Final Loop?........... Chapter 31: 永遠の約束 (The Eternal Promise)

"Daichi… Daichi…"

A faint, familiar voice echoed through the void, soft yet persistent. It felt like a dream—distant, yet warm, like sunlight filtering through the leaves on a tranquil afternoon. Slowly, Daichi's eyelids fluttered open.

His vision blurred, and his body felt weightless, wrapped in an inexplicable sense of calm. Blinking several times, he sat up with some effort, his surroundings coming into view. The bed beneath him was soft, the sheets clean and neatly tucked. Rays of golden sunlight streamed through the curtains, bathing the room in a nostalgic glow.

Daichi's breath hitched as he scanned the room. It was impossibly familiar—his childhood room, untouched by time. The shelves were neatly lined with toys and books, a desk sat in the corner stacked with papers and pens, and posters of his favorite shows covered the walls.

His hands trembled as he looked down at them—small, delicate hands. His heart raced, confusion swirling in his mind like a storm. He swung his legs over the bed and stood, catching his reflection in the mirror.

Staring back at him was his eight-year-old self.

"This… can't be real," Daichi murmured, taking a step back. His chest tightened as a chill ran down his spine. He rushed to the window, pulling the curtains open.

The world outside greeted him with quiet serenity. The street he had grown up on stretched out before him, framed by lush green trees swaying gently in the morning breeze. The sunlight painted the scene in hues of gold, and the faint chatter of birds added to the surreal peace.

His gaze darted to the bedside clock. The numbers glowed faintly: 2017.

"2017…?" Daichi whispered, his voice shaky. "No… no, this can't be…" His thoughts raced. "Was it all a dream? The battles, the pain, Izumi, Alter Daichi—was none of it real?"

As he spoke, a sharp, stinging pain seared through on top of his palm, snapping him out of his thoughts. The Leo sign's, for a brief moment, glow with warm aura. He gasped, clutching his hand. The ache was vivid, and with it came flashes—memories that surged through his mind like a tidal wave.

Izumi's laughter. Her tears. Her voice calling his name. The moments they shared, the struggles they endured. The last time he saw her—the final goodbye.

"It wasn't a dream," he muttered, his voice trembling. Tears brimmed in his eyes as the realization sank in. "It was real. Everything… it all really happened."

The weight of it all pressed down on him, but amidst the sorrow, there was a flicker of something else—relief. He took a deep, shuddering breath and wiped his tears. It's over now. I fixed everything.

A soft knock at the door startled him.

"Daichi, are you awake yet? You're going to be late for school," a warm, gentle voice called out.

Daichi froze. His throat tightened as the voice washed over him like a soothing melody. He hadn't heard that voice in years, and yet, here it was, so vivid and real.

"Y-Yes, Mom," he stammered, his voice breaking.

The words left his lips before he could stop them. His chest heaved, his emotions threatening to spill over. He looked at his reflection again—at the boy staring back at him, at the innocence he thought he'd lost forever.

"Another chance…" he whispered, his lips quivering. "I've been given another chance."

The memories were still fresh, still raw. He paused, his gaze lingering on the scar, then clenched his fist. "Thank you," he whispered under his breath. "Thank you for giving me this…"

Descending the stairs, he was greeted by the aroma of breakfast and the comforting hum of morning chatter.

After finishing his breakfast, he packed his bag and went to school.

As he stepped outside, the morning air greeted him with a cool embrace. The streets were quiet, the world bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun.

For a moment, Daichi's gaze caught on a single flower blooming by the roadside. It glowed faintly, its petals shimmering with an otherworldly light—the same light that had once been his.

He stopped briefly, his smile growing wistful. "Thank you… for everything," he murmured, his voice barely audible.

Far away, in another reality, a vast, endless sky stretched above a not-so peaceful world bathed in the soft, golden hues of a setting sun. Despite a war that is still occurring on their world, Alter Daichi and Alter Izumi stood together on a tranquil field of grass that swayed gently in the breeze, the horizon ablaze with colors of hope and renewal.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, their laughter filled the air—a fragile yet beautiful sound, carrying the weight of countless struggles now left behind. Hand in hand, they walked toward an unknowable future, their hearts heavy with the memories of a fractured past but resolute in their purpose.

Despite the cruel uncertainties that might lie ahead, they swore to face every trial together, no matter how insurmountable it seemed. Bound by an unshakable love and an unwavering resolve, they promised to choose the paths that would bring light, not only to their lives but to the world they had sacrificed so much to protect.

In that moment, as the sun dipped below the horizon, they held on to a shared dream—that one day, their reality would blossom into a peace that would endure forever.

As the sunlight kissed the horizon in Daichi's world, a question lingered:

Would they change the future this time? Or would the echoes of fate repeat?

But for now, those questions didn't matter.

What mattered most was the promise they had made—one that transcended time and space, binding their souls together forever.

A promise of love.

A promise of hope.

And those promises… would remain eternal.

But with that promise came a truth he could not ignore—that his journey was only just beginning. The road ahead would be long, filled with trials that would test his resolve, yet as long as he stood together, the future was his to rewrite.

To be continued......