I woke up, the alarm bell was ringing beside me, reminding me that another morning had come and I felt my heart being clenched painfully by that thought. After turning it off I was about to turn back to sleep but then I remembered that my parents asked me to take out Noodle for a walk today. I sighed as I tried to figure out an excuse not to do it but nothing believable came to my mind.

I got up and looked out of the window, a dense fog was shrouding all of Neverspring boulevard.

'It's a really nice day, It's better if I go now.'

I thought.

I got myself ready and attached the leash to Noodle's collar. Then praised him as I petted him.

“Good doggy.”

Hearing me, Noodle happily wagged his tail, as his cuteness intensified a smile made its way up my face; I have always been weak against cuteness.

I recomposed myself and then we got out and started walking down the street.

As we strolled through the thick fog I felt reinvigorated, it was nice to go out for a walk once in a while, the last time I did it was probably weeks ago.

An old man passed us by going in the opposite direction, as we were crossing each other I felt his stare at me. I was feeling uncomfortable.

'What the hell is he looking at?'

I didn't raise my head and continued walking through Neverspring boulevard.

After some time we arrived at Hideaway park and I freed noodle, letting him run around in the park, there was no one except me and he knew he couldn't get too far from me so I knew he wouldn't give me in any trouble.

I used to come to this park when I was a child, it has always been a pretty empty park, it had just a circle of trees with a bench in the centre and nothing else. Few people came here but I liked it even more for that. Every time I wanted to play here, I had to persuade my only friend to come. I continued to come here even after I became a kid. Whenever I felt lonely or sad I would come here and spend some time sitting on the bench and sorting out my thoughts.

I didn't know if it was because I grew attached to it, but being inside the circle of trees gave off a feeling of safety and comfort. Sometimes I also came here at night to look at the moon, and on those nights, I felt like the moon was looking back at me and imagined it descending and talking to me.

Recently though, I came here only when I took Noodle out for a walk; so quite rarely since my parents usually did it. After seeing again this place I thought it would be nice to sit on the bench and think about my situation like I used to. So I did it.

Now I am 19 years old, I am an adult, high school is over and I have to choose my destiny. Since I was a child I always wanted to be a writer, a musician, or an artist of some kind. That was only until I realized the nature of the world though.

Art is like pearls cast on swine, no one cares about the right things, everyone runs around chasing pointlessness and art is the distraction that makes people don't think about it. If I were to become an artist I might find some happiness and satisfaction. If I were to do something beautiful I am sure someone would recognize it. I know that but...... right now I don't care at all about happiness and satisfaction, right now I want power. Power to change things, to make them better, and to do it on my own, you can't trust other people with things this important. It seems quite hypocritical since power is the exact useless thing I hate, no, it is hypocritical, but in these cases, you have to fight fire with fire.

Because of that, this summer, I decided to attend an economy and management course at university instead of one related to art. I didn't like that course, but I had to do it.

I recalled the first time I saw with clear eyes this world's nature. From then, the more the days went by, the more I felt this world was mad. I felt a shiver go down my spine, I felt my heart being clasped by terror and started feeling cold sweat on me. But I wouldn't let fear stop me. I closed my eyes, clenched my teeth, and brought up all the rage and hatred inside me. I concentrated on that feeling and suppressed my fear. As I managed to do that confidence returned to me stronger than before and I promised myself that I would not yield against any obstacle. I felt excitement taking over my head and started laughing out loud while imagining all the power and things I would obtain. Then thought:

'Ok, I'm acting like a third-class anime villain, I should learn to control myself, I am an adult now after all.'

Suddenly my phone started ringing after I looked who it was I thought:

'Talking about characters, it seems our hero protagonist decided to call me after all this time; he probably wants my help for helping someone he just met again.'

I picked up the phone and heard Mark say:

“Hey David I'm Mark, it's been a while since we last saw each other, isn't it? How are you?”

I replied:

“I'm fine, and you? Still running around solving people's problems?”

“Hahaha well, kind of. Actually, I need your help with something, where are you?”

“I'm at Hideaway park with Noodle, but what do you need me for?”

'I have the feeling that something troublesome is coming my way at full speed.'

“Hideaway park uh, that bring back some memories, remember when we used to go play there? You were so insistent on going there.”

