Tokyo Alley – 6:00 A.M
The sky hangs low. Gray. Cold. The alley stinks—not only alley but whole air stinks of rotting fish, burned fireworks, something worse.
A girl walking alone.
It is cold, she is having short breaths, frozen fingers, eyes down, as she is humming.
She sneezes "Achoo! This cold I can't even play piano this way"
Behind her, the wall ripples.
She spins to looks, everything is normal...but the odd feeling as if she is being watched.
She trembles. "W-Who is there?!"
Suddenly the wall ripples, cracked open.
A shadow slithers out—thin, long, like fabric soaked in ink. It comes from the shadow,
She tries to look back and run but it curls around her foot trapping her.
She stiffens and can't move.
She lets out a little tear "P-Please lea-"
A breath in the dark: "PREY..."
Then—
The shadow lunges.
Straight into her chest. Her eyes rolling up flashes red color as if her nerves have pumped to its extreme.
And it is silent all of sudden, she is looking down.
Stillness.
Then, her head tilts.
Eyes open.
Too wide. Glowing faintly red. Like glass under firelight.
She takes a step. Jerks. Like her limbs are learning again.
A creepy crooked smile, Smirking.
Voice deep "KIILLL...."
The alley falls silent.
Only the hum remains.
Sazanami University
Classroom buzzes. New notebooks. New faces. Old walls.
Riku slouches in his seat, chin in hand, staring at the board but not really looking. His breath fogs the window just slightly. It's cold.
He mutters to himself, "New Year feels like just yesterday... and uni's already starting. AHHhhhhhnnnn...."
Sighs.
"Pre-uni was... horrible. But alright, I guess."
He stretches, cracking his fingers. Eyes narrowing like he's making a vow.
"But this year… first year—I'm doing things different. No slacking."
A sharp inhale. Determined eyes.
"I'll work as hard as I can. This time, I won't be weak. And that stewpid Ghost is also not here."
(Flashback) Morning - At Riku's Apartment
Riku stands in the apartment doorway, backpack on. Sunlight pours in from the side window.
"Stay here, okay?" he says, hand on the doorframe. "It's just orientation week. No point wasting time."
Yuki sprawled on the couch, munching on pocky, rolls her eyes. "Bleh! School's boring. I'd rather watch TV, this cartoon is better than you cartoon."
Riku angrily twitching his eyes "I will kill you one day!"
He shuts the door behind him.
The door bursts open. SLAM.
Back to Present - Classroom
Everyone turns.
A girl walks in, brushing off some branches her shoulders. Breathless. Hair tousled. Glasses fogged.
"I'm late, I'm late—sorry, the train was—"
Riku blinks. His eyes lock on her.
That face... I've seen her before.
In his thoughts "I'm pretty sure she was someone from pre-uni, what was her name again?
AHHHH..... Why can't I remember?"
Teacher: "You are late AGAIN! How many times do you think this has become?"
Mio while bowing : "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Riku in his thoughts : "Ahhh it was Mio"
He stares at Mio. Something feels wrong. Off. Her presence is heavy—like cold air stuck to skin.
That aura.
His spine twitches.
Suddenly Mio watches Riku.
In awkward Riku watches down to his notebook.