Chapter 3-Beep, Beep, Beep
Masato’s world is quietly unraveling. A brief encounter in the park triggers memories he thought were long buried, and the persistent, haunting beeping of a life-support machine begins echoing in his mind. As he struggles to make sense of his emotions and the strange ringing in his ears, he’s forced to confront the lingering shadows of his past. Between family tensions and a tentative new connection at Maboroshi 24/7, Masato finds himself standing at the edge of change. Who is this mysterious girl, and what role will she play in a life that seems both fragile and full of unexpected possibilities?
Chapter 3-Beep, Beep, Beep
After the girl left the park, Masato stood there for a moment, irritated.
“What kind of stupid joke was that?” he muttered under his breath. “If she didn’t want to tell me her name, she could’ve just said so. There was no need for that.”
He let out a frustrated sigh.
“This isn’t some romantic novel,” he said to himself. “It’s not like she’s suddenly going to turn out to be my childhood love or my long-lost friend. That only happens in fiction.”
He ran a hand through his hair.
“I’ve barely talked to more than three or four girls in my entire life… and somehow I already know her? That makes no sense. And if I really had known someone that beautiful before, there’s no way I would’ve forgotten her face.”
The thought only made him more restless.
Annoyed and confused, Masato began limping slowly toward home.
A little while later, he reached his house. Just as he was about to knock, he heard voices from inside.
Yuriko Hayakawa (his stepmother):
“Kazuo, did you find any part-time job for Masato yet? Boys his age have already started paying for their own expenses.”
Kazuo Hayakawa (his father):
“When do I even have the time? He should be trying to do something for his own future. It’s not like he’s good at studies and will land a company job when he turns eighteen or twenty. He’s not good at sports either. When he was younger, he used to write some novels or whatever… but he quit that too. Now he doesn’t seem interested in anything. He’s always lost in himself. He probably thinks I’m always scolding him… but he doesn’t know how much I worry about him.”
Masato stood there silently for a second.
Then he knocked.
“Mom, open the door.”
His stepmother opened it and frowned slightly.
“Where were you until now? Stop wandering around uselessly and start thinking about your future.”
Masato said nothing.
He simply walked inside.
Yuriko and Kazuo assumed he hadn’t heard their conversation — and even if he had, what difference would it make?
Masato entered his room.
In his hand, he was holding a notebook.
On its cover were the words:
“A Glimpse of You.”
It was the novel he had once written.
As he stared at the title, two drops of tears fell from his eyes onto the notebook.
Flashback
“Mom… Mom…”
A younger Masato stood beside a hospital bed, crying.
“I grew up writing this for you. You’re going to read my novel, right? You have to get better…”
Two hospital staff members rushed in.
“Take the child aside. The patient needs to be moved to the ICU. It’s an emergency.”
His father grabbed him from behind, holding him tightly as Masato struggled and screamed—
“Mom! Mom!”
Present
The moment those memories returned, a sharp pain shot through Masato’s head.
He clutched his head and slowly sank to the floor.
And then—
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
The sound of a life-support machine echoed loudly in his mind.
Masato began to writhe in pain, as if he deeply hated that sound.
“No… I hate this sound. I hate it.”
He crawled toward the corner of his room and sat there, curling into himself, trying to calm down.
For a few long moments, the beeping continued—
Beep. Beep.
Then, gradually…
It faded away.
Silence filled the room again.
The Next Day — Hospital Examination Room
Masato sat on the edge of the examination bed, his back straight but tense.
The faint ringing in his ears hadn’t stopped since last night.
Masato:
“Doctor… do you know what’s wrong with me?”
“My ears keep ringing. It won’t go away.”
The doctor adjusted his glasses and picked up a small penlight.
Doctor:
“Alright. Let me take a look first.”
He gently examined Masato’s ears, shining the light inside and checking both sides carefully.
After a few moments, he straightened up.
Doctor:
“Your ears look perfectly fine. No inflammation, no damage.”
Masato frowned slightly.
Masato:
“Then why am I hearing this sound?”
The doctor paused, choosing his words carefully.
Doctor:
“It may not be an issue with your ears at all.”
“There’s a possibility that the problem is neurological.”
Masato’s fingers tightened.
Masato:
“…You mean my brain?”
Doctor:
“Yes. Sometimes internal head trauma doesn’t show obvious symptoms right away.”
“I’d recommend getting an MRI scan to be sure.”
Masato shook his head slowly.
Masato:
“But after my accident, I had a full-body checkup.”
“They did a brain scan too. Everything was normal.”
Doctor:
“Could you show me those reports?”
Masato handed him the documents.
The doctor studied them carefully, flipping through each page.
After a moment, he nodded.
Doctor:
“These results are completely normal.”
“There’s no sign of structural damage to your brain.”
Masato let out a quiet breath—but his confusion deepened.
Masato:
“Then… what’s causing it?”
The doctor leaned back slightly.
Doctor:
“To be honest, this doesn’t seem like a physical condition.”
