Memory Courier

# "Memory Courier"

Part 1: The Commodity of Memory

Chapter 1: The Melancholy Trade

## The price of a memory is determined by its freshness.

Bitter memories rot quickly, while sweet ones fade with time. In the Remembrance Arcade of Shinjuku, Tokyo, in 2087, memories of all kinds were traded.

Kaito sat at the counter of "Silence," an illegal trading post in the back of the arcade, facing a client. The man was in his early fifties, the elbows of his expensive-looking suit slightly frayed. He was the typical "sold his past but couldn't buy a future" type.

“This is something special,” the man said, placing a small memory capsule on the polished counter. It wasn't the usual silver, but glowed with a deep, pulsing indigo. “I want you to give this to my wife. She’s… she has terminal cancer. She won’t last another two weeks.”

Kaito didn't reach for the capsule, instead reciting the standard warning. “Memory couriers do not check the contents. However, under Article 6 of the Ethics Agreement, if I sense the possibility of plans for murder or terrorism, I am obligated to report it.”

“Don’t worry,” the man’s voice had the rasp of years of smoking. “It’s just… just the memory of me loving her. I want her to know the truth at the end.”

Kaito nodded slightly. This type of request wasn't rare. People facing death tried to leave a legacy in the form of memories. Confessions of love, apologies, revelations of truth—all carried a weight heavier than cash.

## "The delivery fee is 200,000 memories," Kaito said flatly.

The man nodded and tapped his mobile device. The transaction was completed instantly, and a notification appeared on Kaito’s device.

“By tomorrow night,” the man said as he stood up. “She’s at a hospice in Chiba. The room number is—”

“That won’t be necessary,” Kaito said, placing the capsule into a special case. The inside of the case was kept at near absolute zero to prevent memory degradation. “The destination information is embedded in the memory capsule.”

The man looked confused for a moment, but quickly understood. “Ah, right. You guys are pros.”

As the man turned to leave, Kaito couldn't help but ask, “Why don’t you give it to her yourself?”

## The man’s back trembled slightly. “…I don’t have the courage to look her in the face.”

The door closed, and Kaito was left alone. He stared at the case, feeling his left hand tremble unconsciously. This tremor had started three years ago, when he lost his own memories. If he were still the neurologist he once was, he would have diagnosed this as a "physical manifestation of post-traumatic stress response." Now, he had simply learned to ignore it.

Leaving "Silence," the clamor of the Remembrance Arcade assaulted his ears. On both sides, shops displayed various memories on screens.

“Memory of first love! Freshness A, price 500,000 memories!”

“The moment of business success! For those who want confidence!”

## "Buying the pain of heartbreak! Highest price paid!"

People were haggling at the storefronts, experiencing memory samples. One man was trying out the "memory of a piano virtuoso," his fingers moving in the empty air. Another woman was shedding tears over the "memory of seeing a Hawaiian sunset."

The memory economy had exploded over the past 20 years. It started as mere entertainment—"borrowing" someone else’s vacation memory. But soon, more practical uses were found. Surgeons bought the technical memories of master doctors, students "pre-studied" by buying the memories of passing exams, and writers used various life experiences as material.

And naturally, a black market was born. Illegal memory tampering, trading of stolen memories, and the "Shadow Guild" that Kaito belonged to—a secret organization of memory couriers.

Kaito left the arcade and headed toward his apartment in the back alleys. Rain began to fall, and neon lights reflected on the wet pavement. He checked his mobile device. He had two more deliveries left today.

The first delivery was to a luxury apartment in Ginza. The request was to deliver a "memory that would be a weakness for a competitor." Kaito didn't care about the content; he simply delivered it. The Ethics Agreement protected him—at least, in form.

The second was an old apartment in the downtown area. He delivered the "memory of a lover lost during the war" to an elderly woman. When she received the capsule, she clutched it to her chest with trembling hands. “I’ve waited 50 years,” she said through tears.

Kaito left without a word. Not getting involved in emotions—that was his rule. If he got involved, the missing parts of himself would ache.

At 11:00 PM, he returned to his apartment. The room was modest, containing only what was necessary. There were no posters or photos on the walls. For someone who had lost their memories, mementos of the past were nothing but empty decorations.

He took a beer from the fridge and sat in a chair by the window. The city below was still awake, the lights of the memory economy shimmering.

## His mobile device vibrated. It was a new message.

Anonymous Request: Highest urgency. Deliver sealed memory package "Omega Seven" to the designated location. Reward: 5 million memories. Acceptance deadline: Within 30 minutes.

Kaito’s eyes widened. 5 million memories—that was 50 times the normal delivery fee. He reread the message. Anonymous requests weren't rare, but "highest urgency" was a first. And "Omega Seven"—a fully sealed memory package was top-secret, handled only at the government level.

A warning bell rang in his head. This could be a trap. Or something that would drag him into the depths.

However, the reward amount eroded his reason. With 5 million memories, he could live without working for a year. Or, he could significantly advance the analysis of the remaining memories of his own stored in the memory bank. For three years, he had been searching for who he was. This reward might bring him much closer to that answer.

He opened the details of the message.

Delivery item: Omega Seven (Fully Sealed)

Recipient: Elina Crawford

Address: Central Memory Clinic, Special Protection Room 309

Deadline: By 24:00 today

Special note: Opening the package is strictly prohibited. Automatic erasure upon detection of opening.

Kaito’s breath hitched.

## Elina Crawford.

That name had periodically surfaced from the gaps in his lost memories. The doctor’s diagnosis called it "illusory recall related to an important person," but Kaito had a deeper conviction. Elina was the key to his past. Every time he heard her name, he felt a tightening pain in his chest.

## And now, he had to deliver a memory to her.

He hesitated. This wasn't a coincidence. Someone was targeting him. Trying to connect him with Elina.

The tremor in his left hand intensified. He gripped his left wrist with his right hand and took three deep breaths. It was an anxiety-reduction method he had taught his patients when he was a neurologist.

