After 01-02,
This is what happened to the boy after he was surrounded by people that “seemed” to be from JSDF and the talk he had upon return, before he went to school.
“I’m beaten“
Such was his honest impression about the situation he fell into upon return. Something like this was bound to happen when a missing person suddenly appears after 2 years. However, the reaction was too sudden and the corresponding actions taken were just too mysterious. Upon his return from Farandia, what seemed to be the JSDF surrounded, caught and threw him in a windowless inorganic room the size of about 10 tatami mats.
——Why in the world did this happen!?
「………Boy, don’t you think it’s time you said something?」(Man)
Sitting at the center of the desk, the boy was facing a man in his thirties who repeated that question for the fifth time already, and yet, the boy said nothing.
「………………」(Shin)
Over his well-trained physique, he wore a uniform with his rank insignia attached to it. The boy observed it and a.s.sumed him to be a self-defence force official. The man did not name himself. Considering the lack of roughness in his way of speaking, the boy had not felt an overpowering impression from this stern person.
「Well, Captain Kayama has such a face but he’s not a scary person」(Lady)
The lady standing next to the man, called Kayama, spoke in a soft tone. Her womanly figure was well endowed with what makes a woman alluring, coupled with black hair that went down to her shoulders, but she did not give off a feeling of a young woman. The boy couldn’t imagine what was such a pet.i.te woman in her late twenties doing in this line of work. Nevertheless, her unwasted actions and gentle tone indicated she wasn’t careless. The boy felt that she was a partner with decent ability like Kayama. However, it was hard to imagine her incapacitating her opponents with her bare hands without injuring them.
「Hey, Sasamori!
Are you saying he’s silent because he’s afraid of my face!?」(Kayama)
「W-well, for the first time meeting Captain that face is……
Please stop calling me by my maiden name.
How many years do you think has pa.s.sed since I got married?」(Sasamori)
「Tsk, it’s not a bad face!
And it’s tiresome to change the way I call you after all this time」(Kayama)
He clicked his tongue while she smiled bitterly. From their trustful exchange, the boy felt that they’re not bad people. More likely, they’re the ones who always get the short end of the stick. What added to this was that they were having such a conversation within an interrogation room in front of the questioned. There was also a possibility that it was intentional so he would ease up and relax, and start talking.
But it was only what he sensed, there was no hard evidence. The boy couldn’t believe it was really his Earth, considering where he was and by whom and why he was captured. But it wasn’t Farandia. In this state he knew he shouldn’t reveal any information.
「……………」(Shin)
In order to do this, since he came back he put on an indifferent face. A dead pan face with no emotions whatsoever. It was sad. Whatever they use, he won’t change his expression. He must remain unfazed. It was a way for him to keep silent during interrogations, but also doubled as a way to mask his presence which was more useful in Farandia.
「Haaa, it’s no good.
…..Can’t you at least tell me why are you keeping silent?」(Kayama)
He stood up, eyes peering into the face of the boy sitting opposite to him. He was making a face that made the boy feel like he did something wrong. Maybe this can turn around and work out in the end if he just listens obediently. But if he were to do that, he would be giving his opponent this information: “I don’t know anything“. If it was so, the first words Kayama said when he entered the room would have been a problem.
『What is it, you’re j.a.panese. If so I don’t need an explanation. Where did you come from?』
In other words, they thought that he knows why he was arrested and why he’s being interrogated. That’s why they didn’t follow normal procedure and told him the accusation. There was a tense atmosphere sending the message that he should know who they are and what they do for work. That’s why he couldn’t say “I don’t know anything“, since that is a valuable piece of information that would have become troublesome in the future. It’s not like all the troublesome situations he went through on Farandia were just for show. He was unusually sensitive in those situations, although that fact nearly made him cry.
What happened here on Earth during his 2 years on Farandia?
He even purposely transferred to a secluded place so he could examine his surroundings unhindered. It wouldn’t be prudent to suddenly appear in a town. Although he did not set the exact arrival coordinates upon his leave from Farandia, he did set a condition for the transfer – 『an unpopulated forest without human contact』. After safely returning, is this “the“ world that he should return to? He had carefully planned so he could have time to ascertain it upon arrival.
He moved while hiding all kinds of different world products that could cause trouble. It was night, but he could see the artificial light on one of the national highways, so he went towards it. And just as he was thinking he could get somewhere if he followed the road, he was a.s.saulted. Thinking about it now, his response to a.s.sault was full of blunders. Zero points, below the red mark. He trembled at the sight of a 「car」, and seeing 「j.a.panese」things and hearing 「j.a.panese language」. This caused his slow response and then he was thrown into an interrogation room somewhere in this facility which leads us to where we are now.
——-Quite unsightly of me
「I wonder why he’s not speaking.
Certainly, you have the right to remain silent, but in this case nothing good will come out of it.
