Chapter One:
It was a beautiful morning, and Ren Takahashi woke to the muted hum of the city.
Beep beep beep.
His alarm buzzed softly on the nightstand, drowned out by the faint clatter of trains in the distance. For a moment, he lay still, listening to the rhythm of life outside his window, the occasional honk of a taxi, the faint chatter of early commuters, the soft flutter of leaves brushing the side of his apartment building.
"Great… another boring day with my annoying uncle, he muttered to himself
The sun hadn't fully risen yet, but the city was stirring. For most people, mornings were chaos.
But for Ren, mornings were quiet a space to gather himself before the day demanded he move through the world like everyone else.
He rolled out of bed with a sigh, stretching lazily. The room was small and cluttered, walls lined with bookshelves filled with worn volumes on history, mythology, photography, and a few novels he'd never quite finished.
Ren loved novels and anime, but his all time favorite was the Twilight Saga the same books his mother had read to him a thousand times before she passed.
His desk was littered with sketchbooks, half-written notes, pens, and a small camera he'd been tinkering with for weeks.
Each object was priceless and a small anchor in a world that often felt fragile, a piece of the life left behind by his parents.
After finishing his bath, Ren made his way into the living room and then found his way into the kitchen. His uncle's old rice cooker hummed quietly, filling the space with warmth and the faint smell of steamed rice.
"Good morning, Uncle…" he called out, only to find the kitchen empty.
Ehh… where did that old geezer go?
Uncle Ben he called out ...
As he searched, Ren froze. On the floor lay a bra and a freshly used condom.
Tch… he exclaimed. Ahhh, that old man…! Wait… wait wait don't tell me he used those same hands to make the rice!
Ehhh… no, no, no way in hell I'm touching that.
Shaking off the thought, he prepared to leave for school and Ren glanced at the pictures of his parents on the butsudan altar. "Mother… Father… I'm going to school," he said softly, offering a small, warm smile.
By the time he left, Tokyo was fully awake. The streets thrummed with motion, and Ren moved through the crowd like a ghost, quietly observing, never fully participating. He passed familiar shops, greeting shopkeepers and people he knew along the way.
"Good morning, Mr. Renji."
"Oh, good morning, Ren," the shopkeeper replied with a warm smile. "Off to school already?"
"Yeah," Ren said, shrugging lightly. "Where else would I be going?" He waved a hand casually as he continued on his way.
Arriving at Millwall High School, it felt like any other day. Although he had friends, they were few. One of them was Yuji loud, energetic and impossible to ignore, always dragging Ren into conversations he'd rather avoid. Then there was Akari who was was thoughtful and sweet, together they were one of Ren's oldest friends.
At school, Ren's reputation was neutral. Not unpopular, but not overly noticed. Yet even without many friends, he had a charm with the ladies. His amber eyes rare, glowing like diamonds were a gift from his mother, though he cared little for the attention they drew. He was far more fascinated by novels and class activities.
As usual, he spaced out, staring at the board.
"Ren! You've been staring at that board for five minutes. Snap out of it!" Yuji's voice broke through his concentration.
Ren smiled faintly and put down his pen. "I'm thinking," he said. "You wouldn't understand."
Yuji laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Try me."
Ren didn't respond immediately. Thinking deeply wasn't something Yuji or most people did carefully.
Yuji sighed, then grinned. "Really, Ren… you don't know how to use your gifts."
"What do you mean?" Ren asked, his face growing gloomy.
Yuji waved a hand dramatically. "Eii, seriously! If I had your looks, trust me, I'd become the new Abraham! I'd conquer hearts, fire many arrows, and become the father of many nations!"
Ren's expression darkened slightly, the words oddly reminiscent of his perverted uncle.
"I'm serious," Yuji continued. "Any girl that comes my way? I'll use my… Excalibur and brighten their day!"
Ren couldn't help but chuckle, the absurdity breaking through his gloom.
"Shut up, pervert," he muttered with a small smile.
Akari rolled her eyes playfully. "Yuji, seriously… someday someone's going to challenge your 'Excalibur.' Be careful, okay?"
Yuji grinned, giving her a wink. "Don't worry akari my Excalibur's invincible."
Ren shook his head silently, half amused, half exasperated.
The day went by smoothly. After their first class, it was soon lunchtime. Lunch was always a simple affair for Ren. He and his two closest friends sat together, enjoying each other's company.
Today, however, Ren hadn't brought any food. He couldn't shake the feeling that his uncle had… tampered with it.
"You're skipping lunch today?" Akari asked, concern in her soft voice.
Ren shrugged. "I just… don't feel like it today."
Yuji raised an eyebrow. "Ahh, don't tell me that perverted old man did something in your kitchen again?"
Ren grimaced. "Something like that."
Yuji laughed. "Hahaha… poor guy! Don't worry. I'll save you next time.
The hours crept by slowly. School finally ended, and Yuji groaned. "Ahh… another day done. Men, I can't believe I got a minus-zero on my makeup test. A minus-zero! How is that even possible?"
Ren chuckled. "Well… maybe you'd do better if you didn't have perverted thoughts all the time."
Akari laughed softly.
"Eh, eh… don't make fun of me, Ren! It's not my fault your Excalibur isn't as big as mine," Yuji shot back.
All of them laughed, enjoying the moment before going their separate ways.
By evening, Ren returned home.
"Oooi! Ren, you're back!" a familiar voice called.
