The Chosen One

“Where do you think all these people went?” Hayato looked at the sky, brooding as the stars twinkled brightly. He lay on the grass, hand behind his head as he turned to Yuka. Her short hair swayed with the wind, knees closer to her chest. This is one of the most talked about topics on earth. There were many videos online about it, news reports, and podcasts. Everyone heard about it.

For two consecutive years, a million people have floated into the sky and dispersed, vanishing as if they never existed. It's an event that has the whole world as witness…

“Do you think… they're dead?” Yuka's finger went through her hair, devoid of emotions. For two years, Hayato was tactfully handling the topic. It was always about how they went to another world, or just went to heaven. Giving them a happy, fantasy conclusion. He didn't want to imply they were killed.

“I’m sure Jun is okay. Probably having more fun there than here.” He scoffed as he smiled. To comfort her in his way.

She grinned. “He either went to heaven, went to the void, maybe in a parallel universe to solve overpopulation or… in a different world. Or he just doesn't exist anymore but none of them sound that bad.” 

“The theories.” He laughed a little.

“I just… wished to tell him goodbye before he left. I had an argument with him the night before. He told me he hated me because I was so strict now that mom and dad weren't around, but I never thought I would see him float the next day like them and just disappear from my life like that.” Yuka hazel eyes watered as she wiped it quickly, lightly chuckling even though she didn't think it was funny. She was just passing off her comment as light-hearted to guard her own heart.

Hayato listened. She never told him she fought with him... He didn't have little brother but he had a twelve year old sister, Ayate Misuki. He can't imagine how he would feel if she, one day, disappeared, leaving him behind, not knowing what happened to her. He was blessed. He is among the fortunate. All of his family members never disappeared. Yuka, on the other hand, wasn't that fortunate. Her mom and dad were the first to disappear two years ago. Then her brother, Jun, one year ago. She was the only one left behind, not understanding why it happened to her. She never talked about Jun. She was sterner about not wanting to hear about the missing people anymore. 

Ayate Hayato lightly tapped her shoulder, black hair framing his face and glasses glistening with the moon shine. “Now now, don't start going all mopy and sad on me just before your big game tomorrow. Don't think about those stuff now, think about how you are going to win… how you are going to get that gold medal. Think about how proud mom, dad and Jun will be when they hear you've been winning consecutively. They all always had high hopes for you. They wanted you to always be an Olympic champion for your 5th year too.” 

She used to have Jun with her but now that he was gone, Hayato was the only one she had. She let out a sigh, already snapping out of it as she rolled her eyes. She hated these types of speeches. “When have I ever lost? I'm not you, who always finishes last.” 

That in turn made him roll his eyes as he propped himself up. Oh how he hated how confident she is. It was a shame her arrogance was always backed up by her skills. “You won't win tomorrow. I'll have you beaten for the first time in your life.”

She obnoxiously laughed. It was so fake and forced, it was an actual insult to his dignity. He rose a brow, speechless. “First, get bronze before we talk about my gold medal.”

His jaw dropped as Yuka stood up, dusting her pants from the soil. “I'm winning tomorrow! You will face your first loss!” 

“Hayato on his way to bring the fifth disappointment of the year, breaking a record of embarrassing his family.” Yuka mockily said out loud as she was getting further away from him.

“Go to hell! I was trying to cheer you up!” He looked at her in disbelief. “How did this turn into insulting me? Asshole.” 

He looked back to the sky annoyed."At least she cheered up."

He clasped his hand together. fixed his posture so his knees will be underneath. “God please… one win… just one win.”

He always gets last or among the lower scores. He can't even get third place. It was getting really embarrassing for him. He pitched black eyes bore into the sky. “Please God, one chance.”

A star trekked in the sky and he immediately closed his eyes, making a wish. He had a very good feeling about this one. Tomorrow will be his day!

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It was not his day. He lost in the first round. The good feeling he had in the pit of his stomach? Was just delusion. He spread his arm around, laughing stupidly that he lost before he even began. He let out a sigh as his family were aggressively cheering for Yuka. He glanced at them. They didn't even cheer for him. Traitors. 

