NOVEL WEB Chapter 1: The Awakening of a Busy City and a Moment of Tranquility
Morning in Tokyo: The Dawn of Science and the Gateway to Another World
On a clear early summer morning in Tokyo, soft sunlight illuminated the city. Satoshi Koizumi woke up to the sound of his alarm clock at 6 a.m. He glanced at his wife, Tomomi, still peacefully asleep beside him, and quietly got out of bed. In the living room, their beloved dog, Bell, and their budgerigar, Pico, awaited him. “Good morning, Bell. Good morning, Pico,” he greeted them as he began his morning routine.
Another day of research awaited him at the RIKEN Institute in Saitama Prefecture. After starting the coffee maker and taking a sip of the freshly brewed coffee, Satoshi reflected on the results of yesterday’s experiment. He couldn’t shake the data related to quantum entanglement from his mind. A sense of excitement filled him—he felt he was on the verge of a significant discovery.
From the bookshelf in the living room, he pulled out a book, one his mother had bought for him as a child. It was about the mysteries of the universe. Flipping through its pages, he recalled the excitement and curiosity he had felt as a child. “This book was the beginning of my quest,” he murmured with a smile.
After finishing breakfast, he packed his security-encrypted laptop into his bag, and as he put on his shoes at the door, he patted Bell’s head. “Today might be a special day,” he muttered to himself as he got on his bike and headed to the institute.
The commute was peaceful, and the cool early summer breeze was refreshing. When he arrived at the institute, the receptionist greeted him with a smile. “Good morning, Dr. Koizumi.”
“Good morning,” he replied, stepping into the elevator. When he opened the door to his lab, his assistant, Sui Takahara, was already busy preparing for the day’s experiments. At 25 years old, Takahara had dropped out of an engineering degree but had deepened his knowledge of physics through self-study and online courses.
“Good morning, Takahara. Let’s do our best today.”
“Good morning, Dr. Koizumi,” Takahara responded.
Displayed on the lab monitors were the results from the previous day’s experiment. The new data from their quantum mechanics research immediately captured Satoshi’s attention, particularly the phenomena related to quantum entanglement. Takahara was also fascinated, staring intently at the display.
“Dr. Koizumi, what exactly is quantum mechanics?” Takahara asked. Satoshi smiled and replied, “I’ll explain it to you later, but for now, how about I tell you about the universe?”
Takahara’s eyes lit up with anticipation, his excitement unmistakable.
“Surprisingly, only about 5% of the matter in the universe consists of elements and substances that humanity is familiar with. The remaining 95% is made up of dark matter and dark energy, whose true nature is still a mystery. This is one of the biggest questions facing scientists today, and research, especially in quantum mechanics, is working to unravel it.”
Afternoon Café Lunch
In the afternoon, Satoshi and Takahara took a break to have lunch at a nearby café. Sitting on the terrace, they continued discussing their recent research. Takahara, still engrossed by the earlier conversation about the universe, couldn’t stop replaying it in his mind.
“Dr. Koizumi, is it really true that most of the universe is made up of unknown substances?” Takahara asked, barely able to contain his excitement.
“Yes, Takahara. What we understand is just a tiny fraction. That’s what makes science so fascinating,” Satoshi responded with a smile.
News of a Lecture at an International Conference
Later that afternoon, while the experiments continued, Satoshi’s smartphone buzzed with a notification. Checking it, he saw the news that Li Wenqiang, a leading authority in quantum mechanics whom Satoshi deeply admired, would be giving a lecture at the next international conference. Without hesitation, Satoshi made a decision.
“Takahara, Dr. Li is giving a lecture at the next international conference. I’ll reach out to one of my old professors from university to see if we can attend!”
Dinner with Family
That evening, Satoshi had dinner at home with his wife, Tomomi, and shared the day’s events with her. Tomomi, a mathematician, was equally passionate about her own research.
“It’s been an incredible day. I found out that Dr. Li will be giving a lecture at an international conference, and we’ve decided to attend,” Satoshi said, still full of excitement.
“That’s amazing! You absolutely can’t miss it!” Tomomi replied with a smile. Her supportive reaction reassured Satoshi, solidifying his resolve.
Later that night, as he gazed up at the starry sky, Satoshi reflected on the potential scope of his research. “If this data is correct, we might be on the verge of unlocking a whole new world,” he thought, his heart racing with anticipation as he closed his eyes for the night.