Morning sunlight slipped through the gap in Tobio's curtain. Outside, roosters crowed in response to one another, completing the morning symphony he heard every day. But today, something was different.
Knock knock knock.
The familiar sound of knocking on the door. "Tobio, it's morning."
Tobio slowly opened his eyes. The sunlight was directly blinding, making him blink several times before he could finally focus.
He stretched his body, feeling every joint move after a night's sleep. The thin cotton mattress had accompanied his sleep since childhood—hard and uncomfortable, but so familiar it no longer felt that way.
Today was the final exam.
That realization made him get up immediately. His feet touched the cold wooden floor, sending a fresh sensation that made him more awake.
As his hand stopped at his shirt collar, his mind wandered.
'How many months have I lived in this world, I wonder?'
But Tobio missed the internet. Missed the speed, the information, a world wider than just rice fields and farms. He wanted to go to the city for high school later. There he could catch up on what he'd missed, could learn more, could...
'Ah, never mind. Shower first.'
He grabbed a towel and stepped out of the room. The hallway of the stilt house creaked under his footsteps. From the end of the hallway, the aroma of miso soup and grilled fish wafted—his grandmother must have been up since dawn as usual.
A simple bathroom with a wooden tub and a coconut shell dipper. Tobio poured cold water over his body, making him take a deep breath, then scrubbed himself with traditional soap made by a neighbor. As water washed over his face, he thought again.
Later in the city, he'd have to find a part-time job. Grandma wouldn't need to bother finding money for him. He could be independent.
Finished bathing, he dried his short hair briefly before returning to his room to get dressed.
His bedroom door opened, and he immediately headed to the dining room.
The low table in the center of the room was already filled with small plates. Miso soup with tofu and wakame, grilled mackerel with a squeeze of lime, steaming hot rice in a blue-and-white ceramic bowl, and tsukemono—homemade pickled vegetables. A simple but complete breakfast.
"Itadakimasu."
Tobio put his palms together briefly before picking up his chopsticks. He ate slowly, savoring each bite. His grandmother sat across from him, occasionally putting rice into her mouth while reading a small notebook—maybe jotting down today's plans.
The atmosphere was silent, but not an awkward silence. A comfortable silence, like a thin blanket in the morning.
Until a soft voice broke the silence.
"Tobio, you want to go to the city?"
Tobio stopped his chopsticks mid-air. He scratched his cheek that wasn't itchy—a habit when nervous. His grandmother knew. His grandmother always knew what he was thinking.
"Yes," he answered quietly. "Is it not allowed?"
Ageha slowly put down her chopsticks. Her face, beginning to wrinkle but still graceful, displayed a gentle smile. The same smile since Tobio was little, which always made him feel safe.
"It's not that it's not allowed," Ageha said carefully. "But the city and the village are very different. Especially the people. Not to mention... you'll be short on money there."
Tobio looked down for a moment, then lifted his face with a gaze that tried to be firm. His voice dropped to a near whisper.
"About money... maybe I'll use my power like the Lottery. Only if it's an emergency and I have no money."
Silence spread between them.
Ageha didn't answer immediately. She looked at Tobio longer than usual—a gaze that pierced to the deepest recesses. In her eyes, there was something heavy, something she had never shown before.
Tobio wanted to be independent. That was a good thing. But the way he chose... was misguided.
He considered his power as the primary solution.
"No."
That answer was short, but its weight was extraordinary. Tobio froze.
"It's not about you going to the city." Ageha reached for Tobio's hand on the table. Her wrinkled hand gently grasped her young grandson's hand. There was warmth there, but also an unwavering firmness. "But the way you think."
Tobio lowered his head. His still slightly damp hair fell over his forehead. "If it can be easier, why not?" he muttered. "Even if I get a little headache... experience those side effects."
Ageha took a long breath. In her eyes, there was a flash of sadness quickly hidden.
"If you always choose the easy path with power..." A pause. The next words came out heavy, like stones rolled slowly.
"One day you won't know anymore which ones you truly chose yourself."
Tobio was silent. Those words settled in his chest, heavy and foreign.
