Chapter 2
I was caught in a headlock by a man dressed all in black.
“Huh?”
The man said to me as I instinctively cried out.
“Hey, shut up!”
I blinked.
This is a bank. He had me in a headlock and was about to drag me out of the bank.
The bank’s security alarm blared. Inside the chaotic building, I could see civilians lying on the floor and an injured security guard crouched down, watching my fate with anxiety—yet also a hint of amusement.
…… It’s the same.
Hadn’t the exact same thing happened just a few hours ago? I felt bewildered, like someone waking from anesthesia, as if time had rewound in the blink of an eye.
I was taken out as if I were being half-dragged by a robber,
“Get in!”
I was pushed into a parked car.
I racked my brain desperately, trying to understand what was going on.
Just a few hours ago, I had the same experience. I’m sure it wasn’t a dream.
And slowly, I remembered.
After this, we abandon the car in the city, walk around the city, and eat ramen. After watching the news on TV, he decided to turn himself in, so we headed to the police station together. And then……
“Ah.”
I let out a small cry.
“Don’t make a sound!”
He said as he drove off.
I glance at his face.
That’s right.
He… died back then….
◇
“Alright, let’s get going.”
After he finished his ramen, he waited quietly until I was done eating. Seeing him like that, I couldn’t help but think that maybe he was actually a good person.
Leaving the ramen shop,
“The closest police station is fine, right?”
He said this while looking at his phone. It was strange to see him checking the location of the police station on his phone. It felt far too casual.
“Yes, I think so. I’ll explain everything properly, too. You haven’t done anything terrible.”
Since they were going to take statements anyway, I decided to come along.
“I’m really sorry. I got you involved in something strange.”
“Well, if you felt that way, then you shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
I nudged his arm.
Although we had only just eaten ramen together, I somehow realized that he was someone I couldn’t hate. I treated him as if we had known each other for a long time.
We walked along the route he’d checked on the map app, wondering what kind of relationship we would appear to have if someone were to see us from the sidelines.
“Oh, there it is.”
He spoke with the same enthusiasm as if we were looking for a shop. I followed him with a strange feeling, part relief, part loneliness.
“I wonder what kind of business people have when they come to the police station.”
He suddenly blurted this out as we walked.
“All sorts of things, right? Like people getting calls about lost items being held and coming to pick them up.”
I remembered losing my commuter pass once. Someone had apparently turned it in, and the police contacted me. I went to retrieve it. I remember getting it back easily with just simple ID verification.
They also handle things like license renewals and consultation services. I think you could even report stalking incidents there. It’s not a place you’d normally visit often in everyday life, but actually, there are many reasons to deal with the police beyond just incidents or accidents.
“So, you’re not just going to turn yourself in?”
“Pfft, no way. That’s obvious. Actually, fewer people come to turn themselves in, right?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his muttering, which could be taken either as a joke or seriously.
The police station came into view. The gate was on the right as we followed the road.
Then, a man walking toward us picked up his pace, glaring up at the station with an angry expression. He passed through the police station gate at the same time as us, but something about him seemed off. He pulled something out of his bag and held it in his right hand.
It glinted—undeniably a butcher’s knife. Normally, no one would carry something like that around, let alone bring something like that to the police station……
“…… A knife?”
When I blurted this out, the man glared at me and shouted.
“It’s not my fault! She wouldn’t listen to me! That’s why, dammit!”
He seemed quite agitated.
“She just walked out on me! Why the hell is the police calling? She’s hiding here, isn’t she? This is no joke!”
Noticing the commotion, a police officer hurriedly called out and rushed over.
“You there! What are you doing? Put down whatever you’re holding!”
Hearing the commotion, several more officers rushed out from inside. Seeing them, the man became even more agitated and raised the knife.
“Shut up! It’s not my fault! It’s not my fault! Just bring her here! She’s here, right?”
He began to scream and thrash around.
We were frozen in shock and fear. We knew we had to run away quickly, but our legs wouldn’t move.
The officers circled around us. We realized they were trying to shield us with their backs. But when the man saw this, he turned his gaze toward us instead.
“It’s not my fault!”
Clenching the knife, he charged toward us, yelling something strange. The police officer shouted something, but the man did not stop.
“Kyaaaah!”
I screamed, unable to comprehend what was happening right before my eyes. The image of the robber collapsing into a heap was burned into my mind as if in slow motion.
The knife the man was holding had plunged deep, deep into his side.
My memory of what happened after that was vague. I remember police officers apprehending the man and arresting him on the spot. I ran to the robber and kept calling out to him…… but he wore an expression of agony, and then he quietly passed away.
I never even knew his name.
He had finally turned over a new leaf. He came here determined to face his crimes head-on……
Did I sympathize with him? No, not really. At that moment, though, I truly wanted to save him. It was too much for him to die like that. I wanted him to live.
From there, the screen suddenly changed.
Yes.
…… to that scene at the bank.
◇
I see him driving a car.
He’s alive. Definitely.
What the hell is going on?
“Um…….”
I asked him timidly.
“Huh? What is it?”
“Nice to meet you…… That’s correct, right?”
My question must have seemed absurd. He stared at me wide-eyed for a moment before looking back ahead and saying:
“You’re not hitting on me in a situation like this… are you?”
He must be pretty nervous, too. How could he think that a woman who is being kidnapped would try to pick up guys?
I replied, a little annoyed.
“Of course, I’m not trying to pick you up. I’m asking seriously. This is the first time we’ve met, right?”
Perhaps because I was so serious, he looked at me a little calmly. And,
“This is our first meeting…… I think?”
He said bluntly.
So we really are meeting for the first time.
That means either I’m experiencing déjà vu, or……
“We’re repeating this……?”
I couldn’t believe I’d said it out loud, but the words slipped out anyway.
“What are you talking about? By the way, you seem awfully calm. That’s not the reaction of an ordinary person. Are you… an off-duty police officer?”
Ah, he said that before too.
Yeah, I really don’t think this is our first conversation.
“There’s no way that’s true.”
I’ll just make the same comment for now. No particular reason.
What should I do about this?
I wish it were just a mistake of mine or a case of misremembering……
The car entered the city.
The man parked his car on the side of the road.
“Let’s go.”
Prompted, I got out of the car.
It was the same place and time.
Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: Was it okay to just go to that ramen shop like this? What if the same thing happened again…? At the very least, shouldn’t I change the timing so that he wouldn’t die like that?
Was that a ridiculous idea?
Sads Translates 