Episode 1: Starting journey

Hinagawa trudged along the bustling streets of the city, his weary footsteps echoing against the pavement. At 17, he bore the weight of responsibilities far beyond his years, a burden he had grown accustomed to carrying. With each passing day, the weight seemed to grow heavier, pressing down on his shoulders like a relentless force of nature.

He adjusted the strap of his worn backpack, the weight of his textbooks a constant reminder of the uphill battle he faced in pursuit of education amidst the relentless demands of survival. For Hinagawa, the concept of childhood had become nothing more than a distant memory, replaced by the harsh realities of adulthood thrust upon him far too soon.

As he weaved through the throngs of people, each consumed by their own pursuits, Hinagawa's thoughts lingered on the never-ending cycle of toil and struggle that defined his existence. Working odd jobs to make ends meet, he was well aware of the legality of his actions. But in a world where survival trumped legality, he had long since made peace with his decisions.

His parents' tragic demise in a car accident three years prior had left him orphaned and burdened with a mountain of debt that seemed insurmountable. They had been outcasts in society, their choices and circumstances leading them down a path fraught with hardship and struggle. And now, Hinagawa was left to bear the consequences of their choices alone.

As the sun began its descent beyond the towering skyline, casting a warm glow over the city streets, Hinagawa found himself at a familiar crossroad. Home awaited him, a small, dimly lit house that offered little solace from the harsh realities of life. But for now, it was a sanctuary, a brief respite from the weight of the world bearing down upon him.

With a heavy sigh, Hinagawa trudged onward, the weight of his burdens dragging at his heels. For tonight, at least, he would leave behind the struggles and hardships that defined his existence. Tonight, he would allow himself the luxury of forgetting, if only for a fleeting moment in time.

In the stillness of the night, Hinagawa found himself ensnared in the clutches of a restless slumber. His mind, weary from the burdens of the day, succumbed to the realm of dreams where reality intertwined with the ethereal.

Amidst the darkness, a voice echoed through the depths of his subconscious, its tone both commanding and mysterious. "Hinagawa," it whispered, a siren's call that tugged at the edges of his consciousness. "Your time will come. We need you."

Startled, Hinagawa's eyes snapped open, but the darkness of the room offered no solace from the enigmatic voice that lingered in his mind like an unshakeable specter.

As he lay there, grappling with the remnants of his dreams, a cacophony of screams shattered the silence, tearing through the fabric of his reality. Agonized cries filled the air, a symphony of suffering that echoed in the depths of his soul.

In his mind's eye, Hinagawa found himself amidst a sea of faces, each contorted in agony, their desperate pleas for help falling upon deaf ears. The stench of despair hung heavy in the air, suffocating him with its oppressive weight.

He reached out, desperate to offer solace to those trapped in the throes of suffering, but his efforts were in vain. The pain, the anguish, it was all-consuming, a relentless tide that threatened to engulf him.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Hinagawa cried out, his voice a desperate plea in the void. But his words were lost amidst the chaos, drowned out by the symphony of suffering that surrounded him.

As the screams faded into the darkness, Hinagawa found himself gasping for air, his heart pounding in his chest. Sweat beaded on his brow as he struggled to make sense of the haunting visions that had plagued his sleep.

But amidst the confusion and fear, one thing remained clear: the voice, the screams, they were a harbinger of something greater, something beyond his understanding. And though he may not yet comprehend its meaning, Hinagawa knew that his journey was only just beginning.

Hinagawa awoke with a start, his heart still racing from the vivid dreams that had plagued his sleep. Sweat beaded on his brow as he struggled to shake off the lingering echoes of the nightmarish visions.

"What was that all about?" he muttered to himself, his voice barely more than a whisper in the dim light of dawn. But even as the words left his lips, he knew that there would be no easy answers to be found.

The mysterious entity's cryptic words echoed in his mind, their meaning elusive and enigmatic. "Your time will come. We need you." What could it mean? And who was this unseen presence that had reached out to him in the depths of his subconscious?

With a heavy sigh, Hinagawa rubbed his eyes, attempting to dispel the remnants of sleep that clung to his consciousness like cobwebs. But the questions lingered, their weight pressing down upon him like an unseen burden.

As he sat there, grappling with the uncertainty of his own mind, a sense of determination began to take root within him. Whatever lay ahead, whatever trials awaited him on the path of destiny, he knew that he could not simply ignore the call that had echoed through the darkness of his dreams.

With a resolute nod, Hinagawa pushed himself out of bed, the cool floor beneath his feet a stark reminder of the reality that awaited him beyond the confines of his room. Though the mysteries of the night still lingered in his mind like a half-remembered dream, he knew that he must face the challenges that lay ahead with courage and resolve.

For though the road ahead may be fraught with uncertainty and danger, it was a road that he was determined to walk, wherever it may lead. And with that thought echoing in his mind like a beacon of hope in the darkness, Hinagawa set out to meet whatever destiny awaited him, one step at a time.

*TO BE CONTINUE*

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