As expected, the sun stood high in the sky, signaling noon, and with it came the telltale grumble of Hayato's stomach, a clear demand for lunch. After wandering through the house for a few minutes, he finally stumbled upon the kitchen. However, upon opening the fridge, his hopes for a proper meal were dashed. It was barren—no meat, no vegetables, just a few forlorn bottles of sauce and condiments. Refusing to give up, he searched the nearby cabinets, only to discover an uninspiring stash of instant noodles and a small assortment of snacks.
"Ugh! Does this guy not know how to cook, or is he just too lazy?" Hayato muttered in frustration, though complaining wouldn't fill the fridge. With a resigned sigh, he grabbed a large cup of instant noodles—right now, anything edible would suffice. After boiling some water and pouring it into the cup, he waited for the noodles to soften. The familiar aroma wafted up, and as he took his first bite, he couldn't deny it was tasty. Yet, no matter how flavorful, it was far from the nutritious meal a growing teenager like him truly needed.
This called for a shopping trip. Hayato made his way back to his room to find his wallet and check if he had any money left. However, the moment he stepped inside, something he'd previously overlooked caught his eye. The room was packed with anime figures, posters, and shelves lined with manga volumes.
"Alright then," he mused, "the previous Hayato was an even bigger otaku than me." Judging by the sheer collection, it seemed most of his pocket money had been poured into this hobby. Or perhaps, Hayato thought with a twinge of sympathy, these were his only solace in an otherwise lonely life.
Recalling from the new memories where the wallet was kept, Hayato quickly found it. Opening it, he was surprised to see a decent amount of cash tucked inside. There was no doubt—his parents have high-paying jobs, allowing them to give him generous allowances. However, that privilege came with its own downside. Hayato's mind flickered back to the previous owner's memories—this abundance of money was one of the reasons he'd been bullied before. Those bullies had extorted him relentlessly, seeing him as an easy target for their greed.
Hayato clenched his fist, a flicker of anger crossing his face. He despised people like those bullies who preyed on others for their own gain. But after a moment, he exhaled deeply, forcing himself to stay calm. Shaking off the thought, he decided to check the bank passbook to get a clearer picture of his finances.
When he found it and opened it, his eyes widened in disbelief. The balance was... substantial. No, it wasn't just substantial—it was staggering. "Alright," he muttered, still trying to process the number, "this kid is seriously loaded."
Grabbing his wallet, phone and using a rubber band to tie back his unnecessarily long hair, Hayato stepped outside, ready to stock up on necessities. There was just one small problem—he had no idea where the nearest supermarket was.
"Hopefully, it's nearby," he muttered to himself, glancing around the unfamiliar streets. "Hopefully."
As he wandered aimlessly, an idea suddenly struck him—he could use GMaps on his phone to locate the nearest supermarket. Pulling out the device, he was relieved to find that it wasn't locked. And even if it had been, a hard reset would've solved that problem easily enough.
"I am such a big brain," he mused with a faint smirk as he opened the app to search for his destination.
After gathering everything he needed from the supermarket, Hayato returned home just before nightfall. Without wasting time, he set about organizing the fridge, carefully placing each item where it belonged. Fresh produce, meat, and other essentials were neatly arranged, transforming the once-bare fridge into a well-stocked haven.
"That should last a couple of weeks," he muttered with a satisfied nod, stepping back to admire his work.
"Now, for all my hard work, I'm going to treat myself to a nice dinner," Hayato declared, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet, empty house. "Maybe a steak. Yes, that would do nicely."
He tried to inject some enthusiasm into his tone, an attempt to fill the silence of this unnecessarily large house—far too big for just one person to live in.
Using WeTube, Hayato quickly found a recipe for steak and watched it through, taking notes on the steps. He wasn't exactly a master in the kitchen—just familiar with the basics, like how to scramble eggs or boil pasta. Cooking was usually handled by his mother or sister, so this was new territory.
Still, he was determined. With enthusiasm, he gathered his ingredients and began the process, doing his best to follow the instructions. There were a few missteps here and there, but nothing too disastrous—he'd get it right eventually, he hoped.
After setting the dining table, Hayato sat down and took the first bite of his steak, his face lighting up with an excited smile. But as soon as the flavors hit his tongue, his smile faded, it doesn't taste good. It wasn't that the cooking was bad—far from it. In fact, he had done a surprisingly good job for his first time. The problem was much deeper.
He was eating alone. Normally, he would be sharing meals with his family, their presence filling the air with warmth.
"I wonder what they're doing right now," he thought, a pang of loneliness creeping in. "Are they searching for me? Or... did they forget about my existence?"
His thoughts spiraled into darker possibilities, imagining the worst. The weight of isolation settled on him, and his mood sank further.
Despite the heavy thoughts weighing on him, Hayato finished his dinner and cleaned up the table. As he lay down in bed, ready to drift off to sleep, he began making plans for the next day.
"Alright," he muttered to himself, trying to shake off the melancholy, "first thing's first—morning exercise, like I usually do. Then, I'll explore the neighborhood a bit. After that, I'll get a haircut. I can't possibly attend school looking like this." He paused for a moment, considering, before adding with a sigh, "Finally, I'll clean this room.
With those thoughts, he allowed his mind to settle, hoping that tomorrow would bring a bit of change.