Don’t be a stubborn boy, are you scared of something?」(Kayama(
「Hey, won’t you tell me why are you silent?
I think we can help you if you’re in any trouble, we’re quite a force here.
Because we have quite an authority here, do you understand?」(Sasamori)
The concern he heard in those words almost made him cry. That was the first time in 2 years that someone treated him like a child. But this was not enough to erase his anxiety that welled up inside him when they caught him, since the first words those two spoke to him were this.
“Where did you come from?“
“How did you come?“
“Why have you taken a trip from the other world illegally?“
They wanted answers to those three questions, but aside from the first one, the other two were strange. That technology was still only in science fiction, back when he was on Earth. He didn’t think it was possible to make a law to control such technology and put it into circulation so it becomes common in mere 2 years.
「Let’s talk by putting all our cards on the table. By your looks, you’re j.a.panese.
You obviously understand our words without a translator. There’s no other way besides the legal route for you to go there. Usually the same method is used when returning. Yet you used the illegal route, why?
My bad, you must have done something bad up there and fled.」(Kayama)
「Captain, don’t put it that way!」(Sasamori)
The female officer tried to protect the boy, but he was correct. That’s because, after attacking Satan, he escaped from Satan’s treasury. However, Kayama’s manner of speaking implies that traveling between the worlds is commonplace. This made him think that, by mistake, he came to a 『similar but different world』. It is difficult to imagine because of the nature and structure of dimension traveling, but thinking of the possibility made him uncomfortable. There is no way to verify it at this moment, nor would it be easy to escape from here. If this was really his hometown, his face had already been seen and if he does something here, it would, without a doubt, cause trouble for his family.
「……….」(Shin)
He was nearing the limit of time he could remain silent. If he was to stick to it anymore it will produce the opposite effect. Well, if it’s these two, it seems he can trust them, and his intuition was telling him that as well, but the problem is whether their bosses and the organization itself is trustworthy. So as a last resort of a cornered rat, it’s better to talk to them and gather information than to gamble.
「……Would it be okay, to ask a question?」(Shin)
While he was thinking, he spoke with a terribly calm voice without intonation. It was a voice made out of habit, used over there during interrogations. He thought it a bad habit, but what the heck, it’s already out.
「At last, when I thought you’d finally start talking you ask a question. But you did not reply to any of our questions.」(Kayama)
「Captain! S-So what do you want to hear eh?」(Sasamori)
In the end, nothing unnatural happened. The female officer asked promptly, while the male officer shrugged and couldn’t help but complain. The boy felt relieved inside that they didn’t recognize his voice. He was puzzled that they didn’t notice, but he continued.
「What day of what month of what year is it?」(Shin)
「What?」(Sasamori)
It’s not a very significant question, it’s meaningless, one might say. He asked out of feeling that the time he spent on Farandia was 2 years. It should be around that much and the margin of error could be small in either direction (more or less). He came to Farandia in 2014, immediately before the start of GW at the end of April. Normally, it should be 2016 now. By hearing the actual date, he could correct his calculations now. It wasn’t such important information, but he couldn’t ask his main question right away. A question of this degree wouldn’t be that hard to answer.
So,
Upon hearing the unexpected answer all colour paled from his face.
「Today is second of April 2022」(Sasamori)
「……………………………………..2022!?!?」(Shin)
「Whoa!?」「Kya!?」(Kayama/Sasamori)
After a long silence, the boy came to his senses. Crying, he stood up and hit the desk. Impossible. Even if there are some errors, for 2 years to suddenly become 8 years is impossible. Although he did not count the dates, Farandia had a 24 hour day. Up to half a year of error in calculations was acceptable to him, even expected, but he couldn’t believe such a big difference. Especially since it was normal dimension travel and not a time travel between worlds.
「Evidence! Is there any evidence! The evidence that the year really is 2022!」(Shin)
He asked in a strong tone, as though there was no silence before. Even though a calm voice protested in the back of his head. There was nothing to be gained for them in tricking you about the date. Still, he couldn’t accept that so many years pa.s.sed. The meaning in 2 and 8 years, the difference in the amount of time was too large.
「Look at my cell phone? It displays a date, look. Rather, why would we lie about such a thing.」
Kayama, confused, opened his cellphone. The LCD, after a nostalgic sound of opening which the boy hadn’t heard in a long while, displayed the date 2022/04/02.
「If you’re uneasy about Kayama’s you can take a look at my Foster as well.」(Sasamori)
The female officer, called by her maiden’s name Sasamori, opened her terminal. She touched something like a wrist.w.a.tch and it projected a picture in the air.
「Wha!?」(Shin)
The boy raised his voice out of surprise. However, it wasn’t the advanced technology that made him surprised. The projected video was more shocking to the boy than anything else in the world.
「Hoho u」(Kayama)
「Eh, ah, it’s a mistake!!」(Sasamori)
—-Someone, please tell me I wandered into a parallel world!
