The sharp, repetitive beeping of the alarm jolted Ari awake. With a heavy sigh, he lazily reached over and slammed it off. His body ached with exhaustion, his eyes barely open as he dragged himself out of bed. He straightened the sheets and fluffed his pillow, forcing his sluggish limbs through the routine.
He didn't want to go to school. Not today. Not any day, really. But no matter how much he wanted to stay home, his mother's image wouldn't stop haunting his dreams—soft smiles, lingering warmth, all of it echoing in his mind like an old melody that refused to fade. Her memory was the only string tying him to the life he was living, the only reason he kept attending school.
Moving on autopilot, Ari trudged to the bathroom and took a long, steamy shower, as if the water could somehow wash away the exhaustion clinging to him like wet clothes. After drying off, he dressed in his school uniform, tying his tie loosely around his collar before heading to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He barely tasted the food as he ate in silence.
Once finished, he noticed a small note resting on the counter. His father's rushed handwriting scrawled across it:
Going on a business trip. I'll be back in two weeks. Stay safe. - Dad
Ari crumpled the note in his hand. "My old man really is busy with work, huh," he muttered, tossing the paper in the trash as he slipped on his shoes and left the house.
His footsteps were slow, his bag hanging lazily off one shoulder as his mind drifted, a familiar bitterness surfacing in his thoughts.
"Ever since I was a kid, I had always despised insects, arachnids, and anything that falls under the phylum Arthropoda. Most of them are terrifying to look at—venomous little freaks that could injure or even kill you."
The thought pierced deeper as it always did when his mother crossed his mind.
A prime example of this would be my late mother.
Her life had been stolen by something so small. She'd been home alone when the spider bit her, and her severe allergy had suffocated her before help could arrive. No one was there to save her. No one had known until it was too late.
It was a spider, Ari thought, but I can't help but despise ants the most.
"I hate that they build nests inside your house. I hate that they swarm your food if you leave it out for even a second. I hate that they bite you out of nowhere, and when they do, it hurts like hell. That pain lingers. It doesn't just sting—it stays with you for minutes, burning like fire."
"And the worst part? I hate how persistent they are. No matter how many you kill, no matter how many times you try to get rid of them, they just keep coming back. I used to drown their nests with the garden hose as a kid. It gave me this weird sense of satisfaction, almost like revenge. I guess it was my way of coping with losing Mom."
Ari sighed as he turned down the road leading to his school.
"Funny, though. My name is Ari Igurashi. And 'Ari' literally means ant. I've always thought that was kinda weird."
Just as he crossed an intersection, someone tapped his shoulder.
"Good morning, Ari!" a bright voice greeted him.
He turned his head slightly, his dull eyes meeting hers. "Oh, good morning, Keiko."
"You look as gloomy as ever. Is everything alright at home?" Keiko asked, a slight wrinkle of concern appearing on her brow.
"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired, that's all." He yawned to make his point.
"You really should sleep more. Seriously. It's important to get proper rest, okay?"
"I'll try," Ari said, waving his hand lazily. "Anyway, see you later. I'm running late for a meeting."
With that, Keiko took off, her ponytail bouncing as she jogged ahead.
Keiko Matsuoka. The most popular girl in our school. She's one of the best tennis players in Japan and the vice president of the student council. You're probably wondering why someone like her would waste her time talking to a loser like me.
Well, we've been friends since childhood. Our parents worked together at the same agency, so it just kind of happened. We became close. Even as we grew older and she changed, becoming more popular, she never turned her back on me. She always found time for me. Even with her packed schedule, sometimes she'd come over to cook or help clean.
Sure, there's probably no chance she feels the same way I do. But even so, I've always thought—at least I'm closer to her than most guys will ever be.
As he approached the school gates, he heard footsteps rush toward him. Before he could turn around, he was surrounded.
"Ari, can I talk to you for a minute?" a familiar voice sneered.
Ari didn't need to guess. And then there's these guys. The ones who can't accept that Keiko isn't into them. It drives them insane.
Without waiting for a response, the lackeys jumped him, fists colliding with his ribs, a punch slamming into his stomach. Ari gasped, the wind knocked out of him. Just as he began to slump forward, a boot crashed into his face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
They didn't stop there. The kicks came fast and merciless, the sharp crunch of shoes driving into his back, his arms, his legs.
"I just don't get it!" the ringleader barked, fury spitting from his words. "What does Keiko see in a plain, boring loser like you? Why would she waste her time on someone as pathetic as you? You're nothing special, so why won't she go out with me no matter how much I beg?"
"I buy her chocolates, roses—hell, I even bought her tennis rackets. But she rejected them all. And for what? To hang around garbage like you? It's really starting to piss me off."
After what felt like forever, the ringleader finally called off his lackeys. "Alright, that's enough. I think we've roughed him up plenty."
