A World On The Dawn

The boy walked down the barren streets, passing by others. The warm spring air filled the sidewalks, and the humidity clung to his short-sleeved shirt gently. He wore a school uniform and held his bag in his right hand.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the time. It was a flip phone in a world of smartphones.
"March 2nd, 2030," the small screen read.

He squeezed his phone for a moment, but slid it back in his pocket, and continued his walk through the streets. He was in search of something. Something greater. 

All he wanted was peace; however, the world had other plans. 

After a moment more, he finally made it. Takumashi High School. 

Takumashi High School. It was a moderate size, having a small gate in the front. The school wasn't anything special. Hundreds of people stood outside, waiting for the school to open.

Every day became emptier, as if life were a cycle of repetition. There was truly more to life than just this. Yet, he put aside his thoughts and walked through the school's gate.

But as he walked, he was intercepted by a different young boy. 

"Hey, Zenatori!" the other boy said.

Zenatori looked at him for a moment, hesitating over something.

"Ah, Kizuka!" he said with a sharp smile.

"Zenatori," he muttered, palming his face in disappointment.
"You gotta stop forgetting my name, man."

"Sorry..."

"Anyway, dude," Kuzaki said, quickly approaching Zenatori's side. He then laid his hand over Zenatori's shoulder.

"You got the answers to the homework?"

"Seriously, man?"

"Look, I forgot, bro!"

"Ah, I almost forgot, Inoue Kuzaki." Zenatori thought. "I became friends with this guy on a whim because I honestly felt bad for him. We've been friends since my last year in middle school, and now it's our first year in high school. He's one of the guys people think of as a weird kid, but personally, I don't think he's weird."

Kuzaki continued, interrupting Zenatori's thoughts.

"I was too busy last night creating my Akito Koumiko fanfic. She truly is just the greatest woman alive. In fact-"

"And for whatever reason, has an extreme infatuation with this syneji artist named Akito Koumiko, often going on long rants about her. I don't have any idea what he talks about, nor do I have any particular interest in that syneji artistry stuff."

"Right, Zenatori?" Kuzaki said, holding a picture of Koumiko on his phone.

"Oh, yeah," Zenatori said, not knowing anything of what Kuzaki spoke of.

"Man, I swear you have the most bland personality ever seen. Sometimes I forget you're human."

"That's kind of blunt."

"But anyway-" Kuzaki said, continuing his yapping session.

"Man, I want to leave."

After a few hours had passed, class was over, and lunch began. Zenatori took the moment and began to walk around the school, getting familiar with his surroundings. 

He remembered the school had a library and made his way there. The library spanned more than he expected, and had what seemed like hundreds of shelves. Zenatori walked toward a shelf to check out the books.

He then saw a Syneji Artistry genre. He put his index finger on the books and slid it as he walked through the library. He spotted a book that caught his interest. He pulled it by the spine and took it from the shelf.

"The Five Threat Levels of Automorphs and Humanity."

He then flipped the book open and skimmed through some of the pages.

"I'm not very interested in this syneji artistry stuff, but this actually sounds quite interesting. Kuzaki probably just ruined it for me. Maybe I would've gotten into it naturally if I had never met him."

As Zenatori looked to his side, he spotted another girl, looking for a book as well. Someone he knew. He didn't know whether or not he should initiate a conversation, for this was a library, and she just wanted to read. Nonetheless, he walked to her.

"Hey, Kurosawa."

"Hey, Sakatoro. I didn't know you liked reading," she said with a bright smile.

"Well, no one knows what they know, until they know."

"Huh?"

"Well, that sounded a lot better in my head," he thought, embarrassed.

"Anyway," he said. "I also didn't know you liked reading syneji artistry stuff.

"Sakatoro, you don't need to sound so embarrassed. We've been friends for how many years at this point?"

"Since middle school."

"Exactly! You've seemed to have changed Zenatori. It feels like you're quiet now? Is there any reason for that?"

"Not particularly."

"Ah, I see. But anyway, do you want to sit down somewhere? We can quietly read together."

"I don't see why not."

Kurosawa eyed a table, signaling Zenatori to follow her. It was a small 2-person table, which they both sat at together. They began reading, and before they knew it, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. 

As Zenatori stood, Kurosawa quickly followed. Zenatori checked his book out with the librarian and made his way out the door.

Unexpectedly, Kurosawa waited for him near the entrance. She raised her arms out.

"Sakatoro?" she said in a quizzical but teasing tone.

Zenatori approached her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm getting too old for this, you know?"

She quietly embraced him.

"You're getting bigger too."

Zenatori smiled and chuckled.

"Times like these make me feel warm."

After a moment, she retracted herself from Zenatori.

"I'll see you later, Sakatoro!"

She happily walked out of the library and continued with her day. As Zenatori watched her leave, he began a trip on his own.

"No one knows what they know, until they know," he said internally as he left the library entrance and began walking back to class. He still held the book in his hand as it waved through the air as he walked.