Fragments of a Miracle

1

Koichi Yato stopped by the Masuda Kiyomi drugstore near the station on his way home from school.

He had been feeling odd since the day before yesterday, but thought it was just the result of the dry December wind. It was this morning when he became fully aware that he had caught a cold.

He somehow managed to eat breakfast and attempted to take some cold medicine. However, there was only one tablet left in the bottle. After he rummaged through the medicine cabinet, he saw that there was no other medicine left. He reluctantly took a single tablet before leaving the house. His busy mother was preparing to go to her part-time job, so he couldn't ask her to buy more.

Upon arriving at the store, Koichi first had to locate the cold medicine section due to the fact that he rarely ever needed to buy it. While some people might enter the store and immediately ask where the cold medicine was, that was not something he could do. After wandering through the unfamiliar store, he finally found the cold medicine section, and couldn't help but sigh in relief.

There's so many different kinds of cold medicine . . .

He searched the neither neatly nor haphazardly arranged shelves and in the middle of it, he found the cold medicine that was regularly found in his home's medicine cabinet. Just as he was about to pick it up, he felt the presence of someone watching him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man.

He appeared to be a college student. The young man, who had messy hair and wore sunglasses, seemed to be watching him from behind a nearby shelf.

Who is that guy . . . ?

It was possible that he was a so-called “shoplifting detective” that suspected he was stealing something.

However, the man looked far more suspicious based on his appearence alone. If he had been wearing a mask, it wouldn’t be surprising if he was mistaken for a criminal because of his dubious aura.

It was quite curious.

Well, never mind.

He headed to the register after grabbing the medicine he wanted.

As he lined up, he noticed that the man with the sunglasses had disappeared.

Upon arriving home, Koichi tossed his bag into his room and went downstairs to the living room.

Almost subconsciously, he turned on the TV. The dimly lit room at dusk was softly illuminated by the TV screen which showed a rerun of a period drama where a traveling samurai was brandishing his travel pass.

Stand back!

A voice shouted.

It was just another day for Koichi. He had no club activities or friends to hang out with at fast-food joints. He always arrived home just in time for "Stand Back!"

Now then.

He returned to the living room with a cup from the kitchen.

He poured hot water from a pot, took out the medicine he bought, and when he opened the bag, there was a strange piece of paper inside. It wasn’t an instruction leaflet but a folded note written on lined paper.

. . . ?

When he unfolded the paper, it had the word "WINNER" written on it in oddly angular ballpoint pen letters.

Feeling puzzled by this, he took out the bottle, which should have contained one hundred and twenty tablets of cold medicine. Instead, it was crammed with sharp, nail-like objects. On closer inspection, these nail-like objects filled the upper half, while the bottom was densely packed with colorful wires in red, blue, and yellow.

What is this . . . ?

2

Suddenly, everything in front of him turned stark white. A flawless, unclouded white.

Yet, the only sound that could be heard was as chaotic as a restaurant kitchen during lunchtime.

The sound of hurried scurrying was everywhere.

Ask everyone you can! Maybe you'll be able to find it!

Koichi wondered what they were looking for.

But he couldn’t get an answer to his question. His vision, which had been completely white, gradually turned to gray.

The gray darkened and eventually, Koichi found himself standing in complete darkness.

Where am I?

But more importantly . . .

Why am I in this place?

How did he get here? Did he walk here on his own? Was he brought here by someone? He had no idea.

He strained his eyes in the darkness, but all he could see was an unbroken depth of black. He reached out his hand, half-expecting to touch a solid black wall in front of him, but there was nothing.

It was then that Koichi realized something strange in this odd situation. Despite the overwhelming darkness, he could clearly see himself. It was less like he was in darkness and more like the space itself was "black," but there was no way that was possible in reality.

. . . Am I dreaming?

He meant that question to be rhetorical, so when he heard a voice reply from behind him . . .

This is not a dream.

Koichi instinctively jumped in surprise.

When he turned around, he saw a small creature that was about 20 centimeters tall standing at his feet.

His eyes widened as he gasped.

The creature looked human. Its bare skin gleamed bronze, and its hair styled like a dollop of whipped cream on a shortcake and was spiked at the back. Its round eyes, completely dark blue without any white, shone intensely. Most notably, from about halfway between its waist and bottom, a long, slender tail sprouted, reminiscent of a ring-tailed lemur he had once seen on TV.

This creature, which was clearly beyond a normal human's comprehension, seemed to find Koichi's reaction utterly hilarious, as it bounced around in a flurry of chuckles and spins.

Pfft, haha!. . . Sorry, sorry.

