A man sat in his darkened room, motionless. His eyes, sunken and hollow, stared at the glowing screen before him. The dim blue light of the computer reflected off his pale face, highlighting the deep bruises beneath his eyes—blood clotted under his skin, a sign of countless sleepless nights.
Tears streamed down his face, yet his expression remained lifeless. The room around him was in complete disarray—papers scattered, empty cans and bottles littering the floor. Dust had settled on surfaces untouched for weeks. It was the home of someone who had long abandoned the idea of living.
His lips trembled. His voice, hoarse and broken, escaped in a whisper.
“I… I lost…” His body shook as his fingers dug into his scalp. "Why is this happening to me…?"
The silence of the room swallowed his words whole.
Then, a sudden cry—raw and desperate.
“HELP ME! I JUST WANT TO SLEEP!”
His voice cracked as he slammed his fists onto the desk. The screen flickered, glitching for a split second—almost as if responding to his suffering.
Then…
Everything went black.
Saturday – 8:30 AM
Gasp!
Asahi's eyes shot open, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His body was drenched in sweat, his fingers trembling as they gripped the sheets beneath him.
The morning sunlight spilled through the window, painting the walls of his room in a golden hue. The faint chirping of birds filled the air. It was… normal.
Yet, his heart pounded like a war drum.
"What… what was that?" He sat up, his breaths still uneven.
It wasn’t just a dream.
The emotions—the hopelessness, the suffocating despair—he felt them.
"That man… that person was… me?"
A sharp buzz pulled him back to reality. His gaze shifted to the bedside table—his alarm clock blinking red.
8:30 AM.
"SHIT! I’M GONNA BE LATE!"
In an instant, the heavy thoughts vanished. He jumped out of bed, frantically searching for his uniform.
"Where the hell are my socks?!" he shouted, shoving aside piles of clothes.
Rushing down the stairs, he yelled, "Mom! My socks!"
The scent of miso soup and grilled fish filled the kitchen as morning sunlight poured through the windows. A woman, around 40 years old, stood by the stove, humming softly as she cooked. Her brown hair neatly tied back, black eyes warm with kindness, and an apron wrapped around her waist—it was the image of a classic, caring mother.
"Mom! My socks!" Asahi shouted from the dining room.
His mother glanced back, casually pointing toward the refrigerator.
"Huh? It’s in the fridge."
Asahi froze. His brain lagged for a second.
"What...?" He blinked, unable to process the words.
His mother gave a satisfied nod. "I put them in the fridge so they stay cool. The weather’s hot today."
A long silence filled the room.
Asahi’s soul nearly left his body.
"WHY. SOCKS?" he muttered, dead inside.
"Oh! I saw a video where a lady said keeping socks in the fridge before wearing them is good for your health," his mother explained with a bright smile.
A deep laugh echoed from the table.
His father—a 42-year-old man with sharp eyes, wearing glasses and a neatly pressed office suit—lowered his newspaper, grinning.
"Like always, believing everything you see online," he chuckled.
Asahi sighed, rubbing his temples.
His dad smirked. "Come on, Asahi. You’re late."
"Shit!" Asahi rushed to the fridge, grabbed his ice-cold socks, and hurriedly put them on.
The Usual Morning Chaos
With barely enough time to chew, Asahi stuffed breakfast into his mouth at record speed before sprinting out the door.
As he ran toward school, let me tell you a little about him.
Asahi Rentaro.
- 17 years old.
- White hair, sharp eyes—probably the only thing remotely attractive about him.
- Decent smile. Lean build.
- Physically? Absolute trash.
- Academically? Even worse.
- The only skill he has? Talking.
His mouth worked faster than his brain. He could convince anyone of anything—except his teachers.
And so, another school day began.
The Legend of Asahi's Excuses
Asahi rushed into the classroom, sliding into the room with perfect comedic timing.
"SENSEI!" he called out dramatically.
His teacher—a young woman in her late twenties—looked up from her desk, already expecting trouble.
"Oh boy…" she sighed.
Asahi straightened his posture, placed a hand on his heart, and locked eyes with her, his voice deep and serious.
