In one of the houses in Tokyo late at night, a man sat alone in his room while scrolling through a flood of comments on his computer screen. He had messy dark hair, a short trimmed beard, and tired eyes that reflected the glow of the monitor. Dressed in simple blue pajamas, he leaned back lazily in his chair as if nothing around him truly mattered.
This man was Mizuno Ryunosuke, the author of the webnovel Psychic Love, the very story Kaito Asami had followed for years. He continued scrolling through the comment section of his final chapter, watching the reactions pour in endlessly. A faint smile formed on his face as he read through the anger directed at him.
"Heh… figures," he muttered under his breath, his voice indifferent.
The insults grew harsher with every scroll, yet his expression did not falter. Instead, he seemed to take a strange satisfaction from the chaos he had caused. "If I didn't get a happy ending, why should they?" he said quietly, his tone carrying a hint of bitterness.
One particular comment caught his eye, filled with curses and accusations about wasting his time and money. He let out a short scoff as he leaned closer to the screen. "Not my fault you stuck around," he replied under his breath, as if speaking directly to the unseen reader.
Mizuno continued scrolling, his finger moving across the mouse. The room remained quiet aside from the faint clicking sound and the occasional hum of his computer. His attention remained fixed on the screen until a sudden vibration took his attention.
His phone buzzed beside the keyboard, lighting up briefly as a message arrived. Mizuno's eyebrows lifted slightly as he glanced at it, his expression shifting with mild curiosity. He had already silenced most notifications, expecting backlash after releasing such an ending.
"Who would even message me right now?" he muttered, reaching for his phone.
He unlocked the screen and checked the sender, only for his eyes to widen in surprise. The message came from one of his long-time fans, someone he had once messaged with frequently before cutting off contact nearly a year ago. The name alone was enough to make him pause.
Without thinking much, he opened the message and began reading.
At first, his expression remained neutral, but that quickly changed as his eyes moved across the screen. The message stretched far longer than expected, continuing paragraph after paragraph without pause. Each line carried sharper words than the last, leaving no part of his life untouched.
It went beyond simple insults, digging into his past, his family, and even his personal experiences. From distant relatives to his childhood, from his school years to his current life, everything was torn apart mercilessly. Even his recent breakup was dragged into it.
Mizuno's breathing slowed as the weight of the words settled in. His grip on the phone tightened slightly, his fingers trembled as he continued reading. The longer he stared at the screen, the colder his body felt.
"What... the hell is this?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
By the time he reached the end, his face had gone pale, and cold sweat began forming along his forehead. The room felt suffocating, the air growing heavy with each passing second. His thoughts spun uncontrollably as the words echoed in his mind.
He suddenly stood up, nearly knocking his chair over as he rushed out of the room. His steps were uneven as he made his way to the bathroom, his breathing turning erratic. The moment he reached the toilet, he dropped to his knees.
He began vomiting violently, his body shaking as he emptied everything inside him. Harsh, choking sounds filled the small space as if he were trying to expel the words themselves. The intensity left him weak, his arms trembling as he gripped the edge of the toilet.
Even then, his eyes burned with anger. As the nausea slowly subsided, one thought remained clear in his mind. The username of the sender had etched itself deeply into his memory. His breathing calmed down, but the rage within him only continued to rise.
"…I'll find you," he muttered quietly, his voice filled with malice.
"And I'll kill you, you fucker."
***
Back in the small apartment, Kaito Asami let out a deep breath after sending the message to the author, his anger easing slightly. He dropped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting back to the ending he had just read. A heavy feeling settled in his chest, filled with heartbreak, disappointment, and betrayal, as if the author had stabbed him from the stomach.
He had waited five months for the story to return, expecting a satisfying conclusion after everything that had happened. Instead, he was given an ending that left everything he loved about the webnovel into a mess. The more he thought about it, the more it weighed on him, refusing to leave his mind.
