Volume 1 Prologue: Me, and the Cute Girl with Uncanny Abilities

It was raining hard the night I decided to die.

And I was completely heartbroken.

My hoodie is already completely soaked and cold, but the heat inside of me caused by alcohol fought back relentlessly.

I'm still asking how the hell I managed to confess to my classmate, Takamine Shizuku, even though I already know the answer perfectly well.

She’s beautiful, athletic—hell, her thighs alone could start a war between men. But the case is, I am a loser and my style is trash. I am in the bottom with the majority of my classmates barely aware that I exist.

On the other hand, she's Madonna, the girl at the top of the class.

So damn it, she'll never date someone like me even in the next life.

If shame is going to haunt me forever and kill me anyway, I might as well do it myself.

The thought swirled around as I walked on dark, slippery and unforgiving alleys, the city lights blurring altogether.

"Is this the price of confessing your feelings?"

I blurted out, my voice numb and drawled.

Then—

"Uwegh...agh...blurrrff!"

I grasped onto a street lamp and barfed everything in my stomach.

Meat, vegetables and alcohol itself, gross.

Good thing that it went straight to the canal, or I will be fined for littering. I wobbly rose to my feet and continued walking despite my world spinning.

A few steps after, my stomach roared again. I threw up, but nothing followed.

At this point, I didn't even need a map, my feet took me to the place awaiting my final destination.

A tall footbridge stood in front of me, with a highway sprawled with cars of deadly speed zooming past beneath it.

Right. Just climb, then jump, and it's all over on a whim.

The rain just got heavier and heavier, visibility closing, but I don't dare stop.

When I reached the top, the cold wind slapped my face, but it was the most refreshing sensation ever.

Then I let it all out the feelings that brewed inside of me, a storm stronger than this one as I grasped the railing. No one will see me crying if it's under the rain after all.

I wanted her.

I imagined living a good high school life with her. Walking home together, holding hands, laughing like we had forever ahead of us

Then enjoy my youth, because somehow, it got stolen away from me.

But I don’t hate her at all, I knew the outcome beforehand.

Yet I hate myself for trying and living on empty dreams.

With my eyes closed tightly, my parent's faces flashed in my mind.

And I'm still blaming myself why they aren't here. After all, no one will give a damn if I'm already gone.

I heaved one final breath, and lifted one foot above the railing.

The metal creaked. Thunder roared above. Horns blared below. I forced myself not to look down.

One more step....one more...and it's over.

I leaned forward and before I could even jump, I heard a voice. Maybe I was hallucinating. Maybe it was just some bystanders.

The sound of rain blurred everything, but it pierced right through it.

"You’re useless! I told you not to screw up again! Get out of my sight!”

My eyes snapped open, my breath hitching.

I turned to the direction where it came from, and it was from the alley just below the footbridge, from where I came from.

A loud bump. Sharp, like broken glass.

And a feminine scream.

I was drunk, yes. But why did my mind suddenly turn sharp?

Did a girl just get hit?

And why the hell am I even walking down this bridge trying to turn into a hero?

Was I suddenly playing the good guy? What the hell was wrong with me?

I was supposed to kill myself a few seconds earlier.

I reached the alley, the concrete damp with rising water.

Beneath the lights of a humble flower shop lay a slender figure crumpled on the ground, shielding her face on the wet concrete. Around her were broken pieces of vases, and her clothes were torn, hands trembling as the man standing next to her raised his fist armed with another flower vase.

My senses sharpened, and I called out before I could think better of it.

"Back the fuck off!" I staggered forward, fists clenched.

The man recognized my presence and sneered, “Mind your business.” stomping on the poor figure one more time, leaving a mud footprint on the sleeve of her blouse. “I’m teaching this dummy a lesson.”

I stopped short, staring at the girl. Beneath her pink tousled bangs lied wide, tear-filled eyes, staring at me, almost as if begging me to do something and save her.

Then, a thin line of red streamed from her temple down to her cheek, and that alone made my stomach and heart churn.

"I am warning you," I groaned. “Get lost before I call someone!”

“And you dare to intervene?” the man howled. “She’s my employee, so the decision’s mine!”

The man attempted to strike her with the vase one more time, but I shielded her body with mine, and a sharp crack shot at my shoulders.

The flower vase exploded into pieces around us, and the girl's body slumped limply against mine.

A sob escaped her throat as I looked over at the man and held his gaze, trying to convey the words “One more time and I’ll call the cops, you crap!”

He laughed in return, bloodshot eyes burning with rage.

"I dare you, wimpy kid!"

I pulled out my phone, typing the hotline despite how hard it is to use it with wet fingers. The man returned a scowl but dropped his guard, turning around and slammed the glass doors of his flower store shut.

Though my shoulder burned like hell, I turned to the girl next to me and clutched her arm, steadying her. We limped together on a nearby roofed bench.

