DΛЯK DΣᄂIGΉƬƧ

Pulse: Part One

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Eustass slouched in his chair, crossing his arms as he layed his head against his desk, his heavy eyelids drooping as he stared at the clock. The second hand ticked forward, but the rhythm felt sluggish, almost mocking him. He rubbed at the dark circles under his eyes, the faint echo of a yawn escaping his lips. The classroom was stifling, the heat creeping in through the open windows, making the summer air feel thick and suffocating. His uniform clung to his skin, and all he could think about was how much he hated the heat.

Why is it always so damn hot in this town? His thoughts drifted, carried away on the wave of exhaustion. Outside, the cicadas droned on, their high-pitched buzz blending into the background noise of the school day. Inside, the faint murmur of the teacher's lecture was no more than a distant hum in his ears. He wasn't really listening. He never really listened anymore. His mind wandered too easily these days.

Eustass sighed, resting his chin on his hand, eyes unfocused as they glazed over the rows of desks in front of him. He was too lost in his thoughts to notice the quick footsteps approaching from behind until—

Flick!

"Wha—?!" He flinched, blinking as a sharp sting spread across his forehead. Gakko Josei grinned down at him, her arms crossed. Her long, orange pigtails brushed the floor behind her as she stood beside his desk, her mischievous eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Spacing out again, Aidemon?" she teased, her tone light but tinged with the sharpness that always caught him off guard. Josei was always like that—quick to bite but somehow still... nice to him. Maybe it was because he listened to her endless yap sessions about beyblades. Or maybe it was just because he was the one guy who didn't try to hit on her.

"It's hot," Eustass mumbled in defense, rubbing his forehead. "Can you not do that?"

"You complain too much," Josei scoffed, though there was no real annoyance in her voice. "Come on. Let's go eat. Roof's probably cooler than here."

The school roof was quiet, the wind offering a slight reprieve from the oppressive heat. Eustass sat on the concrete, cross-legged, his bento box resting in his lap. Across from him, Josei had already dug into hers, the smell of fried fish and rice filling the air. He poked at his lunch half-heartedly, his brother's handiwork clear as day in the form of black streaks across his rice.

"Squid ink," he muttered, frowning. "Why does he always do this?"

Josei glanced over, her chopsticks pausing mid-air. "Again? Man, your brother's obsessed."

"Yeah," Eustass sighed, taking a bite despite his complaints. "He thinks it's funny. Guess he doesn't realize it's just gross."

A comfortable silence settled between them as they ate, the sound of the breeze and distant chatter from below mixing with the occasional rustling of Josei's pigtails when she moved. They were long—really long—trailing behind her like some kind of ribbon every time she walked or ran. Eustass had thought about telling her to cut them once, but decided against it. She'd probably just flick him again.

"So, your mom's at work again?" Josei asked, breaking the quiet.

"Yeah," Eustass said, shrugging. "She just said something about pearls being in high demand or whatever. Doesn't really matter. I'm used to it."

Josei tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she were trying to find the right words. "You're turning seventeen soon, right? That's kinda cool."

"Oh yeah," Eustass said, glancing off to the side. "Did you want to... do something?"

The arcade was packed with noise and flashing lights, a stark contrast to the quiet afternoon they'd left behind. Josei stood in front of a rhythm game, her short frame barely tall enough to reach the controls. Eustass couldn't help but chuckle as she struggled, her movements exaggerated and frantic as she missed almost every step.

"Shut up!" she snapped, though there was no real heat in her words. "This thing's rigged!"

"Sure it is," Eustass said, still laughing, his earlier melancholy momentarily forgotten. They'd skipped the rest of school to be here, and for once, he didn't mind.

As they left the arcade, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the streets. The shops lining the road were starting to close, their neon signs flickering on in preparation for the evening. Josei walked a little ahead of him, her pigtails swaying with each step as she hummed some out-of-tune song.

They passed a storefront where a news broadcast was playing on an old TV in the window. Eustass barely paid attention until he heard the words: "... if a Dark Walker is spotted, alert the nearest WEA employee immediately. If no employee is available, run—"

"Dark walkers, huh?" Josei said, glancing at him. "Think we'll see one?"

"Nah," Eustass replied, his voice casual. "My mom said her residuals or whatever are around the town, so it's probably fine."

When Eustass finally reached home, the quiet of the neighborhood made him feel a little uneasy. His house—an old, traditional Japanese mansion—loomed in front of him, its wooden gates casting long shadows on the stone path leading up to the entrance.

The door creaked as he pushed it open, and the smell of blood hit him before he even stepped inside.

His heart stopped.

In the dim light of the entryway, his brother stood over several bodies, their clothes soaked in crimson. Eustass's stomach churned as his brother looked up, locking eyes with him for a moment.

"You... what did you—"

Before he could finish, his brother's fist drove into his gut. The air rushed from his lungs as his vision blurred, pain blooming in his chest. He doubled over, struggling to stay conscious, it was the hardest he'd ever been hit before. It was like being hit by a rock covered in tar that was speckled with shards of glass...It was getting harder and harder to stay conscious, it was like all the strength in his body was sucked out of him. Everything was getting harder to see, but his brother's voice cut through the haze, cold and distant.

"Be free before you even think of looking for me."

The world went dark.