1 Prologue: Complications with Everyday Life

It was the beginning of the second year of high school for Kawano Torajiro.

Torajiro recently moved out of his parent's house and started to live with his older sister Megumi at her apartment in Tokyo, Japan.

Megumi had to stay over at her office most of the time, so Torajiro took care of maintenance while she was at work.

Torajiro's room was quite ordinary, aside from the fact that his blue and white painted walls were covered with fantasy game posters and he had a showcase filled with figurines next to the door.

He especially loved his figurine collection, it was made up of the demi-humans and elves featured in the games that he played as well as the anime he watched.

There was a television stand facing his bed— his television was on top of it, while his game console and several stacks of fantasy games were on its shelves.

He also had a wooden bookshelf next to the television, it was filled with fantasy manga, anime, and novels— his bed frame was made of wood as well as the bedside tables.

His room was decorated with blue and white accessories such as— the curtains, carpet, bedding, bedspread, and two lamps— the table to the left had an alarm clock and a lamp, while the one to the right had his phone and another lamp.

Torajiro was asleep when his clock started to alarm annoyingly loud, immediately he knocked it off of his bedside table causing it to smash into pieces onto the carpet covered floor.

Fifteen minutes later, he awoke like a zombie and realised that he would be late.

He looked out of his bedroom window towards the outside, dark clouds painted the sky a deep shade of grey.

The trees rustled with the wind as if a storm was brewing.

He sleepily got out of bed, motioned slowly towards the bathroom sink and brushed his teeth, while getting dressed into his uniform and shoes, then he packed his black laptop bag with his laptop, his cellphone, a few notebooks, and a pencil case.

Afterwards, he neatened his blackish blonde hair, while he stared into the mirror near the front door.

He quickly grabbed an umbrella before he left, and locked the door on his way out.

Meanwhile not too far away, Ren Kyouka, his childhood friend, lurked in wait for her prey like a lioness on the prowl, she observed him as he left his den, without him knowing of course.

She often visited Tora's house on their days off— they spent most of the time in his room, mostly she laid down on his bed as they played fantasy games together.

When she saw that he was overly focused on the game to notice her, she stealthily sniffed his pillows, taking in deep breaths.

She frequently slept over at his house, in his room, in his bed, whenever she had the chance, while he slept in a futon on the floor.

She enjoyed her time alone with him, but she also found that it was quite thrilling to watch him from afar.

She knew his daily routine for school days— that he usually walked to the station— that he used the train to travel near to their school— that he walked the rest of the way from the station— she knew that he enjoyed walking.

However, today was different from previous days, he woke up late.

She recited one of her epic monologues depicting her love.

"There you are, Torajiro-kun! I shall follow you to the ends of the earth! My one and only! The love of my life! My Torajiro-kun!"

She panted hard as her emotions ran wild.

She followed him as he left his home.

Kyouka was wearing a dark coloured raincoat over her school uniform.

She was always thoroughly prepared before she departed her house.

The rain started to drizzle— Torajiro opened his umbrella and walked towards the station.

The walking distance to the station was not very long, it would have normally taken him fifteen minutes to walk there.

He passed several houses and reached an area filled with acres of big cherry blossom trees.

He wanted to watch the cherry blossom trees, even in this weather.

He strolled slowly as he watched pink cherry blossoms, he thought that they looked somewhat pretty, but they also seemed a bit dreary due to the rain.

He wished for the rain to stop, but he knew that it was in vain.

He saw no positivity in hurrying, though he would be late.

His stomach growled loudly as if it had agreed with him.

Torajiro stopped at his regular convenience store instead of going straight to the station.

He left his umbrella in a rack at the front and entered the store.

The store was small but it offered all the essentials, it was also kept neat and spotless.

As he walked in he spotted Chloe, his favourite cashier, she was sitting at her desk.

She was a lightly tanned girl with blonde haired with blue eyes.

She was half American and half Japanese.

Torajiro made his way towards Chloe and decided to make a conversation with her.

Chloe had been reading a book while sipping from her coffee cup since her morning break started.

She saw someone strolling into the store from the corner of her eye.

She took a gander and smiled as she saw Tora's face.

She placed both her book and coffee cup onto the desk.

She fiddled with her thumbs in anticipation, she knew she was in for a long chat, as usual.

"Morning Chloe, what's up? How's it going?"

Torajiro leaned onto the desk and stared at Chloe.