His finger trembled as he tapped "Accept."

## New instructions arrived immediately.

Package pickup location: Shinjuku Golden Gai, Bar "Requiem," tell the owner you are the "Omega Courier."

Kaito put on his coat and went back out into the rain.

## Chapter 2: The Trembling Left Hand

Shinjuku Golden Gai was a hangout for those living in the shadows of the memory economy. Dozens of tiny bars crowded the narrow alleys, and some of them functioned as venues for illegal memory trading.

Bar "Requiem" was at the very back of the alley. There was no sign, and the door was painted black. When Kaito knocked, a small peephole opened, and sharp eyes observed him.

“What’s your business?” a voice came from inside.

## "I am the Omega Courier."

There was the sound of a key, and the door opened. The inside was larger than he expected, and there were about ten customers at the bar counter. They were all likely memory brokers or couriers. Their gazes turned to Kaito for a moment, then immediately returned to their own conversations.

The bar owner was a man in his sixties with an eyepatch. Rumor had it he was once a famous memory hacker, but he was caught by the surveillance system and lost an eye and three years of his life to prison.

“You’re late,” the owner said in a low voice.

## "I just received the request."

The owner nodded and took a palm-sized box from under the counter. It was made of metal, with complex patterns engraved on the surface. It was Omega Seven.

“Be careful,” the owner warned. “This isn’t a normal memory package. If you try to look inside, you’ll be the first to disappear.”

“I know,” Kaito said, taking the box. It was surprisingly light.

“Who is the recipient?”

“Elina Crawford. Central Memory Clinic.”

The owner’s expression stiffened for a moment. “…I see.”

## "Do you know something about her?"

The owner wiped the counter, choosing his words carefully. “Only rumors. They say she’s a special psychic. That she can see the future.”

Kaito nodded to himself. That matched his fragmented memories. Elina was special. She wasn't just a memory psychic.

## "Why deliver this package to someone like her?"

“Don’t ask questions, courier,” the owner’s voice sharpened. “Your job is just to deliver. You don’t need to know the rest.”

Kaito put the box in his case and left the shop. The rain had intensified, and the road surface shone like a mirror. He called a taxi and instructed it to head to the Central Memory Clinic.

In the car, he took out the box and stared at it. Omega Seven. Why was he requested to deliver this package? Who was the anonymous requester? And most importantly, why Elina?

His mobile device vibrated. It was a message from Jin. Jin was the leader of the Shadow Guild and Kaito’s mentor.

Jin: I heard you took a strange request. Be careful. Omega-class is dangerous.

Kaito replied immediately.

## Kaito: How do you know?

Jin: There are no secrets in this city. Especially high-value transactions. The reward is too high, Kaito. It smells like a trap.

Kaito: I need it. To get my memories back.

## The reply didn't come immediately. After a while, Jin sent one.

Jin: For three years, you’ve been chasing the past. But sometimes, it’s better to forget the past. Especially if it brings pain.

Kaito read the message and put the device away. Jin’s advice was correct. However, he had no choice. A life without memories was like a house without rooms. He needed to know who he was.

The Central Memory Clinic was a massive facility facing Tokyo Bay. The 30-story glass building was brightly lit even at night. Here, all kinds of treatments and research related to memory were conducted. Both legal and otherwise.

Kaito headed not to the main entrance, but to the service entrance in the back. Memory couriers didn't operate openly. He showed his ID to the guard and was let in immediately. The Central Memory Clinic had a close relationship with the Shadow Guild, and the coming and going of couriers was an everyday occurrence.

The special protection room was on the top floor, the 30th. As the elevator rose silently, the tremor in Kaito’s left hand started again. This time it was stronger, uncontrollable.

“Calm down,” he told himself. “It’s just a delivery. No different from usual.”

But his body knew otherwise. Something was different. This delivery might change his life.

The elevator door opened, revealing a pure white corridor. The floor was polished marble, and abstract paintings hung on the walls. This was completely different from the general ward; it was like a VIP-only floor.

The door to Room 309 was made of oak, unlike the inorganic automatic doors of the other rooms. Before Kaito could knock, the door opened.

A female doctor in a white coat came out. She was in her early forties, with Southeast Asian features, and didn't even try to hide her sharp observational skills. Her name tag read "Akira Sen."

“You must be Kaito,” she said in an emotionless voice. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

## "Here is the requested item," Kaito said, holding out the Omega Seven case.

Dr. Akira didn't take it, instead gesturing into the room. “Elina is awake now. Could you hand it to her directly?”

“That’s not standard procedure,” Kaito said, wary. “I don’t hand things directly to the recipient. Especially in a special protection room.”

“This case is not standard,” the doctor’s voice contained a slight impatience. “She wants to see you. She has for a long time.”

Kaito hesitated. He shouldn't break the rules. But the temptation of being able to see Elina was strong. For three years, he had struggled to remember her face. Now, that chance was right in front of him.

## "Understood," he said, and entered the room.

The room was more like a luxury hotel suite than a hospital room. In the spacious area, besides the bed by the window, there was a sofa set, a small study corner, and even a kitchenette. The night view of Tokyo Bay spread out from the window, and the Rainbow Bridge hung like a ribbon of light.

## And she was sitting in a chair by the window.

Elina Crawford was more delicate than the image that had been floating in Kaito’s mind. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, but her eyes had a depth that transcended age. Her chestnut hair reached her shoulders, and her untanned white skin looked almost translucent. She didn't have the blank expression often seen in amnesiacs, but rather an air that suggested sharp intelligence.

“Kaito,” her voice resonated somewhere deep inside Kaito. It was a voice he knew—a voice he had heard many times in his dreams. “Finally.”

Kaito was speechless. In front of her, he suddenly felt like a helpless child. Three years of searching, countless questions, and desperate searches—everything converged in this moment.