Ren froze, seeing his uncle emerging from the bedroom with yet another woman. "What are you doing, old man? Don't you ever get tired? Aren't you supposed to set a good example?"
His uncle laughed, a low, mischievous sound. "Hahaha! Why should I? I can go as long as my weapon is always active! As for examples… haven't I been showing you how to be active… like a man?"
Ren's face flushed crimson. He sighed. "I'm going to bed."
"Ehh… aren't you going to eat something?" his uncle asked, but Ren didn't reply He just went inside and slammed the door.
"Hmpff… teenagers," his uncle muttered with a puff.
Later that night, the city outside had quieted down ren watched from his window, noting patterns in the movement of people and cars, the way shadows shifted along walls. Even in ordinary life, he saw motion, life, and possibility.
Somewhere deep inside, he felt restless. He didn't know why only that he wanted something more.
But that urge was there
Sigh… is this my life now, Mother?
Suddenly, a knock came at Ren's door.
Knock knock.
"Oooi! Ren, open up! We need to talk!" a familiar voice called.
Ren grinned, leaning back against his bedframe. "Ehh… I don't want to hear any of your perverted lectures."
"Eii, what do you mean?" his uncle's voice came with a hint of exasperation. "My lectures are for your future! What will you do if you can't… use your weapon properly?"
Ren groaned, dragging himself to the door. "Weapon… Excalibur… over and over again. I don't care I don't want to talk to you."
His uncle sighed, leaning his forehead against the door.
"You don't need to talk to me, but… you're turning seventeen next week, and there's something you'll need to know about our family."
The door knob clanked and the door creaked open.
"What do you mean… something about our family?" Ren asked, curiosity pricking at him. But before he could ask more, he froze, stunned by his uncle's appearance.
For the first time in almost his entire life, Uncle Ben looked… responsible.
He wore a long, black coat that hung elegantly on his frame. His posture was straight, his expression serious. It was like seeing a ghost.
Ren's face immediately turned red.
"Uncle… you look good… that's weird ," he said, voice barely above a whisper.
Eiii, you think so?" Ben exclaimed, a playful smile breaking his otherwise serious face. "Eh eh… I look responsible, don't I?"
Ren tilted his head, confused. "But… Uncle Ben… are you going somewhere at this hour? It's really late."
"Uncle Ben, huh… not old geezer," his uncle replied casually.
Immediately, Ren's face turned crimson. "Eh! It's not like I want to call you Uncle Ben! You're still an old, annoying geezer to me!"
Ben chuckled and patted Ren's head. "You know you really have your mother's trait," he said softly.
Ren's face went pale as Ben's hand lingered on his head. It didn't feel weird but it felt warm, comforting, like the way his mother used to pat him before she passed.
"Well, don't be late," Ren muttered grumpily, though he didn't pull away.
Ben smiled, but there was a seriousness in his eyes now. He stared at Ren for a moment before grinning again. "Well… I guess I'll see you later."
Ren noticed something he'd never seen before: his uncle looked responsible. Not just that there was a feeling, deep in his chest, that reminded him of his mother.
As Ben turned to leave, Ren called softly, "Are you okay, Uncle Ben?"
Ben paused, letting out a quiet sigh. Then he turned and gave Ren a small, reassuring smile.
"I'm fine. Go to bed, dumdum."
Ren exhaled, shaking his head. "Well… whatever.
Don't be late. And don't forget what you wanted to tell me about our family, old man."
Ben waved once and walked down the stairs, the sound of his footsteps fading into the living room.
The next morning arrived faster than usual.
Ren shot up from bed. "It's morning already?" he muttered. He rubbed his eyes and checked the time. "Eh… shit! I'm late!"
He quickly took a bath, got dressed, and rushed to prepare for school.
When he reached the living room, it was quiet.
"Uncle…?" he called out. The house felt emptier than usual. Ehh… did the old man not come back yesterday?
Ren made his way to his uncle's room, knocking lightly on the door. "Uncle Ben? Are you here?"
No answer. He opened the door cautiously. The room was empty.
"I'm heading for school, ehh…" he muttered. Sigh… he probably drank himself late again. So much for being responsible…
Just then, a sharp chime echoed through the house.
Ding ding!
Ren frowned. Ehh… who's that? Probably one of Uncle Ben's… friends…
His expression darkened slightly. "I'm sorry, but Uncle Ben isn't home."
He walked slowly to the door and pulled it open.
Two policemen stood outside.
"Eh… p-police?" Ren muttered, instinctively taking a step back. "Why are you here?"
A sudden thought flashed through his mind.
Don't tell me that old geezer did something again…
One of the officers spoke, bowing slightly. "Good morning."
"Good morning… um… is there a problem, officers?" Ren asked, his voice wavering slightly.
The second officer introduced himself, his tone calm but firm. "Noo… I'm Officer Nakamura, and this is Officer Takashi. Are you Ren Takahashi?"
Ren nodded. "Yes… I'm Ren Takahashi. What can I do for you? I'm sorry if my uncle caused any trouble… he can be… troublesome at times."
The officers exchanged a worried glance. Officer Takashi removed his cap, his face somber.
"Mr. Ren… I'm sorry," he said slowly. "Your uncle… was found dead in the woods last night."
The words hit Ren like a tidal wave.
GBIM!
"Huh… what…..?" he stammered, frozen in place. His mind raced, refusing to comprehend what he'd just heard.
The morning sunlight, once ordinary and comforting, now felt cold and distant.