《A Single Thought》 Chapter 1 - Ren Manami Ren Manami was a top-grade student at Yamabuki High School in Shinjuku, Japan. He was one of the few most respected people in this area. Ren was always popular. He was also always praised for his intelligence, nice looks, kindness, and modesty, which made him different than all the big-looking snobs around him. From the outside, Ren was the perfect imaged man for every woman. With a fine body, expressive brown eyes and long but well-made hair. And the perfect idol for every man. But no one ever thought about what goes around in his head. In reality, Ren had always thought of himself as something bigger and more than anyone else. Ren had the confidence of a psychologist, which had always made him want to use people in a way no one noticed it. That confidence is not something which came out of nowhere though. Ren''s intelligence, reasoning, and deductive skills had always helped him analyze people and his surroundings in a fast manner. His mentality was never the one of a normal 18-year old high schooler. And of course... No one knew of this real ''''identity'''' of Rens. It''s the last year of high school. Despite his popularity, Ren didn''t have many friends he could speak clearly with. His only reason not tobe bored at school was thanks to his best friend - Fukuda Shin. Even Fukuda had never fully understood Ren''s personality. Regardless of their 3 years of high school together. The only reason Ren could conversate normally with Fukuda was that he was the closest to Ren''s intelligence level. Both of them, best friends and at the top of their school. Fukuda was the always hard working kind. He was also nice, likable and the one girls would fall for. Most people couldn''t tell how smart he was because of his messy hairstyle, messy clothes and funny personality.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. And of course, every school has that pair of delinquents, which is always searching for a way to get into a fight or make someone feel bad. Here come Furushima and Ken. No one really liked them. They always had bad marks and bad manners. But sometimes they knew how to make people laugh. Everyone has a little bit of good inside, right? In a warm evening, all of the mentioned until now had a class together. As usual, Ren was just complaining to Fukuda about how nothing interesting ever happens. "Why is this place always so boring...?" and Fukuda as usually replied with a question as well. "What interesting thing can happen at school anyway?". Ren almost fell asleep when he overheard. "Hey teach! I''m thinking about going to Waseda University, what do you think?" that was Furushima joking around with the classroom teacher again. "Ha! If you and Ken get even half the points on your upcoming exam, I''d commit suicide. Don''t be funny." That was the reply of Mizumi Kanaha, the classroom teacher. No one really paid attention to the disturbing bet Furushima, Ken and the teacher took. Except for Ren. "Oi, Fukuda, did you hear that?". Fukuda answered with a yes when Ren suddenly continued his speech. "Do you want to have fun? Let''s risk our studies and lecture Fukushima and Ken, I''d love to see Kanaha-sensei''s reaction." Fukuda was weirded out by Ren''s strange request but still agreed. "Sure, it may be the fun thing we were looking for..." Both of them met the infamous delinquents after school who anyway looked desperate for help and asked them whether they wanted to win that bet. "Of course we do! Thank you so much, guys! Um... Not that we need you actually, but we''d appreciate some help." A few months passed since that deal and the scores had already been leaked. After the astonishing 100%, Furushima and Ken had on their exam, the teacher went missing for 3 days. Nobody really noticed that except for Fukuda who reminded Ren about the bet. Both of them got a shiver down their spine. Especially Ren after Fukuda saying "You don''t think that..." Chapter 2 - Insecure Days pass and nothing is still known about the whereabouts of the classroom teacher of class 1-A. Everyone inschool is easy-going about it with the thought of that their teacher probably just went on a vacation or something, except for Ren who gets more and more curious but creeped out with every passing day. Mizumi Kanaha - known as ''''the worst'''' teacher in school, a lot of people despised him as a human being. Being too strict and negative with every lacking student, Mizumi had always looked down on low-grade students as ''''scum''''. A big part of him being hated had been the way he always purposely wrote down the points on the exam sheets,of the ones he had been sure would hit a low grade, before even letting them start, as a prediction. That was the reason Ren had chosen Mizumi as the teacher to experiment on, because he had never before seen him feel shameful about being wrong. A week later the test bunnies - Furushima and Ken, with the expression of fear in their faces, approach Ren after school in the backyard, asking him whether he knows something about Mizumi. Ren quickly reads the situation and realizes that they feel an enourmous amount of worry because of the teacher still missing, after that bet. Calmly, he answers that he''s got no information about Mizumi and that he doesn''t really care about it anyway. Furushima exploding in anger right after that answer punches Ren and starts shouting: ''''HOW COME ARE YOU IN A POSITION NOT TO CARE?! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT WE MAY HAVE DONE?'''' Ren remembers about the experiment and his cooperation with them and stares with widened eyes while Furushima continues: ''''EVERYTHING STATES, THAT BECAUSE OF US, OUR TEACHER HAS KILLED HIMSELF... KEN AND I HAVEN''T SLEPT, NOR EATEN ANYTHING FOR THREE DAYS IN A ROW NOW BECAUSE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY...'''' Afraid that Fukushima speaks the truth, Ren composes himself and tries to calm them down: ''''Listen Fukushima, nothing has been announced, calm down, Mizumi may have gone on a vacation or could''ve even quit the job, you know how much he hated us, right?''''. Not being able to accept Ren''s speech, Fukushima scared and furious grabs Ren''s shirt and says: Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ''''I DON''T CARE WHAT YOU THINK, THE OBVIOUS IS OBVIOUS, WHO WOULD ANNOUNCE TO STUDENTS THAT THEIR TEACHER IS DEAD? WHO DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BLAME IF POLICE COMES IN AND STARTS INVESTIGATING... B-but wait...'''' Fukushima lets him loose and starts histerically laughing. ''''Why am i even afraid or thinking about it, i didn''t give a damn about that bullshit teacher anyway, and we aren''t even guilty, you''re the one that made us study so that you can do your little experiment thingy... That''s right... You''re a murderer, the moment they announce it and start investigating, we''ll just point fingers at you because we''re right... Hahaha...'''' Thinking that he may be right, Ren starts panicking and denying anything that Fukushima says. With them reaching to the point of fighting eachother, right beforepunching Fukushima for the third time now, Ren backs away and starts staring blankly at both of them. ''''WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WHY DID YOU STOP, I''LL JUST USE THIS AS EVEN MORE EVIDENCE OF YOU BEING AS VIOLENT AS A MURDERER.'''' Fukushima shouts. In the exact next moment, Ren, exploding in cries and screams while holding his head starts shouting as if it are his last words: ''''MAKE IT STOP!! PLEASE, SOMEONE! STOP IT!! GET OUT OF MY HEAD... WHY ARE YOU IN HERE...?!'''' With this gruesome scene lasting for a few minutes, Fukushima and Ken - terrified, scared and beaten up, start running away from Ren with cries when he suddenly stops and collapses on the ground - cold and unconscious. Having stayed for a few late classes, Fukuda finished his studying and started moving out of the building, but while walking towards the stairs on the third floor, his eye catches a faint shadow through the window in the distance of the school''s backyard. Not being able to focus on whether what that is, Fukuda decides to take out his phone and zoom in at the shadow. Seeing that the shadow is a collapsed on the ground person, he quickly calls for an ambulance and anxiously realizes with a more clear look... ''''REN?!''''. Leaving his bag on the gound he starts running fast towards the exit and Ren. Finally reaching him, out of breath,he takes a moment and looks at the all beaten up and unconscious Ren thinking.. ''''What has this school become...'''' Chapter 3 - Realization Three days after collapsing midway fighting Fukushima, Ren finally wakes up, unfortunately to bad news. During these days, rumours have started spreading about Mizumi and disbelief towards the school had already become a thing, because of the zero announcements given about him. Studentshave started throwing all kinds of theoriesaround, with people whether believeing them or demanding the truth from the school because they want to deny any kind of doubt that their teacher isactually dead. Hospitalized, Ren regains consciousness, opens his eyes and sees himself in a small white room with nothing but a wooden little desk, his bed and an open window with green, blowing because of air, curtains. Slowly, taking his time, Ren tries to reclaim his memories from his last days of being allright when suddenly a nurse opens the door to his room. Suprised that he''sfinally awake, she explains that he was about to have a visitor when Fukuda shows himself outside the doorway. Asked to let them talk for a while, the nurse takes her leave and Fukuda starts explaining how Ren got here when he just suddenly whispered. ''''I know...'''' Fukuda, glad that he atleast remembered the fact he got beaten up, asks him whether he wants to know how he got here and what happened to Fukushima and Ken after they got found out when Ren just whispered again. ''''I know...'''' ''''Hm? You should rest a bit, Ren. You did get hit really hard.'''' ''''No, I know... I know that you found me and called for an ambulance... I know that they got suspended for a few weeks as well.'''' Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ''''Oh, did anyone else visit before me?'''' ''''No, you just saw me waking up for the first time since then...'''' Confused, Fukuda takes a seat on the desk next to him and tries thinking hard about whether how Ren knows about these things. Irritated, with nothing in mind he just gives up instantly. ''''How doyou know these things then?'''' ''''I heard them...'''' After saying these words, Ren gets up, goes to the window and supports himself on the side of it. While air starts gushing out they remain speechless for a few minutes. ''''I think I''ve done something horrible, Fukuda... I think there is someone, no... something inside me... All the dreams and thoughts I''ve had, everything makes sense now... I think I''ve gotten my hands on something I''ve never even dreamed of...'''' ''''You''re creeping me out, what is this all about?'''' Ren turns towards Fukuda and asks for time... ''''Sorry for making you worry, but I''m fine... Can you leave for now and come back after a week... I need to try something out...'''' ''''Stupid! You know I haven''t been worrying anyway, right? Sure, I can come around in a week but I hope you explain what the hell is going on...!'''' ''''Sure... Untill a week, then...'''' Fukuda takes his leave when suddenly... ''''Fukuda!'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''Thanks...'''' . Chapter 4 - A Single Thought A week has passed. Fukuda calls Ren with the news that he won''t be able to come to the hospital because of his mother''s birthday. Ren calms Fukuda down and claims that his mother won''t be home until late and that he will come anyway. ''''How do you know that my mother...? whatever, i won''t be able to come, Ren. Sorry, but i''ll come over tomorrow.'''' *Fukuda hangs up* A few hours pass when Ren''s hospital door opens and Fukuda shows up. Ren, leaned back on the frame of the window and smiled. ''''I thought you weren''t coming, I''m glad you did though.'''' ''''Um... No problem but, I didn''t plan to come here, I just felt that it was necessary for some reason..?'''' ''''Well, you''ll know in a bit... I think I know what''s been happening to me, Fukuda. Something is wrong, I''ve got my hands on something i''ve never imagined I''d have. On something I''ve never even thought about.'''' ... ''''Every night, every dream I''ve had... Void, darkness, infinite nothingness but a voice, or even voices... I don''t even know myself. I''ll probably go crazy soon. Even when I was unconscious... I COULD HEAR. I could hear your thoughts, I could hear my surroundings, but not just any surroundings... I could hear what people around me were THINKING. I felt as if i could control them with... A Single Thought...'''' ... Ren looked at Fukuda after spitting those words out one by one with a piercing glare, when suddenly... ''''Oh my god, Ren... I... I... can''t stop... ah, ah, PHAHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAHAhahahahha... I can''t stop laughing.. ahaahahaaah... aAAH, Ren you may be the smartest dude I''ve ever met but gosh you''ve got one hell of an imagination'''' A loud smash could suddenly be heared. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.Fukuda suddenly sat down abnormally fast on the ground, his tears of laughter and his big smile suddenly dissapeared and the only thing he payed attention to was Ren''s glare. ''''Ren... was that you?'''' ''''Exactly... Now listen carefuly and don''t panic.'''' ''''I wasn''t joking about anything I said, this is an important matter... I can just imagine all the things that I can do with this ''''power'''' I''ve got... Like recieve anything i want...Or even...-'''' ''''Please, stop, you''re freaking me out...'''' ''''Hm?'''' ''''You had an awfully distrubing smile while saying all that, Ren... Calm down... Please.'''' ''''Oh, sorry I just, got dragged into it, the reason I called you was because I wanted to test it.'''' ''''Test... called me... Wait did you make me come here?'''' ''''Yes, don''t worry, you won''t miss your mother''s birthday as well.'''' ''''Oh, okay but what can we test on?'''' While both of them thinking, suddenly the nurse comes in and notifies that the visitor''s hours have come to an end. Fukuda and Ren simultaneously look at each other with a serious look... Ren''s test subject had been found. Ren glares at the nurse with a piercing look. ''''Actually, you can stay here as much as you want... I just remembered I had something to do. Would you like something?'''' The nurse looked as if she was under a spell. Fukuda nervously looked at Ren and back at the nurse: ''''Um... Sure, I''d like some tea?..'''' The nurse starts running and comes back with two cups of tea for Ren and Fukuda and then leaves the room as if nothing happened, with a smile. ''''Ren, that was amazing, you''re actually not lying... What is that...? You need to be cautious with that ''''power'''', which made me think... What did you mean when you said that you''ve done something horrible last week...?'''' Ren nervously looked at Fukuda, clenched his fist, sat down and smiled... *Flashback of his teacher* ''''Nothing important... Lets sit down and enjoy the tea... ...I made.''''