It was a warm Christmas Eve, and after hesitating for months at home, I chose a different path.

I believe that those who are willing to make an effort will surely have unexpected results.

In the cold night, the warmth I anticipated upon my return was long gone!

"Gone, it turns out to be so simple, it's quite different from the legends, isn't it...?"

Wrapped in my scarf, my body still felt so cold... No, in fact, it could be said that there was no warmth left at all!

Sitting on a bustling city street, my presence seemed to have become unreal.

Why, you ask? Because, at the other end is my home.

"How could this be?"

I stretched out my hands, but nothing was different.

What seemed strange was that there was a Juxi already at home, laughing with my parents, and even Yukari, who dressed just like in the past, was there.

But even though that Juxi made them smile after a long time, it had nothing to do with me anymore.

"It seems you've realized... Yes, you are already dead, or rather, a person who has freed themselves from all constraints."

Just as I was at a loss, not knowing what to do next.

A person dressed plainly, with a face that seemed pale and powerless.

Although the golden curly hair seemed so full of vitality, just like my childhood friend, it still looked like a lost and wandering soul, just like me now.

"Oh, are you here to take me to the underworld?" I smiled as I walked up to him, "If that's the case, it's just perfect..."

I peacefully closed my eyes, hands in my pockets, intending to depart in such a mundane way.

"No, not yet!"

That person, colorful like a starlight, yet fading like a ghost.

"You are not the one who is dying, it is actually that person you."

The girl gently raised her shiny arm, pointing her index finger straight at me, who was sitting there chatting with family, "His time is up, but yours is far from over!"

"Uh, hold on... Is there some mistake?"

Suddenly, I felt I was being manipulated by time.

Just when I finally started to understand the feeling of death, the pain before the wound heals that I have been seeking, but the girl in front of me told me I wasn't qualified.

The dim and sorrowful eyes, along with the dark green pupils, suddenly revealed a hint of sadness.

Her gaze shifted from me to another side of the fence, where Juxi was enjoying a family dinner: "The time has come..."

"Huh?"

Although she said "I" was going to die, I never expected it to happen so soon!

"Wait... Wait a minute!"

I gritted my teeth, holding onto her tightly.

"I am curious, although it is not you who have died, why is your heart so fearful... Why?"

"Why? Although I don't know who you are, I feel like I've seen you somewhere, that's what my memory tells me."

"..."

She didn't answer me, but her silence seemed to explain everything, the answer had already been given to me!

But I still hoped she would tell me in person, so that I could be at ease.

"Don't want to answer me?"

"Well, close your eyes, go and do what you must do, slowly prove it."

"Proof?!"

Before I could even question what was happening, she began to count down: "Ten… Nine… Eight!"

Unexpectedly, before I could finish my sentence, she had already started reciting those deathly numbers.

During this time period, the "me" in the room was already prepared to leave. How could such a coincidence happen?

"…Well, yes… I will just make a quick trip to the convenience store and come right back."

"Six… Five… Four."

"Dammit, stop this!"

My own death, I don't need anyone else to bear it, I don't need it!!

But it was as if she hadn't heard me at all, still counting down: "…One."

Huh? It seemed like nothing had happened to that version of me during that time, this is so… No!

"The way I left went unnoticed by anyone, without even a care, and..."

Most importantly, where did "I"… go?!

"I had just changed my shoes and was ready to head out to the convenience store."

But afterwards, how did all traces of me disappear, not good!

Could it be already too late?

"Juxi, don't you think you're meddling in things that have nothing to do with you a bit unnecessary."

Next, she threw a pocket watch emitting golden sparkles at me.

"May it either fade or make you forget those memories that should never have existed."

The girl said and then walked away.

Looking at the pocket watch she left in my hand, I understood one thing… my story is far from over!

Although that version of me had completely sunk into despair, I still found it hard to decide.

Because… I might regret that very first encounter with Sister Yukari, our future… is already tinged with deep despair!

"Juxi, hurry up and cook, my stomach is about to implode from hunger!"

In my mind, there's that unforgettable Sister Yukari, no matter what.

At school, she appears as a well-behaved girl, but once she's back home, her real self emerges as the carefree elder sister.

Although all of this will slowly follow my steps and then be entirely forgotten.

