Chapter 1

Everything seemed to come to a halt...

The baby cried uncontrollably, with sobs wracking through their tiny body.

A scream of regret echoed through the air, tearing through the atmosphere towards the person slowly falling down.

Akira held the baby tighter and looked up at the sky, silently thinking to himself

"The sky always looks this beautiful and blue, doesn't it?"

A loud bang shook the ground.

Satou Akira, a 16-year-old student in his second year of high school, was an outstanding student who always ranked at the top of his class. He excelled not only in academics but also in sports, earning numerous titles at the city level.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the class, and continued to echo for several seconds.

"Akira...take your test paper to the teacher's office for me. I only glanced at it briefly, but it seems almost perfect. Well...you're a talented student, and you don't really need a teacher like me, do you?"

The teacher glanced over, feigning annoyance, and looked towards her favorite student.

"Don't joke around, it's thanks to great teachers like you that I can be where I am today!" Akira retorted with a smile, trying to put her at ease. "Don't worry about me, just fix the papers for the others, okay?"

"Akira brought his test paper to the seat near the entrance where his classmate A sat and listened intently, causing the teacher to chuckle before turning back to continue correcting the papers for everyone.

"Hey, can I sit here and listen to the lecture after the teacher is done?"

Akira asked with a warm smile and a gentle voice to his neighboring classmate.

A blushed and stuttered a response

"Uh...ye-yeah...it's an honor to have you sit here with me."

The whispers around the classroom grew louder and Akira could tell they were talking about him, both praising and criticizing. The teacher then raised her voice

"Hey, are you guys just sitting there praising Akira and not listening to me correcting your papers? Do you want me to give you extra classes until the evening?"

Everyone yelled in unison

"Iyaaa...evil teacher!"

"What? Be prepared then,"

The teacher playfully threatened with a chalk in her hand.

The class burst into laughter, then refocused and continued listening to the lecture.

Akira smiled at them all, but deep inside that smile, there were many thoughts hidden."

To everyone else, Akira is an exemplary student - smart, active, and always ready to help his friends. That's all they see in him, and everyone wants to be as perfect as he is.

BUT NOT AKIRA HIMSELF!

They can only see the tip of the iceberg. No one knows the sacrifices Akira has had to make to gain others' admiration.

Now, when interval come,

Akira's phone rings, and each vibration feels like his heart is about to jump out of his chest. As usual, "that person" calling him at this time to remind him of every little thing he needs to prepare for the day.

"Hello, Mom. Is there something you need?"

Akira picks up the phone, his heart sinking.

"Oh, I called to let you know that your grandfather, who teaches advanced math, can't tutor you this afternoon because you have something else going on. So, I asked a lecturer from the university to teach you in the morning. Don't forget to go to the address I sent you. And don't keep them waiting for too long!"

His mother flips through Akira's daily schedule as she speaks.

"Yes, Mom. I got it."

Akira tries not to yawn, even though his eyelids are drooping.

"Come on, guys, get ready!"

The teacher jokes with them, waving a chalk piece in the air.

The class bursts into laughter, then settles down to listen to the lecture again.

Akira looks at them, smiling, but deep inside, he's hiding many bad feelings."

"By the way, after finishing your math lesson, your sports schedule for today is at the badminton club at 7:15 PM. Remember to achieve high results in swimming, volleyball, basketball, badminton, table tennis, football, and chess, for your mother's pride, even if you fail to qualify for the national level in one sport like last time."

The stern mother continued, "Yes, this time you won't disappoint me, will you?"

Akira replied dejectedly, "I am your hope, your pride, and your face to the world. I should remember that I'm not ordinary like the others. I was born a genius, and I will do things that others may not be able to do, as he said..."

Hearing this, his mother choked up and shared how much she expected from him.

Akira gazed into the distance, leaning wearily against the wall without saying anything.

Seeing this, his mother continued

"You know, your father died in an accident before you could even talk. I have only you, and you are everything to me. Everything I do is for you, so you must do your best. That way, your father will rest in peace."

"Yes, I understand," Akira replied.

"Good. After playing badminton, take a break until 9 PM, and then continue with programming and homework. You only need four hours of sleep a day, or you'll waste so much time."

"Okay...I understand, so please remember your schedule, don't skip any classes. I'm hanging up now, see you in the next period," said Akira.

Akira tried to end the call as soon as possible. All he wanted now was to sleep and regain his strength to prepare for the next "battle".

"Remember what Mom said, go to school now," Akira added before hanging up.

"Th...(phone call ended) "

The sound of the phone hanging up made Akira feel relieved.

"Well, life will continue to be boring like this, for how long?" he thought to himself.

Akira let out a long sigh and leaned against the wall, sliding down until he sat on the ground. He felt completely drained.

A gentle breeze blew by and whispered in his ear, "Everything will start...with an end...soon."

"I have to go to class...," Akira murmured. His eyes slowly closed as he drifted off to sleep, no matter how much he tried to resist.

The bell rang to signal the start of the next class, adding to the already noisy atmosphere. Akira suddenly woke up, stood up, brushed himself off, and went to the restroom to freshen up.

He truly loved this school. While studying was a nightmare for many, for Akira, it was a place to ease his mind and learn in a way that was "entertaining" and suitable for his age, after the "nightmare" of studying at home. It was where he felt truly alive, unlike the emptiness and boredom he felt elsewhere.