Chapter Text
"I can't go on living without him. It's all my fault. It'd be better if it was me and not him..." she continued to assure herself of this day after day every time she looked up and noticed that his room was empty. In such a huge house, discomfort was felt at the moment. There was no more noise and a loud voice. Now only silence could cut the sobbing girl's ears. "I can't... I can't do this anymore."
Saki hated silence. Usually her brother always helped to fill it with his laughter and loud shows. But now her home reminded her of the hospital. All that was missing was the snow-white walls... Tenma trembled, then softly sobbed.
Why didn't she spend more time with Tsukasa? Why didn't she try to understand him better? Maybe now she wouldn't feel so bad, so gross, so disgusting. If only she noticed any signs in his behavior, if only she noticed at least something, then none of fhis would have happened. Everyone said it was an accident, but Saki didn't believe them. Maybe if she hadn't quarreled with her brother in the morning, he wouldn't have been in such a terrible hurry to get to school. Maybe if she had held him for even a second, he would have remained safe. Maybe if she'd left him at home, offered to skip school just once, he wouldn't have gone down that crosswalk. Maybe if she hadn't called him at that moment to declare that he was a terrible, the worst of all, brother, then he would have seen a truck that just didn't have time to slow down.
Maybe if she had been a better sister, none of this would have happened.
Saki sobbed the loudest. She was still crying to this day. Tsukasa did so many things for her. Tsukasa would be willing to go to Hell for his only sister. Tsukasa even died because of her fault, as she believed. And she?.. All she did was make her brother listen to what a terrible person he was right before his death. Well, yeah, they had a fight. It happens to everyone. Saki didn't have the right to say something like that to him, when he sacrificed everything for her.
Why was everything never enough for her? Why didn't she ever do anything?
But there's no way to fix it now, right? Now Saki will have to live all her life with guilt in her soul and with this heavy burden called "selfish killer." No one, except for herself, called the girl that. She easily came to the conclusion that if not for her, Tsukasa would still be practicing the show in his room. Tsukasa would still be alive.
If only there was a way to get him back...
Saki sighed as she looked at the lyrics on her desk. Tears rolled from her wet eyelashes down her cheeks, but she still managed to wipe them away with the sleeve of her sweater. After that, the girl thought for a moment. Lyrics, a way to get back...
"Time Machine!" Tenma, immediately jumping out of bed, suddenly yelled. "Time Machine! I need a time machine... and then I'll fix it!"
But where can she get a real time machine? She didn't have to think long. Saki quickly rummaged through her phone, then found the number of one long-known person to her. The one, who was the quietest and most withdrawn of all at the funeral, as if it was him, who had just lost his older brother.
"…Rui-kun? Hi, I'm not disturbing you, right?"
"Saki-kun, hello," she could hear from Kamishiro's voice that he wasn't expecting a call from the girl. He didn't really want to get involved with the Tenma family after what had happened, but all of its members still seemed to be chasing him around. "You have strange breaths. Have you been crying?.."
The girl hesitated a little, but then she tried her best to squeeze out a smile. As if she was talking to the guy face to face.
"Not at all, just a little sick," she lied with a fake giggle. "Rui-kun, listen, I know I sound crazy, but… in theory, can you build a time machine?"
The young man was silent. Saki even tensed up a bit. Surely, he would think that the sister of the deceased had completely gone crazy from feelings of guilt and shame, which had been tormenting her especially strongly lately — at such a pace, it's easy to fall into depression... Kamishiro, it seems, wasn't even considering the possibility of a time machine, but what exactly should he say to an inconsolable girl.
"Saki-kun... I, well," Rui sighed heavily. "I can build you a time machine — it really is possible."
Tenma's eyes instantly shone with joy. This guy really was a genius!! Just like her brother said.
"But first, I need to know, why you need it."
"Uh..." Saki didn't know exactly how to respond. What to say? What if Rui refuses? But, if she lies, he will definitely refuse. "…I want to save my brother."
Kamishiro was silent again. Only after a couple of seconds, his sigh and a quiet "as I thought" reached the girl’s ear. Well, that was indeed pretty obvious, wasn't it?
