The First message

The sun was setting over the quiet countryside, casting long golden rays across the small village where Souta lived. The fields stretched far beyond the dirt roads, swaying gently in the evening breeze. Birds chirped their last songs before nightfall, and the faint sound of a distant river added a soothing rhythm to the scene.

Souta sat on the wooden steps outside his home, an old smartphone in his hands. It wasn't much, a second-hand device his uncle had gifted him last year, but to him, it was a doorway to the world beyond his tiny village. He had always been curious about life outside—the towering cities, the neon lights, the fast-paced energy he had only seen in anime and read about in books. But reality was different. The village was quiet, simple, and peaceful. Sometimes too peaceful.

He exhaled deeply, scrolling through his messages. Most were from classmates talking about mundane things—chores, school, and the occasional gossip about the village elders. Nothing exciting. But then, as he scrolled further, his eyes caught a name he hadn't seen in years.

Toru.

His childhood friend.

Souta's heart skipped a beat. Toru had moved to the city five years ago, leaving behind their shared memories of climbing trees, playing in the river, and dreaming of becoming heroes. He had promised to stay in touch, but as time passed, the messages became fewer and fewer until they stopped entirely.

Souta clicked on the chat. The last message was from years ago:

"I'll visit someday. Don't forget me!"

He smiled faintly, feeling a warmth of nostalgia rush over him. Without thinking much, he typed a message.

"Toru! It's been forever! Do you still remember me?"

He hit send. A sense of excitement bubbled inside him. Would Toru reply? Had he changed? Did he even remember their friendship?

Minutes passed. Nothing. Souta tapped his fingers against the wooden step impatiently. Maybe he should've said something else? Maybe Toru had changed his number?

Just as he was about to put the phone away—

Ping!

His heart leaped. He quickly checked the screen. But his excitement turned to confusion.

Unknown Number: Who are you?

Souta frowned. That wasn't the kind of response he expected.

"It's me, Souta! From the village! You don't remember?"

He sent the message, still believing it was Toru. Maybe his friend had forgotten to save his number? That seemed reasonable after so many years.

Another long pause. Then—

Unknown Number: You have the wrong person. Forget this conversation.

Souta blinked, tilting his head. Wrong person? That didn't make sense. This was the same number Toru used before. He double-checked, confirming he hadn't made a mistake.

Maybe Toru had changed and didn't want to talk to him? The thought stung a little, but Souta wasn't one to give up so easily.

"Oh… sorry! I thought you were someone else. My bad!"

He added a laughing emoji at the end to lighten the mood. He was about to exit the chat when—

Ping!

Another message.

Unknown Number: Wait.

Souta raised an eyebrow. If this wasn't Toru, why was this person still replying?

Unknown Number: Where are you from?

Something about that question felt strange. Souta hesitated before typing.

"Just a small village outside the city! It's peaceful here. What about you?"

The response came slower this time.

Unknown Number: Somewhere far from peace.

A chill ran down Souta's spine. He didn't know why, but those words felt heavy. He stared at the screen, debating whether he should continue the conversation. But his curiosity won.

"That sounds kinda sad… Are you okay?"

He waited, his heart beating slightly faster.

The reply was brief.

Unknown Number: Why do you care?

Souta thought for a moment. Why did he care? Maybe because this person seemed lonely. Maybe because he had reached out expecting a friend and instead found a stranger who felt… lost.

"I don't know. You just seem like you need someone to talk to."

A long silence followed. Then, finally—

Unknown Number: You're a strange kid.

Souta chuckled.

"I get that a lot!"

This time, the response came almost immediately.

Unknown Number: You should stop texting me.

Souta frowned.

"Why?"

Another pause. Then—

Unknown Number: Because if you keep talking to me… one day, you might regret it.

Souta's fingers hovered over the screen. Was this a threat? Or a warning?

Instead of backing away, he typed:

"Are you some kind of secret agent or something?"

He meant it as a joke, hoping to lighten the mood. But the next message made his heart stop.

Unknown Number: …Something like that.

Souta felt a cold shiver crawl down his spine. His once playful curiosity turned into unease.

Who exactly was he talking to?

The night had fully settled in by now. The village was quiet, save for the occasional howl of a distant wolf. Inside his small room, Souta lay on his bed, staring at his phone screen, debating whether he should continue this conversation.

His rational mind told him to stop. To delete the chat and never look back.

But a deeper part of him—the same part that dreamed of adventures and mysteries—refused to let go.

With a deep breath, he typed one last message for the night.

"I don't believe you. But if you are some kind of agent, that's kinda cool."

No reply came. Not for minutes. Not for hours.

Eventually, his eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off to sleep, unaware that he had just stepped into a world far more dangerous than he could ever imagine.

To be continued