A Normal Life

Morning light spilled over the quiet streets, casting long shadows against the rows of houses and convenience stores. The town wasn’t too big, but not too small either, just a peaceful slice of Japan where everyday life carried on as it always had. Students biked along the sidewalks, shopkeepers set up their displays, and the scent of fresh bread drifted from a nearby bakery.

At the heart of the serenity stood Hinogawa High School, an unassuming three-story building with its neatly kept grounds and familiar bell that signaled the start of the day.

And, as usual, Emi was running late.

The pavement blurred beneath her feet as she sprinted toward the school gates, arms pumping, her bag bouncing against her back. Her short green hair stuck out in wild spikes, barely brushed, while her lungs burned, still fumbling with her uniform as she ran, trying to fix it on the go.

“Why does this always happen?” she groaned.

Up ahead, two figures stood by the school gate. Kana had her arms crossed, a mischievous smirk on her face as she flicked her vibrant orange hair to the side. While Misaki, her dark hair pulled into a neat ponytail, pushed up her glasses, already anticipating the conversation.

“You almost nailed the full anime heroine package,” Kana called out as Emi skidded to a stop in front of them, panting.

“Huh?” Emi blinked.

Misaki adjusted her glasses. “You’re late, running to school, again. The only thing missing is the toast in your mouth.”

“I did that one time!” Emi protested.

Kana tapped her chin. “One time this week.”

Emi groaned, adjusting the strap of her bag. “I swear I left on time today! But then I saw the newest volume of Celestial Knights just released. I had to check it out.”

Misaki let out a long, suffering sigh, pushing up her glasses:

“You stopped on your way to school to look at comic books?”

“It was important!” Emi huffed. “I need to know if Ray and Kaori finally confessed!”

Kana gasped dramatically, clutching her chest, saying:

“Wait, wait, wait – no spoilers! I haven't read the latest chapters yet!”

“You guys are impossible,” Misaki said, trying to hide her smirk.

And here the conversation trailed off as the day went on. The chatter of students filling the halls as they entered their classes.

The rest of the school day passed in a blur: lectures, lunch, a pop quiz Misaki had prepared for but Emi and Kana had completely forgotten about. Before long, the final bell rang, signaling freedom.

“Man, I thought that last period would never end,” Emi stepped out into the warm afternoon sun, stretching her arms behind her head.

“That’s what happens when you don’t pay attention,” Misaki chimed in, adjusting her bag.

“History is so boring, though,” Emi whined.

“Speaking of important history,” Kana said, twirling her hair, “didn’t you say Celestial Knights just got a new volume?”

Emi’s eyes instantly lit up.

“Oh, right! I’m gonna stop by the manga store!”

“Of course you are,” Misaki sighed.

“Wanna come with?” Emi asked, already bouncing on her heels.

Before they knew it, they were already there. The small bell above the door chimed as the three stepped into the manga store, greeted by the familiar scent of ink and paper. Rows of colorful volumes lined the shelves, and Emi immediately drifted toward the new releases, eyes scanning eagerly.

Kana and Misaki followed, chatting as they flipped through a few covers. They laughed over ridiculous shoujo tropes, debated which series to pick up next, and for a while, it was just another fun afternoon.

Then, Emi’s eyes landed on something strange.

A book, tucked between the manga, where it definitely didn’t belong. No title, no cover art. Just a plain, worn-looking thing, as if it had been waiting there for years.

Curious, she plucked it from the shelf and flipped it open. The first few lines made her pause. It was a fantasy story.

Kana peeked over her shoulder and snorted:

"A fantasy book? Wow, how original. Let me guess. Prophecy, chosen one, magic swords?”

Emi answered:

“Yeah. I think so.”

“I didn’t know you read words too,” Kana smirked, holding in a laugh.

