Chapter 0: Prologue

P.S. The protagonist's name will be Kaito Akai (Like Kaito Kid - because he's a thief too - and Akai because red is the predominant color in this game.)

'The only way to deal with an unfree world

is to become so absolutely free

that your very existence is an act of rebellion'

(by Albert Camus)

I was happy.

When they asked me to come here in Tokyo I immediately accepted their offer. They gave me the possibility to go study in a private school in the capital - that I always wanted to visit - I could make new friends and my life could have changed.

Why all this happened?

Late afternoon, 6 April.

I'm walking down the street as if I had no place where to go. Summer vacations are almost over but this hot weather still suffocates me. To free myself from this feeling I decide to go to the beach and relax there some more time before going home. I'm not in a hurry so from time to time I stop to look at the sun that is warming up my cold skin and then I put my left arm on my forehead to partially cover my eyes. "I'm sweating" I think annoyed because I don't like this weather at all. After some minutes I find myself near the sand and I choose the blue deck chair which has a beach umbrella too.

This city is famous for its beach because it's clean and calm, the dark sand is the only thing you can find on the ground and the water's color is always of a deep and intense blue that shines from afar. It's still early so I lie down on the chair and I fall asleep cuddled by a light wind.

"Kaito! You promised you would come home by seven today! Your father and I were so worried!" A sweet but irritated voice wakes me from my dreams and as soon as I open my black eyes, I see a woman with long and dark hair with raven irises. She approaches me and when I recognize her I quickly raise my head to look right in that lady's eyes.

"Mom, why are you here? What time is it?" Yup, that's my mother. It seems like because of my nap I've lost track of time and my parents, clearly, got worried. The sky is darker than before but I can't see any star up there so it shouldn't be so late. I shake my head to scold myself but then a question pops up in my mind. How does she know I'm here?

"How did you know I'm here?" I don't know how they do but mothers always know everything about anything. How do they do that?

"What are you saying? Moms know everything" I sigh because I've seen that coming. I hoped she would tell me the truth but she just said that. I didn't think she was going to say something else. "In this period of time you came here all alone, didn't you? Your father saw you here yesterday. That's the reason why I knew where to look for you." Surprised by her words I stay mute and wait for her to continue her speech. "Is there something wrong? You can talk to me." I'm sorry, I made her worry about me. She is always so busy and she has many responsibilities too. I didn't want to become a burden to her.

I like the beach because the sun is beautiful when it sets. Somehow watching it every day like this, gives me hope. Hope for a new life without these chains which are tying me up. Each one of us has many responsibilities and the world has too many rules. Will I be able to take off the mask I wear everyday? What will I do if I can't do that anymore?

All these questions swirl in my mind when I look at the pink and orange sky at the beach. There's no better place to think than this.

"Don't worry, everything' s okay. I just relax this way." I get up from the deck chair and I take my mother's hand while smiling to reassure her. She smiles me back and we go home together.

"We're back" Mum shouts to make my dad know that we're arrived. When he hears her voice he go out of the kitchen and greets us near the stairs.

"Here you are! Kaito, I have something to tell you. Come with me" What has happened? Should I worry about this? I don't know what to do or what to expect so I follow my dad in the kitchen and all the three of us sit down on the black chair we recently bought.

"Listen to me Kaito, you have good grades at school so I'm going to give you an opportunity. I enrolled you at Shujin High School, that private school in Tokyo you always talk about, and one of my friends who live there accepted to let you live at his place. What do you think?"

Today was full of surprises but this…I don't know what to say! I'm so happy I can't even talk or imagine what face I put now. I don't care about that though because that's my family and I'll never be able to thank them enough for this wonderful gift. I let my smile grow wider and I answer "Of course I agree! Thank you" After this there's a family hug that is also a goodbye before my depart.

"Your mother put your ticket in you jacket and prepared your luggages. The train should be here at 9:00 PM so in…" He checks his wrist watch and suddenly he winces. "Oh god! The train is going to arrive in 10 minutes! Let's go, the car is over there, I'll accompany you." We're late so we run outside and get in the car as quickly as we can. The car is not really fast however my dad menages to make it go incredibly fast. Luckily we arrive in time.

The train is about to stop, in the meanwhile I say goodbye to my family one last time.

"See you, mom, dad. I'll write you down as soon as I can so don't worry about me, ok?" I try to calm them down with this promise and my dad caress my head as if I was a child making my curled hair even messier.

"I have big hopes for you, my son. Do your best" These words are making me both happy and disturbed because I'm happy that my parents trust me however is like he gave me one more baggage heavier than I am.

I smile to them then I run in the train and I shake my hand when the gates are closing. From the window I can still see them smile back at me and when the train finally departs I start to look for a seat. I find a free seat near the window but before sitting I put my bag in the luggage rack.

When I look outside I see that everything is moving faster and with the train my thoughts are running too. I have many questions, I know, but for now I'd like to have the answer just to this one.

'Will I be able to break my chains?'