I was aware I was sleeping. My hands seemed to have six or seven fingers every time I looked at them, I could breathe through my nose, and my environment changed every time I looked around. At the time, I didn't know where I was. I didn't know how it happened either. I was just having a dream when suddenly my mind gained clarity.

I was in a room. Not very big, at least the size of my own bedroom. It was naturally bright without any windows like I had night vision. I could thank my brain for not letting me be scared on my own head. Everything was made of concrete. Except, of course, the chair I was currently sitting on. It was then when I started hearing a faint ticking sound. Someone was tapping a crystal window or maybe some durable plastic with a metal of some kind. I listened very carefully. My head was trying desperately to remember the sound, trying to check all the catalog of recorded sounds I had in my head.

I felt myself gliding around the room, trying to find the source of the sound, but it just got weaker and weaker. As if it knew I was looking for it. It didn't cross my mind that I could probably control my own dream, that I could probably stop the sound and change this gray room. I just knew this wasn't real.

I turned around. I saw someone else sitting on the chair, and I knew it wasn't me. I recognised him immediately. I could be dreaming, but my mind still remembered that your dreams are composed of memories. And this person was…

Everything turned orange. The light seeping through my room's curtains woke me up before my alarm did. By alarm, I am referring to my sister, who regularly woke me up before I even realized. This didn't tend to happen, so it was normal for me to be selfish and try to get as much sleep as I could. It hadn't been that long since the second year started, and my body was still sluggishly adapting to waking up early again. Having weird dreams didn't help either.

It wasn't that long before my sister rushed in and woke me up as rough as possible. I wasn't in any way to do anything about it, so I robotically followed my routine: Washing my teeth, having breakfast, making sure that I didn't look completely dead, and, of course, putting up my school uniform.

Before I even realized, I was already riding my bicycle without the necessary coordination to not appear drunk. But at the very least, it was that what completely woke me up.

With a year of experience doing this ride to North High, I was confident I could do it with my eyes closed, but even then, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I forgot something. Did I leave something at home?

After an uneventful ride and leaving my bike secured, I stumbled across two familiar figures. The taller one was clearly Taniguchi, and besides him was Kunikida.

"Hey, hey, if it isn't Mr. K!" Taniguchi said as I slowly approached them.

"I have enough with one nickname." I mentioned as I greeted him.

"Yeah, yeah…! But you know, we gotta look forward and make new nicknames. I thought it would sound better if I said it out loud, but you have to admit Kyon is tough to beat!"

"You called me Mr. K as well..." Kunikida muttered before smiling again. "By the way, hello! You look more tired than usual." He continued.

"You noticed? I'm not sure why my body feels very sluggish today."

"Nervous about the test results?" Kunikida said and carried on. "Well, I'm not sure if this will help or hurt you, but we're not getting them today."

I wasn't particularly nervous until he mentioned it. But why should I be? It was just a mock exam, it's not like it's the end of the world. Still, I would feel better if I passed it.

"Ah, you simple-minded creatures." Taniguchi suddenly spoke with an arrogant grin. "Still thinking about exam results and such, while not focusing on what's really important at our age." He tapped his chest two times. "Having someone special to care about."

I scanned him for five long seconds before asking. "What's wrong with him?"

"Many things." Taniguchi's smug smile broke down as Kunikida giggled. "But I think it's because he had a date." He said while slowly getting some distance from him.

Taniguchi then started off rambling about how he had made the great leap forward or whatever, my brain stopped whatever information my ears were picking up. I wasn't jealous or anything. I was happy for him, but he gets too big for his boots when things like this happen.

Not too long after, or so I wanted to think, we entered our classroom. I sat down at my place and opened my bag. I stretched my body as I thought of what subject we had on Wednesdays, trying to squeeze the information out of my brain more easily. My body said it was maths, but my mind was pushing hard for physics.

"It's maths." I heard a familiar voice behind me saying. "So, you should probably put down the biology book you have in your hands."

I looked at my hand and noticed that I had indeed grabbed the wrong book. I must not have woken up entirely today.

"Yeah… Thanks for that, not sure what's going on with me today." I didn't turn around as the girl behind me giggled. "Have you been there since I arrived?" I asked.

"Yes, indeed. I kind of noticed since you didn't say anything to me." Without looking, I already knew she had a broad smile drawn on her face. "I really thought you were ignoring me." She said while covering her delighted expression.

"Right… Sorry about that. The sun woke me up, so maybe that messed up my internal clock." I pulled up my math book and looked at my peer.

"If anything, the sun should have fixed your internal clock. Maybe it's more related to the mock exam we had?" She said while cocking her head. "Last year, I helped you pull through the final exams, maybe you shouldn't have declined my help." There was no ill-meaning behind her words, just slight concern.

"It's the first one, and who knows? Maybe I've pulled up a miracle."

