Morning: A Peaceful Beginning
The faint hum of the electric fan was the only thing keeping his room from becoming a sauna. Rays of sunlight forced their way through the small gaps between his half-open curtains, spilling over a desk cluttered with empty snack wrappers, scattered notebooks, and a dust-coated, aging computer that still carried the faint smell of heated plastic.
Seated in the middle of this organized chaos was Riku Haruto, 17 years old, hair in disarray from sleep, and wearing an oversized T-shirt that proudly proclaimed, "404 Not Found".He stretched in his gaming chair, his arms popping like old floorboards.
"...I stayed up until 4 AM again," he muttered, staring at the blinking notification icon in the bottom corner of his desktop screen. His MMO guild was probably already farming the morning bosses without him.
The smell of miso soup drifted from the kitchen, pulling him away from his monitor. He shuffled out of his room, phone in hand, tapping through unread messages.
Breakfast: Banter with Mom
In the kitchen, his mother — a woman in her forties with the energy of someone who drank three cups of coffee before sunrise — slid a steaming bowl of rice in front of him."You're up late again last night," she said, her tone somewhere between gentle nagging and quiet resignation. "If your brain melts from too much gaming, don't come crying to me."
Riku grinned. "Relax, Mom. My brain's like... super heat-resistant.""Uh-huh," she deadpanned, sitting opposite him. "Like instant noodles left too long in hot water?"
He pretended to stab himself with his chopsticks.His mom chuckled but still eyed him with that "you're not taking me seriously" look.
Afternoon: The Friend
The front door slammed open around noon."RIKUUUUU!!!"
Enter Takumi Sato, Riku's childhood friend and part-time bringer of chaos. His messy brown hair and casual hoodie gave the impression of someone who never planned anything, yet somehow always survived through sheer luck.He barged into Riku's room without removing his sneakers, plopped himself on the bed, and stared at the computer.
"Still alive, huh?" Takumi smirked. "Good. Because I need to talk about something super important."
Riku raised an eyebrow. "If it's about your crush again—""Nope. It's about your stash."
Riku froze. "…What stash?"Takumi's grin widened. "Don't play dumb. That secret folder in your PC. You know, the one labeled 'Homework' but somehow takes up 86 gigabytes?"
Riku's ears went red. "Shut. Up."Takumi leaned back dramatically. "Listen, man. If you ever… y'know, die in some freak accident, I'm gonna be the hero who destroys that thing before your mom finds it."
Riku's laughter broke into a coughing fit. "Pfft—What kind of conversation is this?!"Takumi crossed his arms seriously. "No, I'm dead serious. If I ever see your obituary, I'm running straight here, kicking down your door, and burning that PC to ashes. And I'll cry while doing it."
He wiped fake tears from his face. "'I'll save you even after death, Riku! No one will ever know your secret shame!'"
Evening: Foreshadowing
By nightfall, Riku was back in his chair, headset on, grinding levels in Oblivion's Gate Online. His friends joked in voice chat, his character swung a sword at pixelated monsters, and the outside world felt distant.He didn't know it yet… but this was the last night he'd see that old, dusty monitor.
The Accident
It happened on the way to the convenience store — a simple trip for snacks and an energy drink. The street was wet from earlier rain, streetlamps glowing orange in the mist.
A car sped through the intersection.The screech of tires.The blinding headlights.
And then—nothing.
[END OF MAIN STORY – CHAPTER 0]
Character & Location Information
Riku Haruto – 17 years old, average build, sarcastic humor, heavy gamer. Plays Oblivion's Gate Online under the username "AegisR". Lives with his mother. Has a questionable "secret folder" he prays no one discovers.
Takumi Sato – 17 years old, Riku's chaotic childhood friend. Often barges into Riku's house uninvited. Loud, comedic, but loyal. Keeper (and possible destroyer) of Riku's secret stash in case of death.
Riku's House – Small, lived-in, with a cluttered bedroom that serves as Riku's gaming command center.
Trivia
The "secret folder" joke is a running gag planned to resurface in later arcs.
Riku's PC is modeled after a 2012 custom build — yes, it's still running.
Takumi's "I'll save you even after death" line was improvised in-universe.
Next Chapter Teaser
Will Riku wake up in a hospital bed… or somewhere far, far stranger?And more importantly — did Takumi actually delete the stash?