23rd of January 2017
23rd January 2017. Daybreak Foundation, Seoul
Would the events in the past have not happened, this present would have been very different. This very specific day would have been very different.
0600 - Cogender Hall D2 - Bedroom
His alarm went off at the usual time, and he woke easily. Eyes opening and taking in the image of his room’s ceiling and the colors of daybreak reflecting in the window pane. Yawning, Yuto pushed himself up to sit, turning to look out the window, the morning looked good enough for a jog. It took a moment before he remembered what day it was. January 23. A soft smile appeared on his lips, “Happy birthday Yuto,” he mumbled softly, as crazy at that may have sounded or if he was seen saying that, he heard his mother’s voice in his ear and the imaginary pat of his father’s heavy yet gentle hand on his shoulder. This year was a big thing after all. Yuto was twenty-one now. A full-fledged adult, in Japan at least. It was the long awaited year where a boy would finally realize that he’s legal to drink and do whatever he wanted. It would have been a big coming-of-age celebration, but that’s not what’s going to happen now.
Bitterly, Yuto scoffed and shook his head, pushing himself off the bed and made way to the bathroom to freshen up. He stared at his reflection for a good minute or two. He didn’t look any different, he didn’t feel any different. If anything, the feeling of emptiness and longing grew within him, especially today.
After a light breakfast, after getting dressed in a tracksuit, a cap and a face mask, he headed out for a morning jog.
1000 - Seoul - Random District
He stood in the instant, microwaveable items aisle in a convenience store. Staring, almost too intensely, at ready-made seaweed soup pack. Reading up on Korean culture, he read that this was the soup that was served to kids on their birthday. There was no one to do this for him, so he thought, why not do it himself?
1200 - Cogender Hall - D2
Yuto sat at the dining area, the seaweed soup in a bowl, mixing in the rice. He had tried it, took a good sip, it wasn’t that bad. Actually, it was quite tasty. He ate quietly.
1400 - Training Hall - Daybreak Foundation
The clash of steal echoed the hall, grunts, groans and dry heaving resonated along with it as Yuto stood with a sword in his hand, his grip on the handle tight and his eyes piercing and determined. He took a deep breath, exhaled and calmed himself. The words of his father echoed in the deepest, darkest areas of his head.
“You’re off tempo today,” his sparring partner noticed, tilting his head in the direction of the swordie. “Everything okay?” Yuto merely grunted at that and nodded.
Again, the clash of steel resonated.
1600 - Seoul - Random District
He went and looked for his sister again. Like always, he came up empty. Today accepting that was much harder. Perhaps it was due to that hope he held in his heart that maybe he’d be especially lucky today, that the universe would give into his wish and give him a gift. That maybe all the gods, if there ever was one, would hear his plea and grant one gift that he would be grateful forever.
1800 - Daybreak Foundation
He returned empty handed. No leads. Nothing. Disappointed, down, sad, the birthday boy made his way back to his dorm and back in his room.
















