**Chapter 1: The Call from Jin**

The phone rang, shrill and insistent, cutting through the quiet evening air. I groaned, reaching over to silence it, and saw the name on the screen: Jin Hojo. My friend Jin, with his wild ideas and infectious laughter. I smiled, answering the call. "Hey, what's up?" I said, settling into my worn armchair. "Alex, you won't believe what I just found," Jin exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement. I raised an eyebrow. Jin was always finding something – a new restaurant, a hidden hiking trail, or a quirky collectible. I was used to his enthusiasm. "What is it this time?" I asked, leaning back into the chair. "I found a genuine magic artifact," Jin said, his voice full of conviction. "I'm not kidding, Alex. It's real. I've done my research." I chuckled. "Jin, you've been watching too many fantasy movies." "No, no, listen," Jin persisted. "This thing... it's an ancient relic. It's supposed to grant wishes, but there's a catch: it needs two people to make it work." I laughed. "Of course it does. Because nothing says 'legitimate magic' like a plot device from a bad anime." Jin didn't seem to notice my skepticism. "I'm serious, