A mother's decision...

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+Kanae POV +

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The office's silence enveloped Kanae as she pondered the entity's proposal, her gaze gradually descending to the document she now held between slightly trembling fingers. The echo of Kazuhiro's question, "Will you accept the job?" seemed to bounce off the walls, amplifying the turmoil inside her.

'A job...' she mused, the corner of her mouth twitching in a contemplative frown. Did she truly need this?

As doubt and hope wrestled within her, her thumb absentmindedly caressed the edge of the paper, seeking comfort in its tangible presence. 'Will this be enough to find her?' The thought made her grip tighten, her knuckles whitening, a physical manifestation of her desperation to reunite with her only kin.

Her eyes later turned wide as she meticulously traced the words detailing the conditions and benefits. Her breath hitched, a small gasp escaping as the promise of gaining abilities beyond imagination and especially traversing worlds unveiled itself. Her hand hovered over her mouth for a moment as she dared to dream of a world beyond their current nightmarish reality.

'Is it possible to return to how it used to be?' Her hand drifted to her forehead, sweeping across it as if to clear the fog of disbelief at the notion of such an escape.

Yet, as she delved deeper into the document, her expression shifted to one of cautious scrutiny. The penalties for underperformance and the vagueness around rule violations all painted a picture of a world with its own strict, if unclear, consequences. Her fingers tapped against the document, betraying her anxiety and the weight of her decision.

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Kanae's contemplation was suddenly pierced by the rhythmic mouse clicking echoing through the room, a sound that seemed to sync with the racing of her own heart.

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The continuous, mechanical noise momentarily diverted her focus from the swirling thoughts of worlds and promises. Her head instinctively turned toward the source; the entity before her seemed engrossed in its work behind the computer. The sight of it, absorbed in its task, prompted a flicker of suspicion in her mind. Was this offer genuine or merely a well-crafted illusion tailored to manipulate her deepest desires?

As she observed him, a fleeting image of what could be a double-edged sword of a deal lodged itself in her thoughts. 'Is this another form of making a deal with the devil?' she pondered, her skepticism momentarily clouding her face.

Caution tugged at the corners of her mind, urging her to examine every angle before leaping into the unknown. Her gaze, now sharpened, returned to the document in her hands. She leaned forward slightly, her posture reflecting the intensity of her scrutiny as she sought out anything regarding a resignation clause. The tip of her finger traced the lines of the text, the words that spelled out her potential escape route should the need arise.

'To work at least six months before resigning, with the added benefit of retaining what you've achieved,' she read silently, her lips moving with the words.

As Kanae absorbed the information in the document, a flicker of concern danced in her eyes. The rules, while providing a structure within this enigmatic realm, also painted the boundaries of her newfound freedom. Such as, "Do not advertise the workplace to the outside world, as this information can only be disclosed if asked or if a person wishes to buy something," one line read, feeling uneased as she whispered the words under her breath, trying to gauge the weight of secrecy she was about to shoulder.

Her mind raced with scenarios, each rule weaving a tighter web of responsibility around her. "Rules play heavily in this place," she muttered to herself.

With a deep breath, Kanae pushed aside her reservations. She straightened in her posture, a resolved look overtaking the initial apprehension in her eyes.

A mental sigh escaped her as she finished reading, her eyes lifting from the document to the pen that had been left on the table by the entity. The simple act of stepping forward, her movements measured and deliberate, signified her acceptance of the path laid out before her. As she reached for the pen, the room fell into a deeper silence, the kind that precedes significant moments. The tall figure ceased their work, focusing entirely on Kanae now, observing the culmination of her decision-making process.

With a steady hand, Kanae signed her name at the empty line of the document's page, sealing her fate with ink. At that moment, she harbored no second thoughts, no reservations. 'if it meant to find her at the cost of my own life temporarily slaving away here, then so be it.' She later handed the signed papers to the uncanny attendant.

The act of signing transformed the document in a way she couldn't have anticipated. As the entity took the now-signed application from her, the papers dissolved into ash and whispered right before her eyes, a sight that elicited a gasp of surprise from Kanae. Yet, the tall creature remained as stoic as ever, unaffected by the magic that had just unfolded.

It was the following action, however, that caught Kanae off guard. The towering figure of the being, which had loomed over her moments before, now bowed gently in a gesture of welcome and respect. "Welcome to the market," it said with calm. "My name is Kazuhiro, and I will be your supervisor from now on. If you face any troubles, seek my help or turn to your co-workers."

Kanae found herself momentarily speechless, not just at the spectacle of the disappearing documents but also at the sight of Kazuhiro's gentle demeanor against his unsettling appearance. His bow, an act of grace from such an imposing figure, shattered any preconceived notions she might have harbored about him based solely on his looks.

Just as Kanae began to assimilate into her new reality within the place, the world around her unveiled yet another layer of its boundless enigma. With a shimmer in the air that seemed to ripple through the very fabric of the space, two items materialized before her, suspended in an ethereal glow. The first, a uniform reminiscent worn by those she saw upon her arrival; the second, a small object? Its purpose is yet unknown but undoubtedly significant.

