Chapter 1: The Beginning

"Thank you, for all the efforts that you exerted just to come back for me, this is farewell, Aki."

"I will come back for you, in another timeline, I promise."

This is the final words that I mutterred before I saw myself vanished.

"Where am I? What the hell is happening?" This are the innitial thoughts that I said to myself after this scenario. I was baffled, I was looking for a definite answer but at the end, I was all alone in this endless darkness.

*Riing Riiing*

It was my alarm, ringing.

"What was that?" I subconsciously asked myself.

"It was all a dream afterall"

I quickly get up from bed, it's about time for me to prepare or else I will be late for work.

I'm currently working as one of the head of CIN's research and science. I've been in the company ever since I graduated from college. I am one of the head of a team who's been trying to resolve the time different time dilemma.

Every scientists up to date finds it preposterous to travel back in time. A lot of them would say that there's no need to it, since a small mistake can gradually alter the chronological events of every timeline and it can caster chaos, which can be a really problematic outcome.

"Mom! I'm off to work!"

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast first?" She answered.

"I don't have much time left, I'll just buy some coffee along the way"

"But aren't you goin' to visit her grave? It's her death anniversary today, right?"

I did not answer my mother and immediately left the house.

Of course mom, I knew it, I definitely knew it. It feels like yesterday since the accident, the accident that changed my life, everything turned black and white since then. It is the day that I lost her, Maia.

As I entered my car, I decided to stop by at my usual cafe. I'm going to buy a coffee first before goin' to work, just as I said to my mother.

"Welcome to Cafe Patricio, sir. Good morning" the girl greeted as soon as I entered the shop.

"Can I get the usual?"

"Sure, sir, please take a seat first"

As soon as I taken my seat, I already noticed that something is off in the news, a very familiar face popped up into my mind.

It was Professor Reginald.

He is one of the heads of our current research, which is connected to time travel.

"Right now, we're thrilled to announce you that our current research is not a dead end anymore. Thanks to my colleagues, specially to Dr. Amiel, I'm proud to announce the first CIN's time machine. It is a drive that can potentially go faster beyond the speed of light by contracting the space in front of it and expanding the space behind it. Also there are various of major schools and countries who will lend us their support and finances to perfectly execute the first launch of our project."

As soon as I heard that, I rushed into my car and paved my way into the lab.

"What are they thinking? The project is supossedly top secret, the public should not be aware of this. None of them have the courtesy to even inform me? Those dumbasses."

These are the only words that I can say to myself, I am enraged, they didn't informed me even though I was one of the project heads, it is really disrespectful.

As soon as I entered the lab, I saw the executives gathering in the round rable.

"Oh, Dr. Amiel, where have you been? We've been waiting for you, why aren't you answering your phone? We've been trying to contact you last night and also earlier." said by Professor Reginald.

"Huh?" I answered.

I failed to use my phone these past few days, I am really accustomed on analyzing the flaws of the project.

I immediately try to reach my phone in my back pocket. As soon as I opened it, I saw tons of messages and calls.

Dang it, I guess they did try to inform me, I really wish they used a proper channeling though.

"So? what did I missed? Can anyone explain everything?" I asked them.

"If you just answered your phone when we were try to reachnyou, then I guess there will be no problem, am I right?" said by Glady.

Glady is also one of the project heads, the only person that I can consider as friend here in the lab. She's knowledgeable in her expertise, spcially in theory of relativity, and she also has contributed a lot to the success of the project.

"Why are you grumpy? Maybe you already have your period? That sucks." I answered her sarcastically.

I saw her smiled and then gave me a bad finger, what an attitude. Haha.

"So, we've decided to make our projects public in order for us to get the chance for a nobel. Wasn't that the right thing to do? We all agreed to go for the nobel price, this is a far as I can remember. When we used all of our efforts to publish the project, the University of Cambridge and also the University of MIT tried to offer help specially in our fundings, the government of the United States also offers us a stable finance in order for our project to be well executed." said by Professor Reginald.

"So it is all about the nobel? But if our project is deemed successful, isn't it a bit concerning? Considering that our project can take us to the past or present? The security of our timeline is considerably on the line, it can be too dangerous. Also, how can we be so sure that the United States is not after our project? The other major countries will try everything they can just to interfere with the US to prevent them from utilizing our project, it can even cause major problems." I answered to them with a slightly loud voice.

"Please calm down for a second. Do you think that we did not think through this?" said by Dr. Reece.

"Then what's your plan? Better make sure that it don't sound preposterous." I answered.

"We are planning to send someone in the past, to bring us the blueprint of the time machine. In that way, we are gonna be able to create the time drive without the support of the other country, we also don't need to launch it, we all know that the time drive is functioning well at the time. The time drive is only to ourselves, we can use it for our own benefit."

"But the question is who the hell is up for the job? We can't just send someone who's not trustworthy for such essential role, it can be too chaotic. It must be one of the heads, one of the four of us." said by Glady.

"I will do it." I answered without any hesitation.

"Seriously? You're willing to do so? But it can be pretty dangerous, specially when it is not certain that the odds will be on our favor." Glady answered.

I saw a glimpse of worry in her face, maybe she's worried that I will go?

"We may be able to go back in time, but there can be lot of time paradoxes, the worst case is there's a possibility that you cannot make it back to your original timeline, are you still willing to do it?" asked by Professor Reginald.

"Yes, I'm still willing to do it, no one can change my mind." I hastily answered.

"Then I guess that's final then? Shall we proceed to the date of when we will launch the project?" said by Dr. Reece.

The meeting continued for a couple of hours, but there is only one thing that I can be sure of, I can see her again!

"I'm going off early, I still have something to do."

Those are the words that I said while I was walking outside of the lab.

"Don't forget to bring her nice flowers." Glady said it with a smile on her face.

"Right, I'll do it."

After I got out from the lab, I immediately visited a flower shop nearby.

When I was still in college, there is a girl who consistently tries to bothers me, her name is Maia. I fell inlove with her and she also does the same. We had a great time, we've been together for quite a long time. One day, when we're on our way to a vacation, a huge accident happened.

After our car bumped into another car, I saw her lying in the back seat of the car, bleeding. We tried to bring her to the nearest hospital, but she was already dead when we arrived.

Here I am now at the cementery.

As I'm walking down to her grave, my tears started to fall. My legs feels numb, to the point that I unconciously sat on the ground.

"I really missed you, I'm still blaming myself for what happened. Allow me to make it right."

This time, I will definitely save you. No matter how hard it is, I will try to save you, I want to be with you again, Maia.