1 A Night of Darkness and Miracles

"Where do tears come from? If we can understand this, we will be able to realise that the feelings inside of us can describe the world outside of us, and then we will know where tears go"

It was the beginning of a peaceful day, and just a common new day for Tadashi, a 22 years old NEET who's life goal is to become a martial arts champion.

"Huh... Again, these dreams, how can I make these dreams stop?" Tadashi sighed as he got up and looked over the windows.

"It's getting confusing, the visions, the voices, what does all of this mean, it always makes me question who I am."

"Well, anyway, it's time to shine!"

As a NEET, he started to perform some online tasks so as to get benefit from different online jobs, after finishing the tasks, he kept playing video games for a long time until he realised that he was going to get paid the same day.

"Oh yes! Today I get paid, I almost forgot! Let's see how much I got."

"Oh wow! That's more than enough!"

When the afternoon arrived, he felt hungry and opened the fridge just to realize there was almost no food left.

"Ah? What? Where did all the food go?"

"Guess I'll have to go to the supermarket." he complained in a lazy way.

Tadashi changed his clothes and went for food, but first, he wanted to do some training.

As he was training, he saw yet another vision, and voices appeared in his mind as time stood still.

"You're doing pretty well, Tadashi"

"No, no no no no no, again these feelings, am I going crazy?"

"What you feel is real, Tadashi, just trust your feelings."

"How can all of this be real? No one, nothing is moving... Who are you?"

"Awakenings are always dark, but they will bring miracles."

"Awakenings what? I don't understand, who are you?"

"You will soon find out"

Time got back to its place, and Tadashi felt more confusing than ever, almost shocked. He immediately went outside to take fresh air.

When he felt better, he continued to go to the supermarket for food, apparently it was empty on the streets that afternoon, not many people, it was not usual for the city he lived in.

Tadashi heard some noise as he was on his way to shopping, the noise came from a dark narrow hallway. He was curious and followed the noise just to see a girl being beaten by 2 thugs.

"Is that... Oh! She's being hurt!" he stressed out shockingly

"What do I do, should I call for help?"

"I have to make a choice quick!"

"No no no! What am I even...? This is not a choice for me to make, I must act now!"

He ran to protect the girl and fought the thugs.

"Run!" Tadashi desperately screamed to the victim.

"I... I'm sorry!" she replied as she started to run away.

Tadashi imagined himself being that martial arts champion he wanted to be, he fought bravely, with confidence, he almost beat them, but a 3rd thug appeared and knocked him down from behind, he was hit on his head with an iron bat.

"Bring back the girl!" Tadashi heard as he was falling unconscious.

Once he opened his eyes, he saw next to him, the face of the girl he tried to protect, covered in blood. Tears came out of his eyes as he was lying on the ground.

"I'm so sorry, I couldn't save you..." he whispered as he was looking at her face with teary eyes.

"How can I protect anybody, if I can't even protect myself?

The words he said, the image he saw, was something he would not forget any time soon.

Later on, after the events, it was reported that the girl died and he was asked to go home and rest. He agreed, but it was something he would not do.

It was 2:00 AM and he went all the way up to the roof of the highest skyscraper around. He started to feel different, see the visions, and hear the voices again. This time, however, he wasn't surprised, he surrendered to those feelings and embraced them as a part of his very own persona.

"Do you feel it now, Tadashi?"

"I know, it was my fault, I should have been able to protect myself in the first place. How could a peaceful day become a nightmare like this? I'll now have to face this day for the rest of my life, living as a coward, hiding from everyone." Said Tadashi emotionless and broken.

"Or you can wake up from this nightmare and become who you really are."

"I don't even know who I am, I've been questioning this for 4 years."

"Our memories, our connection, will always be there. You just need to feel it and remember it."

"Maybe you're right, maybe I'm not looking for myself, but trying to reconnect to myself."

Tadashi closed his eyes, he stood still, quietly and empty.

"Tadashi. No matter how life becomes, you can always choose who you really are, you can always begin again. Tell me, where do tears come from?"

A light started glowing around him, as he felt that, for once, he recognised his true essence. An increase of physical and emotional energy filled his body.

"I'm tired of running away." He whispered softly and pointed out:

"When we're hurt, we feel the pain even if there's no wound at all. The origin of tears is that there is no origin, there can't be a beginning for something that doesn't end, tears are always there, ready to be shed, to heal us, to make us remember everything we care about, and to wash our pain away."

That moment represented something like an awakening for Tadashi, an answer to his own call as he has now become super powerful. It was a moment described as a new beginning, a new perspective.

"I'm sorry for not being able to realise I was powerful enough to save you..." Tadashi whispered once again, with his eyes closed still, guilty for what happened to the deceased girl.

Then, a soft breeze of the cold night touched him as he heard a voice saying:

"Thank you for trying."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x0_AAnlxmE