The girl who stole tomorrow

Chapter One: The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow In the quiet town of Hoshikawa, everyone believed tomorrow was something that could never be seen. Everyone except seventeen-year-old Aira Kiyomi. Aira had a strange secret. Whenever she touched someone’s hand, she sometimes saw a tiny piece of their future. It wasn’t always clear. Sometimes she saw a person standing beneath a tree. Sometimes she saw a broken cup. Sometimes she saw a face she had never seen before. But there was one thing Aira had learned: The future could change. And that was exactly why she was afraid of her ability. One rainy afternoon, Aira was walking home from school when she noticed something strange. A boy stood alone beneath the old clock tower. He wore a dark school uniform, but she had never seen him before. His silver hair moved gently in the wind. And strangely… Everyone else seemed to walk straight through him. Aira stopped. “Who are you?” The boy slowly turned. His eyes were a strange shade of violet. “You can see me?” Aira frowned. “Of course I can.” The boy smiled sadly. “Then it’s already too late.” Before Aira could ask what he meant, the enormous clock above them suddenly stopped. 12:00. The rain froze in midair. Cars stopped. Birds stopped flying. Even the wind disappeared. The entire town became completely silent. The boy stepped toward Aira. “My name is Ren.” Aira stared at him. “Why did everything stop?” Ren looked toward the sky. “Because someone just stole tomorrow.” Aira’s heart skipped. “What does that even mean?” Ren pointed at her. “You’re the only person who can bring it back.” Aira laughed nervously. “You’ve got the wrong person.” Ren’s expression became serious. “No.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small golden watch. The moment Aira saw it, her head began to hurt. Images flashed through her mind. A burning city. A giant black moon. Ren standing alone in the middle of a ruined street. And herself… Standing beside him. Holding a sword she had never seen before. Aira stumbled backward. “What was that?” Ren’s face had gone pale. “You saw it.” “Saw what?” “Your future.” Suddenly, the clock began moving again. The rain crashed to the ground. People continued walking as if nothing had happened. But Ren was gone. Only the golden watch remained on the pavement. Aira picked it up. On its back were four words: DO NOT TRUST TOMORROW. And underneath them was her name. AIRA KIYOMI. She had never seen the watch before. So why had it been waiting for her? ⸻ Chapter Two: The Boy From the Future That night, Aira couldn’t sleep. The golden watch sat on her desk. It hadn’t moved once since she brought it home. At exactly midnight, however… Tick. Aira opened her eyes. Tick. She sat up. The watch began glowing. Then a voice whispered from behind her. “Aira.” She spun around. Ren stood beside the window. Aira nearly screamed. “How did you get into my room?!” “I didn’t.” “Then how—” “I’m not actually here.” Aira stared at him. Ren sighed. “I’m speaking to you from tomorrow.” Aira slowly sat down. “You’re saying you’re in the future?” “Yes.” “How far?” Ren looked away. “Three years.” Aira’s eyes widened. “Then why do you look seventeen?” “Because…” He hesitated. “I died at seventeen.” Silence filled the room. Aira didn’t know what to say. Ren continued. “In my future, Hoshikawa disappears.” “What?” “Everyone disappears. Families. Schools. Entire neighborhoods.” “Why?” “Because of something called the Eclipse King.” Aira looked at the golden watch. “Who’s that?” “We don’t know.” Ren’s voice became quieter. “But we know one thing.” “What?” “The Eclipse King is searching for you.” Aira shook her head. “Why me?” Ren stared directly at her. “Because you can see the future.” “Lots of people would want that.” “No.” He shook his head. “You don’t just see the future.” Aira felt a chill. “What do I do?” Ren whispered: “You can change it.” The room suddenly became freezing cold. The golden watch cracked. A black shadow appeared behind Ren. He looked terrified. “No…” “What is it?” Ren stepped backward. “It’s found you.” The shadow stretched toward Aira. Ren shouted: “RUN!” The window shattered. Aira screamed. And something enormous entered the room. She couldn’t see its face. Only two glowing golden eyes. The creature raised its hand. Then stopped. It looked at Aira. And whispered: “Princess.” Aira froze. “I’m not a princess.” The creature smiled. “You don’t remember.” Then it disappeared. Ren stared at Aira in disbelief. “Aira…” “What?” He pointed at the broken watch. “The watch didn’t crack.” Aira looked down. The golden watch was slowly opening. Inside it was a photograph. A photograph of Aira. But standing beside her was someone she