Chapter Fifty-One: Five Years Ago

Su Mo stood utterly bewildered.
Twice bewildered.
Thrice bewildered.
His thoughts stalled the moment he witnessed the scene before him, especially when he saw Origami Tobiichi sitting dazedly on the ground, staring blankly at her collapsed home. That feeling of guilt and heartache swept over him, chilling him despite the summer heat.
The next second—
Aaaahhh—
Su Mo let out a cry of despair, venting his emotions as if at the brink of collapse. Why did it have to turn out like this? Was the world mocking him? He had traveled back five years solely to save Kotori and Origami. He had managed, with great effort, to prevent Kotori from becoming a Spirit, but Origami’s parents still died.
And this time, they didn’t die at Origami’s hands, nor in the Great Fire of Tenguu City—the killer of Origami’s parents turned out to be Su Mo himself.
Though it wasn’t his intention, Origami’s parents were indeed slain by his sword’s energy. He had meant to strike at the Phantom, but the Phantom, who had never retaliated before, unexpectedly reflected the sword energy, which, in cruel irony, landed right on Origami’s home. In that instant, Su Mo felt the malice of the world.
He couldn’t imagine returning to five years later, to face Origami—who had long pursued her parents’ murderer and would discover it was Su Mo. How could he ever confront her?
Especially when he saw Origami’s helpless expression below, Su Mo could no longer contain himself.
He raised his sword and shouted at the Phantom, “Mio, get out of my way right now, or I swear, even if it costs me my life, I’ll fight you to the end today!”
With deadly resolve, Su Mo’s eyes burned red as he stared down the Phantom.
He had lost all patience, even calling out her true identity. The effect was immediate.
The Phantom showed no surprise at her identity being exposed, but when she saw Su Mo’s desperate expression, her body visibly trembled.
Perhaps shaken by Su Mo’s determination, the Phantom, for once, halted.
Su Mo no longer cared about her. He rushed toward Origami, stowing away the throne and Summer Pavilion sword. He glanced at the collapsed apartment; with the destruction, the chance that Origami’s parents had survived was nearly zero.
Origami still sat on the ground, but the neighboring buildings, shaken by the sword’s impact, now teetered precariously.
One nearby structure gave a groan, unable to bear the strain, and, like a wall collapsing, a massive chunk of debris fell toward Origami.
Su Mo’s gaze sharpened. He rushed forward and scooped Origami into his arms, rolling across the ground several times, narrowly escaping disaster.

The house behind them collapsed completely, and only then did Su Mo turn his attention to Origami. Compared to her five-years-later self, the present Origami seemed especially petite: short silver hair, clad in a grade school uniform, as adorably delicate as a porcelain doll.
Yet this porcelain doll remained immersed in the tragic grief of her parents’ death.
“Dad, Mom!”
Origami murmured in pain, repeating the words over and over.
Seeing this, Su Mo’s heart ached even more. He held her tightly and said, full of remorse, “I’m sorry, Origami. This is all my fault. I never expected things to turn out like this. Originally… I was planning…”
Before Su Mo could finish, Origami in his arms gently raised her head and asked, “Who are you?”
Held by a stranger, Origami did not resist. Though she was drowning in grief, she knew this older boy had just saved her from being crushed by the collapsing building, so she calmly asked her question.
“My name is Su Mo Itsuka!”
After a moment’s hesitation, Su Mo gave his name, reassuring her, “Don’t worry. I promise I’ll change this damned outcome, so please, no matter what, never lose hope.”
“Is that so?”
Suddenly, Origami broke free from Su Mo’s arms. The sorrowful tears vanished, and she stood before him, her expression as still as stagnant water, eyes empty of emotion. “Thank you, Su Mo. This will be the last time I cry, but I will never smile again. I will personally kill the murderer who took my parents’ lives. This is absolutely unforgivable. No matter how long it takes or what price I pay, I will… I will kill him!”
At her words, Su Mo trembled.
A deep sense of guilt welled up in his heart.
If she ever learned the murderer stood right before her, what expression would Origami show?
No!
He absolutely would not allow such a thing to happen.
Su Mo stared blankly as Origami turned and walked away, her small figure stretched long by the setting sun.
At that moment, Su Mo seemed to understand something.
“No wonder the first time I met Origami she wore that expression. Was this the cause all along?”
He was now in the past, five years before, where every action would ripple forward into the future.
Because he had saved Origami and comforted her five years ago, the Origami five years later, though she had become an emotionless girl, cold to everyone, remained uniquely persistent toward him.
No matter how he hurt or rejected her, Origami never gave up. Even as girls gathered around him, Origami never uttered a single complaint.
Though he had long suspected, Su Mo had never dared confirm.
It was only now that he fully understood.
“This time, I must save Origami Tobiichi. I will change history, I will change this damned outcome.”
Su Mo clenched his fists and swore silently, while his thoughts connected to Kurumi.
“Kurumi, I want to travel back again. This time I must change this outcome. You must have a way to help me, don’t you?” Su Mo’s tone was resolute, shocked by the terrifying power of history’s correction.
Indeed, history was not so easily changed.
Even Su Mo, familiar with the story, had been caught off guard. He had calculated everything—he had successfully stopped Kotori from becoming a Spirit and prevented the Great Fire of Tenguu City—yet the deaths of Origami’s parents happened because of his and the Phantom’s actions.
“I never expected this either. I used the Emperor to let you save Origami, only for you to become the murderer of Origami’s parents. I’m furious about it,” Kurumi Tokisaki said, her tone low and angry.
As the Spirit of Time, she was a master of manipulating time.
But even she had not foreseen being manipulated by time itself.
“It’s not your fault, Kurumi. It’s the overwhelming corrective power of this world. Anyone in our place would likely face the same outcome,” Su Mo consoled her, knowing all too well the terrifying force of history’s correction.
This failure was no one’s fault.
It was the world’s fault!
“Since we failed this time, we just have to try again,” Su Mo said through gritted teeth.
But Kurumi sighed, as if pouring cold water over him.
“I wish I could, but right now I’m only borrowing your body—I can’t interfere with the real world. And if you return to five years later, everything you did here will become part of history. That means the murder of Origami’s parents will be set in stone,” Kurumi explained slowly. “So if you want to change history, now is your best chance.”
“Though I can’t help you directly, you can seek out my past self. Have her use the Emperor to return you to the original timeline.”
“Where is your past self?” Su Mo asked urgently.
Kurumi pondered for a moment, then gave an unexpected answer.
“At your house.”
…
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