Altered reality

Misaki stood by the school gate, her eyes occasionally darting toward the rooftop. Her curiosity burned as she wondered why Yuka had called Hayato up there. Though she had a hunch—after all, being summoned to the rooftop after school, it's has to be that. A confession.

The thought briefly tempted her to sneak closer and eavesdrop, but she shook it off. That would be crossing a line, even for her. Instead, she chose to give them their privacy, though her anticipation grew by the second. She couldn't wait to hear the full story from Hayato afterward—down to the smallest detail.

She peeked through the crowd and spotted Hayato emerging from the school building, alongside the stream of students flooding the courtyard. Most of the first years had already left for the day, while the second and third years were now trickling out after wrapping their club activities or lingering duties.

She noticed Hayato's slightly dejected expression as he stepped outside, and a pang of concern struck her. Did something go wrong? Her eyes stayed fixed on him as he pulled out his phone. His expression shifted—first to surprise, then to a wave of visible relief.

Misaki furrowed her brows, utterly perplexed. What could have happened? She couldn't piece it together, but she knew one thing for sure—it would all become clear once she asked him.

Stepping out into the open, Misaki positioned herself where Hayato could notice her. She raised her hand, ready to call out to him, but her voice caught in her throat as something unusual caught her attention.

"That's..." she muttered under her breath, narrowing her eyes at the figure nearby. It was the girl from her class who always clung to Sudo—the one everyone now knew as his girlfriend, thanks to the news. And the same girl whom Hayato had insulted in Yuka's stead.

What made Misaki stop, however, was the strange look in the girl's eyes. Determined yet hazy, as if she'd steeled herself for something and wouldn't back down, no matter what. Misaki's unease grew as she noticed the girl's hand hidden inside her bag, her gaze locked intently on Hayato's back, ignoring everything else around her. Misaki's chest tightened—something was definitely wrong.

Misaki found herself moving before she even realized it, her steps quickening as an unsettling feeling took hold. Hayato was seemingly lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the ground. He hadn't noticed her yet.

But Misaki wasn't looking at him—her attention remained locked on that girl.

Her breath hitched as she saw it. The girl's fingers curled around something metallic, the faint gleam catching Misaki's sharp eyes as she subtly pulled it from her bag.

A knife.

Misaki's blood ran cold.

Without a second thought, she broke into a sprint, her voice ringing out over the murmur of departing students.

"Amane!"

Hayato was deep in thought, his mind tangled with questions about his relationship with Yuka and how things would change from now on. He walked absentmindedly, barely aware of his surroundings.

Then, a sharp voice snapped him out of his daze.

It was familiar—one he recognized instantly.

Lifting his head, he saw Misaki sprinting toward him, her face etched with urgency and panic. Something was wrong.

Even though she was almost upon him, she shouted again, louder this time.

"Move!"

Hayato instantly sensed danger. There was no time to think—only to react. His body moved on instinct, honed by experience, as he swiftly sidestepped.

A flash of silver streaked past where he had been standing just moments ago.

His eyes widened as the cold realization hit him—he had just narrowly escaped death.

But before he could fully process everything, his gaze snapped to the two figures in front of him. Neither Misaki nor the girl had expected him to dodge so swiftly. Their momentum carried them forward, unable to stop in time.

Then—

A sickening sound of metal piercing flesh.

Misaki gasped, her breath hitching as the blade meant for him plunged deep into her side.

Shouts of terror erupted across the courtyard as students scattered in every direction, panic sweeping through the crowd like wildfire. Chaos unfolded before Hayato's eyes—people running, screaming, trying to get away from the horrifying scene.

The girl who had just stabbed Misaki slowly released her grip on the knife, her hands trembling as she took unsteady steps backward.

"T-This i-is fine t-too," she stammered, her voice shaky, breath ragged. "Now h-he will u-understand... how it f-feels to lose someone d-dear to him."

Sweat dripped down her face, mixing with the twisted, almost euphoric smile stretching across her lips. She knew her life was over the moment she acted, but none of that mattered. Though she didn't achieved her initial plan, this is fine too—she had avenged Sudo.

She truly loved him. Seeing him reduced to that pitiful, broken state had driven her to this. She knew exactly who was behind his condition, and now, she believed Hayato would finally understand her pain.

She stood there, her crazed smile frozen in place, lost in her twisted sense of revenge—

CRACK!

A powerful kick struck the side of her face from behind, sending her crashing to the ground. She barely registered the impact before everything faded to black.

After knocking the girl unconscious, Hayato didn't waste a second. He rushed to Misaki's side, his heart pounding as he dropped to his knees and carefully lifted her onto his lap.

"Kojima! Kojima!" His voice was urgent, filled with worry.

Misaki's eyelids fluttered weakly as she gazed up at him, her face pale from the pain and shock.