Standing in stunned silence, Kanae watched as the items floated before her, their sudden appearance both bewildering and mesmerizing. It was Kazuhiro's calm approach and the ease with which he handed her the items that snapped her back to reality. His words, "You'll get used to it," were meant to reassure, but they echoed in her mind's vast, uncharted space, mingling with a thousand unasked questions.

As she tentatively accepted the uniform and the mysterious object, her hands were steady, yet her heart raced. Kazuhiro's instructions provided a semblance of direction amid the whirlwind of her thoughts. "In the meantime, you can explore or perform the tasks assigned until it installs the necessary apps for your venture outside." His words guided her through the initial steps of her career here.

With a few steps back towards his desk, Kazuhiro cast one final glance in Kanae's direction, his statement hanging in the air between them, "If you don't have any questions, you may leave." The room was steeped in a profound silence.

Kanae stood motionless for a moment longer, grappling with the surreal nature of her new reality. The weight of the uniform and the object in her hands anchored her to the moment, tangible evidence of the path she had chosen.

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+POV End+

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[Chiba, Japan. Hikigaya's residence]

The door's gentle creak breaks the silence, swinging open to admit the soft, warm glow of the setting sun that spills into the dark, quiet hallway, casting long shadows across the wooden floor.

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A high school student stepped inside, the day's fatigue visible in his movements, but a sense of relief washed over him as he entered the familiar confines of his home.

"I'm home," he announces, his voice echoing in the house's stillness. He slips off his shoes with practiced ease, placing them neatly on the shoe rack.

Navigating through the tranquil atmosphere, he moves to another door, which reveals the heart of the home: a kitchen seamlessly merging into the living area, united by a sturdy wooden dining table nestled between them.

Choosing this central spot, he sets down the plastic bag, the sound of the two bags of chips rustling as they made contact with the table.

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+Hachiman POV+

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In the quiet of the house, a thought crossed his mind, 'She's hasn't returned yet.' His eyes lingered on the bags of snacks laid out before him, a minor internal debate sparking within. To share or not to share? The question seemed trivial yet held weight in the solitude of the moment.

He let out a sigh, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of the day's surreal experiences. 'A warm bath might just do.' he decided, hoping the simplicity of the idea could wash away the complexities that clouded his thoughts.

He went to his room; his mind lost in reflections of the day's oddities. Upon entering, the familiar sight brought a sense of immediate relief.

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The door shut softly behind him, sealing off the rest of the world as he let his school bag drop to the floor with a definitive thud.

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With purpose, he gathered a towel and a change of clothes and later took a short trek through the hallway, which brought him to his destination.

Before crossing the threshold into the bathroom, he meticulously placed the clothes and towel atop the drawer just outside the room. Stepping inside the textile room, he approached the tub, fingers grazing the faucet to gauge the water's warmth, then retraced his steps to the laundry basket. There, with deliberate slowness, he shed his clothes, layer by layer, each garment joining the rest in the basket.

Embracing the traditional Japanese practice, he commenced the pre-bath ritual with intention, allowing the running water to fill the air with soothing sounds. He lathered soap between his hands, the foam forming as he began to scrub around himself.

As he did so, the day's events kept bugging him. He couldn't think straight, as he had to speed this up and get into the tub so he could calmly rethink this. The scrubs and wash took less time than they should have, but he made sure to rinse thoroughly.

Finally, stepping into the tub, he allowed himself to be enveloped by the warm water's embrace.

He submerged himself into the soothing waters, he found the stillness he had been craving. The warmth seeped into his muscles, loosening the knots of tension.

As the warmth enveloped him, softening the edges of his day, he sighed deeply, the sound echoing softly against the tiled walls. The comfort of the hot water allowed his mind to drift to that peculiar interaction earlier in the day. "Just what in the world was that," he murmured to himself, the memory surfacing with clarity

The words of the girl who had managed his latest order lingered, "Different worlds." The phrase, once spoken in a context he couldn't fully grasp at the moment, now tugged insistently at the fringes of his thoughts.

Initially, he scoffed at the notion, treating it as a fanciful escape for those unable to confront their pathetic realities. This perspective, steeped in cynicism, painted the idea of other worlds as nothing more than a desperate fantasy for the weak-minded to escape to.

Yet, a shift occurred as the steam rose around him, and his mind wandered through the maze of possibilities. Once dismissed, the concept of different worlds began to unfold its layers, revealing a depth he hadn't considered. 'Maybe it's not about escaping but understanding,' he contemplated, his skepticism giving way to curiosity. The idea of portals to other worlds, each with its own set of rules and societal structures, presented an intriguing lens through which to examine humanity, perhaps even himself.

In the quietude of the bath, he entertained the thought that his deep-seated cynicism might not be universal, that it could be a reflection of the society that shaped him rather than an inherent truth. 'Different worlds could mean different rules, different societies. A way to see if my cynicism holds up everywhere or if it's just a product of this rotten society.'

