Rebirth [BL]

Chapter 1 (Rewritten)

"I... I trusted you..."

My voice came out as nothing more than a fragile whisper, barely strong enough to reach him. My eyes trembled as I stared at the one person I never thought would betray me—my best friend. The world around me blurred, yet his figure remained painfully clear. I didn't understand. I couldn't understand. What had caused him to do this?

Just moments earlier, everything had been normal.

"Aki! You done packing yet?"

"Be patient, I'm almost done," I replied with a small chuckle, zipping up my bag as I glanced at Shiro. He stood by the door with an exaggerated pout, arms crossed like a child who had been forced to wait too long.

"You always say that," he muttered.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and smiled. "Alright, I'm done. Let's go."

"Finally!" he exclaimed, letting out a dramatic sigh of relief.

We walked through the familiar school hallway, our footsteps echoing softly against the polished floors. It was a path I had taken countless times, yet something about it felt... off. The air seemed heavier, almost suffocating. I glanced around, trying to figure out what was wrong, but everything looked the same as always. Still, the uneasy feeling lingered, settling deep in my chest.

By the time we reached the zebra crossing, the pedestrian light was red. We stopped side by side, casually talking about trivial things, assignments, plans, things that didn't really matter. I tried to focus on the conversation, but my attention kept drifting back to that strange, creeping feeling.

"What's taking so long...?" I muttered under my breath, staring at the signal.

The light turned green.

I stepped forward.

And then...

A sudden force slammed into my back.

"Huh...? Why am I—"

Falling.

The world tilted violently as my body was thrown onto the road. The sound of screeching tires pierced the air, followed by distant shouts that felt impossibly far away. Pain exploded through me as I hit the ground, my vision spinning uncontrollably. Warmth spread beneath me, thick and suffocating.

Blood.

Akira Kaito, a high school sophomore who dreamed of becoming a doctor, of saving lives, lay on the cold asphalt as his own life slipped away.

"I... I trusted you..." I whispered, my voice trembling.

I looked at Shiro, not with anger or hatred, but with pure, aching sadness. My vision blurred, darkness creeping in from the edges.

'Was... that strange feeling earlier... a warning...?'

As my consciousness faded, I caught one last glimpse of his face.

He was smiling.

A soft, almost satisfied smile.

My eyes widened slightly in disbelief. I had never imagined that the person I trusted most would be the one to end my life.

And then everything went dark.

...

'Where... am I...?'

Silence surrounded me, vast and endless.

'Didn't I... die...?'

"Indeed, you did."

The voice came from nowhere and everywhere at once, sending a chill down my spine. I froze.

"I didn't say that out loud..." I murmured weakly. "Who... are you? Why am I here?"