Prologue: Lasting memory

Society changed a while ago when planet sized spheres known as Astea appeared above major cities around the world. People would go missing and suddenly reappear with supernatural abilities. However, not everyone that's missing has come back. People who went missing claims that they were in Astea. Me and my friend Shiro, who I've known since childhood, were discussing how we could score ourselves abilities of our own.

"I wonder how people go inside those spheres." he said indifferently.

"Are you trying to recreate what those people did? You know there's also a risk of never coming back, don't you?"

"Jeez Kuro, even I know that much. You're such a buzzkill, you know." he said whilst pouting.

"I'd rather be a buzzkill than some idiot who'll risk his life for some abilities." I refuted. 

While he's not wrong about the fact that I'm a buzzkill. I just don't care about abilities as much as he does. It's not clear if we have complete mastery over the abilities to begin with. It's too much of a burden to learn how abilities work whilst also going to school. If I had to choose an abilitiy then I'd rather it'd be an ability that's active passivily like better vision or something.

"Whatever man I would go for it in a heartbeat if I got given a chance."

"Sure you do you man. I'll have to head home before my mom gets mad at me." I said while getting my bag of the ground. 

"See ya tomorrow at school Shiro."

"Yeah see you tomorrow."

With that settled I began walking away from the park leaving Shiro behind and went home. Unbeknownst to me that was the last time I ever saw Shiro again. Having a friend who's been with me since birth suddenly disappear like that left a big impact on my life.

The day that repeats in my mind over and over. Was the day that Hayashi Shiro went missing.