Rebirth: The Awakening Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Asleep

Read chapter 1 of Rebirth: The Awakening by Lxpe on NovelPedia.

I never really knew what it meant to live until that morning. I was clicking the keys quickly, my eyes fixed on the screen. With every attack, my heart seemed to follow the game's rhythm, beating fast and full of expectation. The sound of explosions echoed through the dark room, and I could feel sweat running down my face as I faced the final boss of a game. "Just a little more and I'll win this... Just one more hit..." Then, the screen shook. The boss's health bar dropped to zero. The boss's final roar echoed in my headphones as its body turned into nothing but ashes. Victory. My body, which was tense before, relaxed in the same second. A wave of relief washed over me, and my muscles, still a bit stiff, collapsed into the chair. An involuntary smile formed on my face. Finally. The feeling of achievement filled my thoughts for a few moments, until the familiar sound of a click caught my attention: The digital clock was blinking on my desk... ...It was almost five in the morning. "Damn it! I can't believe I spent almost the whole night playing..." It was like they said. Time really flies when we're having fun, I thought, while the computer screen showed the end of the match. However, a sting of worry began to form in the back of my mind, slowly taking away the joy of victory I was feeling. I looked at the clock in the corner of the screen; it wouldn't be long before I had to get up for school. The relentless alarm was already set, and the feeling of guilt grew every second... I sighed deeply, feeling the weight of reality set in. There was no other choice. Reluctantly, I closed the game and turned off the computer, watching the monitor light slowly fade. Seeing that... it was as if the glow of my enthusiasm was also disappearing. I threw myself onto the bed, trying to find some comfort in the silence of the room. "Shit..." I grumbled in a low voice, pulling the blanket over my head. "I shouldn't have played so much... it's those two's fault for showing me this game." I tossed and turned a few times, trying to get comfortable, but the restlessness kept me awake. It was only after a while that tiredness began to weigh on my eyes, but it was already too late. The alarm would go off soon, and the sleep I had left would only be a brief break. It didn't take long before the sun began to rise. And soon, the alarm went off. With a groan, I dragged myself out of bed; every movement was a stupidly high effort. My muscles were heavy, as if the tiredness itself had become physical or something, pulling me back to bed with every step. Why do I do this to myself? I thought, with a frustrated half-smile, as I walked toward the bathroom, with the feeling of regret growing every second. Dang it. "Maybe I should have stopped playing earlier..." I muttered bitterly while putting on my school uniform. My eyes were burning, and every blink was a struggle against the urge to simply fall asleep. On the way to school, I met my two usual friends, Seiji and Rintarou. Soon we started walking together. "Ah, good morning, Seiji. Good morning, Rintarou," I greeted, trying to keep up with their pace despite my tired mind. "Good morning, Shin," Rintarou replied with his usual serenity, his face without much expression. He was rarely affected by our trivial conversations, but he always replied with attention. As usual, Seiji was already full of energy, moving with enthusiasm while talking excitedly about a new band he had discovered. His voice carried the usual cheerful tone, almost unable to hide the excitement. "Seriously, you guys need to listen! The singer has an amazing voice, and the guitar riffs? Unbelievable!" Seiji continued, almost without stopping to breathe. Rintarou, on the other hand, remained silent, walking by my side with his usual calm and introspective posture. He just nodded every now and then, probably more involved with his own thoughts than with Seiji's conversation. "Dude, you look terrible," Seiji said, laughing as he looked me up and