After a bout of laughter, the mysterious creature straightened up and bowed like an English gentleman.

Allow me to introduce myself. I am Makiel. I've been assigned to help you from here on out. It's nice to meet you, Koichi Yato.

It extended its right hand.

Nice to . . . meet you, too . . .

Koichi, knowing that this was completely out of his control, followed along with what was happening and pinched the small hand of the creature named Makiel between his thumb and forefinger for a "handshake."

Makiel nodded in satisfaction, murmuring affirmatively.

Now then, first, you need to understand what's going on. Can you guess where we are?

Makiel twirled his index finger around. Koichi shook his head. Confirming this, the creature continued.

This is a stop on the way to the afterlife. Though I say it's less like an 'afterlife' and more like a recycling factory that souls go to before being reborn—anyway, that's what this is.

Huh . . . ?

Koichi twitched at the mention of "afterlife."

The afterlife . . . ?

Looks like you don't quite get it. Well, that's understandable.

Makiel grinned mischievously.

You bought medicine at a pharmacy on your way home from school, remember?

His words magically revived Koichi's memory.

. . . I remember.

That wasn't medicine. It was actually a bomb made by some unhinged college student.

Koichi remembered the bottle packed with a mix of nails, cords, and a paper labeled "WINNER."

Now, with all that said, you can probably guess what's going on, but there is a line that I'm required to say.

Koichi didn't respond. He couldn't. But Makiel didn't wait and said it anyway.

Koichi Yato, you are going to die.

Koichi stood in silence.

Is this the end . . . ?

He had no friends, lovers, dreams for the future, or life goals. He had no unforgettable happy memories from his seventeen years. He didn't have anything at all.

Is this really the end . . . ?

He felt his legs give way, and he nearly couldn't stand anymore.

But then he thought about it.

Wait a minute.

It's normal for someone to not realize that they're dreaming when they're in a dream. In fact, it's rare for someone to become aware that they even are dreaming.

This means one thing.

What assurance is there in the phrase "This isn't a dream"?It's like a con artist saying "I'm not scamming you."

That's right. This situation is impossible, so it must be a dream.

Koichi felt a slight relief upon finding an answer that saved him, but Makiel was watching him with a faint smile.

It seems you still don't quite believe it. Well, that's fine. You'll understand everything once you wake up.

If he said that, does that mean this really is just a dream? Makiel lightly brushed off Koichi's doubtful gaze.

Listen up. What I'm going to tell you next is important.

He pointed sharply with his finger.

You were hit by a bomb and you're going to die soon. But there is a chance that you could be saved. More precisely, there is a path to salvation for you.

A path . . . ?

Yes. Specifically I'm talking about the past seventeen years of your life. If I were equate it on a cosmic scale . . . Well, maybe that's too much of an exaggeration? But miracle fragments were scattered all around you on the path that you were taking. However, you walked straight ahead without thinking and never strayed from that path in the slightest. Because of that, you didn't pick up a single fragment, and as a result, no miracle occurred, and you ended up dying. My condolences.

Makiel made a gesture as if he was mimicking a monk ringing a bell.

Koichi was both sad and furious. He felt as though his entire life meant nothing and and he was being mocked for it.

W-what the heck are these miracles?

Oops!

Makiel waved his finger in a theatrical gesture with a "tsk tsk."

Sorry, but I can't tell you that. It's the rule of this 'game.'

. . . Game?

Exactly! You've been chosen!

Makiel did a somersault in mid-air, then bowed like an English gentleman once more.

You'll be playing a game! You'll go back seven years and redo your life up to this point!

As Makiel got more excited, he didn't notice that Koichi's mouth was agape.

If you manage to collect all the miracle fragments in that seven year time period, you'll win and be saved! But if you miss even just one . . .

One?

It's game over for you. You'll get no continues or retries and be sent to the soul recycling plant for real. From there, you'll be broken into bits and pieces, sorted out, and turned into materials for new life.

With that, Makiel bowed deeply once more, as if to express his gratitude for listening.

So, what do you want to do? You'll play it, right?

If I don't, I go straight to the recycling plant?

Of course.

Makiel replied firmly.

Then the answer he's looking for must be 'I'll play.'

Koichi never had the energy to give wild answers since this was just a dream after all. But even if he were to do it . . .

Can you tell me where these miracle fragments are?

Makiel shook his head.

I can't tell you that. I'm not allowed to give hints.

No hints at all?!

Koichi remarked internally.

But you—

Just call me Makiel.

Makiel, aren’t you supposed to be my support? Then why aren't you telling me anything?