'He's trying to change argument. It's something troublesome, it's definitely something very troublesome.'

“Yes I recall but....... what do you want me for?”

“Hahaha just drop Noodle off at home and wait for us....me, I meant to wait for me. Hahaha.”

'Us? Oh fuck, I think I know where this is going.'

“I've got something to do”

“I called your parents earlier, I know you're free hahaha.”

'Are you a stalker now? And what the hell are you laughing for?'

“Aaaaah ok I got it, I won't get away from this, won't I? I'll wait for you.”

“Splendid, see you later then.”

He ended the call.

I returned home while sighing continuously, left Noodle in the house, and started waiting outside the door. Soon I could see a boy and a girl coming toward me. The boy was none other than Mark, a wannabe hero, and my childhood friend; while the girl was someone I really didn't want to see right now, no, actually I didn't want to see her at all.

“Hi there Sophie, fancy seeing you here.”

I said.

“H-hi David.”

She replied while looking down.

“Well then, now that we are all here let's go somewhere nice.”

Mark said.

Then we started to walk toward the centre, I didn't talk, I hadn't anything I wanted to say anyway; in the meanwhile, Mark and Sophie talked all the time.

'She probably came just because she is aiming at him.'

I thought.

'Anyway, it isn't my business anymore.'

It was quite strange, even if the girl I used to love was flirting with another man I wasn't feeling bad about it at all.

'Guess it's just how I am now.'

I felt relieved about that. That idiot wasn't noticing it at all though, he was so dense.

'He is good-hearted, well looking and even if he always has been popular with a lot of girls he never noticed until I told him. The only thing he needed to become a full-fledged fantasy anime protagonist was a meeting with mister isekai truck.'

That would probably make me the edgy rival that at a certain point become his companion.

'Oh man, I would hate to be this guy's sidekick.'

After a while Mark seemed to remember I was there too and tried to involve me in the conversation, I didn't feel like it though so I didn't let him.

Then we arrived in a cafe, sat down, and ordered some coffee. A couple of minutes passed by as our coffees arrived, and I noticed that Sophie started to seem nervous.

'I guess our hero is about to make his move.'

“Hahaha, I need to go to the toilet, please excuse me for a while.”

'Here it is.'

After Mark got up, we remained silent for a while, the situation was quite embarrassing. Sophie seemed to be hesitating to say something, so, since she looked a little pitiful, I decided to help her.

“Look, I know you are here just because Mark asked you, you don't have to hide it, just say what you want to say and let's get over this quickly.” she seemed a little offset as I said this.

“It's true I came here because of him, but I-I really want to clear things up.”

She said.

“I know that, I just said you wouldn't be here if not for him. But don't misunderstand me, I don't care about it.”

I replied with a neutral voice, I wanted her to understand I had already gotten over it.

“You...... don't care about it?”

“Exactly.”

“You really have changed.”

“Did Mark tell you this?”

“Yes.”

“Well....... it's true.”

I said as I smiled. Sophie seemed a little uncomfortable.

“Now you can text Mark to come back.”

I said.

“W-wait even if you don't care..... I want to apologize and I want to unders-

“Stop.”

I interrupted her speech.

This was starting to irritate me, this matter once seemed like my everything. But now it felt insignificant. I lost months and a lot of mental energy worrying over her, I can't forgive myself for that; to lose more time for a bunch of useless apologies felt like a complete waste. It was really irritating.

“I already said I got over it, didn't I? There's no need for anything else.”

“So you want to close up things like this? Without hearing my apologies and without telling me why you acted how you did?.”

“Exactly. You can text Mark to come back.”

“O-ok, if that's what you want.”

As soon as she sent the text Mark came back saying:

“Oh man, the queue for the toilet was so long hahaha.”

'Wait, do this idiot think I wouldn't notice it was an excuse?'

Then Sophie got up and said:

“I need to go to the toilet, excuse me.”

'This is probably so he can freely ask me how it went.'

I thought as Sophie made her way to the toilet.

“Sorry for being away for so long, d-did she by chance tell you something important? Hahaha.”

“Yes, she apologized for what she did and I accepted her apology. Anyway, thank you for making her do it.”

