7 Years From Now

Chapter 33: What Was Lost

“Kanna?.. kanna Futase?”
“yes yes.. that was name..but how did you? Well nevermind. I’m in the middle of something now.. so I’ll have to go”
Haruto then saw the book again. The drawing. It made him realise something. He had seen it somewhere. He remembered that he had seen this with aoi, where she found out an old abandoned room in the midst of taking pictures. ‘ yes.. I remember now! It was during that time … that building was at the back of the hospital..’
Haruto went towards the back door and came to an old ground. Just as he entered there he got a familiar smell. ‘this place.. has a familiar scent.’
*Flashback*
Aoi and Haruto were lead by a doctor at the same place. They were lead to the same building.
“Umm..this is a checkup right?” asked Haruto.
“It sure is..”
“I see..then why is it at a different place.”
“That’s because it’s a different checkup..”
“The checkup time is different as well.. “ said aoi.
“Do you think I’m suspicious? You did see me talking to nurses right?”
“yea..”
“Its going to be fine.. just follow me..”
And they went in. They saw a corridor with only two rooms. The doctor lead them to the last room.
“Alright.. get in.. and yea.. only one of you so.. Aoi.. you get in first.”
“Just me?”
“Yes. Haruto will be going to the room over there..”
“What type of checkup is this?”
“You will find out soon..”
Aoi went in.
“Alright Haruto. You go to the other room..”
Haruto went inside the first room. As he entered. He saw two boxes with a red and blue button each. The first box had the name Aoi with a red and blue button. And on the other box, there was the name Haruto with a red and blue button.
'what kind of check up is this' he thought..
Just then a speaker turned on. The mic was on. He got a voice.
“ Testing… testing.. am I Audible?”
“..yea”
“Okay we are going to start soon. Firstly, there is a medicine on the bed, please drink it in order, then wait for further instructions..”
Haruto went and took the medicines and drank them. It tasted really bad. He made faces but drank it anyhow. He waited for the further instruction. Just after a few minutes. The mic was on again.
“ now that you are ready. Let’s begin. Please stand near the desk. There are two boxes in front of you with a red and blue button on each box. Don’t press them yet or else you will fail the experiment..”
“Experiment? He is talking too fast..”
“Now. The box with your name is your box. Inside your box there is a special present. And there is nothing inside the other box.”
“Seems interesting..”
“Haruto, Aoi .. we are now letting you push either the red button or the blue button.. but you can only choose one of the button. So choose carefully.. if you choose the correct button, the box will open. You only have one chance…. And here is the main part. The boxes in front of you are actually linked.. the Haruto box in one room is linked to the Haruto box in another room. Same with Aoi boxes. Say if Haruto were to choos correctly for Aoi box. The Aoi box in the her room would also open. But it’s not only good thing that’s linked… Say if Haruto pushes the wrong button. Aoi will also fail and she won’t be able to push a button anymore! So think carefully when you push the button for the other person.! And now I will give you a big hint. All the correct buttons have the same colour.. well this ends the explanation part… ohh and you will have 3 minute deadline to make up your decision. Have you guys understood the rules. If you did please respond..”
Haruto then thought.. ' so If I find out the correct colour first, I should press that one for Aoi as well..’
And then he answered..
“I understand..”
“okay.. seems like we are all set.. well we’ll now tell you about the present.. the present is a vaccine!”
“Vaccine?”
“By the way, if you don’t take the vaccine you will die.”
“Huh!!!?” Haruto was stunned. He couldn’t believe it.
“the medicine which you drank is related to endogenous cannabinoid. If you don’t drink the vaccine within 20 minutes, your brain will cease to function in an hour. And If you don’t pass this experiment, the door won’t open for an hour. So I’d like to give you some time since you guys are –”
“What are you talking about!!! That’s..”
Haruto felt the dizziness. His eyes started closing. And he fainted on the ground. He woke up after a while.
“Huh?? Was it a dream?”
Just then the mic Turned on..
“Alright. Looks like you both are awake. Don’t worry it’s only been 2 minutes. Let the experiment begin. If you don’t press the button quickly, the other person may press it for you. Well then start!”
‘ okay.. first I need to calm down. This is bullshit!’..
He thought for a while.
'okay if I were to press normally on my box which has the vaccine, the chances would be 50% but if I would press the button in Aoi’s box, I can definitely find the correct answer for my box….. but.. but I could never do that!.. the problem is which color to choose.. I like blue.. but If I was wrong…. Hmm? Wait.. even if I’m wrong for my box..  I can still press Aoi’s box.. !! I see.. if so.. on my own box I’ll press red..’
Haruto went and pressed red immediately. A beep sound came up. With an electronic voice.
*Correct answer has already been selected*
“Huh?? What’s this???”
He pressed it again.. beep.
*Correct answer has already been selected*
He pressed it again..
Beep.
*Correct answer has already been selected*
“ I see.. so Aoi chose it already… that’s good.. red was correct…So it’s the colour she liked.. phew.. now I should press Aoi’s one.. just in case..”
He pressed the red button as it told that it was the correct answer..
An electronic sound came ..
Beep..
*Incorrect answer has already been selected..*
“??! What?”
He pressed again..
Beep.
*Incorrect answer has already been selected*
Beep
*Incorrect answer has already been selected*
His eyes widened with fear.
Beep.
*Incorrect answer has already been selected*
Chills came up on his spine. He was shocked.
“What?! She already selected blue?! Why??? ! Aoi??!!”
He couldn’t think anything..
“Haha.. right.. it must be joke. It makes no sense for us to die . I should open the box..”
He went to his box where he heard that correct answer was selected and opened it. He saw a medicine and a letter. He opened the letter.

Congrats on opening the box
However these boxes has a certain mechanism.
The first colour chosen will always be incorrect.
The second colour chosen will always be correct.
If, however, you wish to open the boxes. You need to push both buttons on the other box for longer than 10 seconds. However this works if the boxes are unopen.
Kind regards
P.s. kindly take the medicine otherwise
“Somebody other than you will experience a lot of pain.”

“Haha.. of course.. it was a prank… well let’s take the medicine.. they meant aoi with someone I guess..”
He drank it.
“huh!!! What’s this.. I feel dizzy again…. Ugh…. Noo!!..”
He fell down.
He heard a voice.
“Aoi!! Haruto??!!”
*end of flashback*
Haruto opened his eyes..
He saw where he was. That old ground back of the hospital.
“That’s right….”
He smiled..
“Now I …

Remember everything..”
To be continued…