Invitation From The Nightmare[2]

“Starting today, I'll be the new science teacher, my name is Kuromiya Shinya, Nice to meet you”

Seriously…?

Just a few minutes ago, I was talking about him with Aoki.

To think I’d actually meet him this soon.

So this is the one Aoki was talking about.

He was a tall person, with black hair. His formal yet appealing dress made him look quite knowledgeable.

That said, the rest of the class wasn't any noteworthy. We introduced ourselves, and he spoke briefly about his background and his past experiences. Honestly, I was quite disappointed…untill he finally started…

“So? How many of you dream?”, he asked.

My body jolted, his words quickly caught my attention.

‘Dream? You mean our goals and such?’ Someone questioned.

Kuromiya chuckled softly. “No, I'm talking about dream itself, dreaming”

The class was thrown into chatter, students looked at each other in confusion. Even I can tell,

“Why is sensei asking such an obvious question” is written on their face.

Clap, he brought his hands together to break the murmurs.

“I'm sure everyone does. Dreams are wonderful. You can become whatever you desire. For students, it's a very good thing. It could be good dreams, bad dreams or sometimes… rather embarrassing dreams”

The class burst into laughter over the last line. Kuromiya smiled faintly, as if he’d expected it. Then, his tone shifted–calmer, but deeper.

“But…have you guys ever wondered? What really are dreams? Why do humans dream?”

“I wonder…” A guy answered.

“and–Why do dreams exist?”

The class fell quiet, it might be the first time that the class was this silent. Because, the questions he posed were something worth thinking about.

Even I found myself leaning forward slightly.

For the first time in a while, I was… actually intrigued to listen to a class.

Maybe I can finally know the–

Ring! Ring!, once again the chime reminded us about the timeslots.

Huh?!

Kuromiya glanced at the clock and smiled. “Guess that’s all for today. Please think about it, everyone. You might surprise yourselves with some good theories.”

And with that, he picked up his notes and walked out—leaving behind a room full of questions.

Today, I had some expectations for once.

……Damn it..

【5:00pm– After school–Library】

“Oh? So he came to your class too. So? Did you find your answer?” Aoki asked, resting her chin on her hand.

“It’d be nice if I did. Honestly, today felt like such a waste.”

“Don't say that. Oh right! Just search it up on internet”

“That wouldn’t cut it. I’m not looking for a scientific explanation. I want to know the meaning.”

“I see… I just assumed you’d want the logical kind of answer, since you’re such a rational person.”

“I am logical,” I admitted, “but something tells me there’s more to it—something that even science can’t define.”

Having the same dream over and over again is not a normal thing. Moreover, it's hilarious to pass it off as a coincidence.

Just what are dreams?

“Aoki,” I asked suddenly, “in your opinion, what exactly are dreams?”

“In my opinion? L-lets see… I wonder”

“Don't stress over it– actually nevermind… You don't have to answer”

“In my opinion,” she interrupted softly, “dreams are the manifestation of your true self.”

So she's going to answer?

“You mean?”

“After all think, in dreams you can be true to your desires. You don't need to pretend, you don't need to act, you can just be yourself and live the life you want in dreams. Without any regrets or consequences.”

She smiled faintly, “Isn't that the epitome of freedom?”

“Freedom…?”

“Don't you think, Isn't that wonderful?”

Aoki's answer hit right in the gut. To think the answer was this simple. I couldn't have guessed before. After hearing her reasoning it felt like something had lit inside me. I finally thought that I'm closing in–

But…it's not enough to satisfy me.

If only it was the right answer.

Because….

“Live the life you desire…huh. Freedom you say? Then, what about nightmares? Can your reasoning justify them?”

Aoki froze, “that's…”

“Do humans desire nightmares? If we can live however we want, why do we dream of suffering? Why do we have nightmares…? If every dream has some kind of meaning…what meaning does my dream hold?”

“Araki…kun?”

“Ah–sorry, I don't mean any offence”

“It's fine, it's fine” she said quickly, forcing a small smile. “I should’ve thought more before saying that. Considering… what you’ve been through.”

She's really considerate. I feel like I said something harsh but she quickly understood my intention. It saves a lot of effort.

