Morning
The morning began with the harsh buzzing of an alarm clock echoing through an old apartment.
Izumi Wakari reached out and turned it off after the third ring, then slowly sat up from the thin mattress placed directly on the floor. Pale sunlight slipped through the faded curtains, casting long streaks across the cold surface of the room.
The apartment was small—just enough space for a bed, a narrow dining table, and a low bookshelf. Everything was neatly arranged, almost to the point of feeling empty. There were no family photos. No unnecessary decorations. Just a place to sleep, wake up, and leave.
Wakari stepped into the bathroom and washed her face with cold water. The mirror reflected her appearance—twenty-one years old, ordinary enough to blend effortlessly into a crowd. Nothing striking. Nothing that would make someone look twice.
She stared at her reflection for a moment longer, then turned away.
As she put on her office uniform, the small television on the shelf suddenly played the morning news.
"…over the past week, the number of monster attacks in the inner city has continued to rise. Citizens are advised to avoid going out after work hours and to strictly follow instructions from the Defense Headquarters…"
Wakari zipped up her skirt and adjusted the collar of her shirt. She didn't turn the TV off, but she wasn't really listening either. News like this had become far too common in her life—loud, frightening, and eventually familiar.
Monsters. Attacks. Casualties.
The words passed through her ears like distant rain.
She picked up her bag, checked her wallet—some loose bills, her employee ID—then headed for the door. Before leaving, Wakari paused for a brief moment, glancing around the apartment as if making sure she hadn't forgotten something.
But there was nothing to forget.
The apartment hallway was quiet in the morning, her footsteps echoing softly against the concrete floor. The old elevator creaked as it descended, fluorescent lights flickering overhead.
Outside, the city was already awake.
People hurried past one another. Cars filled the streets. Everything looked no different from any other morning. Wakari blended into the flow of commuters, walking toward her usual train station. She stood on the platform with a hastily bought cup of coffee in hand, staring blankly ahead.
She didn't feel excited about the new day.
But she didn't hate it either.
Her life drifted on like this—stable enough to survive, calm enough to avoid thinking too deeply. Wakari had never questioned whether there was something fundamentally wrong with the world.
Until the announcement echoed through the station.
"Train number three will arrive shortly…"
Wakari boarded the train, standing among the tightly packed crowd. As the doors closed, her faint reflection appeared on the glass.
For a brief moment, she felt as if the eyes staring back at her weren't entirely her own.
The sensation vanished so quickly that Wakari dismissed it as simple fatigue.
She turned her gaze toward the window.
The train began to move, carrying with it what seemed like an ordinary morning—
the last ordinary morning before Izumi Wakari's life permanently veered off its original course.
---
At the Office
The morning at the office passed uneventfully.
The sound of keyboards filled the open workspace, mixed with the soft rustling of papers and deliberately lowered conversations. Wakari sat at her usual seat near the window, eyes fixed on her monitor, fingers entering numbers with practiced ease.
The work wasn't difficult. Just repetitive.
She was about to reach for her glass of water when she heard the department door open.
The sound wasn't loud, but the entire space seemed to pause for a brief moment.
One by one, the keyboards stopped. A few people instinctively looked up.
Wakari turned as well.
The company president entered first—an older man with a familiar air of authority. Walking beside him was a younger man—tall, straight-backed, dressed in a dark suit that fit him almost perfectly.
The man stopped near the center of the office.
"May I have everyone's attention."
The president's voice was firm.
"Starting today, he will officially assume the position of Executive Director of our department."
A quiet murmur spread through the room.
The younger man stepped forward half a pace, standing straight. His face showed little emotion—calm, cool, but not deliberately distant.
"Good morning."
His voice was low and clear. Not loud, yet it carried effortlessly across the room.
"My name is Kanzaki Reo."
He gave a slight, proper bow.
"I look forward to working with all of you."
No flowery words. No polite smile meant to win favor. Just a brief, professional introduction.
And yet, that alone was enough to hold more gazes than necessary.
Handsome.
The thought surfaced in Wakari's mind—and immediately irritated her.
Too perfect.
From his posture, to his gaze, to the way he spoke. Everything felt calculated. Wakari watched him for a few seconds, then turned back to her screen.
She didn't like people like that.
