Under the Stars

Chapter 1

My name is Hiroshi Saibara, and for the past 1000 years living in the other world, I’ve learned many things, gained knowledges, and feel emotions, such as the feeling of being happy, being fulfilled, being loved, and the worst of all was the feeling of someone important to you disappeared. I’ve been through a lot, and sometimes I thought of just giving up, but I didn’t. I thought that having everything in that world will lead me to her, even just a little glance will be enough. I survived for whatever reason it is. People praised me, they gave me more authority than what could you imagine, basically, I can do everything in there. But when I finally understand that it is impossible for me to meet her again, and just where I’m finally losing hope, I came back.

I don’t know what’s my purpose in coming back. But if the reason that I came back is because I died, then there’s a huge possibility that she is also here.

I’ve been away for almost 3 years, and I’ll be turning 19 years old next year. That brings me back when just before I got transferred, I was in school, on my seat, staring outside the window. Then suddenly it all becomes white, my head is all fuzzy, and the last thing I remembered after that was me in a really huge dark room, with a single light source, and that light is below my feet. What’s more interesting is that, it’s not just a normal light, it is a huge circle with unknown symbols glowing.

I thought that I was dead, but then I noticed that I’m not the only one there. At least there are 20 of us, standing inside the circle, each have a confused expression on their face, and what do I mean by “us”?, it’s because that except of the 20 of us in the circle wearing modern clothes, the people outside was wearing long white robes, carrying staffs, and holding books.

And then just a few days after that, our hellish training starts. It’s been so long, but the memories are still fresh. I’ve made friends, comrades, and most importantly I met her. We don’t have that much of age gap, just a few months. We enjoyed talking together, eating together, and staying besides each other, not knowing what could come in the near future.

I was so depressed and mad to what happened after that, I endured the remaining time of my life, and now, I’m here.

I’m back in my old world, wondering if they’re doing well, wondering if they still know me, wondering, if they remember me.

But I’m surprised, because, for only 3 years that I’ve been away, the whole world seems to undergo in a drastic change.

I don’t remember back before I got summoned, about flying cars and floating trains, and it’s right here, happening in front of my very own eyes, I couldn’t believe how the world become so futuristic for only three years.

But I’m still here, in my old apartment, which looks even more older than before, and I’m the only one living in this ragged building, there’s even already a sign about it’s demolition, and it will happen about three days from now.

I’ve been living all alone, since my last known guardian, my grandpa, passed away when I’m still 14, and from there, I’ve been supporting myself by finding a part-time job.

Oh! Yeah! That sounds right, I’ll go there and visit the shop where I’ve been working. I wonder if my old friends from this world is still there, oh!, and that old man also.

I grabbed my favorite black jacket, my phone, and prepare to go outside…

About five minutes of walking from my apartment to the city of Shibuya where that grocery store stands, I finally arrived. But this doesn’t look like the grocery store from before, it’s much bigger, shinier, and more colorful.

“Welcome! What do you need mister?”

It’s the old man from before, Oyakawa Takuma, the owner of this grocery store, 53 years old, black hair, red eyes,. Wait, what! Red eyes??? I remember him having only black eyes, come to think of it, he’s now younger and buffier than before, just what in the world happened.

“Oh, is that you Hiroshi? Come here and put the insides of this boxes in that snacks section, over there.”

“What!?” what the heck is he talking about, I jut got here! He should be surprised or something seeing me after a long time.

“What’s with that long face!? Didn’t you hear me!? Go on! Faster! We don’t have the whole afternoon”

“0-,okay”

“Sigh, brat this days. But I feel relieved seeing him more energetic than before”*I wonder what happened to him, for the past three years, he’s been quiet and less complaining, but seeing his personalty right now, I feel relieved, I think the old Hiroshi that I know finally came back.*

“hooo!-wipes sweat from his face-, finally I’m finished, why did that old man ordered me as soon as I get inside, I’ve been away for three years, and this is how he would treat me after coming back?”. wait!. why is he putting the closed sign already!? It’s only 6pm, maybe the stores schedule changed after 3 years.

“Hey! Young lad! Come with me”

“What! Where?”

“I just feel celebrating right now, I know a place just across the street, don’t let me wait! It’s my treat.”*his old personality really did came back.*

“okay! W-wait!-grabs a snack-”

*heh, so shameless, he even grabbed a snack. But I don’t have the feeling of getting angry right now.*

“You should pay that snack, brat.”

“What! I just came back, this should be your welcome gift.”

“That’s why I’m treating you, tch, nevermind.”

It’s just a minute of walk and we finally arrived. I didn’t remember this restaurant before, and it’s such a classy one.

“Hello sir, may I see your identification please.”

A man, about the age of 20 or older, I think he’s the guard here, he wears such formal dress tho.

“Here-hands a card-”

“Thanks, please enjoy your stay. Wait! You there! Can I see your card?”