"Sensei… I helped a grandpa today."
The room went silent.
"A grandpa?" she raised an eyebrow.
Asahi nodded solemnly. "Yes. He needed a potion. A potion to keep him alive."
A few students stifled laughter.
"I traveled through pain… fought against time itself… and in the end, I delivered that potion to him, ensuring his survival."
"…….."
Sensei covered her mouth with her hand, but her shoulders shook. She was trying not to laugh.
The class erupted into laughter.
She sighed, shaking her head. "Asahi… can’t you at least come up with a good excuse?"
"Damn it," Asahi muttered under his breath. "I should’ve thought of something better."
The afternoon sun cast golden light through the classroom windows, warming the wooden desks. Asahi slumped into his seat—the last bench, next to the window. His usual spot.
A familiar voice immediately called him out.
"YOU’RE LATE AGAIN. AND SERIOUSLY… WHAT WAS THAT WEIRD STORY?"
Asahi turned his head slightly. Anari Kisaragi—his childhood friend. Blue eyes bright as stars, smooth hair flowing like silk, and skin so clear it almost glowed.
Wait—why am I describing her like this? Sorry, back to the story.
Asahi chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "HAHA… LET’S JUST FORGET ABOUT THAT, OKAY?"
Anari narrowed her eyes. "MMM… SURE." She leaned in slightly. "JUST REMEMBER—YOU’RE SEVENTEEN, NOT SEVEN."
"YEAH, YEAH, I KNOW."
Before Asahi could make another joke—
"ALRIGHT, CLASS, LET’S GET STARTED!"
The classroom erupted in a half-hearted "YES!!" as the lesson began.
...Yeah, let’s just skip this boring part.
Evening – After School
Asahi stretched as he stepped out of the classroom, letting out a tired sigh.
"FINALLY… IT'S OVER." (HUH)
"COME ON, LET’S WALK HOME TOGETHER."
Anari stood beside him, arms crossed, her usual expectant look on her face.
Asahi hesitated.
"HUH… NOT TODAY."
Anari blinked.
"WHAT?! …WE WALK HOME TOGETHER EVERY DAY!" (SLIGHTLY ANGRY)
Asahi barely listened, waving a hand as he started walking ahead.
"YEAH, YEAH… I’M GOING."
Anari puffed her cheeks in frustration but didn’t chase after him.
On the Way Home
The streets were quiet, bathed in the golden glow of the setting sun. Asahi walked at a steady pace, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"IF I BROUGHT HER ALONG, SHE’D JUST BARGE INTO MY ROOM, TOUCH EVERYTHING, AND CAUSE COMPLETE CHAOS…"
He sighed, glancing at the road ahead.
"BESIDES, DAD'S COMING HOME EARLY TODAY. IF HE SEES HER—"
And just like that, his brain spiraled into nonsense.
DAD (IN HIS IMAGINATION): "I KNEW IT, SON! YOU INHERITED MY TASTE! A BEAUTIFUL GIRL, JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER! I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!"
Asahi shook his head violently, trying to get rid of the ridiculous thought.
"I REALLY NEED TO STOP THINKING LIKE THIS."
Home – Front Door
Reaching his house, Asahi exhaled and unlocked the door gently.
"I’M HOME!" (SHOUTS)
…Silence.
"HUH?"
He stepped inside, the dim hallway stretching before him.
"MOM? YOUR FAVORITE SON HAS RETURNED FROM AN ADVENTURE!" (HAPPILY)
No response.
The house was eerily quiet.
Asahi’s smile slowly faded as a strange feeling crept into his chest.
"...NO ONE'S HERE?"
The air felt… different.
Home – Kitchen
"MOM?"
Asahi’s voice echoed through the silent house as he stepped toward the kitchen. His heart thumped in his chest—an uneasy feeling crawling up his spine.
"MOM…?"
His foot hesitated at the doorway. And then—
He saw her.
His breath hitched.
There—collapsed on the cold tile floor—his mother.
His vision blurred. His mind refused to process what he was seeing.
"OI…"
His body felt frozen, but his lips trembled.