## "Do you… know me?" he asked in a raspy voice.

Elina smiled sadly. “Once. Now, I only know the records about you. But if this memory package is delivered, everything will change.”

She stood up and slowly approached. Her movements were graceful, almost as if she were floating. Kaito stared into her eyes and saw something abnormal within them—an abyss where time itself seemed to be swirling.

## "Why me?" Kaito asked. "Why did I get this delivery?"

“Because only you can,” Elina said. “Only you can carry this package safely.”

Kaito opened the case and took Omega Seven in his hand. It was surprisingly light, and he felt almost no weight. A normal memory capsule weighed several dozen grams, but this felt like a feather.

## "What is inside?" he couldn't help but ask.

“Our promise,” Elina reached out her hand. “And the truth of why you lost your memories.”

Kaito tried to hand her the capsule. At that moment, the capsule vibrated faintly and became warm. He was surprised, pulled his hand back, and gripped the capsule tightly.

## "Is something wrong?" Elina asked worriedly.

“No,” Kaito said, but it wasn't the truth. It felt as if the capsule was "sensing" something about him. As if it were alive. It touched his skin, as if sensing the lack of his memories.

The Ethics Agreement strictly prohibited opening a fully sealed package. There was a risk that the opening detection system would activate and the contents would be permanently erased. Even so, Kaito’s curiosity—no, more than that, an obsession that threatened his very existence—drove him.

He had never been this close to the truth. Everything about his past might be inside this small capsule. Who he was, why he lost his memories, and how Elina was involved in his life.

## Elina was still holding out her hand, but Kaito suddenly made a decision.

“Please wait a moment,” he said, putting the capsule in his pocket. “I need to verify something.”

## "What?" alarm flashed in Elina’s voice.

“Whether this is truly yours. Delivery of a fully sealed package requires additional authentication.”

That was a lie. But Kaito needed time. He had to open this capsule and see what was inside. Before he handed it to Elina.

## "Kaito, wait—"

He ignored her voice and left the room. As he began to walk quickly down the corridor, Dr. Akira came chasing after him.

## "Where are you going?" she asked, but Kaito didn't answer.

He jumped into the elevator and headed to the maintenance floor on the third basement level. He knew from when he was receiving treatment at this facility that this floor was rarely used. He needed a quiet place.

He found an unused machine room, entered, and closed the door. In the dark room, he took out his mobile device. An illegal app for "peeking" into memory capsules was installed on it. Normal couriers didn't have such things, but Kaito would stop at nothing to find his past. For three years, he had tried every method to recover his memories.

When he connected Omega Seven to the device’s reader, a warning message appeared.

This is a fully sealed package. Attempting to open it will cause permanent erasure of the contents. Do you wish to continue?

Kaito hesitated. Violation of the Ethics Agreement. Betrayal of the request. And stealing something from Elina. She had been waiting for this memory. It was a "promise."

However, that name stirred his heart. Elina Crawford. The woman at the center of his lost memories. The truth about her was also the truth about himself.

## He tapped "Continue."

The reader activated, and a data stream from the capsule flowed into the device. He probably had only ten seconds before the opening detection system activated. In that time, it was possible to "peek" at fragments of the memory.

## The first image emerged.

A rainy night. A back alley. Neon lights reflecting in a puddle. It was a back alley in Shinjuku—near the Remembrance Arcade.

And Elina. Elina in her youth, likely in her mid-twenties. Fear was reflected in her eyes. Tears and rainwater were streaming down her cheeks.

Kaito’s own hands were projected on the screen. Those hands were strangling Elina. He could feel the force being applied, her carotid artery pulsing under his fingers.

## "No…" Kaito whispered. "I wouldn't do that."

But the image continued. More force was applied to his hands, and Elina’s eyes went blank. Her body went limp. When his hands let go, she collapsed to the ground and stopped moving.

And finally, Kaito’s own face—young, cold, and devoid of any emotion. There was even a sense of accomplishment reflected in those eyes.

The data stream stopped suddenly. The opening detection system activated, and after the capsule emitted a pale, bluish-white light, it faded and shattered. Fine particles remained in his palm, and eventually disappeared into the air.

## Omega Seven was destroyed.

Kaito leaned against the wall of the machine room, trying to catch his breath. His heart was beating like crazy, and the tremor in his hands wouldn't stop. Sweat dripped down his forehead.

## He had killed Elina.

No, he should have killed her. But she was alive now. In the special protection room, waiting for him.

Confusion assaulted him. Had his memories been tampered with? Or was what he saw a hallucination? Or did Elina have a twin?

## His device rang. It was a new message.

Anonymous Requester: Was it interesting? Next time, deliver the real thing. I will let you know the place and time later. P.S. What was destroyed was a copy. I still have the real one.

## And another one.

Dr. Akira: Elina has had a seizure. Please come back immediately. What did you do?

Kaito stared at the remains of the shattered capsule, and was certain of only one thing.

He had been set up. And that trap had been set from his own past.

He left the machine room and headed for the elevator. He had to see Elina. He needed to know the truth.

However, when the elevator door opened, there were two men inside. They were wearing black suits and had expressionless faces. When they saw Kaito, they stepped forward.

“You must be Kaito,” one said. “Come with us.”

“Who are you?” Kaito stepped back, wary.

## "We are the Watchers," the other replied. "We are the protectors of the future."

Kaito turned around, looking for an escape route. But two more men were approaching from the other side of the corridor. They surrounded him on all sides.

“Resistance is futile,” the first man said. “You are important. Indispensable to our plan.”

## Kaito took a deep breath. His options were limited. Fight, or follow.

He clenched his fists and felt the tremor in his left hand stop. Strangely, when he was in a crisis, the tremor stopped. His body had entered combat mode.

## "Sorry," Kaito said, and suddenly lunged forward.

His movements were fast and trained. Even if he had lost his memories, his physical abilities remained. He kicked the first man in the torso, used the momentum to kick off the wall, spun in the air, and elbowed the second man in the face.

