7 Years From Now

Epilogue 6: Aoi's World - III

*note this is Aoi's timeline.. i.e, continuation of epilogue 3*

kadoma, ichiri and Aoi are inside cabin.. Ichiri speaks up

"that sums up everything about time leaping."

"hmm.. i guess there isn't  anything we can use to help Haruto."says kadoma.

"my father was very meticulous in destroying everything related to time leaping.."

"i see"

"but my father isn't perfect.. so there should be a possibility"

kadoma speaks up

"yea we'll find a way! we'll research as much as we can and if we still have no clue we'll start again by leaping back.. trial and error again and again.. after all, you seem to have time on your side.."

"yea.. what kadoma is saying would be our strategy.. but Aoi we need to pick up a deadline before you have to leap back. i would make that deadline 10 days"

"huh? isn't that a bit too short? i mean after spending 7 years.. you're only giving her 10 days?" says kadoma.

"honestly, I'd like to make it shorter.. there are already too many people eho knows about time leaping in this world. and from what we know through examples, history does seem to become more inevitable as time pass, for example Kadoma, if you were to get into an accident and die.. what would happen?.= we'd have to think of a way to save not only Haruto.. but you too"

"um me? well if i die .. you can totally leave me there.. it doesn't matter.."

Aoi gives him an angry look..

"well.. i guess  have no choice.." says kadoma

"10 days huh..alright then.." says Aoi

for few days they searched all places, they failed and repeat back again and failed and repeated back over and over. 

kadoma and Aoi comes to the place where the experiment was conducted again..

"you've been here couple of times right?"asks Kadoma

"i wonder how many times i've been here.."

"that's pretty imprecise.. from what you say , you've been here without me as well..?"

"yes, i come here every time ." 

"i see,.. but why?"

she points towards a desk witha notebook in it..

"please have a look at the notebook.."

"this?"

"there are cuts in the pages right? each time i leap back, i only manage to leave a cut before i lose my conscious .. it's to make sure i don't forget the number of times i've leaped after 7 years"

"i see..so 1,2,3,4,6,6.."

kadoma starts counting the pages .

"-14,15.. 15 times.. repeating 7 years for 15 times.. that's more than 100 years!"

"i'm sorry"

"there is nothing for you to apologise for.. infact.. you're lot more experience than me, if you think of it like this.."

"haha.. i guess i am.."

"but Aoi, you've jumped back so many times and we still have no clue huh,..no matter how many times you go back Haruto dies..an unavoidable fate.."

"yea,.."

"well , i'll help you out no matter how many times you need me to! if you ever find me who doesnt cooperate, you can punch me. i give you permission"

"haha.. thank you, Mr kadoma.."

"ohh wait , maybe i can drink bleach or something, maybe my death can save him?.. but that might lead to someone else being saved"

"yea.."

"hm.. wait..hey.. your friend.. what was her name?" wasn't there somebody who dies, not this time but some other time?"

"um.. you mean Saki?"

"yea,yea..her!she's doing fine now right?"

"now that you mention it, each time when i jump back for third time,she dies... but she's fine now.. so why did she.. "

"okay lets look into that!. 

"ohh but that's the third time and i only get my memories back in 5th time so even if you say so.."

"right..i see, but ...there's definitely not wrong with that saki girl right?"

"yea , i'm sure"

"then in third time someone must have been saved when saki dies.."

"saved..i guess you could look at it like that in long-term"

"or perhaps..Saki didn't die at all?"

Aoi looks at him surprisingly.

"what do you mean?"

"well it's not something we can rule out in the case of this hospital. to say someone died of an illness, even if they are alive.."

"i guess it's not un realistic for this hospital.."

"let's ask Dr Ichiri about it.."

"..okay.."

and they both goes to his clinic to ask him about this matter. ichiri replies

"even if you ask me that.."

"what about telling the world thar someone died but all they did was wipe their memories?"

"wiping their memories perhaps, but to fake a death.. i mean isn't thar situation 7 years ago?"

"there aren't any other?"

"probably not"

"wait.. i recall hearing my father talking to someone about that a long time ago.. then it must be the same for saki.."

"but your father is no longer with us.."

"then dr ichiri must have done it instead."

"that's possible."

"dr ichiri , do you remember anyting about that?"

"hmm.. it was a bit before my father died"

"i just got home.. and i heard him talking about something like that to someone..but can't remember him"

aoi thought for a while..

"wait!... Mr kadoma.. give that to me.."

she took a picture from the documents which kadoma had..

"is this the man in the picture?" aoi showed it to Ichiri

Ichiri was shocked..

"oh right!..That's him!"

"huh? who is that?" asked kadoma curiously.

"that's..

 haruto's real father.."

to be continued...