{T minus 00:00:05 to being transported to another world}
“Koyama!”
The sudden shout startled me, and I looked up.
The smell had changed, and there was more noise. The colors were different.
The world was completely different.
Huh?
No way.
As I stood there in shock, someone shoved me from behind.
{T minus 00:00:04 to being transported to another world}
I lost my balance and saw the pavement. And my sneakers. And my school uniform pants. And my heavy bag.
That’s why I was thinking, No way!
Baseball Mob and Sekiguchi collided before my eyes. They fell. A black liquid fizzed on the asphalt. That nasty cola. Warm carbonation.
The flood of memories made my brain shriek, Run!
The truck had to be coming up behind us.
{T minus 00:00:03 to being transported to another world}
I planted a foot on Baseball Mob and took off running. I knew which way to go.
It was exactly the same as back then. They say you have weird dreams when you trip on dangerous drugs, but I never would have guessed it would be this one.
I ran and ran toward long-haired Haru, who still had the last name Koyama.
{T minus 00:00:02 to being transported to another world}
“Koyamaaa!” I got goosebumps. The memory was being recreated perfectly.
No, this is a dream. It’s because of Kizuha’s weird drug. Of all the things to remember, it had to be this? Ugh.
I started to sweat. After this, we would be sent to another world. That was fine. I wanted to go.
But that one moment was just the worst.
Haru Is about to turn around. And I’ll lose all hope in this world.
{T minus 00:00:01 to being transported to another world}
Who’s this guy, again?
That’s what her face seemed to say when she looked at me.
It was the first time in my life that Haru Koyama noticed me.
We’d been in the same classroom for so long. I knew you. In the year and change since we’d started high school, I’d watched you from afar so many times.
But you’re going to sleep with me. And you’re going to be the one to ask me.
That’s the kind of world we’re about to go to. That’s what you get!
✦ ✦ ✦
“Wake up!”
Someone slapped me with all their might. When I opened my eyes, Kizuha was on top of me.
With my empty head, I felt like Kizuha really did have one hell of a nice face. Plus the shape of her boobs, her butt—everything.
“Ahh, you freaked me out. You collapsed and your heart even stopped. I thought you were dead!”
“Huh, seriously? I was tripping that hard?”
Nothing was wrong with my body. My mind was clear. I just felt like I had taken a nap. I’d never been in suspended animation before, but nothing seemed off.
But.
“How was it? Did it feel good?”
“Nope, just as awful as I figured. I had a dream I didn’t want to have. Or maybe you could say I met a shitty version of myself...”
Come to think of it, that whole day was awful from start to finish. Even if what was waiting for me at the end was an other-world tour, it couldn’t cancel out everything else that had happened.
I never want to go back to that world.
“Hmm... Maybe it wasn’t enough. Wanna do a little more?”
“Nope, I’m fine. Definitely not doing that again.”
What was that stuff in the first place? It tasted and smelled like blood, but it was different somehow.
I knew that taste. It was the taste of switching worlds. Too creepy, right?
And if Kizuha was telling the truth, it was like I died while I was tripping.
Who would keep drinking stuff like that? I’m the kind of man who doesn’t even mess with Takoyaki Roulette at karaoke. I can’t understand playing games that involve mixing edibles and risk.
“Mm...”
A warm mouth covered mine.
But I said I wasn’t drinking any more!
✦ ✦ ✦
{T minus 00:00:05 to being transported to another world}
“Koya—!”
“Kizuhaaaa!” I screamed at a volume no less than Sekiguchi’s.
The truck’s wheels squealed as it tilted on the straight road.
Someone shoved me from behind, and I tripped.
Quit screwin’ around, Baseball Mob.
{T minus 00:00:04 to being transported to another world}
This time when Baseball Mob and Sekiguchi fell I laughed my ass off like I was watching a goofy video.
But could it be that if those two had been a bit more calm and could see what was happening, Haru and I wouldn’t have ended up in another world?
When that hit me, I couldn’t laugh anymore. No other choice but to run, huh?
{T minus 00:00:03 to being transported to another world}
I stepped on Baseball Mob and Sekiguchi—one, two—and went sprinting toward Haru. Since it was my third time, I had a groove. But if I hadn’t run like this, could it be that she wouldn’t have been caught up in the accident? Could she have stayed in this world?
Or maybe I wouldn’t have gotten to go?
Stuff like that came to mind, too.
{T minus 00:00:02 to being transported to another world}
I didn’t call her name here.
There was no point. She didn’t know who I was.
The past doesn’t change. This was nothing but an other-world dream caused by an other-world drug. So I just ran.
{T minus 00:00:01 to being transported to another world}
Haru Is about to turn around. Oh yeah, her face back then was a little pudgier, more babyish.
How long ago is this, anyhow? Have we been in the other world for a year already?
If I had a mirror right now, would my face look different, too?
Who’s this guy, again?
Maybe I would make that face too if I saw my face right now.