Masato looked up.
Masato:
“…Then what is it?”
Doctor:
“It appears to be psychological.”
The word settled heavily in the room.
Masato:
“Psychological…?”
Doctor:
“Yes.”
“Something related to emotional stress or past trauma.”
He studied Masato’s expression closely.
Doctor:
“Let me ask you—had you ever heard this ringing sound before yesterday?”
Masato thought carefully.
Masato:
“No. Never.”
The doctor nodded slowly.
Doctor:
“Then it’s likely this sound is connected to a suppressed memory.”
“Some trauma from your past that was recently triggered.”
Masato’s chest tightened.
Fragments of memory surfaced in his mind—
The girl’s voice.
Her words about dreams.
How those words mirrored his mother’s voice.
His fingers trembled slightly.
Doctor:
“It seems something you experienced recently reopened that memory.”
“Your mind is reacting before you can consciously process it.”
Masato swallowed.
Masato:
“…So that’s why it started now.”
Doctor:
“For the time being, I suggest you don’t force yourself to recall those memories.”
“At least not alone.”
He softened his tone.
Doctor:
“If the ringing continues…”
“Or if you experience headaches, panic attacks, or emotional distress—”
“Please consult a clinical psychologist.”
Masato nodded faintly.
Masato:
“…I understand.”
As he stood up to leave, the ringing echoed faintly in his ears again.
Not loud.
But persistent.
And for the first time, Masato realized—
This sound wasn’t random.
It was his past, calling out to him.
Some time later…
Masato: “Sir, could I possibly get a part-time job at this store? Sir, could I work here part-time?”
Masato spent the whole day trying to start a part-time job, but everywhere he went, people looked at the condition of his leg and told him to come back in two or three weeks. But Masato had already decided—he wanted to start immediately and wouldn’t go home. He intended to spend most of his time outside anyway.
Masato’s inner thought:
"I don’t want to be a burden on Mom and Dad… after what happened yesterday between them… Maybe they don’t even realize I heard everything. I just don’t want to be any more trouble."
After asking around a few places, Masato found himself standing in front of a store, staring up at the sign glowing softly in neon lights:
Maboroshi 24/7
Masato thought:
"Maybe I can get a part-time job here…"
He stepped inside.
“Hello, sir. Welcome to Maboroshi 24/7! How can I help you today?” asked a girl working at the store.
“May I speak with the owner, please?” Masato asked.
“Sure, I’ll check. Please wait a moment,” she replied, disappearing inside. A few minutes later, she returned. “He’s ready to see you. Please come in.”
Masato entered.
“Tell me, what did you want to talk about?” the owner asked.
Masato bowed slightly. “Sir, could I possibly work at this store part-time?”
The owner paused thoughtfully. “Hmm… our cash counter is currently empty. If you want, you can start working there. The store is new, so we don’t have many employees yet. It’s been putting some pressure on the girl here at the counter… so I’ve been looking for someone new. Yes, you can join.”
Masato: “Could I start immediately? I’m a student, so I’ll mostly take night shifts.”
Owner: “Alright. Go with the girl, she’ll show you around the store. This will be your job from now on.”
As Masato started to leave, he hesitated for a moment. “One more thing… if you don’t mind… may I stay here at the store?”
The owner thought for a moment. “Okay… get permission from your family first. You can stay—not in the store itself, but in my old apartment upstairs. It’s vacant. Alright?”
Masato nodded. “Okay, I’ll call my mom and tell her everything.”
He picked up his phone and explained everything to his mother.
“Alright,” she said calmly.
Phone clicked.
Masato’s inner thought:
"They must be happy now… the burden on them is finally lifted."
He stood there for a moment,.
After some moment-Masato: “Can I… know your name?”
Girl: “My name is Akia Hosizora.”
Masato: “Alright, Hosizora. I hope we can work well together from now on.”
“By the way, you can just call me Akia.”
Akia: “And your name?”
Masato: “Masato Hayakawa. You can call me Masato.”
They talked for a while, sharing small stories and laughs.
Akia: “Which high school do you go to?”
Masato: “Minazuki High School, second year.”
Akia: “Second year… that means I’m a year younger than you. I’m at Takamine High School, first year.”
They continued chatting casually. After a short while…
Akia: “Hey, could you watch over the store for a bit? I’ll be back after going to the birthroom.”
Masato: “Sure.”
Akia left, and Masato got busy with his phone.
Masato (thinking): “It’s already 7:35… I’ll take a little walk outside and wait for Akia to return.”
Suddenly, a voice called out:
Voice: “Excuse me, sir… could you help me a little?”
Masato froze, his heart skipping a beat.
That voice… it’s not hers. It can’t be…
Thank you for reading this chapter.
I hope you could feel Masato’s pain, his hope, and the little sparks of change in his life.
Every moment, no matter how small, matters in his journey.
Your support and thoughts truly mean a lot.
— The Author
Next chapter will arrive next Wednesday — Chapter 4.