"NO WAY."
The fear was visible on his face. His hands clenched into shaking fists.
"WAIT, WAIT—MOM? WAKE UP! MOM!!"
His knees hit the ground beside her. He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her gently—then desperately.
"MOM, PLEASE—OPEN YOUR EYES!"
His fingers frantically reached for her wrist, pressing against her pulse point—
Nothing.
The blood drained from his face. His body stiffened.
"SHE’S… DEAD?"
A sharp breath left his throat.
"AAAAAAHHHHH!! NO… NO… NO!!"** (SHOUTS)**
His mind spiraled. His chest tightened, his breaths shallow and erratic.
"WHAT HAPPENED… HOW… WHO DID THIS?! NO—NO!!"
And then—
A sound.
The front door swung open. A pair of hurried footsteps—
A familiar voice, shaking.
"WHAT HAPPENED—"
His father stood at the entrance, his work bag slipping from his grip, hitting the floor with a dull thud.
His eyes landed on his wife.
The color drained from his face.
"NO… WHAT HAPPENED?!"
He rushed forward, collapsing beside her. His hands cradled her face, his voice breaking.
"STAY WITH ME! PLEASE!!" (SHOUTS)
Asahi's mind was blank. His heart pounded in his ears.
"NO… NO… WHAT DO I DO NOW…?"
The pain crushed his chest—an unbearable weight pressing down. His body trembled, his breathing uneven.
And then—his vision blurred.
His body swayed.
And before he could register what was happening—
Everything turned black.
"HEY! ASAHI—!"
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
His father’s voice was the last thing he heard before the darkness swallowed him whole.
Asahi slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, but as it cleared, he found himself in a vast white room—empty, endless. There was nothing here. Nothing but a man standing in front of him.
The silence was suffocating. It wasn’t just quiet—it was as if the world itself had gone deaf.
The man let out a small hum, almost relieved.
???: "Mmm... Finally. I’ve met you."
Asahi's heart pounded. He knew this man. He looked to be in his forties, his hair unkempt, his sunken eyes heavy with exhaustion. His skin clung tightly to his bones, his body frail, as if he hadn’t eaten in days. He wore a simple white shirt and faded blue jeans—clothes that seemed out of place in this endless void.
A chill ran down Asahi’s spine. He took a step back.
Asahi: "... Hey. I know you."
The man didn’t respond, only staring at him with hollow eyes.
Asahi: "You're the one... the one who appeared in my dream."
And then, realization struck like a thunderclap.
Asahi: "It’s you...!"
Asahi's breath was shaky as he stared at the frail man before him. The man's voice was weak, barely above a whisper.
???: "It's... me."
Asahi took a step back, his body tensing.
???: "Do you know who I am?"
Asahi: "Huh...?"
The man let out a dry chuckle, his voice trembling.
???: "...Come on. It's me." His voice suddenly deepened. "I am you... Your future self."
Asahi's eyes widened in shock.
Asahi: "What!?"
The man—his future self—nodded slowly, his expression dull but knowing.
Future Asahi (FA): "Yeah, yeah... I know. It's messed up." His tone shifted slightly, becoming lighter, almost sarcastic. "But you’ve been transferred to this dimension."
Asahi’s mind raced.
Asahi: "Huh? How!?"
FA sighed, rubbing his temple as if exhausted just from explaining.
FA: "When your mother died… you were shifted here. Basically, if you’re unconscious—or even asleep—you will be pulled into this dimension."
Asahi’s stomach dropped.
Asahi: "So… I can travel through dimensions?"
FA: "No. The only dimensions you can access are this one… and your own."
Asahi clenched his fists.
Asahi: "...Mmm…" His voice trailed off, his mind still struggling to process. But then, something clicked.
Asahi: "Wait—my mom's dead!?" His voice cracked. "What will I do? How… why…?"
FA's eyes darkened.
FA: "Yeah… to fix that—"
Asahi: "Fix!?" His heart pounded. "We can fix that!?"
FA smirked slightly.
FA: "Of course. In this dimension, I can let you travel through time."
