LUNCH – SCHOOL ROOFTOP
I sit on the edge of the fence, eyes half-lidded, brain fully fried.
REI (deadpan):
"If I fell off the roof, would it count as an accident?"
That's the kind of intrusive thought that loops in my head at 1:07 PM on a Tuesday.
MIDTERM FLASHBACK – INT. CLASSROOM
Paper hits desk. My name: Rei Natsuki.
Score: 17/100.
A new low. Or maybe just a consistent trend.
REI (V.O.):
"I'm not dumb, okay? I just—
…Actually, no. I'm pretty dumb."
BACK TO ROOFTOP
I stare up at the pale blue sky, hoping a bird takes a dump on me. A sign. An excuse.
That's when it happens.
A flicker.
Like a falling star in reverse—
It flashes.
It dives.
It smacks me in the forehead like a dodgeball from God.
??? (robotic, inside my head):
"HOST FOUND."
REI:
"What the—?!"
A plushie floats in front of me. Balloon-shaped, with starry eyes and a terrifyingly cheerful smile.
??? (cheerful, robotic):
"EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY DETECTED: 83%."
"ACADEMIC POTENTIAL: TRAGIC."
"ACTIVATING REHABILITATION PROTOCOL."
REI:
"NOPE. NOPE. GET AWAY FROM ME, IKEA ANGEL!!"
??? (still hovering):
"HELLO, REI NATSU-KUN. I AM NOKKO, YOUR TEMPORARY INTELLIGENCE UPGRADE BUDDY."
"INSTALLING PERSONALITY PATCH 0.9. WARNING: MAY CAUSE SLIGHT EXISTENTIAL DREAD."
REI (screaming):
"WHAT IS HAPPENING—"
I trip over myself and hit the fence.
CUT TO – INT. CLASSROOM – MATH CLASS
I shuffle in. Dazed. Bruised. Soul: lightly cyberbullied.
REI (muttering):
"Probably a dream. Too much sodium."
The teacher starts lecturing about linear equations.
My brain begins to melt. I zone out like a seasoned professional.
TEACHER (O.S.):
"Natsuki-kun."
Everything freezes.
CLASSMATES (whispering):
"Oh boy."
"Let's go. Free comedy."
"Maybe he'll say something stupid again."
"Last time he answered with 'potato'."
I glance at the board. The question:
2x + 5 = 13
REI (thinking):
"What does x even want from me."
Then—
NOKKO (inside my head, smug):
"THE ANSWER IS FOUR."
REI (out loud):
"Who said that?!"
NOKKO:
"Me. Nokko. Hello again."
REI:
"WHY NOW??"
NOKKO:
"Because it's funny. Say the answer before you combust."
REI (nervously):
"X… equals four?"
Beat of silence.
TEACHER (nods):
"Correct."
The room explodes.
CLASSMATES:
"He got it?"
"No way."
"He just said it like he meant it??"
I sit down in pure shock.
NOKKO (whispering in my head):
"You're welcome. Your performance is now at 12% less failure."
"That's a new personal record."
REI:
"WHAT ARE YOU?"
NOKKO:
"Your emotional support parasite."
REI:
"That's not a real thing."
NOKKO:
"Neither is your GPA."
CUT TO – INT. REI'S ROOM – NIGHT
I stand in front of my mirror. My reflection looks the same — tired, confused, hopeless.
Nokko hovers beside me like a haunted nightlight.
REI (quietly):
"…Why me?"
NOKKO (soft):
"You asked the sky for help, remember?"
REI:
"I didn't mean it seriously."
NOKKO:
"Well, I did."
He hovers closer. A soft glow. Almost… warm.
NOKKO:
"Besides… you're interesting."
"Failure is fun to fix."
REI (V.O.):
And just like that—
The weirdest day of my life ends with a floating plushie
telling me I'm a project.
A dumb loser with a second chance.
Whether I want it or not.
END OF CHAPTER 1