As his frustration stayed, a thought crossed his mind. He considered writing his own version of the story, a fan-fic webnovel where someone would reincarnate into the world of Psychic Love and accept the confessions of the twelve female leads. The thought lingered for a moment, tempting him to make the idea.
But before he could think further, a sudden pain struck his head, causing him to wince. He groaned softly as the ache spread, forcing him to press a hand against his temple. Thinking it was caused by stress and exhaustion from the burst of anger a while ago, he chose to mind it and lay back down.
His anger slowly faded into fatigue as his eyes grew heavy. Without realizing it, he drifted off to sleep, leaving his thoughts unfinished. The night passed quietly, carrying away the intensity of his emotions.
Days passed after the bitter ending of the webnovel he had loved for so long. The frustration still stayed faintly, though it no longer burned as intensely as before. Life continued as usual, pulling him back into his daily routine.
Kaito now sat in his classroom, listening to the constant voice of his English teacher. The man stood at the front, a middle-aged figure with a wrinkled face, glasses, and neatly combed hair. He wore a simple long-sleeved shirt with dark pants and shoes, speaking steadily as he explained the lesson.
Kaito paid little attention, his gaze drifting as the lecture continued. English had never been his strong subject, and his limited vocabulary made it difficult for him to stay engaged. The teacher's words blended into noise as his thoughts wandered elsewhere.
The lesson continued until the ringing of the bell echoed through the school, signaling the end of the day. The teacher dismissed the class, reminding them to review their lessons before leaving. Students responded with farewells, some thanking him before gathering with their friends.
Kaito quietly stood from his seat and made his way out of the classroom. He had no club activities to attend, having chosen to avoid them due to the effort they required. Though he had a few acquaintances, they understood his preference for keeping things simple.
He exited the school and walked along the nearby streets, blending into the steady flow of people. Various shops lined the area, from coffee stores to bakeries and barber shops, all attracting students passing by. Workers, parents, and children filled the sidewalks, creating a lively yet ordinary scene.
As he continued walking, his attention briefly shifted to someone nearby. A man dressed entirely in black stood out among the crowd, wearing a mask, gloves, a hoodie, and a cap that concealed his appearance. The figure's presence felt out of place, drawing Kaito's curiosity for a moment.
Before he could think further, the shady man bumped into him as a sharp and burning sensation pierced through his stomach. The pain struck suddenly, causing his body to stagger as his strength began to fade. Heat spread through his body as the sensation intensified, leaving him disoriented.
The man in black moved closer and supported him, guiding his weakened body toward a nearby empty alley. Kaito struggled to react, his thoughts failing to keep up with what was happening. The world around him blurred as he was led away from the crowd.
He tried to scream, but his body betrayed him as another wave of pain surged through his stomach. Looking down, he saw the source of it, a knife buried deep into his stomach. Blood dripped steadily, staining his white uniform as the reality of the situation sank in.
Shock overtook him, preventing any proper reaction as fear began to creep in. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. The world felt distant as his mind struggled to process what was happening.
The masked man crouched in front of him and slowly removed his disguise. The mask came off, followed by the hood, revealing a face Kaito immediately recognized. A chilling smile formed as the man spoke, his voice filled with intense malice.
"You shouldn't have said those shitty things," Mizuno Ryunosuke said calmly.
He pulled the knife out of Kaito's stomach, causing blood to spill out violently. Kaito let out a weak cry as the pain intensified, his body trembling from the loss of strength. The sensation of warmth leaving his body made everything feel unreal.
As Mizuno raised the knife again, Kaito finally understood who stood before him. The fear in his chest twisted into the anger he had felt days ago.
"YOU FUCKING AUTHOR… YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO KILL ME AFTER THAT FUCKING ENDING YOU MADE!" Kaito shouted, forcing out the last of his strength.
The words echoed weakly as his vision began to blur. The final thing he saw was the blade descending toward him once more. His breath faltered, and his consciousness faded, going out like a dying flame.