Chronicles of the Vanishing: A Pervert, a Prick, and the Perfect Ace

Chapter 1

It's not everyday that someone mistakes Pro as their mother.

It was a wet miserable day, the kind where everything was fogged grey, and it was impossible to walk without slipping. All sound was drowned out by the pitter patter of water echoing over the pavements. Through the haze of rain, a faint female silhouette appeared.

One would think that she was a ghost, or a wraith, with the graceful movements of her limbs, and the empty expression on her face. She did not seem to be disappointed at having to march through the deluge, but nor was she smiling merrily. Her arms protected her school bag, which was clutched as if it were a prized heirloom. Little good that did against the torrent of spiteful raindrops. Her soaked socks sloshed within her school shoes.

Yet she walked with purpose, not once faltering through the storm.

This young lady of seventeen was Prothanius Rays, the pride of her school–having won close to a hundred medals and trophies for a number of subjects, she had become a walking trophy herself. But she was flawed.

People rarely heard her speak, and if she did, it was to answer academic questions.

Her choice of communication consisted of head nods and shakes. Her chin held high, her posture tall, confidence seemed to radiate off her.

This has led her peers to conclude that she is snobbish.

This was not necessarily the case.

Despite the rain hammering her back, Pro felt quite at ease.

That was until she spotted a strange shape lying on the ground twenty meters ahead.

Pro paused, scrutinising the shape from afar, but she couldn't make much sense of the odd shape through the mist.

Carefully, she edged a step closer.

The shape moved.

It was a person!

Who would willingly be lying on the hard concrete ground while it was raining?

Unless they had fainted?

She knelt by their side. The words 'hello? Are you okay mister' hovered on the tip of her tongue, but remained stuck in her throat.

She desperately wished to utter the words, but the courage to do so failed her.

Besides, she did not know if this was a girl, guy or a large deformed duck, so to assume this forms gender and call them mister was not an option.

However, she needn't have to question the shape's title any longer, for the mist partially eased, allowing her to see by.

It was a teenage boy!

He had the appearance of an actor (or a fallen angel). His clothing was made of fine aureate material and he appeared to be cosplaying for a historical drama. He had long chestnut hair–held by a gold ornament in a high pony-tail–the glittering strands of his hair pooled over the ground like scattered silk threads, and his extremely delicate yet sharp features stirred a sense of recognition in Pro.

Oh no, he's pretty. She thought with despair.

He must be an actor who got lost on his way home from a performance... Pro mused. But why does he look so familiar?

Like a creep, she stared at him some more, waiting for eureka to hit her.

When it did, she almost fell on her ass.

This teenager was none other than Pro's classmate, Auri. Though she'd never actually spoken with him, always on opposite ends of the room.

Auri's been missing from school for the past week. But everyone just thought he was sick with the flu or something.