He leaned down, his cold gaze boring into Ari's swollen face. "Listen carefully. Stay away from Keiko. I mean it. If you don't, this will happen every single day. Ignore this warning, and the only thing you'll ever feel is pain. Let's go. I'm sick of looking at his disgusting face."
They walked off, laughing, leaving Ari bruised and bloodied on the ground.
Naomi Maeda. Captain of the soccer team. Loved by all the girls. Of course he'd be the one leading this crap. He's asked Keiko out more times than I can count, and she's turned him down every single time. And for that, I get beat up like this. This isn't even the first time.
Back in junior high, I went through the same thing. I endured it, bore it all in silence without telling her, without letting her know. I thought maybe I could handle it. But now… I think I've finally hit my breaking point.
I like Keiko. I always have. But I don't even know if she likes me. Was all that pain I went through worth it? Or was I just a complete fool?
If being near her is the reason I have to suffer like this… maybe I really should just walk away.
Meanwhile, Keiko sat in the classroom, her unease growing by the second.
It's lunchtime. Ari hasn't shown up to any of our classes. Did something happen to him?
"Keiko, I've gotta ask… why do you care so much about that guy? He's always so gloomy. Honestly, he gives me the creeps," one of her friends said.
"Ari and I have been friends for over a decade. Isn't that reason enough to care?" Keiko replied, her tone firm.
Her other friend chimed in, "I guess, but even so, I'd be careful around him. He always looks like he's plotting something."
"C'mon, guys. Don't talk about him like that. Ari's a nice guy. If you really got to know him, you'd understand."
Her friend giggled knowingly. "Oh, I see what this is. You like him, don't you? That's why you've rejected all those other guys, huh?"
Ari had been standing just outside the door, frozen. Their voices were crystal clear through the thin classroom walls.
Keiko's answer was swift, but it cut him deeper than any punch. "Me and Ari aren't like that. Sure, we're really close, but we'll never be anything more than just friends."
Her words hit him like a freight train. His chest tightened painfully as he gripped the door handle and slowly entered the classroom, his body aching with each step. His face was bruised, his nose still bleeding faintly.
Keiko shot up in shock. "Oh my God! Ari, what happened to you?!" She rushed to him, her hand reaching for his cheek, but Ari slapped it away.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
"How can you say you're fine when you're covered in bruises? Come on, let me take you to the infirmary to get checked out," Keiko pleaded.
"I said I'm fine. Just… leave me the hell alone! All of this is your fault anyway. If I… If I wasn't so close to you, maybe I wouldn't be the target of every guy you've ever rejected."
Her eyes widened in horror. "So the ones who did this to you were—"
"It doesn't matter anymore. You always knew how I felt about you, but you kept dragging me along like I was some pet. Just stay away from me. I mean it. I want nothing to do with you anymore."
Tears burst from Keiko's eyes as she fled the classroom. "Keiko, wait!!" one of her friends shouted, chasing after her.
Her other friend glared at Ari, voice trembling with anger. "You're such a jerk, Ari. Keiko's the only one who's ever cared about you. No matter what people said, she always stood up for you. But I guess… I guess she was wrong about you."
She stormed out, leaving Ari alone.
"And there it goes. My one shot at having a girlfriend. I just lost the only friend I ever had… but maybe this is for the best. Someone like me doesn't deserve someone like her," Ari whispered to himself.
He spent a few minutes at the infirmary, getting patched up, and was sent home early because of the severity of his injuries.
"I'm glad I got to leave early. I really didn't want to see her again today," he muttered on his way home.
As he walked, he came across a large ant nest by the roadside. His frustration bubbled to the surface, and without hesitation, he kicked it, sending dirt and ants flying.
"How does it feel to be weak and defenseless?" He stomped on the nest, again and again, crushing their tunnels. "How does it feel to lose everything you worked so hard to build?"
The ants retaliated, swarming his legs and biting him. The sharp pinpricks of pain only fueled his rage. He ripped a water bottle from his bag and drenched the nest, drowning the tiny creatures.
"I'm going to destroy you until there's nothing left."
A sudden screech of tires pierced the air. "Hey, kid! Get the hell outta the way!" a truck driver shouted, losing control of his vehicle.
Ari turned just in time to see the truck barreling toward him.
So this is it? I guess this is how I die. Funny… it's kinda warm. I thought death would be cold… but I feel… peaceful.
His vision faded to black.
When he opened his eyes again, the world around him was unfamiliar.
"Where… where am I? Is this the afterlife?" He looked around, disoriented. "This place looks… really strange."
As he tried to stand, something caught his attention—his hands.
"Whoa! My hands… they're brown, and they've got all this hair on them."
A shimmering pond nearby reflected his image. Ari staggered toward it and stared at his reflection, horror overtaking his face.
"What the hell? Why are there antennae growing out of my head? I look human but… I've got ant features. No way. No. No, no, no, no! You've got to be kidding me!!"
His panicked scream echoed through the strange new world.