The hovercraft spun 720 degrees in the air, descending steadily towards the deep valley.

As the energy bar of the hovercraft was already depleted by the damaged engine, we had to jump off near the cliff edge before it ran out of power, with the new pilot.

"Whoa—!!"

Both I and the pilot buddy fell heavily, landing with all limbs in the air.

The conflict was instigated by the Alliance forces, and the President Edward of Elena, who supplied weapons to the Alliance, had a particularly intriguing attitude during media interviews.

"Hello, in the war between the Alliance and the Empire, as someone who profits from war, don't you feel any guilt?"

"No, you're wrong!"

Every word from the man was aimed at defending his legitimate interests, smiling at the camera as he explained: "Compared to those who fight for resources, we at Elena prefer to work diligently and honestly."

The uncle spread his hands and kindly explained to the presenter.

"All we do now is for humanity, to wake people up from the false reality they are in."

At this moment, a blonde anchorwoman was interviewing a well-built balding man, who… Wait, wasn't this the uncle I met earlier in the residential area not far from the commercial street?

During my lonely time…

*cough, cough*…“A long time ago, I used to live here with my wife and daughter, but…”

The middle-aged man's face carried some tense wrinkles as he squinted his eyes and chuckled with bitterness.

“It seems that this place has been sold now, right?”

Speaking was a man with slightly graying hair, standing clearly in front of a luxurious car, but emanating a sense of desolation.

As if someone who once resided here harbored a deep hatred towards him.

“I won't give up, won't let go… if only I could go back to that moment!”

“Sir?”

“Hmm?”

At that moment, he noticed my presence, seeing in me someone who, like him, carried deep wounds within.

“Young man, I once bore all the guilt alone while living abroad, but faced with my wife's worry, I chose to escape, weaving lies to deceive my family, claiming I had a new lover and wanted to divorce her!”

In sorrow for a long time, with a heart tinged with regret, he once again emptied the glass of white wine just refilled.

“I was almost unable to get up abroad, racked up a mountain of foreign debt, fearing they would find my family! You know, back then, my daughter had just turned eight years old…. Ah!”

As he spoke, he unconsciously drank a lot more.

His words were no longer as clear as before.

I recognized him when he was in that state, yes…

“He is the target of this mission!”

“What?!”

A transmission came from headquarters, revealing that the middle-aged man was the target I had encountered in a street corner, I had met him somewhere, anyway, it turned out that he was the mark of this assassination.

“Edward?”

Unexpectedly, the middle-aged man I coincidentally met that time turned out to be the target of this mission.

I calmly took over the information sheet handed by the sleepy uncle, the familiar face on it once again confirmed my elimination target, he seemed to be quite a tough nut to crack!

In just over a year, three-dimensional holography had been incorporated into communication devices.

Many old houses on the streets and in alleys had been demolished, being replaced by high-rise buildings of twenty floors or more, covering much of the city's north, with only a small part of a town in the south remaining standing.

Twenty years ago, many countries had begun gradually erasing their governmental systems.

Most countries had become small nations under the authority of larger ones, which formed alliances.

The Allied Forces had finally exterminated over two hundred countries, with only a few unwilling to relinquish power continuing to establish private regimes and reaching agreements.

“We in the Allied Forces refer to these people as the Imperial Army!” my superior, Sleepy, told me, “Humph, I think they just want to establish a dictatorship!”

“Well, not joining the Allied Forces doesn’t necessarily mean they deserve death, right?”

I always felt that Sleepy's characterization of those people was a bit too absolute, but he didn't see it that way.

“Tsk, anyone who doesn't join the Allied Forces is aiming for dictatorship!”

As he spoke, Sleepy angrily smashed the glass holding the coffee, causing ghastly bloodstains to appear on his hands.

Looking at his blackened face, a tear of blood ran down his cheek.

Not sure what touched upon his inner pain, I quickly tried to console him, “Uh, sorry, forget what I said… it’s okay.”

“Oh no, no, no!!”

In an instant, Sleepy's furious expression turned pitiful, and he cried out, “Waa, it hurts so much, give me some comfort, please.”

"..."

The Sandman is a man twelve years older than me, with a crew cut and a carefree attitude that reminds me of someone like Yuanhui.

Huh, am I really that attractive to idiots?