had never met. Ren. And behind them… stood the Eclipse King. ⸻ Chapter Three: The Hidden Door The next morning, Aira decided she needed answers. She went to the old library at the edge of town. Her grandmother had always warned her never to enter the basement. Naturally, that was exactly where Aira went. She found an old wooden door hidden behind a bookshelf. There was no handle. Only a symbol carved into the wood. A crescent moon surrounded by stars. Aira touched it. The door opened. Behind it was a staircase. She walked down. At the bottom was a huge underground room filled with books. Thousands of them. Some were hundreds of years old. Others looked brand new. Aira picked up a black book. Its title was: THE HISTORY OF TOMORROW. She opened it. The first page contained a warning. “Time does not belong to humans.” Aira continued reading. Long ago, there had been people known as Timekeepers. They could see possible futures and protect the balance between past, present, and tomorrow. But one Timekeeper became obsessed with creating the perfect future. He began removing every future he considered “bad.” Eventually, only one future remained. His future. He became known as… The Eclipse King. Aira turned the page. There was a drawing of him. She dropped the book. The face was hidden beneath a hood. But she recognized the eyes. Golden. The same eyes she had seen the night before. A voice came from behind her. “You’re finally here.” Aira turned. Ren stood there. “How did you get here?” “I followed you.” “You said you’re from the future.” “I am.” “Then how are you here?” Ren smiled. “I’m not.” Aira looked around. “What?” Ren pointed toward the floor. A glowing circle appeared beneath her feet. “You are.” Aira looked down. “What does that mean?” Ren’s smile disappeared. “It means you’re not living in your original timeline.” Aira’s heart sank. “What?” “Someone already changed your past.” Suddenly the underground library shook. Books fell from the shelves. A deep voice echoed through the room. “Ren.” Ren turned pale. Aira heard footsteps approaching. Slowly. Calmly. Someone was walking down the stairs. Ren grabbed Aira’s hand. “We have to go.” “Who is it?” Ren looked toward the darkness. “The person who erased your real childhood.” Aira stared at him. “What are you talking about?” A figure appeared at the end of the staircase. A tall man wearing a black cloak. His golden eyes glowed in the darkness. He looked at Aira. And smiled. “Hello, daughter.” Aira stopped breathing. Ren whispered: “That’s the Eclipse King.” And Aira realized something terrifying. She had spent her entire life believing she was an ordinary girl. But the Eclipse King had just called her… his daughter. Chapter Four: The Father She Never Knew Aira couldn’t move. The words echoed through the underground library. “Hello, daughter.” Her eyes remained fixed on the man standing at the bottom of the stairs. The Eclipse King. Her father. It couldn’t be true. Aira shook her head. “No.” The man tilted his head. “No?” “You’re lying.” A small smile appeared on his face. “That’s exactly what I expected you to say.” Ren stepped in front of Aira. “Stay away from her.” The Eclipse King looked at him. “Ren.” His voice suddenly became cold. “You’ve been interfering with my plans for three years.” Ren tightened his fists. “And I’ll continue.” The Eclipse King slowly walked forward. “You don’t understand what I’m trying to accomplish.” “I understand enough.” “No.” The Eclipse King stopped. “You only know what happened after the beginning.” He looked at Aira. “But she deserves to know the truth.” Aira stared at him. “What truth?” Ren immediately turned toward her. “Aira, don’t listen to him.” But she stepped around Ren. “I want to know.” The Eclipse King smiled. “Good.” He raised his hand. The entire room went silent. Then the books began floating into the air. Thousands of pages turned at once. A golden light appeared above Aira. Suddenly, she saw a memory. A woman running through a forest. She was holding a baby. The baby was Aira. The woman looked frightened. Behind her, the sky was covered by a giant black eclipse. Then another figure appeared. The Eclipse King. The woman turned toward him. “Please.” The memory suddenly became louder. “Don’t take her!” Aira gasped. “Who is that woman?” The Eclipse King didn’t answer. Aira looked at him. “Who is she?” “My wife.” Aira’s eyes widened. “My mother?” He nodded. Aira’s voice trembled. “What happened to her?” The Eclipse King’s expression changed. For the first time, he looked genuinely sad. “She tried to stop me.” “From doing what?” “Saving the world.” Aira stared at him. “Saving the world?” He walked closer. “The future I saw was filled with destruction. Wars. Disasters. Millions of