Chapter 1: Beautiful Lie

Chapter 1: Beautiful Lie

Scene 1: The Morning Rush Time: 7:40 AM

Location: Daitoshi (The Big City)

The morning sun hung low over the asphalt as Kenji walked down the road, his heavy bag slung over one shoulder. It was 7:40 AM, the peak of the morning rush. He was moving against the current; a sea of high school boys and girls in crisp uniforms flowed past him, chatting and laughing on their way to the school gates.

Kenji kept his head down, his thoughts playing out like a voiceover in his own mind.

"Hi everyone. I’m Kenji. I’m a Mangaka."

He gripped the strap of his bag tighter.

I’ve been facing a hard time lately. Working alone, doing everything by myself—inking, backgrounds, storyboards. My apartment was a mess; it’s filled with noises, the walls are thin, and it is goddamn disturbing to work there. My manga isn’t popular yet. Maybe time will tell if I make it, but all I hope for right now is peace. I just want to work hard.

He visualized his goal.

That’s why I took the leap. I bought a traditional suburban detached house. A place where I will have no disturbances, where I can finally complete my work before the deadline hits.

As he walked, two boys crossed his path, cutting through the crowd. They stood out immediately. They were wearing strange accessories—a golden amulet hanging from one boy’s neck and an intricate golden armlet clamped around the other boy’s wrist.

Kenji frowned slightly, his artist’s eye catching the detail. Strange style, he thought. Do they allow things like that in high schools now-a-days?

The camera of his mind panned back, watching the two boys—Ven and Kai—walking confidently toward the high school, the golden metal glinting in the sunlight. They wore the symbols of the Supreme God of Seven Hills, though Kenji didn't know it yet.

Scene 2: The Cafe

Kenji pushed open the door to his regular cafe, the bell chiming above him. He spotted his group of friends immediately; they were already seated, coffees in hand.

His best friend looked up, grinning. "So, what is it, Kenji? What is the surprise you wanted to tell us about?"

Kenji sat down, letting out a long, relieved sigh. "Half of my suffering is going to end today," he announced. "I get rid of that apartment room of mine. With what I had left, I bought a traditional suburban detached house. It’s right at the end of the street where not many people are living nowadays. Finally, I’ll have the peace I’ve wanted for a long time."

The table went silent. His friends looked at one another, exchanging hesitant glances.

One of his friends broke the silence politely. "Well, that’s really a good thing. So... where is this new home of yours?"

"I literally put my everything on this," Kenji said, leaning forward earnestly. "It meant almost 60% of my savings to buy that house. And we actually discussed it before—"

He lifted his coffee cup and took a slow sip.

His best friend froze. "What house? You mean... the house we talked about a week ago?"

Slowly, realization dawned on the others. Their faces filled with genuine horror as they recognized the location he was describing.

"Yes," Kenji said calmly. "Bingo."

His friends looked terrified. His best friend slammed his hand on the table. "Kenji, are you out of your f***ing mind? We talked about that before, remember? About the mysterious deaths! Even the neighbours themselves heard cries at midnight, so most of them left the neighbourhood! God dammit! You are almost alone there. Anything could happen to you!"

"Stop saying those damn things!" Kenji snapped, cutting him off. "That was the only house coming in at such a cheap price—cheaper than anywhere else. It is way less than market price. I saw the house myself before buying it."

"You went inside?" Friend 2 asked, eyes wide.

"No, I saw it from the outside," Kenji admitted. "So what? What is with you guys? Just stop it. What are you all scared of? Those are just myths! There is nothing like that 'evil spirits' thing. The real monster in my life is the deadline which is running out wild. I want peace to complete it. That house and the area look peaceful. I could complete my mangas peacefully and we could hang out there too. Tell me that isn't better than my cramped apartment room, right?"

His bestie stared at him deadpan. "Bro... do you believe in gods or not?"

"Of course I do."

His best friend looked at the others, gesturing at Kenji. "See his double standards? He trusts in gods but not in evil spirits? If there are gods, then there will be evil spirits, right? And everyone knows that house's history! But you still bought it?"

Kenji shook his head, dismissing the logic. "Come on. The stories of the evil spirits are just myths. The classic age poets wrote all that for entertainment, just like I am doing! They even turn stories of sandals into 'evil spirits.' Do you believe that? Funny, right? So those stories about the house are just a myth. Nothing unusual. If something happens inside a house, people around them make legends out of it! It's a very common thing."

He stood up, signaling the end of the conversation. "So, if the discussion is done, I have to move my stuff into the house. If you want, you all can give a hand for help!"

His friends looked at each other, not moving an inch.

