Prologue: April 7th
Since when did I stop celebrating my birthday?
This question suddenly popped out in my head when I saw today’s date on the cell phone’s screen that fell at my feet.
Today, on April 7th, I, Oba Yashiro, am celebrating my 36th birthday, — and most likely, today will also become the day of my death anniversary.
“Youu!!! It’s all your fault, gaaaaaarrrggggghhhhhhhhhhhh……….”
In front of me, there’s a man shouting some incomprehensible words.
No trace of sanity is reflected in his eyes.
This is the worst life that one could ever have, but to think it’s going to end in the hands of this bastard, it seems God hates me so much.
Nah, I hate God just as much, so I guess we’re even.
But dammit, my stomach hurt like hell.
He was once the head of a fraud organization that reigned over this country, so what’s with that stupid knife? Don’t you have a gun or two, at least?
I’m going to die soon, and this bastard’s stupid laughing will be the last thing I hear in this world.
This really is the worst. But well, this might suit me the best….
Since there’s no sign of that revolving lantern thing passing by, I guess I will look back on the past by myself. I apparently still have some time after all. Nonetheless, I also hold a firm belief that I can’t be saved anymore.
The blood flowing out of my abdomen formed a large pool of blood, staining the floor of an abandoned building on the verge of demolition, in red. Some of the blood stuck on my cheek and my hair, it felt really unpleasant.
It’s cold….
I wonder if it will get warmer soon….
I’ve been thinking about this lately. For the last twenty years, my heart has always been feeling cold. I couldn’t feel warmth anymore.
Both my parents died in an accident when I was five years old. Because I didn’t have any relatives, I was taken in by a middle-aged couple. They were the very picture of good people.
The husband managed a small town factory which was not that well off but still had many patrons. That was all thanks to the quality of products, the flexibility of order system, and more than anything else, it was because of his good personality.
Without so much free time, he started working to make something from early in the morning. He was the man with pair of dexterous hands and abundant knowledge. I firmly believed that there was nothing this person couldn’t make.
I admired him so much. He was so kind to me. He generously taught me who knew nothing, his skills and his knowledge.
“I’m glad that the heir problem is solved." — he told me that while smiling innocently with a face full of wrinkles. I was so happy hearing that. However, I was also somewhat embarrassed.
I called him “Chief”. I’ve never been able to call him “Father” even once….
The wife was a friendly person with a gentle demeanor. I’ve never seen her angry face. Even when I did bad things, she would simply reprimand me gently.
Her cooking was excellent. In her hands, even vegetable scraps and cheap fish — which I didn’t know its name, would become a feast. The apple pie she made for my birthday was the best.
“Sorry, we couldn’t buy a birthday cake from the store….”
“There is no better cake than this in this world!!”
Looking at her apologetic face, I said so without thinking. Hearing that, she started to weep for a while before stopped because she felt embarrassed by herself.
I called her “Landlady”. I’ve never been able to call her “Mother” even once….
I had no wealth but I had a family at that time. Once again, I was given a warmth that I had lost. I thanked God.
*****
The professional soccer league was started when I just entered middle school. Even I who wasn’t interested in soccer, was also caught on its heat.
A bracelet made by knitting colorful threads called “promise ring” was all the rage as well at that time. The price ranged from 300-500 yen. The thin, short, and flat string was selling like hot cakes. My classmates were all also wearing it on their arms.
“Your wish would come true if the promise ring you worn on your arm broke apart” — such a rumor was spreading. That was where the promise ring name came from.
Even though I’ve never said a word about wanting it, Landlady gave me a promise ring as a present. She learned how to knit it from someone and diligently made one for me.
(What are you doing!? Even though you were tired from housework and factory work. Besides, do you really think a middle school student would wear the promise ring that their parents knitted? Please think about it a little ………………………………………………. Thank you, I’m really happy.)
That promise ring had never left my left wrist since then.
Time passed, half year before the middle school graduation, I asked Chief to let me work in his factory after graduation. I told him that I’d like to work instead of going to high school. But “You could even go the university”, was his answer. Neither Chief nor Landlady changed their mind until the end.
