WAKING UP IN THE DIMENSIONAL DREAM
(Asahi slowly opens his eyes. The cold, empty space surrounds him. The ground beneath him isn't solid—just an illusion of existence. He blinks once, then slowly sits up.)
(A figure stands before him. FA. Silent. Unmoving.)
(Asahi's gaze sharpens. His body feels heavier than usual. He knows something is wrong.)
Asahi: (Voice low, cutting through the silence.)
"Hey."
(FA doesn't answer. He just stands there.)
Asahi: (Colder.)
"Is there something you need to say?"
(A heavy pause. The air feels denser, pressing against Asahi's chest.)
Then—FA finally moves.
(He tilts his head slightly, his lips curling into a small, knowing smile.)
FA: (Softly.)
"Ahhh…"
(The Dimensional Dream remains silent. The air is heavier than usual. Every second feels stretched, like time itself is hesitating to move forward.)
(FA exhales, then gestures lazily.)
FA: (Casual.)
"Huh… sit down. Let's talk."
(Asahi doesn't move.)
He just stares. Expression unreadable.
FA: (Tilting his head.)
"Mmm, okay."
(He sits cross-legged on the floor, tapping his fingers against his knee. The silence between them lingers—thick, suffocating.)
Asahi: (Cold.)
"Explain yourself."
(FA hums, as if considering his words carefully.)
FA: (Shrugging.)
"Mmm… there's a surprise."(Smirks slightly.)
"And then… nothing."
Asahi doesn't even react. His gaze sharpens.
Asahi: (Deadpan.)
"I want to know about Anari's disease."(Pauses, voice lower.)
"Her memory loss."(A sharp inhale.)
"And why the hell am I looping without even sleeping?"
The words hit the void like gunshots.
(FA blinks slowly, lips twitching.)
FA: (Light chuckle.)
"Mmm… so many questions."
(A slow exhale. Then—he leans forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.)
FA: (Serious.)
"Calm down."
(Asahi exhales, looking up at the endless sky above them. His jaw tightens.)
Asahi: (Low, frustrated.)
"Ahhh… how did you do that?"
(FA hums, acting like this is all just a game.)
FA: (Casual.)
"Ahhh…"
No answer.
Just that damn smirk.
Asahi: (Sharper, demanding.)
"How did you loop me without even letting me sleep?"
That question should be impossible.
FA should not be able to loop him like this.
(FA stretches his arms, yawning slightly before finally speaking.)
FA: (Shrugging.)
"Mmm… I guess it's because of the Dimensional Dream."
Asahi freezes.
(His eyes flicker, something twisting deep inside him.)
Asahi: (Cold.)
"Huh…?"
FA's voice lowers. His usual amusement fades slightly.
FA: (Slow, deliberate.)
"Even without sleeping, you're still being looped."(Pauses, then smirks.)
"That means… the one who made the Dimensional Dream doesn't want you to live tomorrow."
Asahi's entire body stiffens.
"OI… YOU'RE KIDDING, RIGHT?"
(The words settle in his chest like a lead weight.)
He doesn't want to believe it.
Silence.
FA doesn't answer.
Because they both know the truth.
(Something—someone—is preventing Asahi from reaching tomorrow.)
(And then, suddenly—)
MA's voice slithers into Asahi's mind.
MA (Inner Voice): (Mocking, playful.)
"Yo, FA—what's up? What's the plan now?"
Asahi's blood boils. His patience finally snaps.
Asahi: (Cold, sharp.)
"Hey… you shut up."
FA's eyes widen slightly.
(A low chuckle escapes FA's lips. He looks at Asahi—really looks at him. Something shifts in his expression.)
MA (Inner Voice): (Amused.)
"So… you've controlled it this much, huh?"
That makes Asahi pause.
What does that mean?
Asahi: (Frowning.)
"Huh… what do you mean?"
FA doesn't answer.
His smirk deepens, but his eyes are unreadable.
(Then—MA speaks again, voice lower, colder.)
MA (Inner Voice):
"You made Asahi loop so much… and now you're trying to control him?"
Asahi's breath catches.
Control?
Asahi: (Shaken.)
"Wha… what?"
FA finally reacts.
He laughs.
(Not fake. Not amused. But something different—something unsettling.)
FA: (Smirking.)