"What the hell are you saying, Kenji?" his best friend said, his voice serious. "We have to marry and have a family in the future, not die at such a young age."

Kenji sighed, slinging his bag back over his shoulder. "Alright then. See you all later."

He turned to leave.

"Bro, don't!" Friend 1 called out.

"Stop!" the others cried.

"Think again, Kenji!" his best friend shouted after him.

Kenji turned his head slightly, looking back over his shoulder with a sombre expression. "We should not be afraid of myths," he said softly. "The only thing humans have to be afraid of... is to live. To think about earning, about achieving something for having this human life. And I am trying to do the same here."

With those words, he walked out. His friends watched him go, exchanging one last worried look.

Scene 3: The Arrival

The scene shifted to the outskirts of the suburb. There it stood: a compact, two-floor house with a weathered blue roof. It had the architectural complexity of the past, containing around thirteen small rooms, just like many old traditional family homes.

Kenji arrived to find the moving truck already parked. The layout of the house was impressive. The ground floor was a maze of domestic life: a genkan entrance area leading to a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. There was a bathroom with a washing area and bath, a separate toilet, a guest room, a hallway, and a storage room accessible from the outside.

The upper level held the main bedroom, a child’s room with a window facing the outer rooftop, a small closet area, and an extra small room.

Kenji approached the movers. They were standing by his boxes, which were dumped on the roadside. They looked terrified, staring up at the blue roof.

"Sorry for being late," Kenji said, clapping his hands. "So, shall we begin?"

The movers flinched. "Is this the correct address?" one asked, voice trembling. "You are going to stay in this house?"

"Yes," Kenji replied, confused. "What is with it?"

The movers looked at each other and shook their heads. "Sorry, sir," the lead mover said. "We can't help you more than this. We have kept all your stuff out from the truck. You should deal with this by yourself."

"What the hell?" Kenji shouted. "I paid your company for this! You guys can't even help move my things inside?"

The movers were already climbing back into their small truck, refusing to look at the house. "Not for this house!"

The engine roared to life, and they drove off, leaving Kenji standing amidst his boxes in the dust.

"I will complain about this! Fools!" Kenji yelled after them. He turned back to the silent building. "What is the deal? It's just a house, goddammit! So, no help from friends, nor the moving company! All have to do it by myself! This will take a whole day!"

Scene 4: Moving In

Kenji rolled up his sleeves and started. One by one, he hauled the heavy boxes across the threshold. He dragged furniture through the entrance hall, sweated through the living room, and stacked supplies in the kitchen.

It was grueling work. It took him almost four to five hours to bring everything inside safely.

By the time the last box was in, the afternoon sun was blazing. He stood in the hallway, wiping sweat from his brow. He looked around the cluttered interior.

"No way," he panted. "This is harder than I thought."

He didn't stop. He began cleaning every room, sweeping away the dust of the previous owners—or the dust of the legends. He arranged his things in their right places.

In the living room, opposite the TV, he set up a small, combined altar. He cleaned the wood carefully. First, he arranged the idols of the Gods on the top shelf. Below them, he placed the framed pictures of his parents and grandparents.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. As he held it, a memory flashed before his eyes.

Flashback

He was a child. The world was softer then.

His grandma smiled down at him. Her hands were wrinkled but gentle. "Kenji, my dear," she whispered. "Take this and keep it with you every time. It will protect you."

She took out a green jade charm and placed it around his neck. She smiled, gently brushing his hair back.

"It will keep you safe," she said.

End Flashback

Back in the present, the house was silent. Kenji opened the small box and placed the jade charm inside, resting it on the altar as a memory of his grandmother.

His eyes drifted to the photos. He looked at his grandparents, and then at his parents. A wave of grief hit him, sharp and familiar.

"Mom, Dad," he whispered to the silent room. "If you would have not left me in that car accident, I wouldn't have been struggling to live life like this."

He rubbed a tear from his right eye, sniffing back the emotion. He couldn't dwell on the past; he had a deadline.

He turned and walked up the stairs to the first floor. He entered the Child’s room—the room he had designated as his workspace. It had a sturdy desk positioned right by the window.

He walked toward the window and slid it open. The fresh air rushed in. He sat there, looking out at the morning sky and the blazing 12:00 PM sun. The world outside looked bright, indifferent to the rumors and the ghosts.

"This is the new beginning," Kenji said, his voice firm. "My life, and everything, is going to change. From this day on, it will change."

He stood up, feeling a surge of energy.

"Okay. Lot of work to be done. Let's go."

He turned away from the window and headed back down to the ground floor to finish arranging his life.

Chapter 1 Ends.