“You're welco...... I-I mean hahaha I wonder what are you talking about....”

'Is he still trying to hide it!?'

“Mark, do you think I don't know you? I know you love to do this kind of thing, and besides that, do you know you tend to laugh when you are nervous? You have been laughing continuously since you called me. It's quite irritating you know?”

Mark seemed a little dejected after I said that.

“Aaaaw I knew it would be hard to hide it from you David. Anyway, it's not like I made her do it, I just gave her the place and time to do it.”

“Man, she's been flirting with you the whole time, she came here just for you.”

“What? Are you serious?....... I'm sorry about that, I didn't think it would end up like this; but anyway we can't be sure she wouldn't have come if not for that.”

“I know because I asked her.”

“You asked her?”

“Yes.”

“You....... don't seem to mind it though.”

“Because I don't.”

“..........”

“..........”

For a few moments, we remained silent, not knowing what to say. Mark seemed a little displeased. He then started to speak again.

“Then why have you been avoiding me since then, no, not just me, why have you been avoiding everyone for all these months? I thought it was for how things have gone with her, but then why?”

“....... It's not like I wanted to avoid you, it's just that I had a lot of things I had to think about. You know, like my future and everything.”

“Yea I see that, but you don't even feel like the same person anymore. I-I mean, you seem so distant, I get that you changed and that's fine, but it's not normal to be so insensitive. It's also not like you used to be. I am worried about you, you know? I am still your friend, you know?”

Silence fell between us, I didn't know what to say. My heart started beating faster and I felt sweat all over my body, I felt like I was losing composure. I wanted to say something to cut it short but I couldn't focus on an answer. I could have opened myself to him but I didn't think he would have understood me, and actually, I didn't feel like it either. Not knowing what to say I replied instinctively.

“And the best thing you came up with was to have her apologize? Even if she was the problem an apology would have changed nothing, do you think we are still children? Anyway I am like that now, and that's because I choose it, so deal with it.”

As the words came out of my mouth they seemed harsh even to me, I didn't want to start an argument.

Mark at first seemed taken aback, then he smiled sadly and said meekly:

”haha, it seems I screwed up again. I knew it was impossible for me to understand you, but, you know, at least I tried. I didn't want to make you change, I just wanted to see if you were fine. Sorry for upsetting you, at least I'm happy I managed to see you. Now let's go back and forget this ever happened. ”

'Damn.'

Now because of me, he seemed quite sad, I felt bad at seeing him like that. I didn't want to hurt him, the words just came out of my mouth on their own. The memories of our time together came to my mind. He was an idiot, but he was a good-hearted idiot, he had ideals and always stayed loyal to them. The thought that someone like him suffering because I was impulsive made me ashamed of myself. I decided to force myself a little.

“I-I appreciate it.”

I felt my voice tremble as I said it.

'Damn this is embarrassing.'

Mark seemed surprised.

“S-sorry?”

He stuttered.

“I said I appreciate it, you idiot.”

I said with my usual voice.

“........”

“........”

He seemed taken aback for a few moments, then he opened his mouth again.

“Hahahaha.”

This time he didn't seem to be laughing at the tension.

He then continued to talk.

“Well, it seems you haven't changed completely after all. Anyway if you have chosen to become a tsundere you have my blessing.”

'This ungrateful bastard.....'

“Man, I think you should worry more about yourself because if you're trying to become funny you still have a long way to go.”

“Yea yea, sorry. Look, Sophie just came back, let's head out.”

We then got up, paid, and headed back. This time I was ahead while the other two were chatting behind me. Our houses were in the same area so I had to be with these two for some more.

The previous exchange left me pretty tired, now I wanted to get back home and chill out for a while.

In the meanwhile, while walking I felt a strange feeling.

I felt.........light.

'I guess it's fine to be like that once in a while.'

As these thoughts passed in my mind I heard some noises coming from my left, I turned my head and saw a large group of boys and girls in an alley, they probably were a couple of years younger than us and were surrounding a boy. He was on the ground with his nose bleeding and an eye swelled, he probably was beaten just now.

I stopped. The feeling of lightness I was feeling until now suddenly disappeared.

'I mustn't forget though.'

I felt my heartbeat accelerating as rage filled me.

'Humans are trash.'

