Chapter 1 – The Night the Sun Quit

The night the sun quit, Tokyo looked like reality got unplugged.

Three years ago, it wasn’t just power that died, it was light itself. Neon signs stayed on, but they didn’t glow. Phone screens showed color, yet they didn’t brighten my hands. The sky had no shine, like the concept got erased.

“Please tell me you brought the flashlight.”

Sota tried to sound chill, and failed, his voice tight in the dead air.

“I brought it, and it’s pointless.”

I dug it out anyway, because doing something felt better than freezing.

“This city looks fake, like a stage with no spotlight.”

His eyes kept darting, like darkness might jump him, and my stomach twisted at a glowing billboard that cast zero light.

“Even the ads are useless now.”

My laugh sounded thin, like it didn’t belong here, and Sota walked first, because he always moved when he was scared.

“Let’s keep moving, standing still feels cursed.”

My feet followed him on instinct, step after step, no questions, and the main road should’ve been loud, but it stayed silent. Traffic lights hung like decorations for a dead holiday. The air smelled flat, like someone muted the world. I kept swallowing, and my throat stayed dry.

“Think anyone’s alive in those apartments.”

Sota glanced up at dark windows, shoulders hunched.

“Alive, yeah, but probably freaking out like us.”

My stomach cramped hard, and I pressed a hand to it.

“Bro, I can hear my heartbeat.”

He touched his chest, like he wanted to turn it down.

“I can hear yours too, and I hate it.”

Silence made every tiny sound feel like a confession, and we passed vending machines glowing like museum cases, snacks trapped behind glass. The buttons clicked, nothing dropped. My brain screamed to break it, then remembered pain was real. I kept my hands to myself.

“Don’t even think about smashing it.”

Sota’s eyes stayed sharp, like he could read my dumb ideas.

“I’m not, I’m just hungry.”

My voice came out rough, and I hated how needy it sounded.

“This is dead stupid, like, light is supposed to be free.”

He kicked the curb, then winced at the noise, and my legs felt shaky, but moving kept my head from spiraling.

“Let’s hit the river, open space, less corners.”

Sota nodded fast, like he liked any plan at all, and the river path should’ve had lamps and couples and late-night runners. It had none of that. The water looked like ink, flat and wrong. I leaned over the rail, and nothing reflected back.

“Okay, nope, I hate that water.”

Sota grabbed my sleeve, pulling me away.

“Same, it’s like it eats outlines.”

My skin prickled, and my jaw tightened.

“Don’t say eats, I’m already stressed.”

He tried to laugh, and it snapped into a cough, and I opened my mouth to answer, then stopped, because a sound cut through everything.

“Did you just hear shoes.”

Sota turned fast, putting himself half in front of me.

“I heard heels, like, actual heels.”

My heart slammed, and I stared into the dark behind us, and a sharp click came again, neat and deliberate, like someone walking with zero fear.

“That’s not a runner.”

Sota’s voice went low, more angry than brave, and a woman stepped into view, calm like she was late to a meetup. The weird part was I could see her. Not by a beam, not by glow—just by her existing. Blonde hair, blue eyes, clean outline, like darkness respected her.

“Are you two lost.”

Her voice had warmth, and my skin ached for it.

Sota widened his stance, fists clenched at his sides.

“Who are you.”

He sounded like a warning, not a question, and my tongue stuck to my teeth, and I forced words out.

“How can we even see you.”

The woman blinked slow, like she had time.

“I’m Beatriz.”

She said it like it should explain everything, and Sota made a tight noise, half scoff, half fear.

“That is not a Tokyo name.”

Beatriz smiled, gentle and steady, and it did not match the apocalypse.

“It’s my name.”

I watched her face for panic, for cracks, for any proof she was like us.

“You’re way too calm.”

My hands stayed in my pockets, hiding the shake, and Beatriz’s eyes landed on me, and the air felt tighter.

“I’m calm because I found you.”

Sota shifted closer to me, shoulder brushing mine.

“We’re random dudes, okay, wrong targets.”

Beatriz didn’t flinch, like his words bounced off her.

“I don’t get the wrong person.”

My heart did something stupid, like it recognized her, and I hated that.

“Prove you’re real.”

My voice came out like a dare, then betrayed me into sounding like a plea, and Beatriz tilted her head, listening past us, above us.

