It started small.
Then it didn't stop.
People repeated sentences.
Birds flew the same path.
Wind changed direction—
then reversed—
then corrected itself.
Reality wasn't stable anymore.
Kashikari stood in the middle of the village.
Watching.
Listening.
Analyzing.
— Jinwi.
"…Yes."
— Tell me this isn't real.
A pause.
"…I cannot confirm that."
That was enough.
Suddenly—
A child ran past him.
Tripped.
Fell.
Stood up.
Ran again.
Tripped.
Fell.
Same movement.
Same timing.
Again.
And again.
Kashikari grabbed the kid's arm.
— Stop.
The child froze.
Looked up.
Smiled.
— Stop.
Same word.
Same tone.
Repeated.
Kashikari let go slowly.
The kid walked away.
Perfectly normal again.
— …This is wrong.
"…Confirmed."
Later—
Nyari found him.
— Kai, everyone's saying you're acting strange.
Kashikari turned.
— Do you not see it?
— See what?
— Everything.
— It's repeating.
— It's breaking.
Nyari hesitated.
— Kai…
— Nothing is broken.
Kashikari stared at her.
Long.
Hard.
— Say my name.
Nyari blinked.
— Kai—
— Full name.
Pause.
A glitch.
Barely visible.
Then:
— Kashikari… Hyuga.
But her voice lagged.
Just a fraction.
Kashikari's eyes darkened.
— Jinwi…
"…Yes."
— She's not seeing it.
"…Correct."
That night—
The sky cracked wider.
Not visually.
But… conceptually.
Kashikari whispered:
— This isn't a world anymore…
Jinwi replied:
"…It's a system."