“Don’t worry, he’s with me”

“Oh! I’m sorry, please continue.”*tch, why does that man treating an amber eyed kid!?*

.

.

“Let’s sit here brat.”

“Okay”-sits down-

“Tell me Hiroshi, do you have a problem or anything, if there’s any just tell me. Remember, I’m always here to support you.”

“I have nothing, and even if I do, I don’t want to share my problems to anyone.” No need to remind me old man, ever since my grandpa died and wander the streets alone, finding food and money, you showed up, you treated me like your own child. Even though you offered me to stay at your home countless of times, I still refused, I don’t like being a burden to someone and most of all, I’m a man who always pays my debts, and the other way around. I’m just afraid of losing someone I value the most, and I’m trying my best not to get attached too much and stay away as far as I can to you. “And also, I don’t want you to worry”

-hold Hiroshi’s hands-“I can tell from your eyes Hiroshi, all of your problems. I understand what you fell, but in this world, you can’t survive alone.”

“I know that, and that’s why I’m gonna find them.”

“Them? What do you mean by them?”

“My Friends!”

“Friends? I didn’t hear that from you for a long time already. But if you can trust them, I have no objections.”

“It’s more than trust, we see each other as comrades, we stayed together side by side, we fight together, and laugh together, even though it was so long already without seeing them.”

“Hmm. Childhood friends? Since it was so long already without you meeting them, mind if you tell me their names? Maybe I can help you find them.”

“Oh! Yeah that’s a good plan, since we’re in japan, the nearest would be, Hayato-san, Shino-san, and,.. Her…” come to think of it, she also live here in japan, but before I find her, I must get in touch first with my comrades.

“The nearest.. What a weird choice of words. About Hayato and Shino, hmmm. There’s nothing coming to my mind except those two.”

“Those two! Who!?”

“What! You don’t know them? God! Just what happened to you. Just where are you when it all happened!?”

“That’s why I’m asking you!”

“Maybe because of the war, that your memory become so fuzzy”

“Yeeeaaah!? Maybe it was because of the war” what war!? Just what happened while I’m away, it’s not possible to create such futuristic things for only three years! And more over, Magic seems to exist in this world. Well, because it’s all over the internet, and even if you look outside you’ll see people flying around.

“Nevermind. well you see, three years ago, monsters just appeared all over the world”

What! Now monsters!! I’m confused.

“they use portal like gates to travel from their dimension to our world, and start chaos. The frontliners where the people or forces that uses magic, while supporting them are the man made devices, but still, they didn’t manage to even decrease the number of monsters that appeared from the gate, just a week of despair, the whole world received a very good news. 15 individuals scattered across the globe, slaying each monsters that they see, using powers we’ve never seen. They’re so strong that the flesh of those monsters that as hard as steel, slices off just like a butter, using their swords. We start calling them the Heroes of the Round Table,”

“Heroes of the Round Table, pfft! What a funny name, it is Knights, but they changed it to heroes!?”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY!! Kid, don’t ever speak that out here on public or else a moment later, all of these people will be kicking you to the ground already”

“I’m sorry, I just remembered something funny.”

Heroes of the round table you say. Well it’s now confirmed that they also came back. I should not waste anymore time and meet with them.

“That was a warning, brat. Moving on, the names you mentioned earlier is the name of the two Heroes that live here in Japan.”*wait, this face he’s making, I’m pretty sure he will ask for something, heh, this brat.*

First, make a cute face, then use his first name, and lastly talk formally. Yosh!! Here I go! “Uhmm. Takuma-senpai, can you please tell me, on how I could meet them…”

“You want to meet them, how ridiculous. But if you really want to meet them, your only options is to join one of their guild and make enough contributions to be noticed by them, or, do something that will really make them notice you.”

“Hummm,. Yes!,. Where are the guilds located”

“You really know nothing, brat. Stop making that face already!, there’s no point telling you, I’ll go with you tomorrow. But first, you need to use this -hands a box- ”

“Contact lenses? Why should I use this?”

“Sigh-while controlling his emotions not to shout again-. You notice how the guard treat you earlier? It’s because amber eyed people gets discriminated here”

“And why is that?”

“Nggggrr…fuuuuuu..-defuses-. Because amber eyes shows that you’re not compatible to any elements, means that you can’t use magic.”

“Oh! Yeah!” I need to end this conversation quickly!, it’s not because that I can’t use magic, but the other way around, looking at my status, not only can I use any magic elements, but also the f*******n, holy, cosmos, and the original ones created by me.

“Since you’ll be taking me to the guilds tomorrow, I’ll go back now and prepare!”

“We’ll, I guess this is where we end our conversation, be sure to prepare! I’ll be stopping there early in the morning, so that we can get in with less people around.”*rushing to end the conversation eh!? Well nevermind.*

“Okaaaaaaay!! See yaaaa!!”

First, I need to meet with them and confirm something, after that I’ll be finally meeting you.

Rei…