“Well, if only we could control our dreams. That'd be nice”

…huh?

That moment, I was caught off guard that I ended up staring at her. My eyes are as wide as they could be. It's natural, afterall–

“Erm, Araki kun?”

“Just now…what did you say?”

“If only…we could control our dreams?”

Control….?

All this time, I was searching for the answer to the real meaning of dreams–is what I thought. But, I was wrong.

“What are dreams?” “Why do humans dream?” I am not seeking an answer to these.

Maybe what I truly wanted… was a way to end my nightmare.…an answer to put an end to all of it. Thanks to her I realised,

If I could control my dreams… I could finally end this misery.

“Well, not that it’s actually possible,” she added with a casual laugh.

“Thank you, Aoki”

“Huh? Huh?? Wait—did you just thank me? That’s a first!”

“Calm down, I just felt like saying. Don't make it a big deal”

“Hehe, as long as you feel better. I'm glad to be of help.”

What she just said is true. If I could do it, I wouldn't be worrying about it right now. But, that certainly lightened up my mood. I feel like tons of weight has dropped from my shoulders.

Still, worrying about things I can't control is just a waste of time. If I can actually control then it's a different story.

But, controlling our dreams huh. Interesting yet foolish idea.

There's no way it’s actually possible…

“I think it's about time I go” Aoki stood up.

“Yeah, I was thinking the same–” bzzz, bzz

My phone?

The sound of the notification forced me to check my phone as I prepared to part ways with Aoki. The notification was from lyne, a messaging app.

>Hey, I decided to stay at US for one more month

>It seems like there's going to be a festa that I cannot miss this month end.

That girl…Good grief.

<What about school?

>It’s fine! I’ll catch up next month.

>Make sure to pick me up when I come back, okay?

“Araki-kun,” Aoki leaned closer, “is that… your girlfriend?”

“Wh– dont peek like that”

“So? Is she your girlfriend?” she asked again, her tone was oddly dark.

“Just my younger sister”

“Eh? So you had a sister? You never mentioned it before”

“I didn’t see a reason to mention before.”

“Heh, What a coincidence, I have a sister too. Elder one. Although, we're 9 years apart. She works at a TV station.”

“Is that so? Quite surprising.”

“So…by the way, do you have a girlfriend?” Aoki asked, with a flustered look.

“Fortunately, no. Otherwise, why would I still be at school this late?”

“R-right, hahah…. I'm glad”

“Hmm? What was it?”

“I-It’s nothing! See you later!”

She quietly left as she waved her hand. But her previous question still bugs me, what was that about? But still…

Girlfriend huh…

To me, a romantic relationship is even more dangerous than friendship. The further you are from it the better. It goes without saying that I want to avoid getting into such acts in the future.

So I couldn't imagine being in a relationship or having a girlfriend. It's tiresome and exhausting, it also demands a tremendous amount of time from you.

That said, no one would actually want to be involved with me given my personality.

—That's what I thought until now.

. . .

Somehow, I ended up staying at school longer than I expected, talking with Aoki took quite a lot more time than I thought.

By the time I reached the shoe lockers, the sky had already started turning orange. It was the moment I could finally go back to my home and call it a day–atleast it was supposed to be.

When I opened the shoelocker I discovered a strange note sitting in my designated slot. While wondering what it is, I retrieved it and held it in my hands only to find myself shocked–

No way right…?

To my surprise, it was none other than a love letter—a proclamation of affection addressed to me.

The note read:

【To, Araki-kun–Please meet me behind the main building after school.】

“Seriously…?”

[Behind the schoolbuilding–5:40PM]

“Ah, So you’ve come… I’m happy.”

There she stood, waiting for me under the shade of the tree.

“Well yeah, so?” I said, keeping my tone flat, “what did you want to talk about?”

“I’ll get straight to the point”

She took a deep breath, holding her chest tightly, her fingers trembling slightly.

“Araki kun, I-I've been in l-love with you for a long time. P-please, go out with me."

Without any hesitation, she confessed her feelings. Her words and posture proves that it took a lot of effort to muster up the courage. Honestly, It put me in a bind.

Wait, isn't she?...

