The city of Shibuya was still recovering.
The aftermath of yesterday's devastation hung in the air like smog. Skyscrapers, hospitals, restaurants — all brought to ruin by a single, unidentified villain. The tremor they caused had been unnatural, violent. And while emergency crews scrambled to restore order, the bigger question haunted the headlines:
Who stopped the monster?
Reports were inconclusive. Witnesses had scattered. The villain vanished. But so did the one who faced them — a lone figure who appeared in the chaos and disappeared just as quickly.
That figure… was Henryduc.
Well, technically.
But right now, Henryduc wasn't thinking about heroism or headlines. He was thinking about home.
With his hands in his pockets, he strolled up the stairwell that led to his rooftop apartment — a modest space perched above a four-story building like a forgotten thought. He gave a small nod to himself.
"Oh my… Well, good thing my place is still standing," he muttered.
Henryduc wasn't a hero. Not officially. Not legally. Honestly, not even socially. He's being a hero and basically, breaking the law doing it illegal. His days were simple — sleeping, watching TV, scrolling his phone, exercising, lounging on his couch, and occasionally exploring random buildings for fun.
And yet, despite his self-proclaimed mediocrity, the world had started to change around him.
His favorite fast food joint — McFrown — had been obliterated in the disaster. No warning. No mercy. Just gone.
After slipping into his usual clothes, Henryduc lazily tossed his vigilante outfit beneath the couch and stepped outside. He locked the door behind him, then casually leapt from the roof.
He landed on the sidewalk below with a soft thud. Unharmed. Unseen.
"Smooth," he whispered to himself.
He headed toward the former location of McFrown, silently praying that it hadn't been replaced by something... trendy.
Two minutes later, he was on his knees.
"WHY!!!" he cried out to the heavens. "I'm gonna miss those cheap, low-priced French fries!"
In its place now stood a pristine café — elegant signage, warm lighting, and the unmistakable smell of fresh pastries.
Curious, Henryduc stepped inside.
He took a seat near the window, flipping through the menu with cautious interest. To his surprise, one of his favorite drinks — a classic strawberry smoothie — was on the list. And it was cheap. Still in disbelief, he raised a hand to wave down a server.
But then, a soft tap landed on his shoulder.
He turned slowly… and froze.
The maid who had tapped him was something out of a dream. Long aqua-blue hair shimmered under the café lights. Her eyes were brown, but danced with concentric rings of blue. Three delicate whisker-like marks decorated each cheek. Even her outfit differed from the other maids — more regal, more elegant.
Henryduc stared.
"…Can I get one strawberry smoothie?" he asked, somehow managing to keep his voice calm.
The maid nodded silently and turned to leave — but just as she did, a small white handkerchief slipped from her pocket. Without thinking, Henryduc caught it before it touched the ground.
"Hey, maid," he called out. "You dropped something."
She turned. Their eyes met. A brief moment passed.
She blinked, then blushed slightly. Wordlessly, she took the handkerchief back, gave a small bow, and walked away.
Henryduc stared after her with a blank face. His brain was buffering.
A few minutes later, she returned with the drink and set it on the table without a word. But just before she walked away, she turned around…
…and made a heart-shaped gesture with her hands.
He sat frozen, smoothie in hand, face blank as his soul processed the event. Around him, whispers erupted.
"I am so jealous," a guy said nearby.
"No way, it's true! The rumor's real!" another customer hissed. "If a maid gives you that gesture, you get a free drink… and it's from that maid!"
"It should've been me," someone else muttered in despair.
Henryduc sighed, got up, and walked out with his free smoothie. The last thing he wanted was attention.
Too much attention leads to nonsense.
As he strolled back toward his building, he let his mind wander.
"Who was that maid? Why me? Why the free drink? …Welp, I guess I'm not gonna find out anytime soon."
Glancing around to make sure no one was looking, Henryduc crouched slightly — then launched himself skyward in a smooth arc, landing on his apartment rooftop like a feather.
He grinned to himself.
"I am awesome."
But his smug moment was cut short when his eyes caught something odd.
Lying on the ground in front of his door was a single envelope.
An invitation.
He never got mail. Not up here. Not alone. Not like this.
Henryduc's posture stiffened as he looked around, scanning the quiet rooftop.
"How… did they know where I live?"
He crouched low, one hand near the handle of the smoothie, just in case. Suspicion and curiosity battled inside him as he reached for the envelope.
He didn't know it yet, but this moment would change everything.
A new path was opening.
Something strange.
Something unexpected.
Something… heroic.
Henryduc picked up the envelope.
And a chance.