Drip, Drop, Drip, Drop. The luke warm droplets scatter around my feet and down the drain. Turning off the shower I get dressed for my job.

Dear Diary,

Its been six months since me and my friends graduated from college.

In a strange turn of events all four of us got the job at an up and coming high tech company, and today’s the day that I ask out the girl of my dreams ‘Nara’.

Life has been rather enjoyable, ‘I work as an apprentice technician has been going well’, but today I get promoted to technician, which means more cash in my pockets.

Diary end.

***

Exiting the house I check my watch, 7:46 A.M.

I got time to spare.

I enter my car driving for about thirty minutes twisting and turning in the Big Apple called New York City to reach my place of employment.

Walking through the front doors of my employment a strange scene plays out.

A man I've never seen before being held by two guards screaming, “GET OUT OF THE BUILDING IT’S GOING TO BLOW!”

What is this a certain movie where everyone dies?

Everyone ignores the insane man including me, as he is escorted/ dragged out of the previous doors I came through.

His eyes were on me when I walked past almost as if saying, "believe me."

I heard to my left, “He’s crazy. The security is top notch. Theres no way that’ll happen here.”

Another voice, “Nah. No way. In this day and age? He’s lost his mind.”

Indeed, because world peace was obtained.

I didn’t believe it at the time, but with the invention of unlimited energy and hunger solved five years ago it is now reality.

By the way a Class 2 citizen like me lives a good life.

Walking into the elevator I hear someone yelled, “Wait! Keep the doors open!!!”

Before the doors close I swiftly stop them from closing.

Oh?

Nara she's never late.

Even in college she was always early for class.

Wonder what happened?

Nara enters the elevator breathing heavily after catching her breath, “Thank you Nick you're a lifesaver.”

Smiling at her, “After that bit of running you're out of breath? Already?”

Catching her breath she pouts at me, “You’ve known since high school that I’ve always been bad at running.”

“I think you’ve gotten worse.”

“You making fun of me because I’m short?!?!?”

‘Nah it’s just cute when you pout, but I won’t tell her it’s her charm.’

I hear the doors ding, “I have no idea what you're talking about. By the way it’s our floor.”

Shocked Nara face reddens, “I’ll talk to you later, Nick.”

She walks away as fast as she can. With her shoulders all tense, quite alluring.

Walking out the elevator I head to my little cubicle.

The only thing I hate about my job is this and one other thing.

Jake the Prick as I nicknamed him.

His cubicle is right next to mine.

He’ll make jokes about how tall I am, or how my glasses make me look like a nerd, and even about my gray hair color?

I’m 23 and I have old mans hair?

Thats the worst blow I can take.

I’d wish he’d just die.

Luckily he’s not in the early shift so I only have to deal with him 2 hours a day.

A scruffy voice rings out behind me followed by a woman's voice,“Hey Nick, good morning!”

The girl has half open angry eyes, “Hey Nicki, did you finish that report on sector C-17 or did you forget and build another gun? You really have the worst kind of hobbies.”

Crap! I forgot about the report.

I neglected doing the last part of the report!

Need to finish that before the end of today.

Also, how dare you, you unicorn lover. It’s not a hobby; it’s a work of art!

I cowardly look away from her womanly stare, “... yes I got it done.”

Emma’s eyes are alight with fire, “Nick I can’t believe you'll lie through your teeth , you're a loser with no shame.”

Her words pierced me like arrows.Alright that does it.

I didn't want to pull this card, but you leave me no choice!

Evilly grinning I say,“What was your favorite unicorn again? Ah yes mearl it’d be a shame if he disappeared or an accident happened.”

Shock spreads over Emma’s face, “You wouldn't dare harm a hair on his mane.”

With a sinister grin, “I don’t know Maybe. I’m just saying.”

Half open eyes she stares at me with anger, “Don’t you dare, Gun freak.”

“At least I don’t wear a unicorn horn to bed.”

“What?!?!? I stopped wearing it after college, you, you...”

So six months?

Tarou finally breaks in since we’re making a scene, “U-hm I think this comedy act has gone long enough. Let’s drop it. People are staring...”

Sparks fly as we both back off. Everyone was indeed staring, I’ll get you later…

I glance back to Tarou, “So what’s up?”

The hair on his arms up to his neck are standing up, “Did you see anything strange lately? The air feels a little different. Do you feel it?”

If Tarou felt something with his weird six sense something must be wrong.

I think back to the old man, “Now that you mention it, there was this guy that was....”

BOOM.

The building shakes and thunder echoes around us.

I catch Emma, before she falls.

After the shaking subsides I take a glance around us. For the most part everyone looks fine. Most are just scared.

The voices around me are whispering to each other,“What the hell was that? Was that a bomb? Impossible! For what reason. We’re at peace?”

“Ahem you can let go of me now.”

Glancing down I see Emma whole face is steaming red… Cute.

“What's with that lewd face? Gun freak let me down, NOW!”

As the princess insisted I let her down.

In a low voice, almost a whisper she says, “Thank you... Nick.”

