Tiger stepped out of his rented home after a shower. His hair was still slightly wet. As he adjusted his sleeve, he noticed Rizard standing across the road. Tiger saw him clearly… but chose to ignore him and started walking.
"Tiger!"
Rizard shouted loudly.
Tiger stopped and sighed. He knew this wouldn't end quietly.
Rizard began crossing the road to reach him. At that exact moment, a bike rushed forward at high speed. The timing was terrible. The bike was seconds away from hitting Rizard.
Tiger moved.
No flashy blur. No dramatic effect. Just precise movement.
He grabbed Rizard and pulled him away. The bike screeched as the rider slammed the brakes. It stopped dangerously close.
The biker removed his helmet. "Are you okay? If he got hit, it would've been serious. My brakes delay sometimes. I was going to fix them soon…"
Tiger didn't respond. He looked at Rizard instead.
"You should look before crossing."
Rizard scratched his head. "Sorry."
"Hospital?" Tiger asked.
"No. I'm fine. I'll be careful."
Tiger nodded once.
After a short silence, Rizard smiled. "Let's go to the café."
Tiger paused. "Fine."
Inside the café, they took a seat near the window.
"Sunday ended too fast," Rizard said. "Tomorrow school again. Time moves quickly."
"You're right," Tiger replied.
Rizard leaned back slightly. "My days are already over. I've grown up… but I'm the same age as you."
Tiger looked at him carefully. That sentence felt strange.
The waiter approached. "What would you like?"
"Coffee," both said at the exact same time.
They looked at each other.
Rizard laughed softly.
A few minutes later, Rizard accidentally knocked over a glass. It shattered on the floor. The waiter apologized, but the boss arrived and said the cost would be deducted from the salary.
Tiger quietly placed yen on the table.
"I'll pay," Rizard said.
"I already did," Tiger replied calmly.
The waiter hesitated. "It's not necessary."
"Take it," Tiger said.
After a moment, the waiter thanked them and left.
Then it happened.
Tiger felt something.
His eyes shifted toward the open glass window on the right. The air felt normal… but his instincts disagreed.
"Something wrong?" Rizard asked.
"I'll be back," Tiger replied.
Rizard watched him go, his smile fading for a second.
He stepped outside and suddenly started running.
He followed the strange feeling down a quieter road. A sign read Do Not Enter. Tiger jumped over it without slowing down.
He stopped.
Silence.
No presence. No movement.
"Huh…? I definitely felt something."
He looked around again. Nothing.
Tiger returned to the café.
"Where did you go?" Rizard asked.
"Nowhere."
The coffee had already arrived.
They drank quietly.
Rizard stared outside. "Time passes too fast. I wish we could control it."
Tiger didn't answer. He watched Rizard instead.
When they stood up to leave, both placed yen on the table at the exact same time.
They paused.
Then laughed.
"You really are something," Tiger said.
They walked out together.
Later that night, Tiger fell asleep.
In his dream, he stood on that same empty road.
And in front of him…
A massive turtle-like monster appeared.
Huge. Silent. Two sharp spines rising from its back.
It didn't attack.
The turtle monster was massive.
Its body was completely black.
Its two spines looked like thick rotating drills. Heavy. Sharp. Dangerous.
Tiger froze for a second.
The air felt heavier, like the dream itself was pressing down on him.
"…What is this?"
Then he noticed something worse.
Behind it… more were appearing.
One. Two. Five. Ten.
"These are multiplying…" Tiger muttered.
The road felt smaller with every new body that emerged.
Before they could attack, Tiger moved first.
"Good. I attacked first."
He dashed forward and struck the nearest one. The impact cracked the ground beneath it. Another one lunged from the side, but Tiger spun and destroyed it mid-air. The drills screeched as they hit the ground.
The noise scraped against his ears like grinding metal.
Even destroyed, they felt dangerous.
The dream-road shook.
More monsters rushed toward him together.
Tiger didn't hesitate.
He punched. Kicked. Countered. Moved without stopping.
One after another, they fell.
Within moments, most of them were destroyed.
But a few suddenly disappeared.
Vanished.
No smoke. No sound.
As if the dream itself erased them.
"Teleportation…?" Tiger said quietly.
So they could escape.
Tiger loosened his fingers and rotated his wrist slightly.
"Not bad," he murmured.
Then— The air shifted behind him.
"Something felt wrong."
He turned suddenly.
From behind him, one massive drill spine shot forward at extreme speed. It was the exact same type. Black. Heavy. Rotating violently.
It was heading straight for his eye.
There was no time.
Just before it hit—
Tiger woke up.
He sat up instantly, breathing heavily. His heart was pounding. Sweat covered his forehead.
He grabbed his head and lowered his gaze.
It felt too detailed to be imagination.
"Why is this happening to me…?"
The room was silent.
After a few minutes, he lay back down.
"is something trying to reach me?
He stared at the ceiling for a while.
Then slowly… he fell asleep again.
And this time—
He slept peacefully.