Come to think of it, they hardly have new clothes. Maybe it was to save money for my tuition fee.
I absorbed Chief’s skills and knowledge like a sponge. Honestly speaking, I was confident that I could become an immediate fighting force. Nevertheless, I wasn’t allowed to work in the factory.
School costs money. Nevertheless, they still wanted me to go, so I started studying for the entrance exams.
I should not fail. I couldn’t let the examination fee be wasted.
I devoted myself to study. I stopped helping out in the factory and confined myself in my room to study from morning till evening.
Because of that, I didn’t notice it…. Chief and Landlady were caught in a scam.
For my tuition fee, Chief put his hand on stock exchange and used the factory as collateral for a loan. He got tempted by a shady company that claimed that the investment was absolutely safe…. This happened without me knowing.
A certain oversea company which said would have a step rise in the future, their stock price quickly fell and went bankrupt. From the later investigation, it seemed that it was a planned bankruptcy.
That company had issued a large amount of dishonoured cheques. In order to compensate for it, they wound up a lot of money from the ignorant people, and avoided fatal injuries when the company was collapsing.
Then the managements disappeared with the big money in their hands. Leaving behind those ignorant people who fell into debt and lost their hope and their future.
*****
I passed the exams and was waiting the high school entrance ceremony that would happen in few days. During that time, I leisurely spent my days without knowing anything. Chief and Landlady were also acting the same in front of me.
Everything was already too late….
The factory, our small house, even the land, were seized up. This happened on the same day with my entrance ceremony without me knowing it.
“On second thought, I don’t want to go to high school and want to work instead. We don’t have much money after all, so let’s work hard together.” — perhaps, everything would be different if I’ve have said it….
Both Chief and Landlady also tried to be good parents until the end. They kept quiet about the situation and sent me off to the entrance ceremony with these words:
“We will always be with you forever, so don’t worry.”
“Yeah, we will manage to get the money for your tuition somehow. Just be careful on the way to the school!”
I headed home after the entrance ceremony and a brief homeroom ended. But over there, I found both Chief and Landlady were already hanging on the ceiling.
I didn’t understand it….
What’s going on!? My head couldn’t process it….
Just one thing, I immediately recognized the poor crayon drawing that Landlady had in her pocket. That was her portrait I made as present for the first Mother Day since I live with them here.
“Are you stupid? Holding onto such a thing…. You won’t be able to bring it to the afterlife….”
A letter was left in their room. The stupid me learned everything for the first time there. I found out that they were caught on a scam and their savings, house, even the factory, were all robbed from them.
Everything was explained in Chief’s familiar handwriting. He said “I’m sorry….” in the end of explanation. From there onward, it was Landlady’s neat handwriting. She said “That time, when we have given up on having children, we found you….” and so on. She wrote the story since they adopted me.
Chief and Landlady filled the letter in turn, just like when they were usually talking to me. There were also many random things written on it such as; “You feeling is important in the manufacturing process.”, “The cherry trees on the riverbed are also beautiful this year.”, “The sweet fish is delicious during this time of the year.” and so on.
In the second half of the letter, they wrote about their feelings for me such as; “I love you.” “You’re the irreplaceable treasure for us.” “No matter what other people say, we’re proud of you.” etc.
Then the last part was about my future plan; “Don’t worry about the school expenses.”, “Both of us are insured.”, “Since we’ve been registered since decades ago, there should enough money for you to live.”, “We want you to be happy.” and so on.
“How stupid, even though this morning you said that we would be always together forever….”
Living a serious and honest life, being deceived is better that deceiving the others, such bullshits were written until the end.
I slammed my fists onto the table in front of me. It was at that time, the promise ring I’ve been wearing broke apart, and fell from my arm to the table freely.
“If my wish would come true, then return them now! Please return all my precious ones! Those that were taken from me. The people that suddenly disappeared from my side. Give back my everyday life! Please, let me redo it…. Next time…. Next time, I won’t make the same mistake………”
There was no one responding to my cry, the room was so quiet.
“It’s all because of me…. so please…. please let me redo it….”
In the silent house, no one answered my cry. That was when I realized something
“That’s right, those who got deceived are at fault....”
