Sixty Minutes on Earth — The Truth & Kizuki We Found in a Simulated World

60 mins on the Earth

It wasn’t just a simulation.

In a virtual world designed to reflect the complexity of Earth, four strangers—Kenta, Sakura, Haruto, and Mina—logged in from different corners of the globe. They carried different missions, clashing values, and one shared truth: there was no place to hide.

No aliases. No spectators. Only choices—and consequences.

They weren’t playing. They were creating. And in doing so, they would be forced to confront not just each other... but themselves.

Prologue: A Quiet Beginning

"Change the world... in just sixty minutes?"

Kenta let out a wry chuckle. Sitting quietly in front of his monitor, he noticed his hands were trembling slightly.

He believed leadership wasn’t about speaking, but listening. This wasn’t his first time entering this world—but most of the others were new. In their eyes, he saw uncertainty, urgency... and hope.

His mission today was 'Environmental Conservation'. The Environmental Meter showed a 3. The environment was in crisis.

Sakura’s mission was 'Social Justice'. With a nervous but earnest expression, she proposed her first project:

'Promote Traditional Gender Roles'.

Haruto was quick to respond.

"Sakura... do you really think that’s good for the world?"

His voice held both challenge and concern.

"I know it sounds backwards,” she admitted, “but hear me out. In some communities, clearly defined roles give people a sense of purpose and belonging. It’s not about limiting anyone — it’s about restoring dignity where chaos has taken over. If we can create order, maybe we can reach more people in need."

Haruto didn't argue. He simply turned back to his mission: 'A World Without Poverty'.

He remembered visiting a village school—no desks, no clean water, and children too ill to concentrate.

"Education changes everything. That’s why I’m pushing this project, 'Promote Sanitary Education’. If kids can stay healthy, they can stay in school. And that’s the first step out of poverty.

Ideas clashed—ideals collided—until Mina quietly added her voice.

"Aren’t we all trying to change others... when maybe we should be changing ourselves?"

Her mission was 'Enjoying Leisure'. Her words didn’t shout. But they echoed.

A World Unraveling

As time passed, the world’s indicators fluctuated. The numbers laid bare the consequences of their decisions.

Kenta had quietly proposed "Popularize Simple Water Purifiers." It was personal—he remembered his grandmother getting sick from dirty water, the long walks she made each day just to find something drinkable.

But in the session, his voice was small among bigger ideas.

"I didn’t want to get in the way. I just hoped they’d notice."

Mina offered a soft smile.

"But sometimes, silence doesn’t speak."

Haruto’s efficiency-driven policies brought short-term success—but the Environmental Meter plummeted.

"This wasn’t supposed to happen..." he muttered, fists clenched.

Sakura, meanwhile, realised her proposal had sparked division.

"Did I make a mistake...?"

The world they were building began to crack. Not because of malice. But because good intentions collided in a system too fragile to hold them all.

Transformation Within

As the simulation neared its end, the world’s balance collapsed. What once felt like a game began to feel uncomfortably real.

In the silence, Mina stepped forward.

"I tried 'Make Remote Working Options Available'. But... maybe that didn’t fill the emptiness in people’s hearts. Flexibility helped, yes—but something deeper was missing. Without purpose, connection, or shared meaning, even freedom can feel hollow. That’s when I realised: people don’t just need space—they need belonging. That’s when things began to shift—for me.”

It wasn’t defeat. It was a quiet acceptance.

Sakura followed.

"Maybe… my idea of ‘right’ was hurting people. I didn’t see it then.”

Haruto nodded, quietly.

"I should’ve thought further ahead."

Then Kenta, finally, found his voice.

“I wanted to talk to all of you… but didn’t know how. So… thank you. Truly.”

Epilogue: Returning to Reality with Kizuki

The world they built wasn’t perfect. Far from it. But that didn’t matter.

Something had shifted. Inside each of them.

They had clashed, questioned, reflected. And in that shared struggle, they planted something deeper than success: kizuki - a quiet and yet profound awareness.

As the screen faded to black, they returned to their own realities.

But they were no longer the same people who’d entered.

And the next time they create a world, their choices just might be different.