"Saki-kun, listen... I understand your desire, but you yourself must be aware that changing the past will lead to a thousand consequences. Butterfly effect, have you heard of this?" from the movies, but yes, from somewhere the blonde still found out about this term. "You'll change only one event in the past, but, when you return to the present, you'll find yourself in a completely another reality."
"…another reality?"
"It's a bit difficult to explain, but theoretically you'll create something like a different timeline. Anything can happen there. For example, someone's grandmother will die, or you're gonna have another brother, or Phoenix Park will cease to exist," Rui explained. "Besides, you'll divide our already existing reality into two parts: the one, where Tsukasa-kun survives, and the one, where he's still dead. You'll have to choose, which one to live in so that the other one can disappear forever."
Saki already knew, which one she would choose. She wants only one thing: to see her brother alive. It doesn't matter what she has to do to get it. Even if it means tearing the damn space to pieces, breaking all possible laws and creating thousands of time paradoxes.
Tsukasa must be alive.
"I'll stay in the one, where brother survives, of course," Tenma said without a moment's hesitation.
"Had no doubts in you, Saki-kun," the guy chuckled. "But, please, understand that the second reality will disappear. It's gonna be erased forever. And even if you don't like the new one, you won't be able to go back. You'll have to live in a new reality, whatever it may be."
"I..."
Will she not like the new reality? But why? After all, if her brother is alive, then reality will definitely not be able to become bad. Whatever happens there, it won't matter. Of course, this reality will be... missed. Here, Saki has friends, family, but still she doesn't say goodbye to them! She'll definitely see them again in a new reality. Everything will be fine, if you only believe in good things, right?
"Rui-kun, I'll ask you again," Tenma breathed out. "Please build me a time machine."
The teen chuckled curiously.
"Good. I'll do it, Saki-kun," after a short pause, he added more quietly, "Just please, Saki-kun, promise me that you'll definitely save Tsukasa-kun... Maybe I won't see or even know about it in the new reality, but please, just promise me."
Tenma had no doubts. She knew that she would do anything for Tsukasa.
"I promise, Rui-kun. I'll definitely save my brother."
***
Saki looked at the time machine with bated breath. It looked rather compact — most likely, Rui purposely made it so that it would be easier to hop between time. Kamishiro was indeed a genius. Tenma looked back at him. The boy remained silent, but then nodded in approval.
"Don't worry, I already built a time machine once with Tsukasa-kun," the guy chuckled, but it was very clear that remembering his dead friend brought him a lot of pain, "We didn't change anything in the past, and we did it just for fun. But since then I have become very interested in this topic, so I was able to remake the time machine. I gave it the most comfortable look."
"Thank you, Rui-kun..."
Saki smiled at him and then put the device on her wrist. She perfectly remembered the date and even the time of her brother's death. And especially the place. She just needs to be there at least five minutes in advance and the tragedy will be avoided. Tenma carefully entered all the data, Kamishiro checked it carefully, taking into account how many times the Earth had already turned on its axis in the intervening time. And only after that, the teenagers finally nodded to each other.
"I promise, Rui-kun. I promise you that my brother will live!" the girl said with a smile and through the rising tears in her eyes.
Kamishiro looked at her in surprise, but then broke into a grateful smile. He, like all friends and acquaintances of Tsukasa, dreamed of only one thing: to return their beautiful star back from the grave. Only now, no one expected that his own sister would still dare to do this.
"I trust you, Saki-kun," Rui whispered before nodding to her. "Good luck on your journey. Take care of Tsukasa-kun and yourself."
The girl nodded and finally pressed the button. Kamishiro watched her disappear, then looked down at his hands. If Saki has already hopped in time, soon this reality will end. His hand reached into the pocket for phone. While there is still some time left, he must definitely call all his friends, Nene, Emu, Mizuki, and definitely mom and dad.
He needs to have time to tell them that he loves them very much.
***
Saki didn't expect this to actually work. Nevertheless, she was standing at that same pedestrian crossing. She has exactly two minutes until the tragedy. The girl guarded the track for the presence of trucks. The seconds ticked by like hours, but the wait was worth it, wasn't it? All for her brother, for his life. A minute passed and suddenly Tsukasa finally appeared.
He looked depressed. Yet he had a fight with his sister in the morning, because of the most useless thing in the world. Saki can't even remember which one, but it was definitely even dumber than the hina dolls situation. Sighing, the older Tenma was walking towards the crossing, when suddenly his phone rang.