She had a bob-cut hairstyle and was properly dressed in her uniform and upon closer look, I recognized her as my classmate. No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity. If I recall correctly, her name was...

"I really like how cool and reserved you are, that's why-”

“Umm…” I cut in, scratching my cheek. “Thank you for expressing your feelings towards me. I really appreciate your feelings”

“T-thank you, it makes me h-happy…So–”

“But...Your name”, I interrupted, “What was it again?"

"Eh?"

"Uh"

Upon hearing my words, her face froze. She slowly turned and retreated to a corner, her figure disappearing from sight. A moment later, a muffled sob reached my ears. It seemed that my response had left her in tears.

Now I've done it huh.

Her name is Sanehara Kasumi–a classmate of mine. Of course, I already knew that. I only pretended to forget… just to make rejecting her easier.

Afterall, it's quite troublesome to come up with an elaborate response. So this saves the effort. By the way, there's no need for you to remember her name, I'm certain I won't be involved with her again.

I’m not the type who spares time for “friendship,” let alone romance. Having a girlfriend? It’s laughable. Even if I date someone, it would probably end within a week.

In the end, it's just pointless.

That said, there are three reasons why I rejected that girl. First, I simply don't have any romantic feelings towards her. Second, I don't want to waste my time and energy in a relationship. And third, perhaps the most significant reason of all...

"She isn't even qualified to be my girlfriend”

With that thought lingering in my mind, I left the school grounds. I felt like I should just forget about today. Another meaningless day added to the pile. For god sake,

I'm tired…

So in an attempt to refresh myself, I stopped by a vending machine and bought a can of DLightCola, a drink that had become quite the trend lately. It offered a refreshing taste, and it seemed like many people were buying this.

Huh, was this tagline always here? Wait…

The can was different from my usual. Both colour and taste felt new, soon I realised that it was a new release. But what caught my eye was something else.

On the cover of that cola I noticed a peculiar tagline–

“What is your dream?”

My…dream?

Now that I think about it, today has been filled with nothing but thoughts about dreams. And yet, nothing has really changed. Sure I might be feeling a bit better but things still remain unchanged.

Why do humans dream? Is it because they reject the reality they are faced with?

Why do dreams exist? Is it to cure our voids in our heart?

There might not be a right answer. I can only imagine. Then what is the right answer? And…

What is my dream…?

“With our company's benefits, make your dream come true!”

“Dreamcafe! A dreamlike place! Please visit us!”

“Studying overseas is no longer a dream!”

“This villa looks straight out of your dreams!”

Before I noticed, I was standing still in the pathway. The sounds of a pamphlet girl, the booming advertisements on the giant screen, and various people's conversations echoed in my ear.

Honestly, it's getting on my nerves…

Dream this, dream that. Just be quiet for a damn second.

I swiftly ran, my mind is still hazy with unresolved thoughts. No matter how much I try, I can't escape from them. The crowd pressed in from all sides, the air is thick and suffocating. Despite that I ran.

Run, run, run!

I don't know where I'm running to, but anywhere is fine. As long as it's far from here, that's all I need.

For a fleeting moment, I wished I could just…vanish. No, that's not it…

What I wanted to vanish wasn't me…it's this world. Really…

Can't these people just die and leave me alone?

Beep beep!!

A sudden car alarm put a halt to my legs, if I didn't stop I would have been hit by it. I should have been more careful near the crossings.

…Just what I was thinking?

“This won’t do…” I muttered, shaking off my head, “I need to calm down.”

As I waited for the pedestrian light to turn green, I pulled out my phone and scrolled through Zwitter, skimming random posts in hopes of distracting myself. One such post read:

“Citizens noticed a few people were just collapsing on the streets. These cases are increasing in number. According to the sightings, most of them were highschoolers. Is it a Coincidence? What could be the cause?"

Yeah… probably heatstroke. This media has no limits when it comes to milking random stuff.

Scrolling down, I found another post, this one in particular made my finger stop. It read:

“Do Dreams Hide Our True Desires?”