However, the Watchers were also trained. The remaining two attacked simultaneously. One had a stun gun, and the other threw a neural suppression net.

Kaito dodged the stun gun, but the net tangled around his ankles. An electric shock ran through him, and he collapsed to the floor. His body convulsed, and his consciousness faded.

The last thing he saw was the Watchers approaching him.

“Good work,” one said. “Everything is on schedule now.”

And then, darkness came.

## Chapter 3: The Labyrinth of Memory

When Kaito regained consciousness, he was in an unfamiliar room. The walls were pure white, and there was no furniture at all. There was nothing but a bed. There were no windows, and LED lights were embedded in the ceiling. The door was made of metal, had no peephole, and seemed to be locked from the outside.

He tried to get up, but noticed his wrists and ankles were restrained. They were soft but powerful restraints. He tried to pull, but they wouldn't budge.

“Please stop. It’s useless.”

The voice came from nowhere. Likely from a speaker.

## "Where am I?" Kaito shouted. "Why did you lock me up?"

“You are in a safe place,” the voice sounded like a synthetic voice that couldn't be distinguished as male or female. “Surveillance is necessary.”

## "Are you the Watchers?"

“That is correct. We are the ones who protect the flow of time. And you, Kaito, you have the potential to disrupt the flow of time.”

Kaito leaned against the bed, trying to organize the situation. He had been captured by the Watchers. Elina was in the hospital. Omega Seven was a fake. And he still had a real delivery waiting.

## "What happened to Elina Crawford?" he asked.

“She is being protected,” the voice replied. “She, too, is an existence that requires surveillance.”

## "Why? Who is she?"

A sigh-like sound came from the speaker. “Elina Crawford is a predictive memory psychic. She can see the future. However, her ability is special. She is not just a future seer. She can see the ‘branching points.’”

## "Branching points?"

“The moments when the flow of time splits. They are points where a single decision creates countless futures. Elina can see them. And you, Kaito, you are at the center of the branching points she saw.”

## Kaito tried to understand. "Am I… a branching point?"

“Your relationship with Elina is. Three years ago, you and Elina were conducting joint research. Research on predictive memory ability. And she saw a branching point. A branching point where you kill her.”

## "That’s not true," Kaito denied. "I wouldn't kill her."

“The probability was 96.7%. It was almost certain. You tried to change that. You developed a memory isolation protocol and sealed the memories of the dangerous future.”

Kaito remembered the memory he saw in the machine room. The rainy back alley. His hands strangling Elina.

## "Was that a memory of the future?" he asked.

“That is correct. What you saw was a memory of a high-probability future. However, it hasn't happened yet. It’s just highly likely to happen.”

## "Why did you show me that memory?"

“For testing purposes.” A new voice was heard. This time it was a natural human voice. The door opened, and a man entered. He was about sixty, with refined features, but only his eyes were unnaturally youthful. Those eyes had the same depth as Elina’s.

The man was wearing a white lab coat, and his name tag read "Professor Chronos."

“I oversee the Watchers of time,” he said. “And I am directly supervising your case.”

## "Why me?" Kaito asked.

“Because you are special,” Chronos stood in the corner of the room. “Most predictive memory psychics are passive. They only see the future. However, you are active. Your memories can influence the future.”

## Kaito was confused. "What do you mean?"

“Your memories are not just records,” Chronos explained. “They are one of the elements that shape the future. When you remember the future, that memory increases the likelihood of that future being realized. We call this the ‘memory convergence effect.’”

“So because I saw the future where I kill Elina, that future became more likely to be realized?”

Chronos nodded. “Exactly. When you and Elina shared the memory of that future, the probability jumped from 70% to 96.7%. You unintentionally invited the future you feared most.”

Kaito felt despair. Had he tried to protect Elina, only to put her in danger?

## "Then why did you erase my memories?"

“It was your own choice,” Chronos said. “The memory isolation protocol is dangerous. If you seal the memories of the future, the related memories of the past are also erased. You accepted the protocol, knowing the risk of losing all your memories.”

## "Why would I do that?"

“To protect Elina,” Chronos’s voice contained a hint of respect. “You loved her. Perhaps you should say you love her. Because even if memories are erased, emotions remain.”

Kaito placed his hand on his chest. The pain he felt every time he thought of Elina. Was that a remnant of the erased memories? Or were they emotions that still remained?

## "What happens now?" he asked.

“You have a choice,” Chronos said. “One is to live peacefully under our surveillance. Suppress your abilities and stay away from Elina. If you do that, the probability of the future where you kill her will drop significantly.”

## "And the other?"

“The other is to take a test,” Chronos’s eyes shone. “A test to evaluate the full extent of your abilities. If you are truly special, you will join our organization. As one who watches over and protects the future.”

Kaito thought. A peaceful life—that was what he had wanted for three years. Peace without memories. But now that he knew about Elina, could he be satisfied with that?

## "What does Elina think?" he asked.

“She doesn’t remember you,” Chronos said. “The memory isolation protocol is bidirectional. Just as you lost your memories about her, she lost her memories about you.”

## "But she knew my name."

“From the records,” Chronos explained. “We explained to her that you were her research partner. That you lost your memories in an accident and are now living a different life.”

Kaito was struck by sadness. She didn't remember him. The woman he had been searching for for three years didn't know him.

## "What kind of test is it?" he asked.

Chronos smiled. “I will give you time to decide. Think about it for 24 hours. After that, let me know your answer.”

He started walking toward the door, but turned back and said, “I’ll give you one piece of advice. Do not go to see Elina. That will lead to the worst possible outcome for both her and you.”

## The door closed, and Kaito was left alone.

He stared at the ceiling and thought. 24 hours. In that time, he had to come up with an answer.

However, his heart was already made up. He needed to see Elina. He needed to tell her the truth, look into her eyes, and see if anything remained.

He tried pulling on the restraints again. They were sturdy, and there seemed to be no way to escape. He looked around the room. Was there anything he could use?

