1.2- Fateful Encounter

April 1st, Tuesday

"Kenzie!...Kenzie! Mackenzie!"

"Ah!" I jolted awake, gasping for air, my heart racing against my chest. Sweat trickled down my face, and I took a deep breath to find relief, wiping my forehead with my hand. The dawn's golden rays shined through my window, signaling a new day. "Ahh!" I yawned and blinked to wake myself up.

"Just a dream," I sighed, feeling disappointed. It was an intense and vivid dream, taking me on a perilous journey through a realm of my subconscious and desires.

"Mackenzie, wake up! You're going to be late for your first day of school!" My mother's voice boomed loudly and warmly, though it annoyed me, as it always did in the morning.

"Yes, Mother!" I shouted back, hoping she would stop yelling. I rolled out of bed, still feeling a bit dazed, and made my way to the closet, where a new school uniform hung on the door.

Have you ever pondered the enigmatic workings of dreams, the ethereal realm where our minds wander? Do our souls transcend the confines of our bodies? Does time come to a halt as we slumber? And what lies beyond the veil of eternal sleep? All these mysteries unfold when we gently close our eyes.

Lately, I've been plagued by recurring dreams that have sparked within me a deep yearning for adventure and change. Immersed in fantasy books, animes, and online games, I've become entranced by their enchanting worlds. The idea of magic has captured my imagination—the notion of wielding incredible power to embark on thrilling journeys and shape my destiny. Yet, in the cold light of day, I am fully aware that magic is nothing more than a figment of my imagination, unsupported by any tangible evidence. Nevertheless, in the stillness of the night, I find solace in meditation, where dreams of harnessing magic continue to dance within my mind, even though its existence, in reality, remains elusive.

Not too long ago, as I sat in class, I couldn't help but ponder the monotony of my daily life. Each day seemed to blend into the next, and I found myself trapped within the confines of societal expectations. Like an NPC (non-playable character) in a vast game, I felt like a mere background character, invisible amidst the spotlight that illuminated others. The desire to break free from this mundane existence grew stronger within me, urging me to step out from the shadows and seek a life beyond the ordinary.

My name is Mackenzie, I’m a 17-year-old boy in my junior year of high school. I currently live in a small town in the Tohoku region of Japan. Today is the first day of my junior year, and I wouldn't consider myself an excellent student, but I show up, do my assignments half-heartedly, and manage to pass all my classes. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike school, but I wish life could be more exciting and adventurous.

As I walked down the staircase toward the entrance, still feeling exhausted from lack of sleep and the lingering effects of my dream, I caught a glimpse of someone in the genkan. It was Kendra, my best friend, standing there elegantly as ever. Kendra has been my neighbor and playful friend since kindergarten. She has long, elegant black hair, typical for a Japanese girl, and her long, slender figure stands above the average. While she appears shy and polite to others, when it's just the two of us, she can be quite sassy and speak her mind.

"Good morning," she greeted me with a soft, gentle tone and an energetic smile. "As always, you're up early and ready to go," I muttered in response.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, we were interrupted by my rushed mother, who was stressed out. "About time you're up! You missed breakfast again," she scurried over, handing me a muffin. "Have a good first day of school, son." I grabbed the muffin, put on my shoes, slung my bag over my shoulder, and left the house, calling back, "Bye, Mom!" as I shut the door.

We reside in a picturesque town called the Valley of the Two Peaks, cradled between majestic mountain ranges with a serene river dividing the town into two halves. Kendra and I have shared the joy of walking to school together since our elementary days. Our high school, Yukon High, is a pleasant 20-minute walk away. Public transportation options are limited here, with scarce bus routes and no train system, leaving us with the enjoyable ritual of walking.

"The blue bow looks better on you than the red," I commented on Kendra as we walked to school. In our school, first-year students wear red ties and bows, second-years wear blue, and third-years wear green. "Thanks. Who do you think will be in our class this year?" she replied.

"I dunno, I just hope we don't get stuck with the annoying trio again…" I began saying, but before I could finish, I heard running footsteps approaching from behind. Whack! I lost my balance as a force struck my neck, causing me to bend forward momentarily before catching myself. Two young kids wrapped their arms around my neck with smiles of excitement. The troublemakers were at it again.

"If it isn't Mackenzie and Kendra! It's been a while," Chad exclaimed, happily resting on my shoulders.

"Hey, Chad and Kyle," I muttered, slightly annoyed. Kendra nodded politely as she made room for them to join us. Kyle leaned towards me and asked a question just loud enough for Kendra to hear. "Have you two tried missionary yet?"

Not realizing the context, I responded, "Yes, of course! Who hasn't?" thinking he was referring to some kind of video game or activity. After my response, they burst into laughter, playfully shaking my body before running past us and repeating the same playful act with the next group of kids ahead.

"I hate those guys. I hope they aren't in our class again. I can never understand what Chad and Kyle are saying." I grumbled. The rest of our conversation on the way to school was rather quiet as Kendra blushed and turned red, which was completely unlike her.

Chad, Kyle, and Mel make up the troublesome trio, often being the source of annoyance within our grade. They're always goofing off and disrupting class.

We passed through the old iron school gates, we reached Yukon High School. There are two high schools in the valley, one on each side of the river. Yukon High is the older of the two and less populated as the other side has more people, and it has been a school that has educated my family for the last two generations. As more students flooded the gates, they crowded around the bulletin boards on the right side, where the class rosters were posted.

Finding the banner for all junior students, we looked up and discovered that we were assigned to class 2B with homeroom teacher Yuuki. "Oh great, not that crazy science teacher again. The school must have been too lazy to update the class roster from last year," I complained to Kendra, as all the students were the same ones from the previous year. Upon sliding open the classroom door, we took in the sight of our new classroom where we would be spending the next year studying. "Where should we sit?" I asked Kendra. "By the window," she replied.

The classroom had a unique setup with two columns and three rows. We chose the middle row closest to the window. The two most popular girls, Rino and Sara, were already there playing on their phones behind us, while Haruka, also known as the girl that sleeps most of the class, occupied the seat in front by the window. Yumi sat closest to the middle of the room, near where the teacher would be giving lectures. Room 2B was located on the second floor, providing a view overlooking the sports field, the best view of the school and often allowing us to watch other students' gym classes.