Chapter 1

As I stood there, surrounded by my friends in the cluttered confines of my lab, excitement bubbled inside me like a freshly shaken soda can. Today was the day! After countless sleepless nights, mountains of takeout containers, and more caffeine than I care to admit, I, Haruki Tanaka, had finally done it! I had created a time machine!

“Cheers to Haruki!” my friend Kenji shouted, raising his soda like it was the finest champagne. The others joined in, clinking their drinks together, their faces glowing with excitement in the dim light of the lab. Old textbooks lay scattered on the floor, and tangled wires snaked across the desks, creating a chaotic but familiar environment. Half-eaten bags of chips were strewn about, and the smell of stale energy drinks filled the air. Above us, a poster of Einstein with a goofy grin loomed, silently cheering me on as if he knew how monumental this moment was.

“Let’s not forget what this is really about!” I proclaimed, trying to maintain my composure amidst the chaos. “I’m finally going to be rich! Don’t forget me when I’m swimming in my pile of cash!”

“Don’t forget us little people when you’re rolling in cash!”” Kenji laughed, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Once you’re rich, I expect you to buy us all fancy cars! I’ll take a Ferrari, please!”

“Ferrari? Pfft, once I’m rolling in dough, I’ll buy the entire island of Okinawa! You guys will be my neighbors! We’ll have party every weekend!” I joked, spinning around the lab as if I were already basking under the sun, picturing my throne made of coconuts. The laughter echoed around the room, and I felt the warmth of their support envelop me like a cozy blanket.

Taking a deep breath, I launched into my monologue, feeling the gravity of my journey. “You know, it hasn’t always been easy. For years, I’ve been stuck in this endless cycle of studying, saving, and absolutely hating my life. Do you have any idea how many instant noodles a guy has to eat just to afford a textbook? Countless hours spent finding a way to make a time machine.  I was a prisoner to my own aspirations, dreaming of redemption while everyone else seemed to be out there living their lives.”

The room quieted, my friends hanging on my every word. “But today, I’ve finally cracked the code! I knew it was possible! I had everything mapped out—exact dates, winning numbers. I’m practically a financial oracle at this point!”

“Dude, you’re going to be like a time-traveling billionaire!” Kenji shouted, grinning ear to ear. “And don’t forget us when you’re on your private yacht, sipping coconut water!”

“That’s right! I’m going to buy all the Bitcoin!” I declared, throwing my arms up dramatically. “And then I’ll buy a mansion shaped like a giant sushi roll! Who wouldn’t want to live in that? Think of the Instagram followers!”

My friends erupted into laughter, and I basked in their joy, feeling lighter than air. In that moment of sheer happiness, hope bloomed in my chest. My friends rallied around me, chanting, “Haruki! Haruki!” Their faith in me made this moment even sweeter, as if the burdens of my past had finally begun to lift.

After the celebration settled down, I got serious, preparing for the monumental leap into my glorious past. The clutter of the lab faded as I focused on my mission. I gathered my notes, ensuring I had all the winning lottery numbers and stock data ready. “Okay, guys, listen up! You have to send me exactly 15 years back. Not 14, not 16. Fifteen. Got it?”

“Fifteen years!” my friend Mei repeated, diligently jotting it down as if it were a sacred incantation. She adjusted her glasses, her brow furrowed in concentration, looking like she was about to solve the mysteries of the universe.

“Now, when you press that button, turn it clockwise,” I instructed, waving my hand in a circle. “Easy, right? Just like turning a doorknob!”

“Clockwise… right!” Kenji said, nodding vigorously but looking at the button as if it were a Rubik's Cube. “Totally got it. Just… turn it like this, right?” He twisted his hand in the air, demonstrating an imaginary knob.

“Exactly! But remember, you’re facing the wrong way!” I said, trying to sound patient, but my frustration was beginning to bubble. “Just follow my lead!”

“Uh… okay, which way do we turn?” Kenji asked, scratching his head, confusion evident on his face.

With a dramatic sigh, I adjusted my glasses, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. “Just... turn it right!” I exclaimed, waving my hands in a grand gesture that clearly added to the confusion.

