My life was... ordinary. A routine spinning like a scratched record: wake up, go to school, come home. A continuous cycle of repetition that bored me—but was warmed by the love of a family that truly cared. My parents, my little sister's easy laughter... everything was so simple, so predictable, and in my immature teenage mind, I didn't realize how much of a privilege that was.
But as time went by, that routine became a weight.
Well, I guess I shouldn't start without an introduction—hehe. So, my name's Saito. I'm 16 years old. High school student, in a school that is... well, a school. I wasn't the popular guy, nor the sports star, and definitely not the misunderstood genius. To be honest, I was more of the quiet type. An observer. I had a small but loyal circle of friends. My biggest ambition back then was finishing One Piece before I turned into an old man.
Anyway, now that we've got that out of the way, let's continue with how I died in the most... idiotic way possible. No honor, no epic drama. Just a stupid situation.
I was heading to school like always. Backpack heavy, the scent of wet asphalt in the air. Nothing out of the ordinary. At the gate, I threw a casual "Yo!" to my friends and, out of sheer habit, flirted with the prettiest girl in school. Sarah.
About her? Okay. She was a stunning redhead. Hair like liquid fire, eyes a green that held a thousand secrets. Gorgeous and... irritatingly perfect. Good at everything, smart, popular, talented. You know the type that makes you question your own existence. But... meh. Didn't matter. She ignored my lame pickup line as usual, and life moved on.
I entered the classroom, the buzz of voices filling the space.
"Good morning, sir," I said, more out of politeness than excitement.
"Welcome, Saito," came the calm voice of Professor Kenji.
I took my usual seat, third row, middle column. Leaned my head on my hand, thoughtful. I didn't know what to do anymore. I was tired of the same days. What would I do in the future? Live alone... kids... Whoa, hold up. Should I really be thinking about this at sixteen? Eighteen still felt like an eternity away. But yeah, I wanted a good future. I didn't want to be just another face in the crowd. Thinking about the future shouldn't be so bad.
Professor Kenji started his lecture... You know, I liked the guy. He told funny stories during breaks. But the classes... were sleep-inducing. I liked him as a person, not as a teacher.
While trying not to fall asleep, I felt a poke on my back. Two light, persistent taps.
"Huh?" I murmured, turning my head slightly.
"Hey, Saito. Mind helping me out? This stuff's brutal," said Haruka, my desk neighbor, with that lazy tone of someone who'd rather be gaming.
Of course, it had to be him. Haruka.
*Haruka… how many times have I told you to study, idiot?* My mind rolled its eyes. But if I refused, he'd probably pull the sad puppy face. Should I care? Not really. Last time he didn't help me. Why should I help him? Let him pay for his laziness. Hahaha. I'd better hide this smirk before the teacher sees.
"Nope, dude. Remember that day? You didn't help me with that question. I had to struggle... and still failed."
"Oh, come on!" he said, too loudly. "I only refused because the teacher was watching us!"
Seriously? What a lame excuse. Should I laugh? Ignore him? My teenage conscience kicked in. In the end, I had no choice. I handed him my notebook without even looking away from the board.
Before I knew it, it was late afternoon. Shadows stretching across the schoolyard, the final bell ringing like heaven. Time to head home and enjoy my mom's cooking... Ah, what a dream. That scent of spices... Okay, time to hurry before she worries. It started drizzling.
As I walked down the stairs, I wondered if Haruka had any plans for the future. Not that I really cared, but I liked the guy. He was a good friend.
The rain picked up—thin, but insistent. As I walked the wet streets, I felt... watched. A strange chill—not from the wind. Something felt off. My umbrella wasn't doing much, so I stopped at a bus stop to wait it out.
I pulled out my phone. Tried to message my mom. Wanted to tell her I'd be late.
"What? No signal? That's weird. I'm literally at a bus stop..." I muttered, tapping it.
While I struggled with it, a girl sat next to me. I glanced sideways. It was Sarah. Damn, what a beauty. Her fiery hair glowed under the dim bus stop light.
*Should I talk to her?* Nah... She wouldn't talk to someone like me. Honestly, she probably hated me. I once said some dumb stuff in front of her... Bad memories. My face warmed.
Whatever. I'll just stay quiet. Blend in.
But then... she moved closer. Her perfume—a soft floral scent—drifted into my space.
"Saito... Have you heard of the Revolutionary Club?" Her voice was low, serious.
What? Out of nowhere? Random much?