He was so desperate that he actually congratulated himself for not saying that aloud. It shouldn’t be here. A lie. A lie. A lie. A lie. A lie.
His mind was unable to accept the fact and was screaming, but the other part, the calm one in his head knew that it was an unmistakable fact. The dimension travel he used had him as a factor in its usage. Even if there was a parallel world for the factor to be the same is highly unlikely. So, the only remaining conclusion was that this definitely was the world in which he grew up until he was 13 years old.
「So, So-so-sorry! I made a mistake!」(Sasamori)
「Haha, sorry about that. She’s still in honeymoon mood. Waiting to show off her husband and baby.」(Kayama)
「Please don’t make fun of me captain! I’m really sorry, it’s here」(Sasamori)
She shows the date to him while being enveloped in red because of her captain’s teasing. Without looking at it decently, exhausted, the boy sat down. Even though it should have been a happy topic, something can be heard breaking inside of him. On her terminal there was a man shown holding a baby. From the way the conversation was flowing, he realized that the man was her husband and the baby their child. A father holding his child, smiling, and a mother waiting for them.
My G.o.d, the photo is like a symbol of happiness.
Normally, the boy would smile at the sight. The cuteness of a baby and the healing effect derived from that show is tremendous and the same everywhere. But it only made his mood desperate.
—-What is, what is this
Why did 8 years pa.s.s
Why did it become like this
Why have I returned
By all means, why!!
Why, on Earth!?
What is this, what is this, what is——–!?
「—————-!!」(Shin)
Pulling his hair out, not making a sound, he’s desperately suppressing his cry. I don’t know. I can’t understand. The truth was he didn’t want to understand. I mean that’s-
「Eh, no way……Shinichi-kun?」(Sasamori)
「!?」(Shinichi)
His face twitched as, after a long time, his name had finally been called with the right p.r.o.nunciation. He was unable to continue his expressionless facade. It was too much of a shock. She took his reaction as positive so she smiled happily like the happiness from seeing blooming flowers.
「Oh, I thought so!
Though I didn’t notice you because of your long hair Shinichi-kun!」(Sasamori)
「Hey, your acquaintance?」(Kayama)
「Eh, ah, it’s for the first time we meet each other……I, aaah!?
N-no, ah, you know Shinichi-kun about that photo a little while ago……well that!
What it means is……Eh……aaah!!??」(Sasamori)
When she noticed its true meaning, she became fl.u.s.tered. Both men were confused by meaningless words and cries that came out. The pa.s.sing of 8 years was probably addressed in the worst manner. Judging from her pale face, the boy easily understood and became calm. He had to be calm.
—-Something like, sorry. Really sorry
Although he didn’t say it out loud, he apologized in his mind. She might have blundered, but it’s really not her fault. It’s just horrible luck and a meeting of coincidence for the boy.
That it truly is. He remembered and laughed in his mind. A long time ago, whenever he did something, his actions backfired. Even if out of good intentions he carried out a carefully thought out action, it still backfired. Backfired. Arousing displeasure, he was scolded because his bad timing often annoyed the other party. How stupid of him, to have forgotten that it would happen this time in particular.
「Sasamori? Hey, what do you mean?」(Kayama)
Kayama could not keep up with the conversation, so he shifted his gaze towards the boy. She was still in a state of shock, and not a single meaningful word was coming out of her mouth,
「Before answering that, please tell me one other thing.
Her…..formal name now…..」(Shinichi)
This was to be his last confirmation. His last hope. Unlike the expressionless face he wore before, this time there was a pathetic feeling written all over his face. That is probably why the captain didn’t respond jokingly as before.
「……It’s Nakamura Rinko.」(Kayama)
Though it was a common surname easily found, it was proof enough for him. In a self-mocking manner the boy identified himself.
「……My name is, Nakamura Shinichi.」(Shinichi)
「Huh……Nakamura?」(Kayama)
To be in this state right after he came back. As usual, a mistake. All those thoughts swirling in his head suddenly seemed so silly.
「I’m the step-son of………her over there, probably」(Shinichi)
「………Haaaaaaa!?!?」(Kayama)
After a blank moment, he announces that while laughing dryly. While there was large shouting in the interrogation room, the boy murmured to himself 「isn’t it」. Everyone could only be surprised at the turn of events. Instead of 2 years, 8 years have pa.s.sed and to top it all off, he had been shown the photo of his father with another woman which was beyond his wildest imagination.
「Ahaha………hahahaha……what is this?
I can do nothing but laugh, hahahahahaha………」(Shinichi)
——-I don’t care anymore———!!!
Endlessly, the boy divulged himself in his dry laughter, abandoning any and all thoughts——-
Note:
I’m posting this pretty late from my place so there will probably be mistakes. After I wake up I’ll check for them as I wanted to post this ASAP.
The next chapter 01-04 is almost three times the length of the chapters so far. It will take some time(be patient).