A Sudden Disruption
Asahi's eyes snapped open.
His breath—calm.His heartbeat—steady.
But it felt heavy.
Something was wrong.
He turned his head. His gaze landed on the glowing numbers of the clock beside him.
8:20 AM.
A small shift. A minor change.
Yet, his gut twisted.
This was different.
His brows furrowed. His fingers twitched slightly as his mind clicked into place.
Asahi: "…I'm 10 minutes earlier?"
A strange unease settled in his chest.
Something about this felt… off.
He swallowed hard.
FA never mentioned this.FA never warned him.
This isn't normal.
His jaw clenched. His breath grew heavier.
Asahi: (Thinking.)"How will I collect the memories now? Will I even see him this time?"
A quiet exhale.
His hands curled into fists.
A slight tremor ran through his body.
Asahi: (Teeth gritting.)"Damn it."
But there was no time to hesitate.
He pushed himself up, feet meeting the cold floor.
His steps—slow. Careful.
Then—
His hand hovered over the doorknob.
A deep breath.
A silent whisper to himself.
"Don't screw this up."
Then—
He turned the knob.
Slowly.
The door creaked open.
The hallway was colder than usual.
The air—unnaturally still.
His heartbeat—pounding against his ribs.
Then—
A sound.
A deep sigh.
And a voice.
A voice that wasn't supposed to be here.
A voice too casual. Too confident.
???: "Yare yare—"
The air froze.
Asahi's breath stopped.
His blood turned cold.
His mind screamed—
And then—
A wide smile in the shadows.
And a voice that shouldn't exist in this moment.
The Black Man:
"GOOD MORNING, ASAHI RENTARO."
A Conversation That Changes Everything
The tension thickened.
The Black Man stood before him—his posture calm, unshaken.
Yet, his presence was overwhelming.
Asahi's lips parted slightly. His voice came out low.
Asahi: "Ahhh… You're early this time, huh?"
A pause.
Then—
A confused chuckle.
The Black Man tilted his head.
Black Man: "Huh? What are you even talking about…?"
His voice was too casual.
Too unbothered.
Then—his next words shattered Asahi's expectations.
Black Man: "I thought this was the first time we were meeting."
His heartbeat stopped.
His body stiffened.
His pupils shrunk.
Then—
Asahi: (Huh…?)
A sharp breath.
A slight step back.
His mind raced.
Asahi: (Wait… he doesn't know? He doesn't know that I'm a time leaper?)
His throat felt dry.
His fingernails dug into his palm.
Then—
A sudden shift.
The Black Man's eyes narrowed.
His voice dropped—low, dangerous.
Black Man: "Huh… How do you know I'm coming?"
A pause.
A shift in his expression.
A trace of something that wasn't there before—
Doubt.
Black Man: "DON'T TELL ME… YOU ALSO HAVE POWERS LIKE ME?"
Asahi Snaps
His teeth crushed together.
His fists shook.
Then—he roared.
Asahi: "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN TRYING TO KILL MY PARENTS… AND ANARI?!"
The Black Man's Response? Laughter.
A soft chuckle.
Then—
A loud, mocking laugh.
Deep.
Cold.
Empty.
Black Man: "HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
His head tilted slightly.
A grin split his face.
Then—
Black Man: "Sorry." (Voice dripping with sarcasm.)
A pause.
Then—his expression hardened.
Black Man: "I don't have time to waste."
A slight sigh.
Then—
Black Man: "Let me just do the job."
Asahi Attacks!
A flash of movement.
A fist flying forward.
Pure, uncontrolled rage.
Asahi rushed in.
His punch—aimed straight for the Black Man's skull.
But—
The Black Man didn't even flinch.
His hand moved effortlessly.
And—
He caught Asahi's punch.
With zero effort.
Then—
He slowly turned his head.
A wide grin.
A whisper—
A command.
Black Man: "REPEL."
Asahi Is Launched Back!
A sudden, invisible force.
His body yanked away.
Like two magnets violently repelling each other.
A 30cm gap formed between them.
Asahi stumbled.
His body felt off-balance.
His mind rushed to understand.
A sharp cry pierced the air.
His mother.
Asahi: (Eyes widening.) "Shit!"
His body moved on instinct.
He rushed downstairs.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
Then—
The kitchen.
He saw him.
The Black Man stood there, calm as ever.
His voice—cold. Steady.
Black Man: "Please… let me do the job."
His hands—empty.
Then, without hesitation—
He reached for a knife.
Asahi Watches His Parents Die.
His mother's head tilted unnaturally.
His father's body twitched violently.
Then—
Both went still.
Lifeless.
Asahi: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
His screams tore through the house.
His knees hit the floor.
His mind—blank.
Tears streamed down his face.
The Black Man: (Softly.) "I know how you feel… but it has to be done."
Then—
A final whisper.
A truth that made no sense.
A sentence that changed everything.
Black Man: "You are the only Asahi… who is cursed."
The Return to the Dimensional Dream
Asahi's eyes snapped open.
A familiar white void.
A place where time didn't exist.
FA was already there.
Watching.
Then—he smirked.
FA: "Huh… You're early."
A slow chuckle.
Then—
FA: "Damn… You are fast."
Asahi's fingers twitched.
His head lowered slightly.
His lips parted—his voice barely escaping.
Asahi (Muttering): "The only cursed one…?"
FA blinked.
His head tilted slightly, the usual detached calm cracking just a little.
FA: "Huh?"