FA: "So when you wake up… you will have successfully looped over. And you can save everyone."
Asahi's breathing grew heavy.
Asahi: "Save…" He repeated, stunned.
Then, realization struck.
Asahi: "Yes… Yes! That's it! I can save my mom!" His voice burned with newfound determination.
FA studied him for a moment before nodding.
FA: "I’ll decide when and where you go. It will be the perfect moment for you to change everything."
Asahi: "Yeah! Thank you!"
But then, something hit him.
Asahi: "Hey…!"
FA looked at him, intrigued.
Asahi: "I have so many questions to ask, you know."
FA smiled faintly.
FA: "We’ll see next time."
Asahi’s heart clenched.
(There will be no next time…)
Asahi: "So… how do I get out of here?"
FA closed his eyes.
Asahi: "Yo… say something."
Suddenly, an unbearable pain exploded in Asahi’s head.
Asahi: "AARRRGH!" He clutched his skull, screaming as his body felt like it was being torn apart.
—
With a sharp gasp, Asahi jolted awake. His body trembled, sweat dripping down his face as he panted heavily.
He turned to his side, his eyes locking onto the clock.
8:30 AM.
A shaky breath left his lips.
Asahi: "...Looks like I’ve looped successfully."
Asahi: "Mom!"
His voice was filled with urgency, his breath still uneven from waking up.
His mother turned to him, startled.
Mom: "Huh? What happened?" She studied his face, concern creeping in. "You look terrified."
Then, her expression softened.
Mom: "Did you have a bad dream?" She smiled gently.
Asahi stared at her, his heart pounding.
She’s alive…
The weight of those words almost crushed him. He wanted to run to her, hug her tight—but not now. Not yet.
Instead, he forced a small grin.
Asahi: "Yeah… a really bad dream." He let out a soft laugh. "A really, really bad one."
His mother raised an eyebrow at his unusual response but didn’t push further.
Asahi walked over and sat on the chair near the dining table, still stealing glances at his mother, as if making sure she wouldn’t disappear.
Mom: "So… you’re not going to school today?"
He hesitated for a moment before looking straight into her eyes.
Asahi: "Mom… not today." His voice was calm but firm. "I… want to stay here."
She blinked, surprised.
Mom: "Huh?"
Mom: "That’s… weird."
Asahi smiled, shaking his head.
Asahi: "Come on, Mom. Just this once. One last time."
Mom: "Mmm… okay." She smiled warmly. "Only today."
Asahi let out a quiet breath.
(That’s enough.)
Just hearing her say that, seeing her standing there, alive, was enough to make his heart feel lighter.
Suddenly, a familiar voice broke the moment.
Dad: "So, you finally convinced your mom, huh?" He chuckled, stepping into the room.
Asahi turned to him.
Asahi: "Dad… Mmm—" (Shit!)
His father raised an eyebrow but grinned.
Dad: "Don’t worry. I’m not going to say anything… It’s just one day, right, honey?"
Mom: "Yeah," she laughed, shaking her head.
Asahi clenched his fists under the table.
Asahi: (I need to save my mom this time… No matter what.)
—
His father left for work. The clock read 10:30 AM.
Two hours had passed.
Asahi: (Nothing happened.)
I had already checked every room, locked all the windows and doors. Everything was secure.
Now, I sat with my mother. The house was silent, except for the faint ticking of the clock.
She glanced at me.
Mom: "What was the dream you saw?"
Asahi: (…Huh?)
I blinked, caught off guard.
Asahi: "Mmmmmm…" (pauses, thinking)
Asahi: "You know… I saw a ghost…"
My mother raised an eyebrow.
Mom: "Huh?"
I hesitated for a second, then smirked.
Asahi: "Yeah… and it looked exactly like you!"
Mom: "…HUH?!"
Her voice suddenly sharpened.
Mom: "DID YOU JUST SAY SOMETHING?!"
Asahi: "A-A-A-A-A-A… N-No! No, nothing!" (waves hands nervously)
She sighed, shaking her head.
Mom: "I should have sent you to school."
I couldn’t help but smile.
