The morning was always the same. The alarm would always ring at 6:30 AM, and 3 seconds later Aaron Johnson would start the timer on his watch. When that timer reached 17 hours, 29 minutes and 32 seconds, he would wake up once more. A simple breakfast, then a shower, and then final part of the ritual; using a sharpie to write a number on his left wrist. Today it read 1241, although that number was an estimate at best. By the time he was ready, roughly 17 hours and 12 minutes remained. When first settling into this routine, Aaron had still bothered to clean up after himself, but eventually realized that everything would return to its original state at the end of the day. He now left his small apartment in quite a mess on the way out. 

Aaron hadn't planned anything in particular for this day. Some days were best spent relaxing, but eventually he needed to find another project. Spending time outside the city had been nice for a change, but it had only served to make the world seem smaller than before. [i]Maybe learn another instrument?[/i] he wondered, as he made his way towards the park. He'd left his jacket at home this time, as it would only be dead weight until later in the afternoon. 

As Aaron continued towards the park, he slowly got the feeling that something was somehow [i]different[/i]. He'd probably walked this path a hundred times by now, but something was off about this time around. There had been other times something had seemed to be different than in previous iterations of May 17th, but nothing had ever stuck. Perhaps it was just that it had been some time since he'd been down this path. [i]Either way, I should spend some time getting familiar with the city again.[/i]

But that would also mean spending more time back at Shimabara. Though the University had once seemed like home to Aaron, it was almost painful to visit now. He had spent so much time there trying to advance his research before realizing there was only so much one could memorize, and some reactions would never finish before the day reset. The futility of it was almost soul crushing, and on top of that was all the people he knew there who didn't remember Aaron himself. It had been hundreds of iterations since he'd been there. 

Before considerations of the past could bring him too down, Aaron noticed a group of kids mocking a flyer. [i]Now that's [/i]definitely[i] out of place.[/i] He inspected the paper and the words sent chills down his spine. There were others. Other people that relived this day. People that wouldn't forget him at midnight. That would remember Aaron in the morning. The prospect seemed as terrifying as it was wonderful, because now there might also be consequences, and Aaron had gotten used to the idea that anything he did could be undone the next day. 

With ever-growing apprehension, he made his way towards the address listed on the flyer, eventually arriving in front of a room at a nice looking apartment complex. After knocking tentatively, but receiving no reply, he tried the door to find it unlocked. Unlocked but not unoccupied, as a voice called out from the kitchen announcing that coffee was ready, which Aaron's nose soon confirmed. Following the scent, he found a man, a few inches taller standing with coffee.

[b]"Sorry to intrude, but I found this flyer, and it led me here."[/b] Aaron said, displaying the paper that had led him here, then proceeding to introduce himself, offering a handshake. [b]"I'm Aaron Johnson, please tell me I'm not completely crazy, and this isn't the first time you've been through today either."[/b]