Destiny

The room was dark, with black curtains tightly drawn over the window, blocking any light. The air felt thick and musty, carrying a faint scent of dust. Clothes and manga were scattered around the room.

For a moment, the room was silent.

Then—

Riiiiing! Riiiiing!

The alarm clock rang sharply. From beneath the blanket, a hand reached out to press the button until the noise stopped. “Ahh... again a boring day,” a dissatisfied voice grumbled.

The blanket shifted, revealing messy hair. He sat up slowly and glared at the clock.

“..Seriously, whose idea was it to invent mornings?” he groaned, before finally pulling himself out of bed.

The floor creaked beneath his steps as he shuffled toward the bathroom. After a splash of cold water and a quick shower, the drowsiness clinging to him finally began to fade.

After bathing, he put on his school uniform and went to the kitchen. Sitting down with a simple breakfast of bread, eggs, and tea, he sighed. “... Another ordinary day begins.”

After finishing his meal, he threw his bag over his shoulder and stepped outside.

The streets were lively with people. A young couple walked past him, their voices soft and cheerful. “Don't forget, we're meeting after class, okay?” the girl said and smiled. “Of course. I wouldn't miss it,”the boy replied, squeezing her hand.

He looked at him and thought about couples. ‘I think...love is a beautiful lie, but who knows? Meanwhile, I have reached my destination.’

The school gates were tall and full of life as students came and went. He stepped inside and adjusted the strap of his bag as he joined the flow of uniforms that were filling the courtyard. There was a lot of laughter and talking, but today it had a sharper edge of excitement.

Everyone is talking about results.

As he walked down the long hallway, his footsteps made a soft sound. Some students rushed past him with worried looks on their faces, while others smiled as if they knew what was coming. The voices got louder as he got closer to the end of the hall.

A lot of people had gathered around the bulletin board, all of them stretching their necks to see the newly posted test results. Some students were whispering, some were laughing, and a few were sighing in disappointment.

“There it is! The test results!” one voice called.

“I passed! Finally!” another shouted in relief.

“Ugh... I barely made it…”

The hallway buzzed with emotions–joy, frustration, and nervous whispers blending together.

However, he ignored all of it. He disregarded their excitement, their grumblings, and their laughter. All he could see were the sheets of paper in front of him. He took a step closer and carefully looked through the list until he found his own name. “...There it is.”

The numbers were low, undeniably poor.

He stared at them for a moment, expression unchanged. No surprise. No anger. No regret. “Ahh... once again, I have received terrible marks.”

From behind, one person stepped out of the crowd, closing the distance until they stood at his side. A hand landed lightly on his shoulder. “Once again, terrible marks, Ren…” the voice said, carrying both pity and teasing.

Ren slowly turned his head, looking at the person. His face stayed calm, his voice quiet. “Oh, Haruto! It's you. What happened with your results?”

Ren and Haruto stared at the board for a moment without saying anything. Then he burst out laughing. Haruto's voice was lively, his lighthearted smile piercing the sultry air.

“Nothing impressive,” Haruto said lightly  “ My marks are average.” he repeated cheerfully, then turned to Ren and said. “Anyways — let's head to the classroom before we are late.”

Ren nodded slightly, and they began walking down the hallway together.

There were a lot of students in the hallway; some gathered in excited groups, celebrating their scores, while others walked in silence, disappointment written on their faces. Their voices mixed into a low buzz that filled the air.

With his hands in his pockets and his smile never taking a break, Haruto walked forward with his typical light gait. Ren walked silently next to him, his eyes unblinking by the commotion around them.

After a short walk, their classroom came into view. The sliding door stood slightly open, letting out the sound of chatter and laughter from inside. Ren and Haruto slipped inside and went straight to their seats without another word.

Ren walked over to where he usually stood by the window. He set his bag down on the desk and sat down, letting the sunlight fall across his arm and through the glass. At the desk next to his was already a girl. She gave him a quick glance before turning back to her notes. Ren didn't reply; he didn't smile or say hello. She was equally silent. They were simply classmates—no small talk, no good morning.

On the other side of the room, Haruto had already settled into his chair, spinning his pencil idly between his fingers, his energy a sharp contrast to Ren's calm.

Moments later, the door opened, and their homeroom teacher entered with a stack of papers. Her voice carried easily across the classroom. "All right, everyone-settle down. Important announcements…

Congratulations students.

Your class has been chosen by a game company for a special Game Trial project”.

