Train Ride To The Unknown

"Alright, class, that's it for today."

Ryuen Takeru announced, snapping the textbook shut.

His sharp yet composed tone cut through the quiet hum of whispers in the lecture hall, silencing them at once.

It easily gained the attention of the students present, which was nothing new.

After all, he was the youngest and most well-behaved teacher in the academy.

From his desk, his gaze swept across the room, landing briefly on the bright, grinning face of Haruka Arai.

She sat near the front, tapping her pencil against her notebook, her energy as boundless as ever.

"Don't forget," Ryuen continued, his calm voice reverberating around the room.

"Your essays are due on Monday. No excuses this time... especially from you, Haruka."

A groan escaped Haruka's lips as she raised her hand.

"How ruthless can you be, Mister Takeru? Can't we get an extension?"

"It's Friday, after all! We deserve some mercy!"

Ryuen chuckled softly and shook his head, sliding his laptop into his black crossbody bag.

"Mercy won't get you good grades. Do the work or face the consequences."

He warned, not sparing her a glance.

Then class erupted in a quiet laughter.

Causing another growl from Haruka, that earned her a gentle pat on the head from Akari Fujioka, her quieter, more reserved friend.

Ryuen slung his bag over his shoulder, standing by the door.

"Have a good weekend, everyone," he concluded, pausing briefly to take in the scene.

The scattered conversations, the occasional bursts of laughter.

These moments grounded him, reminding him why he stayed.

Trading the darkness of the streets and corrupt higher-ups for the classroom was a decision he didn't regret.

For him, teaching wasn't just a job; it was his way of giving back.

His way of ensuring others wouldn't fall into the same life he once led.

A life filled with taking from others, using his experience and expertise to cause pain.

It was all too dark to stay in for long.

Unfortunately, the damage was done, and it haunted him—sleepless nights.

An increased caffeine intake, and memories that refused to fade.

He left the place that brought him peace, only to return home and face his demons again.

Nothing seemed to change.

The weather remained cold, the food tasted like ash, and the echoes of distant screams, cries, and laughter haunted him.

The moment he stepped out of the classroom, the warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by a cold lifeless stare.

---

Shinju Station was its usual bustling self, alive with activity despite the late hour.

The air was filled with the aroma of grilled meat and fish.

Mixed with the faint metallic scent of snow in the winter air.

It was the middle of winter, and the land was buried under snow.

With barely noticeable signs of grass or shrubs.

Nearly all traces of footprints had vanished as the snowfall resumed.

Unfortunately, Tokyo and Osaka seemed to be getting the worst of it—especially the cities.

Cities Ryuen found himself in, all in the name of work, projects, and research.

He passed the ticket inspection area.

Clutching a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and his crumpled ticket in the other.

Despite the cold, he seemed to enjoy the midnight train rides.

Late train rides had their charm—quiet, sparse crowds, and just enough solitude to organise his scattered thoughts.

"Apologies," a faint crackle of the announcer's voice came through the speakers.

"We are experiencing technical issues with our schedules."

"Please wait fifteen minutes for the next train to Shibuya."

The wind passed by again, minutes later, causing shudders from the other waiting passengers.

Ryuen took another sip of his coffee while his mind wandered.

He glanced at his watch—fifteen minutes were almost up.

The delay wasn't surprising, given the weather and the usual night chaos of the rail system.

Suddenly, a different voice echoed from the speakers, jolting him out of his reverie.

"Attention, passengers. The train to Shinjuku is now arriving on platform three. Please stand back."

Ryuen frowned, straightening himself up.

'That's odd.'

The train wasn't due for another nine minutes, yet the low rumble of approaching tracks shattered the stillness.

He turned towards the platform edge.

His brows curved as an unfamiliar black train emerged from the fog.

Its red headlights pierced through the haze, casting a faint glow.

And the sleek, foreign design was unlike anything he'd seen before.

"Is that... the right train?" someone muttered, their voice shaky.

Ryuen's attention shifted briefly to the blonde woman beside him, her gaze fixed on the approaching vehicle.

"It has to be," she replied, her voice hopeful yet there was a bit of fear in it

"The announcer said Shinjuku... right?" she added, but got no answer.

