Prologue Story

I knew it.

I had known for a long time that I wouldn’t live long, and that it would come so suddenly.

I had already prepared myself for it, long ago.

From the moment I met ‘her’ and returned to reality.

I couldn’t hide my bitterness.

His face, always smiling confidently, twisted with emotion.

Watching him, I couldn’t say anything.

I took pride in living an ordinary life.

Although I wasn’t particularly healthy, I lived and died an ordinary life.

I even achieved my dreams.

Of course, there was one dream that was truly just a ‘dream,’ but it didn’t matter.

The only thing that set my once-ordinary life apart was the existence of ‘her.’

At first, I thought it was just a dream you have right before you die, but then I found myself back in reality.

I was reborn as a baby, living my life over from the beginning.

My siblings, my family, my childhood—everything was the same, so I couldn’t tell if it was a regression or a reincarnation.

But from the moment I met a certain person from my past, my life changed completely.

That fateful connection brought me here.

What I had dismissed as impossible had become reality.

After meeting a ‘god,’ I set my future course—and began walking along that path.

No, to be honest, I had known that everything I’d been through was real from the moment I opened the pocket dimension.

Yes, I had known about it for a very long time.

Drip.

Blood fell.

Crimson drops of blood trickled into the glass.

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

“…I’m not sure.”

“I do. I have to believe in it.”

Since I met ‘her,’ I had no choice but to believe.

When I meet her again, it will undoubtedly be when my future is following the path of fate.

And this would be the last time I could clearly remember my future…

Ah, it was a dream so vivid.

“If you’re anxious, let’s form a blood oath. So that our bond will continue even after reincarnation.”

Wielding a knife was terrifying.

Well, it was only natural since I was just an ordinary woman.

But even so, I was willing to risk my life for him.

Especially since my body was already so broken.

He was less hesitant than I was.

“We’ll bind ourselves to each other.”

“…You mean our futures will belong to each other? Fine, as a vow of love, it sounds perfect.”

With a sorrowful smile, he infused his words into the blood.

“Even in death, even in reincarnation, may you remember me. May you recognize me, may you love me once again. May we meet again.”

“And is it only your wish that matters?”

“Then, may I meet you again. And love you once more.”

“…I vow on our future. Even after death, when you are reincarnated, may you meet me. May I love you again, may I recognize you, may you remember me, may you love me.”

I intentionally left out the part where I wished for him to recognize me.

It was probably because of my small, selfish desire—that even if he didn’t recognize me, I still wanted him to love me again.

I didn’t care if he didn’t recognize me or love me again.

It didn’t matter, since I was the one who would be leaving him behind.

It was fine.

A foolish choice, at the crossroads of love.

Even if my decision was foolish, it was fine.

We sealed it with a kiss of blood.

Isn’t it strange?

You know, right?

This world is ordinary.

There’s no magic, no ghosts, no superpowers.

Perhaps there are things yet undiscovered.

Maybe there are things that ordinary people are unaware of, lurking in the shadows.

But for us, there is nothing.

We know nothing, and we have no power.

Yet, even though we have no power, our oath, sealed in blood, was fulfilled so perfectly.

Let’s believe in our future.

Yes, let’s do that.

Even in death, we’ll meet again.

I smiled as I met his gaze.

And then, I succumbed to my illness, and my life faded away.