1 Memories

***Aoi POV***

Every day is just the same as it always is. My name is Aoi Mizuno and I'm living an ordinary life as everyone else did. I'm a university student, currently single, and living apart from my family because like any other person, my university is far from my hometown. Yeah, everything is pretty much the same as anyone else circumstances. Nothing interesting has ever happened to my life before, not even win a lottery ticket once in a lifetime, nor even getting any luck finding the things I want to do. Yep, that's right. I'm a person who doesn't even know what I want to do with my life. Living like an empty shell for my whole life, trying to fit in like everyone's else, making friends, sharing hobbies, even forcing myself to have some fun.

*buzz* *buzz*

The vibration of the phone snapped me out of my thoughts. It was a notification from the class representative in the group chat for one of my classes.

*No class for today. Self-study on topic XXXX, Submit report as attendance.*

Everyone was so enthusiastic about the news but for me, it's just another boring news. With the current lack of lecturers, most of our current courses are joined together with other classes, making it a big group easy to track attendance, assignments, and so on. Although it might seem like an easy workload, it actually harder than it might seem. Some lecturers who have few assistants might handle the situation pretty well but lecturers who are by themselves might have trouble adjusting to it.

Rubbing my face together, I walked to the bathroom to refresh myself. Afterward, I grabbed a few eggs and a few slices of bread to make breakfast. Adding a little salt after whipping the eggs together, I soaked the bread into it and fried it one by one. Meanwhile, I heated up some water in the electric water boiler and grabbed a green tea bag, and put it into a small blue-colored pot. After the eggs finished cooking, I took out a few fresh salads which is just a regular salad out of the refrigerator after washing it lightly with clean water, added it in between each slice of bread just like a burger, as well as poured some ketchup sauce that I love very much on it.

Since I started living alone, I basically had to learn how to cook for myself which is too much hassle in the beginning but refreshing in some ways. I grabbed the nearest light blue colored dinner plate as well as a lunchbox with the same color onto the kitchen counter as I packed a few slices of bread for brunch and a few more to eat in the morning. Just as I finished platting and packing, I grabbed the hot water from the boiler and poured it into the pot I've prepared beforehand.

It's just a regular morning breakfast time for me which is pretty boring. So, I decided to look up at my phone for something interesting. On my phone, there's only just a regular normal application everyone would have installed. I don't really download any games in it as well as movies because I'm pretty much busy doing coursework and assignments as well as study preparation for quizzes, midterms, and finals. I'm what you would call a workaholic if I entered the workforce but I'm basically doing this all just for the sake of passing with minimum grades every semester and I actually did it during my first year. I did get rest in between studying and all the works but I only just sleep during my rest time. I don't have a passion for gaming, or even television shows, or movies, or socializing with people.

Basically, my life is even more boring than any ordinary person but I feel calm living like this. I don't know why but every time I did something out of ordinary, my head would ache and my hand would tremble out of nowhere. Whether I had a past I forgot or traumas from my past I can't erase, I cannot remember any of the bad memories I've had. It's kinda strange and even the doctors can't help me with my gap memories as the diagnosis didn't come with any loss memories. So I give up and just enjoy my life as it is.

*buzz* *buzz*

The vibration on my phone, again, bring me out of my thoughts as a message from someone familiar to me pop up.

*It's been a long time since you last visited. Don't forget to swing by. Your younger brother really misses you these few days.*

Sighed, I replied with just a simple 'Okay'.

"What do you mean by misses me? As if that were true." I thought out loud.

My family consists of my parents and a younger brother. Ever since I can distinguish from bad to good memories, the only memories I've had of them are the ones with the most boring life I've had. It's probably because of the undetected loss of memories that made me this way and I feel so frustrated that I can't remember it.

"I wish there was a way to find those memories."

*buzz* *buzz*

Just as I said that a notification from an app store popped up. It says, 'You are invited to download and test our newest technology application in search of memories.' As I'm the type of person who's always curious about everything, I clicked on it immediately and it brought me to a site with agreements in terms of downloading and testing the application.

"Huh, there's just so many pages to read. What's with this?"

Frustrated, I check them all agreed and click proceed. It instantly downloading the app. As I waited for it to finish download, I got startled by the alarm I set on my phone to remind me of my daily schedule.

"Shoot. Better hurry if I wanna catch the seat."

I hurriedly finished my breakfast, put the lunchbox inside my blue-colored messenger bag I carry around, as well as stashing my phone and all the necessary stuff for any other university student inside it.

My daily morning routine is pretty much the same as any other day. I don't have a fit schedule but I do have a roughly sketched inside my head schedule on what I want to do every day. I also did put it on my main notebook as well as in the notes app on my phone as a reminder. Today I have a very free time to do anything I want but I only did spend time studying and researching resources on my own.

