PROLOGUE

"Every person in this world may experience something interesting even if they live an ordinary life".

Who said that? Well, it was me. Other people might differ in my opinion but I think that it’s true. Whether it be a change of mind or fulfillment of one’s desire, It’s something interesting. Even I might get to experience something like that.

Hello, My name is Kaneko Fuji, age 19, living an ordinary life in an ordinary city with relatively ordinary circumstances.

If you asked me how many of my circumstances were normal, then I would say most of them are. Well, not all of them since I have a special case.

When I was in High school First year apparently me and my parents had decided to go on a trip. Where? I do not know. To be much more precise, I don’t remember where we went.

The reason for this is that when we were on the way to our destination, a truck crashed into our car and sent it down a cliff.  We were injured pretty badly and I ended up not remembering anything.

Even with how the accident took place, I don't know the details included. I just heard all of this from the doctor when I woke up from a coma. At that time I wasn’t able to understand what he was saying but after I got a bit more stable, I started to get it. I had lost my memories and my parents with it.

I don't remember my parents. What a sad aspect of my life it is. I don’t remember how I spent my life, my friends, my hobbies, nothing.

But I'm a very cheerful guy, At least on the inside. Let's not say that I don't have any friends to be cheerful with. It’s the side effect of having Amnesia to deal with. I had tried to get my memories back at one point but I gave up.

Back to the point, My parents passed away in the accident and I was left alone.

During that time, I was emotionally unstable, unable to understand the feelings of those around me. Even if I didn’t hurt them directly, I did nothing but stare at them in a daze as they tried to cheer me up. There was only one relative’s Family  I had heard that decided they would take me in. Apparently, He was my father's cousin. When I went with them, I found out that they lived in a tight spot. Both the wife and husband worked while they had a daughter that was in middle school.

I never had any known relatives, either they could have refused to take me in or there weren’t any, to begin with except this good bunch. Uncle, that’s what I call him. He’s a peculiar guy. He’s cheerful when he wants but gets serious when it involves his work or anything important. Aunt, is a very cheerful woman. She likes to cook food for me and her daughter and she always brings something like snacks with her when she comes back for work.

They love their daughter and they work hard for her sake. I think they treasure me highly too since my Uncle was pretty close with my father. They spent most of their childhood playing together and Uncle was the one who was most struck by my Parents’ death. He also cried by my bed and told me not to worry.

Every time I see a picture which of the people that are supposed to be my Parents, I wonder, Is he, my father? Is she my mother?

Thinking about not knowing a thing about my parents makes me quite sentimental sometimes. I don’t know why I feel that way but I guess it’s the human heart that craves affection.   

So I finally graduated from High school last year and now I'm an ordinary full-time worker, working to earn money. I live in an ordinary apartment that I rented with my Uncle's help and moved in.

The reason I moved out of their home was that they already lived in a pretty tight financial situation and they had a daughter that was in the third year of middle school. I had to stand on my legs and do something sooner or later too. Taking that into account, I took a step in practical life. Living alone was a bit troubling in the beginning but somehow managed and found ways to spend my time. Most of them are my manga hobbies and reading Novels. I also watch a lot of Anime so my life isn’t that boring. I fantasize about me being in another world too sometimes. Although it’s a silly thing to do, no one can stop me from doing so.

One time, I thought about going to college. Then I picked up the material I would need to study before entrance exams and gave up immediately looking at the plethora of equations and English.

I do understand the importance of education. Education can take you very far in your life but I can't find the right motivation to study. I’m a single man and I wouldn’t complain if I got to live my like this forever. This may be my wishful thinking but I don’t really have a girlfriend that I would need to care about and I don’t really understand the premise of love. Maybe my memory loss had made me lose understanding about some things.

ME not having a girlfriend doesn’t really matter. If I’m lucky and if I want to have one, I’ll see it when the time comes. I just don’t have any intentions of living a love life.

I just won’t give up on my life. Life is precious and that is what I know. I already escaped death one time, although I don’t remember it, but it still counts. I don’t want to die before I enjoy myself and fulfill what role I’m supposed to fill.

Today is a very special day. I started my job not long ago and I got my first payment today. I was in the dire need of supplies. So much that I was living on scraps and the due date for the rent was coming up already. I didn’t know what I would do instead ask Uncle for some money if I didn’t get any money.

I want to go to the convenience store to buy food supplies and some manga that I am currently reading. I’ll just take my wallet, but the things I need and dart back home. It’s getting pretty late now.

I open the door to get out of my apartment.

“[Clink]” the door makes a sound as it unlocks and opens.

The hinges have gotten stiff too. I need to oil them soon.

The door makes a creaking sound as I open it all the way. I turn around after getting out and then shut it again.

“[Clink]”

 I check the gate’s lock properly. You wouldn’t know if someone is dumb enough to break into an apartment that has nothing but my usual necessities to get by.

I take the stairs down.

“[Clink]”

The door on my right opens with a clink and a lady steps through.

“Ah! Fuji-san. Where are you headed so late at night?” she says.

She’s my neighbor down below. She’s a pretty cheerful old lady. She looks at me with a tinge of concern. She is pretty kind too because she looks worried for me.

“Oh. I was just taking a walk to the convenience store. I needed to buy some food.” I say.

“Did you get your pay? Hmm?” she says in a teasing tone.

“Ha-ha. Yeah. I just got it today.” I say.

“Good luck with your work. Don’t let this old lady bother you. Now go.” She shoos me off as she brings out the trash to throw it in the bin.

“Be well,” I say and I turn around toward the road.

I take a turn to my right. I walk straight with my hands in my pocket. It gets a bit chilly late. I walk until I see the store from far.