"That's bullshit."
(The Dimensional Dream remains still. No wind. No movement. Just three voices lingering in the endless void—one filled with anger, one filled with doubt, and one hiding something dangerous.)
"OI… WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
(Asahi's voice echoes through the void—sharp, raw, filled with something he's never felt before. A pure, overwhelming rage that refuses to be ignored.)
(His fists tighten. His heart pounds violently against his ribs. Every second feels like a countdown to something inevitable.)
Silence.
Then—MA speaks.
DOUBT SINKS IN.
(MA's voice slithers into Asahi's mind. Calm, but laced with something venomous.)
MA (Inner Voice): (Slow, deliberate.)
"He might be willing to control you… you know."
A sharp, cold breath escapes his lips.
They hit too deep.
Asahi: (Teeth gritted, breath uneven.)
"No way…!"
(FA finally moves. His body relaxes slightly, but his gaze remains locked onto Asahi. Then—he exhales, tilting his head.)
FA: (Soft, but unwavering.)
"I don't care if you believe me or not."
Asahi stops breathing.
The weight behind those words—heavy. Unshakable.
(FA's eyes flicker—no smirk, no games. Just raw, stripped-down sincerity.)
FA: (Voice steady, but something breaking beneath it.)
"But you need my help."(Pauses.)
"And I need yours."
Asahi's fists tremble slightly.
Why does FA sound… desperate?
(A moment passes. The words settle in the void, wrapping around Asahi's chest like invisible chains.)
Then—FA speaks again.
FA: (Low, absolute.)
"I don't care how much you change."
Asahi's pulse stops.
The air feels colder. He feels—smaller.
Then, FA says it.
FA: (Final, unshakable.)
"I need a future where Anari lives."
The world stops moving.
Asahi—doesn't respond.
Because for the first time—
He doesn't know what to say.
(The air in the Dimensional Dream is heavier than ever. Each second feels stretched, pulled by an unseen force. FA stands firm, his hand raised. Asahi remains still, his eyes cold, unreadable.)
(FA extends his hand toward Asahi—calm, steady, yet demanding.)
FA: (Firm.)
"Now, let me take the memory."
Asahi doesn't react immediately.
His body remains still.
But inside—his mind is racing.
(A pause. Then—Asahi exhales softly.)
Asahi: (Cold, expression blank.)
"Ahhh… what if I don't?"
His voice is quiet, but it cuts through the silence like a blade.
FA doesn't flinch. Instead—he smiles.
(A slow, knowing smile. Not mocking. Not threatening. Just… patient.)
As if he already knows what Asahi will do.
(Asahi's fingers twitch slightly. His breathing remains controlled, but something in his chest tightens.)
He knows FA won't hurt him.
He knows FA isn't his enemy.
But still—why does this feel like a trap?
Asahi: (Steady, but demanding.)
"FA… explain."(Pauses, then softer.)
"I believe you."
FA's smile fades slightly.
That answer—it wasn't what he expected.
(Asahi takes a slow step forward, his voice lowering.)
Asahi: (Soft, absolute.)
"I know… you know… we are all the same. Right?"
FA's gaze sharpens.
Something flickers in his expression—something Asahi can't read.
(Then—FA lowers his hand slightly. His voice remains calm, but there's a weight behind it now.)
FA: (Quietly.)
"Let me take the memory first."
Asahi's voice is quiet. Final. Absolute.
(MA hums in the back of his mind, watching everything unfold. His presence lingers, unreadable, as if waiting for something to break.)
MA (Inner Voice): (Musing.)
"Mmmmmm…"
(The Dimensional Dream distorts. The air feels heavier—like something is shifting. Asahi stands frozen as FA presses a hand against his forehead.)
A memory is taken.
(FA's body spasms. His hand twitches violently, glitching in and out of existence. His head jerks slightly, as if struggling to stay in place.)
Something is wrong.
Something is very, very wrong.
FA doesn't react.
As if this is normal.
Then—
(It stops.)
The glitches vanish. FA exhales slowly, his hand falling to his side.
But something feels… different.
Something is missing.
(Asahi's breath is unsteady. His heartbeat—erratic. His body—tense.)
Asahi: (Frustrated, voice rising.)
"Wh… what… I don't understand anything!"
