Hiyori's head spun with the weight of Yuto's words. "Why are you telling me this now?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Because the ripple isn't done yet," Yuto said, his expression grim. "The event that caused this chaos wasn't resolved. It's still out there, festering, waiting to collapse the timeline completely. And you, Hiyori—or Ansh—are the key to stopping it."
"But how?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Yuto stood, his gaze steady. "When the time comes, I'll tell you everything. For now, I need you to trust me."
Hiyori looked at him, fear and uncertainty warring within her. But there was something in his eyes—a sincerity that made her nod slowly.
As Yuto walked away, he glanced back one last time, his expression softening.
"I'll be back, Ray," he murmured under his breath, the name slipping out like a secret. "When the time is right, I'll give you the conclusion to your story."
Hiyori didn't hear him. She sat on the bench, clutching the two diaries tightly, her mind a storm of confusion and questions.
Far in the distance, Yuto disappeared into the shadows, a faint smile on his lips.
Hiyori walked back home, her mind swirling with confusion and unanswered questions. The name Ansh echoed in her thoughts, striking a chord deep within her. Each time the name surfaced, an inexplicable warmth bloomed in her chest, filling her with a strange sense of joy and longing.
Why does this name feel so familiar? she wondered.
She tried to focus on her daily routine, but life suddenly felt more chaotic than ever. The world around her seemed distant, as if she were caught between two realities, unable to fully grasp either one.
That night, exhausted and overwhelmed, Hiyori collapsed onto her bed. As soon as her eyes closed, a vivid dream pulled her into another world—one that felt achingly familiar and heartbreakingly painful.
In her dream, Hiyori was no longer the 15-year-old girl who had found stability with her foster family. She was older, perhaps 18 or 19, standing in the dim, lifeless halls of a run-down childcare facility. The walls were gray, the air heavy with the weight of unspoken despair.
Her younger self had grown into a frail, hollow version of who she once was. Life had not been kind to her. With no family, no friends, and no support, she had been thrust into a harsh reality that demanded more than she had to give.
The caretakers had long stopped pretending to care. The whispers of her past still clung to her, and society's cold indifference left her struggling to survive. Money was scarce, and the world seemed intent on crushing her spirit.
People began making offers, vile and degrading ones. Strangers whispered in her ear, promising money if she would sell her body. Hiyori's stomach churned at the thought. Though she rejected them, the temptation gnawed at her. Survival demanded sacrifices, but this… this felt like losing herself entirely.
One evening, sitting alone on a park bench, Hiyori overheard a conversation. A young man, perhaps 22 or 23, was talking on the phone. His voice was soft but carried a hint of frustration.
"Mom, I know you want me to settle down, but… how? I've never been in a relationship. My life's been chaos. What girl would even want someone like me?"
The words resonated with her. The man ended the call and sighed, slumping onto the bench beside her. He muttered to himself, "How am I supposed to find someone? I don't even know where to start."
Before she could stop herself, Hiyori spoke. "I can be your wife."
The man turned to her, startled. His brows furrowed as he looked her over, confusion and skepticism clear in his expression. "What?"
"I'll marry you," she said again, her voice steady despite the storm in her heart. "I don't have anything else. I'll do whatever you want, even… even if you want to use my body."
The man stared at her for a long moment before letting out a dry laugh. "Are you out of your mind?" he said, shaking his head. "What did you even see in me? I've failed at everything. My love life's a joke. I earn just enough to get by. If you're thinking of robbing me, you'll be disappointed."
Hiyori lowered her gaze. "I just…"
The man interrupted, his tone softening. "Maybe life didn't give me the chance to have a friend. Maybe you didn't either. But I hope you don't mind if I'm old-school about this. Let's get married first, and then see what God has in store for us. Even if this is some kind of scam, I'd call it destiny."
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "Am I not going to have your body now?"
Hiyori's cheeks burned, but before she could respond, he grinned. "Just kidding," he said with a laugh.
The dream shifted, blurring into the image of a modest wedding ceremony. There were no grand decorations, no large gatherings. Just the two of them standing before an officiant, exchanging simple vows.
That night, in the quiet of their small room, the man turned to her, his expression calm and sincere. "I guess you should know my name now. I'm Ansh."
The moment he spoke the name, Hiyori's heart clenched. A surge of emotions—love, longing, and something she couldn't name—rushed through her, overwhelming her senses.
Before she could respond, the dream faded.
Hiyori woke with a start, tears streaming down her face. Her chest ached as though her heart were caught between two worlds.
"Ansh," she whispered, the name lingering on her lips like a prayer. She clutched her chest, her breathing uneven as fragments of the dream replayed in her mind. The warmth of the man's smile, the sincerity in his voice, and the strange connection she felt to him—it all felt so real.
But it was just a dream.
Wasn't it?
Hiyori lay back down, staring at the ceiling as the first rays of dawn seeped into her room. The dream had left her shaken, but it had also awakened something deep within her—a longing she didn't fully understand.
Somewhere, deep in her heart, she knew this wasn't the end.