MORNING
DATE: 8 FEBRUARY 2024
SAI SHINU
The teacher was saying something at the front of the class, but my eyelids felt heavy and my thoughts were swimming in fog.
"Long ago, at the very start of time," he began, "when nature created life, it all began at once. But if you think about it, this story starts from someone—someone we could see as the creator of the universe… or perhaps even the multiverse. Of course, those are just theories. We may never know the truth."
"But teacher, can you explain the multiverse?" Ryo Hirotoshi asked loudly, snapping a few students out of their daydreams.
The teacher went on while I rested my head on my desk, trying to drift into sleep.
"The theory of the multiverse is that there are other universes where life is different. For example: me, not being a teacher in this school. You, Ryo, not existing at all. And our fellow student, Sai Shinu, not sleeping during class."
A ripple of laughter passed through the room.
Bell rings: RING RING RING
"That's all for today," the teacher announced. "We'll continue next time, so be prepared."
When the lesson ended, my best friend strolled over and looked at me with curiosity.
"Hey, why were you sleeping during class?" he asked.
"Because I don't care about it," I mumbled, eyes half-closed. "Please let me sleep in peace. I'm too tired to even talk right now."
Realizing the classroom wasn't a good place for that, I sighed. "Anyway, what subject do we have next?"
"Nothing. The history teacher is sick, so you can go home."
"Thank God," I said, suddenly wide awake. "I'm going home to sleep!"
NARRATOR
"Ahh, see you later then," Jiro Ikigai called after his friend—but Sai was already too far away to hear him.
Jiro returned home to study for a bit, then spent the rest of the day with his family.
Sai Shinu, on the other hand, stepped into his house and collapsed straight into bed. He slept for hours, only to wake with a strange, uneasy feeling.
SAI SHINU
"Ahhh… Oh, it's already night? How long was I asleep?"
I grabbed my phone and checked the time. Six hours.
"Six hours?!" I groaned. "Great… now I won't be able to sleep tonight."
I wondered if my parents were home. "Mom!" I called out. No answer.
Maybe they were just working late. Shrugging it off, I decided to watch some TV.
I sank onto the sofa, grabbed the remote, and turned it on—only to freeze.
The newscaster's voice was steady, but the names he spoke made my blood run cold.
My parents' names.
"An accident happened…" The words barely registered.
Where? When? How?
Then I caught the location: only a two-minute walk from here.
I didn't think. I just ran.
My mind was a whirlwind—Are they safe? Injured? Alive?—but soon enough, I found my answer.
I grabbed the arm of a man standing at the scene. "What happened?"
"A car crash," he said, eyes still wide with shock.
"But… how?"
He swallowed before speaking. "Two cars were coming from opposite directions. One drifted into the wrong lane—it looked like an accident. After the crash, everyone was still alive… but then five men got out of one car and tried to drag the woman from the other. The man with her tried to protect her… but it cost him his life."