The streets bustled with people under the night sky. The moon hung high, and beneath the starlight, the city pulsed with life.
Cars rolled past while pedestrians kept their eyes glued to their phones. Occasionally, a couple strolled by, murmuring, “How about catching a movie?”
His footsteps tapped against the concrete as he stared at his phone screen, lost in thought.
The boy had gentle features. Azure eyes scanned the text before him, a small nose tilted slightly upward, soft lips inviting endless imagination. His smooth skin, exposed to the air, lent him an air of delicate fragility.
He wasn’t ugly, nor strikingly handsome—just utterly ordinary.
With summer vacation winding down and homework finished, the boy had slipped out at night. Surely, he harbored some unspeakable secret (just kidding).
Well, truthfully, he’d only come out to buy the legendary “Great Treasure.”
Standing before the shop entrance, he pulled sunglasses and a mask from his pocket. After putting them on, he pushed the door open.
“Welcome!”
The shopkeeper recited the greeting mechanically, barely glancing at the masked, sunglassed teen. At this hour, such disguises were hardly unusual.
A sly grin spread across the boy’s face as he dashed straight to the back corner—the “Adult Section.”
Nurses, students, bunny girls, racers, teachers, policewomen, knights…
These scandalous publications radiated a holy glow, blindingly sacred.
“This month’s frugal me… you’ve earned this,” he murmured sincerely to the Almighty, recalling his sacrifices. In this moment, it was all worth it.
“That’ll be 5,000 yen.”
Still… kinda pricey.
“No discounts?” he asked hopefully, eyes fixed on the shopkeeper.
“Sure. How about a bone fracture?”
“…Never mind.”
After paying, the boy headed home. For a teenage boy, such interests were only natural.
Lost in thoughts about how to handle these “sacred texts” later, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
The moon tonight was full—unusually so. Stars speckled the sky, a rare sight in this smog-choked city.
Smiling absently, he noticed nothing until a chill crept up his spine.
He looked up. The starry sky now swarmed with countless glowing specks.
“Snow… no, fireflies?”
Fireflies danced across the night sky. Within three minutes, they blanketed the entire city.
“Look! Fireflies!”
“Incredible! I’ve never seen so many!”
“A once-in-a-century sight~”
The fireflies drew more companions as they swirled. Soon, news crews broadcast the spectacle live. By tomorrow, it would dominate headlines.
Mesmerized, the boy lingered long after the crowd dispersed. Minutes ticked by as he removed his sunglasses and mask, revealing his gentle face.
Suddenly, the fireflies surged upward, soaring over his head. He turned, following their path. His azure eyes shimmered with reflected light.
They danced gracefully, painting the entire sky. Compared to Halley’s Comet streaking past Earth, this sight was no less magnificent.
“The Milky Way…”
Yes. The fireflies had woven a radiant river of light across the heavens—vibrant, cosmic, breathtaking.
For minutes, the boy forgot the bag of H-books in his hand. He only wanted to sear this night into his memory.
The city had never seen a more beautiful evening.
People snapped photos with their phones. News vans broadcast live. Students called friends to witness this historic moment.
Then, abruptly, the fireflies began to scatter. The luminous river faded.
The boy watched them drift downward, his gaze unwavering.
*If I’d never met these fireflies tonight… would my life have stayed the same?*
He couldn’t foresee the future. Tomorrow felt impossibly distant.
Fireflies fell like raindrops, landing right before him.
Time froze. The air turned thick and heavy. A suffocating pressure built in his chest.
**BOOM!**
An explosion bloomed before his eyes—bright as a missile strike. Before he could react, a blast wave hurled him backward. He crashed into a bridge railing.
“Ow… damn it—”
He looked up—and froze in horror.
Where fireflies had landed on the corporate building, only a smoldering crater remained. Flames roared like a fallen meteor.
“AAAAAH!!”
Women’s screams pierced the air. The boy could only stare, numb and paralyzed.
**BOOM!**
Another explosion erupted behind him. Then another. And another. Detonations ripped through the city.
Swallowing hard, the boy’s legs moved on instinct.
He didn’t know what was happening. But it was terrifying.
He ran blindly—no destination, just survival. Human instinct screamed: *Flee. Don’t hesitate.*
***Clatter.***
A spent bullet casing hit the ground. Flames flashed before his eyes. He skidded to a halt. In the alley ahead, his own disbelief mirrored in the impossible sight before him.
From the fire, a figure slowly rose. Its head turned toward the boy. Its face was ice-cold.
The boy stumbled backward, fear clawing at his throat. He collapsed onto the pavement.
Firelight carved deeper shadows of terror across his face.
Perhaps from this day forward, everything would change.
Including the events to come—everything had turned abnormal since this very night.
