Chapter 0: Before the Incident

The sound of the bell signaling the end of class echoed throughout the school building, and I made my way outside to take a well-deserved break. While walking through the corridors, my

curiosity was piqued as I noticed a commotion up ahead. People were looking up at the sky with suspicion, and I couldn't help but follow their gaze. The dark clouds moving slowly across the sky were ominous, obscuring the sun and turning the once-blue sky into something eerie.

"What's going on?" I heard an angry voice behind me, and turning around, I saw a young man holding what looked like a movie camera.

Without hesitation, I took out my cellphone and snapped a picture of the changing sky. But before posting it on social media, I decided to keep it to myself, realizing that something strange was happening not just in Tokyo, but all over Japan.

Lost in thought, I began walking back to the classroom, where I tried to concentrate on my studies. Before I knew it, the lunch break had arrived.

"Hey Mizuki-san, would you like to eat with us?" Clear Harper's loud voice interrupted my reading. Clear was a half-Japanese American boy, talkative and friendly.

"I don't think I brought my bento," I replied, putting my textbooks in my bag.

At first, Clear looked disappointed, but then he smiled and said, "No worries, I won't bring mine tomorrow either."

Although I usually preferred to eat alone, there was something about Clear that made me feel comfortable. As his group left, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and made my way to the cafeteria.

Suddenly, a girl's blood-curdling scream caught my attention, and I rushed towards the commotion.