Athena Rei was never the kind of girl who stood out. She was just a silhouette among the crowd—head always lowered, steps quiet, and her blue eyes rarely meeting anyone else's.
At home, there was only her gentle but exhausted mother, and her cheerful little sister—the only light left in her dim world. Athena smiled whenever she saw her sister laugh. A smile she never showed anywhere else.
Every morning, she woke up without motivation. Every night, she went to sleep with a head full of murmurs she didn't dare to speak aloud.
At school, she was a shadow. No greetings, no glances. Only voices not meant for her, laughter that never included her name.
"I'm fine."
That's what she always told herself. A small lie repeated so often, it started to feel like the truth.
"I don't need them. I'm strong. I'm used to being alone."
But deep down, Athena knew… she was craving something. Not shallow love, not attention.
But meaning.
Something that made her feel alive.
That day, the sky was cloudy. Classes ended earlier than usual, but Athena didn't go home right away. She waited until the crowd had faded, then walked toward a small bookstore across from the station.
"For Rena," she whispered softly, picking up a colorful comic book.
It was her little sister's birthday today. Athena wasn't good with sweet words or hugs, but she knew—a small gift could say the words she couldn't.
For the first time that week, her steps felt lighter on the way home.
But fate had already chosen that night to end everything.
Down a quiet street, another set of footsteps approached—hurried and uneven. A man in a dark jacket, panting, his eyes wild like a cornered animal. In his hand—a pistol, trembling with panic and rage.
They locked eyes. Just for a second. But it was enough.
"Police?" the man muttered, his voice shaking.
Athena didn't get the chance to answer.
Bang!.
The man pulled the trigger. The bullet struck her stomach, and she stumbled backward.
"Huh?"
Her eyes widened in shock. Her hand instinctively reached for her abdomen. Warm blood spilled over her fingers, soaking her palm.
The man's face twisted in horror.
"No... No! T-this isn't my fault!"
He turned and ran, disappearing into the darkness—leaving Athena alone.
She looked down at her bloody hands.
Pain—and the reality of it all—hit her like a truck.
"Ukhuk!"
Her eyes widened further as she coughed up blood.
Her knees buckled. She collapsed forward, the shopping bag slipping from her hand. The comic book spilled out, its pages fluttering in the breeze.
'It hurts…'
'W-why...? What was just happened...?'
Her vision blurred. Her fading eyes caught sight of the comic on the ground. She weakly reached for it with trembling fingers.
"R-Rena..." she whispered. A flicker of memory passed through her mind—her little sister's bright smile, the one that always managed to make her laugh.
That light began to fade.
Until finally, it vanished.
Athena Rei never got to say "happy birthday."
Darkness.