“Hello…” I say as I open the gate to the store.

“Hello. How are you Fuji-san?” says the girl sitting on the counter.

She’s in high school I think. She looks like it. Must be working part-time to earn money.

“Fine. Just here to buy some food and manga.” I say.

“You sure do love manga?” she says.

“True,” I say and start looking through the new publishes of the day.

I take the manga I want and walk towards the aisle that has the food supplies I need. I take what I want and walk to the counter.

“Is this it?” she says.

“Yup,” I reply.

She tells me the cost. I pay up from my wallet.

I take out my wallet from my pocket. I open it,

“Ah. I have all of the money with me.” I say.

“Is something wrong?” she asks.

“No no. I just have all of my pay with me.” I say.

Just as I say that I notice two men looking at me suspiciously as they pick up some things.

“You should be careful Fuji-san. You don’t know what could go wrong.” She says.

I have a feeling I just got in trouble. Those guys don’t give me good news.

“I know. Can I take these now?” I say.

“Yes, yes.” She says.

I immediately take the bag of things I just bought and pace out of the store.

But… the two men looking at me weren’t in the store anymore. Did they go out before me?

As I keep pacing toward my apartment building, the same guys pop out of an alley and block my way.

Panicking inside I try to calm myself.

What do they want? They must be after my money, right?

As I rack my brain for ways I could escape this predicament, one of them approaches me and puts his hand on my shoulder. He’s holding it tight.

I calm my urge to shriek...

"Hey, Mister can I ask you for some help?"

“Y-yes? How can I help you? Do you need something?

"We just need some money," he says.

The other one comes up to back the man that has his hand on my shoulder.

“You just said that you have money on you right? Back at the store? We need that.” He says.

Man…

“Do you… really need it?” I say

“What? Do you think we don’t? we can get rough if you want.” He says.

I can't give them this money. My rent is in there.

"Please! I don't have any money on me let me go!" I try to plead.

“Oof!” I let out a sound.

The man pins me to the wall and holds me by my collar.

"Wha-! Please don't hurt me! I'll give you the money!"

I broke pretty early you think? What would you have done in this situation?

I surrender.

Now I won't be able to last my month...

I reach out into the pocket on my pant and take out the wallet. I hand out the money with trembling hands...

"Here… take it… J-Just let me go!"

The other person snatches the money from my hand. Then he takes the wallet too.

"We’ll be taking this too." He says.

“But… That has my Id…” I say.

“Shut it.” He says.

He puts the money in the coat he was wearing. Just as he puts the money and the wallet in his pocket I see a firearm on his belt... I flinch.

I'm not brave enough to oppose in a situation like this!

"Please! just let me go!".

"Hey Mister, tell me. What did you just see now?" he says.

The grip on my collar Is tightened by the man holding me against the wall.

"Wha-? I didn't see anything!" I say in a frenzy.

"You saw something didn't you?" he says again.

I take a deep look into his eyes. I see that he is looking at me like his prey.

Ahh... He's not gonna let me go, is he?

"I can't let you go like that now, can I?" he says.

The other man speaks; "Yeah! You saw it didn't you?! Better teach him a lesson to not talk bout this!"

The man holding me against the wall reaches behind his back and takes out a knife. He puts it against my neck and pushes it very close.

'No! Please! Don't hurt me!" I say.

What should I do?!

I need to run!

As I make up my mind inside I remember I'm carrying a bag of supplies in my hand.

“Yah!” I swing the heavy bag in my hand toward his face.

The man stumbles for a second and his grip loosens. That is when I get free and make a run for it.

Just as I look behind, I see that they are still chasing me.

They keep chasing me! They won't give up!

I look around me while I run to see if there is someone that could help me but there is no one around. It’s gotten so late that even cars rarely drive on this road.

 That is when I notice something.

I see a park there! There might be a guard on patrol there!

I make my motive to head to the park.

There’s a crossing in front of me, my whole mind, frantically searching for savings doesn't pay any attention to my surroundings and I leap onto the road and try to cross it...

“[Beep Beep Beep...BEEEEEEEP]!”

I hear the sound of a horn from my right side and my eyes are blinded by a bright light.

In the confusion, I struggle to realize that I'm at the crossroad when it was red. Then I get the realization.

Ah, So a car's about to hit me...

As I thought that, The car had already gotten too close for comfort, and dodging it wasn't an option anymore.

Ahhh... I don't want this...

Please...

In the next moment, a car hits a person that was running in the middle of the road...

A loud .. "[Thump]!" is heard, and the body flings midair, slamming onto the hard road.

Blood begins to rush out of the man's head.

The driver of the car that just hit him runs out.

[Mister! can you hear me? Are you alright?! Ah shit!]

[I need an ambulance! A person suddenly jumped in front of my car and my car hit him! Please hurry!]

[Hey can you hear me?! Don't pass out! Help's coming!]

Ahhh... a man's saying something to me.

Is this... the end?

Am I  gonna die....like this?

I wish I got to live more...

I can feel my consciousness fading already.

So many emotions are welling up.

I feel very strange... it’s cold, it’s warm and I don’t feel my body. It’s just pain.

Do really have to go like this…? I thought I was going to experience something exciting soon…

If I ever get a chance again... I swear that I will be strong, and reliable, and become a better person...

Should I say goodbye? But to who…?

Ahhh.....

In the next moment, the man's consciousness fades. His breathing gets slower with the passing second. His heart beat stops finally and the man passes away.

 

Somewhere in a dark cave... An egg rattles with force.

Uhh.....

So dark…

What is this..?

What the heck is this…?!

At this fateful moment, the person’s fate rises anew.