Prologue: The Last Laugh

Twenty-five years ago…

Excerpt from the book written by Cien Ayanami…
As a young scientist interested in parallel worlds, I discovered a parallel world that is different than any other world…This started happening very recently, around 1986, but not fully sure…  I call this other world "The Forgotten Leftovers".

Fifteen years ago…

From the back seat, a child observed intently, cocooned within the warm, rumbling confines of the car, a stark contrast to the enveloping darkness outside. In the front, a young woman and a young man sat, their features illuminated by the gentle glow of the dashboard lights. Suddenly—WHAM!—a blinding flash momentarily obliterated the world around them, followed by a thunderous cacophony of crumpling metal and shattering glass, far more terrifying than any monster conjured from the pages of a storybook. 

As the deafening silence settled, an unsettling sound emerged in the aftermath: a slow, ominous drip... drip... drip resonating onto the asphalt below.

An individual resembling an inspector approached the officer on the scene. “Did you locate the corpse?” he inquired.

The officer replied, “Negative. We couldn’t find anything—no blood, no remains.”

The inspector responded, “Then the case is closed. We will announce that it was an accident, and that the body was lost...”

Yesterday…

Kaito sat across from Akari at a small table in a cozy cafe, the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee surrounding them after a long day.

Kaito grinned, lifting his steaming cup. "So... how was your day? I hope it wasn't as uneventful as mine! I spent hours on the couch, mindlessly scrolling through YouTube like a true champion of laziness!"

Akari chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, don’t worry about me. I’m not as lazy as you! I dealt with a rather peculiar case today—a guy convinced he had a son but couldn’t recall ever having one. Turns out, he bought cigarettes from an untrustworthy vendor. So, it ended up being a search case for the person who sold them to him." He let out a relieved sigh, recalling the day's events.

Kaito shook his head, a teasing smile on his lips. "Seriously, people these days just don’t care. They’ll grab anything if it’s cheap, even from the sketchiest sellers."

Akari raised an eyebrow at him, momentarily caught off guard by his comment. Silence enveloped them for a heartbeat, and then he broke it with an invitation.

"Hey, how about we hang out at my place tomorrow night for a party? With Hikari away, we can have some fun, and I’ll have the place all to myself."

A spark of excitement lit up Kaito’s face. "Definitely! That sounds awesome! I’ll bring the best juices and a couple of movies! Oh, and some games, too!"

"No way! I’m the one hosting!" Akari insisted, his expression firm "This party is my way of thanking you for always being there for me."

Kaito smirked, crossing his arms defiantly. "Fine, but just so you know, my juice selection will outshine yours."

"Challenge accepted! Bring yours, and we’ll see which one reigns supreme," Akari replied, his competitive spirit ignited.

After a brief pause, Akari shifted in his seat. "Want to take a walk? It feels a bit dull in here."

"Sure, let’s go," Kaito agreed, rising as they both left the cafe, stepping into the cool night air.

As they walked, Kaito glanced at Akari, curiosity evident in his voice. "So, where did Hikari go?"

"Oh, she went to visit her parents for the weekend."

Kaito's mood shifted slightly, a hint of nostalgia creeping in. "I haven’t spoken to my mother in five months..."

Akari looked at him, a teasing glint in his eye. "I wonder if she even remembers you exist."

Kaito laughed, shaking his head. "Of course she does!"

Their laughter echoed down the nearly empty street, a lightness in the air between them.

Akari glanced around, feigning seriousness. "Is it just me, or does it feel eerily quiet tonight?"

Kaito checked his watch, his eyes widening. "Oh no! It’s already 11:20! 'Detective Akari' doesn’t stay awake past midnight!" He declared with playful exaggeration.

Akari rolled his eyes, annoyance creeping into his tone. "Come on! Just imagine if everyone vanished into thin air."

They both burst into laughter again, their voices mingling with the stillness of the night.

"Anyway, see you tomorrow at the party," Akari said as they approached a fork in the path.

"Yeah, see you! I have some serious YouTube scrolling and anime to catch up on!" Kaito waved as he turned to leave.

"Wait," Kaito called out.

Akari paused mid-step, glancing back.

Kaito hesitated. "Never forget me, okay?"

Akari grinned. "How could I forget my best friend?"

Kaito watched him disappear around the corner.

As Akari walked, a smile tugged at his lips.

"Ahh… you'll never change."