Arriving at the train station, I only realized I forgot to bring neither my laptop nor my hard drive with me. 'How unlike myself to forgot these things.' I managed to get a seat despite the crowd of people getting in and out of the train. The train departs a few minutes later just on time according to the board it appeared to schedule. My seat was at the end of the train where surprisingly not many people board like usual. Facing the window, I looked out on the empty train platform as it was the first train of the day early in the morning. To my surprise, I thought I was hallucinating at first sight of strange-looking things but the second I rubbed my eyes, the vision disappears. In this case, I hope I'm not developing any illness regarding hallucinations and such.

*buzz* *buzz*

I was brought back to reality, again, thanks to the vibration on my phone. Unlocking it, I saw the notification of the app recently installed and decide to open it to check how it works. There was a kind of an opening short video like in the anime I've heard from one of my classmates. The video was pretty impressive at first sight. It almost looks as real as the high-tech you usually saw in the movie about the futuristic world.

*Have you ever experience losing memories?*

*Have you ever experience only good/bad memories?*

*Do you want to keep your memories intact?*

*Do you want to dig into your past memories that had been lost?*

*Do you want to erase your memories permanently?*

In the introducing video, it looks like some sort of safe app where you keep your memory intact and there's also an option to delete memory?

'Okay, that sounds weird and suspicious. There's just no way people could lose a memory with simply taping a button.'

The outline of the app was outstanding. I guess they really did their best to make it interesting. The choices of graphics are also out of the world, either they drew it themselves, or capture it on the camera and edit it or pay somebody who can do this outstanding piece of art. It was a few almost real-life pictures of stunning feature people, real good-looking if I say.

The pictures themselves were beautifully made, or capture, or drawn. Before using the app, I started browsing for the history of the company that made it, and unknowingly, there was no record of them at all.

'Have I been scammed?'

I decided to delete the app but it somehow wouldn't let me.

'Is my phone playing a trick on me now?'

*buzz* *buzz*

The vibration shocked me for me a bit as I looked up to see the notification.

*Memory stored.*

'What was that about? I didn't press anything.'

I tried to recall back and I did accidentally press 'Store' when the app was opened. I opened it again to see what was stored and it was actually my own thoughts about being scammed. I seriously don't remember when I press the key.

*XXXX Station* *XXXX Station*

'Oh, that's my university station.'

Upon hearing my university's station, I get out as soon as the door opened and made my way out of the station. Thankfully the environment wasn't as busy as I thought it would be. I saw several familiar faces from my university; lecturers, and seniors.

Out of the station, there were a few steps before the medium-sized parking lot with a few cars parked, and there was a passageway for people who walks by themselves instead of driving. There's also another passageway for people who drive motorcycles, and bicycles.

Out of the gate, there's stood some sort of small statue of the area of the station. I honestly don't know much about it because I'm not interested in that sort of stuff. Walking further, there's a few apartments building, mostly for single people living in, and students also prefer living there. There's a roundabout further and you can see the fountain and small parks around it. Walking there would take up around 15 minutes of my time per usual.

Then, you can see the tall buildings of the university. It was one of the smallest institutions compare to others in other states but for us, students, it's still a large area to walk around. The college dorm for the students is around the back of the school which takes around three minutes to walk to the nearest building, the college cafeteria but all of the students can use them. The school cafeteria was inside the department building which is located on the lowest floor. It was a little smaller than the college one.

Anyway, walking so early in the morning is so refreshing because it's not too cold or too hot. Walking past the front gate guards, I bowed my head a little out of respect before walking to the place I've been wanting to go, the 'Leisure Club' room. It was located at the end of the hallway on the second floor. It was also the quietest place where you can leisurely hang around in your own free time. The club activities generally do nothing out of the ordinary with the intention of having fun after stress accumulates from studying and exams. The seniors are usually in charge of the plans but there are a few juniors who really like to participate.

For me, it would be too much of my daily life. Walking there takes about a few minutes away from the front gate, and there's literally no one hanging out in the hallway. As I said, it was still early in the morning. Taking out the duplicate keys I've made from the club president (of course I did ask for permission first), I settled down to one of the farthest desks out of plain sight in the back of the room. Inside the room, a few desks are set up with the PC itself because it was from the club initiative to avoid a hassle in case they're working on proposals and such.

*buzz* *buzz* *buzz* *buzz*

My phone was vibrating with a lot of notifications. I wonder who would want to message me so early in the morning. Unlocking the screen, it was from one of the club's members.

*Can you please look at the materials that we need for the university's event in the storeroom if you've arrived?*

*Anyway, please also check the old storeroom if there's anything useful for our plan.*

*Sorry to bother you.*

Sighed, I replied with a simple okay. They kept asking me for help ever since last year I joined the club and because I always arrived early than any of them, they always rely on me.

*buzz* *buzz*

In a daze, an app notification from 'Memories' asked me if I want to continue exploring the app, which is basically kind of like a tutorial for a game app. Even though I know I'm probably being scammed, I still feel one little hope this app is nothing like that. Opening the app, it asked me to keep continuing with the tutorial of how the app works. It asked me to enter my personal details but also it gives me the advantage to display only my nickname in any of the information I've given. I'm insecure to put out my full address, or full name, and family details, so I just gave short details on it. Also, strangely it asked me about how I feel today, and what I really hope today would be.

