Chapter Text
Prologue
I had just graduated college. I was fully prepared to get a job, and live the life of an adult. However, things didn't exactly go to plan. As it seems, trying to get employed in today's modern economy was extremely difficult to do, regardless if you have a diploma with you or not. I've seen teenagers earn more than I have by now. All the years I spent studying felt like a useless waste of time when faced with the reality of trying to get hired.
It’s been eight years since I graduated. Living alone in my late parents home isn't exactly the 'peak' I envisioned for my twenties. I finally landed an 'average' office job, anyway—assuming a sort-of-general contractor is the new corporate standard. Out of all the applications I have sent, only this company has accepted me in. Did they perhaps take pity when I specifically mentioned getting rejected over a thousand times? Although it was more of a hyperbole than a fact. I'm surprised they fell for it. Or so I assume.
Either way, I had a salary now. Which meant a steady stream of income. As long as I work hard, get promoted—though I doubt it—then soon I'll be living quite comfortably, and I won't have to continue doing commissions or freelancing work for others.
“Oh, hello, sir! Sorry we’re late!” A voice from across the streets cut through my ears.
There he was, walking toward me, bursting with all that youthful energy of his. He and the woman next to him. His name was Tamura, one of the guys who worked under me, and she was Sawatari, the front-desk lady.
They recently asked to see me because they were getting married, and they needed my advice. I was leaning against a telephone pole at the intersection where we’d agreed to meet after work, and the only reason I agreed was because I also needed their assistance. Not for the same reasons as them—they’re too lousy—but for work.
I guess that's why I haven't interested any ladies in my entire life. Not that I would want to in the first place, especially with my financial situation. It would only be an unnecessary burden for me, and for them. Either way, I was the wrong person to ask. I knew nothing about love. They were doing this just to spite me—I was sure of it. Pretty sure, anyway.
In return, I decided to just give them my opinion in exchange. It’s a cheap trade compared to the soon to be amount of help I’m gonna squeeze out of them. It's a win-win in my book; if things go south, I'll just feed them a few hollow platitudes and call it a day.
I nodded a greeting at Sawatari and asked, “What’d you want to talk about?”
“Oh, good to meet you. My name’s Miho Sawatari. I’ve seen you at work a lot, but…um, I guess this is the first time I’ve spoken to you, huh? It makes me kind of nervous, somehow.”
Looking back, there was that time a friend introduced me to her family. I remember sweating through my shirt, terrified of being judged—and I was right, to say the least. I was eventually forced out, and any hope for a 'blooming romance' was killed off. It’s the downside of living in reality instead of some delusional fantasy, regardless of how improbable the latter was.
What I had experienced was quite unrelated, but the point remains the same.
“I can sympathize.” I replied. Although, she definitely looked at me weirdly because I took a considerable amount of time to respond.
Reasonable. I thought.
“Satoru Hiroku. It’s good to meet you, Ms.
Sawatari. Tamura and I went to the same college, and got to know each other during his training period.” I said, pausing for a brief second, my eyes looking at the group of guys that had just passed by in the nearby street. “You certainly are as popular as it seems. Even outside. Attracting men like honey.” My lips formed a smirk.
“Famous?oof! Not famous in a weird way, I hope?”
“oh, y’know. I hear stories about you dating
Kameyama or messin’ around with Mr. Kihara in
management … ”
Somehow, I decided that picking on her would
be a good idea. I just meant it as a passing joke, but it made Sawatari’s face turn a bright shade of red, her eyes watering up a bit. People were always telling me to tone that stuff down—that I needed to consider people’s feelings more. Too bad for them, I’m not exactly a 'people person.' I don't do the things normal people do—it’s just not in my DNA, and I can't be bothered to pretend otherwise. Either that, or I just want to defy having to conform.
Tamura took that chance to intervene, giving
Sawatari a pat on the shoulder. If he doesn't do that, then he's definitely gonna get the silent treatment. Couples nowadays are volatile. And for good reasons as well, so I can't blame them. They too, are to a fault, have emotions that I can't empathize with.