The room echoed with gasps and excited whispers. While certain students exchanged wide-eyed glances, others leaned forward excitedly.

The teacher raised a hand to quiet them. "Calm down. This is not a regular school activity. The company has specifically requested your participation. Therefore-,” his tone sharpened. “All of you are to prepare yourselves, you will be going to their headquarters for the trial... That is all I have to say. Be prepared, and more importantly-enjoy the experience. Opportunities like this don't come often,” the teacher said calmly.

The class burst into murmurs.

"Did she just say a game company picked us?"

"No way, this feels unreal!"

"We're actually going today?!”

Everyone looked excited.

Haruto leaned back in his chair, his smile brighter than ever. “Whoa, this is going to be fantastic! I already have a feeling this won't be a boring school trip.”

Ren, who had been staring out the window all this time, finally turned back. His usual calm face now showed a spark of interest, even a faint hint of hope. He exhaled slowly, almost smiling.“...This really isn't an ordinary day,” he said quietly.

From the next desk over, a girl lifted her eyes for a brief moment. Ren was usually so composed, almost detached, but now-just for a second-there was a faint spark of hope in his expression. She didn't say anything, simply turned her gaze back to the front, as if nothing had happened

The homeroom teacher cleared her throat.  “ All right, everyone assemble in the bus area!. Grab your backpack and go to the bus area!.”

There was a lot of movement in the classroom. Students pushed books and notebooks into their backpacks and leaned over their desks, causing chairs to scrape back. Pencil cases rattled, zippers snapped shut, and the gentle rustle of papers filled the room. While some

moved quickly and excitedly, others took their time, arranging their belongings carefully as though they were waiting for a little more time.

With restless energy, Haruto ran out of the classroom. Haruto turned her head and shouted, his voice echoing back into the room before vanishing into the hallway. "Ren , come fast! I'm waiting in the bus area. We're sitting together! Ok Rennn.”

Ren gave him a small smile, appeared excited, and gave him the thumbs up.       “ Grab a window seat, we will sit together.”

Ren tightened the strap of his bag, ready to leave the classroom. At the same time, the girl sitting beside him stood up, gathering her things and she headed toward the door to leave the classroom. Something slipped out of her pocket and fell gently to the ground as she was walking. Ren saw it and grabbed it.

She had already left the classroom and was hurrying down the hallway. Ren grabs his own bag, slings it over his shoulder, and rushes over to him, loudly saying  “ Stop… Huff..Huff…You dropped your handkerchief in class.”

Then he turned quickly and started running in the direction of the bus area. He waved a hand behind him, and his footsteps echoed through the hallway. “Bye, Shiori!” he called out while running.

Shiori stopped in her tracks, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she returned the nearly silent whisper, “...B-bye, Ren.”

The air was filled with excitement as each student reached the bus area.

“Make a line, everyone.” To get attention, the homeroom teacher shouted and gave a sharp clap of her hands.

Just then, another teacher approached, his voice carrying a warm and calm texture. “Shizuru-sensei, your class is really lucky. Being chosen directly by the company-it's quite unique.”

Shizuru sensei raised her head and smiled slightly. “ Yes but please, Koro-sensei, help me get these students lined up properly first.”

Koro Sensei is guiding students into a neat row. The students' noise has died down.

A few moments later, the bus arrived at the bus area. Everyone got on the bus, and both teachers also went in. After almost two hours, the bus finally slowed, its tires crunching on the gravel of a large parking lot. "Alright, everyone, we've arrived,"Shizuru-sensei announced.

The students filed out, stretching their legs and taking in the unfamiliar air as the doors hissed open. A well-groomed employee of the company stood at the doorway, bowed slightly, then held up a hand.“This way, please. I'll guide you to the main building.”

Ren abruptly stopped for a moment as the class started to move. When he saw another bus parked nearby that looked remarkably similar to the one they had just arrived in, they ignored it and followed their class.

Ren's class was led by the company employee through large glass doors and into a huge hall. The low buzz of ceiling lights hummed with the slight chill in the air.

They were shocked to learn that they weren't alone. Students from another school were already seated in neat rows, their teachers sitting close by .There was no conversation between the two groups; as everyone sat down, the only sounds in the room were the shuffle of feet and the slight cough.

Ren sat down with his classmates, looking around the hallway. The heavy doors creaked open again after a long period of silence.

Two boys and two girls were among the four figures that entered. They moved silently to the back and sat down, attracting the students' interest.

And then-another presence felt.