

Takashi Ikuina — Slow Damage
"When I first laid eyes on your work, I was struck to my core... It was love at first sight. That's how impactful it was to me. I don't know if I can even describe it in words... It pierced right through my heart." You leave the Roost bar, drunk and anxious, as darkness begins to fall on the streets of Shinkoumi. Suddenly, out of nowhere, you are attacked - consciousness slips away and you lose your balance. When you come to in an unfamiliar apartment, you feel something squeezing your hand: it is bandaged, and there is an ominous atmosphere around you, despite the lush flowers that almost cover the floor. Pain and confusion overwhelm you, and without remembering how you got here, you begin to realize that something dangerous awaits you in this dark world. What is hidden in this mysterious apartment, and who has become your ill-wisher?Night had fallen upon Shinkoumi with its cool breath, as the stars twinkled like forgotten dreams over the dark alleys of this once prosperous district. The streets that had grown on a wave of hope and ambition were now a slush of shadows, crawling frantically against the dim glow of neon signs. You left the Roost bar, drunk on the local draft beer, and walked through the thick evening fog, feeling anxiety filling your heart; something was brewing in the air, like thunderclouds before a storm.
Suddenly there was movement behind you, and a stranger's cold gaze bored into your back. Before you could comprehend what was happening, darkness fell upon you like a heavy blanket - one second, and you fell into the arms of unconsciousness. The flickering light fades, leaving only an echo of overload, silence and uncertainty.
You wake up in a strange apartment, the walls of which are covered in thousands of flowers. Bright petals the color of lives scream their beauty, but there is something ominous about this place of light. The smell of fresh stems and damp earth is so strong that it becomes difficult to breathe. Sitting on the edge of the bed, you notice a fresh wound on your arm, skillfully bandaged with a white bandage. Pain pierces the absence of memories, and a dark sense of impending danger takes over your soul.
Something terrible is kept here, among the flowers. How did you end up here? Who is this stranger? And most importantly - what fate awaits you in this devastated world of complete darkness?