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"67, 68, 69, and 70," Hayato grunted, his breath coming in heavy gasps as he finished his morning exercise routine. He had pushed through 70 push-ups, 70 pull-ups, 70 sit-ups, and 70 squats. Originally, he had planned to do 100 of each, but the reality of this body's current state hit him harder than expected. His muscles were more fragile than he thought, and after struggling through the last few reps, he could barely squeeze out 70.
"Looks like I've got some work to do," he muttered to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow. But despite the exhaustion, there was a sense of accomplishment. It was a start.
After fueling up with a healthy, protein-heavy breakfast to aid in muscle growth, Hayato got to work on cleaning his room, sticking to his plan. As he started tidying up, he didn't have the heart to move the previous Hayato's collection of anime figures, posters, and manga. They weren't bothering him, however, there were a few questionable items mixed in with the collection, things he didn't want to be seen by anyone who might come in.
With a quick glance around, Hayato decided to discreetly hide those items, making sure they were out of sight. He wasn't about to get rid of them, but he didn't need them on display either.
A couple of hours later, Hayato stepped back, wiping his hands on his pants as he surveyed the room. The clutter was gone, everything was in its place, and the space felt remarkably fresher. There was a sense of satisfaction that settled over him as he admired the work he'd done. It wasn't perfect, but it was cleaner, more organized—a vast improvement from before.
"Not bad," he muttered to himself, a small smile tugging at his lips. It felt good to accomplish something, especially after the morning's workout.
Locking the door behind him, Hayato stepped outside and took a moment to observe his neighborhood once again. "It's really refreshing here," he muttered with a content smile, breathing in the crisp air.
According to the anime, this fictional Akiyama City was located in the Sengu Prefecture, a place that was described as being in the same general area as the original Saitama Prefecture. Akiyama City itself was large, straddling the border between two distinct worlds. On one side, the south, you had the bustling city life—towering skyscrapers, modern roads, and massive shopping streets. On the other side, the east, was a tranquil countryside filled with rice fields, farms, and small, traditional wooden houses. To the north, the city met the sea, where a fishing lifestyle thrived and the air smelled of salt and the ocean.
It was a blend of the modern and the rural, the fast-paced and the peaceful—an interesting fusion that Hayato found oddly charming.
His neighborhood was quiet, with not many people out on the streets. Most were probably busy with their own daily tasks, just like him. The peaceful atmosphere was a stark contrast to the bustling city center he was headed toward. Hayato didn't mind, though. He had his own work to do, and with that in mind, he made his way toward the busy shopping district, where the streets were sure to be filled with people.
As Hayato wandered aimlessly, lost in the amazement of this city, he realized he had strayed quite far from his original destination. He was now near the Mizuya Market, the largest marketplace in Akiyama City. It was two stations away from where he lived, but somehow, he had ended up here without even meaning to. The market loomed ahead, a bustling area filled with people and shops, offering everything from fresh produce to unique local goods.
"Well, I guess I'm here now."
As Hayato navigated through the bustling marketplace, his eyes fell on an elderly woman standing at the crosswalk. She wasn't carrying any heavy bags or luggage, yet there was a troubled look on her face, and her eyes were fixed intently on the other side of the road.
It was clear that the elderly woman was having trouble crossing the road, her gaze still fixed on the other side as if uncertain or reluctant to move. Hayato instinctively considered helping her, but then a brief hesitation clouded his thoughts. In his previous world, whenever he offered his help, things often didn't turn out as he expected—sometimes it was met with disdain, fear, or outright rejection.
He frowned, torn between his desire to help and the fear of repeating past disappointments. But after a long sigh, he pushed those doubts aside. The truth was, he still wanted to help others. That part of him, that wants to be a hero and reached out to people, hadn't faded it seems.
With a small but genuine smile, Hayato stepped forward, deciding to approach the elderly woman.
"Excuse me, Grandma, do you need any help?" Hayato asked, his voice polite and calm, though inwardly he braced himself for a negative response. He had prepared for anything—a refusal, suspicion, or even indifference.
But to his surprise, none of that came. Instead, the elderly woman turned to him with a kind smile, her troubled expression softening. "Oh, thank you, young man," she said warmly. "I was just trying to figure out how to cross the road. My legs aren't what they used to be."
Hayato blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the genuine gratitude in her voice. It wasn't what he'd expected, but it filled him with a quiet sense of relief.
"Don't worry, let me help you," Hayato said confidently, pointing his thumb at himself with a reassuring grin. His voice carried a sense of determination, and for a moment, the hesitation he'd felt earlier seemed like a distant memory.
The elderly woman chuckled softly at his enthusiasm. "Sorry for the trouble, young man. You're very kind," she said, her earlier troubled expression replaced with one of gratitude.
As the traffic light turned green, Hayato guided the elderly woman safely across the road, staying by her side the entire time. When they reached the other side, she gave him a warm smile and a heartfelt "Thank you."
The words "Thank you" felt almost foreign to Hayato, like something from a distant memory. He couldn't even recall the last time he'd heard those words from a stranger. Yet now, hearing them filled him with a warmth he hadn't expected.
A small spark of pride welled up inside him, accompanied by a quiet satisfaction. It was such a simple act, helping someone cross the road, yet it reminded him that even the smallest gestures could hold meaning.
"Take care, Grandma," he said with a gentle smile, giving her a polite nod before continuing on his way. His steps felt lighter now, as if the world around him seemed just a little brighter.