WAIT. Why is she talking to me? She's always avoided me. I was sure she hated me.
But hey... maybe she doesn't. Let's just play it cool. Nothing weird.
"Revolutionary Club? Can't say I have," I replied calmly.
"It's a club that wants to revolutionize religions. They recently asked me to take part in one of their acts..." Her voice was emotionless. Robotic. A chill crawled down my spine.
Hold on... This smells like trouble. Revolutionizing religions? Acts? Sounds like a bad anime plot.
Should I just change the subject? Ignore her? The rain was easing up. Time to leave.
"Look, Sarah, sorry. I need to go," I lied. "My mom's probably worried."
As I stood, she rose abruptly. Too fast. Her hands wrapped tightly around my waist from behind.
W-Wait... What the hell? Okay, calm down, Saito. Calm. This is a misunderstanding. A weird joke. We can fix this. She's confused.
"S-Sarah? Look, I don't know what's going on, but let's—"
"Shut up!" she snarled, voice twisted, raw with fury. Her grip tightened.
Wait, did I... get aroused or something? No—idiot, Saito! This is serious!
Why the hell is she grabbing me? What kind of joke is this? Hey, I'm a man of principles, okay? Stop harassing me! Okay, joke's over... hehe... The panic started to rise.
As I struggled, sharp pain tore through my back. A freezing stab spreading like fire. I collapsed to my knees on the wet asphalt, umbrella rolling away.
My heart pounded. Sarah stood over me. Her face... twisted. Lifeless.
In her hand... was that... a knife? A thin blade gleaming under the streetlight.
That look... No... No no no—
"AHHH!" The scream ripped from my throat, more animal than human.
I was bleeding. The metallic scent of blood filled my nose. Pain surged through every nerve. My blood spilled across the wet pavement. Sarah stared down with cold contempt.
I was terrified. Primal, freezing fear gripped my soul.
I stood with all my strength. Blood gushed. I ran, legs dragging, begging for help. Empty streets. Sarah chased, knife in hand, relentless.
My legs shook. Muscles burned. I couldn't keep going. Pain radiated through my chest. My body was done. Exhaustion won.
I fell. Face-first. Blood pooling.
Sarah caught up. Jumped on me. Drove the knife into my chest.
I tried to grab her neck, push her off, hands slipping in blood. She kept stabbing.
I thrashed, useless against death's embrace. Agonizing pain. Organs shredded. Vision fading. Then... nothing.
---
When I awoke, there was no light. No sound. No body. Just... endless black. An infinite void. No ground, no air—yet I breathed.
Is this the afterlife?
I started walking. Or floating. Hard to tell. I moved.
"Dude, what the hell just happened? Am I dead? Wait, Sarah stabbed me? Why?!" My voice echoed.
But... I felt fine. No pain. No blood. No death scent. So the afterlife exists? Was this purgatory?
As I wandered, I thought of my family. My dad... my mom... my little sister. Kana. Her smiling face. Did they know I was dead? How would they react?
How could I leave my mom alone? Her in the kitchen... apron on. It hurt. My dad would take care of her, sure. But I was her son. And my sister? I needed to be there...
Damn. Am I really dying full of regrets? Everything I didn't do. Words I didn't say.
Seriously? I'm dying before finishing *One Piece*? What a joke.
Suddenly, nausea hit. Out of nowhere. I vomited—no stomach, no mouth, but the pain was real.
The knife... the blood... the metallic scent... horrible memories. My mind relived it all.
"So I'm just stuck here forev—" My thought cut off.
Out of nowhere, the "floor" opened. I fell.
Endless falling. No air. No light. But terrifying speed.
After what felt like hours, my non-body failed. Consciousness slipped.
But before I blacked out completely, a gentle feminine voice whispered—inside and outside me:
"Live, Saito."
---
I woke up.
Blinding white. I couldn't move. Why?
Pressure. A strange, sweet scent. Distant muffled voices.
What's happening? Why do I feel so... small?
I forced my blurry vision. Two big figures leaned over me. One feminine, with long dark hair. One masculine, broad.
What the hell is going on?! Someone explain!
And then—a sudden, uncontrollable sensation. A loud wail burst from me.
"Waaahhhhhh!"
A cry?
Wait... no way...
I WAS REBORN? I'M A BABY?!
The last thing I felt before sleep pulled me again was the warmth of arms around me, the sweet scent surrounding me, and the soft voice of the woman I now realized...
...was my new mother.