Naomi's Room – The Morning Routine
The sharp beep-beep-beep of Naomi's alarm clock shattered the silence of his small, dimly lit room.
"Nope. Not today."
He groaned, blindly slamming his hand down on the snooze button. The obnoxious beeping stopped, but the universe refused to let him have peace.
BANG BANG BANG.
"Naomi! Get up already!"
His sister's voice—loud, unforgiving, and ready to drag him out of bed if necessary.
Naomi cracked one eye open. His room was a disaster.
Scattered manga volumes, loose homework papers, and half-finished energy drinks littered his desk. His school uniform was slung over the back of his chair, wrinkled beyond salvation. The TV in the corner was still on, paused on a JRPG he definitely played way too late last night.
Another BANG on the door.
"I swear, if I have to come in there—"
Naomi sighed. "I'm up, I'm up!"
Dragging himself out of bed, he cracked the door open.
His older sister, Hina, stood there, arms crossed. She was the embodiment of discipline—tall, fit, always dressed to perfection. At 27, she looked more like a high-ranking executive than his sibling, her long black hair tied neatly into a ponytail, a sleek business suit already on.
She scanned him with a critical eye. "You look like a mess."
Naomi yawned. "Wow, thanks. Just what I needed to hear first thing in the morning."
Hina smirked. "It's my job to remind you of how much you suck at life."
Naomi groaned. "Why do mornings exist?"
Hina flicked his forehead. "Because not all of us have the luxury of sleeping through life. Now move it before Mom gets mad."
---
Breakfast – The Family Table
The scent of grilled fish and miso soup filled the kitchen as Naomi slumped into his chair.
His mother, Emi, stood by the stove, humming as she flipped eggs, her dark brown hair tied back in a loose bun. Her presence was a constant source of warmth, like the quiet hum of a lullaby.
His father, Daichi, sat at the table, reading the newspaper with the intensity of a man plotting world domination. A broad-shouldered, sharp-featured man, Daichi always looked like he was disappointed in something.
Hina was already seated, scrolling through her phone while sipping tea.
"Mom, did you hear?" Hina said casually. "Naomi wants to drop out and become a full-time sleeper."
Emi gasped dramatically. "Oh no! My son, a professional bum? What will the neighbors say?"
Naomi scowled. "I was joking!"
His father lowered the newspaper, his sharp eyes locking onto Naomi.
"You barely pass as it is. Maybe you should stop joking and start focusing."
Naomi sighed. "Here we go…"
"'Here we go,'" Daichi repeated, his deep voice unwavering. "You think I say this just to nag you? You want to end up struggling for the rest of your life?"
Hina smirked. "He does. But also, because you suck at school."
"Would you all just let me eat?" Naomi muttered, stuffing rice into his mouth.
His mother chuckled. "You'll be fine, sweetheart. Just try your best today, alright?"
Naomi didn't have the heart to tell her he had no idea what 'his best' even was.
---
The Chaos of School Begins
The moment Naomi stepped into the classroom, he knew today was going to suck.
His homeroom teacher, Mr. Okabe, was a middle-aged man with sharp eyes, wire-rimmed glasses, and the aura of someone who had long since given up on life.
Unfortunately, Naomi was always his favorite target.
"Naomi," Mr. Okabe called as soon as class began. "What's the answer to problem three?"
Naomi blinked. "Uh."
The class snickered.
His best friend, Tanaka, leaned over and whispered, "Just say 'x equals something.' Sounds smart."
Naomi cleared his throat. "X equals… something?"
The classroom burst into laughter.
Mr. Okabe sighed deeply. "Get out of my sight. Stand in the hallway."
Naomi dragged himself out of the classroom, grumbling about the injustices of life.
---
Gym Class – Where Naomi Sucks at Sports
"Alright, class! We're playing dodgeball today!" the PE teacher, Mr. Fujimoto, announced with enthusiasm.
Naomi paled. "Oh no."
Blasta, his other best friend, grinned. "Oh yes."
Blasta was a walking tank, tall and ridiculously muscular, but with the sense of humor of a golden retriever. He loved gym class.
Naomi, on the other hand, was about to die.
Five minutes in, a ball slammed into Naomi's stomach, knocking him flat on his back.
Tanaka shook his head. "Pathetic."
Blasta laughed, lifting Naomi up with one hand. "Come on, buddy, you'll get 'em next round!"
Naomi groaned. "I hate this."
---
Lunchroom Chaos
Naomi slumped onto the rooftop with Tanaka and Blasta, shoving food into his mouth.
"You're a disgrace, Naomi," Tanaka said.
Naomi rolled his eyes. "You weren't paying attention either."
"Yeah, but I have the intelligence to dodge questions," Tanaka smirked.
Blasta grinned, taking a massive bite of his sandwich. "I would've just broken the desk. No questions, no problems."
Naomi sighed. "I hate you both."
"You love us," Tanaka corrected.
---
After School – The First Meeting with Aiko
The small café was quiet, filled with the scent of coffee and warm pastries.
Naomi had come to escape from life for a bit.
That's when he saw her.
Aiko.
She sat by the window, golden eyes gazing out at the street, her long silky pink hair cascading over her shoulders.
There was something distant about her expression, as if she belonged to a different world entirely.
For some reason, he couldn't look away.
She turned—and their eyes met.
Something shifted.
Something he couldn't name.
---
The Present – The Prison Cell
A magic passage bent open, revealing two demonic figures clad in dark robes.
"Meal time!" one of them barked.
Inside the prison, Eden and Naomi sat among the captured creatures.
From the corner, Okami chuckled darkly, stretching his arms.
"This is bad," he said with a smirk. "Which means it's about to get worse."