Asahi: (At least, for now… everything is normal.)
1:30 PM
(We ate our lunch. My mother is sleeping now. Nothing suspicious has happened.)
Asahi: (…Until here, everything is right.)
2:30 PM
(Nothing happened… Last time, I reached home by 4:00 PM. So something must have happened between 3:00 and 4:00 PM.)
Asahi: (I have to be careful.)
[After 2 minutes…]
I turned on the TV.
I had been on edge for hours. But come on, I’m a human—I needed a distraction.
Asahi: "Hahaha! This show is fun!"
DING DONG.
A sudden doorbell.
Asahi: (…Huh?)
Asahi: (Oh, calm down… Who could that be?)
Slowly, I got up. My heart pounded. My hands were slightly sweaty.
Asahi: (Come on… Stay calm… Everything is alright.)
I gently opened the door.
A man stood outside, holding a package.
Delivery Man: "Sir, here is your delivery."
He handed me a receipt.
Delivery Man: "Please sign here."
I exhaled. Just a delivery man.
Asahi: (I overthought it…)
I signed the receipt.
Delivery Man: "Thank you, sir. Have a nice day!"
I nodded, locked the door behind me, and looked at the package.
Asahi: (…Huh? I don’t remember ordering anything.)
It was a well-wrapped, sturdy cardboard box.
I crouched down and started peeling off the tape.
Asahi: "Tch—Damn, this is tight…"
I finally lifted the lid.
…
…
…
Asahi: "……………………………"
Inside the box…
A severed human head.
My father’s head.
Blood pooled at the bottom of the box, thick and dark. His left eye was missing. His mouth was slightly open as if he had tried to say something before—
I slammed the lid shut. My stomach churned violently.
I barely made it to the bathroom before vomiting.
My hands gripped the sink. My breath was erratic. I looked at the mirror.
My teeth were chattering.
My hands were shaking.
My pupils were dilated.
Asahi: "Wh… what do I do now…"
I turned back to the box, still sitting on the floor, the blood beginning to seep through the bottom.
Asahi: "It’s… Dad this time… How…?"
Then it hit me.
Asahi: (…I looped.)
A cold chill ran down my spine.
Asahi: "How?!" (shouts)
I clutched my head. My breath turned ragged.
Asahi: (No… I can’t… I need to sleep.)
My vision blurred.
Asahi rushed into his bedroom.
His hands trembled as he yanked open the drawer. Inside—a bottle of sleeping pills.
Without hesitation, he grabbed it.
Asahi: (This time… I will save him.)
He twisted the cap open and poured several pills into his palm. Three… four… He didn’t count anymore.
Without a second thought, he swallowed them all.
A bitter taste spread across his tongue, but he didn’t care.
Slowly, his body grew heavy. His vision blurred.
He staggered to his bed and collapsed onto it.
His breathing slowed. His eyelids grew heavier… heavier… until—
Darkness.
Then—
A blinding white light.
Asahi’s eyes fluttered open.
He was back.
A pure white room surrounded him. And standing before him—
Future Asahi.
His expression was unreadable. Cold. Unbothered.
Future Asahi: "So… who died this time?"
Asahi clenched his fists, his breathing uneven.
Asahi: "…Dad!"
Silence.
Future Asahi simply exhaled, as if this outcome was inevitable.
The loop had begun again.
A blinding white light.
Asahi’s eyes fluttered open.
He was back.
A pure white room surrounded him. No walls, no ceiling, no floor—just an endless, suffocating void.
And standing before him—
Future Asahi.
Expressionless. Cold. As if none of this mattered to him anymore.
FA let out a small breath, almost in amusement.
FA: "So... Dad this time? Hah."
Asahi’s chest tightened. His fists clenched.
Asahi: "Why didn’t you tell me… huh? WHY?!"
His voice cracked. His breathing was rough.
Asahi: "You’re from the future, right?! THEN WHY?!" (shouts)
FA remained still. His gaze, empty.
FA: "Calm down."
FA: "I don’t have any memories of my past… because I was killed in the future."
Silence.
Asahi’s stomach dropped.