She wore fancy red glasses on her face, her makeup was plain but she looked quite pretty, she was dressed in a red plaid shirt and blue denim jeans.

"Good morning Tora. I'm fine. It's has been a slow morning."

She yawned and stretched while covering her mouth.

She felt fatigued by the gloomy weather.

Kyouka was outside the store peeking through the window.

As she saw Torajiro being overly friendly towards the blonde girl, feelings of jealousy started to build and eventually it overflowed from her, oozing out everywhere.

"No! No! No! No! Torajiro-kun, don't flirt with that thieving cat again! You are mine! Mine! Mine! All mine! I will not allow her to have you!"

Kyouka yelled angrily in a fit of jealousy.

There was a noise at the front of the store.

"Did you just hear that?"

Tora asked Chloe while raising an eyebrow.

Tora thought he heard a voice that he knew but it was quite faint.

"Oh no! I didn't hear a peep."

She lifted up a candy chick and giggled.

"Tehe!"

Chloe looked a bit smug towards Tora.

"Are you trying to be cute or perhaps funny?"

Tora laughed though he thought that Chloe's joke was somewhat dry.

"Tough crowd, huh? Did someone kill your cat?"

Chloe asked Tora with a cheeky smile.

"I don't have a cat..."

Tora said awkwardly as he lowered his eyebrows.

"How are you today Tora?"

"I'm just so peachy."

He said sarcastically in a monotone voice.

Tora's stomach growled at that exact moment— making things more awkward.

"I'm kind of starving though."

Tora said while he tried to hide the embarrassment planted on his face.

"Have you not eaten anything this morning, as yet? You should eat properly. You seem to a bit troubled today, did something happen?"

Chloe inquired with concern in her eyes.

"Well, my sister wasn't home again, and I woke up late. I haven't been sleeping all too well lately but I'm getting to have breakfast with someone as beautiful as yourself, milady. That's one thing to be happy about!"

Tora smirked at Chloe.

"You really know how to make a girl blush!"

Chloe stood up and to her surprise, she saw someone lurking outside the store.

She noticed that it was indeed Kyouka who was looking in through the window, towards the inside, but she decided to keep it a secret from Tora.

A plan hatched in her mind, like a baby chick, she wanted to tease Kyouka as well as Tora.

She bent over onto her desk towards Tora and propped herself up by gripping the edge of the desk right in front of him.

She allowed him to have a full view of her cleavage, he was surprised that her buttons hadn't burst as yet.

Tora blushed brightly, he could not avert his eyes from her breasts.

She smirked as she used her free hand to pick up a pen from her desk.

She stretched towards him and poked his shoulder with it.

Chloe stared at Tora intensely and asked, "Have you found yourself a girlfriend yet?"

She continued poking him until he answered her question.

Tora nervously said, "N-N-No, not yet."

She enjoyed teasing him with her alluring body.

Kyouka started muttering to herself.

"You thieving cat! Are you trying to seduce my Tora-kun with those large melons of yours?"

Tora remembered all the weird occurrences that happened over the last week.

He looked away from Chloe and abruptly asked, "D-D-Do you ever get the feeling like you are being watched? Lately, I've been having that feeling. I'm a bit concerned for my own safety."

Chloe saw this as a good chance to tease Tora once again.

"Maybe, you might have an admirer or a stalker? I bet that it's a stalker!"

Chloe started to tear up as she laughed her lungs out.

"Are you trying to scare me? You're terrible Chloe!"

Tora started to shake at the idea of being stalked as well as his frustration being built up by Chloe's sense of humour.

"What book are you reading anyway?"

Tora asked Chloe attempting to dissolve the current conversation.

"Oh, It's a book about a male protagonist who is always late for school because has a hot stalker girl who is crazy for him."

Chloe smirked realising that Tora had tried to switch the topic, but he failed miserably.

"Are you being sarcastic again? Quit making fun of me, I'm being serious here!"

Tora was getting more frustrated at Chloe.

"Aren't you getting a bit too paranoid?"

Chloe walked towards him, patted his head, then hugged him closely, pressing her breasts onto his chest.

He felt her warmth against his body as she embraced him.

She whispered to him, "I always tease you, but I don't think you should be worried."

Chloe kissed Tora's cheek.

Kyouka started to get annoyed watching her beloved Tora-kun happily talking to Chloe as she started flirting with him.

"Now she's flirting with him?! He's mine, you homewrecker! Stay calm Kyou, stay calm!"

Kyouka began breathing heavily and also grinding her teeth, keeping her eyes at Tora and Chloe.