Ageha then released her grip and smiled again—fake, this time. But Tobio didn't notice. "Now, go to school. There's an exam, right? Do it seriously. Don't disappoint Grandma."
Tobio nodded. He stood up, straightening his uniform briefly. "Well then, I'm leaving now."
"See you." Ageha waved gently.
The door closed. Tobio's footsteps faded on the wooden porch. Ageha remained sitting at the dining table, staring at the door her grandchild had just closed. And when those footsteps completely disappeared...
Thump.
Her hand pressed against her chest. The pain came again—sharper than before, stabbing to the bone. Her breath came in gasps, cold sweat dampened her temples.
Her time was not long.
She closed her eyes, letting the pain flow. As a former member of the Himejima clan—the clan that had cast her out years ago—she was used to pain. But this was different. This was pain that told her time was almost up.
'If I die later... will Tobio lose himself?'
That worry continued to haunt her. She wasn't afraid to die. But she was afraid of leaving Tobio alone—especially with the power he possessed. Power too great for a child his age.
Ageha opened her eyes. Her gaze shifted to the wooden shelf in the corner of the room, where a photo was displayed in a simple frame. A photo of herself with Tobio when he was 6 years old—the only family left after being expelled from the Himejima clan.
She held no grudge.
She smiled at the photo. A sincere smile that only appeared when remembering happy memories with her grandchild.
'Tobio, forgive Grandma for not being able to accompany you longer.'
---
On the path beside the rice fields, Tobio walked alone. Morning dew still clung to the leaves, making them slightly wet as his feet touched the wild grass at the edge of the path. He deliberately took this path—a little longer, but the view was beautiful.
The rice in the fields was starting to yellow, ready for harvest in a few more weeks. Farmers had begun their activities, some checking irrigation channels, some feeding ducks in the fields. One of them—Watanabe, his neighbor—waved from a distance.
"Tobio! Exam, right? Good luck!"
Tobio nodded and waved back. "Hi, thank you, Watanabe-san!"
From the opposite direction, a girl appeared at the end of the path. Brown hair, the same uniform as Tobio, a backpack slightly too big for her frame. She waved enthusiastically.
"Tobio!"
Sae—his classmate who also lived two houses south. They often walked to school together.
"Morning, Sae." Tobio quickened his pace until he was level with her.
"Did you see the announcement at the village hall?" Sae walked beside him, occasionally kicking small pebbles on the path. "They said there's a night market tomorrow. But you're probably not interested, right? Said you want to go to the city."
Tobio smiled slightly. "Still just curious. Doesn't mean I don't like it here."
"Ah, liar." Sae nudged his arm with her elbow. "Your eyes always sparkle when you talk about the internet. This morning I saw Saki-sensei post a status, she said the exam isn't hard. Are you ready?"
"Yes."
"So confident."
They laughed softly—light laughter, without burden.
This morning, the atmosphere was a little different. There was tension in the air—the final exam, the decider of graduation.
Inside the classroom, students had begun to arrive. Some were still frantically reading notebooks, some were chatting while laughing nervously, some sat silently with vacant stares.
Tobio and Sae took their seats—Tobio by the window, Sae two desks in front of him.
The classroom door opened. Saki-sensei, their homeroom teacher—entered with a stack of exam papers.
"Good morning, children."
"Good morning, Saki-sensei!"
Saki placed the exam papers on the teacher's desk. "Don't forget to focus. If you need anything—want to go to the toilet, thirsty, or anything—tell Sensei. Don't hold it in, it's not good for concentration."
The students nodded in unison.
Saki began distributing the exam papers. One by one, the sheets fell onto the students' desks. Tobio received his exam—five sheets of HVS paper stapled at the top left corner. On the cover was written: HANYU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FINAL EXAM.
"You have two hours," Saki said after finishing distribution. "The questions aren't hard. Work carefully, check again before submitting. Begin."
A small chime from the class bell marked the start of the exam.
Tobio opened the first sheet.