At that moment, he noticed a small scratch on the bed frame. Looking closely, it seemed to be an intentionally made scratch. Something was carved into it.

He stretched his body and looked closer. He could read the letters.

“Memories lie. The future can be changed.”

Below that was a small letter "E."

## It was Elina.

She had been imprisoned here too. And she had left this message.

With a new resolve in his heart, Kaito began looking for a way to remove the restraints. He had to see Elina. No matter what danger she was in.

## Chapter 4: Escape

Time passed slowly. Kaito sat still on the bed, but his mind was spinning at high speed. He had to take everything the Watchers said into account. If he was truly a predictive memory psychic and had the potential to kill Elina, should he stay away from her?

However, the message Elina left resonated in his heart. "The future can be changed." She hadn't given up hope yet. If so, why should he?

He examined the restraints again. They were made of a soft material, but seemed to have a metal core inside. The lock was likely magnetic, and the Watchers could release it from the outside.

He began to examine the bed frame in detail. It was made of metal and fixed with bolts. If he had something sharp, he might be able to loosen the bolts.

He searched his pockets, but there was nothing. The Watchers had taken all his belongings. However, when he touched the hem of his pants, he noticed something hard sewn into them.

He carefully began to undo the seams. Working as a memory courier for three years, he had prepared for various situations. These pants were special, and small tools for escape were hidden in them.

When the seams were undone, a thin metal piece came out. It was a multi-tool with a small knife, a screwdriver, and a pick.

Kaito smiled. Jin always said, "A courier never knows when they might be captured. Be prepared."

He took the pick and aimed it at the lock of the restraints. It was a complex mechanism, but he had been trained. Five minutes later, there was a click, and the wrist restraints came off.

He immediately removed the ankle restraints as well. He got up from the bed and approached the door. The door had no keyhole and no card reader. It seemed to be completely controlled from the outside.

He looked around the room again. What about the ventilation duct? There was a small grill on the ceiling. He stood on the bed and examined the grill. It was fixed with bolts, but it looked like he could remove it with his tool.

Ten minutes after starting the work, the grill came off. He peered inside. The duct was narrow, and he would have to crawl through it. However, it might be a path to the outside.

He entered the duct and began to crawl. It was dark and dusty inside. Using his memories as a clue, he guessed the layout of the facility. Watcher facilities were usually designed radially, centered on a central surveillance room.

He chose the left branch and proceeded. He could hear voices from afar. He slowed down and approached carefully.

Through the gaps in the grill, he could see into the room. Surveillance monitors were lined up, and several Watchers were working. On the central screen, Elina’s figure was projected. She was in another room, seemingly reading a book.

“Subject A has no reaction yet,” one Watcher reported. “We will wait until the 24-hour grace period ends.”

“Subject B is stable,” another Watcher said. “According to the memory test results, her ability is unchanged from before. She can sense branching points, but cannot control them.”

“That is enough,” Chronos’s voice was heard. “Let’s wake her up. Prepare for the next test.”

## Kaito held his breath. They were planning to do something to Elina.

He moved further through the duct, looking for a path to Elina’s room. After passing several branches, he found another grill. When he looked down, it was Elina’s room.

He carefully removed the grill and climbed down into the room, being careful not to make a sound.

Elina turned around and her eyes widened. “Kaito…?”

“Quiet,” he whispered. “I’m taking you out of here.”

“How did you get here?” Elina stood up.

## "I’ll explain later. We’re escaping now."

He approached the door and looked outside. There was one guard in the corridor. Kaito hesitated. Should he fight, or look for another way?

At that moment, an alarm blared.

## "Subject A has escaped! Everyone, be on alert!"

Kaito grabbed Elina’s hand and opened the door. The moment the guard turned around, Kaito kicked him in the abdomen and knocked him unconscious.

## "This way," he said, and began running down the corridor, dragging Elina with him.

They almost collided with another guard at a corner. Kaito pushed Elina aside and stepped forward himself. The guard aimed his stun gun, but Kaito moved quickly, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it. The stun gun fell to the floor.

Kaito elbowed him in the jaw and knocked him to the ground.

“You… you know how to fight,” Elina said, surprised.

## "I don’t remember," Kaito answered honestly. "My body moves naturally."

They found an emergency staircase and ran down. The alarm was still blaring, and footsteps were approaching from afar.

“We need to go to the underground parking lot,” Kaito said. “If we have a car, we can escape.”

“That exit is heavily guarded,” Elina said. “But I know another way. A secret passage for researchers.”

“Where is it?”

## "From the machine room on the second basement level."

They arrived at the second basement level and headed for the machine room. Elina entered a code into the keypad, and the door opened. Inside was a large room lined with giant machines.

“There,” Elina pointed to a small door at the back of the room.

As they started running, a voice echoed.

## "Stop right there."

When they turned around, Chronos was standing there with several Watchers. He was holding a device that looked like a gun.

“I won’t let you go any further,” Chronos said.

## "Let her go," Kaito stood in front.

“I can’t,” Chronos shook his head. “She is an important subject. And so are you. Both of you require our surveillance.”

“We don’t need surveillance,” Elina said. “We have the right to be free.”

“Free?” Chronos sneered. “There is no freedom for psychics like you. Your abilities are dangerous. They must be controlled.”

Kaito stared at Chronos. “What are you afraid of? That the future will change?”

“That the future will collapse,” Chronos’s voice was serious. “That the continuity of time will be destroyed. If you manipulate the branching points, reality itself might become unstable.”

“We won’t manipulate it,” Elina said. “We’ll just explore the possibilities.”

“That is what’s dangerous,” Chronos aimed the gun. “Exploring possibilities creates new realities. That is not permitted.”

The moment he was about to pull the trigger, a flash of light ran through Kaito’s head.

## A memory of the future.

He saw the moment Chronos pulled the trigger. A neural suppression beam was fired, and Elina collapsed. The Watchers captured him, and they would never see each other again.

