Chapter 1 — The Accident.

— Damn it!

Reiji muttered as he regained consciousness after a long nap.

Still groggy, he thought to himself as he realized the routine he'd face throughout the day.

"I bet today's going to be the same as always."

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Reiji, a 17-year-old Japanese teenager, was in his final year of high school. He had above-average grades and a good appearance.

Amber eyes, often compared to the sun, short black hair, light brown skin, and standing at 5'7" tall.

A unique appearance that attracted the attention of both genders, with his eyes causing both fear and admiration.

He had a faint strawberry scent, noticeable only when someone was close enough.

Who could imagine that behind this appearance, he hid an unpredictable personality with a short temper?

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On that cloudy morning, Reiji prepared for yet another dull day. As he left his house, he found his best friend Tsunada waiting for him on the sidewalk.

— What took you so long? Did you fall out of bed? — Tsunada said irritably, shooting an angry look at his friend.

— Nobody asked you to wait. Let's go… I was thinking of skipping the first two classes.

— Are you crazy, man? Last time, Yaki caught us red-handed. Don't even think about it, every time I go along with your ideas, I end up screwed.

Reiji laughed at Tsunada's words, then responded: — Just don't get caught, stop being such a coward. We can hang out in the music room while the first classes pass by.

— ...

"Arguing with this guy gets me nowhere. He always has an answer, no matter the context. Damn it."

Tsunada thought, resigning himself to the situation.

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On the way to school, thick fog covered much of the area, and the streets and roads were barely visible.

It was rush hour, with the school nearby, but the streets were eerily empty.

Without much concern, Reiji and Tsunada crossed the street as the light turned green when suddenly, before they reached the end, they saw a medium-sized red car speeding toward them.

The driver, distracted by a phone call, failed to see the signal and the teenagers crossing the street due to the fog blocking most of his view and windshield.

In a split second, the car that had been stopped waiting for the light to change attempted to prevent the speeding vehicle from hitting the teenagers, using itself as a shield.

The impact killed the woman and her daughter, who was sitting in the back seat, instantly. Due to the force of the crash, the side car flipped forward toward the students, who couldn't escape in time. They were struck and thrown away.

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...

Reiji, regaining consciousness, found himself staring at a pool of his friend's blood, who was lying unconscious on the ground. He tried to crawl closer to his friend but felt his strength leave him as he tried to stand up.

Before he could finish his sentence, the red car that had caused the accident began showing signs of overload. The gasoline that had spilled onto the road made contact with exposed wires, short-circuiting and starting a small fire under the car. The flames quickly spread toward the gas tank, causing the car to explode, killing those nearby.

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March 6, 2014.

The day Japan witnessed one of the most brutal accidents near Gakkou High School, in the Yokohama district, at 6:58 AM.

A total of 23 people died, and 7 were injured.

The date was named Shinku no Hi (深紅の日), which means "Crimson Day."

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