This day felt like any other on the streets of Japan. In the Hokkaido district, the air was filled with laughter and the dull creak of old swing sets as three boys ran through the playground without a care in the world.
"Catch me!" Messiah shouted as he jumped off a swing and scrambled onto the playhouse roof, almost slipping on the way up.
Ahmad smirked and took off after him. "I'm not losing to you again," he said, already laughing as he ran.
Korbyn followed behind them, trying to keep up while calling out for them to slow down. The three of them circled the park, shoes scraping against the pavement, until a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Alright, that's enough. It's time to go home and eat."
They all groaned at once.
"Dad, can we stay just a little longer?" Messiah asked, breathing hard as he jogged over.
His father smiled and shook his head. "No. You need to eat and get some sleep. Tomorrow's important. It's the day you receive your Nexus."
That was all it took. The tired looks on their faces vanished, replaced by excitement. Without saying another word, the boys sprinted down the street, racing each other home.
Messiah's father laughed quietly to himself. The necklace resting against his chest began to glow, and in the blink of an eye, he was running alongside them, moving faster than any normal person should.
Ahmad noticed and pushed himself harder. "I'm not losing again!" he shouted, his legs burning as he ran.
They all laughed when they finally reached the house.
Dinner was already waiting. The smell of hot Curry filled the room as Messiah's mother set the table.
"This smells really good," Korbyn said politely.
Ahmad nodded in agreement.
She smiled and gently ruffled their hair before calling them to eat. For a while, everything felt warm and simple. After dinner, Korbyn thanked them and headed home. Ahmad followed soon after. The family waved as the boys disappeared down the street.
Korbyn reached his house and was greeted by his parents.
Ahmad kept walking.
He stopped in front of a tall building where younger kids were still running around the yard. As he stepped through the gate, a few of them waved.
Ahmad's parents were gone long before Nexus Day ever came.
His father died when Ahmad was still very young. Official records said it happened during a violent altercation tied to Nexus-related conflict. Some called it an accident. Others called it avoidable. Ahmad was never old enough to understand the details, only that his father never came home.
His mother's death was worse in a different way.
She was found alone, with no witnesses and no clear evidence of what had happened. Authorities ruled it a suicide due to the lack of signs pointing elsewhere. The case was closed quickly, quietly, and without answers. Ahmad never believed it. To him, it felt wrong. Too clean. Too easy.
With no family left to claim him, Ahmad was sent to an orphanage.
That was where he learned to be quiet. To watch people. To take care of younger kids instead of being taken care of himself. While Messiah and Korbyn went home to warm meals and familiar voices, Ahmad learned how to smile without saying much and how to keep questions to himself.