Fantasy Keychain Vol. 1

Chapter 2: Sudden Changes

I woke up early to eat for breakfast that Mom served as she cooks fried rice with egg along with a miso soup. I always try to learn every kind of food she was cooking and serving like for example; sushi, ramen, tonkatsu and tempura. I basically need to learn more, because I want to cook even more better dishes.

Before I take a bath and getting ready for school, I texted Miki first, "Meet me at the school canteen at lunch-break. I will not bring a lunchbox."

As I head to our school, Rutherford High, I was wearing our school uniform, because it is Monday and that we needed to. The only day we could wear civilian is Friday, because it is almost the weekend. Our uniform has a long, white sleeves and we even have a black coat. However, we don't really follow the rules that much and that the long, white sleeves with the school's symbol on the left part of the chest is just fine. Our pants are black, but actually, navy blue or azure blue is also fine. Most of the student wear pants that are almost as fit as like a fitted jean. Just like mine.

My first class would be Japanese history, the second one would be trigonometry, and finally lunch-break. Those two first subjects are a pain and it bores me, but luckily, it's just two subjects next to the lunch-break.

During lunch-break, I waited for Miki and waited and waited long until I got frustrated from waiting.

I headed to the classroomーthe room he had his last subjectーand what I saw is no one. I literally see no one. I guess everyone moved. So, I checked all of the other rooms. After heading to the other rooms, I then saw a few high school girls enjoying their lunch, a group of random guys and girls enjoying lunch, others are just some nerdy geek students who read at books and/or novels. However, I still don't see Miki.

I texted him and even called him, but he wasn't even answering.

As I proceed to eat alone in the canteen, I was thinking, maybe his mom restricted him to hang out with me anymore or maybe he is still asleep and that he instead planned to be absent for the entire day. However, he would've most likely answer my call or even text me back, yet, he never did...

After my class in English, I hurried to his home and asked his mom, "Um... Excuse me? Where is Miki?"

Her mom was surprised and asked me with a bewildering face, "I thought you two were always together? He left the house just as he always do to go to school."

I was shocked. I told her that he never even texted me back or called me back. So, I tried to call Miki's phone once more.

She asked, "Is it ringing?"

I nodded and I tried to call again. It was ringing, but nobody is answering the phone. Until we heard some phone ring nearby and it was coming from his room.

His mom said that she was asleep during midday and that maybe Miki came home early. Maybe he was feeling sick even though he brought his lunchbox with him. However, if he did returned home, shouldn't he have at least left the lunchbox in the kitchen?

We immediately head to his room. I knocked multiple times and asks, "Hey Miki! It's me, Eiji. What are you doing there? Why are you not answering your phone?"

The phone keeps on ringing and ringing and I did even try to open the door, however, it is closed. His mom says that he always locks his door whenever he leaves, except that she doesn't know if he also locks it when he's inside.

Then suddenly, his mom realized something. She said that she has the key of the room, in case the room is locked for a reason. It took a little while to figure out the right key, because almost all of the key of the house is in one key-holder. But when I opened it with the right key, I opened the door and saw there were no lights opened nor he was there except the sound of a ringing phone.

As we look further closely, we were shocked from what we saw!

What we saw is not Miki. Instead, we saw... A hand... Of Miki... Gripped in the phone like the hand grabbing the phone. This hand was cut. His mother almost puke. I was in pure shock like I couldn't move a muscle and I was just standing there, staring at the severed hand.

The next day, the police confirmed that it was Miki's hand and that they asked us if there's anyone who could've done such things like; Is he associated with a gang? Did he have a quarrel with someone? Where have you two been, before this accident happened?

I don't know what to answer except no and we only hang out together the day before, and that his mom even saw him leave the day before going to school. The police and the investigator couldn't figure out who could do such things and that they're trying to find connections. However, evidences are limited and that they couldn't find enough.

I was in trauma for days. I couldn't count how long I was in trauma. Flashbacks between us kept on coming to my head as I keep crying and mourning all day. I always space out whenever the doctor is talking to me and he even said to my parents that I'm suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

(I had a flashback of him about his ideals and goals. He was such an avid goal setter. I even remembered him, saying, "Someday, I will be a pilot and that you will be my co-pilot!"

I was excited at that time, but then sooner or later, he wanted to sing and dance, so he even says, "I'll be a superstar soon and you will be my number 1 fan! Hahaha!"

He had so many dreams and he never ran out of ideas, and goals for himself and for me. However, those dreams may just stay as dreams, forever...)

We went to the funeral a week after the incident. I did try to find his bag and the keychain he bought, but unfortunately, it wasn't there. He never even had his bag in his room.

I was mourning so much when it was my turn to say farewell to him. I was the last and everyone is as sad as I am, but what they don't know is that I am sad buried deeply inside my chest and because he was not just only my friend, he was also my childhood friend and my one and only best-friend... I am going to miss him so much and that I hope my memories with him will always stay forever.

The night after the funeral, I was walking alone in the street and had my school bag with me, even though I haven't been to school for weeks. Maybe I was just trying to remember the days I was with my best-friend, Miki, during after school hang out at night.

I will remember those memories we talked about our crushes, our dreams, how we talked about our family and how we'll start our life. I will remember those days we hang out, shopping on favorite shops, karaoke, and eat at buffet restaurants.

I will always treasure those days...

I was thinking all those memories as cars passed by, and headed to the dark alley as a shortcut to get to my home. I even remembered the time he drew his Excalibur keychain, and so I did the same as well to honor his silly doings. I was laughing silently because of his craziness and silliness, but at the same time, enjoying the same way he was, during that night.

I thought of my keychain as a real sword and focused on it as if I am a swordsman, when suddenly, my sword grew magically and became a real, sharp sword. It is also heavy, maybe because it was made up of iron?

I was so shocked like my eyes opened widely, with mouth agape. The feeling of holding a real sword with my bare hands, was so unexplainable. It was so heavy! It flashes from a bright light into a real sword as if I'm in a fantasy.

I was... Scratching my head, because I don't know how will I keep it and how will it turn back into a keychain, and at the same time, I am panicking!

It's like I don't know what to do. Flustering as I ask myself, "What the hell is this? What the hell is going on??"

I looked in the back and to the front, back and forth, to see if anyone saw me. I'm panicking, but luckily no one is around, and I do hope that people in the upper floor don't see me as well. I SWEAR I'm going to run if they did!

I was just staring at the sword. Literally had no clue or idea on what to do about it...