The Last Normal Day Before Going to Another World

The alarm clock rang at six-thirty.The sound seemed more irritating than ever; it could be an irony of fate, since today was the last day of school.I was slow to get up. The morning light streamed through the curtain, leaving the room somewhat golden. On my desk was a photo of my mother, Karina Satoru. I picked up the frame and touched the glass with my thumb.Mom… I miss you.I put the picture frame back in its place and picked up my cell phone. I opened the conversation with my father, Sugimoto Satoru.“Dad, I’m going to school. Today is the closing ceremony.”No answer. He must be at work.I put on my uniform, slipped on my sneakers, and left.The air smelled of damp grass. Cicadas sang somewhere in the park that I always cut across on my way.In the middle of the lawn, a girl with red hair, kendo clothes, and a blindfold was practicing with a piece of wood. The movements were precise, almost beautiful.I moved a little closer."You're... Tachibana?" I asked.Bad idea. She reacted reflexively and hit me on the head with the improvised stick."Agh!" I fell to my knees, clutching the top of my head.The girl ripped off the blindfold. Tachibana Yuuki, my classmate. Intense brown eyes, firm posture."Satoru?! Did I hit you?! I..." Yuuki was speaking, but was interrupted by her cell phone vibrating.She saw the time and paled."Damn it! I hate being late!" Yuuki murmured.She ran out of the park. I stayed there, massaging my head.She forgot to apologize... I sighed and continued on.Outside the park, someone bumped into me from behind. We both fell to the ground."Ugh!" she let out a small cry as she fell.When I opened my eyes, a girl with dark green braided hair was on top of me, her face completely red."I know that voice… is that you, Satoru?" the girl asked."Nakajima?" I murmured.The girl is Nakajima Himeno, also from Class 3-A.I was surprised she wasn't wearing her glasses."Nakajima, where are your glasses?" I asked."I think… they fell when I tripped over you," Himeno replied."Okay… but could you… get off me first? It'll be easier to look for them that way," I said.She blushed even more, jumped off me awkwardly. We searched the ground. I found the glasses near the curb."Found them," I said."Thank you, Satoru," Himeno put them on and smiled shyly."I need to run so I'm not late. See you later!" she finished speaking."See you," I replied.I watched as she disappeared.Nakajima seems nice, but… there’s something sad about her. I think we’re similar in that.The school was decorated with banners and balloons. In 3-A, the sound of laughter and conversations. I went in and heard the voice I least wanted to hear.Takeshi Hiroshi’s voice.— “The loser has arrived,” Hiroshi said.I ignored him. I sat down, picked up a manga, tried to switch off.Just a few more hours… and I never have to look at these people’s faces again.The air changed. It became cold, still.I looked at the blackboard. A light began to sprout from the black surface, growing, pulsating.“What is this…?”The light swallowed everything.When I opened my eyes, the floor was polished stone. Golden columns. Carpets. Incense in the air. Through the window, a medieval city under a deep blue sky.An old man in a blue robe and with a staff appeared.— Welcome, heroes. I am Kaiou, a mage from the Kingdom of Syros, in the country of Asferio. You have been brought here to defeat the Demon King. — said the mage.— Are you kidding me?! — Hiroshi rushed towards him. A barrier of light repelled him with a bang.— If you defeat the Demon King, you can return to your world — said Kaiou.— Each of you has received a Hero Skill. Write your names, stats, and skills on enchanted sheets. — concluded Kaiou.We obeyed, stunned.I looked at him silently.He's lying. I know when someone is lying.My "Hidden Observatory"... sees the lie.Kaio began to assess.— Among the thirty heroes, Yui Koharu possesses the best stats and the best skill. — said Kaiou.— On the other hand, there is one with weak attributes and a skill... worthless: Satoru Fujimoto. "See Status". — concluded Kaiou.Laughter erupted.— Hahaha! Still the same loser as always — said Hiroshi.— My girlfriend is the best; you're nothing. — concluded Hiroshi.I lowered my head. Inside, I was just silent.Let them laugh. I hid the real part.I see the lies. And… maybe something more.A light shadow approached. Koharu. She knelt and hugged me.— You don't need to take revenge on anyone, Fujimoto. I've been in your place. — said Koharu.My power didn't activate. True.For a second, I didn't know what to feel.— Koharu, have you gone crazy?! — Hiroshi.— You're mine! — Hiroshi kept shouting.