Aldo was dreaming. In another world, different from here, he was working as a salesperson. His performance was average—neither outstanding nor poor—a typical, ordinary office worker. He was married, with one daughter, living a life of modest happiness.
However, his happiness came to an abrupt end one day. The tragic news of his wife and child’s death. The moment he heard it, his life changed. It marked the beginning of a countdown to the end.
“Ahh!”
Aldo woke up. The scene he had seen in his dream felt too outrageous for a mere dream, set in another world yet feeling so realistic. It was as if Aldo himself had experienced it.
“O-Oh, Father!?”
The sound of Aldo’s yell startled Iris awake. Though she had somewhat adjusted to Aldo, his loud voice still triggered a lingering trauma that was hard for her to shake.
“I-I’m sorry, Iris. It’s nothing. You’ve done nothing wrong, so don’t worry.”
“…Alright.”
Iris felt relieved by his reassurance that she had done nothing wrong. For a moment, she had feared he might abuse her again. But that wasn’t the case. Aldo’s expression was tired, but he still had the same gentle look he’d had the day before.
Aldo got up and began preparing for work. Even with his lost memories, he had to work. After dressing and gathering his essentials, Aldo headed toward the door.
“Well, Iris, I’m heading out. If a stranger comes by, don’t open the door.”
“Okay. Got it, Father.”
This was a dangerous slum area. While the part where Aldo lived wasn’t the worst, with robberies breaking out, it was still wise to be cautious.
Leaving Iris to watch the house, Aldo set out for work. Several times on the way, worry gripped his heart, but he made it to work.
The coal mine, located a short distance from the slums, offered the best wages in the area. The men who gathered there were the very embodiment of toughness—massive arms, chests, abs, and legs, all boasting outsized strength. Though Aldo was well-built compared to most people, he was still considered small here.
“Hey, Aldo! Remember me?”
A bald, bearded man addressed him. Aldo, of course, didn’t recall him.
“Uh… I’m sorry.”
“Haha! Since when are you the kind of guy to talk so politely? You even used to give me lip, and I’m the foreman! So you really did lose your memory, huh?”
“Foreman… I apologize if I was rude before I lost my memory.”
“Don’t worry about it. Still, you’re not only thinner, but your attitude’s gone soft too. Hey!”
The foreman smacked Aldo on the back. Reflexively, Aldo straightened up.
“Ouch…”
“Ah, sorry! Guess I overdid it. Forgot you’re still recovering.”
“No, it’s fine. Thank you for granting me leave, by the way.”
“You’ve really changed. When I visited, you were still unconscious, but hearing about your memory loss worried me. I’m glad to see you’re back.”
The foreman had heard the details from the doctor during his visit and had arranged for Aldo to take leave after discharge.
“Oh… thank you so much for taking the time to visit.”
“Enough with the formality, yeah?”
The foreman wrapped an arm around Aldo’s shoulders with a laugh. Aldo returned a polite smile.
“Alright, everyone! Now that Aldo’s back, let’s work hard today! And watch out for accidents, especially those that knock your memory out like Aldo here!”
The men laughed at the foreman’s joke. Aldo wasn’t quite following the mood yet, but he sensed they were good people.
The greeting wrapped up, and Aldo started work. However, given his memory loss, he had forgotten how to do anything smoothly.
“Uh, Foreman, how do I do this?”
“Hmm? Ah, here, let me show you…”
The foreman and the miners around Aldo taught him without a hint of irritation. Normally, this kindness would be heartening. Yet Aldo felt a bit uneasy.
During break, Aldo sat alone, deep in thought, when the foreman approached him.
“Hey, Aldo. What’s with the long face?”
“No… I just find it strange that everyone is so kind to me.”
“Kind? Us?”
“Yes. Even though I lost my memory and am inconveniencing everyone by forgetting how to do my work.”
“Haha! If you were an annoying jerk, we wouldn’t have bothered to help. But you were a decent guy. That’s why we want to support you. It’s just how it works.”
“Is that… so?”
Aldo felt a discomfort at those words. It seemed he had been well-liked. His drinking buddies had visited him, and a friend had accompanied him home after discharge.
At work, no one treated him poorly. If he’d been a decent guy, why had he mistreated his daughter, Iris? He couldn’t understand.
Aldo knew some people had a friendly facade but were tyrants at home. Perhaps he was one of those types. That would explain the discrepancy, but it still felt off—the contrast between how others treated Iris versus everyone else lingered as a nagging sense of wrongness.
◇
“Alright, that’s it for today’s work. Good job, everyone!”
“Good job!”
With the foreman’s signal, the miners began cleaning up and preparing to head home.
“How about it, Aldo? Feel like going for a drink after so long?”
The foreman gestured as if raising a glass, inviting Aldo for a drink. However, Aldo had to turn him down; he couldn’t choose to go drinking. With a heavy heart, he politely declined the foreman’s offer.
“Sorry, boss. My daughter’s waiting for me at home.”
“Oh, I see. But you turning down a drink? That’s rare. Your daughter’s a strong one, isn’t she? You used to say she’d been acting rebellious lately and didn’t want to be around her dad, so you were out drinking every night because of it.”
“Is… is that so?”
What a terrible father, Aldo thought, feeling ashamed. Going out drinking occasionally might be excusable, but doing it every night was far too irresponsible for a father.
“Well, if that’s the case, it can’t be helped. Guess her rebellious phase must’ve settled down, huh?”
“Yes, I suppose so.”
“That’s good, then. Better to spend time with your adorable daughter than hang around with a scruffy old man like me!”
The foreman gave Aldo another hearty slap on the back, making him stand at attention once again.
“Ouch.”
“Ah, sorry about that! I keep forgetting. Back in the day, that kind of hit wouldn’t even faze you.”
“Haha, maybe I’m a bit out of shape after that hospital stay.”
“Ga-ha-ha, I see. Well, my bad, then.”
After parting on good terms with the foreman, Aldo returned to his home, where Iris was waiting for him. Unlocking the door, he stepped inside.
“I’m home!”
“Welcome back!”
Iris dashed over to the entrance to greet Aldo with a big smile. Seeing her happy face, Aldo was glad he had come home early.