"A-Amane…"

Hearing her voice barely above a whisper sent a cold chill down his spine. He could feel the warmth of her blood staining his hands. She needed help—fast.

Although he hadn't pulled out the knife—knowing it would only make things worse—blood still poured from the wound, soaking into her uniform and dripping onto the ground beneath them, staining it a deep crimson. His own hands were slick with it, trembling as he struggled to steady his breath.

With urgency overtaking his fear, he fumbled into his pocket, his bloodied fingers barely managing to grip his phone. He quickly dialed emergency services,

And call an ambulance, His voice was desperate.

But even so, he knew the help would take time to arrive. And Misaki didn't have much time judging by her condition.

Gritting his teeth, Hayato tightened his hold on Misaki and pushed himself to his feet. Without a second thought, he broke into a desperate sprint, carrying her in his arms as he raced toward the school infirmary.

The hospital was too far. Waiting for the ambulance wasn't an option. The infirmary was the closest place with medical supplies—it was better than doing nothing.

"Kojima! Just hang on a little bit!" he shouted, his voice raw with urgency as he ran.

Misaki, cradled in his arms, stared up at his determined face. Her vision blurred, her strength fading fast. Summoning what little energy she had left, she weakly raised her trembling, bloodstained hand and gently touched his cheek.

"S-Stop…" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, meant only for him. "It's u-useless…"

Hayato's eyes flickered down to her, his chest tightening. He saw the exhaustion in her eyes, the way her body felt lighter in his arms, as if she were slipping away.

His teeth clenched in frustration, in fear.

"Don't give up, idiot!" he snapped, his voice trembling with emotion. "You will be fine!"

His grip on her tightened, his pace quickened. He refused to let her die.

A weak, bittersweet smile formed on Misaki's lips.

"I-I know… m-my condition b-better than you," she whispered, her voice fragile, barely carried by the wind.

She paused, struggling to catch her breath, her fingers still resting against Hayato's cheek.

"L-Listen… I w-want to say j-just one thing," she continued, her voice trembling. "I… I was really happy… t-to have you as… my first true friend."

Hayato's chest tightened, his heart pounding as he held her even closer, as if his grip alone could keep her from slipping away.

"And… m-my only regret… is that… I never got to t-talk with you… about our h-hobbies…"

Her words cut through him like a blade, far deeper than the one lodged in her side. His vision blurred with drop of tears.

"I… I never told this to anyone before," Hayato's voice trembled, his grip on her tightening as he ran. "But I also like to watch anime. So… once you're fully healed, let's watch them together sometime."

His pace faltered as his vision blurred. He could no longer hold back the tears that had been welling up in his eyes. They spilled over, tracing silent paths down his cheeks.

"So please… please don't die." His voice cracked, desperation seeping into every word. "I'm begging you."

Misaki, cradled in his arms, gazed up at him, her breath shallow. A faint chuckle escaped her lips, though it was weak, barely audible.

"R-Really…?" she murmured, her voice softer than ever. "Now that's… r-regrettable…"

Then—

Silence.

Her eyelids fluttered shut, and didn't opened again.

The warmth in her hand faded as it slowly slipped from his face, leaving behind a crimson trail on his cheek before falling limply to her side.

Hayato came to an abrupt halt, his breath caught in his throat.

"No…" The word barely escaped his lips, trembling, fragile.

Misaki lay motionless in his arms, her blood soaking into his clothes, her warmth fading with each passing second.

Yet—nothing was happening.

His heart still beat steadily in his chest. His vision didn't darken. There was no sudden pain, no mysterious force dragging him to his death.

He was fine.

His hands clenched into fists, his entire body shaking.

"Why?!" He punched his heart really hard, the sound echoing in the empty hallway "Why are you still fine?!" He choked out, his voice breaking.

Tears streamed down his face as he screamed at himself.

If it was before, when he saved Yuka, he would have already died by now by a mysterious heart attack, sending him to that dark place where he could turn back time.

So why?

Why now, when he needed it, was nothing happening? Why was he still here—while Misaki was gone?

Was his time-loop ability limited only to when it involves the main characters of this world? Could it only activate when their lives were at stake? What about everyone else?

Was it alright for them to die, for their lives to fade away, simply because they were considered "background characters" in the narrative of this world?

Hayato's thoughts spiraled out of control, a whirlwind of confusion and anger. He had always seen this strange power—this ability to turn back time—as a blessing. It had allowed him to save Yuka before. But now, He couldn't help but question everything.

What was the point of giving him this power if he couldn't even use it to save the people he cared about?

Was this some kind of cruel joke? A twisted game where he was forced to watch people die before him, powerless to stop it?

'Don't kid with me!' Hayato screamed inwardly, his chest tightening with frustration. 'Their lives aren't worth keeping? Why?'

He clenched his fists, his breath ragged as tears spilled from his eyes. ' Think, What can i do right now?'

