Dreams Disappearing

Tiny flakes fell upon his scarlet cheeks, their ice-cold touch awakened him. The bustling sounds of cars and the ordinary sight of the city streets greeted his senses, grounding him in the moment. As Kotaro examined his surroundings, the once foreboding alley now seemed mundane, devoid of any traces of the fantastical realm he had traversed.

The memory of the shrine and its unoccupied presence lingered in his mind. His heart yearned for answers, for a glimpse into the truth that lay hidden beyond his grasp. Amidst the piles of snow, he found his phone, cold and damaged. With a sigh of disappointment, he realized that he lost all means of communication with his friends and family. The mystery of his experiences would have to remain his own—for now.

The thought of the Wilsons waiting for him at home weighed heavily on his mind. They were always worried about his well being. Bearing those thoughts while away would do him nothing. The night was still young, but he needed to return safely.

With a determined stride, Kotaro began making his way back home. His mind swirled with questions, and his heart was set on finding the truth. The enigmatic figure of a child danced in his thoughts. Kotaro couldn't shake the feeling that his life changed forever, that he had glimpsed a world beyond imagination, and his destiny was intertwined with forces far greater than he could comprehend.

Nevertheless, Kotaro resolved to embrace the unknown, to seek the truth. Returning home safely lifted the weight of all tension. The door opened to the front porch, and Kotaro was greeted by a worrisome Amanda.

He expected a wrathful woman, but his mother embraced him with open arms. Tears ran down her face, transforming her concern into relief and overwhelming joy. “We were worried!”

A mixture of emotions washed over him, grateful for his mother's love and concern. He held onto her tightly, finding solace in the warmth of her embrace. The night passed onwards until the golden sun arose like a baby, painting the darkness into light; the layers of white remained motionless upon the green.

Kotaro's eyes fluttered open, but his alarm clock told him that he overslept. Panic surged through him as he shot up in bed. The usually orderly room resembled a battlefield, with clothes strewn across the floor and books scattered on his desk.

Without wasting another moment, Kotaro jumped out of bed and hurriedly threw on the first set of clothes he found, not bothering to check if they matched. He stumbled while trying to put on his socks, almost toppling over. "Why do mornings have to be so chaotic?" he groaned.

His jet-black hair was a mess, but he had no time to fix it properly. Kotaro grabbed a brush and quickly ran it through his unruly locks, hoping it would suffice. It didn’t.

As he rushed downstairs, the smell of breakfast wafted through the air. Amanda was already in the kitchen preparing a plate of toast and scrambled eggs. She turned to him and muttered in exasperation, "Kotaro, you really need to start setting an alarm. You can't keep waking up late like this."

"I know, I know," he mumbled, grabbing a piece of toast and taking a hasty bite. "Sorry, mom! I'll try to be more responsible."

Amanda shook her head but couldn't hide a small smile. "Just eat quickly, and I'll make you a cup of coffee to go."

“I’ll pass on the coffee! Thanks, mom!” He rushed out the door before his mother offered him a ride. He sprinted briskly towards school, his heart pounding in his chest. Winter's breath invigorated him, and the bustling sounds of the city became mere background noise. The cars and the people seemed like a blur as he focused solely on reaching his school on time.

Fixated on reaching his destination, a shadowy figure from his left disrupted his tunnel vision. As he turned to look, it was too late to react. A young girl hovered in the air after jumping over the fence. Her shoes connected to the top of his head, using him as a momentary support for her aerial feat.

His body stood still in shock and confusion, not knowing how to respond to this extraordinary situation. The unexpected impact of her shoes on his head sent a jolt through his body, causing him to stumble and almost lose his balance. The girl quickly apologized, her voice laced with a mix of concern and sincerity, as she landed upon the ground.

Before he could muster a response, she sprinted into the distance, leaving him in a state of awe and confusion. The initial shock wore off, and a mix of anger and bewilderment began to surface. He couldn’t get sidetracked by this enigmatic girl, not when he was already running late for school.

The school gates emerged as he continued his run. Several students were in the same boat as him, most of them entering the building nonchalant. Luckily, the final bell hadn’t rung. Relief washed over him, and he slowed down his pace, catching his breath.

"Explain yourself, Koty! Where were you?" It was Rocky. With dark complexion, he was known for his jolly nature and his tendency to tease Kotaro whenever he got the chance. “You missed the raid last night! Now you can’t get the Sword of Justice.”

Last night’s adventure and today’s unique encounter remained fresh in his memory that he forgot about the raid. There was absolutely no way he could tell Rocky about last night. What proof could he provide? He wasn’t even sure if he had been dreaming. “Sorry, Rocky! It’s complicated…”

Rocky patted Kotaro's shoulders continuously. "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

Kotaro forced a smile, not wanting to challenge his friend's accusation. "Okay, you got me! Would you believe me if I said I ventured into that alleyway?"

"No video, no proof!" Rocky declared with a playful grin. Kotaro was left speechless, realizing that his phone had died during their encounter. "So, as punishment, you better write my English essay!"

"Write it yourself..." Kotaro replied, feigning a stern tone.

Rocky let out a dramatic whimper, causing Kotaro to chuckle. He appreciated his friend's lighthearted teasing. Rocky and Ging were the only two individuals with whom Kotaro felt truly comfortable.

With a wry smile, Kotaro turned to face Rocky. "Alright, how about I make it up to you on the next raid?"

"Oh, you better!" Rocky replied, his wimpy demeanor instantly transforming into excitement. The school bell rang, signaling the start of classes. "Well, I'll see you in Mr. Praum's class!"

As they bade each other farewell, an uncomfortable feeling surged in Kotaro’s guts. He turned around, sensing someone lurking within the shadows.

No one.