“Light.”

The streetlamp beside the river twitched, then flickered, then breathed out a thin glow.

Sota’s mouth fell open, and his fear finally showed.

“What the actual hell.”

My eyes stung from the weak brightness, and I blinked like an idiot.

“It’s listening to her.”

Beatriz watched the lamp like it was a pet doing a trick.

“It missed being seen.”

The glow spread across the path, shy at first, then braver, then steady. Another lamp woke up, then another, like dominos falling backward. The river started reflecting again, shaky and unsure. My chest hurt from how relieved I felt.

“Sota, tell me you’re seeing this.”

Sota backed up a step, like light was now the monster.

“I’m seeing it, and I hate it.”

Beatriz took one step closer to me, and the brightness followed her.

“I brought it back.”

My throat went dry, and I forced my lungs to work.

“Why.”

Beatriz’s smile softened, and for a second she looked almost normal.

“Because you were not supposed to disappear.”

Sota huffed, trying to sound tough, failing hard.

“Lady, we all disappeared, look around.”

Beatriz glanced at him, then back to me, like he was background noise.

“I care about one thing.”

My skin crawled, and my face got hot, like my body misread danger as attention.

“What thing.”

Beatriz leaned in close enough that I caught her scent, rain and clean fabric.

“When you die, I destroy the world.”

Sota snapped upright, like someone slapped him.

“Excuse me, no, absolutely not.”

My thoughts scattered like dropped marbles, and my knees trembled.

“That’s a joke, right.”

Beatriz didn’t blink, didn’t flinch, didn’t look embarrassed.

“It’s not a joke.”

Sota paced one step, hands in his hair, voice cracking.

“That’s psycho, that’s supervillain behavior.”

Beatriz’s expression stayed gentle, like she understood, then ignored it.

“It’s love.”

My body went warm and cold at the same time, and that combo felt lethal.

This isn’t normal love… but she isn’t normal, either.

Sota looked at me like he could see my brain slipping.

“Kaito, don’t let her do that to you.”

I swallowed hard, trying to find solid ground inside my own head.

“I’m not letting anything happen.”

Beatriz’s gaze softened, like my resistance amused her.

“I can fix it.”

Sota let out a sharp laugh, angry and shaking.

“Fix it with what, more threats.”

Beatriz didn’t react to him, not really, and that felt intentional.

“If I figure out how to make you immortal… I won’t.”

The lamps around us flickered, almost nervous, like they heard the deal.

“Immortal is not a plan, it’s a horror movie.”

Sota pointed at her, then at me, like I was already doomed, and I forced my shoulders down, trying to stop my body from shaking.

“So I’m your switch.”

Beatriz’s smile warmed, and it made me want to believe her, which sucked.

“You are my reason.”

Sota stepped closer to me, refusing to give up space.

“Bro, we should run, like, right now.”

My feet finally listened, then froze again, caught between fear and curiosity.

“I can’t, my legs are stupid.”

Beatriz lifted her hand, slow, giving me time to pull away.

Her fingers brushed my cheek, barely there, and warmth spread through my skin, and I froze, because that gentleness did not match the threat.

“You feel real.”

Beatriz’s smile turned soft, like she’d known me for centuries.

“I am real.”

Sota made a frustrated sound behind me, like he wanted to drag me.

“Okay, I’m done, we’re leaving.”

I forced myself to inhale, then step back, breaking the contact.

“Why me.”

Beatriz held my gaze like the world depended on it, because maybe it did.

“Because you looked up, even when the sky was empty.”

Sota tugged my sleeve, hard, snapping me out of the trance.

“Kaito, please.”

I nodded once, more to him than to myself.

“Beatriz, I don’t know you.”

Beatriz didn’t pull her hand away right away, and that felt possessive.

“You will.”

Sota pulled me down the path, and I let him, because I needed an anchor.

“Go, then.”

We reached the first intersection, and the traffic lights above us glowed again, like they remembered their job.

“She’s gonna follow, isn’t she.”

Sota’s voice came out small, and he hated that it did.

“I think she already has.”

I turned back, and Beatriz raised a hand in a small wave, calm and certain.

“Kaito.”

I realized that when she said my name, the lamps trembled like they were listening too.