Otherworldly Acceptance [1]

It started with her updates.

Akihisa aka Sayiku Mayunos' novel was like clockwork—new chapters every Monday and Thursday, rain or shine.

But last week, Monday came and went without so much as a teaser.

Then Thursday.

"Maybe she's busy," he muttered to himself, scrolling through his fansite.

The other fans were already speculating.

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> SkyfallX: "Do you think Akihisa is okay? This isn't like them."

KnightedWings: "What if they're planning something huge? Like a new city addition?"

Not_a_gacha_game_addict: "I knew they weren't gonna finish this novel, what a let down."

CR_Observer: "I'm sure they're fine. Let's just give them some time."

Except she wasn't fine.

By Friday, Sayuki stopped coming to school.

No texts.

No calls.

Just… radio silence.

◇◇◇

The clock on the wall ticked steadily, each second dragging out longer than the last.

Terumi sat slumped at his desk, one hand holding up his head as he stared out the window.

The afternoon sun cast lazy patterns on the floor, and the faint chatter of classmates felt like distant white noise.

The teacher's voice droned on, something about historical turning points and things like that, but Terumi's mind wasn't there.

He has already zoned out.

"...rumi… Terumi Kuro!"

The sharp snap of his full name made him jerk upright, nearly knocking his notebook off the desk.

The entire class turned to look at him, some were already laughing.

Standing at the front of the room, the teacher was already staring daggers at him.

Her arms were crossed, and her face was twisted in a very weird way.

"Care to join us?" she asked.

"Or should I schedule a meeting with your parents to discuss your fascination with clouds today?"

The class laughed, and Terumi groaned.

"Sorry, ma'am," he muttered, sitting up straighter.

"Good." Then she turned back to the board and continued her lecture.

As soon as the attention shifted away, a light voice came from beside him. "What's wrong with you today?"

Terumi turned his head to see Mayu, the girl who sat next to him, peering at him.

Her expression was that of a concerned classmate and a teasing troublemaker.

"Nothing," he picked up his pen and started pretending to take notes.

"Don't lie," Mayu said, leaning in closer.

"You usually just look bored, but today? Spacing out and getting caught? That's new."

He sighed, scratching at the back of his head.

"Just thinking about something."

"Must be some something,"

She, rested her chin on her palm.

"Let me guess— girl trouble? Or maybe..." Her eyes lit up mischievously.

Terumi snorted.

"Yeah, right. Like I'd have girl trouble. I'm not you."

"Hey!" Mayu's voice was loud as it attracted a few glances from nearby classmates.

She stuck out her tongue at him before lowering her voice.

"Seriously, though. If you've got something on your mind, just say it."

"It's nothing," he insisted, glancing at the clock and wishing for the period to end.

Mayu studied him for a moment, then sighed.

"Fine. Be like that. But if the teacher calls you out again, don't expect me to bail you out."

Terumi smirked.

"I'll keep that in mind."

The rest of the class passed uneventfully, but Mayu's words lingered in his mind.

"Why was I spacing out so much?"

◇◇◇

The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and Terumi couldn't have been more relieved.

He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

The walk home was uneventful.

Terumi's feet moved automatically while his mind replayed the events of the last week.

Sayuki's absence wasn't just strange—it was unsettling.

As much as she annoyed him with her boundless energy and constant teasing, she was... consistent.

Reliable, even.

He sighed, unlocking the front door of his house and stepping inside.

The familiar quiet greeted him like always.

Tossing his bag onto the couch, he pulled out his phone, scrolling through notifications with half-hearted interest.

That's when he saw it.

A message.

From her.

The timestamp read 6:23 PM—just a few minutes ago.

His thumb hovered over the notification for a moment before he opened it.

The message was short but oddly specific:

[Follow the cracks before they shatter. Time is running out.]

"Sayuki? Wait– What does that even mean?"

It wasn't Sayuki's style to be poetic or spout cryptic nonsense.

He checked the sender's name again, just to be sure.

It was definitely her number.

Before he could type a response, another message popped up.

[Don't look away. Everything will break.]

His unease grew, and he typed quickly:

[Sayuki, what's going on? Where are you?]

The message was sent, but no reply came.

He tried calling, but the line didn't connect—it didn't even ring.

The phone simply displayed an error message:

[User unreachable.]

Frustrated, he threw the phone on the couch.

"What kind of message is that supposed to be?"

He paced the room, running a hand through his brown hair.

The phone buzzed again, making him jump.

He snatched it up, expecting another cryptic message.

Instead, the screen flickered.

And then it went black.

"Great. That's just perfect," he shook the device—thinking that will do something.

But before he could throw it against the wall in frustration.

The screen lit up again.

This time, it wasn't a message. It was... strange symbols.

Glowing, golden letters that shifted and rearranged themselves like they were alive.

"What the–?"

The phone started vibrating violently, and a bright light burst from the screen, engulfing the room.

Terumi stumbled back, shielding his eyes.

His body felt weightless, like he was being pulled into a vortex.

"What the hell is going on?!" he yelled.

The light swallowed him.

Then silence.

[#$%It's all in your hands now%$#]

◇◇◇

The air in the room was still and heavy with the smell of rain-soaked earth.

It must have rained the night before.

A dim light bled through the curtains of the room, signaling the start of a new day.

The peace lasted exactly three seconds.

A sharp gasp broke the silence as a boy shot upright, he was breathing heavily like he'd just run a marathon in a dream.

His eyes darted around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his head.

DING!

[Transport Successful.]

"Argh, my head!" he groaned, pressing a trembling hand against his temple.

His head was covered in sweat.

His shirt clung to his body, drenched, even though the room was cool.

"What's with this headache…" he muttered, rubbing his temples.

Then, as if struck by a jolt of realization, he froze.

"This... isn't my room."

His mind raced piecing together his memories.

Then it hit him.

The cryptic message.

The phone screen flashing in the dim light of his room.

Sayuki's haunting and bizarre words:

[Follow the cracks before they shatter. Time is running out.]

And,

[Don't look away. Everything will break]

And now… this.