Then—without hesitation—
He stepped forward.
His hand reached out.
And then—
His palm pressed against Asahi's forehead.
COLLECTED.
A violent shockwave erupted.
FA's body jerked back violently.
His hand snapped away as if burned.
His pupils dilated.
Then—
A sharp, inhuman scream.
FA: "AAAAAAARRRRRHHH!!!"
He stumbled.
His breath hitched.
His hands clawed at his skull.
Then—
A single name.
A name spoken through madness.
FA: (Gasping.) "The Black Man…!"
Something Is Wrong.
His breathing was erratic.
His body twitched violently.
Then—
Suddenly.
Everything—
calmed.
A deep inhale.
A slow exhale.
His body straightened.
His eyes focused.
Then—
He smiled.
FA: "Huh… You came."
A step forward.
A casual shrug.
Then—
FA: "Come. Let me take your memory!"
Asahi Freezes in Horror.
His heart skipped.
His mind raced.
Then—
A single, horrifying realization sank in.
Asahi: (Eyes wide.) "Huh…?"
His breath stilled.
His fists shook.
Then—
Asahi: (Whispering.) "Wait…"
A short, hollow laugh.
Then—
Asahi: "OI. WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!"
His voice rose.
His body tensed.
His eyes searched FA's face.
Then—
FA's brows furrowed.
FA: "What?" (Confused.)
A small, frustrated sigh.
Then—
FA: "You just came now… What are you talking about?"
Asahi Breaks Again.
His legs gave in.
His knees slammed onto the ground.
His hands gripped his hair.
His voice—a hollow whisper.
Asahi: (Thinking.)"That's it… This dimension is limiting his memory."
A violent shudder ran through him.
Asahi: (Thinking.)"Just like it limits emotions…"
A sharp gasp.
A single, terrifying conclusion.
Asahi: (Thinking.)"Someone is controlling this dimension… or… it's programmed."
His chest tightened.
His breath hitched.
FA: (Watching him carefully.) "Huh? What are you thinking?"
Asahi raised his head.
His voice was low.
But steady.
Asahi: "FA… You just lost the memory I gave you."
FA Freezes.
His body tensed.
His lips parted slightly.
Then—
FA: "Huh…? When di—"
Asahi cut him off.
His voice sharpened.
Asahi: "It's the truth."
A heavy silence.
FA's expression darkened.
Then—
A bitter chuckle.
FA: "So… you're saying the dimension is limiting my memory?"
Asahi: (Firmly.) "Mmm."
FA's eyes narrowed.
A moment of deep thought.
Then—
His lips curled into a small smirk.
FA: "Let me say one thing… It has a cooldown."
Asahi's Breath Stilled.
His fingers twitched.
Then—
Asahi: "Cooldown?"
His voice shook slightly.
FA: (Nods.) "After all… it's programmed."
Asahi's Pupils Contracted.
His body tensed.
Then—
His voice—soft, questioning.
Asahi: "Huh…? It's programmed? How do you know…?"
A sudden pause.
FA's face twitched.
Then—
His eyes widened.
FA: (Stunned.) "Huh…? How do I know that…?"
His hands shook slightly.
His voice lowered.
FA: "Wait… It just randomly spawned in my head."
A sharp breath.
A cold realization.
FA's Calculation.
Asahi: (Eyes narrowing.) "And about the cooldown?"
FA exhaled.
His voice turned serious.
FA: "COOLDOWN… The last time I used my power was in the previous loop."
A deep breath.
Then—
FA: "According to my calculation… in the next loop, I can help you."
A Long, Tense Silence.
Then—
Asahi: "But…?"
FA's expression darkened.
His voice—cold.
FA: "Don't be late."
A slow smirk.
Then—
FA: "I can't believe this dimension."
His fists tightened.
His body trembled slightly.
Then—
A quiet, bitter whisper.
FA: "After all… I am the only one in this dimension…"
His eyes lowered.
His voice distant.
FA: "With no memories of who I am… Where there is no air… No identity… No existence."
A pause.
Then—
A small, dark chuckle.
FA: "Maybe… I am like the Black Man."
His eyes sharpened.
Then—
FA: "THE CURSED ONE."
A Sentence That Echoes.
FA's voice carried through the empty white void.
A voice that felt detached from reality.
A voice that carried the weight of something unknown.
Asahi: (Muttering.) "The cursed one…?"
His mind flashed back.
To the Black Man's words.
To the moment he lost everything.
Asahi: (Whispering.) "Huh… He also said that…"
The Truth Will Be Revealed.
FA's eyes darkened.
His expression was calm—too calm.
Then—his lips curled into something unreadable.
A smirk? A frown?
A mix of both?
Then—
His voice lowered.
FA: "Asahi…"
A deep breath.
A slow exhale.
Then—
A sentence that shook the void itself.
FA: "In this loop… you will find out who it is."
Asahi's body stiffened.
His hands trembled slightly.
His throat dried.
Then—
Asahi: (Swallowing hard.) "Who… what… is 'it'?"
FA's expression remained unreadable.
Then—
A short chuckle.
A bitter, hollow laugh.
FA: (Smirking, voice heavy.) "You'll learn the pain of me."
FA: "The pain of all of us."
Asahi: (Softly.) "…All of us?"
FA's smirk widened.
FA:
"YOU ARE CURSED WITH ME… AND BLESSED WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AT THE SAME TIME."
Asahi's breath caught.
His pupils shrunk.
Then—
Asahi: "Blessed…?"