I woke up and saw Dad eating breakfast. The smell of coffee and toast filled the air. 'Takeru, come eat with me,' he said. 'You've got school today, right?' I nodded and sat down next to him. We ate in comfortable silence for a bit, the only sound being the clinking of forks on plates.
After breakfast, I headed to school, taking a quick bath and double-checking my school items. Lost in thought, I wondered what the future held if I couldn't overcome my fear, around the opposite sex. Before I knew it, I had walked most of the way to school. Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of Rui-san watching me from afar, a hint of a smile on her face. I felt my cheeks flush as I realized I'd been spacing out
Rui-san approached me with a smile. 'Hey Takeru, thanks for saving my little sister yesterday.' I was taken aback. 'What? I don't recall helping your sister. I mean, you have a sister?' Rui-san's smile faltered for a moment, then she chuckled. 'You really don't remember? She said a boy helped her, I'm pretty sure it was you.
Ah, so Natsumi is your sister?' I asked, surprised. Rui nodded, her smile warm. 'Yes, thanks for helping her yesterday.' I waved my hand dismissively. 'No need to thank me, Natsumi's a tough one. She doesn't give up easily.' As we chatted, we crossed the street, lost in conversation. Suddenly, a truck came speeding around the corner, and before we could react, it was upon us...
As the truck bore down on us, I thought to myself, 'Is this it?' Regret washed over me - I wished I could've overcome my fears, and now it might be too late. 'Sorry, Rui-san, for dragging you into this,' I thought, feeling a pang of guilt.
As the truck loomed closer, everything seemed to slow down. I closed my eyes, bracing for impact, but instead of feeling a crash, I saw a blinding white light. I wondered if this was it - the end. Was this what people meant by 'heaven'?
Welcome, heroes!' a voice echoed through the grand hall. I blinked, disoriented. 'Wait, where are we?' Rui looked just as confused, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. We stood in a grand, church-like structure with stained glass windows and an ornate altar. A priestess, her long hair tied in a simple knot, approached us with an urgent expression. 'Welcome, heroes. We've summoned you here to help us defeat the Demon Lord, who is destined to return in this era. Please, use your holy powers to aid us.' Rui and I exchanged a bewildered glance. 'What?!' we exclaimed in unison, our confusion palpable.