I narrowed my eyes as I scoffed, “How ridiculous…”

【”Right now, You have only two options: ⏹i⏹ and at⏹n⏹ for your si⏹s or serve me for the rest of your life”

“Give up on freedom”

“You don't deserve to be free”

“If you want to live alone for these three years then get into tokyo U, if you fail then you know right?”】

At that moment, why did I think about his words? Just remembering them made my stomach twist in knots. I feel like throwing up.

Freedom is just like a dream…an illusion I can never reach.

The pedestrian light turned green, breaking me out of my daze. I hurried across the crossing, but before I realized, my shoulder bumped into someone coming from the opposite side.

Ah…!

The impact knocked my phone from my grip and fell to the ground. With a mixed feeling, I watched as the screen cracked a little upon impact.

"S-sorry," the stranger stuttered, his voice filled with genuine remorse.

I sighed and forced a faint smile.

“No problem. Likewise.” pretending everything was fine despite the inconvenience.

Today is such a bad day, I hope the display’s still intact.

I crouched down to retrieve my phone, and then—blink

I noticed a notification blinking on the screen. So I stood up and clicked on the notification.

Hmm? What is this?

It was an invitation embedded in a strange e-mail. Normally, I wouldn't get an email. So it quickly caught my eye. So it goes without saying that I would take a peek.

It read:

"WE INVITE YOU TO TURN YOUR DREAMS INTO REALITY: DreamLink Corporation— Eligible Participant."

"Turn your dreams into reality?" The phrase alone sent a jolt down my spine, causing my eyes to widen as I read it.

The email continued, saying,

"Araki Ryota-sama, you have been invited to participate in our experiment. Through our innovative technology, you will have the ability to remember your dreams and control your actions within them. We greatly value your assistance in this experiment, we are awaiting for your reply and in return,

we are pleased to offer you a chance to..."

"MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE"

As I whispered those words under my breath, the world around me seemed to freeze. As if time itself had paused.

At that moment, I didn't anticipate it. An answer which I’ve been seeking for so long would come and knock at my door. Yes, to me–

IT WAS AN EMAIL FROM DREAMS.

"Is this-"

beep

The sharp sound of a car horn jolted me back to reality. I snapped my head up and realized I was still standing in the middle of the crossing. The light had already turned red.

I quickly rushed to the other side and exhaled, trying to steady my thoughts.

Nevertheless, I couldn't help but wonder about the email. What was that email actually? Advertisement? Spam? The hell?

Even for a spam, it looked surprisingly official. Well, Either way, whether it is just spam or not, it's clear that I won't be taking part in this play.

“Experiment? Make your wishes come true?” Yeah, right. Sounds too good to be true. And not to mention controlling your dreams?

Even a joke has its limits.

To be honest, it wasn’t like me to take something this seriously just because of an email. For now, I’ll just go home, relax, and forget all about it.

Guess I’ll just delete this.

Just as my hand hovered over the “delete” button, I hesitated. A small part of me lingered, reluctant to let it go so easily.

It’s just spam…yes spam. Nothing would change.

Still, with a sigh, I clicked “Move to Bin” and turned away, heading toward my apartment.

Just as I expected, I forgot about it the next day. Same routine, same lifestyle, same dream. Nothing has changed– But little did I know, Amidst the repetitive days,

SOMETHING WAS CHANGING.

Even if I forget about that email, that email didn't forget me. At that time, I still didn't know that my life was about to take a wild turn. It was just a matter of time till I noticed.

Soon,

Days turned into weeks. October was around the corner, However, it didn't take too long for me to notice a change in my routine. Slowly but surely, I began to sense an irregularity entering my lifestyle. Something was…clearly off.

However,

Over the course of two weeks since September 4th, I finally realised what that irregularity is.

【September 18th, 2025】

Because of my study session and errands, I ended up walking home late around 6:00 PM. The sky had already started to dim, the streets had already turned orange.

That’s when I felt it. Faint… but unmistakable. Something was clearly…off.

Sigh…I really can't ignore it after all this time. It’s faint but…I can sense it.

Back then I had no way of knowing it. That unbeknownst to me, my uneventful and supposedly peaceful life was on the verge of collapsing.

At that time I still hadn't realised it.

but looking back, maybe that was the moment when everything began.

Yes, because…

"I'm being followed"

「CH01: AN INVITATION FROM THE NIGHTMARE」