A Mistake.

*Boom*

*Boom* *Boom*

The bullet hit the case, protecting Annie from a fatal injury, but making whatever was inside explode. Contrary to what one would think, Annie didn't get injured from the explosion, that is if you don't count what

"Uhm, Keiji w-wh-what's happening. M-My hand is is turning to dust." Annie, freaking out, tried to get any type of answer from Keiji.

"Calm down, let me s--" Keiji wasn't able to continue his speech, after seeing what's happening to his closest person, Annie, he couldn't say anything.

He held Annie's hand, or what remained after it disappeared, and started shouting at the armed man.

"YOU LITTLE ******, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU JUST DID? THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NOBODY KNOWS WHAT COULD HAPPEN----"

"Uhm, Keiji, I don't think you have time to care about the world now."

"Huh? What do you mean? This is my responsibility."

"Look at your hand."

"Look at my hand? Why? It's per---faact. Why's it also disappearing?"

"Hehe, I've never seen you this surprised before." Annie laughed a bit while wiping the tears from her face.

"It's just, who can expect something like this? I was meant to take this home and complete it there, but some f*ckin idiot was stupid enough to shoot a gun at it and now I don't even know what's happening to both of us. AND YOU THREE, DON'T YOU DARE MOVE AN INCH, THIS CASE IS MADE SO THAT AUTHORITIES WILL BE NOTIFIED IF SOMETHING WHERE TO HAPPEN, AND EVERYTHING YOU DID IS ALREADY ON CAMERA."

The men, still not comprehend what happened, were given another shock and with that they kept silent, like a little kid being punished.

"Come closer, Keiji. I want to tell you something."

"Sure, what is it?"

Keiji leaned in with his whole body towards Annie, to which she reciprocated. Now their faces are mere millimeters apart.

"(Uhm, Keiji, is that true? Wasn't your research unknown to the government or anybody else outside the team?)" Annie whispered to Keiji.

"(Of course it isn't, but I just wanted to frighten them a bit so we can have our final moments in peace.)" Keiji whispered back with a soft smile on his face.

"(Don't say that, I'm sure we won't just disappear into nothing, you're research topic wasn't about that, right?)"

"(Uhm,well, I hate to break it to you, but it did have something to do with making things de-atomize and disappear. Heh~)" Keiji scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"(Oh, uhmmm, still, stay cheerful, I'm sure there's something more. Look, to keep you motivated and optimistic, let's make a promise.)"

"(Sure, what is it about?)"

"(It's like this, there's a secret I've never told you about before, one that might or might not ruin our relationship, if I turn out to be correct and we indeed don't disappear into nothing, look for me and I'll tell you that secret. Deal?)"

"(Deal.)"

"(It seems I'll go earlier than you, so good luck finding me hihi, I won't try to hide too, that'll make it much easier for you.)"

"(How will I know it's you?)" Keiji felt and saw that they're about to vanish, he was sure Annie also saw that and was trying to stay cheerful, he went along so as not to make her cry at their final moments.

"(That'll be for you to find out, I won't try to hide myself, but if you find me and can't determine its me, I won't say anything. I'll just wait to you say 'My love, Annie, I finally found you'. How's that?)"

"(Why that wording?)"

"(Because you can't go around telling that to every woman you see or think is me)"

"(Oh my smart little girl.)" Keiji pinched her nose.

"Well then, I guess bye bye for now. See you soon, hopefully, please work hard to find me or I'll be very sad." Annie pouted.

"That's a given, I won't forget the promise you just made and run to the ends of the world if needed."

"Hehe, thank you." Annie disappeared as soon as she said that.

"Now that she's gone I can get depressed a little." With that Keiji went to the nearest wall and leaned on it with his body, or what's left of it at least and started rambling.

"Heh, is that all my life amounts to? All those studies I did, theories I created, all the money I made and wasted, my life that I wasted. EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING THAT I DID, DOES IT JUST END LIKE THAT?" Keiji screamed in frustration.

"WHY? SINCE YOUNG I STUDIED FAITHFULLY, WAS NEVER A BOTHER TO MY PARENTS, NEVER ASKED FOR ANYTHING TOO MUCH, NEVER DID SOMETHING ILLEGAL, NEVER LET LOOSE, NEVER HARMED ANYBODY!"

As if to mock him, a storm started.

"Heh, all these never never never never never NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER, WHAT DID I EVEN DO IN MY LIFE? All I thought about was this stupid dream of traveling to another world, and now where that got me."

"All the friends I made are ones that I never reached out for, I just kept on doing what I did, I don't even know if they consider me as a friend, I wouldn't even blame them if they don't. Even Annie, the only one who stuck with me, even if due to circumstances, is now gone, all because of ME. ME AND MY STUPID DREAM.