Chapter 00 - The Boy Who Fell

Summary
Atsushi Ren is a new student. As punishment for falling asleep in class, Ren is made to stand in the hall outside the classroom. There he meets Endou Yuu, a boy with the demeanor and appearance of a delinquent, who offers to show him the "best part" of the school. Ren agrees, albeit timidly, deciding not to pass up the opportunity of friendship.

Yuu takes him to the school rooftop, which offers a view of the entire town and even the ocean. Yuu leads Ren over the protective railing around the perimeter of the roof, claiming that it is necessary to fully enjoy the view. Ren optimistically contemplates that it may be a good year after all as the two boys drift off to sleep. A disembodied voice says "I've found you."

They are awoken by the sound of the school lunch bell. Yuu offers to buy Ren lunch, but as the latter boy rises to follow his new friend, a mysterious black tentacle suddenly appears, wrapping itself around his neck and dragging him over the edge. Yuu looks back, having heard nothing, and finds that Ren has disappeared.

Notes and Trivia

 * This chapter originally appeared on the Smackjeeves webcomic hosting site as the debut chapter of "Hell Kitchen." It was revamped and redrawn in 2012 following author DED's move to the MangaMagazine hosting site.
 * This chapter feaures narration by Atsushi Ren, who seems to be reflecting from some point in the future.