He looked back at the game as Yuka passed one round after another. Perfect score and win. A pistol gun held high, as she shot another bulleyes,winning another milestone. It was the final round for the sharp shooter as she got ready, waving at his family for coming to cheer her up. She got herself ready as she adjusted her specialized glasses. She rose her gun up and with a bullet, she broke a record…

Hayato clapped lazily as he stared at Yuka’s gold medal as she stood on the “1” podium, raising the gold bar as many photographers took pictures of her. “I'm so envious. She makes it look so easy. How does she not miss a single shot?” 

He was impressed that for multiple years she never missed a shot. Perfect score each time as if she doesn't know how to not aim. Like she was born to be a perfect shooter. He can hear his family cheer loudly, completely ignoring his sad defeat. He let out another big sigh as he walked away, Ishikawa Yuka's gaze never left his back.

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He waited outside of the stadium, kicking a random rock in waiting, his hands in his pocket.

“Boo.” Yuka blew on his ears, watching him squirm in annoyance. “Hey!”

“What's with the sad face? How can I feel happy about my win when you are… this disappointed.” Yuka gently nudged a bottle of soda to his hand, having picked it up on her way. 

Hayato frowned before he took it from her hands, opening the can immediately and taking a big chug. He let out a whiny, pitiful, pout as he hit head with his hand over and over again. “I'm so useless. I'm so worthless. I'm a lo-”

Yuka held his hand to stop him. “You really should quit this habit. Not sure how you grow up to have these negative habits when your parents don't even have high expectations for you.”

“Because that's why!” He pulled his arm away aggressively. “It's because they don't have any expectations for me that I'm… that I'm… that I can't…” he became choked up as he stared at her. “That I want to succeed so badly to prove I am worthy of my own expectations and goals. Nobody expects anything from me, shouldn't I expect something from myself? I don't even have big goals… I just want to prove that I can do something…” 

Yuka stared at him in silence as his eyes blinked rapidly and he turned away so she won't see how much hurt he is in. “Anyway, it's not a big deal. I'm just a little disappointed in myself, okay? I'll get over it tomorrow, like I always do.”

Yuka opened her mouth to say something just to close it. She opened it again just to immediately close it. “Yea, I'll drop it.”

Hayato nodded as he wiped his face from any smaller traces of tears. He put on a smile and looked back at her, snapping his finger as if a thought came to his mind.

 “We need to celebrate our sniper gold medal!  Let's get your favourite food! It's my treat!” He declared, pointing a finger to the sky, walking with Yuka following behind.

“And the dessert and drinks,” Yuka added humorously, helping him successfully switch the vibe as she started skipping ahead of him.

“And a desse- what greed.” Hayato looked at her back as she giggled loudly and he genuinely smiled. “Have some mercy on my wallet! You know I-” 

Suddenly, Hayato lost his footing, arms and legs flaring around as he started to lose his sense of gravity.

“Yuka!” Hayato yelled out in panic as he floated in the sky, unable to grab on anything. His loud yell had her look back and without hesitation, she ran towards him. 

“HAYATO!” She jumped grabbing his hand just in time but it was no use, he was floating higher and higher dragging her with him. “YUKA! HELP, SOMEONE HELP!” 

He looked around in midair, seeing others floating too. The phenomenal started once again as if it's a tradition. Always once a year, around summer. His eyes widened. Was he chosen this time? Where was he going to go? 

His mind snapped back to reality when he noticed that Yuka was holding on to him, not letting go despite the height becoming higher and higher. Many people died from doing this to the other missing people. “Yuka let go!” 

“No! Hayato, I won't ever let go!” She held onto him as if she would ground him back to earth. Hayato immediately tried to pry her arm off. 

“Yuka, let go!” he hissed, “If we go any higher, you will die from the fall.”

She shook her head stubborn, clinging into him.

“LET GO YUKA! YOU WILL DIE!” Hayato screamed as he went higher and higher. “YUKA!”

“I WILL NOT LET GO!”

Hayato stared at her in shock but he didn't get to process it anymore. The world around him warped and he felt like he lost grip on her, watching her fall, fingers clenching inwards to hold something. With an unspeakable force, he lost his consciousness.