Did I hear that right? Nah, this girl’s hated me since we left college.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Why is that?

She used to say guns were so cool now she hates them.

What did I do?

Enough thinking about that.

We have more important matters at hand.

I ask Tarou, “What do you think is happening, since you have ears like a dog?”

Honestly Tarou you're like a dog.

Your sense of smell, sight, hearing, and with that six sense of yours, you're pretty much a dog in a human body.

Tarou ears perk up, “Hmm it seems it came from the front doors near the entrance .”

Just how great are your ears?

We’re the 45th floor!

I want ears like that.

They’re really useful.

Emma says in a scared voice, “Do you think it was a bomb?”

I think back to that guy and say, “There was this guy that said this building is going to blow up.”

A high pitched voice from behind me yells, “What!?!?!”

I turn around to find Yui is crying in front of me, hands to her eyes, “I don’t want to die.”

Why is Yui here?

She’s only seventeen.

How did she get here? Seriously security is too lax these days, dammit.

So much for top of the line.

Tarou says with his ear standing on end, “I hear the elevator coming and people are walking up the stairs. They will be here, at this rate, in fifteen minutes they are going floor to floor. Let’s hide Yui and prepare ourselves for a fight.”

***

*

*

I died.

Well dying currently, with my arm blown off by the bomb filled with steel balls, fragments of glass and iron lodged into my stomach. What happened?

My memory is so hazy.

I’m bleeding to death, yet I feel no pain… Guess I can chalk that up as a plus.

My day was looking pretty good… Got promoted at work in the morning, had meat for the first time in weeks, and I was going to confess today to the girl I liked.

Is this a Death flag?

Nah. Never told anyone I was going to do it… Oh right I wrote it down…

That counts… Crap. Should have said it sooner, maybe she would have said yes?

Ah great. This sucks… I don’t want to die… I really don’t want my friends to die… Why did this have to happen…

My vision turns gray and conscious fades starts to leave me.

Lifes… Too… Unfair… I… Really… Don’t… Want……. To………... Die…………………..

***

A young unrecognizable voice tries to wake me, “You who~ Wake up~ Sleepy head~.”

Unfazed by the voice I stay still.

Where am I?

I'm sure I’m dead, so where is this place?

Millions of questions fill my mind.

Yet, the one thing that sticks out is that cheerful voice is really pissing me off.

I’ve just died so leave me alone.

“Geez you always were a deep sleeper”,The familiar voice stirs my eyes open.

Tarou? But he got shot point blank in the head… Right?

Did it happen that way?

Even now my memories are still hazy.

“Hello!~”, To close. Really too close. Her face with her big blue eyes are inches away from my face.

“Where am I? And you're too close.”

“Welcome to the afterlife~~~ Sort of~?!”

I back up a bit but she just comes closer,“Again you're too close and what do you mean sort of?”

“Our actions of saving Yui from the terrorists on earth saved earth and in turn god wishes to reward us,” Emma comes into our field of vision.

Did that happen?

I just can’t remember what went on.

Maybe the bomb messed up my memories.

“So whats the reward? We’re dead already, right? Do we get something like free towels?”

“It’s reincarnation silly~? You'll be born in a different world with the bonus of you keeping your past life memories~!”

Eh?

Like a restart button on our lives.

Its great since we died in a really shitty but the problem stills remains that it won’t be on earth.

I ask and try to hope, “Can we ever return? To our old lives?”

The angel girl gives us a sad, yet warm smile dropping the cute act, “I’m afraid not young man. My advice is to live the best way you can in your new world. So do your best with the three of your friends~?!”

What four? What do you mean four there’s only me, Tarou, and Emma.

Just as I was about to correct her a familiar figure appeared behind the angel.

It was Nara.

I am torn between happiness and sadness.

I’m happy shes here.

It pains me that I couldn't protect her against the terrorists.

Really what happened?

Meaning the gang’s all here.

So even in death we four are still bound by the string of fate.

Ever since our High school days we've always been together.

I bet it would be very touching to someone else if we didn't die so worthlessly.

Well at least we’ll be able to stay together.

The angel then pierces my thoughts with a red hot dagger, “Well you best say goodbye to each other~?!”

Eh?

What?

What about the string of fate that holds us together?

What kind of restart is this?

Is god really this cruel?

Tarou in anger yells, “Why are we being separated!?!?”

This time the Angel has a bitter smile like she thought it was unfair as well, “It is the will of god. Don’t worry. Fate will bring you back together again… One day… If you're strong enough.”

The Angel with those final words fades out almost like a ghost smiling.

Emma falls to her knees looking like the the world has fallen on her.

Nara’s eyes swell wit tears holding her face she starts to cry.

Anger fills Tarou’s veins bulging from his face.

The only thing on my mind is this is too cruel.

I say, no. I yell, “EVERYONE I WILL SEARCH FOR YOU AND I WILL FIND YOU I PROMISE!!!”

They all look to me.

I have no proof if the angel is telling us the truth, but I believe we will find each other no matter what.