Yano Chiharu had a dream.
The beginning of the dream—
Yano was in the office building where she worked, sitting in her cubicle, typing on the keyboard as usual.
The dull, mechanical work lasted a long time.
Then, at a certain moment, she suddenly heard a cry of alarm.
"Fire! There's a fire!"
Someone shouted like this.
Pungent smoke billowed from somewhere in the office building, and screams overshadowed one another as colleagues ran out in a panic.
Yano Chiharu was pushed and shoved by the crowd into the corridor, where she could see thick black smoke swirling and flames flickering below the staircase.
On the corridor, many people crowded at the elevator entrance, their faces twisted in wails and sobs.
Now, escaping in an elevator clearly wasn't a wise decision.
Just when Yano Chiharu didn't know what to do and was beginning to despair, she noticed a man in the crowd—
This man was different from the others around him, who were desperate for survival.