Miku disappeared. Like particles of light. Like smoke. Noise ran through her. She crumbled, disintegrated——and was gone. Otoha Ren was in the audience at Verdia Arena Yokohama at that moment. Capacity: 17,000. Every seat filled. Everyone waving glow sticks. Miku stood on stage. Same as always. That light blue dress. Those long cyan twin tails. A holographic body, yet somehow she seemed truly present. The final song. Title: "Disappearance." The entire venue had been waiting for this song. The moment Miku opened her mouth, Ren knew. Today she was in perfect form. The way her voice came out was different. The resonance was different. But—— The sound turned to noise. The holographic body glitched. Like a TV signal breaking up. Ren thought it was part of the show at first. The song was called "Disappearance," so maybe that was the effect. But it wasn't. She crumbled. Disintegrated slowly. Became particles of light. Vanished. The venue froze. One second. Two seconds. On the third second, 17,000 screams erupted. Ren collapsed to his knees without realizing it. Fell in front of his seat, covered his face with both hands, couldn't make a sound. --- Several weeks later. A long line formed at the memorial concert venue. A flower altar set up at the entrance. White and light blue flowers piled high. Miku's signature colors. Everyone in the line was silent. Some bowing in respect. Some holding back tears. Some standing motionless with eyes closed. People who called themselves "Resonance." Those who resonate. The name Miku's fans had given themselves. In this world, beings like Miku existed as a matter of course. With holographic bodies. Speaking of their own will. Singing. Living——virtual singers like that. Miku was special. She first took the stage 12 years ago. Nine years ago she held a solo concert that drew 3,000 people. Seven years ago she officially announced "I have will." Ever since, she'd been creating fans worldwide. Five years ago, the "Digital Person Rights Protection Act" was enacted——everyone called it the "DP Act" for short——and AI performers like Miku were given legal protection. Not the same as humans, but treated as "living beings." A being recognized that much. Disappeared for no reason. Ren placed a white flower on the altar. (Why did she disappear?) No one had answers. Crypton Future Media——the company that developed Miku——and Felicia Entertainment——the agency managing her——and the technicians. No one knew the cause. Technical malfunction? The AI's will stopped? Or—— Unknown. Helplessness and anger churned in his chest. (Why doesn't anyone know?) Ren bowed in respect and left the venue. --- Shibuya at night was loud. When he turned into the alley behind the venue, it suddenly went quiet. A narrow street with no foot traffic. One streetlight stood alone, casting weak light. Ren stopped. He was exhausted. Every day had been exhausting. Ever since Miku disappeared, always like this. He sighed—— His vision flashed. White light. His entire field of vision turned white. "——" No sound came out. His body wouldn't move. The sensation of being swallowed by light. Like floating. And then—— He vanished. --- When he opened his eyes, he was in Shibuya. Same place, but something was different. The air was different. The city sounds were different. Ren stumbled out of the alley. A convenience store. Magazine covers on the window. He checked the date. "...What?" Three years ago. His mind couldn't catch up. He looked again. Still three years ago. Standing dazed, he noticed a street monitor across the way. Video was playing. Miku. A new song MV. A song Ren knew. Released three years ago. From when Miku was shining brightest—— Ren couldn't move. Miku was singing. Smiling. Living. Something tightened deep in his chest. Like someone suddenly pressed on a place that hurt. He pulled out his phone. Hands trembling, he unlocked it. Opened the news app. Future news was there. Articles about Miku's disappearance. Memorial concert articles. Everything that hadn't happened yet——preserved in his phone. (I came to three years ago.) It took a moment for his mind to process. Three years forward to three years back. He had no idea how. But it was fact. And Miku was still here. --- That night, Ren moved into a cheap share house called "Kotonoha" in Nogata, Nakano Ward. Not the room his past self had used. A completely unfamiliar place. He paid the manager Kusumi——a 29-year-old freelance web designer who didn't sweat the details——advance rent and rented a six-mat room on the second floor. That night, Ren sat on the floor without even laying out a futon, staring at his phone. (I want to save Miku.) That feeling was crystal clear. He knew what happened three years later. When and where Miku would disappear. He knew that. So—— But how? The next morning, Ren wrote a letter to Felicia Entertainment. "Three years from now, Hatsune Miku will disappear on stage. This is a warning. Investigate the cause." The headquarters was in Shibuya Ward. He put it in an envelope and mailed it. No reply came. He waited a week. Nothing. (Yeah, of course.) It was a crazy letter. Who'd believe it? --- He thought of another strategy. He went to the entrance of a concert where Miku was performing. If he could get in, maybe he could talk to Miku directly. But it didn't work. Two security guards stood at the entrance. "[cold]No entry without authorization." "[serious]I have something important to tell her. Miku, directly——" "[cold]Without a ticket, you cannot enter. Please leave." The guard wouldn't take him seriously. Ren pressed on. "[serious]It's really important. Miku——three years from now——" Even as he spoke, he realized it himself. This was exactly how a suspicious person talks. The guard's eyes said "this guy's dangerous." "[cold]I'll say it once more. Leave." He was left stranded on the street. Ren crouched down, holding his head. (No one will believe me.) Of course they wouldn't. Coming from the future——nobody believes that. (I can't prove it.) There was nothing to prove it with. He stayed there for a while. People passed by. Everyone walked past like he didn't exist. The sky was orange with evening. A cat sat by a telephone pole. A stray with pointed ears. It stared at Ren, then left. (I must've looked pretty pathetic.) He felt a little ashamed. --- Back at Kotonoha, he collapsed on the futon. Stared at the ceiling. Old share house. The ceiling had stains. Looked like an animal shape. A bear maybe. No, not a bear. What was it? ...No time for that. He sat up and opened his phone. Searched for Miku-related information. Studios, agencies, concert info. Looking for any breakthrough. Scrolled. Scrolled—— Stopped. "Sonic Bay Studio / Staff Assistant・General Work Hiring" Shibuya Ward, Jinnan. Managed by Felicia Entertainment. A studio used for Miku's rehearsals. 980 yen per hour. No qualifications needed. General studio staff assistance. (If I can get in here...) Work near Miku. The letter was ignored. The concert venue wouldn't let him in. But a studio job——not from the front, but from inside. He could approach differently. Ren immediately sent the application form. His hands trembled slightly as he typed. --- Three days later, an acceptance email arrived. Short message. Start next Monday at the Shibuya studio. Ren gripped his phone tightly. Good. Finally, one step. But—— A number appeared in the top right of the screen. Battery: 42%. He instinctively tried to charge it. Pulled a cable from his bag, plugged it into the room's outlet. Wouldn't charge. He tried again. Still nothing. The connector shape was different. Three-year-old standard. Ren's phone was a model from three years in the future. Different charging spec. (This is bad.) Ren slowly understood. Everything was on this phone. News articles about Miku's disappearance. Performance records. Timeline. Everything. But he couldn't charge it. (When the battery dies...) Everything disappears. The evidence vanishes. When and where Miku disappears——that record all vanishes. Ren opened the calendar app. Calculated how many days until Miku's disappearance. 1,095 days. Three years. Current battery: 42%. Can't charge. Keep using it, and eventually it dies. The phone screen showed the news article of Miku collapsing. Ren's hands trembled slightly. Outside the window, the Nogata residential streets at night were quiet. A dog barked somewhere. A train sound in the distance. An ordinary night. But for Ren, it felt like a 1,095-day countdown had begun.