Well, sorry, but that's part of the rules. Can't really help it.

That meant Koichi had to gather all the fragments without knowing what they were, where they were, or how many there were. It would likely be harder than trying to complete a royal flush in poker without ever looking at your hand.

Such a thing, clearly, seemed impossible.

As Koichi expressed his disbelief, Makiel spoke up.

Well then . . .

He continued.

I understand what you want to say to me. So, because it would be too pitiful not to, I'll answer one of your questions here.

Oh, that's a relief.

With a slight sense of relief, Koichi unconsciously relaxed his cheeks.

Now, think carefully. I'll give you one minute!

W-what? Wait a sec!

Makiel ruthlessly responded with a . . .

Tsk tsk tsk . . .

In response, Koichi frantically wracked his brain and the minute passed in a blink.

Tsk tsk tsk, time's up! Now, talk.

I mean . . . this is all so sudden, I can't just . . .

Hurry up, or you'll run out of time and it'll be over.

Okay, okay! So . . . um . . .

Koichi swallowed nervously.

Are the miracle fragments . . . objects?

He timidly looked at Makiel, who was staring back at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. It was then a heavy, oppressive silence slowly circled around them until finally, Makiel opened his mouth.

The answer is 'no.'

Koichi's shoulders slumped in disappointment. He could hear the jingle of an incorrect answer from a quiz show play in his mind.

Makiel chuckled mischievously.

Well, well, at least you now know that they aren't objects. By the way, I haven’t heard whether you're going to play the 'game' or not.

If it’s not an object, what could it be? Something more abstract, perhaps? He couldn’t imagine, but for now, this was his only reply.

With a heavy heart, he reluctantly gave his response.

I'll play.

Makiel nodded emphatically.

Good. You've officially accepted the challenge. Now, let's go over the rules, even though there’s only one.

You can do anything you want for the next seven years, but you cannot run away from the bomb. When the seven years are up, you must buy the same cold medicine at the same pharmacy on December 20th and face the bomb, just as what happened today. However, slacking off and then running away from the bomb on the day is a no-go.

Wait . . . Wait a minute. You're telling me to face the bomb again! How can I possibly survive that?!

That's where you're wrong.

Makiel grinned slyly.

The bomb you encountered was a bit special. You might think that you died when your body was blasted to pieces, but that's not quite it. I can’t go into details, but if you collect all the miracle fragments, you'll definitely be saved. No need to worry.

Really . . . ?

Koichi looked on, his gaze a mix of anxiety and skepticism.

Yes, really. I'm not kidding. Just trust me.

Makiel puffed out his chest proudly and thumped it, but he thumped it too hard and bent over coughing.

ACK! Anyway, you have to face the bomb again. Just don’t forget that rule!

And if I break that rule?

If you break the rules of the 'game'—

He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye with his index finger,

You will be penalized. That's only fair, right?

At this point, Koichi simply felt doubtful.

Who decided these rules?

The organizer of the 'game' did.

And that person is . . . who?

Well, to put it in terms you'd understand . . . someone like a god? A god starved for amusement.

Amusement . . . ?

Yes. This 'game' is essentially a show.

So, there are people watching me fight for my life for fun . . . ?

At this, even the usually timid Koichi couldn’t help but show his anger.

Why are you so upset? Think about it. You're getting a chance to live. Isn’t that a good deal for you? Or do you want to give up?

Eh . . . no, it's not that I want to quit, but . . .

Right?

Makiel smiled triumphantly.

Anyway, the rules are absolute. No violations are allowed. However, if you choose to ignore the rules knowing the penalties, well, that's also an option. It's not recommended though.

If something wasn't recommended, it wouldn’t normally be mentioned. His words seemed to carry a hidden meaning.

Um . . . can you tell me what kind of penalty it is? Or are you not allowed to?

I'm not allowed to.

Makiel bowed respectfully, as if to confirm this.

It's more interesting like this, isn't it?

No, it wasn't!

Koichi bitterly muttered to himself again.

If this were a video game, indeed that would be the case. The more mysterious the elements, the better the plot developments. But in a game where his own life was at stake, excitement was the last thing he needed. The fewer mysteries, the better.

Come on, don't look so glum.

Makiel tried to soothe the visibly upset Koichi, although his half-smile made him less convincing.

Anyway, that's all for my explanation. Any questions?

Koichi thought in silence for a moment.

None. I suppose anything I ask would be a secret anyway.

Makiel responded.

That's not true—I might be able to answer some questions!

He playfully tapped Koichi's shin.