Lost in the possibilities that stretched beyond the confines of his world, he eventually decided to emerge from the water. He stood up as the water cascaded off his skin. He reached for a towel, the fabric absorbing the moisture as he later wrapped it around his waist.

In that moment of thought, a vivid image flashed in his mind: the door he had seen earlier. It wasn't just any door; it bore a distinctive sticker, a scale emblem that gleamed against the glass, marking it as something more than ordinary. Though he couldn't recall the store's name, the memory of its appearance was clear, the symbol standing out with an almost ethereal glow.

He wondered about the existence of that shop, so openly situated that anyone could stumble upon it. Its public placement sparked a question in his mind: 'If such doorways to other worlds were so accessible, wouldn't they be the subject of widespread attention, perhaps even making headlines?'

This line of thought led him to a contemplative sigh. The possibility that such a place existed so publicly and yet hadn't been discovered seemed paradoxical. If the shop was as real as he remembered, its obscurity in the face of potential public discovery was inevitable.

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While reaching for his clean clothes, a sound unlike any other, a shimmering, almost otherworldly echo filled the bathroom. Instinctively, he whirled around to locate the source, and his movements were halted by the sight that unfolded before his eyes.

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"Unbelievable," he uttered under his breath. There, in the very space of his mundane bathroom, a shiny gleam materialized, so magical that it defied all logic.

Its sudden appearance startled him, causing him to take an involuntary step backward and lose his footing on the still-wet floor. "WAH!" he exclaimed, a brief shout of surprise escaping him as he tumbled backward. The fall was abrupt, ending with him landing squarely on his backside. Though the pain was sharp, a quick assessment relieved him to find it was more about shock and less about harm.

As he scrambled in an awkward, sliding motion to regain his distance, he held the towel wrapped around his waist so as not to slip off and render him fully naked.

The mystical light began to dissipate. What it left behind was a golden, rectangular shape that, by all appearances, was a door. A door where no door should be; it was attached to nothing and was set in the middle of the room, complete with a knob inviting interaction. His eyes grew wider, almost disbelieving, as they fixed on the familiar emblem adorning the door: the scale.

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Bang! Bang! Bang! The rapid knocking jolted the teen, pulling him from his astonishment at the golden door's sudden appearance. As he turned towards the source of the sound, his heart skipped a beat, not from fear of the spectacle but from the mundane reality of someone trying to enter.

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"Hey, Oni-chan! Is everything alright?!" The familiar voice pierced through the bathroom door, tinged with concern, grounding him back to reality.

'K-komachi.' That voice belonged to none other than his younger sister, Komachi.

"I'm coming in!" Seeing as no response coming from the inside, she shouts, claiming to barge inside.

"OI WAIT! I'm still here!" he said, pushing firmly against the door. His voice was laced with urgency as he scrambled to preserve the secrecy of the moment.

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His hand scrambled around the knob only then he managed to lock the door with an audible click. It was a minor victory, a barrier between her and the door.

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"What's the meaning of this?! Why didn't you answer me in the first place!" Komachi's voice, now a mix of annoyance and worry, challenged him from the other side.

"I just tripped and fell! That's all! Now leave me be!" he countered, his back pressing against the door as if the added weight could further secure his privacy.

Komachi's response, though unseen, was vivid in his imagination, the signature pout that often accompanied her frustrations with her brother. "Muu, I just came to check what all that noise was about. You didn't have to yell, idiot Hachiman."

The now named Hachiman let out a sigh at the slight insult given, 'Seriously, she rarely calls me that. Somehow, my name is used as an insult.' his tone then softened in an attempt to assuage her worries. "I just fell. I'm fine. There, is that better?" he offered, hoping the reassurance would be enough to send her on her way.

"Yep! By the way, Oni-chan! Where did you find these chips? I thought they stopped producing these things a long time ago," Komachi's voice pierced through the bewilderment that had enveloped Hachiman.

Caught off guard by the sudden shift from the extraordinary to the utterly ordinary, Hachiman momentarily forgot the surreal sight before him. "Uh, I...," he started, stumbling over his words. The question about the chips grounded him, if only for a moment.

"Not now, Komachi. I'll speak to you once I finish what I have here," Hachiman reiterated, his voice a mix of weariness and mild irritation as he massaged his temples, hoping to ease the throbbing headache that had intensified with the day's stress and the surreal turn of events.

"Fine, fine. Keep your secrets," Komachi retorted with a playful huff, her words later laced with a teasing challenge. "I'll take one if you don't mind. If you take too long, then I'll grab myself another, leaving you with nothing."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Hachiman couldn't help but envision Komachi's smirk, a familiar expression that often accompanied her playful taunts. The sound of her retreating footsteps granted him a momentary relief, yet the weight of his predicament firmly reclaimed its hold on him.

With his sister gone, his gaze is now fixated on the door that had appeared out of nowhere. A sole thought lingered in his mind.

"Now, how do I get rid of that."

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(AN: No not dead, and will post another chapter tomorrow. Also, chapter 17 got edited.

And next chapter will answer any queries you have at the end.)