“You’re asking even though you know what I’m going to say, right?”
Still keeping my gaze on Thirteen, who was collapsed within the hologram, I answered the ‘Presence.’
“Just tell me what I need to do. Don’t beat around the bush—short and concise.”
The ‘Presence’ remained silent for a moment at my response.
The space vibrated again when the orange sunset shattered on the waves about three times.
[…Alright. I’ll tell you what you need to do.]
[There’s a lot to explain, but sometimes there’s something faster than a few words.]
With a crackling sound, the hologram before my eyes disappeared, and another system window popped up.
[Clue Viewing Privilege for Regression Tracking]
A line was drawn over the quest reward that I couldn’t use before due to that damned regressor.
The surroundings gradually turned white like a whiteout, and I instinctively realized that I was about to face some part of the past.
[Go ahead.]
[To the moment when that child gave up on life.]
When I opened my eyes again, after the voice faded away, what I saw was…
[So, do you want to go back? To a moment when you were happy.]
-…Yes.
It was ‘the first’ Dan Haru, nodding with dim eyes after losing everything.
—
Dan Haru’s first regression was on the day the Director passed away.
-The weather was clear today, so why are you taking an umbrella?
-You never know. It’s just for precaution. I’ll be back!
He packed an umbrella in advance,
Then earnestly asked the Director not to wait up for him as he would be late today, insisting she should go to bed first.
He changed his shoes, and when he encountered a troublesome drunkard at his part-time job, he called the police to chase him away.
-It’s done.
The next day, after spending the night without getting soaked by rain, without damaging his shoes, and with no one dying, Dan Haru thought everything was perfect.
He thought it was all done. That everything had returned to its original state.
He thought he had protected his day.
-…Hello?
-Excuse me, but what is your relationship with the owner of this phone?
But the Director eventually passed away.
She had simply crossed the street, and it happened just like that.
-Why… Why on earth…
One more time,
-I just… I just wanted to…
Just one more time,
-I…
One more time.
No matter how many times he turned back the clock,
-I…
In all those timelines, Dan Haru never once managed to save the person he considered his only family. It was an incident born out of his ignorance of the fact that no matter the reason, the cycles of life, death, and the laws of nature couldn’t be defied.
YOU ARE READING
GTRC&D!
Fantasy**Story not mine** Title: Grab the regressor by the collar and debut! When he first regressed, Kang Ha-Jin thought he finally had a chance to change his life. "What brat just regressed right now?!" That is, until he's forced to regress four times! [...