He's tired of this.
Of being kept in the dark.
Of never knowing what's real anymore.
But FA… FA simply smiles.
(FA straightens, his expression calm—but there's something off. Something forced.)
FA: (Soft, firm.)
"Just focus on your path."
Asahi narrows his eyes.
What does that even mean?
FA: (Casual, as if this is nothing.)
"Do you want to know about Anari, right?"
Asahi: (Quiet, but absolute.)
"Yeah."
Silence.
FA doesn't hesitate.
His answer is instant.
"WILL SHE DIE?"
Asahi's fingers twitch.
His throat tightens.
Because if FA says "yes"—
He doesn't know what he'll do.
He doesn't know if he can take it.
Then—
FA: (Soft, unshaken.)
"No. Don't worry."
Asahi exhales.
A deep, sharp breath.
His body loosens slightly.
Relief floods his chest—just for a moment.
Just for a second.
Then—
"HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?"
MA speaks.
And the relief is shattered.
Just like that.
Asahi stiffens. His breath catches.
Because MA is right.
How can FA say that?
How can he be so sure?
(The Dimensional Dream is silent. A suffocating, heavy silence. The kind that signals something irreversible. Something cruel.)
(FA's voice is steady. Cold. There's no hesitation. No softness.)
This isn't an opinion.
This isn't a theory.
This is fact.
FA: (Flat, unreadable.)
"Anari. His father. His mother."
Asahi doesn't react.
He already knows this won't be good.
But he listens anyway.
FA continues.
Every word slicing deeper.
FA: (Calm, controlled.)
"They were too involved in your life."
Asahi flinches—but barely.
Because he already knows that, too.
He's known for a long time.
"UNLIKE YOU… THEY ARE NORMAL."And that's the problem.
They are not time leapers.
They are just normal humans.
And normal humans were never meant to carry the weight of endless loops.
"SO THEIR MEMORIES START TO DIFFER."
Asahi doesn't ask how.
He waits.
FA doesn't make him wait long.
FA: (Cold, precise.)
"Because they don't know you're looping."
Of course, they don't know.
To them, every loop is the first time.
But to him—he's been here a hundred times.
A thousand times.
And that gap… that difference…
Is tearing them apart.
"HOW CAN YOU SAY THEY WON'T DIE?" Asahi finally speaks.
His voice is hollow.
Because deep down—he already suspects the answer.
FA pauses.
Just for a second.
Then—
FA: (Monotone, absolute.)
"A human brain starts to reject unwanted memories on its own."
It makes too much sense.
But—
"SO THEIR MEMORIES WILL GET ERASED, RIGHT?"
Asahi's voice is shaking.
But only slightly.
FA doesn't answer immediately.
That silence—
That fucking silence—
It's worse than a "yes."
It's worse than a "no."
Then—
FA: (Soft, but final.)
"Yes, the memories will be removed."
Asahi exhales.
Okay. Okay.
That's… manageable.
That's fine.
But then—
"THERE'S A PROBLEM."
Asahi freezes.
No.
No, no, no—
This should be the end of the conversation.
They should be safe.
It should be fine.
But FA is still talking.
FA hasn't stopped.
That means—
That means it's worse than he thought.
"THE MEMORIES FROM PAST TIMELINES ARE TOO BIG."
A simple sentence.
But it feels like a death sentence.
Asahi's throat tightens.
He doesn't breathe.
He just listens.
And then—
FA: (Still cold. Still distant.)
"So the human brain will…"(Pauses.)
Asahi leans forward.
He doesn't want to hear it.
But he has to.
He has no choice.
"IT WILL ERASE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU."
The words hit like a hammer.
A crushing weight.
A fate worse than death.
Asahi doesn't react immediately.
He just—
He just—
Sits there.
Processing.
Trying to process.
Trying to breathe.
Trying to accept that his own mother…
His own father…
Anari…
Will forget him.
Completely.
Forever.
Like he never existed.
Like he never mattered.
Like he was never even born.
"NO EXPRESSION."
Asahi doesn't scream.
He doesn't break.
He just… stops.
Like his soul left his body.
Like there's no point in reacting.
Because what's the point?
What's left to say?
What's left to fight for?
"THAT'S BULLSHIT."
MA speaks.
Angry. Unbelieving.