Emi chuckled, shaking her head:

“I used to read a lot of fantasy as a kid. It’s charming in a way. It feels… nostalgic.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s great and all but cliché fantasy does not have hot hunks on the cover!” Kana cried, holding up the new volume of Celestial Knights.

“You know shoujo romances aren’t the only thing I read right?” Emi said.

“Yeah, don’t remind me of your sports phase.”

“Guys, guys,” Misaki called, “I didn’t realize Codex Arcanum has a sequel. This author is my favorite. We should check it out.”

“You just like the guy because he’s a nerd like you.”

The conversation trailed off, shifting to other series and their latest finds. But even as they laughed and moved on, Emi couldn’t shake the strange feeling creeping up her spine.

Her fingers brushed over the book’s worn cover.

Why was it here? And why did it feel like it was waiting for her?

Emi’s fingers hovered over the book’s blank cover, tracing the rough texture once more. There was no author’s name, no publisher’s logo – nothing.

Just an unmarked hardcover, thick with yellowed pages.

She flipped it open again, her eyes scanning the first few lines. The words swirled before her, something about an ancient kingdom, a war long past, a hero lost to time. She couldn’t explain why, but something about it tugged at her, like a half-remembered dream.

“I’m getting it,” she announced suddenly, snapping the book shut.

“Really? You don’t even know what it’s about,” Kana raised an eyebrow.

“That’s the fun part,” Emi said with a grin, already heading toward the counter.

“You’re way too trusting,” Misaki muttered, adjusting her glasses. “What if it’s cursed?”

“She’s right,” Kana nodded, “what if you wake up inside the book? Trapped in some weird fantasy world, forced to marry the brooding prince?”

Emi simply laughed it off:

“Please, as if my life is an isekai.”

She paid for the book, stuffing it into her bag as they left the store, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement. They chatted the whole way back, but Emi’s mind kept drifting back to the book. The weight of it in her bag felt heavier than it should.

Emi kicked off her shoes the moment she stepped inside her house, greeting her pet goldfish quickly before heading straight to her room. She pushed the door open with her shoulder and tossed her bag onto the bed, her school blazer following soon after. The book casually landed on top of the messy blankets and pillows as Emi also flopped down beside it.

Before she could even unpack what she had bought, she was already distracted by the buzzing of her phone. Grabbing it and tapping on the screen, she saw Kana in the group chat, bombarding everyone with screenshots of spoilers she was too happy to share. Misaki responded with a comment about studying instead, which was basically her way of being upset about the spoilers, to which Kana replied with a crying cat meme.

Emi giggled, fingers flying across the screen, also about to join in.

But before she could hit send, a low hum filled the air.

Emi blinked, glancing around. The room felt... strange. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. A shift in the air pressure, like the calm before a storm.

Then from behind, on her bed – the fantasy book began to twitch.

Emi instantly froze, thinking she had just seen a ghost. Now her mind immediately raced to one of those ghost-catching cameras she saw online the other day. She realized pretty quick that it was a little too late for that, though.

Especially with the way the book was slowly crawling out from where it was placed, shuddering just slightly, but enough to make her heart leap into her throat.

A faint glow now pulsed beneath its cover.

The hum grew louder. The light intensified, spilling out from between the pages, golden and unnatural, as if the sun itself was trying to escape. The room trembled. The very air cracked, space itself folding inward. Emi threw her arms up to shield her face, her breath almost being sucked out from the sheer weight of the power.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, it was over.

Silence.

Only the book remained, dropped on the floor, with its glow fading into nothingness.

Until… Emi realized:

There was something else besides the book in here – someone else.

A figure was standing above where it landed.

Lean, short, white-haired. A red scarf billowing despite the lack of wind. A round shield on one arm, and in his other hand, a weapon like no other – a black mace, heavy and foreboding.

His piercing eyes locked onto hers, unreadable. His presence was unimaginably dense, mathematically impossible. And yet, there he was.

There, standing in the middle of her room, was a young man straight out of a fantasy novel.