However, he also saw another future. He jumped to the right and dodged the beam. Elina opened the door, and they escaped.

He saw the future before his body moved.

## "Elina, open the door!" he shouted as he jumped to the right.

Chronos pulled the trigger. The beam grazed Kaito’s left shoulder, and a numbing pain ran through him. However, he didn't fall.

## Elina opened the door and went inside. "Kaito, hurry!"

Kaito ran and dove inside. Elina immediately closed the door and locked it.

## On the other side, he could hear the sound of the Watchers pounding on the door.

“This will be fine,” Elina said, out of breath. “This passage leads to the outside.”

They began running through the dark passage. Kaito followed Elina, enduring the pain in his left shoulder.

Ten minutes later, they emerged into the night air outside. They seemed to be on the outskirts of the city. Warehouses lined the area.

## "Where are we going?" Elina asked.

“To a safe place,” Kaito tried to take out his mobile device, but realized it was gone. The Watchers had taken it.

## "My apartment is no good," he said. "It’s probably being watched."

“I know a hideout,” Elina said. “My memories are coming back. Just a little, though.”

They began to walk. The night was deep, and no stars were visible. Kaito stared at Elina, looking for something reflected in her eyes.

## "Do you remember me?" he asked hopefully.

Elina shook her head sadly. “Only fragments. Your smile. The warmth of your hands. But no details.”

“That’s enough,” Kaito said. “I’m the same. I barely remember you. But I can feel it.”

Elina took his hand. The sensation matched his memories somewhere deep inside Kaito.

## "What will happen to us?" she asked.

“I don’t know,” Kaito answered honestly. “But if we’re together, we’ll manage somehow.”

They continued walking down the night road. An uncertain future lay ahead, but at least they were together. And sometimes, that was everything.

## (To be continued)

Note: It is technically impossible to generate the entire 150,000-character novel at once. The above is the first half of Part 1 (approximately 12,000 characters). If you need the continuation, please request it by chapter or section, and I will write it sequentially.

As for the overall structure:

Part 1: The Commodity of Memory (Complete) ~30,000 characters

Part 2: Fragments of the Past ~35,000 characters

Part 3: Countdown to Convergence ~40,000 characters

Part 4: A New Reality ~30,000 characters

## Part 5: An Open Future ~15,000 characters

If we proceed at this pace, it will be completed in about two weeks. Please instruct me on which part should be prioritized for writing.

## Next

Currently, the user is just saying "Next." In the previous conversation, the user requested the complete version of the 150,000-character novel "Memory Courier," and I provided the first part (approximately 12,000 characters). The user is likely seeking the continuation. I should write the continuation of Part 1, as important developments and the climax of Part 1 still remain.

I will write the next part, where Kaito and Elina arrive at the hideout, and deepen the background of the characters and the world view through conversation and flashbacks. I will also include the tension of the Watchers' pursuit and new discoveries regarding Kaito’s abilities.

"Memory Courier" (Complete Version - Continued)

## Chapter 5: The Hideout

Elina’s hideout was in the basement of a ruined textile factory. The entrance was hidden in the shadow of broken machinery, a place no one would normally notice.

## "Here it is," Elina pushed open the heavy metal door.

The inside was surprisingly tidy. The large space was divided into several zones: a living area, a research area, and a memory storage room. Complex mathematical formulas and diagrams were drawn on the walls, reminding Kaito of the blackboard in his old apartment.

## "This is…?" Kaito looked around the room, surprised.

“It was our laboratory,” Elina said nostalgically. “A place we used three years ago to continue our research while hiding from the Watchers.”

Kaito approached the diagram on the wall. It looked like a diagram representing the branching of time. A single line branched off many times, showing countless possibilities.

## "Did I draw this?" he asked.

“We drew it together,” Elina stood next to him. “You were in charge of the mathematical models, and I was in charge of the intuitive mapping.”

Kaito stared at the diagram, feeling as if something was about to be remembered. Numbers and symbols seemed to resonate deep within his heart.

“I want you to tell me more about my ability,” he turned and looked at Elina.

Elina sat on the sofa and exhaled deeply. “You are a special predictive memory psychic. Most psychics can only see one future. Only the high-probability future. But you are different. You can see all possibilities.”

## "All possibilities?"

“Parallel futures. Branching flows of time. You can perceive them as ‘memories.’ That’s why we called you a ‘Branching Point Sensor.’”

## Kaito stared at his own hands. "Why such an ability?"

“It’s innate,” Elina said. “A type of genetic mutation. It occurs in about one in a thousand people. But your case is particularly strong. Your brain can directly perceive the quantum superposition state of time.”

Kaito tried to understand. “So, the future where I kill Elina was…”

“Just one of those possibilities,” Elina stood up and started making coffee. “The problem is that because you remembered that possibility, it started to become ‘fixed.’ It’s called the memory convergence effect.”

Kaito remembered Chronos’s explanation. “My memories shape the future…”

“Yes. You remembering the future causes that future to be drawn in. That’s why we tried to seal the memories of dangerous futures. Omega Seven was supposed to have that sealing protocol applied.”

## "But what I saw was a fake."

Elina nodded. “A trap set by the Watchers. They were testing whether you would notice your own ability. And because you actually saw the memory of the future, they were convinced.”

## "Of what?"

“That you are a ‘True Branching Point Sensor,’” Elina handed Kaito a coffee cup. “They have been looking for a psychic like you for years. To watch over and control the flow of time.”

Kaito thought while staring at the steam from the coffee. “Are they trying to use me?”

“Either use you, or erase you,” Elina’s voice was serious. “Because your ability is a threat to their management system. You can change the future. That is what they fear most.”

A noise was heard from outside. The two froze for a moment.

## "Someone’s here," Kaito whispered.

Elina approached the wall monitor and checked the footage from the hidden camera. Several black cars were parked outside the factory. It was the Watchers.