— Shut up. — Koharu stared at him coldly.— You're with me for fame. Me, for money. In this world, our lie is over. — Koharu revealed.— You…! — Hiroshi shouted.— Enough! — The sharp voice came from Yumi. Long black hair, a piercing gaze.— You're all idiots. — Yumi concluded.She turned to Kaiou.—You still haven't explained anything. Countries? Kingdoms? Cities?— Yumi said.—This is the country of Asferio; we are in the Kingdom of Syros— the mage replied.Scrolls floated with map information indicating marked cities and villages.While he spoke, something flickered in my vision.These lights…Are they… souls?Hiroshi's is dark, sticky. Koharu's… sad. And Yumi's… shines so brightly it hurts to look at.—Can we stay here and train?— Yumi asked.—You can— Kaiou said, surprised.—But perhaps it would be better to explore to gather information.— Kaiou continued speaking.—Information doesn't save anyone if you die first— Yumi replied coldly.In the end, each chose a path.Yumi stayed in the castle to train.Koharu looked at me. I didn't say anything, but I walked to the door with her.The doors slammed shut behind us.You're on your own now.Outside, the wind was clear. The field stretched as far as the eye could see."So, where are we going, Fujimoto?" she said, adjusting her hair."It still sounds strange to me that you call me by my first name," I replied.She laughed. "You'll get used to it."We walked for a few minutes in silence. It was a good silence, the kind you get when you don't need to prove anything.But the question throbbed: why hadn't my power activated with her?"You lied to Kaiou," Koharu said suddenly, stopping."Your power isn't just about seeing status," she continued.I froze."What did you say?" I asked, trying to disguise it."Your eyes give you away. You can see who's lying, right?" she asked.The wind stopped. I did too.She smiled sadly."You wanted me to be a liar… because it's easier to distrust than to believe," she said.I was speechless."I said I'll stay by your side. So please… believe with your heart, not with power," Koharu said.My chest burned. The tears came before I realized it."Then why did you never defend me when they laughed at me? Especially Hiroshi… your boyfriend?" I asked.She cried too. Her hands on my shoulders."I tried. I talked to Professor Takada. The school said they couldn't act. I would go home and cry, feeling useless. And… I only started dating Hiroshi to get revenge on my mother," she replied.Silence. Then, I could only say:"I'm sorry. You did what you could," I said.She hugged me. The light scent of her hair, the warmth of her touch."I don't want you to become someone bitter like I once was." — said Koharu.— I promise. — I promised her.She dried her tears, held my hand.— Let's go. The road is long. — she said.— Let's go. — I said.— Hey, Satoru… how many of your classmates' abilities have you seen?— Three. — I replied.Hiroshi: Hideout, creates labyrinths.Takame: Wet, controls any water within a one-kilometer radius.Futaba: Sprout, increases or decreases its own size.— And mine? — she asked, frowning.— Feelings. — I shrugged.— Poetic name. — I continued saying.— Too poetic to be useful… — Koharu murmured.— Kaiou said it was the best, but I don't know how that helps in combat. — Koharu continued.— You have talents that count — I said.She raised an eyebrow.— Like what? — she asked.— Languages? A way with people? — I replied.She chuckled softly.— I know German, sign language, Portuguese from Portugal, Portuguese from Brazil, French, I was learning Spanish and a little Latin. I know how to cook, dance ballet, play piano, violin, guitar… and I studied business administration. — she replied.I was silent, impressed.She's incredible.And yet, she understands my pain.— Why would someone like you… suffer bullying? — I asked.The wind picked up. She looked at the horizon.— From seven to twelve. I don't want to talk about the reason — she replied.I nodded. Not out of pity. Out of respect.She's perfect on the outside. Inside, she carries scars.I want to understand who Yui Koharu really is.She took a deep breath, as if changing the subject.— I just wish my phone would never run out of battery. — Koharu said.Her phone beeped. On the screen: Infinite Battery Activated.— Huh?! — She laughed, surprised.— This is real! — she said, overjoyed.She held up her phone.— Let's take a picture to celebrate! — Koharu said.I smiled genuinely, for the first time in that world.— Let's go. — I replied.The camera clicked. In the reflection, I saw two faces still red from crying, but with a new sparkle in their eyes.Two lost souls. Two wounded souls.Two people who, by chance, had begun a journey that would change everything.