seat."
Later, at their usual corner in the cafeteria, Haru was wolfing down a sandwich. "Haru, eat first, then overthink," Ren said, finishing his own meal. "I'm thinking about that novel I read last night," Haru replied, his eyes lighting up. "I waited two months for it! The way the main character solves the murder mystery is insane. Everyone calls him 'The Twist Maker.' Ren, you have to read this. It's the real GOAT." "Okay, okay. I'll read it when I'm free," Ren promised.
After the final bell, Ren didn't go home. He went to the rooftop to watch the sunset over the city, thinking about things most people would call childish gossip.
"Ren! There you are!" Haru's voice came from behind. "I've been looking all over the school for you. I got worried." Ren turned around. "I'm fine, Haru. Just watching the sun—"
Ren's words froze.
Behind Haru, a man in a black cap and a face mask emerged from the shadows, a knife glinting in his hand. Before Ren could even scream, the man lunged forward. The blade sank deep into Haru's throat.
STAB.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Ren let out a primal, dinosaur-like scream. Filled with terror and a sudden, blinding rage, he went into a berserk mode. He charged at the man, landing a heavy, bone-crushing punch. He didn't stop. He hit him again. And again. And again. Ren treated him like a human punching bag until he finally grabbed the man's own knife. He kept stabbing until a river of blood stained the concrete.
Ren scrambled toward Haru. Life was slipping away from his friend's eyes. "Haru! No! You can't die here! What will I do without you? You're my everything!"
As Ren reached for his phone to call an ambulance, the man—somehow still moving—appeared behind him for one last strike.
I won't let this day be wasted, Ren thought desperately. I won't let Haru's death be in vain. If I can just control his mind for a few seconds... just a bunch of seconds!
Suddenly, a strange sensation surged through Ren's body. He felt a connection. Without a word, he forced the killer to turn the knife on himself. The man committed suicide right there, under Ren's silent command.
Ren's vision blurred. His eyes felt heavy. BOOM.
He woke up in a hospital bed. "Where am I? Haru... where is Haru?" The nurse looked down sadly. "Your friend Haru is no more."
"What?" Ren's heart shattered, then hardened into cold steel. "I will kill everyone involved in this. Every single person who raised a hand against Haru... I will finish them all." The fire of revenge was now fully ignited.
Somewhere else, in a dark room: "BOSS. The task you assigned to the new hitman is done. But... he didn't make it back."
[TO BE CONTINUED...]