The rain damped her blouse and the surface of her skin became visible against it. On a closer inspection, a map of scratches and scars surfaced, fresh and healed, stretching from both of her limbs.

“W-what the hell…” I voiced out, almost a whisper. "Hey, are you okay?!"

The girl pulled her bloodied face closer slightly, and she stared at my mouth.

"You're...drunk..." She whispered weakly, "Shochu...maybe 8 bottles..."

I flinched, eyes widening. How the hell did she make the correct estimate?

No one could guess that from a glance. Unless she watched me drink them. Or…something else?

I must have been so wasted that I could barely stand, but is that kind of weird or just a lucky guess?

Either way, I can't let her stay here while I'm still conscious. I removed my hoodie and used it to wipe the blood oozing from her face. Then I covered it with a bandage.

She didn't resist. She let me touch her face without hesitation.

And somehow, now that I am closer, I can see her face clearer. Her face shape is cutesy, rounded but detailed. It was framed with short and pink hair that cascaded to her neck. Her eyes were glimmering pink, upturned and gentle—innocent.

Her scent, sweet rose petals.

If not because of the rain, she would really appear beautiful.

I cleared my throat, composing myself.

"You hit the right guess, but hand me your arm."

On that map of scars, one deep wound stood out. Maybe it's from a knife and she accidentally cut herself, who knows, but it doesn't matter anymore.

I immediately covered the deepest wound with the last bandage left in my pocket.

"!"

She yanked away her arm and concealed it with the long sleeves of her white blouse.

“U-uh…” she started, still trembling. “Thank you.” she whispered, her voice soft, almost musical.

I huffed, pulling my hand away too after making sense of what I am doing. I'm too close, maybe I got carried away.

"Nevermind that now," I said firmly, shaking my head. "Let's get you home."

But instead of scooting away, the girl hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. “I…don’t have one…” she mumbled in a mere whisper.

"Then, I'll look for internet cafes or karaoke bars where you can stay."

The girl shook her head. "I don't have money."

My stomach dropped. Not because of the beer, it's quite different now. Pity? Anger? I can't pinpoint.

"What?" I snapped. "That damned guy doesn't give paychecks yet has the guts to harm you? What the hell are you even doing here?"

"Because..." she trailed off, voice weak and muffled. "The food I ate was the payment for my service."

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Did she seriously just say that? She works herself to death just to get the bare fucking minimum?

Frustration, it is. One for that manipulative bastard—and one for this girl who somehow thinks this is normal.

"That's trafficking! That shitty piece of bastard—!"

"It's okay,” she cuts in gently. “It's not like I would have a place to go if I stopped working here."

I frowned. And that hurts more to realize that she's been treated like this all along than this brokenness I am feeling tonight.

"Do you have a phone? Can you contact your parents? Relatives?"

She just weakly shrugged again. “I don’t have one.”

At that point on, I realized that this girl has nothing, far less than what I have. I'm just hopeless in romance, but she...

...she's hopeless in life.

If anything, I should be helping her, right?

But no...it's a bad idea that me and an innocent girl will spend the night in my own apartment.

But on the other hand, I caught a glimpse of what’s about to happen if this girl would stay outside. Her wounds, fresh and healed, showed a long history of how she’s treated.

I couldn’t stand the idea of being around girls right now—especially after tonight, let alone on the same roof.

Yet, seeing how badly beaten and broken she was, injustice gnawed at me.

If I’ll allow her to stay only for tonight, maybe I might be able to sleep in peace. Guilt will surely take over me if I hadn’t.

I sighed.

"Listen," I said calmly, trying to find the words, "I'll let you stay tonight at my apartment. But here's the deal, I didn't kidnap you, right?"

She nodded.

"Good. Then, when I'm asleep, don't sneak out and take away my valuables, okay?"

"I won't, I promise you."

"And don't judge my dirty apartment."

"I will clean it."

"No, that's on me. Just rest there until morning."

She nodded again.

I stood up, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my shoulder. But at the time I straightened myself, the adrenaline was gone, and my body immediately reached its limit.

And the alcohol...I'm already too numb to do anything about it.

I tried to kill myself today, but instead, fate spared me just to see this girl and save her.

I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing. But for once, I didn’t feel completely worthless.

“G-ughk…!?”

My legs buckled in exhaustion, and I collapsed on the floor.

The hard concrete and cold water started caressing my cheeks and seeping through the thin fabric of my jeans, spreading the chill deeper inside.

Tired, sleepy, broken. My body barely had any desire to move and help me up.

Now my eyes closed on their own, enveloping me into peace and darkness.

Everything felt distant, even her voice calling me out.

At least I could've told her my address, right?

When I thought my life was over, I ended up saving hers...and maybe, I hope, she’ll save mine tonight.