Chapter 2.1. I’ve Been Reincarnated

Early in the morning, a middle-aged man dressed in a suit was riding a long escalator at a train station. It was still quite early, and no one else was on the escalator but me. It was unusual because no one else was around in the city, but for now, I stood on the left side.

There’s an unspoken rule on escalators – people who don’t climb the escalator stand on the left side, while the right side is for those who walk up. I thought it was different in Kanto and Kansai, though. Also, I wondered if walking up the escalator might be considered a minor offense under the law. I yawned sleepily, my thoughts mixed with fatigue. Either way, I had no intention of walking up. It’s tiring, and I don’t see the point in racing up an escalator.

So, I leisurely waited for the escalator to reach the top. It was a high-speed escalator, so it was quite fast. It was so fast that I doubted anyone would be reckless enough to sprint up this high-speed escalator.

Looking back, I realized that thinking such things was probably a flag, as I came to understand in the future. But at that moment, I didn’t pay it much attention. Nothing would have happened if there hadn’t been a guy running up with heavy footsteps beside me.

Huh? I noticed some footsteps, but I didn’t turn around. High-speed escalators are that fast, and this station’s escalator is incredibly long. Turning around could lead to falling.

So, I was curious, but I left it at that. Most people would do the same, I think. Even if people are curious, they don’t let that curiosity show. As people age, curiosity tends to lean more towards laziness.

Eventually, the footsteps drew nearer, and I saw a guy rushing past me with tremendous speed. He was a slightly chubby young man, dressed in ordinary clothes, sweating profusely, and breathing heavily. I thought he might be on a trip because he was carrying a wheeled suitcase. That’s with a handle that people often use for overseas trips.

He’s probably running late for a tour or about to miss a flight. That sort of situation, I assumed. Still, I thought it took some courage to sprint up a high-speed escalator. I pondered this as I watched the young man’s ascent.

However, that thought was short-lived, as the young man slipped and started tumbling down. Just a little more and he would have reached the top. Likely, he had felt relieved that he was almost there. Maybe he was also out of shape; his legs seemed wobbly.

The young man and his suitcase are falling. Unfortunately, I was below them and got caught up in it. I tumbled and rolled down, hitting the edges of the escalator steps with a thud and experiencing intense pain. I heard a snap, like a bone breaking, and my body stopped moving. I had fallen all the way down.

Seriously? I thought, fearing the fact that I couldn’t move despite not feeling any pain. I understood. I had realized it. I had a fatal a fatal wound. I was going to die. That’s what I thought as my vision faded.

I can’t forgive this guy. I felt like crying out. Don’t involve me! I was single. I had been saving money for my retirement fund, which had grown to 50 million. Whether the country seized it or relatives took it. My retirement fund wouldn’t stay with me. I can’t bring money to the afterlife.

I should have lived more extravagantly. I wanted to drink expensive sake, stay in luxurious suites for tens of thousands of dollars a night, and travel overseas. Regret was all that consumed me.

There’s no world of death. There’s no heaven or hell. I believed that I died while regretting the life I had wanted to live extravagantly.

I died. And with that, my life came to an end.

And so, a new life began.

Before I knew it, I had become a baby.

“Ah, ah.”

Words can’t come out of my mouth. My hands and feet won’t move freely. What in the world is this?

At first, I thought I had survived. Even though I was seriously injured, I believed I had pulled through. But I quickly realized. After all, a strange man was looking at me. And he seemed delighted to see me. He didn’t look like a doctor at all.

And then came the final blow.

“Look, baby~ I’m your papa~”

A fairly decent-looking guy, lacking in the handsome department, said this to me with a happy expression. I somehow managed to move my hand, revealing a tiny hand like a maple leaf. It seemed to be my hand.

I see. Perhaps I’ve been reincarnated. As a baby, it seems. It might be a dream, but considering I’ve been reincarnated will make me feel more hopeful. Even if this life turns out to be a dream, I should enjoy it. However, I realized something terrifying apart from that.

I was suddenly overwhelmed with fear.

“Waaah!”

I cried out in terror. Why was I scared?

It’s because I’m a baby. Babies’ necks aren’t stable, so they can’t move too much. If they make adult-like movements, they might die or end up with disabilities.

It’s frightening. Is it embarrassing to become a baby? That’s not the issue. Babies are fragile. They’re like delicate glasswork. When I become a real baby, before I can think about embarrassment, I’m more likely to be terrified by my physical vulnerability. And so, I cried out in fear.

So, until I could crawl, I hardly moved at all. As a baby, I was a source of concern for my parents.

I don’t remember much about the terrifying baby life. I just know my parents had decent looks and exuded kindness. Even when I cried at night, and my father had work the next day, he comforted me. And he did it with a smile, without a hint of reluctance or fatigue.

Meanwhile, my mother slept peacefully.

I was astonished. These parents were incredible people. It wasn’t just that they got along well. It wasn’t just their kindness. They possessed both qualities.

After all, the wife hadn’t shown me that side. It wouldn’t have been strange if she had shown a reluctant or at least tired expression towards me. But she interacted with me, smiling all the while.

This family was amazing, and I was deeply moved. Yes! My reincarnation had brought me into an amazing environment.

I grew to love these parents, and I made a vow to myself to work hard so that their marital bond would remain unbreakable.

For starters, maybe I should try not to cry at night.