They all looked at each other, nodding as if they were deciphering some ancient script. “So… if we’re facing this way…” Mei began, tilting her head to the side.

“Do we turn to the right or the left?” Kenji asked, squinting at the button like it was a challenging puzzle. “What if it’s the wrong right? Or the wrong left?”

“Is it even possible to turn the wrong right?” Mei wondered aloud, her brow furrowing in thought. “What if I feel clockwise but I’m actually going counterclockwise?”

“Okay, wait,” I said, holding up my hands to stop the confusion. “Let’s just agree that clockwise means… well, right! If you turn it the wrong way, I might end up stuck in some weird time loop!”

“Right! Clockwise is right!” Kenji echoed, glancing at Mei. “We got this!”

“Yeah, totally,” Mei agreed, her eyes darting between Kenji and the button. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out.” She whispered to Kenji.

Suddenly, Kenji pressed the button with an air of determination, his face set in a serious expression.

In a flash of light, everything around me blurred, and I felt that familiar tug of time as I closed my eyes tightly. The sounds of my friends’ laughter faded into a soft hum. I was riding a rollercoaster of colors and lights, the exhilaration tingling through me, and just as I felt myself lifting off the ground, I couldn’t help but think, This is it. My future awaits!

And when I opened my eyes, I was standing in a strange, futuristic world—15 years in the future.

“What the—?!” I shouted, taking in the absurdity of it all. Instead of being in the past where everything should look old, but in a world where apparently, everyone had holographic pets, cars floated above the ground, and sushi was served by robots with unnaturally cheerful faces. “Great, just great,” I muttered, slumping my shoulders as I realized I had somehow failed at my own time travel mission. “Time travel really needs better instructions.”

Feeling completely out of place, I took a moment to collect my thoughts. I glanced around, trying to process the dazzling chaos of my surroundings. Neon signs flashed above, advertising things I couldn’t quite understand. People zoomed by on hoverboards, their faces glued to screens, completely oblivious to my confusion. I felt like a kid lost in a candy store, everything was bright and shiny, but I had no idea where to go.

“Okay, Haruki,” I said to myself, trying to sound confident. “You can figure this out.” But deep down, I was panicking. What now?

I started walking down the street, half-expecting someone to recognize me as the genius who had cracked time travel. Instead, I was just another guy in a world that seemed to have moved on without me.

As I strolled along, I noticed a group of people gathered around a floating display. Curiosity piqued, I made my way over, hoping they would have some answers. “What’s happening?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“Oh, they’re unveiling the latest in virtual reality sushi experiences!” a guy replied, barely looking at me as he tapped away at his wrist device.

“Virtual reality sushi?” I repeated, my confusion deepening. “What does that even mean?”

The guy shrugged. “You put on these goggles, and you can taste sushi without actually eating it! It’s all the rage! No more worrying about weight!”

“Sounds… interesting?” I said, my voice trailing off. I could hardly wrap my head around this world. It felt so alien, so different from everything I knew.

As I continued to wander, my stomach grumbled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten anything in hours. I spotted a nearby vending machine that looked like it could serve some kind of food. Maybe I could find something familiar.

“Just swipe your token!” a cheerful woman said as she stood beside it. Her holographic pet wagged its tail, bouncing in excitement.

“Right, a token…” I mumbled, realizing I had nothing but lint in my pockets. “How do I get those?”

“Earn some by doing tasks!” she replied, her voice chipper as she pointed to a screen that showed various jobs people could take. “It’s easy! Just look around!”

Feeling overwhelmed, I shook my head. “This is too much!” I blurted, turning away from the machine.

I stumbled through the streets, feeling lost and out of place. I didn’t belong here, and I missed the chaos of my old lab and the laughter of my friends. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any stranger, I saw a giant billboard flash a message: “Welcome to the Future—Where Dreams Come True!”

“Sure,” I muttered sarcastically. “If you consider floating cars and virtual sushi dreams.”

As I wandered aimlessly, the weight of uncertainty pressed down on me. I had set out to change my life, to become rich and successful, but now I was just a confused guy in a weird future, wondering how I’d ever find my way back to my own time.