"Okay, Chloe. I'll try not to worry about it, but how do you know?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back.

"It is a woman's intuition, of course!"

She laughed.

"You are aware that you will be extremely late if you idly chat here, right?"

She asked while she poked him several times before she pointed towards the clock on the wall.

Torajiro looked at the clock and noticed that he was really going to be late.

A gust of wind blew Kyouka into view.

Tora turned towards the store window that was overlooking the road to check if the rain had stopped but it was still falling.

He thought he saw a shadowy figure at the corner of the window for a second, but it vanished.

Kyouka quickly hid from view before Torajiro could notice that it was her outside.

"Oh my God?! I was almost noticed by him! He made my heart race so suddenly! I know that I want him to notice me but this is far too much! My Tora-Kyun! Whatever shall I do Breathe Kyou! Breathe!"

Kyouka panicked and started breathing faster and faster.

"Yeah, you're right! I'll get my breakfast now."

Torajiro walked quickly to the food cart nearby.

"It's always fun to talk to you, there's never a dull moment!"

Chloe laughed.

Torajiro picked up a boxed lunch, and also a green tea from the fridge.

He walked back over to Chloe and handed them over to her.

"Do you need anything else? Like pepper spray? I prepared this one especially for you!"

Chloe said sarcastically while holding the pepper spray in her hands and started giggling again.

"I might as well have one on me. Thank you so very much!"

Torajiro was trying not to laugh.

"That will be a grand total of 1346 yen, but just for today, you get it for free. Pepper spray included."

Chloe said to Tora with a straight face.

"Haha, thanks, Chloe. I'll see you later!"

He waved towards Chloe.

"You're welcome Tora. Later."

She smiled and waved to him.

Torajiro made his way out of the store, but he could not shake the idea that he might have a stalker from his mind.

He grabbed his umbrella from the rack as he got outside of the store and opened it.

The rain was still pouring.

While still lost in his thoughts, he stepped into the street forgetting to check for oncoming traffic.

There was a loud noise approaching quickly to his location.

It was the sound of a truck going out of control.

As he turned his head, thoughts of this day being his last day rushed throughout his mind.

All that he was able to do was watch and listen as the truck moved closer towards him.

Kyouka saw this tragedy unfolding right in front of her eyes.

Since she could not believe that her beloved Torajiro-kun was in danger, she immediately ran as fast as she could to push him out of the way.

She was an incredible sprinter in school and for years she trained to run faster than anyone else her age, always testing her insane speed, and at the moment she made contact with him, there was a strange green mist rising around both of them, engulfing their bodies entirely.

She was extremely freaked out by what was happening to them, as was Torajiro.

He felt an impact against his back, like a meteor, but it was soft, squishy, and springy, there were two of them and they were now being pressed onto him.

Simultaneously, he felt a pair of dainty hands, they reached around him swiftly and started gripping onto his chest tightly, while they trembled.

He dropped his umbrella and turned his head, all he saw was— a ruffle of black hair that looked as though it was styled in twin tails and a familiar schoolgirl uniform, which meant that it could only be Kyouka.

"Torajiro!"

She yelled while sounding extremely terrified, she was crying.

It was as if time had stopped within their proximity— in fact, it did stop.

At that exact moment, a strange portal opened up beneath their feet, causing them to fall into an unusual place shrouded in darkness which seemed to extend infinitely with no source of light available.

Torajiro looked around, but all his efforts were to no avail.

It seemed quite similar to being within a sensory deprivation tank— nothing could be seen.

He still felt Kyouka's body pressed against him— her generous breasts upon his back, her arms around his torso, her hands clutching onto his shirt with all her might, her head resting on his shoulder warming it with her breath.

It seemed as though she had passed out.

After a few moments passed, a bright white light started illuminating the room.

It pulled them closer towards it, and struggling was not an option.

It was as though a vortex was trying to suck them in.

Within the light, there was a girl with blackish blonde hair stretching her hands out towards him, she wore a black tank top, black shorts, and a pair of black boots.

Strangely enough, he felt drawn towards her very being as if she was a part of himself— he reached out, grabbing her soft hands, they felt cold as if she was made of ice.

Instinctively, he pulled her in for a hug.

He started to feel a rush of sadness and loneliness radiating off of her body, she started crying.

She returned the hug as if to say thank you, then her body disappeared into particles of light that seemed to flow directly into his body, and his consciousness faded away along with the light.