That morning, Miharaya High looked just like any other school. The bell rang through the halls, students shuffled into their classes—some laughing, others still half-asleep. But in the quietest corner of the school, behind the door of the second-floor restroom, there was a truth never captured in yearbooks—a place where invisible wounds bled quietly every single day.
Oiko Mahakara, an 11th grader, stood in silence facing the wall. His body slightly hunched, clutching his backpack like it was some kind of fake armor. The sound of footsteps echoed in.
"Still here, huh?" a calm voice said—almost like small talk. But for Oiko, that voice was a warning siren.
Veron walked in—same as always: chill, confident, handsome… and full of malice. Behind him followed Zinta, Takamura, and Daniel. They chuckled like they were watching a late-night comedy show.
"Hey, Oiko," Veron said, stepping closer. "Heard you were chatting with Sina yesterday?"
Oiko didn't answer. He knew from experience—talking back only made things worse. But staying silent could be just as bad.
"Playing hard to get?" Zinta shoved his shoulder roughly. "I saw you staring at her in the cafeteria."
Takamura smirked. "Dude, you don't even deserve to dream about someone like Sina."
Daniel lightly kicked Oiko's leg from behind. "Say something, loser."
"I… I just said hi back," Oiko whispered.
Veron chuckled, then suddenly slammed his fist into the wall right beside Oiko's head. "Just said hi? Who the hell told you you could even do that?!"
Oiko froze. His shoulders trembled.
"Looks like this kid still doesn't get his place," Veron muttered, grabbing Oiko by the collar and slamming him against the wall.
Zinta opened a water bottle and poured it over Oiko's head. Water dripped from his hair onto the floor. "Cool your brain off, might help."
Takamura pulled out a permanent marker. "Should we give him a new tattoo?"
"Nah," Veron said casually. "If a teacher sees it, we're screwed. But hey, we can send him a message from the 'gang.'"
He pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of Oiko's soaked and drained face, then hit send.
"See that? Now the whole school gets to see our 'tragic little hero.'"
Daniel leaned in and whispered in Oiko's ear, "You're gonna go viral tonight. Can't wait to see the group chat blow up."
It was like this almost every day. Oiko didn't know what he'd done to deserve this. He never wanted to stand out. He just wanted to study, graduate, live in peace. But like always, the quiet ones are the easiest targets.
The bell rang again. The group turned to leave. Veron looked back one last time, flashing a cruel smile.
"You should be thankful we still care about you."
They left.
Oiko was alone. Soaking wet. Dirty. Broken.
He slowly walked to the sink, stared at himself in the mirror. Messy hair. Bloodshot eyes. A tiny cut on his cheek. But the real pain wasn't on his skin—it was in his eyes. That empty look.
"Why… am I still here?" he whispered. "What's the point of living like this?"
He turned on the faucet and splashed water on his face, trying to calm down. But the chill of the water was nothing compared to the cold inside his chest.
His feet felt heavy as he walked back to class. Down the hallway, not a single person said anything. Some glanced, snickered quietly—like he was just a walking joke.
And then the bell rang, signaling the start of class.
But for Oiko, the real lesson was only just beginning—the lesson that this world wasn't made for someone like him.
And no one knew… that in his silence, something was slowly waking up inside him. Something even Oiko hadn't realized.
He sat down at his desk—back row, by the window. The quietest spot, barely touched by sunlight. Just like him. The math teacher's voice echoed through the classroom, but his mind drifted far from numbers and formulas.
The teacher kept lecturing. The other students doodled in notebooks, secretly played with their phones, or whispered and giggled to each other. The world went on… as if Oiko didn't exist.
Sina—the popular girl they'd mentioned—sat two rows ahead. Every now and then she glanced back, like she was checking if he was okay. But each glance lasted only a second before she looked away. Even good people couldn't shine too brightly in a world this dark.
"Oiko," a soft voice came from beside him. Hana, the girl with glasses. The only one who ever talked to him.
"Mm?" Oiko murmured weakly.
"This… is the notebook you borrowed last week." She handed him a notebook.
"Thanks…" he replied softly. But before the conversation could continue—a loud voice exploded from the front.
"Oi, Oiko!" Veron stood from his seat. "If you wanna talk, talk to us. Stop acting like you've got girls lining up."
The whole class laughed. Hana quickly looked down, face burning red from embarrassment. Oiko just stared at the floor. No one stood up for him—again.
The teacher turned briefly, then just sighed. "Veron, sit down. Let's keep going."
Class went on as if nothing happened. But something inside Oiko tore a little more.
Time crawled by. The clock hit 12:40—lunchtime. But Oiko stayed in his seat. He didn't have the energy to go to the cafeteria. No one would miss him there anyway. Better to stay put.
But suddenly… the air shifted.
A weird energy filled the room. The lights flickered once. Then again. The window rattled slightly, though it was shut.
"Oiko… do you see that?" Hana whispered, her voice trembling, pointing to the center of the room.
There, glowing lines began to appear on the floor. A blue light, forming strange patterns. A circle… etched with symbols no one could recognize. One by one, glowing lines carved themselves into the ground.
The whole class froze.
"What the…?" a student muttered.
Veron stood, trying to act tough. "Okay, who's doing this prank?! Who set this up—?!"
But no one answered.
The light grew brighter. A humming sound emerged, like a vibration from deep within the earth. The windows rattled. The whiteboard scraped as if something was touching it, though nothing was there.
The magic circle was now complete. It glowed a blinding blue, slowly lifting dust from the floor.
Sina stood from her seat. "We need to get out of here!"
But as all the students tried to stand, their bodies felt heavy. As if held back by something.
"Oiko!" Hana shrieked, her body trembling. "Why is this happening?!"
Oiko stared at the magic circle. Strangely, he felt something… familiar. Not fear, but like… a call.
The circle began to glow even brighter, extending across the entire classroom floor.
The teacher screamed in a panic. "Everyone out now!!"
But it was too late.
The light enveloped the entire room.
And at that very moment, everything vanished in a blinding white light…