The morning air was heavy with silence, a stillness that seemed to stretch endlessly through the sleepy town. The clock struck 7:00 AM. The streets were dimly lit under an overcast sky, and a faint breeze carried the scent of dew-soaked concrete.
Akira zipped up his hoodie, the fabric still slightly stiff from a recent wash. Bandages wrapped around his forehead and arms hinted at yesterday's chaos—the bruises, the humiliation, the fight he never wanted. He stepped out of the door, eyes half-lidded, hands stuffed into his pockets.
His thoughts wandered as he walked aimlessly. What even is the point of this loop? School, pain, silence, repeat...
Suddenly, a scream jolted him out of his trance.
"Watch out!" a woman shrieked.
Across the street, a small child had slipped out of his mother's grip, running cluelessly toward a speeding truck.
Akira didn't hesitate.
He sprinted, faster than he ever had in his life. Time slowed. The child looked up—eyes wide, frozen in fear. Akira dove forward, pushing the child out of harm's way.
CRASH!
Metal shrieked. Tires screeched. Pain exploded in Akira's chest as the world turned black.
---
When he opened his eyes, there was no sky. No road. No pain.
Only darkness.
A vast, endless space surrounded him—neither cold nor warm. Just... void.
"Where... am I?" he whispered, his voice echoing unnaturally.
Then, a presence.
Cloaked in black, tall, faceless—except for glowing, pale-blue eyes. The Reaper.
"You have died, Akira," the voice boomed, though the Reaper's mouth never moved. "And yet... you live."
Akira's breath caught. "What do you mean?"
"Your soul was incomplete. The desire you carried—the storm inside you—fractured your very essence. Upon death, your soul split in two, giving birth to another... in a different timeline."
Akira stumbled back. "Another... me?"
The Reaper nodded. "One who carries your memories. Your rage. Your despair. But not your conscience."
Akira's eyes widened.
"Kuroo."
A cold shiver ran down his spine at the name.
"Where is he now?"
"Somewhere your light cannot reach... not yet. But remember—your paths may be different, but destiny will pull you toward each other. Light and darkness, forever entwined."
As Akira stood, struggling to process the revelation, the Void began to ripple—like water disturbed by wind.
The Reaper extended a skeletal hand. "This is only the beginning, Akira Asakura. Choose your path... and be ready for when the other walks his."