I started imaging dozens of ways to make them pay.

'And if you want to make them change, you need power. And to obtain it......'

I gritted my teeth.

'You need to be the most despicable human of them all.'

I resumed walking.

'It's still too early for taking action.'

“Stop right there! What do you think you're doing?”

'Ah shit, I forgot I was with him.'

Our lovely hero didn't seem to agree with my thoughts.

After screaming to them Mark hurried on to the injured boy but was stopped by one of them.

I sighed deeply and then got my phone out to call the police, then a guy, that until now was in the back chatting with a girl readily grabbed the boy by the hair and said:

”Hey, you with the phone, put it down or I'm gonna kill this faggot.”

I continued, unperturbed. Then another boy got in front of me and pointed a pocket knife at me, he was about to say something, but I didn't give him time to.

I grabbed the hand holding the knife and pulled it beside me, making him stumble toward me and then headbutted him with all my strength. Taken by surprise, he fell and let go of the knife. I swiftly took it and thought:

'This can actually turn out to be funny, hurting that guy was quite fulfilling.'

I then looked around: Mark was fighting one against three, he seemed to be holding his ground though; Sophie was panicking, not knowing what to do; the guy I hit was getting back on his feet and the other two on my right seemed ready to come at me.

'Shit, this might turn very sour if I don't end this now.'

I didn't have the leeway to call the police but I noticed an opportunity, right behind the guy holding the boy. I put my phone back in my pocket and run toward my chance ignoring everything else, then I reached her, grabbed her from behind and pointed the knife to her throat. I looked at the guy holding the boy, the same that sooner was chatting with the girl I was holding, and said:

“Now, there's no need for anyone to get hurt, let us and that boy go and your girlfriend won't have to suffer.”

He glared at me, taken aback, and said:

“You fucker, let her go right now or I'm gonna kill you too.”

'This idiot isn't even capable of making a realistic threat, guess I have to show him.'

I stabbed the girl in the butt.

“AAAAAAAAAH.”

The girl screamed, probably because of the scare. I actually just poked her but since I did it on the back they couldn't know, there was a bit of blood on the tip though so maybe I overdid it a little.

“H-have you gone mad!?”

“Are you crazy!?”

“David what are you doing!?”

'That's some nice reactions but why are you in it too? I'm trying to get us out of the mess you made, you know?'

The one holding the boy seemed much more insecure now.

“You know what you have to do.”

I said.

He then let go of the boy that rapidly hid behind Mark.

Finally, this situation seemed to have reached an ending, I started walking toward the entrance of the alley, still holding the girl.

But as I was walking I noticed something on the ground, some shining blue lines were forming a strange shape, I looked around and noticed they were forming a circle with symbols on its inside, it reminded me of a magical circle from some shady cult or a summoning circle from an isekai.

'It can't be, right? Don't tell me mister isekai truck came for us in the form of a circle. Is this Mark's fault?'

as I was thinking this half-joking, the circle suddenly flashed and light enveloped me.

--extra--

Excerpt from the " About Earth" by Ren The Timebender, Heian Kingdom, Eastern League, year 895 a. t.

Isekai: By studying the diary of Shinichi Bunkanohito, the glorious founder of our kingdom, I came across this word many times. It seemingly was a genre of prophetic texts, predicting the summoning of heroes from Earth to our world. It is truly extraordinary that so many people on earth possessed prophetic abilities, they didn't seem too accurate though, since, until now, no Isekai was accurate enough to predict a real hero or our world's magic system precisely. Most of the Isekai's magic systems are heavily relying on numbers and abilities in a much more parametric way compared to our world.

Many Isekai began thanks to the help of Truck-kun, a seemingly sentient magic tool capable to teleport heroes to other worlds by hitting them. On our case, heroes come to our world thanks to a summoning spell, but since some scholars carelessly started to call that spell Truck-kun, now that summoning spell is known as Truck-kun by the populace.

Tsundere: It seemingly was the favorite type of anime girl of our founder, this type of girl usually hide her love for the main character behind a fierce facade, but eventually rewarded the protagonist's resilience to her punches and insults with pure love. As you all know, now it is also the title assigned to only the most worthy Waifu or Husbando of Heian, to celebrate their dedication to our kingdom.