The stadium roared with the sound of thousands of voices, and the piercing floodlights focused all their intensity on the ring, casting "Haruka" as the sole figure in a brilliant spotlight. The sixteen-year-old girl, with her silky black hair and sharp, green eyes, stood in the center, a confident smile playing on her lips. This was the moment she had dedicated her life to training for: the final match of the Olympic Martial Arts Championship, in the 60 kg category.
Her opponent across the ring locked eyes with her, a sharp, challenging glare designed to rattle her confidence. The referee stepped in, raised his hand high, and then shouted:
« Begin ! »
The instant the signal was given, her opponent lunged forward, moving like a strike of lightning. Haruka evaded the attack with agile grace, feeling the rush of air from the near-miss punches brush past her cheek. She countered immediately with a swift, sharp roundhouse kick to the ribs, the impact echoing throughout the entire stadium.
The opponent staggered backward but quickly regained her balance, responding with a desperate flurry of punches. With the fluid precision of a dancer, Haruka slipped and dodged every blow, her movements smooth and calculated. In a dazzling display, she spun through the air, delivering a powerful spinning punch that sent her opponent careening toward the edge of the ring.
She wasn't finished yet, pressing her advantage without hesitation. Haruka exhaled sharply; it was time to end this. She ducked expertly under an incoming strike, planted her foot firmly on the canvas, and unleashed a devastating, rising uppercut. Her opponent's entire body lifted off the ground before crashing down, motionless and defeated.
The stadium erupted in explosive cheers.
« The winner of the final match, and Olympic gold medalist—Haruka ! »
Haruka stood victorious, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she caught her breath, adrenaline still coursing through her. She raised her arms proudly as the heavy gold medal was placed around her neck, its surface glittering brilliantly beneath the intense lights. But as she turned toward the massive audience, her eyes searching for a single, familiar face…
Her father wasn't there.
She swallowed hard, a sudden lump forming in her throat, and tightened her grip on the medal. Deep down, she had known… he wouldn't come.
After the match, she retreated to the locker room to change. Waiting there was a woman dressed in a formal black suit, holding fresh towels. The woman spoke calmly, with professional detachment:
« You did very well, miss. »
Haruka took one of the towels and asked quietly, her voice barely a whisper:
« He didn't come again, did he ? »
The woman simply nodded:
« Yes. He had an important meeting today, so he sent me instead. »
Haruka sat down heavily on a bench, draping the towel over her head to hide her face, and began scrolling through her phone, her tone turning flat:
« Fine. It's not like I was expecting anything from him anyway. »
As she scrolled aimlessly through social media, a video appeared explaining the physics of how to reduce the impact of falling from the sky if a parachute fails. Haruka scoffed softly to herself:
« What use would that information ever be to me ? »
She looked up at the woman, her patience thinning:
« Are you still here ? You can leave now. »
The woman hesitated for a moment, then added:
« My master sent me to inform you that your engagement ceremony has been completed. You are to meet your fiancé tomorrow. »
Haruka replied indifferently, her expression completely numb:
« Alright. Just go. »
After the door closed, leaving her in silence, Haruka sighed, slapped both of her cheeks with her palms to snap herself out of it, and forced a faint, practiced smile:
« So… should I go home, or maybe go shopping ? »
A moment of absolute silence passed in the empty room.
Then, her stomach growled.
She laughed lightly, a genuine sound of relief:
« I guess I should eat first. »
Some time later, she exited a local restaurant with a bag of food in hand, waving a casual goodbye to the shop owner:
« Thanks for the meal. I'll come again. »
On the street, she hailed a taxi. The city lights blurred past the window like glowing streaks in the night, the gold medal around her neck shining softly in the dim light. While riding, something outside caught her eye in a dark alley.
Three large dogs, their teeth bared and growling viciously, had surrounded a small black cat with glowing red eyes.
« Stop the car ! » she shouted with sudden urgency.
The driver slammed the brakes, and the taxi screeched to a halt. Haruka jumped out and ran toward the alley. The cat was hissing, its fur standing on end in pure terror, but the dogs were creeping closer, ready to pounce. Without a second thought, Haruka slammed her foot into the concrete pavement, producing a sharp, cracking sound that resonated in the narrow space. The dogs froze in place.
« Get away from it ! » she commanded with stern authority.
The largest of the dogs leapt toward her, jaws snapped. She spun quickly, a blur of motion, grabbed a discarded wooden stick from the ground, and swung it like a staff. The dog yelped in pain and backed away, its confidence shattered. As the leader retreated, the others quickly followed, disappearing into the maze of the alley.
Haruka knelt down on the pavement and reached out gently toward the trembling cat:
« Are you okay ? »
The cat looked up at her, locking gaze with deep green eyes. There was something… unnaturally intelligent about it. She shook her head quickly, dismissing the ridiculous thought, and noticed small wounds covering its body:
« You're hurt and covered in dirt. »
She picked it up carefully and placed it inside the waiting taxi:
« I'll take you with me. »
When they arrived at her apartment building, the cat suddenly jumped from her arms, snatching the gold medal from around her neck with impossible speed, and leaped toward the rooftop access.
Her eyes widened in disbelief:
« Did it just steal my medal ?! Give it back ! »
Haruka scrambled up the stairs and burst onto the rooftop after it. The cat was sitting calmly by the edge, the medal dangling casually from its mouth. She approached slowly, holding out her hand:
« Come on… I worked so hard for that. »
The cat turned its head stubbornly. She frowned, a bizarre thought striking her:
« Wait… did you understand what I just said ? »
She shook her head quickly again:
« No, that's ridiculous. »
She took one more confident step forward—
Her foot slipped on the smooth edge.
Her heart froze as the solid rooftop vanished from beneath her.
« Haaah ! Am I… falling ?! »
The twenty-second floor—
If I fall, I'll definitely die !
She opened her eyes slightly against the rushing wind… and saw the cat smiling, murmuring strange, unearthly words.
The wind roared around her, her stomach twisting in agonizing terror:
« I'm going to die ! Is this really the end ?! I don't want to die ! I don't want to ! »
Suddenly—
The air around her changed.
It felt… denser. Stronger.
She opened her eyes wide…
And froze in sheer disbelief.
She was no longer falling from the rooftop.
She was falling from the sky.
To be continued…