“It’s all right!”, “Don’t worry!” --- It was all my fault I got deceived by such words.
I decided quit the high school on that same day.
Do you think I would attend it seriously? I went to the high school just because I was deceived. I never wanted to attend it since the beginning.
I will get a job.
I have dreams.
Do you want to know it? Hey, “Father” and “Mother”.
I will become a con artist.
I will drag those people who did this to us, to the hell together with me.
*****
The memory from there wasn’t clear, when I realized it, I was already 36 years old. That big fraud organization had also been destroyed.
Those bastards who robbed me of everything, I tricked them all and I destroyed their organization.
They were negligent. Those who only think about depriving the others, would never thought of being deprived by the others.
I joined their organization. I became a good minion that earned a lot of money for them to get as close as possible to the top circle.
Then, when I finally found the chance I’ve been looking for, I stole all their money and donated it to the countries with less prosperity. I revealed their secrets on the internet. I knocked their credibility to the bottom of the earth
I didn’t even get a cent from it. I didn’t want the money they earned in the first place. I was content just by seeing them lost everything.
That year, there were two big news spreading all over Japan.
First was the biggest fraud organization in Japan has been exposed and destroyed.
The second was the leader of that organization had escaped from custody and disappeared. He escaped with a help of his collaborator who was still lurking in the dark.
Then this place, the fourth floor of a certain abandoned building, has been turned into his hideout.
Disheveled hair, unkempt and dirty beard, both his clothes and his face were tattered. There was no trace of a person who was once a leader of the biggest fraud organization in Japan, anymore. He was looking at me full of grudge with pair of bloodshot eyes.
His appearance was really amusing so I couldn’t help myself from laughing.
I laughed…. I laughed so hard…. and I was stabbed by a small, chubby, and dull knife….
My abdomen was gouged out by a cheap knife, which couldn’t even be used to cut a pumpkin.
“You~!! It’s all your fault, guraaaaaarrrggggghhhhhhhhhhhh……….”
It sounded as if a pig was singing…. with an ugly voice….
April 7th, it was displayed on the screen of cell phone that fell beside me.
“This is the worst birthday ever. Congratulation, Me…………..”
My consciousness finally faded into darkness.
*****
The first thing that came back to me was my sense of smell.
This is the smell of earth….
My abdomen…. it doesn’t hurt anymore….
My back also feels warm.
This is …. sunlight…?
“Ughh….” (Yashiro)
My head was throbbing for some reason. It felt like I had been forcibly cramming some manual books all night long without sleep.
“Hmm, what’s going on…. I didn’t…. die!?” (Yashiro)
I stood up and realized that I was in the middle of a plain.
“What the…!?” (Yashiro)
There was nothing but a vast plain with grass tall enough to reach my ankles, spreading to the horizon.
……………is this Shizuoka?
No, that’s a distance that couldn’t be reached from Tokyo overnight. Other than Shizuoka, the place with this kind of vast plain in Japan can be counted in one hand.
There is nothing here just like…. Gunma?
Oh, the folks from Gunma Prefecture, I mean no offense.
But seriously, there’s really nothing as far as I can see.
I have no idea where am I….
I tried reaching out the pocket to get my cell phone and noticed something was amiss.
Wait, why I am wearing a blazer? Also, this is the blazer of high school uniform that I had only worn once.
“Ahhh!? I’m also wearing the promise ring from that time…” (Yashiro)
What the hell is this?
What the hell is going on?
Is this…. a dream…?
I pinched my cheek to make sure of it. However, I had fell into a situation where I couldn’t even tell apart whether it was hurt or not.
“Cosplay…? Me? I’m cosplaying as a high school student like those inside cheap AVs….!?”
I stroked my jaw and surprised because it was so smooth. Just in case, I also checked the inside of my trouser.
Yeah. That’s right…. it grew earlier than my mustache….
Wait, it’s not the time for that!!
Seriously, what the hell is this?
What the hell is going on?
A 500 yen coin rolled down from somewhere when I scratched my head in confusion.
“Ah, wait!! Wait!!”
I immediately chased the coin in panic.
Shit, I almost lost it….
