Chapter 3: An Adventure for Two

Hiro sat hunched over in the corner of his room, the sparse light casting long shadows across the cracked walls. His gaze drifted to the stillness around him, but his ears couldn't escape the chaos outside. Faint screams pierced the quiet, rising from the streets below. The sounds of people being slaughtered by monster were uncomfortably clear.

He sighed and reached for his cellphone, though he already knew what he'd find. The screen stayed dark, unresponsive, just as it had been for days.

"4 days...ever since the reset—or whatever you want to call it—everything just stopped working," he muttered. "The power supply, cellphones, even my scooter. But for some reason, the water still works."

He walked silently to the sink and twisted the faucet. A thin stream of water trickled out. He shut it off quickly, listening to the faint drip echo in the quiet room.

It was cold—probably because the water supply didn't rely on electricity. The landlord had been too much of a cheapskate to install a water pump in the apartment.

But once the tower's reserves ran dry, that would be it

"That's my best guess for now."

Hiro wandered back to his desk and picked up a small picture frame. The corners of his lips twitched into a faint smile as he collapse to his bed, holding the frame above him.

The photo showed him and Aleena in their school uniforms, standing close together. Her ethereal, light blue hair shimmered even in the still image. Her clear, sky-blue eyes and pale complexion gave her an almost otherworldly beauty. Hiro's gaze lingered on her face, bittersweet ache tightening in his chest.

"Hey, Aleena," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Do you remember how you'd always make me to play video games with you? You'd brag about how the monster we fought in those games were real. You even taught me how to fight them, how to survive in an apocalyptic world...showed me how to swing a sword..." he said smile softly. "Even if it was just a toy one we got from the shop next to school."

"Now, those monsster you talked about—they're here. They're real."

He gripped the frame tightly, his hands trembling. "If I'd believed you back then, i would've practiced. Maybe I'd actually be ready for this."

A hollow laugh escaped him as he stared up at the cracked ceiling. "If you were alive...you'd love this. You'd be dragging me out on an adventure right now, charging headfirst into danger, swinging that toy sword like it was the real thing."

The laugh turned into a weak chuckle, fading into silence. Gently, he placed the picture frame back on the desk and stood up, his resolve hardening. 

"I can't stay here. If i do, it's only a matter of time before those monster actually barged through this place. Idling here would be a death sentence." 

His hands clenched into a fists as his voice dropped to a murmur. "I'm going, Aleena. An adventure for both of us—the on you always dreamed of. If i do...will you forgive me?"

a fragment of a lesson she'd once taught him: "In this world, if you want to survive, don't overthink it. Just act. Trust your instincts."

"I'll act," Hiro said firmly. "No more hesitation."

He pulled a dark sweater from his cabinet and slipped it over his head, pairing it with black pants for better mobility in the shadows.

On the floor, his hazelnut-colored backpack lay open, half-packed with essentials: a penknife, a few water bottles, and canned food scavenged from the pantry. He moved quickly, adding a few more changes of clothes—Each item was chosen for practicality, not comfort.

Hiro slung the backpack over his shoulders, strapping a kitchen knife at his side and a frying pan to the back of his pack—an unconventional but reliable defense. He adjusted the straps and turned to the desk one last time.

"Ah, right." Hiro walk slowly to his desk, carefully removed Aleena's photo from the frame and slid it into his wallet.

Hiro stood in front of the door, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes, letting memories of the past wash over him.

"You only live once!" Aleena's voice rang in his mind, clear and lively. He could still see her grin as they leaped from one rooftop to another, attempting parkour. They both missed the landing and tumbled into a trash bin, laughing despite the pain.

"Yeah...You only live once," he murmured, his grip tightening on the doorknob.