Chapter 1

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"Excuse me?" A brown-haired boy asked.

"Yes?" The customer service attendant replied with boredom.

"Does this bookstore have the new book in the 'H.O.P.E' series?"

"Unfortunately, no. That book wasn't quite as popular as our other shipments, so we cut it off. Sorry."

She didn't look sorry at all.

The boy sighed. "Thank you anyways."

"You're welcome and have a nice day!" The attendant forcefully smiled.

"Yeah, you too," he mumbled back before leaving the store.

Cars roamed by on the road, emitting much noise. The chattering of the people on the sidewalks made his head hurt.

"Geez..." he whispered to himself as he started walking down the sidewalk.

Why can't I find the new book? Is the series that bad?

His eyebrows scrunched up together. He mindlessly weaved through the crowds to get home.

The sun was beginning to set. Rays of orange and yellow hues danced upon the grassy field, lighting up the blades of grass.

His head was dipped at the ground, his mind blank.

"Ouch!" His body collided with another person's and he fell backward.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't see where I was going..." he looked upwards. There was only empty air. The boy stared at the ground, hoping to see some trace of the person he had bumped into, hopefully to apologize. All he saw was a purple leathered book sitting on the cement.

He stood up quickly.

"H-hey! You left your book...." he trailed off. The brown-haired boy looked up and down, front and back, but the person was nowhere to be seen.

His eyes landed on the brand new book. Well, I might as well keep it so when I find the person again I can give it back to them. He thought.

A sigh escaped his lips as he bent over to pick the book up. It felt rough against his hands. He read the title.

"...Third book in the H.O.P.E saga..." he murmured quietly to himself. His eyes widened in disbelief.

This is it! He thought. This is the new book I've been looking all over for! But it seems a little suspicious... 

He shook his head, clearing the thought away.

Well, it's getting dark now. Better head home quickly...

~

He sunk into the cushioned chair, the book in his hands. He carefully examined the book's front and back cover. Nothing suspicious.

With great caution, the sixteen-year-old boy opened the front cover. His name was scribbled onto the back of the cover in blue ink. Most likely with a fountain pen.

"To Hajime Hinata..." it wrote. "This book is now in your hands. Treat it well!"

No information about the person who had left it.

Hajime double-checked the back cover once more, making sure that he did not miss any important details. There was only the blank backside of the book.

His eyes absorbed the words of the summary located on the back of the book.

"The thrilling H.O.P.E saga proudly presents its third book, 'Hope Never Stops'. In the H.O.P.E. series, the protagonist, Makoto Naegi, has watched his society blacken into despair by the hands of the Ultimate Despair. In order to overcome this despair, he brought hope to the people who were almost consumed by the sorrow of their losses and regrets. Due to this, he founded the foundation of the future and managed to gather the remaining people of the city to fight the Ultimate Despair. 

However, the Ultimate Despair had not shown themselves but had sent a servant, that replied to their beck and call, to put a stop to this madness. The third book in this series will create a roller coaster of feelings that will make your heart ache with sorrow, but at the same time, fill it with happiness. Prepare for the exciting climax of the war between Hope and Despair!"

Hajime had been a huge fan ever since the first book came out. But to his surprise, not many people liked it, and it was as if he was the only one who knew about it and actually enjoyed all its plot twists and characters.

His favorite, without doubt, was probably the protagonist, Makoto Naegi. Due to his optimism and luck, Hajime had been attached to this character from the very start. Oh, how he wished he had the talent Makoto had. Alas, this was fiction. Hajime sighed sadly, then chuckled at himself for being so stupid.

His least favorite character, the one he wanted to kill most, was obvious. It was the Servant. His real name was not revealed, so everyone called him the Servant. Why does Hajime hate the Servant? Well, first of all, he killed Hajime's second-to-first favorite character, Chiaki Nanami, who was very optimistic and bright. She was practically a piece of hope herself. Everyone loved her. At least, that was until she was brutally killed by the Servant, who even had the guts to call her a "stepping stone for Hope". Now you may think that he supports Hope, but it's actually the other way around. I know, shocker. 

His motto is basically, "The more despair, the more Hope there will be to conquer that despair." By that point, Hajime just wanted to stab a knife through the Servant's chest. He's a psychotic albino who was on neither side of Hope or Despair. He was just...there, tainted by despair if he wasn't afflicted with it enough.

Hajime sighed and flipped to the first page. Chapter 1.

The words blurred in front of him as he slowly nodded off to sleep.

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