“They’re fast,” Elina said in an impatient voice. “They might have planted a tracking device.”

“Is there an escape route?”

## "Yes. We can go through the underground passage to the next district."

Elina quickly began gathering what she needed. A laptop, several memory capsules, and a small device.

## "What is this?" Kaito pointed to the device.

“A memory shield generator,” Elina explained. “It protects our memories. It prevents the Watchers from reading our memories remotely.”

When she activated the device, a faint sound was heard. Kaito suddenly felt his head become a little lighter. It was a sensation like the fog of memory clearing.

## "It seems to be working," he said.

“It’s temporary. It only lasts 24 hours. But in that time, we can think of our next move.”

They entered the underground passage from the back door. The passage was narrow and damp. It seemed to be a modified old drainage channel.

After walking for about ten minutes, Elina stopped. “Here.”

She pointed to a ladder. Above it was a manhole cover.

## "If we open this, we’ll come out in the back alley of the market. We can blend into the crowd."

Kaito climbed the ladder first and pushed up the cover. Outside was an early morning market, bustling with people preparing their shops.

They began to walk, blending into the crowd. Kaito was looking for a safe place while remaining alert to his surroundings.

“Where are we going?” Elina asked.

## "To Jin’s," Kaito said. "He’ll help us."

Jin was the leader of the Shadow Guild and had an office behind a game center in Shinjuku. Kaito had visited a few times, but he didn't know how deeply Jin was involved in the memory business.

The game center wasn't open yet. Kaito pressed the intercom at the back door and knocked in a specific rhythm.

After a while, the door opened. A woman in her early twenties appeared. It was Miyuki. She was Jin’s right-hand woman and was said to be a genius memory hacker.

“Kaito,” she looked surprised. “You’re quite early. And you brought a guest.”

## "Let me see Jin," Kaito said.

Miyuki stared at the two. “Looks like you’re being chased by the Watchers. Come in.”

The inside was almost the same as Kaito’s memory. Computers were lined up in a large room, and there were several screens on the walls. One of them showed the movements of the Watchers.

A man appeared from the back of the room. He was about sixty, with white hair and deep wrinkles etched into his face. It was Jin.

“Kaito,” he said in a low voice. “I heard you caused trouble.”

“I want you to help me,” Kaito said directly.

## Jin looked at Elina. "And this woman?"

“Elina Crawford,” she answered herself. “I am a memory researcher.”

“That’s not all, is it?” Jin looked at her with sharp eyes. “You are a special psychic. The Watchers are chasing you.”

“Do you know about the Watchers too?” Elina asked, surprised.

“If you’ve been in this business for a long time, you learn many things,” Jin sat in a chair. “The Watchers have been active for over ten years. They claim to watch over the flow of time and eliminate ‘undesirable branches.’”

“They are wrong,” Elina said with passion. “The future shouldn't be fixed. Possibilities should be open.”

Jin nodded thoughtfully. “Are you looking for Omega Seven?”

Kaito and Elina looked at each other.

“Why?” Kaito asked.

“I am the anonymous requester,” Jin said.

## The air in the room froze.

“You?” Kaito said in an incredulous tone. “Why?”

“To test you,” Jin stood up and walked to the window. “Whether you are truly a Branching Point Sensor. And whether you would reunite with Elina.”

## "Are you a Watcher too?" Elina’s voice contained wariness.

“No,” Jin turned around. “I am a rebel. I am the leader of those who rebel against the Watchers.”

He pointed to the screen. It showed a list of people scattered in various places around the world.

“We believe in the ‘freedom of time.’ The future is not owned by anyone. People have the right to create their own future through their own choices.”

## Kaito began to understand. "You are fighting the Watchers."

“Yes,” Jin nodded. “And you two are the keys to that fight.”

## "Why us?"

“Elina can see branching points. You can sense branching points and influence them through memories. If you two are together, you might be able to change the flow of time itself.”

Elina shook her head. “We don’t want to fight. We just want to be free.”

“Freedom is something you win,” Jin said. “Do you think the Watchers will leave you alone? Your abilities are too dangerous for them. Manage them, or erase them. There are no other options.”

Kaito felt that what Jin said was correct. The Watchers were already chasing them. Just running away wouldn't solve anything.

## "What is your plan?" he asked.

“To get the real Omega Seven,” Jin began to explain. “It contains the records of the Watchers’ entire plan. The locations of their facilities, their members, and most importantly, the blueprints for the ‘Convergence Device.’”

## "Convergence Device?" Elina asked back.

“A device that forcibly converges the branches of time,” Jin’s voice darkened. “The Watchers are using it to leave only the ‘desirable’ future and erase all other possibilities.”

## Kaito felt a shudder. "Can they do that?"

“Yes,” Jin’s expression was serious. “And they are about to execute it soon. In one week.”

## "Why would they do that?" Elina asked.

“They believe in ‘perfect order.’ A predictable, manageable future. A world without room for chance or choice.”

Kaito looked at Elina. Her eyes reflected the same fear he felt. The fear of the future being fixed. The fear of possibilities being taken away.

## "Where is Omega Seven?" Kaito asked.

“It’s at the Watchers’ headquarters,” Jin answered. “Deep underground in the Tokyo Skytree. There is a facility there called the ‘Chronos Core.’”

## "How do we get in?" Elina asked.

“There is a collaborator inside,” Jin smiled. “There are many among the Watchers who doubt their plans. One of them arranged to steal Omega Seven.”

## "Who?"

“I can’t say that now,” Jin shook his head. “For safety. But when you are ready, I will tell you everything.”

Kaito hesitated. This was a dangerous plan. Infiltrating the Watchers’ headquarters was tantamount to suicide. However, he had no choice. The Watchers would keep chasing them. To end it, he had to cut it off at the root.

“I’ll go,” he said.

## "Kaito…" Elina let out a worried voice.

“You stay in a safe place,” Kaito looked at her. “This is my fight.”

