Yuume entered Jikan Guild’s headquarters. He was a little anxious. Is he really going to change the past?

The corridor was long. In the windows there was stained glass. He could also see plant ornaments, gilded and silvered, on the walls. The receptionist fell asleep with her head on the counter and was quietly snoring.

In short, Yuume felt as if he had stepped back in time himself. Or stopped it. Especially since it was terribly quiet in the building.

“Good morning” he said calmly, walking to the reception.

The woman sitting on the chair jumped up from it and smiled radiantly. Her white kitsune mask with silver ornaments tilted a little, but she adjusted it very quickly.

"Welcome to the Jikan Guild, Japanese Unit 29” she recited all too clearly. “What can I do for you?”

“I would like to make a call” explained Yuume.

The receptionist nodded.

“Of course. When you reach this door in front of you, you’re going to find the Connection Room. Can I ask you for your name”? she asked, sitting down in front of the computer.

“Tansetsuki Yuume” hikouri introduced himself.

The receptionist quickly typed his name on the keyboard and smiled again.

"You've been here before, but I see it was on a different matter” she said. “Did you get answers to your questions? Do you want to make a complaint?”

“No, it was alright” Yuume waved his hands. “Please don’t worry.”

“Of course. Then you should go to the Connection Room” the woman sat back on the chair and Yuume could have sworn he heard the snoring again as he reached the big door at the end of the corridor.

When he crossed the threshold, he saw a large hall with several dozen desks. Bells were heard from everywhere. People in black and white kitsune masks passed him carrying some papers.

“Is everything okay?” he heard a girlish voice and looked in that direction.

The woman was tall, probably even the same height as him, and chubby. Her mask was white with green ornaments. Black, long hair she tied with red ribbon.

“I want to make a call” explained Yuume.

“Of course. Follow me please” yubiwa walked to the desk.

The table top was littered with various documents which woman simply pushed to the floor and sat down at the desk.

“My nickname is Midori” she introduced herself. “Sit down, please.”

Yuume obeyed her instructions. He still felt uncomfortable, even if his ancestors were also yubiwas.

“What’s your name?” asked Midori, grabbing a pen with her left hand.

“Tansetsuki Yuume.”

“Age?”

“Twenty eight.”

“Family.”

“Just parents, if you ask about only the close ones.”

“I understand” Midori smiled slightly. “Do you have the necessary documents?”

“Yes” Yuume gave her his folder.

Midori stared at the papers for several minutes and nodded.

“Everything is correct” she announced. “So, what do you want to change?”

“My brother, his pregnant wife and their daughter died in a car accident” explained Yuume. “I want to save them.”

“Of course” Midori noted something in her notebook. “My workmate is gonna be interested in your case. He likes thrilling challenges. And he likes children, so when he hears that he has to save one, he’s going to be excited.”

Midori smiled radiantly.

"A few rules, sir" she announced. "You cannot force him to grant your wish. You won't know his real name until he completes the task. Then you may still not know it, if he doesn't wish to tell you. After the timeline changes, you'll receive a potion that will give you memories from the timeline in which your brother and his family live. Oh, and we don't accept payment in advance. This rule applies, because the moment yubiwa learns your name, they can't use their power on you. Also, if you have any money ready, please bring it back later. You can also pay in instalments and receive a potion for the first instalment. You can also give my colleague more tasks, but if you meet him, then it'll be impossible. Do you understand?"

"Yes" Yuume nodded.

"Awesome" Midori handed him a bell on a string. "Go home, make your favourite tea and take a comfortable position, because you'll spend some time in Midtimes. It's best to lie down or sit in the armchair. Then you have to put the bell around your neck and ring it. Yubiwa does it with their mind, but you're not yubiwa, so you need an artefact like this. Do you understand?"

"Yes" Yuume admitted.

"Then please sign here" Midori handed him a sheaf of papers.

Yuume spent the next half of an hour, reading a contract made with nine parts. He had to leave a signature on each of these parts. At seven, he began to doubt his idea, but Midori reassured him that there were only two left.

“Now you can go home and I’m gonna read some bad fanfiction. I love to hate read” yubiwa smiled slightly and fixed her ribbon. “But Tansetsuki-san?”

“What?” asked Yuume, when she leaned to him.

"Don't ever pay attention to his height” she said with such seriousness like lives of both of them would depend on it.

Or even the world’s existence would depend on it.