Ishida Kaito woke up again, staring at the same dimly lit hallway. He furrowed his brows and muttered under his breath, "I need to do something. I can't keep letting this happen."
He clenched his fists, his mind racing. What if I go there before the accident happens? He began to feel the weight of his resolve settle in, and his expression darkened. I can't let it play out like last time.
His footsteps quickened as he dashed out of the house, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't have time to think—he just had to act. His feet pounded against the road as he sprinted, faster than ever before. Finally, he arrived at his house, standing in front of the door that had sealed his fate so many times before.
But this time… this time, he didn't open it. He hesitated for a moment, then murmured, "No… not this time."
A flashback hit him suddenly—a vivid memory. He recalled the time he tried to open the door. but when he finally succeeded, he wasn't in his house anymore. Instead, he'd been thrust back to the beginning.
"I can't go through that again."
He turned away from the front door, walking around the back of the house. There has to be something I'm missing... something here that can break this cycle.
He searched the yard, examining every corner, every side, and even looking up at the sky, but nothing stood out. After twenty minutes of searching, his frustration started to boil over. Just as he was about to give up, there was a sudden, deafening boom. A crackling noise, like an electrical post fusing together, filled the air.
The world around him seemed to stop, and before he could react, everything went dark again.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself back at the beginning. Again.
Kaito woke up in the same dimly lit hallway again, the familiar sensation of confusion flooding his mind. He sat up, running a hand through his hair, and muttered to himself, "Something isn't right."
His mind raced as he tried to piece everything together. I know the events. I've been through them before. But something's different this time. Why is this happening?
He began to gather all the knowledge he had from the previous loops and pondered deeply. His voice barely above a whisper, he spoke aloud to himself again. "In my first time, I died. They died. In my second, they also died. But in my third, I was two minutes early before the fire accident happened. I tried to stop it, but after I opened the door… I saw nothing. And then I woke up in the same hallway again."
His mind was a whirlwind of confusion, yet a small part of him felt like there was a thread he was missing—something important that could break this cycle. Just as he was lost in thought, a voice interrupted his train of thinking.
"Naomi?" Kaito blinked, looking up at a girl approaching him. She had blonde hair, and her slender figure seemed to radiate an air of unfamiliarity. "Do I know you?" Kaito's voice held a sense of disbelief.
The girl tilted her head in confusion. "You know me? But… we haven't met yet," she replied, clearly puzzled.
Kaito blinked, trying to make sense of it. His thoughts scrambled, but the conversation felt too awkward to continue. He didn't know why, but something in his gut told him to change the subject. However, as he processed the situation further, he realized something more pressing—he needed to leave.
Without another word, he turned and ran, his legs carrying him faster than before. But this time, he didn't head into his house. He stopped outside, standing just beyond the threshold, staring at the door with a somber look on his face. He didn't know why, but he felt the weight of sadness bearing down on him. He watched the familiar scene play out before his eyes, helpless as his family met their tragic end.
As he stood there, his face twisted into a grimace, he could feel the grief taking hold. I can't change anything, can I? The thought burned him. He was powerless.
But then, as if from nowhere, a voice echoed in his mind—a faint, blurred voice, like a whisper from a distant dream.
"Thank you for saving me."
The words, though unclear, were enough to ignite a spark inside Kaito. He didn't understand it, but something about that voice filled him with purpose. Saving her…? His confusion was evident, but the sense of motivation and newfound resolve flooded him all at once. This wasn't just about his family anymore. There was something deeper, something he had to protect, something to fight for.
His expression shifted. For the first time, Kaito felt a sense of confidence stir within him. This time, he would not fail.