Prologue Pt 2

The hotel room door unlocks from the outside as the twins rush in, jumping onto the beds. Kurai sighs in comfort.

"So comfortable…" Kaneko mumbles, face buried in a pillow.

"So soft…" Their mom sits down in one of the chairs, turns on the TV, and looks at the twins.

"Hey boys, up here… look at me, please." Both of them glance up.

"We'll be leaving early at 7:30 tomorrow to catch our plane back home. Your dad's next match in the VNL won't be for a few weeks, so get some rest, okay?"

Kaneko turns around and grins. "Kay’!"

Eventually, they all go to bed, but Kurai can't fall asleep. Lying under the soft covers, he fantasizes about being a professional volleyball player, a small smile creeping onto his face.

Their mom walks over to the twins in their bed.

"Come on, you two, it's time to wake up. We gotta go."

Kurai sits up, rubbing his eyes. "Morning, Mommy…"

Kaneko groans, turning under the covers. "I don't wanna…"

"Come on, bwudder, we gotta help Mommy." Kurai shakes Kaneko slightly, but he only mumbles something incoherent.

"Hmph…" Kurai pouts, then nearly pushes Kaneko out of bed.

Kaneko jerks awake, clutching his stuffed animal. "I'm up, I'm up…"

Their mom chuckles. "Okay, get dressed, you two. Your clothes are on my bed. Dad's coming to pick us up in about 30 minutes, kay’?"

Kaneko wipes his eyes and yawns. "Kay’."

They meet their dad in a taxi and arrive at the airport, waiting for their flight. Kurai looks up at him excitedly.

"Hey Dad! I wanna be a professional player like you someday!"

His dad smiles and laughs. "I've said it before, but I'll say it again—it's a pretty hefty dream, but I never said it was impossible."

Kurai’s eyes sparkle. "So cool, Dad!"

"Yeah, I know I am." They both laugh as Kaneko naps on their mom’s lap.

The intercom turns on.

'All passengers for Terminal C, we are now ready to board.'

An officer stands at the gate, posture straight. "Enter in a single file and please sit in the seat number on your card."

Their mom picks up Kaneko. "Let's go…" she says, carrying him in her arms. Their dad carries the essentials while Kurai clings nervously to his leg.

On the plane, their mom and Kaneko sit in the middle row, while Kurai takes the window seat beside his dad. Kaneko is still sleeping as Kurai glances at his dad.

"Hey Dad, what’s dat smell?"

The engines hum louder, and Kurai wrinkles his nose at the scent of severely burnt toast.

"Sorry, bud, I don’t smell anything different. You’re probably just hungry…"

Kurai frowns. "I don't feel hungry, though…"

His dad rubs his head reassuringly. "They’ll bring us some food in about an hour if the flight isn’t delayed."

Kurai nods and looks out the window at the engines.

45 minutes before landing…

Kurai pinches his nose, uncomfortable. The smell is overwhelming now. He shifts anxiously, hearing faint creaking and popping—like static.

"Dad, I'm nervous. The plane is creaking, and it smells really bad."

His dad sighs. "What does it smell like, buddy?"

Kurai sniffs the air again. "I- I don’t know. Like severely burnt toast. Like the toast you make for breakfast…"

His dad looks slightly stunned but quickly pats Kurai’s head. "We’re going to be just fine, okay?"

Kurai glances out the window, his nerves growing. A few flight attendants step out as the plane suddenly trembles. The lights flicker.

"Attention all passengers! The plane is currently experiencing turbulence. Please buckle your seatbelts and remain seated. Await further instructions!"

Kaneko stirs awake, rubbing his eyes. "Huh? What’s goin’ on?"

Kurai hugs his dad’s arm tightly. "I don’t wanna die, Dad…"

His dad blinks, surprised at how calm Kurai still sounds. "You’re not going to die, Kurai…"

A moment of silence. Then—

An explosion.

One of the engines erupts into flames, violently shaking the plane. The lights go out, plunging them into darkness. Fire bursts into the cabin as the sky becomes visible through a gaping hole. The plane tilts sharply, plummeting.

Kurai stares, frozen in terror, as chaos erupts around him. His dad grabs a seat, struggling to keep from being thrown.

Kurai screams. "DAD!"

Another explosion. The engine outside Kurai’s window bursts into flames. The plane spirals downward. People scream. A baby wails in the back.

His dad fights to stand. "Kurai, don’t worry about me! I’ll be fine!"

Kurai’s eyes widen as he turns to Kaneko, who is sobbing.

"We’re going to be okay, Kaneko!" Kurai reaches out his hand. Kaneko hesitates before grabbing it. The plane shakes violently as they plummet.

"BRACE—BRACE FOR IMPACT!" someone shouts.

Kurai squeezes his eyes shut, a tear slipping down his cheek. He looks at his dad—who is smiling.

Then—Impact.

The world erupts into flames.

Metal groans and shatters. The deafening noise of destruction is replaced by eerie silence. Kurai feels his eardrums burst, muting everything. Heat and fire surround him. His body screams in pain.

Faint voices break through the haze.

"Hey! Get this kid over here! We’ll check the plane!"

Kurai barely registers the people rushing toward him. He’s lying on grass. How? He doesn’t know.

"He’s—barely burnt—bleeding… Third-degree burns—he’s barely breathing! But his heart’s still beating! Kid, can you hear us? What’s—your name?"

Kurai coughs blood, his voice barely a whisper. "K… Ra…"

"He’s responsive!"

Blurred faces hover over him, hands pressing against his wounds. Everything flickers in and out.

"Don’t go out on us now, kid!"

Kurai struggles to breathe, his lungs filling with blood. "Ha—bre—thing…"

His vision fades.

Kurai wakes, weak and disoriented, inside an ambulance. He forces his eyes open, looking toward the wreckage. A twisted pile of metal burns in the distance.

"Kane-ko…" he murmurs before slipping back into unconsciousness.