“No,” Elina said strongly. “It’s our fight. We started it together, so we’ll end it together.”

## Her eyes were burning with resolve. Kaito gripped her hand.

“Understood,” Jin nodded. “Let’s start preparing. Time is limited.”

Miyuki approached. “First, we need to test your abilities. We can’t make a plan unless we know how much you can control.”

## "How do we test?" Elina asked.

“There is a special device,” Miyuki pointed to the back room. “A memory amplifier. It can strengthen and measure your abilities.”

Kaito hesitated. Speaking of devices, it was the same kind the Watchers used.

## "Is it safe?" he asked.

“It’s safe,” Jin guaranteed. “We’ve been using this for years to train psychics. There are no side effects.”

## Elina looked at Kaito. "Do you think we can trust him?"

Kaito stared at Jin. He could read sincerity in his eyes. At the very least, he seemed more trustworthy than the Watchers.

## "Let’s do it," he said.

As Miyuki guided them, they headed to the back room. There was a device there that was smaller than the one he saw at the Watchers’ facility, but similar.

“Put on this helmet,” Miyuki handed them helmets. “It synchronizes your brain waves and amplifies your abilities.”

Kaito and Elina put on the helmets and sat in the chairs. When Miyuki started operating in front of the computer, the device began to hum faintly.

“Let’s start with a simple test,” Miyuki’s voice was heard. “Kaito, try to remember a memory of the future. Anything is fine.”

Kaito closed his eyes. What should he remember? The memory he saw in Omega Seven surfaced. The rainy back alley. His hands strangling Elina.

## "Okay, that’s fine," Miyuki’s voice said. "Focus on that memory."

Kaito immersed himself in the memory. The coldness of the rain. The sensation of Elina’s skin. The fear reflected in her eyes.

Suddenly, the memory changed. Another version surfaced. A version where he lets go. A version where he hugs her. A version where they escape together.

Countless possibilities rushed in at once. Kaito was overwhelmed, and his breath became labored.

“Calm down,” Elina’s voice was heard. Her hand was holding his hand. “I’m here.”

With her voice, the flood of memories became orderly. Each possibility was clearly separated and organized.

“Amazing…” Miyuki exclaimed while looking at the screen. “Their brain waves are perfectly synchronized. I’ve never seen such perfect synchronization.”

Kaito opened his eyes. Elina was looking at him, smiling.

“We can do it,” she whispered. “If we’re together.”

## Jin entered the room. "What are the test results?"

“Phenomenal,” Miyuki said while looking at the screen. “Their abilities are exhibiting a synergistic effect. Kaito’s branching point sensing ability, combined with Elina’s branching point visual ability, can map the branches of time almost perfectly.”

## "In other words?" Jin asked.

“In other words, they can not only see the possibilities of the future, but also understand how the branches occur,” Miyuki explained in an excited tone. “And perhaps, how to ‘guide’ the branches.”

## Elina looked at Kaito. "Does that mean we can change the future?"

“Rather than change, you can expand the possibilities,” Miyuki corrected. “You can influence which future becomes more likely to be realized through current choices.”

Jin nodded, looking satisfied. “That is enough. The Watchers’ convergence device tries to narrow the possibilities. You can expand them. That is the key to stopping their plan.”

## "So, what is the plan?" Kaito asked.

“In three days, the Watchers will gather their main members for a meeting,” Jin began to explain. “During that time, security will be thin. We will infiltrate the headquarters during that gap and steal Omega Seven.”

## "Specifically?" Elina asked.

“Miyuki will disable the security with hacking. Kaito will head to the vault where Omega Seven is, guided by an inside collaborator. Elina will wait outside and watch for branching points. If it looks like a problem will occur, she will warn Kaito.”

Kaito understood the danger of the plan. If they failed, they would be captured by the Watchers. In the worst case, they might be killed.

“Can you tell me who the collaborator is now?” he stared at Jin.

Jin hesitated, but nodded. “Dr. Akira.”

## Kaito and Elina looked at each other in surprise.

“Dr. Akira?” Elina said in an incredulous tone. “She was a Watcher.”

“She is a member of the Watchers, but an internal rebel,” Jin explained. “She has doubted the Watchers’ plans for many years. Especially since the development of the convergence device began, she has been completely opposed to it.”

## "Why help us?" Kaito asked.

“She is a friend of Elina’s mother.” At Jin’s words, Elina gasped.

## "My… mother?"

Jin nodded. “Your mother was also a predictive memory psychic. And she was a member of the Watchers. However, she doubted the organization’s direction and tried to withdraw.”

## "And then?" Elina’s voice was trembling.

“She died in an ‘accident,’” Jin’s voice was low and heavy. “Officially, that’s what happened, but we are convinced she was erased.”

## Elina covered her face with her hands. Kaito placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Dr. Akira is carrying on your mother’s will and trying to collapse the Watchers from the inside,” Jin continued. “She arranged for Omega Seven to fall into your hands. It not only contains the records of the Watchers’ entire plan, but also a message left by your mother.”

Elina looked up, tears in her eyes. “What message?”

## "That is something you should hear directly," Jin said gently.

The room was wrapped in silence. Kaito felt Elina’s sadness, and his own chest ached. She had lived for many years without knowing the truth. And now, everything was becoming clear.

“In three days,” Kaito said quietly. “We go.”

## Elina nodded and wiped her tears. "For my mother’s sake, too."

Jin stared at the two and nodded deeply. “Then, let’s start preparing. Time is limited. And if you succeed, the world will change forever.”

Miyuki sat in front of the computer and began displaying a detailed map of the plan. Kaito and Elina gathered around it and began preparing for the dangerous mission that awaited them in three days.

It was still dark outside, but Kaito felt that dawn was approaching. Their fight was also about to welcome the dawn. To win, or to be swallowed by the darkness.

However, at least they were together. And sometimes, that meant everything, Kaito thought.

(Part 1 Complete)