Asahi: "…Huh?"
His voice barely came out.
FA: "Yes. I was killed in the future. Everyone was."
FA: "After that, I ended up here. Trapped. In this void. With you."
Asahi felt his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
Asahi: "So this isn’t a dream…?"
FA’s gaze sharpened. His voice deepened.
FA: "No."
FA: "This is a Dimensional Dream."
A chill ran down Asahi’s spine.
Asahi: "(…Huh?)"
FA took a step forward.
FA: "This is a dimension… but not a real one."
FA: "It doesn’t exist. It has no form, no space, no time."
FA’s empty eyes locked onto Asahi’s.
FA: "But when you sleep… this dimension is created."
FA: "For you, it’s just a dream."
His voice grew colder.
FA: "But for me…"
FA: "I was transferred into an unknown dimension. A place of nothingness. A white room with no air… literal vacuum. No sound. No time."
Asahi swallowed. The weight of those words was suffocating.
Asahi: "But… I can hear you."
FA gave a hollow smile.
FA: "Of course. Because for you… it’s just a dream."
Asahi looked down. His mind was spinning.
Asahi: "Mmm…" (processing everything)
A long silence followed.
Then, Asahi hesitated before asking—
Asahi: "So… you’re trapped here… forever?"
FA’s expression darkened.
FA: "No."
FA stepped closer.
FA: "If you can save everyone… if you can save yourself…"
FA’s lips curled into a small smirk.
FA: "Then I can go back to the future."
Asahi’s fists clenched.
Asahi: "But what am I supposed to do now?"
His voice wavered.
Asahi: "If I stay with my mom, my father dies. If I go to school, my mother dies."
A suffocating silence filled the void.
FA remained still, his gaze unreadable.
FA: "I can’t help with that."
His voice was flat, devoid of sympathy.
FA: "The only thing I can do… is adjust the timeline. Find the perfect moment for you."
Asahi exhaled sharply.
Asahi: (What does that even mean…?)
Then, a desperate thought crossed his mind.
Asahi: "What if I just tell them?"
FA’s expression flickered—just for a second.
Asahi: "What if I tell my parents the truth? That I can loop time. That I’m a time traveler."
A beat of silence.
Then—
FA let out a small, amused breath.
FA: "Mmm… That’s an interesting idea."
For the first time, he seemed to genuinely consider it.
But then—his tone dropped.
FA: "But it won’t work."
A chill ran down Asahi’s spine.
Asahi: "Why not?" (voice rising with urgency)
FA let out a slow breath, as if explaining something obvious.
FA: "First of all—"
He raised a finger.
FA: "One. They will think you’ve lost your mind."
A second finger.
FA: "Two. If you tell them the truth…"
FA’s voice darkened.
FA: "The connection between your dream and this dimension will be severed."
A heavy silence.
Then, in an almost emotionless tone, FA continued.
FA: "I will die—permanently."
FA: "And you…"
FA’s piercing gaze locked onto Asahi’s.
FA: "You will never be able to loop again."
Asahi’s breath caught.
Asahi: "(…What…?)"
His body tensed. He felt like the air had been knocked out of him.
FA had been trapped in this void, alone. If the connection was broken, he wouldn’t just disappear—
He would be erased.
Asahi’s breathing turned uneven.
His voice dropped into a deep whisper.
Asahi: "So… it’s all in my hands now, isn’t it?"
FA nodded.
FA: "Yes."
Silence.
Then—
Asahi: "How do you know that?"
FA’s body suddenly tensed. His fingers twitched.
A sharp pain shot through him.
FA: "Agh…!"
His knees buckled slightly as his breath hitched.
Asahi: "FA—?! What’s wrong?!"
FA clutched his head, his jaw clenched in agony.
FA: "I… don’t know… It’s like…"
His fingers dug into his temple, eyes narrowing.
FA: "Like I’ve experienced this before…"
The pain slowly subsided. His breathing steadied.
Then, FA looked up at Asahi, a faint, knowing smile tugging at his lips.
FA: "I know you’ll save everyone."
Asahi took a step back.
