Chapter 1

Nice to meet you.

My name is Wato Akira.

I am a 20-year-old third-year university student.

I am currently traveling abroad during my summer break from university.

I had worked extra hours and days to save up money for this trip.

Travel is wonderful.

By traveling, you can experience landscapes, people, and cultures that you cannot see in Japan. The more you experience such extraordinary things, the more it broadens your perspective. Travel gives you time to reflect on yourself, deepens your thoughts, and makes you stronger.

I still remember the excitement of being taken to a foreign country by my parents when I was in elementary school.

Unfortunately, I was really bad at foreign languages like English, but I decided to believe my friend who said, "It will be fine!"

Still, I studied English a bit, but my heart was full of anxiety. Is my pronunciation correct? Is this way of speaking okay?

In an unfamiliar place with no acquaintances, I walked around with a basic English conversation notebook and a map in hand.

Somehow, I managed to check into a hotel before sunset.

Feeling a light excitement at the different architecture from Japan, I rolled onto the bed.

"Phew, I'm so tired. I didn't think just getting to the hotel would be this tiring."

I collapsed and fell asleep.

"Ah!"

When I woke up, it was already past 8 PM. According to the guidebook, this hotel is cheap, but the food is not very good.

That's right, I chose this place thinking that since I'm in a foreign country, I could go out to eat.

Fortunately, the guidebook mentions that there are good restaurants in the area, so I prepared my belongings and went out.

Using my clumsy English, I asked the hotel staff to recommend a restaurant from the guidebook.

Apparently, this restaurant is in a hard-to-find location, but the food is very delicious and they have signature dishes.

I listened to the person's explanation several times before heading to the restaurant.

The surroundings were dark, with only streetlights and the lights from the shops. The buildings were completely different from those in Japan. The windows, doors, plants, and the streets were all different. Moreover, tall black and white people were walking around in various outfits. I was moved by the scene as I walked with my notes in hand.

I followed the directions written by the hotel staff. I climbed the stairs and turned the corner. As the number of people decreased, I became anxious, but I had been told this in advance, so I continued to believe and move forward.

Then I saw a restaurant with the same photo as in the guidebook. The notes from the hotel staff and the sign matched.

"Really, the guidebook should have been more detailed. I wouldn't have made it without the notes."

I immediately entered the restaurant, full of anticipation.

× × ×

"Ugh, I drank too much."

In the middle of the night, I managed to walk down the street, trying to suppress my nausea.

I had ordered a lot of food, but the drinks and dishes were so delicious that I ended up eating too much.

But it was delicious, and the atmosphere was great. Other foreign customers also talked to me casually.

I thought, "I'll come again," and started walking slowly.

On the way back, I saw two well-built men walking side by side in a narrow alley.

The skinhead's walk was particularly dejected, looking down and exuding a sad aura. I could hear the other man trying to encourage the dejected skinhead.

Something must have happened to make him so down.

Although I didn't know them, their sad aura was so strong that I decided to encourage the man.

"Fight!"

I ran up next to the man and made a fist, saying, "Fight!"

At that moment, the skinhead turned around, his face filled with anger, and punched me.

Why!?

I was hit directly in the face by the skinhead's punch and flew backward.

My thin build made me fly like a toy, and in the end, I hit my head hard on something hard.

At that moment, I felt as if something important was being taken out of my body, and my vision began to darken.

Huh? ... Did I get punched? Why?

I couldn't process the sudden event.

Ah, I can't get up, and it's cold.

Then I couldn't even think anymore.