Desperate.
MA: (Shouting, furious.)
"That's bullshit!"
Because he knows what this means.
Because this is wrong.
Because Asahi shouldn't have to suffer like this.
But FA…
FA doesn't argue.
FA doesn't fight.
FA just—
Exists.
Like this was always meant to happen.
Like this was inevitable.
"WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN?"
Asahi's voice is hoarse. Weak.
Like he's already lost.
Like he already knows there's no hope.
But he still asks.
Because he has to.
Because he needs to know.
Because maybe—just maybe—
There's time.
There's still time.
FA doesn't hesitate.
His answer is simple.
Final.
"CAN'T SAY."
And that's worse than any answer he could have given.
Because it means it could happen at any moment.
Any second.
And Asahi would never know until it was too late.
Until they looked him in the eyes—
And saw nothing.
Not a son.
Not a friend.
Not someone they love.
Just… a stranger.
Just a boy they don't know.
Just… nobody.
Asahi Rentaro, erased from existence.
Alive—but completely alone.
A fate worse than death.
"ARARARARARARARARA!"
Asahi snaps.
Completely.
His mind breaks.
He starts hitting his head—
Hard.
Harder.
Blood splatters on the white floor.
But he doesn't stop.
Because what's the point?
What's the point if they forget him?
If his entire existence disappears?
What's the point of fighting?
What's the point of looping?
What's the point of surviving?
"STOP THIS! YOU IDIOT!"
MA shouts—but it doesn't matter.
FA watches—but doesn't interfere.
Because this is Asahi's pain.
His burden.
His curse.
No one else can carry it.
"I DID EVERYTHING TO SAVE THEM!"
Asahi screams.
His voice is hoarse.
Raw.
He slams his fist into the ground.
Blood drips from his knuckles.
But he doesn't feel it.
Because the pain in his chest is worse.
He fought for them.
He looped for them.
He suffered for them.
And now—
Now they're going to forget him?
That's worse than death.
That's worse than losing.
That's absolute fucking nothingness.
"FUCK YOU, FA!"
Asahi glares at FA.
His vision is blurry.
His entire body is shaking.
But FA doesn't flinch.
FA doesn't react.
Because FA is already dead.
Because FA has already lost everything.
Because FA knows what's coming.
And there's no stopping it.
"I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT ANARI LOOKS LIKE."
FA finally speaks.
And his words are worse than a knife to the heart.
Because he's not angry.
He's not screaming.
He's not breaking.
He's already broken.
He's already given up.
And now, Asahi is starting to understand why.
And then—
A new nightmare begins.
FA's voice turns ice-cold.
His eyes darken.
And he says it.
FA: (Dark, deadly.)
"There is a connection between the Future Asahi… and him."
Asahi's heart stops.
His breathing slows.
His mind races.
The one who broke the Dimensional Sphere.
The one who shattered the entire system.
The one who made this hell possible.
An Asahi.
A different Asahi.
A stronger Asahi.
And worst of all—
The one who killed FA.
The one who knows the truth.
The one waiting for him.
"I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE."
Asahi finally breaks.
Completely.
He doesn't shout.
He doesn't scream.
He just… collapses.
His voice is empty.
His hands are shaking.
His vision is spinning.
Because this is too much.
Because this is beyond anything he can handle.
He just wanted to save them.
That's all he ever wanted.
So why?
Why did it come to this?
"SLAP."
FA moves.
Fast.
And suddenly—
Asahi's head snaps to the side.
A burning sting on his cheek.
He blinks.
His mind clears for a second.
And FA's voice cuts through the silence like a fucking sword.
Cold. Sharp. Absolute.
"DON'T YOU EVER THINK ABOUT GIVING UP."
Asahi's breathing stops.
FA's glare is piercing.
His voice is steady.
But his eyes—
His eyes are filled with something dangerous.
Something more terrifying than anger.
More terrifying than hatred.
Determination.
Because FA knows the future.
Because FA already lost.
But Asahi—
Asahi still has a chance.
And no matter how much it hurts—
No matter how much he suffers—
He can't stop now.
He doesn't have the luxury of giving up.
Because if he does—
Then it's over.
Completely.
And this time, there won't be a next loop.
This time, there won't be a second chance.
This time—
He loses everything.
Permanently.