Chapter 10: A city that won't save you

Tokyo wasn't salvation.

The moment Rei stepped off the train, dragging his worn-out suitcase behind him, he felt the weight of his father's decision settle deep in his bones. The city was vast, suffocating in its own way—blinding neon lights, crowds moving like currents, people brushing past him without a second glance.

It was different from the countryside, where every face was familiar, where the whispers followed him like shadows. Here, no one knew his name. No one cared about what he had left behind.

That should have been a good thing. But it wasn't.

His new home was a cramped apartment his father had arranged through an old acquaintance. The man who owned the place barely spoke to Rei, just handed him the key and grumbled something about "paying on time." His father hadn't even bothered to come with him. Just a shove onto the train and a half-hearted warning—"Don't screw this up."

Rei stood in the empty apartment, staring at the peeling walls, the single mattress on the floor. A suffocating silence filled the space. This was supposed to be his "fresh start."

But how do you start over when you're already broken?

---

His new school was nothing like his old one. The halls were packed, students chattering loudly, their energy buzzing like static. Rei kept his head down, moving through the sea of unfamiliar faces, his uniform stiff and new.

No one whispered about him here. No rumors, no scandal. Just another transfer student, easily ignored.

But the silence wasn't comforting—it was isolating.

He went through the motions, attending classes, pretending to listen. But the weight in his chest never lifted. At lunch, he sat alone, stabbing at his food without appetite. The voices around him blurred together, meaningless.

He was nothing here. And maybe that was worse than being hated.

---

It wasn't long before he caught their attention.

The wrong kind of attention.

A group of students—loud, brash, the type who didn't care about rules—noticed him. At first, it was small things. A glance here, a smirk there. Then the occasional bump in the hallway, the mocking "Oops, didn't see you there."

Rei didn't react. He knew how this worked. If you didn't fight back, they'd get bored and move on.

Except they didn't.

One afternoon, as he stepped outside, a hand yanked him back. Rei barely had time to register the movement before he was shoved against the wall behind the school building.

"Hey, new kid." The leader—a tall boy with sharp eyes and a lazy grin—leaned in. "You've been real quiet. That's kinda rude, don't you think?"

Rei didn't answer. He had nothing to say.

Another boy snickered. "Maybe he's mute. Or just too stuck-up to talk to us?"

"Maybe," the leader mused. His hand shot out, gripping Rei's collar, pulling him closer. "Or maybe… he's hiding something."

Rei's chest tightened. The pressure, the proximity—it was too much. Flashes of his father's anger, Mei's twisted smile, the suffocating whispers—it all crashed down on him.

His fingers twitched.

No.

Not here.

Not again.

But the power inside him stirred, hungry. It had been so long since he'd last used it. And right now, their emotions—the thrill of intimidation, the arrogance, the amusement—it was all there, ripe for the taking.

Just one touch. He could make them feel what he felt. Drown them in it.

His hand twitched again.

Then—

"Oi! What the hell are you guys doing?"

A voice cut through the tension. The grip on Rei's collar loosened.

A girl stood a few feet away, hands on her hips, glaring at the group. Short hair, sharp eyes, and an attitude that screamed troublemaker.

The leader sighed, rolling his eyes. "None of your business, Tsubaki."

Tsubaki? Rei vaguely recognized the name from roll call.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She waved a hand. "Look, if you idiots are done playing 'who's the biggest loser,' the teacher's looking for you."

The leader frowned, annoyed. But after a moment, he scoffed and released Rei. "Tch. You got lucky, new kid." With a smirk, he turned to leave, the others following.

Rei didn't move. His heart was still pounding.

Tsubaki raised an eyebrow. "You good?"

Rei hesitated, then nodded.

She clicked her tongue. "Yeah, sure you are."

And just like that, she walked away.

Rei let out a slow breath. His hands were shaking.

Tokyo wasn't salvation.

But maybe—just maybe—it wasn't damnation either.