“Aw, stop being mean to her,” he admonished
with an effortless smile. “And don’t worry, Miho,
he’s just having a little fun with you.”
Cool, refreshing, and completely guileless—Tamura was impossible to hate. He was quite a bit younger than I was, but we got on well nonetheless. I probably owed him at least a few congratulations.
“I apologize for the abrasiveness. People don't talk with me as often as Tamura here does. So my conversation skills are a bit outdated.” It's the truth.. Although also a lie in some parts. People stay away because I don't give them a reason to stay. I’ve opted out of the social contract entirely. It’s less lonely than it is quiet, and frankly, the silence is a lot less exhausting than the alternative.
“Aaaahhh!!”
Screams. Chaos. What is—What’s going on?
“Move! I’ll kill you!!”
I turned around to find a man sprinting toward
me, a backpack in one hand and a kitchen knife in the other. I could hear shrieking. He was coming my way. With a knife. A knife? And at the other end of it was Tamura.
I wasn't the guy you call for when you need a selfless savior. To be candid, I would save myself instead of them. It's not because I think less of them, It’s nothing personal—just the basic biological urge to exist. I think it's called selfishness. And everyone has it.
But at this exact moment, where someone, who has treated me kindly enough to endure my condescending personality is put in the place between life and death, I can't help but hesitate.
That's why it surprised me when I actually did move. Not ‘I’, but my legs moved on their own.
So much for my self preservation.
“Tamuraaaa!”
The moment I shoved Tamura aside, I felt a
burning pain run across my back. My body balled
up as it collapsed to the ground,trying to with-
stand the shock. I couldn’t tell what had happened.
I wanted to move, but I couldn’t.
“Get the hell outta my way!” the man shouted as
he ran off. I watched him go and then checked to
see how my companions were. The suddenness of it all had reduced Tamura to a stupor, but he was unhurt. I saved a life today. But at least, I have paid the social debt in return. Even though I really didn't want to.
Confirmed. Resist Heat…successfully acquired.
I wasn't exactly dead yet. I was bleeding rather. And each, and every second that is spent with me lying on the concrete floor, is excruciatingly painful. Though my vision is fading, and my senses are leaving me, the pain was still coursing throughout my body, ravaging it like some biblical flood. I sure wish Noah with his Ark would save me. Unfortunately for me, no one was gonna man up and be that Noah.
Confirmed. Resist Piercing Weapon… successfully acquired. Following up with Resist Melee Attack... Successfully acquired.
“M-Mr. Hiroku, you’re bleeding… You won’t stop bleeding!”
Was that Tamura? I thought I heard some kind of weird voice. If it was Tamura, then so be it.
Confirmed. Cancel Pain …successfully acquired.
I wonder if I'll make the news. Hopefully not. I’ve never wanted to be the center of attention—it’s like flipping a biased coin where both sides are tails. No matter how it lands, I lose. Then again, I probably shouldn't care. I’m slowly leaving this world anyway.
“Mr. Hiroku, you’re … The blood … ” Tamura
tried to hold me up, face drained of color and looking about ready to break into sobs. So much for that bravado from two minutes ago. I tried to see how Sawatari was doing, but my vision was too fogged up to manage it.
Now the burning feeling on my back was starting to fizzle out. Instead, an intense, frigid cold was attacking me from head to toe. Honestly, the ambulance sure is slow to arrive. Would they have picked up faster if I told them I'll be paying with my kidney? Capitalistic greed.
Regardless, I'll succumb to my wounds before they arrive. So this is the end.
I guess I'll find out now what's there in the afterlife since it's a question I've found myself pondering over lately. I sure hope my computer is brought with me. I don't want to die a second time out of boredom.
Confirmed. Resist Cold …successfully acquired. Combined with
the previously acquired Resist Heat, the skill has progressed to Resist Temperature. Confirmed. Constructing a blood-free body… Successful. Unknown desire… Cannot execute. Required more information… Substituted to Resist Electricity… Successfully acquired.
So, how will it be?
…