Wary, he kept a cautious eye and analyzed anything out of the ordinary. “Why do I have a bad feeling about this?”

Heading to his first class, a grouchy old man towered over him. Thin as a stick in appearance, he compensated for his intimidation with his thunderous voice.

Kotaro waved at his history teacher, but Mr. Wilcox remained silent, his gaze fixed on the students entering the classroom. Inside, the arrangement of desks resembled a set of stairs, reminiscent of a college lecture hall. Walking to his desk, his eyes slowly drew on Mimi.

The sweet fragrance of her perfume filled the air, her long ebony hair braided into a pony-tail, and her radiant presence brought a sense of calm and peace to the otherwise serious atmosphere.

As the classroom filled to its maximum capacity, Mr. Wilcox launched into a passionate lecture about the intricacies of history. His voice boomed through the room, filling every nook and cranny with his wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm. Kotaro tried his best to focus on the lesson, but his mind kept drifting back to Mimi, her presence casting a gentle spell over him.

Suddenly, a piece of chalk smacked Kotaro's forehead, drawing the attention of his classmates, including Mimi. His cheeks flushed scarlet in embarrassment. "Wakie-wakie, dreamer boy!"

Whispers spread among his peers, their curiosity piqued by the interruption. The teacher's voice became a mere background noise as their attention shifted to Kotaro. Feeling the weight of their gazes, he wished for the ground to swallow him whole.

"Mr. Wilcox, can you please continue the session rather than focus your time on Kotaro?" Mimi spoke up, her voice calm and assertive.

Her intervention brought Kotaro a sense of relief, like a lifeline thrown his way. He couldn't help stealing a glance at her, her light-brown eyes meeting his briefly. Kotaro quickly averted his gaze, feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment.

With Mimi's words, the attention gradually shifted away from him, allowing Kotaro to refocus on the lesson. However, throughout the class, he found himself stealing occasional glances at Mimi, her presence becoming a source of comfort and inspiration amidst the academic rigidity.

Just as Kotaro was getting engrossed in the lecture, the class was interrupted by the health teacher. “Good morning, Mr. Wilcox. I hope I’m not interrupting you.”

“I hope it’s nothing serious, Mrs. Jones,” replied Mr. Wilcox.

“Oh no, but you will be having a new student in your class,” Mrs. Jones announced, gesturing towards the door. “There’s no need to be shy. This will be your first class!”

Her face was round, with a tiny nose, and her long golden hair cascaded down to her shoulders. It was her striking, bright azure eyes that captivated Kotaro’s attention. They shone like the sun, radiating a pure blue that was alluring.

“This is your first hour. Go on and introduce yourself!” Mrs. Jones encouraged the new student.

She introduced herself with a mixture of confidence and innocence. “Um, my name is Noel Natsuki. As you can see—or I mean, hear, I learned my English from my dad, and my mom is Japanese. I hope to be friends with every one of you!"

Whispered conversations circulated among the boys and girls. The presence of this new student unsettled him. There was a sense of familiarity around this girl’s aura. Their eyes met briefly, and in an instant, they had both come to a realization.

Kotaro couldn't contain his astonishment and impulsively stood up, rudely pointing at Noel.

"You’re that—" the two blurted at the same time.

"Crazy barbarian!" Kotaro exclaimed first.

“Boy!” Noel's expression then turned indignant at his comment. "Hey! What do you mean, crazy barbarian?"

“Just now, when we were heading to school, you stepped on my head, remember?” his voice rose, recalling the humiliating encounter.

Tension arose within the class as an awkward silence emerged. “Well, I apologized! Didn’t I? All I did was jostle you a bit, so spare me your accusations, will you?” Noel retorted.

Anger and embarrassment resurfaced for Kotaro. “A little? What kind of weirdo comes out of nowhere and steps on people?”

“If you’re not satisfied, then I’m sorry if you didn’t notice. Why don’t you just forgive me? You’re so effeminate!”

“So that’s how you apologize? Why you…” Kotaro’s expression darkened, his brows knitting together in anger. A swirl of emotions rose within, threatening to seethe in an overwhelming eruption. His fists clenched tightly at his sides, prepared to lash out. “You gorilla!”

Noel’s wrath mirrored Kotaro. “Who are you calling a gorilla?”

The tensity between Kotaro and Noel escalated, their verbal exchange drawing curious gazes from their classmates. Their blind rage for each other had forgotten about Mr. Wilcox.

“Enough! That’s enough, both of you!” he roared. Noel jolted by the unexpected scream. “We are here to learn, not argue! Now, let’s get back to learning!”

Kotaro settled back into his seat while Noel was assigned to a seat far from him. The lingering tension between them gradually dissipated, and Mr. Wilcox's lecture concluded peacefully.

As the class ended, Kotaro packed his belongings and prepared himself for his favorite class. Wandering through a crowd of students in the hallway, he couldn't shake the feeling of being followed. His instincts proved right when he turned around to see Noel behind him.

"Can’t get enough of me, huh?" Kotaro teased playfully.

"As if I would follow someone like you," Noel retorted with a hint of annoyance. "This is my first time, so I don’t know where I’m going!"

"Uh-huh? And who’s your next teacher?"

"Mr. Praum," Noel replied.

Kotaro was taken aback. It felt like more than just a coincidence, as if their paths were destined to cross again. Before he uttered a word, a fleeting image of a young and rounder Noel momentarily emerged in his sight. The background shifted briefly to a familiar meadow before snapping back to the school hallways. He paused, unsure of what he had just witnessed.

“What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something," Noel said, breaking the short-lived silence.

"N-Nothing. I’m heading there as well…" Kotaro replied, trying to shake off the strange vision.

A mix of surprise and curiosity painted their expressions as they walked side by side, towards their next class.