At that moment, Saki instantly ran up to him. There is no way she can let her brother listen to all the nonsense that she uttered in blind anger.
"Brother!" she yelled, nearly knocking the boy off his feet.
"Eh... Huh? Saki?!!" Tsukasa was amazed and even stopped paying attention that his phone was ringing. "What are you doing here?... You were at home, weren't you?!"
"I..."
Tenma could barely hold back her tears. Her brother stood alive right in front of her. Alive. Tsukasa breathed, still spoke loudly and was there. She could hug him and apologize, she could just be with him. Saki didn't even notice, when her cheeks were suddenly wet.
"Huh?! S-Saki, don't cry! I know I got too harsh on you this morning, but, please, don't cry!!" the blond immediately panicked, feeling an inexplicable amount of guilt. His younger sister suddenly hugged him tightly. "Saki?"
"Brother, forgive me for being such a fool! Please, forgive me! If I ever say something bad to you, then don't believe me, okay? I'm saying this out of my own stupidity, so don't even listen to me!!" the blonde begged, glad that her brother's phone had stopped ringing. "I… wanted to apologize for this morning. I shouldn't have yelled at you. Will you forgive me?"
"O-Of course! What are we even talking about? How can I, the future star of this world, not forgive my best of all and such a unique sister?!"
Saki missed this so much. How the hell could she not? With a smile, the girl glanced at the clock — the time for the tragedy had already passed. She looked back at the road: the truck peacefully drove forward.
God bless.
"Brother, let's cross the road together, okay? And then I'll go home and change my clothes properly!" Tenma giggled, taking the boy's hand. She literally squeezed his palm, all the time afraid to let go.
But nothing happened. Tsukasa crossed the road and survived. It's like he never died. As if nothing happened.
"Saki, just make sure you won't be late for school, got it?!" her brother scolded before going on his way. "Take care of yourself and have a nice day!!"
"You take care of yourself too, brother..." she whispered, then tried to turn into the nearest alley as quickly as possible.
The device on her arm worked properly. It only remains to return to the present now. Everything will be fine. It doesn't matter what happens to reality, to be honest. Only one fact remained as the main thing: Tsukasa is alive. And Saki didn't need more.
***
Grimacing, Saki somehow opened her eyes. To be honest, she had a headache, but maybe the time machine and all this time hopping were the reason. Tenma, wanting to get some more sleep, tossed and turned in bed, and almost fell asleep again, when she suddenly realized. This isn't her bed. Even the mattress didn't feel like home.
Immediately, the girl jumped off the warm soft bed and carefully examined the rather darkened room. These are... not her walls. It doesn't even look like her home. Saki tried to look around better, but then heard a knock on the door.
"Oh! Probably, my brother decided to wake me up in the morning,' the girl decided, smiling. Well, what difference does it make that the house no longer looked the way it used to? The main thing is that now Tsukasa is alive. "Though, it's strange that he knocked on the door silently. So unlike him. It will be great to see him again. Rui-kun really is a genius. He let me bring my brother back."
Saki quickly opened the door with a smile, but her face suddenly lit up with shock. The rather tall young man, who stood in front of her, was not her brother. The red-haired stranger blinked, then drawled rather lazily,
"Oh, wow. Today you woke up quickly."
"Eh?" she thought to herself, not even daring to breathe. What was going on right now? Is she still sleeping? Where is her brother? "I don't think I know this person. He looks familiar and yet…"
"Um… Excuse me, but who are you?" the blonde murmured slightly doubtfully.
The teenager looked at her with undisguised surprise. Like she just asked him where babies come from or something.
"Hah?" he sighed, raising one eyebrow. "Saki, are you still sleeping, or what?"
"No, I just..."
In fact, she didn't know. Perhaps, she was still asleep. It must have all been some stupid dream. Saki continued to look at the teen in mild horror. At some point, the red-haired guy couldn't stand it and, exhaling, moved away from her door.
"You gotta be kidding me... I'll laugh if you tell me you forgot that your name is Saki and my name is Akito," he muttered, shaking his head. "...what a sis I have, jeez. You no longer recognize your own brother, do you?"
"Eh... What?" the girl thought, then opened her mouth in mute shock. "E-e-eh?!!"