The train then slowed to a stop, its doors hissing open and casting a faint red hue onto the platform.

Ryuen hesitated.

Something about this felt wrong.

Of course it did.

The subtle change in the atmosphere was almost impossible to notice, but he caught it instantly.

His instincts, dormant for months, screamed at him to stay away.

But the crowd was already moving.

He quickly boarded the train, choosing a seat at the far end, next to the windows.

The one spot he knew few would think to occupy.

However....

"Mister Takeru!"

He looked up to see Haruka and Akari.

Along with Kenta Nakamura and Yuta Tanabe, two of the most popular students in the school.

Kenta, the basketball captain, and Yuta, his best friend.

Ryuen's gaze instantly softened as they approached him.

But the same moment, the train's engines roared to life, slowly pulling away from the station.

The group had smiles on their faces as they saw their teacher—except Yuta, who wore a lazy, nearly forced grin.

Haruka leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table with a flirtatious smirk playing on her lips.

"So, why are you riding the train alone, sensei?"

"A guy like you—tall, intelligent, and... let's be honest, young for his age?"

She tilted her head slightly, her green eyes sparkling with mischief.

"You should have some fangirl wrapped around your arm, right?"

Ryuen didn't even bother looking up from the magazine in his hands.

"Don't drag me into your delusions," he replied with a faint smile, flipping a page.

"I'm not like those fangirls," Haruka said, leaning in closer.

"Why not give me a chance, sensei?" Her voice softened as her gaze locked on his, her eyes almost pleading.

"Focus on your studies, Haruka," Ryuen said, his tone calm but firm.

He finally looked up, giving her a pointed look.

"And besides, I'd prefer not to get arrested."

"Arrested?" a voice came up.

Ryuen turned to see Akari, seated across from him.

She lifted her head from her notebook with curiosity in her eyes

"The age gap isn't that bad," Akari said matter-of-factly, tapping her pen against the table.

"And you're not even older than, what, twenty-thr—"

Ryuen's sharp glare cut her off mid-sentence, and she instantly froze.

"What did I say about researching your teacher?" he asked, his voice dangerously calm.

Akari gulped, averting her gaze. "S-sorry, sensei. I didn't mean to—"

Ryuen sighed, rubbing his temples. "Just don't do it again."

She nodded frantically, her smile widening until it tugged at something in his heart.

Or as he preferred to call it, "the sack that pumped his blood."

The boys chuckled softly at the scene before them.

Haruka's pout and Akari's continuous nodding.

SCREEECH!!

The train pulled to a stop with sudden force, causing the passagers to fall out of their seat.

Ryuen grabbed the overhead bar to steady himself.

Haruka yelped, holding Akari tight, while Kenta and Yuta gripped their seats tightly.

"What's going on?" Kenta shouted, looking around.

The lights then flickered and suddenly went out, plunging the train into total darkness.

Moments later, they came back on, accompanied with a scary silence.

Outside, was a large field under a pale blue moon.

Its glow casting long, unsettling shadows across the landscape.

The emptiness felt wrong—too silent, too lifeless.

"This... this isn't Japan," Haruka stuttered, staring out the window with wide eyes.

"Maybe it's some kind of accident."

Akari suggested and lowered her gaze to her phone, but she frowned.

"No service?!"

Panic spread through the passengers as they checked their own devices.

A few began forcing the doors open.

Grunts and huffs escaping as they desperately tried to step outside.

Haruka joined them.

The thought of being lost with no signal was scaring her.

"Be careful!"

Ryuen warned, but his voice was drowned out by the shouts of the crowd.

Kenta stayed close to him for safety.

Yuta on the other hand remained silent, watching the chaos with a blank expression.

The moment the doors parted, five passengers ran out of the train carelessly, including Haruka.

But everything became still, the second a voice came

DING!

[Welcome, Mortals, Do not step out of the train and wait for further instructions.]

Before anyone could process the strange message.

A guttural snarl echoed through the field.

Followed by the sound of heavy stomping, as loud as Ryuen's heart beat.

The five who had rushed into the field tried to turn back, but they were frozen in place.

"No!" Haruka screamed

Her wide, bloodshot green eyes locked onto Ryuen as she stumbled backward.

"Mister Takeru—Do something!"i