Rewind: Episode 1 - The Awakening
Introduction
The sound of bustling city life echoed through the streets of Tokyo. Kairo, a high school student, walked among the crowd, his mind lost in thoughts. The city was a blur of flashing lights, neon signs, and distant conversations.
Kairo (thoughtfully to himself): Another day. Another pointless cycle. What am I even doing here?
*[He gazed up at the towering skyscrapers above him, his footsteps echoing in the silence that filled his mind.]
Kairo had always been ordinary, one of the many faceless students in his class, blending into the background like every other person on the streets.
[A sudden, loud noise broke his trance. A group of aggressive teenagers appeared in front of him, blocking his path. Kairo paused, his hand instinctively going to his pocket, fingers brushing against the small, worn-out phone.]
Gang Member 1 (grinning, leaning forward): "Hey, you, what's the rush? Got somewhere to be?"
[Kairo glanced up at the gang member, a sudden unease crawling up his spine. He recognized them—local troublemakers who terrorized the school. His pulse quickened.]
Kairo (nervously, trying to step back): "I'm not in the mood for this today..."
Gang Member 2 (smirking): "Doesn't matter. You're gonna regret ignoring us."
Before Kairo could react, one of the gang members lunged forward, knocking his phone from his hand and sending it crashing to the ground.
[Kairo stumbled back, eyes widening as the screen shattered. His chest tightened. This wasn't just a random encounter—it was personal. They were here to make him pay for something he couldn't even remember doing.]
Kairo (under his breath, trying to control his breathing): This isn't how it ends. I won't let them make me weak anymore.
The Time-Leap
Just as the gang members started closing in, a strange feeling washed over Kairo. His surroundings blurred for a brief moment, as if reality itself was distorting.
[A bright light erupted from within him, causing the gang members to freeze. The air crackled with an energy Kairo couldn't explain.]
Gang Member 1 (confused, eyes narrowing): "What the hell is happening?"
Kairo (shaking his head, disoriented): "What... What's going on?!"
[The world around Kairo seemed to stretch, the colors of the city blurring like paint being smeared across a canvas. The next moment, everything went dark.]
Back in Time
Kairo awoke with a start, gasping for breath. His eyes darted around, disoriented. The world around him was strangely familiar—yet unfamiliar at the same time.
Kairo (to himself, confused): "This... this is the school. But it's... earlier, isn't it?"
He looked around, noticing the younger version of his classmates walking past him, unaware of his presence. His fingers clenched into fists as realization dawned upon him.
[Kairo's heart raced as he understood what had happened. Somehow, he had been sent back in time—back to the day before his life took a darker turn.]
Kairo (whispering, his voice shaky): I can change things. I can fix it all.
First Encounter with Rei
As Kairo stood there, trying to make sense of everything, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around, spotting a figure approaching from the distance.
Rei (smiling mysteriously, her eyes sharp): "You seem... different."
[Kairo stiffened, recognizing the girl in front of him. Rei, the girl who had always been a mystery to him. She was intelligent, aloof, and yet, there was something in her gaze that made Kairo uneasy.]
Kairo (hesitating, unsure of how to act): "I... I don't understand what's going on. I've never seen you before. How do you know me?"
Rei (smirking slightly): "You'll figure it out. You always do."
[Kairo frowned. Something was off about her. She seemed to know more than she was letting on. Before he could press further, she turned and walked away, leaving him with more questions than answers.]
Kairo (thinking to himself): What does she mean by that?
The Mysterious System
Later that night, Kairo found himself alone in his room, staring at his phone. It buzzed suddenly, and a new message appeared on the screen—though there was no sender.
[The message read: "Welcome to the system. Your journey begins now."]
[Kairo blinked, his heart racing. He checked the time on his phone, but everything seemed normal. No indication of a virus, no strange notifications. Yet, the message felt real. It was as if the phone itself had become a portal to something bigger.]
Kairo (gripping the phone, his voice barely above a whisper): "This... is crazy. A system? What does it mean?"
[Suddenly, the screen flashed, and a holographic menu popped up in front of Kairo, displaying strange options. A list of skills. A level-up system. And most shocking of all—his name and a countdown timer.]
Kairo (looking at the timer, realization dawning): "Wait... this is... not a dream. This is happening."
Kairo's phone beeped again, and a new message appeared on the screen.
["The clock is ticking. Choose wisely. You have one chance to unlock your true potential."]
Kairo (nervously): "I don't understand... what do I have to do?"
Just as he reached out to tap on the screen, the timer hit zero. The world around him flickered once more—
[Kairo felt a sharp pain in his chest. His vision blurred. His phone dropped to the floor as he collapsed, the sensation of being pulled through time hitting him once again.]
To be continued...