The door creaked open.
Aqua's breath caught in his throat.
Standing before him was a woman with weary eyes and a soft, sad expression. She wore a mustard yellow turtleneck sweater with dark trousers, a simple outfit that carried warmth but also spoke of someone too tired to care for extravagance. Wisps of her dark hair fell loosely from a bun, strands brushing against her face.
"You're… Aqua Hoshino?" she asked gently.
"I'm Akane's friend," Aqua replied.
She tilted her head, confused. "You are?"
---
Scene shifts to the interior of Akane's house.
The living room was modest yet warm. Pale curtains softened the daylight streaming in, casting a gentle glow across the cream-colored walls. A low wooden table rested in front of them, its polished surface marked with faint scratches from years of use.
Aqua sat stiffly on the living room sofa. A porcelain cup of tea sat in front of him, gently steaming. Akane's mother placed it there with a soft clink and took the seat across from him.
"She never told me she was friends with someone like you," she said, her voice calm but tinged with a sorrowful undertone.
"I first met her on the set of the reality show LoveNow," Aqua explained.
Akane's mother looked away for a moment. "Akane… was always such a shy and reserved girl. Always smiling… but it was a painful kind of smile."
She was? Aqua thought, his heart tightening.
"If only…" she continued, her voice trembling, "if only I had been there for her. To give her courage. To comfort her when she was being attacked online… If only I had been the kind of mother she needed."
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her hands trembled as they folded over her lap.
"I'm a failure… as a mother. I couldn't save her. I wasn't able to save my own daughter from that fate."
A flash burned through Aqua's mind.
The day Ai died.
Blood soaking the floor.
Ruby screaming.
His mother's final smile.
His fists clenched in his lap.
I'm somehow responsible for this, he thought. It's true I longed for this happiness — to be with Ai, to live with Ai and Ruby again… But I can't truly enjoy it if it's built on someone else's tragedy. I understand how she feels. I know that pain.
He looked up, his voice firm.
"What if… there's a world where she's alive?"
Akane's mother looked at him, stunned. The tears paused as her brows furrowed in confusion.
"What…?"
Aqua leaned forward.
"What if there's a world where Akane is living a healthy, happy life? And what if… there's someone who can bring her back into this world?"
Emotion caught in his throat as he spoke. His words cracked, raw and real.
Akane's mother stared at him, eyes wide. She noticed something strange — the star in his right eye darkened, as if absorbing sorrow itself. Yet there was a fire in his gaze.
She didn't understand it. She didn't need to. She could feel it.
Even without understanding everything, she sensed there was something he could do.
She simply took his hand in both of hers and whispered, "Please… If there's something you can do — anything at all — I beg you, bring her back. I want to see her again. I want to see my Akane again."
Aqua nodded, determination burning in his chest.
"I will," he said. "I promise you."
---
He stepped out of the house, heart pounding, and pulled out his phone.
There's still a chance… maybe I can save Akane without losing Ai…
He gripped his phone tightly, scrolling through the interface, and set the date — back to the day Akane was going to jump from the bridge.
Just a few hours before that moment.
Maybe I can save her without losing Ai, he thought. If this works...
He scrolled to his contacts and tapped a name: "Aqua."
The name that belonged to this world's version of himself.
Let's see… who picks up.
The call connected.
"Hello?" came a voice, identical to his own.
"In a few hours, Akane Kurokawa is going to jump from a bridge," Aqua said quickly. "You have to save her. I'll give you the exact location."
"Is this some kind of prank?" the voice on the other end scoffed. "How'd you even get my number? I can't believe fans go this far. Though I'll admit, your voice is creepily similar to mine."
The other Aqua chuckled dryly. "Still, don't call me again. It's not cool to bother people while they're busy — even if you're a fan."
"Wait, listen to me—!" Aqua cried, but the call was cut.
He stared at his screen in disbelief.
That… was really me? I was never like that… Have I turned into a jerk in this world where Ai lived and I had no struggles?
He hesitated only a second before calling again.
The call picked up, but the tone was colder.
"Stop calling or I'll report you to the police."
It cut again.
One more try.
His thumb hovered — then tapped.
The call rang… then connected.
"I beg you," Aqua pleaded. "Please listen to me."
There was a pause.
"…You were saying something about Akane Kurokawa jumping from a bridge?" the voice finally said.
"Yes!" Aqua breathed. "The actress affiliated with the Lala Lai Theatrical Company."
"…Fine. Give me the location."
Aqua quickly gave the coordinates.
"You're lucky I'm in a good mood today," the other Aqua said casually. "Otherwise, I'd have blocked you after your first call."
The line went dead.
Aqua waited, but nothing changed.
The world remained still.
No distortion. No shift.
Did he lie? Did he not go?
His fists trembled.
I have no other choice. I have to undo it all.
To Be Continued...
Next Chapter: "A World Without Her"