If life could change

My name is Takiyama Shinra, I'm 17 and in my second year of college. My life is nothing exceptional, normal… I live in a normal home, with my normal family (well normal is a pick of opinion, but nothing extraordinary). I work extra at a cafe and exercise somewhat regularly, normal… I'm not the most popular guy in school, though I'm far from an outcast, I've had a handful of girlfriends and though i'm not the most handsome guy ever, far from ugly, normal… Like I said nothing exceptional, a normal life, a boring life… I can't help thinking there must be more to it. I'm constantly romanticised by stories in manga or anime about normal people, like myself, that one day wake up with superpowers, get transported into another world or live a double life as an assassin… Who am I kidding… behind the blistering hope of a different life comes the blend grey soaked reality that is life…

" Shinra! Breakfast was served 15 minutes ago you will be late for school!"

"I'm coming!" I answered as I prepared myself for yet another normal day…

At the table was me, my mom, my sister and dad.

"So, anything exciting happening this week Shin?" mother asked

"Ha! Shinra doing something exciting? Why do you keep asking him that question you already know the answer mom"

Little piss-ant… She wasn't wrong, though with every year my sister grows it seems more and more like her goal in life is to gloat over how boring my life is.

"No, nothing special… we have a quiz on thursday I think…"

"Ha! What did I tell you? Boring!

*The door knocked*

Dad put down the paper and got up from his chair.

"I'll get it, and shizuru stop bugging your brother"

As dad walked away, Shizuru stuck her tongue out and made a face at me.

"Shinra! It's Todou!"

Finally a pass to leave this tormented breakfast. I got up, took my sandwich with me and said goodbye as I closed the front door.

Todou has been my best friend since childhood. We get along really well even though we might as well be each other's opposites personality wise. He was the bubbly optimistic type that looked at the world with excitement throughout every corner. Maybe he needs me to put a little contrast to his childlike view on things or he would float away into the sky. Nevertheless I'm happy to have him as a friend and I guess he feels the same.

"So, Shin-kun, It's a beautiful day, the wind is low and the sun is shining on us, what do you reckon the chances for me to find the love of my life is today!?

"Same as always, quite low…"

"Haha! You are so cold Shin-kun, I don't know I have a feeling that something special is going to happen today!"

"You say that everyday man"

"Haha! Well I guess you're right"

The walk to school is quite long, but Todous constant speeches about preference in women or his dreams of being a super detective or an astronaut that brings peace in other universes certainly makes them feel a bit shorter. I mean my reactions probably doesn't give the indication that I'm interested, I usually just answer short and seldom give him any laughter. But I know that he knows that I appreciate his speeches, they color out my otherwise grey days.

As we are walking and Todou is talking, I usually space out after a while, thinking about what could make life a bit more exciting. Suddenly as I glance up toward the bright blue sky, my eyes got drawn to something swooshing past my glance. A shadow, like as if someone ran past me, but without me noticing it clearly. I stopped and looked over my shoulder, and caught a very small glance of some sort of shadows back as it rushed into an alley behind us.

"Hey Shin… are you spacing out again?"

"Shinra??"

"Wh.. What… yeah I guess i did"

"Aargh maan, are my stories really that boring? Anyway as I was saying, boobs are a treat, but booty is what really matters…"

Was it a dog? No too big, was I daydreaming? Did my mind subconsciously make something up because I wanted something interesting to happen? I better focus on whatever Todou is talking about on the final part of the walk to school.