1 Reality or Illusion?

A warm light passed through the window and lighten the whole room, as the light continued to spread, the mass of mess little by little showed. A male lying on the bed slowly opened his swollen eyes, he seated on his bed and scratched his half-naked body.

----------------

I was in the middle of my dream when there's a mass of light met my eyes, I closed my eyes for a moment and slowly open them.

It's too bright, maybe I should change the curtain for a thicker one, I thought, still half asleep.

I sat on my bed and scratched my back ... why is it so itchy?.. I looked at my room and it was kinda messy, It was been two days since I locked and crawled myself into my room without cleaning any mess.

As I stood up, a small book fell from my bed. My gaze shifted to the hand size book on the floor.

{ Black Roses vol.23 }

It was the R-18 romance drama manga that I'd spent reading this last few months, well don't misunderstand the R-18 but yes it is an R-18 manga, and there's content that only adults can only read.

I picked up the book without looking at the cover, it wasn't as though there's a lewd picture on it or anything else, but it was because I couldn't recover from its story and how shitty it ended.

I spent two to three months reading this manga and two to three months just to endure the selfishness of the main character.

This was how the story goes.

Mikael is a fourth-year high school student who secretly loves a third-year college student and his childhood friend Arisa, but Arisa's younger sister Ericka who is also a fourth-year high school student loves Mikael and Arisa knew it.

It is a kind of love triangle, a typical story cliche.

After Arisa left the city, Ericka confesses to Mikael, and Mikael accepted it thinking that he might need a girl to fill his loneliness. Then afterward the story continues on Ericka's pitiful life being a replacement for her older sister.

“That's why if ever there's a girl who admires me, I'll cherish her,” I muttered to myself.

“Michael! you better hurried or you're gonna be late.”

I heard my mom shout from the first floor of our house... Oh, I remember, it was the first day of my third year of high school in GMATS.

I quickly ran out of my room and downstairs... but I made a mistake, after a few steps I tripped and fell and hit my head at the edge of the wall.

‘......’

“I said hurry right?”

I heard my mom's voice.

‘Did I lose my consciousness?’

I opened my eyes and quickly looked at the clock on the wall... thank goodness I didn't last for 5 minutes unconsciously lying on the stairs.

“How long do you plan to stay in that position? Michael you're in high school now so try to act like a normal high school student.”

I looked at her and smile but she just left, after that, I finished all my stuff quickly and ran out of the house.

The sun was fully out when I arrived at the school gate, even I was in the front of the school, I already saw the crowd of students in the front of the third year bulletin board. I didn't know my classroom section yet, so I decided to throw myself in the mass of students.

“Excuse me... excuse...”

I said while gently pushing them aside but I stopped when someone grabbed the back of my collar and pulled me out of the crowd.

I looked at him while being pulled by him.

“Yo, what are you doing here?”

It was Marco, my friend from my previous class section.

“Hey get off me, I was looking for my classroom.”

He took off his grip from my collar and looked at me.

*Ehe*

This guy's smile always irritated me.

“I have no idea that you are the type of person who likes those younger than him.”

“Huh? no I'm not!”

“Is that so?" he said, curving his eyebrow. "Anyway I already found our classroom, let's go!”

He turned his back and started to walk, it looks like we were both in the same class again. Honestly, I'm tired of seeing his face every day.

While we are walking Marco didn't stop saying stupid things, he was always keeping his field in an awkward state.

I smiled for a second.

“Hey, why are you on third year's bulletin board?”

I didn't answer him because it is an obvious question, it is the first day of our third year in GMATS and naturally, I would look for my assigned classroom.

I didn't listen to his gossip and continued walking, but for some reason, I felt strange. I looked around and noticed a block of pillars near the cafeteria.

“Hey Marco, is that pillar already there last year?” pointing my index finger to the pillars.

I asked him but he didn't answer my question. I think I just didn't notice it last year.

After a few minutes, we arrived at the unfamiliar building next to the gym.

It wasn't here last year, a new building?... while walking I looked around the building but it wasn't looked like a new build or anything because of the scratches and marks left on the building's wall.

“Hey, Mar-”

“We're here!”

We arrived at the fourth room of the second school of the building, I looked at the signboard at the center of the door.

{ Class 4-B }

I remember the number stands for the grade level of the student.

“Hey, Marco this is for the fourth year,” I said with a confused look on my face.

“What are you talking about? we are fourth year's.”

What the heck is he saying?... I looked at the piece of paper sticking on the wall and I did see my name on it.

I made a confused face.

Is this a mistake?

“Hey, Michael are you okay?”

Confused, I felt something vibrated inside my pocket. I took my phone out and saw a reminder.

{ Now. The first day of my fourth-year life at Hikarino High }

What the heck is happening?

***

It's been fifteen minutes since I entered the classroom but until now, I still can't believe what was happening. Before I sit earlier, I asked the advisor if I was registered as a fourth-year student but she just patted my shoulder and told me to go to my sit.

This isn't real right?... Is this some kind of prank made by Marco? but if I think deeply about it, it is impossible, that's because he can't just ask some stranger to play on his game, I know him.

”After I distributed your I.D, you will introduce yourself... and how about leave some impression? it is your last year here in Hikarino.”

I looked at the people around me. Except for Marco who's sitting at the back of my seat, all of the students here, and even the advisor—I don't recognize their faces, every one of them.

“Michael, what's wrong?”

I didn't notice that the advisor was standing at my right side.

“Here... your I.D,” she said and handed me a piece of rectangular plastic. “After her, you're next.” I looked at the girl who was sitting next to me.

‘Short black hair, brown eyes and a look that giving a vibe that she's not interested in her surrounding... for some reason she reminded me of Ericka from the Black Rose’

For a moment I was distracted by her appearance but this was not the time for peering over some stranger.

I slapped my right cheek gently. I remembered I was tripped over on the stairs this morning and hit my head on the wall. I wondered if I struck my head on the wall, would I wake up or something?

“Ericka, you're next.”

“Yes ma'am, I am-”

*tugh*

“Ow..ow..ow..ow!”

I clutched my forehead for a second... I didn't know that it would be much painful if it wasn't an accident.

For a moment, I hadn't noticed any sound or voice from my classmates, I looked around and all of them were staring at me, even the girl next to me.

“...Weirdo.”

She said while looking at me... those eyes of her felt stabbing me.

“Ahem... you may continue Ericka.”

‘Ericka?’

I looked at her. Her appearance, the way she looks, and the way she talked, just like the Ericka from the manga... it can't be...

“I am Ericka Hernandez, nice to meet you.”

Wait...what?!

I was in shock when the door opened. A male, who was likely at the same age as I, entered. His hand was in his pocket while the other was holding the strap of his backpack.

“You're always late Mikael.”

The guy looked at Ericka and smiled.

“You are just too early, Ericka.”