Koichi thought to himself how overly familiar Makiel was despite having just met him today. But strangely, he didn't feel too bothered because Makiel also seemed quite affable.

So . . .

Ahem.

Makiel cleared his throat.

Lastly, regardless of whether or not you can collect all the miracle fragments, you still have a grace period of seven years, right?

So, just in case it doesn't work out, I think it's also important that you live those seven years without any regret so if that's the case, you can say, 'It didn't work out, but I had a good run.'

Eh . . . ?

Koichi was at a loss for word due to being caught off guard by Makiel's suddenly serious tone. Makiel was implying to accept death when it came and that was too heavy of a decision for Koichi at this moment.

Well, take your time thinking about it. Seven years isn't long, but it's not short either. Take care!

Makiel straightened up and bowed deeply once more.

The game starts the next time you wake up. Are you ready?

Koichi swallowed hard.

Yeah.

Makiel smiled innocently in an almost startling way, and gave him a thumbs-up.

Good luck!

1

Beep, beep.

The alarm clock rang.

It was a gentle electronic sound that wasn't too loud and beckoned Koichi into waking up calmly.

So it was just a dream after all.

Koichi thought, his head still foggy from sleep.

It was a strange dream.

A mysterious creature named Makiel had appeared to him amd delivered a death sentence. To escape it, he must travel back in time seven years and collect all the miracle fragments.

Beep, beep.

The odd part is that he remembered what happened so vividly despite the fact that it was a dream.

Beep beep, beep beep.

At this point, Koichi noticed another odd thing. It was the sound of the alarm clock that was currently ringing.

Koichi was not a morning person and becasue of that, he switched to a much louder and more annoying alarm clock during his first year of high school.

Beep beep beep, beep beep beep.

This was the sound of the alarm clock he had used before he switched. It should have already been thrown away . . .

Beep beep beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep beep beep.

Koichi sprang out of bed, forgetting to stop the incessantly ringing alarm clock. and stared at his room's surroundings.

It was different.

It was undoubtedly his room, but the layout of the desk and the arrangement of books on his shelf were all different. The bulky old CRT TV that he received as a hand-me-down when the living room TV was upgraded was also missing. On the wall facing the bed hung a poster of a girls' anime he had secretly been obsessed with in elementary school.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep beep beep beep beep─

Finally annoyed by the noise, he reached out to stop the alarm. Koichi was further shocked upon seeing his own hand.

. . . !

He flung off his covers and looked at his body. Although he thought it impossible—his body was smaller!

Koichi burst out of his room, but as he attempted to leap down the stairs to the first floor, his feet suddenly froze.

The staircase seemed so high up!

It was almost dizzying!

He clutched the handrail and cautiously checked each step as he descended, eventually rushing into the washroom.

Koichi could only see his head in the mirror that sat behind the sink that was clearly meant for adults.

His face, which looked the same as it did when he was in elementary school, was distorted in shock.

He touched a trembling hand to his face, and the Koichi in the mirror mimicked his action precisely.

No way . . .

Koichi momentarily lost himself, his hand still on his face.

Is this still just a dream . . . ?

Just then, he heard a voice from behind him when there should have been no one there.

I already told you. It's not a dream.

Aaah!

Koichi jumped as he shreaked.

At his feet, Makiel grinned mischievously.

. . . !

Unable to scream, Koichi stood with his mouth agape as footsteps approached from the kitchen.

What's wrong, did something happen?

It was his mother. But Koichi was again taken aback upon seeing her.

Mom . . . gained weight!

She had indeed gained weight. However, that was how it used to be in the past. When Koichi was in fifth grade, his mom dramatically lost weight through an extensive amount of effort.

Hey, why are you so surprised by me? Is something wrong?

No . . . um . . . Mom, look!

Koichi pointed at Makiel at his feet and his mother looked in that direction.

What? There's nothing there. Oh no, did you see a bug or something?

Uh . . .

Despite being directly in her line of sight, his mother showed no reaction to Makiel.

Only you can see and hear me.

Makiel kept a cool face.

Are you still half asleep? Hurry up and wash your face so you can eat your breakfast. If you dawdle, you'll be late again. I need to get ready for my part-time job too.

His mother went upstairs to the bedroom, sounding exasperated as she did.

This is insane . . .

Next to the sink was a small step stool that less than 30 centimeters high. It was built by his father as one of his DIY projects. Koichi shifted it in front of the sink, climbed up, and vigorously splashed water on his face.

The water cooled his head too, and he rapidly regained consciousness. There was an undeniable certainty that this was not a dream, but reality.

After wiping his face with a towel, Makiel spoke up again.

Feeling refreshed?