As I said those words, Okabe entered through the door and started his lesson.

After Okabe explained he didn't have any test results, my day didn't have much more of interest. I had lunch with Taniguchi and Kunikida, which to my dismay, meant hearing Taniguchi's rambling about love and friendship. This was not the first time it had happened. But I hoped this wouldn't be as long as last time; Winter vacations never felt so good after those last days with him.

When the bell rang for the last time, and classes were dismissed, I felt a feeble tug on my shoulder.

"So another day without the test results. You're getting pretty lucky."

"I guess but… Hey, what do you mean by lucky? I might have passed, you know." I protected myself as I put back my books into my bag.

"Are you going to let chance to save your scores?" I wasn't looking at her, but I could sense her patronizing smile. "I'm not going to force you into accepting my help, though. Just do what you think it's best."

"That's a strange way to coerce someone." I put my bag over my shoulder and looked at her.

She was still on her seat, resting her head on her left hand. Her demeanour had always been very calm and rational, some people even called her dismissive. Those traits were followed hand in hand with good grades, which was almost palpable. Why she joined this high school was beyond me.

"Fine, I admit defeat. Teach me, oh, great maths guru."

"You have to say the magic words." She teased me as she stood up with grace.

"This is for what happened last time, isn't it? I told you I didn't mean to."

She tilted her head before shrugging. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, yeah. Never happened." I sighed heavily and continued. "Alright, I'll say it. Can you please help me with maths, Sasaki?"

I heard a soft giggle coming out of her as she started walking out of the classroom without answering. It wouldn't be this first one she did that. But I didn't know how to respond to that, which was probably why she still did it. The murmurs of some girls looking at me brought me back to our reality.

"Are you coming?" Sasaki's head popped out of the doorframe, looking at me with a dubious expression.

I didn't answer as I followed her.

A few minutes after getting our bikes, Sasaki stopped berating me with my math problems. She obviously meant well, the fault laid with my somewhat stubborn head. She helped me last year as well, but I wanted to try for myself. Besides, these were just mock exams, nothing too serious.

There was still a long trip to the train station. I usually accompany her to the train station, a bit of a tradition we developed in middle school. I stopped having cram school, but she didn't. Even then, these trips felt too short. Sasaki's conversations were always… different. Sure, we usually talked of typical topics, whatever sprung up from our minds or any kind of school drama that had arisen. But there were other times. Like lightning, they flashed firmly but briefly and was quickly consumed by night. Whatever hopeful topic she brought up was also followed by her grim cynicism.

"Maybe I should stop bringing my own bike." She said while glancing at the tires. "They're getting pretty beaten up, and I don't even use it that much."

"That's pretty lazy of you. You want the same treatment of middle school?"

"Well, if it saves my decaying tires, I will gladly accept the offer."

"I was joking."

"I mean, those days were pretty nice. We went to cram school together, your grades were better… and I got a free bike ride." The hue in her smile shifted. "It would be better if we had a choice in the matter, no? I think that plots like this aren't exciting."

"What matter? Cram school?" My confusion wasn't very well hidden.

"I'm referring to this." She pointed to the ground. "This situation or I guess, this routine. You chose to not go to cram school. Your individual action changed the individual. Which means that by not going to cram school means you have changed my situation."

"That would mean that we do have a choice, no? I mean, I could choose to go to cram school. That would change your own routine."

"It's easy to say. But then why are you not doing it?" She didn't say it out spite. She isn't that kind of person. "Like I said, only individuals can change individuals. That also applies to yourself. Only you can change your own situation."

"To a point, I guess. But you know, that also costs money. Going to a cram school again tightens our budget. And if I get some part-time job, then I won't have time to study. It's a catch-22."

"That's true. Money has more power than an individual, at least to a point. I'm sure you wouldn't kill anyone for any amount of money, but some other people might. It has a strange collective power that affects people in different manners. It's like some kind of god that gets stronger depending on the number of zeros you say."

"I guess that's why some tribes on the Amazonas don't want any contact with the outside world. That god seems very frightening unless you have much of it."

"Money allows us to do some movements or not, so unless we have enough of it, we don't have all our cards to make a choice. That's why I think it's somewhat boring. We created money, and we ourselves decided that it would have such power. It's kind of terrifying in a way." Her eyes brightened as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Imagine if we all thought that monsters existed."

"I'm pretty sure it doesn't work like that. Lots of kids believe in Santa, and the fat guy hasn't come to our home so far."

"Obviously. Minds can't create matter. But money doesn't need to be physical to affect people, just like Santa doesn't need to be physical to give presents. And neither do monsters need to be physical to scare people." She removed her hand and looked at her clock.

"Have you read Lovecraft lately, or what's going on?" I retorted with an awkward chuckle. She gave a hearty laugh before getting on her bike.