Last but not least, it asked me to give permission to a location which is so creepy to say. I reluctantly pressed 'Allow' because I just want to test if the app works or not.

*Tutorial finished.*

The screen appeared to be normal after that but there are only three buttons on it as well as three lines at the top left of the screen to show the settings and information. The buttons were 'Restore', 'Delete', and an empty blue round button. The other buttons are also in blue colored rectangle sized because you can customize it to your desired color and the blue empty button was places in between the other two buttons and they're all were placed in the middle of the screen. I even had to landscape my phone like when they're playing mobile games when I opened the app.

'I was really curious about the empty button. Surely it's nothing suspicious right?'

I thought to myself. Thinking back, I remembered I have to check on the storeroom real quick before the club's president asked more questions about me when they arrived. I put my phone inside my slacks pocket as well as my small wallet and the keys.

The storeroom was located at the other side of the building which connected with a sky bridge, also at the end of the hallway, second floor (same place as our club room) while the old storeroom which not much use for years are located outside of the buildings. There was a separate small storage room that was built for students' convenience to move stuff from the club to the big hall. Students usually dumped unused stuff in that place and come back again to check if there's anything useful at all and there's not actually a real lock on it. One of the staff actually just put it on lock last year because students keep using it to slack off from attending classes.

After checking the 'regularly used' storeroom, I found a couple of useful things and stuff them into a box before moving them to the club room. It was pretty exhausting because the weight of the stuff isn't what I used to do every day even though I did exercise twice a week and cooking is also a type of exercise for me which I did every day. Moving to the ground floor, I walked a bit to the back of the building and arrived in front of the old storeroom.

Every club president got a set of keys consisting of a key to the club room, the storeroom, and the old storeroom. The staff only handed about two sets of it to each club to use but many students secretly duplicate it for their own conveniences behind their own club president's back.

It was a rusty-looking lock and certainly needs to push a little bit before it's unlocking. Opening the door, there's dust everywhere but thankfully there's not a sight of spiderweb-like the one's in the movies. The lights are still function, making it easier to see in the dark.

*buzz* *buzz*

The vibration of my phone in my pocket seriously shocked me a little bit as I'm in a quiet rarely used place filled with dusk everywhere.

'I hope it's not the president.'

Unlocking my phone, it was actually not from the president but a strange-looking message appeared from the 'Memories' app with a kind of cool-looking message box.

'I didn't know it would be a different message box than the other app. I thought it's supposed to match with the software installed on the phone. '

*There's an opportunity to unravel your past memories in this place.*

*Do you want to continue?*

There's a choice of 'Yes' and 'No' buttons after the message. I was hesitant to answer.

'Is this phone broken? Why would it ask me as people would?'

Standing in the middle of the room with no sound from the outside, I was starting to get chilled. All of these are starting to feel creepy and I honestly just want to live my ordinary regular life like I always did but today's just seemed not my day. I tried to press on but it wouldn't let me. I also tried to close the app but nothing budged. I also tried to shut down my phone but nothing works. I honestly don't want to broke my phone just because of an app because I still have to pay another 12 months' monthly payment for it.

"Guess there's no choice, huh." I scoffed at the very thought of it.

Another message popped in.

*Step further inside of the place you're in and look for a star symbol on any object you can find.*

I scoffed again, at the very message itself.

"How is that supposed to be related to my past memories? Is this a joke or what?"

Still curious about whatever the hell the app wants me to find, I found a small box, kids sized shoebox to be exact with the same symbol on it. Looking at the message again, another instruction to open the box and find a necklace with a blue-colored star pendant.

"Okay, that was very specific instructions. I'm getting goosebumps now."

I checked the door to the storeroom again to see if it was locked from the inside and it did.

'At least I'll be safe here, right?'

Following the instructions, I found the exact same thing it wants me to find and I wait for another instruction to come.

*Hold the necklace and the pendant both in your hands and clasp your hands together as if you're making a wish with your right thumb on top of your left thumb.*

*Make sure to close your eyes and says 'Memories'*

I placed down the box and do a clasp hand position and put the necklace and pendant as it says. I closed my eyes and says the word.

"Memories?"

It came out more like a question to me. I still cannot believe I did all this childish stuff as that app wants me to do for nothing.

Suddenly my entire body feels light as if my current weight has been reduced to that of a baby. I still have my eyes closed when I heard sudden noises from my surroundings.

"Is that a horse's neigh? Wha-"

I instantly opened my eyes while my hands still clasped together and stunned at the sudden change of environment right in front of me. I pinched my cheek to see if I'm dreaming but apparently it's hurting. I put the necklace and pendant inside my pocket and searched for my phone. There's no signal in it and the only thing I could access without any signal and internet connection is the 'Memories' app.

*buzz* *buzz*

Another notification from the app appeared.

*Start your new journey to find your past memories.*

*Have a nice day!*

*Goodbye!*

"What?!" I shouted angrily at my phone.

***to be continued***