My name is Alex, and I never asked to be a hero. In fact, I had absolutely no intention of getting involved in all this madness.
It all started like any other day at school. Well, except for the part where my friends and I were suddenly "summoned" to another world, as if we were in a role-playing game or something. Honestly, I couldn't care less. Saving a world in crisis? No, thank you. I just wanted to go back to my normal life: my room, my video games, and a world without talk about "epic quests," "mystical powers," or whatever heroes are supposed to face. But, of course, life doesn't work that way, does it?
My plan was simple: stay with my friends, keep a low profile, and hope it all blew over quickly. That was the plan, at least. But that was the first time I realized my plans always took me to the wrong place.
When we arrived in this new world, we were greeted by a figure who was clearly the "queen" of the kingdom. Apparently, our mission was to save her kingdom from destruction, or something like that. Honestly, I wasn't paying attention; I was more focused on figuring out how to get something to eat, because hunger doesn't just disappear because you've been "invited" to save a world.
What surprised me was how easy it was for me to stay unnoticed. While my friends stepped forward with passionate speeches about saving the world, I stayed back, in the shadows, as always. Drawing attention wasn't my thing, and neither was getting involved. But my best friend, Emi, didn't see it that way. She was always the type of person to jump in headfirst, ready to face any challenge without worrying about the consequences.
"Alex, come on!" Emi shouted, dragging me down the street. "They're waiting for us! This is our chance to do something amazing!"
I rubbed my head and sighed.
"Do I really have to go, Emi? I told you, I'm not the hero of this story. I'm the guy who watches from the sidelines."
But Emi didn't listen—or maybe she chose not to. For her, it was unthinkable that I'd stay behind. She always dragged me into the middle of everything, while I preferred the comfort of staying in the background.
At first, I tried to blend in with the crowd, but, as always, Emi found me. And, of course, every time things got complicated, I somehow ended up right in the middle of the chaos. If anyone was going to be dragged into trouble, it was Emi, and I, for some reason, could never refuse to help her.
Take today for example. We were facing some kind of "shadow demon," an otherworldly creature that was ravaging a nearby town. Everyone else was fighting, with Emi at the forefront, unleashing her magic without hesitation. I was in the back, doing nothing remarkable, just waiting for it all to be over soon.
"Alex, cover me!" Emi yelled in the middle of the chaos, as if there were no other option. "Don't let it get close!"
I didn't even have powers. I wasn't anyone special. Just a normal guy who, for some reason, always ended up in the middle of disasters. But, of course, my best friend believed in me. And, for a strange reason, I could never say no to her.
So I did what I always do, even though I hated standing out. I discreetly aimed towards Emi and activated my ability. I might not be a hero, but my power was something simple yet valuable: I could boost those around me. Nothing flashy or impressive, but it gave Emi a small edge. Without her noticing, her body moved with more agility, her magic shone brighter, and her reflexes were quicker.
Emi didn't notice a thing, but the creature did. Its attack completely missed, giving her the chance to unleash a decisive spell that weakened it. It was a victory, but no one knew I'd given that little nudge.
When the battle was over, Emi thanked me as if she'd done it all. I just nodded, glad it was over and that no one had dragged me into the spotlight. But deep down, I knew that what had started as a simple mission was going to last longer than I thought, and that I'd inevitably be dragged into more trouble. But, as always, from the shadows.
"Alex, that was incredible!" Emi said, flashing me a radiant smile. "Did you see that? We actually saved the town!"
I just gave her a faint smile back, a look only she could understand, and averted my gaze. I knew this wasn't over. I knew Emi would keep dragging me into new adventures, no matter how much I tried to avoid the spotlight.
And that's how it always is. I'm just the guy who doesn't want to be the protagonist... but who, somehow, always ends up helping. From the shadows.
---
As we walked toward the next town, Emi looked at me with a knowing smile.
"You know, Alex? I have a feeling this journey is going to be a lot more interesting than I thought."
I sighed. Of course she thought that. But deep down, I knew things were only going to get worse.