I have a quite strong attachment to small change because of my foster parents. They were frugal people, so even small change was important for them.
Chief would surely find the fallen coin on the street, and Landlady could even walk for seventy minutes to buy radish 10 yen less expensive.
Most of their habit were quite sad and it seems I inherited them well. So even though I’m used to handling business worth of billions yen, I’m still looking forward seeing supermarket rice balls at half price. It’s such a waste to pay the listed price when I can get it cheaper.
Losing small change is unacceptable. Moreover, it’s 500 yen. I can ride a train or eat meal with it. If it’s Me now, I could even start a business from it.
“Hmm….” (Yashiro)
When I was thinking about how to earn more money while tracing the blazer’s collar with my fingers, I found a double-sided tape was stuck there.
“This is…. Oh, I remember it!!” (Yashiro)
In the morning of the high school entrance ceremony day, I put a 500 yen coin on the blazer collar with double sided tape, for the case of emergency. I could ride a train or eat a meal with 500 yen in hand. It’s possible to respond to almost anything.
Hmm, it looks like I was right….
“Did I return to my sixteen-years-old self?” (Yashiro)
On the seventh day of April, it was the day of my high school’s entrance ceremony…. it was my birthday…. and also the day of my foster parents’ death….
Does it mean I have returned to that day?
“Your wish would come true if the promise ring you worn on your arm broke apart.” — that idea suddenly crossed my head.
“Please let me redo it, huh….” (Yashiro)
Has that wish been heard?
God, it sure took so fvcking long to come true.
Or maybe that wish has just reached you?
This situation…. does this mean you want me to redo the 20 years of my life that I spent as a con artist?
Did you give me this chance for that purpose?
I gripped the promise ring on my left wrist.
To redo my life once again, huh….
I’ve chosen the wrong path because of anger, so this time, I should live a proper life…. are you telling me that?
“You know…. I thought there was no God in this world, because when I was in despair, you’ve never extended your helping hands to me………” (Yashiro)
But now, a phenomenon that can only be said as a miracle happened. I, who’s supposed to be dead, is still alive and rejuvenated into a teenager.
I guess God’s telling me to start over the twenty years of my life I’ve thrown away….
Then, I will say this to God;
“Hahaha…. don’t fvck with me!!!” (Yoshiro)
Who will start over? Do you think I would feel grateful for this chance? Too bad for you!!
I’ve been living in the mud for twenty years, do you think your little trick would clean my heart? It’s too late, way too late!
In the first place, if you want me to redo my life, you should bring me back to the time before my parents died!
Talk about a common sense!
How retarded!
If you make such a miracle, did you think I would change my minds? Did you believe so?
Too bad. I won’t be deceived anymore, kukuku….
“God, I will tell you the words of a certain great man: ‘Those who got deceived are at fault’.”
I raised his middle finger towards the sky and started walking.
I don’t know what’s going on, but at least, I was was saved and I became younger as a bonus.
Using these dexterous hands, my head, and lies as weapon, let’s enjoy the life once again!
I’ve got my revenge, so the dark feeling inside me has been cleared up.
I feel that I can be positive somehow.
Yeah, this is the first step towards a new life.
Let’s start the journey towards the bright future in front of me!
I began to walk for some time and then stopped.
“So, where the hell is this?” (Yashiro)
There’s nothing but a plain as far as I can see. I don’t know where I am. I don’t even know whether I can reach somewhere if I keep walking. I don’t have water or food either….
Oh, could it be that I’m in a pinch?
“Umm….” (Yashiro)
I put my hands together while looking up to the sky.
“Once again, a miracle…. could you please make it happen, God?” (Yashiro)
However, there was nothing happened. It was a sunny day with a clear sky when I realized once again that there was indeed no God in this world.
Sabishii Note:
- Yashiro calls his foster father using Oyakata (親方), which means Boss or Master as in master-disciple relationship. But it doesn’t sound good (to me, at least), so I changed it to Chief instead.
- Promise Ring is some kind of bracelet made of knitted threads, not a ring you put on your finger. If you’ve watched SAO: Ordinal Scale, Promise Ring is the object that fell from her father’s wrist when Yuna said goodbye for the last time before she disappeared.