Asahi: "(What… the hell is happening to him…?)"
Then—
FA’s expression darkened again.
FA: "There’s something else."
His voice was firm.
FA: "There’s a disadvantage to looping time."
Asahi stiffened.
Asahi: "(Huh?)" (listens carefully)
FA met his eyes.
FA: "Whenever you sleep…"
His voice deepened.
FA: "You will always return here."
Asahi’s breath hitched.
The weight of that realization sank in.
No matter what.
No matter when.
He would always wake up in this void.
FA’s expression turned grim.
FA: "There’s one more thing."
Asahi glanced up. The atmosphere felt heavier.
FA: "You can’t sleep whenever you want."
A pause.
FA: "You can’t sleep at night. You can’t sleep out of exhaustion."
FA’s eyes locked onto Asahi’s.
FA: "The only time you can sleep… is to loop time."
Asahi’s stomach twisted.
Asahi: "Wait… then when I’m asleep…"
FA: "You’re awake here."
A suffocating silence followed.
Asahi: "…So basically, I’m not sleeping at all?"
FA nodded.
FA: "Yes. You can’t sleep."
Asahi’s breathing grew heavier.
Asahi: "What if I try to sleep like I normally do?"
FA’s response was immediate.
FA: "Once you sleep… you must loop."
A sharp sting of frustration burned in Asahi’s chest.
Asahi: "(So I can never rest?!)"
He ruffled his hair aggressively.
Asahi: "Tch! This is so—!!"
FA sighed, rubbing his forehead.
FA: "I know. It’s fucked up."
His voice was tired, carrying a weight Asahi couldn’t fully understand.
FA: "That’s the only thing I can tell you."
Another long breath.
Then—
Asahi: (Exhales deeply.)
Asahi: "Okay… okay, okay. Calm down."
He muttered to himself, trying to suppress the rising panic.
Asahi: "I know… I can do this."
A second passed.
Then—
A grin spread across Asahi’s face.
Asahi: "Yeah."
His stance straightened. He cracked his neck and—
Asahi: "Yeah…!"
In one swift motion, he struck a heroic pose, fist clenched, a confident fire burning in his eyes.
Asahi: "I am Asahi Rentaro!"
His voice echoed in the white void.
Asahi: "The man who’s gonna save everyone!"
He pointed his finger directly at FA.
Asahi: "The Time Traveler."
Then, his voice softened—but his resolve burned brighter.
Asahi: "Even if I have to sell my soul…"
A beat.
Asahi: "I WILL SAVE EVERYONE."
His gaze sharpened.
Asahi: "Including you."
FA’s eyes widened slightly.
Then, for the first time—
FA smiled.
A small, almost imperceptible smile.
FA: "Good luck."
With that, he closed his eyes.
And the white void swallowed everything.
Asahi’s eyes fluttered open.
The familiar ceiling of his room. The warmth of his bed. The faint morning light spilling through the curtains.
Back to reality.
His gaze instinctively flicked toward the clock.
8:30 AM.
A heavy breath escaped his lips.
Asahi: "…I looped again."
His voice was low, almost a whisper.
His mind was still catching up, still processing everything that had just happened. But then—
A realization struck him.
Asahi: "So basically… I was awake this whole time."
His hands clenched the bedsheet.
Asahi: "This can cause a problem…"
His heart pounded.
He wasn’t just seeing it as a dream anymore.
Asahi: "I wasn’t dreaming… It was real."
A real dream.
His throat felt dry.
Asahi: "It is a real dream."
His breathing grew uneven.
Asahi: "It was like I was awake… in another dimension."
A sickening thought crawled into his mind.
Asahi: "If I don’t get enough sleep… if I keep looping over and over…"
His fingers trembled. His mind spiraled.
Asahi: "I’ll go insane."
A sharp frustration boiled inside him.
He gritted his teeth.
Asahi: "I’ll be mentally ill…"
The horror of it sank in. The weight. The crushing reality.
Then—
Asahi: "NO SLEEP?!" (HUH?!)
His voice cracked. His entire body tensed.
His own words echoed inside his head like a death sentence.