Hayato stood up, his body trembling with fury, but it was a fury that surged through his veins like a burning desire for something more. He didn't even hear the questions from the teachers who had already gathered around him, their voices a blur against the pounding rhythm of his thoughts.

He ignored them. Every single one of them. Their voices, their concerns—none of it mattered.

He started running.

The sound of his footsteps echoed in the empty hallways as he charged toward the stairs, not stopping for anything or anyone. His heart raced, thundering in his chest, a steady beat of determination.

'If I can't even protect the people closest to me…'

The thought struck him like a dagger, twisting deeper with each step. His breath quickened, and the weight of it pressed on his chest.

'How can I ever live up to the ideals I've dreamt of, if I can't even save someone like Misaki?

She had trusted him. She had called him her first true friend, And she was same to him.

Hayato's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as he sprinted through the stairs, his resolve solidifying with each step. If he had been granted this power, He is going to use it to its absolute limit, to achieve his dream.

Hayato passed through yuka who was descending, her eyes wide as she saw him pass by, the blood staining his uniform and the wild, desperate look in his eyes.

She was quick to react, her instincts kicking in as she called out to him.

"Amane!" Yuka's voice trembled, but there was urgency in it. "Stop!"

Hayato didn't stop. He didn't even registered her. He couldn't. His body was running on pure instinct now, fueled by desperation and the desire to undo what had just happened—to turn back time and save Misaki. He didn't even hear Yuka.

When she was on the rooftop she noticed some noise below but they weren't clear so she have no idea as to what's going on.

But now seeing the crazed look on his face, knew something terrible happened. She could feel the weight of it—the fear, the anger, the pain radiating off of him. She had no idea what had occurred, but she could tell that Hayato was on the verge of doing something reckless.

Without thinking, she took off after him, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't let him go like this.

Hayato's pulse was a deafening drum in his ears as he climbed the staircase, his feet pounding against the steps with an urgency that matched the chaos inside his chest. He could hear faint cries of his name, Yuka's voice struggling to reach him as she chased after him, but she was too far behind. It didn't matter.

This was the only way.

Reaching the rooftop, Hayato's heart raced even faster. His thoughts swirled in a haze of fear and desperation. 'Don't think, shut your mind.'

Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the fence, the sharp metallic edge glinting in the sunlight. He could almost feel the weight of his decision pressing down on him, the fear of failure crawling up his spine. The metal wire at the top of the fence seemed to reach out to him like a warning, but there was no turning back. He grabbed onto it, his hands shaking, and began to pull himself up.

The spiked metal dug into his skin, tearing at him, but he didn't stop. His body burned with pain, but he pushed through it, desperate to reach the top. Every inch he climbed felt like an eternity, the dry feeling in his throat growing stronger with each step. The fear of failure, the fear of falling short—it was suffocating.

But when he reached the top, he couldn't stop now. He had to finish this.

He gulped, took a deep breath, and then, without thinking twice, leapt from the rooftop.

Time seemed to stretch in the air as he fell, his body weightless for a brief moment. But it wasn't the rush of adrenaline that filled his mind. It was Yuka's voice, crying out for him.

"Amane! No! Don't!"

The sound of her desperation reached him, but by then, it was too late. The decision had already been made.

It was a desperate gamble, a reckless wager where the odds were stacked against him. Every step he took, every thought that ran through his mind told him that he was playing with fire. If his time-loop power only worked when the main characters were involved—if it only responded to the scenario of fate, then this was the end. There would be no second chances, no more resets. The answer would be clear, and it would be his last.

The fear gnawed at him, the doubt sinking into his bones like ice. What if he had already used up the limited number of resets? What if this was the one gamble he couldn't win? What if... what if his power had limits that he don't know yet?

But in the pit of his doubts, there was a tiny flicker of hope—a dangerous, almost reckless sliver of belief. A belief that maybe, just maybe, his power could activate like this, even if it meant throwing himself into death once more. He was willing to bet everything on this small, fragile possibility.

He closed his eyes and felt the wind rush past him, a final, fleeting moment before everything turned to darkness. His body collided with the ground, the impact crushing the breath from his lungs, the force of it splattering blood across the ground. Time seemed to stretch in those final seconds, every beat of his heart echoing in his ears as the world blurred around him.

The sound of his body hitting the ground was deafening, followed by the chilling silence that enveloped the space. It was only broken by the faint sounds of distant footsteps and the horrified gasps and shouts of the few students who had been present to witness the unthinkable. They stood frozen in place, their eyes wide in shock, unable to comprehend what they had just seen. The blood, the impact, the broken bones peeking through his flesh, the way his body twisted unnaturally—it was all too much for them to bear.

They would never forget this moment. The image of Hayato's broken form, lying in a pool of blood, would haunt them for the rest of their lives.