I never thought one train journey could change my entire life.
It was supposed to be nothing more than a casual trip with hirata and his family.
Normal. Boring. Simple.
But the world rarely warns you before it breaks.
---
The Station
I was standing at the platform, waiting for them, when I noticed it—
people brushing past me again and again. Not just accidental bumps…
but deliberate. Eyes locked. Faces stiff.
No one said a word.
Their expressions carried a strange urgency,
as if they were searching for someone—
or waiting for something dangerous to arrive.
A cold sensation spread down my spine.
Before I could think more, hirata waved at me from afar.
"Bro! Over here!"
And just like that, the weirdness was forgotten… temporarily.
---
The Train
We boarded. Found our seats.
I got the window side—my favorite.
Outside, the world rushed past in motion blur.
Inside, everything felt still.
Until I noticed them.
Two girls sat opposite us—silent, pretty, too perfect.
Their names, I learned later, were Riya and Dipika.
Within minutes, they started talking to hirata.
Laughing. Teasing. Leaning closer.
Flirtation level: maximum.
Hirata was enjoying every second of it—of course.
I tried to laugh it off, too…
but something in their eyes didn't match their smiles.
It was the kind of smile that isn't happiness—
but calculation.
Then, without warning, both of them rested their heads
on hirata's shoulders, like they had known him forever.
Hirata froze.
I did too.
Their smiles didn't fade, even in sleep.
Perfect.
Still.
Suspicious.
A quiet alarm rang inside my chest.
Something about this journey…
this train…
these strangers…
felt wrong.
Very, very wrong.