"Not really, it's something that has been on my mind. It's just bizarre, you know? Imagine explaining the power some piece of paper has to some aliens. They would be freaked out!"

"Yeah, they would be! If they exist, that is."

"I was under the impression your friend got replaced by an alien, he seemed really out of place." Her pace suddenly hastened. "I need to be a bit faster, or I'll miss my train."

"Taniguchi has a girlfriend or something, don't ask me. I hoped you didn't bring him up... Since, you know..."

"Why's that? Don't you like my ramblings about love?" Her bike gained speed, and she looked back to send me a half-smile. "As much I would like to have a good chat about it, time's running out for me."

"Yeah, don't worry. See you tomorrow."

I waved my hand as I watched her ride away. I was about to go my own way when I saw her quickly do a 180-degree turn and head towards me again.

"Tomorrow I don't have cram school, so let's have a math session you won't forget. In your house, alright?" It was strange to see Sasaki forget something, but I quickly agreed.

As soon as I lost sight of her, I started to realise the business of the street. The faint smell of food made its way through my nose, making my mouth water at the thought of it. After hesitating a few seconds, I decided to go home. Interestingly enough, I couldn't turn my head around what Sasaki said or what she actually meant by it.

She spoke of the idea of "if everyone believes something, it becomes real." Sasaki was implying it throughout the whole conversation, and she wouldn't bring that up if it wasn't necessary. The timer ran out so perhaps tomorrow I could inquire more.

I tried to make sense of the conversation while riding my bike, but the trip was over too quickly. My neighborhood quietly came into view, as it always does. In the background, some gray clouds blotted the evening sun out, tainting the streets with a soft orange dim.

Coming back home reminded me of the weirded-out feeling that had come over myself this morning, which surprisingly Sasaki didn't point out. Perhaps she thought I was also scared of the test results, like Kunikida. There wasn't anything else that could explain it, since I didn't feel ill or anything like that. My subconscious probably wanted me to study more, which they provoked by cutting off the dopamine supplies.

Just as I was reaching my home, I noticed a tri-coloured cat standing in the middle of the street, looking at my direction. The lazy animal didn't even try to get out of the way as I was heading full speed. I hugged the wall, trying to avoid the cat without losing any momentum, after all, cats are always like that. Not caring at all for everything humans do. Except for the fact that it moved towards my right at the same time I moved.

I hit the brakes before anything worse happened.

"What's the matter with you?" I asked the cat, knowing full well it didn't understand me.

The calico cat looked at me as if inviting me to move it out of the way. Moments later, it climbed up the wall that separated the households with the street and stood there as it watched me. I almost expected it to talk and demand an apology for nearly crashing into it, but nothing like that happened. In the end, I am pretty sure cats don't speak.

I continued my way, this time on my feet, as I was close enough to my house to not care. The cat stalked me, only stopping when I turned around to stare at it. It wanted something, that's for sure.

Feeling a bit creeped out by my stalker, I quickly parked my bike and entered my house.

"I'm home!" I sat down in the genkan and started to remove my shoes as a high pitched voice welcomed me home.

My little sister came down the steps and hugged me without warning.

"Welcome back! How was your day?" This was my daily routine when coming back home, being greeted by my sister, and being asked the same questions.

"Good, I guess."

She quickly released me and grabbed my bag.

"Did you buy anything in the way here?" She asked while snooping around my bag.

"Hey, what are you doing? Don't rummage in other people's belongings!" I snatched back my school bag and stood up, having removed my shoes flimsily.

My sister pouted before answering back. "But I'm curious! I want to know what you're going to gift me…"

Her words slowly sank in my head as I tried to get a grip on the situation.

She's looking for a gift. For her. So that is what my head was trying to remind me of.

"I'm not going to let your birthday present be spoiled, you know. I already have it anyway." I hastily made up a lie and started to climb the staircase towards my room, with my sister firmly behind me.

"You did?! When?" Her curiosity kept nagging me, and so did her constant tugs of my clothing. "What is it? Is it a toy? A jewel? A treasure?!"

"What do you think I am, a pirate? I don't have enough money for that."

"Then what is it?!" As soon as she said that, I quickly sped up and closed the door into my room.

I heard my sister's complaints, but I ignored them as I plummeted into the bed.

As I did that, I remembered Sasaki's words.

"This world is not that interesting, huh… Maybe you're right." I said out loud.

In the end, I've always expected something to happen. But the only things that are happening is that the world is being polluted beyond repair, that highschool life is stable but boring, and that anything that would spice up this world is scientifically impossible. I guess the only good thing is that I have someone like Sasaki to talk to when something interesting happens.

"Everyone should believe that something good has to happen. Good grief…"

I incorporated myself and looked at my messy room.

"Maybe I should tidy this up before Sasaki comes."