people suffering.” He pointed toward the floating pages. “I discovered that there was one possible future where none of it happened.” Aira whispered: “And you wanted to create it.” “Yes.” “But why did you erase people’s futures?” “Because every other possibility ended in disaster.” Ren shook his head. “You became obsessed.” The Eclipse King looked at him. “Perhaps.” Then he looked back at Aira. “But your mother believed humans deserved the freedom to choose their own future.” Aira’s heart tightened. “What happened to her?” The Eclipse King didn’t answer. Aira stepped closer. “Tell me.” Silence. Then he said quietly: “She disappeared.” Aira’s eyes widened. “Disappeared?” “I searched for her for years.” “And you never found her?” “No.” Aira looked at Ren. “Is he telling the truth?” Ren hesitated. That hesitation frightened her more than anything. “Ren?” He finally spoke. “Some of it.” The Eclipse King smiled. “You see?” Aira turned toward him. “What are you hiding?” Ren looked at the floor. “The truth about your mother.” Suddenly, the library shook violently. A loud c***k echoed through the ceiling. The Eclipse King looked upward. “They’ve arrived.” “Who?” Aira asked. The doors above exploded open. Black-armored figures rushed down the staircase. Ren grabbed Aira’s wrist. “We have to leave!” “But my mother—” “Later!” Aira resisted. “No!” The Eclipse King suddenly raised his hand. Every soldier stopped. He looked at Aira. “Take this.” A small silver pendant appeared in his palm. He tossed it toward her. Aira caught it. The moment she touched it— BOOM! A powerful wave of light exploded from her body. Everyone froze. The pendant opened. Inside was a tiny photograph. Aira looked at it. Her mother. Her father. And herself as a baby. But there was something else. Written behind the photograph were six words: SHE IS NOT THE ONE YOU REMEMBER. Aira stared at the message. “What does this mean?” The Eclipse King suddenly looked terrified. “Give me the pendant.” Aira stepped backward. “No.” His expression changed. “Aira, listen to me.” “No!” The golden light around her became stronger. Ren stared at her in shock. “Aira…” “What?” “I’ve seen this before.” “Seen what?” “The light.” He pointed at the pendant. “In my future…” His voice became quiet. “You destroyed the Eclipse King with it.” Aira’s eyes widened. She looked at her father. The Eclipse King wasn’t smiling anymore. Instead, he looked afraid. And then he whispered: “That isn’t possible.” Aira suddenly heard another voice. Not Ren’s. Not her father’s. A woman’s voice. Inside her head. “Aira… don’t trust either of them.” Aira froze. She knew that voice. She had heard it in her dreams ever since she was a child. “Mom?” The voice whispered again. “Find me before the next eclipse.” Then everything went dark. When Aira opened her eyes, the library was gone. Ren was gone. Her father was gone. She was standing alone in the middle of a strange city. A city she had never seen before. But people were running through the streets. Buildings were burning. The sky was completely black. And above the city… A giant golden clock was counting backward. 10… Aira stared upward. 9… Her hands began trembling. 8… A figure appeared behind her. Aira slowly turned. Someone wearing a white cloak stood there. The stranger lowered their hood. Aira’s heart nearly stopped. The face staring back at her was exactly like hers. Same eyes. Same hair. Same scar beneath the left eye. The stranger smiled. “You’re finally here.” Aira couldn’t speak. The girl stepped closer. “Don’t be afraid.” “Who are you?” The girl smiled. “I’m you.” The clock continued counting. 7… And then the girl whispered: “I’m the Aira who survived.” Chapter Five: The Aira Who Survived 6… The giant golden clock continued counting backward. Aira stared at the girl standing in front of her. She looked exactly like her. Same violet eyes. Same dark hair. Same small scar beneath her left eye. But there was something different. The other Aira looked older. Tired. As if she had spent years carrying a secret too heavy for anyone to understand. 