As the staff stood to greet him, Wakari followed out of courtesy. Reo moved down the row of desks, greeting each employee with a handshake.
He exchanged brief pleasantries with the person before her.
Then it was Wakari's turn.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Reo said, extending his hand.
Wakari looked at it for a second.
Then she shook it.
"Yes."
Her tone was flat, unembellished.
Reo gave a slight nod, neither surprised nor interested in prolonging the interaction. He released her hand and moved on.
Only after he left did Wakari sit back down.
She didn't understand why a vague discomfort lingered in her chest.
It wasn't because he was the new executive.
It was his gaze during the handshake—calm, as though he had belonged in that position for a very long time.
"The new director really is handsome…"
A colleague whispered nearby.
Wakari didn't join the conversation.
She stared at her monitor, but the numbers blurred before her eyes.
At the front of the room, Kanzaki Reo stood beside the president, continuing a work discussion with the same unchanged expression.
No one in that office knew—
That this seemingly ordinary morning was the first point of intersection between two paths that were never meant to cross.
---
After Work
Quitting time.
A familiar tide of people poured out of the office building. The late afternoon sun tinted the glass towers a pale orange, reflecting a city still wrapped in its usual busyness.
Wakari walked out alongside a female coworker from her department, who spoke animatedly as they went.
"The new director is amazing, right? Young, capable, and polite too. When he shook my hand, my heart almost jumped out of my chest—"
"Mm." Wakari replied briefly.
"Hey, don't you think so? He's like someone straight out of a TV drama."
"Didn't notice." Wakari shoved her hands into her coat pockets and picked up her pace.
Her coworker's excitement irritated her in a way she couldn't quite explain. Not because of Kanzaki Reo—but because of how easily people were drawn to a perfectly presented image.
She didn't like that.
They turned onto a crowded street. Voices, engines, footsteps—everything blended into a completely ordinary evening.
Until—
BOOM—!
A violent explosion erupted behind them.
The ground shook. A shockwave tore through the area, shattering nearby windows. Glass rained down onto the street.
Before Wakari could even turn around, alarms began to shriek.
WEE—WEE—WEE—
Loudspeakers mounted on streetlights activated all at once.
"Emergency alert. Emergency alert." A cold mechanical voice echoed through the district. "Abnormal monster activity detected in the inner city. All civilians are to evacuate immediately following designated routes. Repeat—immediate evacuation required."
The air froze for a single beat.
Then shattered.
From above, massive black silhouettes tore through the sky, plummeting down like meteors. Their wings beat violently, producing horrifying gusts of wind. Twisted creatures—shapes belonging to no species Wakari had ever known—began landing on the streets.
Screams erupted everywhere.
"Run!" "Help!" "Someone's trapped!"
Blood splattered across the pavement. A man collapsed right in front of Wakari, his body torn apart in an instant.
Her coworker screamed, face pale, and grabbed Wakari's hand.
"Run!"
Without time to think, Wakari was pulled along by the panicked crowd. She ran—simply ran—pressed between bodies, her heart pounding so hard her ears rang.
Then—
"Mom…"
A small, fragile cry cut through the chaos.
Wakari stopped.
The world seemed to stretch. Explosions, screams, the sound of wings—all faded away for a brief moment.
Ahead of her, a child about eight years old had collapsed onto the road. The small body trembled, tiny hands clutching a dirt-stained hem of clothing.
"Mom… where are you…"
The girl looked around desperately, tears spilling nonstop.
"Wakari!" Her coworker yanked her arm harder. "Don't look—run! There's no time!"
Wakari didn't answer.
She bit her lip.
One moment of hesitation—then it snapped.
She pulled her hand free.
"I'm sorry."
Before her coworker could say anything else, Wakari turned and ran back.
Her name was swallowed by the chaos.
She reached the child, crouched down, and lifted her into her arms. The girl was so light it made Wakari's chest tighten.
"It's okay," she said, even though she wasn't sure herself. "I'm here."
She turned, ready to run—
At that instant, a deafening crash echoed.
The high-rise building ahead split apart, then collapsed like a massive, broken beast. Concrete and steel came crashing down, completely blocking the evacuation route.
Dust swallowed the air.
Wakari froze.
In her arms, the child trembled and sobbed.
Behind them, a low, rumbling growl echoed—drawing closer.
---
END OF CHAPTER 1
---