10 Math Questions: Fractions, decimals, area of shapes, volume, speed, ratios, percentages, simple algebra, basic statistics, and one word problem about trains passing each other.
Easy.
10 Science Questions: Photosynthesis, food chains, digestive system, solar system, force and motion, changes in states of matter, energy sources, plant reproduction, ecosystems, and one question about simple electrical circuits.
Also easy.
10 Social Studies Questions: Maps and their components, Indonesia's cultural diversity, proclamation figures, colonial period, economic activities, social interaction, physical features, time zones, historical relics, and one question about ASEAN cooperation.
All had been studied.
10 Japanese Language Questions: Basic kanji, particles, verb conjugation, reading short paragraphs, writing simple sentences, and reading comprehension.
And the rest—10 Logic Questions: Number sequences, picture patterns, syllogisms, analogies, and simple puzzles.
Two hours passed in full concentration. Tobio finished the last question just as Saki announced time was up.
"Alright, the exam is over. Please submit your papers to the front."
The students breathed sighs of relief. Some smiled satisfactorily, some grumbled about questions they got wrong, some immediately whispered discussing answers.
Tobio stretched his body—his arms went up, back arched backwards until a small crack sounded.
Finally finished. Soon, off to the city, to experience the internet again.
"Tobio!" Sae approached him. "I heard you're going to the city? Can I come?"
Tobio smiled. Sae's round face with slightly flushed cheeks as she asked that question. Tobio nodded.
"Sure. Don't worry, I'll protect you."
Sae's face flushed deeper. She looked down, gripping her bag straps tightly. "Stupid."
Tobio chuckled softly. He took his backpack from the back of his chair. "Want to walk home together?"
Sae nodded, still a little shy.
They walked out of the classroom together, passing through the hallway that was starting to empty as other students had already gone home. The midday sun blazed as they left the building, casting their shadows long on the sandy ground.
"I heard there's lots of entertainment in the city," Sae began the conversation. "Including arcade games and stuff. Right?"
"Yeah." Tobio imagined giant LED screens at intersections, twinkling city lights, the bustling sound of a city that never slept. "Lots of interesting things in the city. Big bookstores, cafes, cinemas... later when we're in high school, we can see for ourselves."
"We?" Sae turned quickly, then hurriedly looked away.
"Yeah, you want to go to the city too, right?"
"Oh... th-that's right."
They arrived at the crossroads—left to Sae's house, straight to Tobio's house. Sae stopped and waved.
"See you tomorrow, Tobio."
"See you."
Tobio continued his journey alone. The stilt house at the end of the road began to come into view—the tin roof starting to rust in some places, the bamboo fence loose in spots, and the mango tree in the front yard laden with fruit.
He climbed the wooden stairs, opened the door.
"I'm home."
Ageha was sitting in the living room, in front of her traditional loom. Her skilled hands moved the thread back and forth, creating simple patterns on the cloth being woven. Her wrinkled face lifted upon hearing Tobio's voice.
"Welcome back." Her voice was soft. "How was the exam?"
Tobio smiled, removing his shoes at the entrance. "Easy. But I made sure I'm in the top five."
Ageha smiled—one of those sincere smiles that only Tobio knew. "You're the best."
Tobio walked towards his room, but stopped at the threshold. "Grandma, you're coming, right? To the city?"
For a moment, Ageha stopped weaving. Her hand paused in mid-air, then slowly resumed its movement. "Of course."
In his room, Tobio began preparing his things. He took out a small suitcase from under the bed—his grandmother's old suitcase, yellowed in some places. Uniforms folded neatly, favorite books packed, toiletries, and...
He stopped, looking at the bracelet on his left hand.
A simple leather bracelet with black cord woven. His grandmother had given it to him, when Tobio used his power. "A protective artifact."
Tobio touched the bracelet, feeling the texture of the slightly worn leather. There was a strange warmth there—not physical warmth, but something deeper.
He lay down on the mattress, staring at the wooden ceiling darkening with dusk. His mind wandered to tomorrow—the exam results announcement, preparations for the city, the new life waiting.
Tomorrow, everything would change.
He didn't know how great that change would be.