5… Aira took a step backward. “You’re lying.” The older girl smiled sadly. “I wish I was.” “Then prove it.” The girl reached into her coat and pulled out a small golden watch. Aira’s eyes widened. It was identical to the watch Ren had given her. Except this one was covered in cracks. “I’ve carried this for seven years.” Aira stared at it. “Where did you get it?” The older Aira looked toward the burning city. “You gave it to me.” Aira’s heart stopped. “I haven’t even met you before.” “Not yet.” 4… The older Aira walked closer. “You think you’re trying to save the future.” “Yes.” “No.” She shook her head. “You’re trying to save the past.” Aira frowned. “What does that mean?” The older Aira pointed toward the sky. “Look.” The clouds began moving. A massive image appeared above the city. Aira saw herself standing beside Ren. They were surrounded by soldiers. Then she saw her father. Then her mother. Then something else. A giant black door. Aira whispered: “What’s that?” “The Door of Tomorrow.” “What is it?” “It’s where your father keeps the futures he erased.” Aira’s eyes widened. “Futures?” “Every time the Eclipse King changed history, the future he removed didn’t disappear.” The older Aira looked at her. “It was trapped.” Aira felt a chill. “How many futures?” “Thousands.” “And they’re all inside that door?” “Yes.” Aira looked at the enormous black door appearing in the sky. “Then we open it.” The older Aira immediately shook her head. “No.” “Why?” “Because the last person who opened it destroyed half the world.” Aira went silent. “Who?” The older Aira looked directly at her. “You.” Aira couldn’t breathe. “No.” “You opened it because you wanted to find your mother.” Aira looked down. “Did I find her?” The older Aira’s expression softened. “Yes.” Aira’s eyes filled with hope. “Where is she?” The older girl hesitated. “That’s the problem.” “What?” “Your mother isn’t trapped in the future.” Aira stared at her. “Then where is she?” Before the older Aira could answer, the golden clock suddenly stopped. 0. The entire city went silent. Then every window shattered at once. A terrible sound echoed through the streets. The older Aira grabbed her hand. “We have to go.” “Why?” “Because he knows you’re here.” “Who?” The older Aira looked toward the black sky. “The Eclipse King.” A shadow appeared above them. Two golden eyes opened inside the clouds. A voice thundered across the city. “Aira.” The younger Aira froze. The older Aira pulled her away. “Don’t answer him.” The voice came again. “Aira.” The older girl shouted: “RUN!” They raced through the empty streets. Aira didn’t understand where they were going. “Where are we going?” “To the clock tower.” “Why?” “Because that’s where everything began.” They reached an enormous tower at the center of the city. The doors opened by themselves. Inside was a spiral staircase covered in strange symbols. Aira touched one. A memory flashed through her mind. She saw her mother. Her mother was kneeling beside a small child. Aira. But the memory was different from the one her father had shown her. Her mother wasn’t running from the Eclipse King. She was standing beside him. They were arguing. “You promised me!” “I changed my mind.” “You can’t do this!” “I have to.” Then her mother turned toward baby Aira. She whispered: “I’m sorry.” The memory ended. Aira opened her eyes. “What was that?” The older Aira looked away. “You saw the truth.” “My mother wasn’t running from him.” “No.” “She was working with him.” The older Aira nodded. “But eventually she betrayed him.” Aira stared at her. “Why?” “Because she discovered what the Eclipse King was really planning.” “What?” The older Aira slowly looked toward the top of the tower. “He isn’t trying to control the future.” Aira’s stomach dropped. “Then what is he trying to do?” The older Aira whispered: “He’s trying to erase time itself.” Suddenly— BOOM! The tower shook. A c***k appeared in the wall. A familiar voice came from outside. “Very good.” Aira turned. The Eclipse King stepped through the broken doorway. Behind him stood Ren. But Ren wasn’t smiling. His hands were glowing with strange golden symbols. Aira stared at him. “Ren?” He looked at her. “I’m sorry.” The older Aira stepped in front of her. “You trusted him too easily.” Aira shook her head. “No.” She looked at Ren. “Tell me she’s lying.” Ren remained silent. Aira’s heart sank. The Eclipse King walked toward them. “Enough running.” He raised his hand. The golden symbols around Ren’s arms became brighter. Aira looked at him in confusion. “What did you do to him?” The Eclipse King smiled. “Nothing.” Ren finally spoke. “Aira…” His voice trembled. “I came from the future.” Aira nodded. “I know.” “No.” He looked at her with tears in his eyes. “I didn’t come here to save you.” Aira froze. “I came here…” He looked toward the Eclipse King. “…to make sure you never become me.” The tower went completely silent. The older Aira suddenly grabbed Aira’s hand. “We’re out of time.” The floor beneath them opened. Aira screamed as they fell into darkness. And just before everything disappeared, she heard Ren shout: “AIRA! WHATEVER YOU DO—DON’T OPEN THE DOOR!” But when Aira opened her eyes… She was already standing in front of it. The Door of Tomorrow. And something on the other side was knocking. Knock. Knock. Knock. Then a familiar woman’s voice whispered through the door: “Aira… I’ve been waiting for you.” To be continued….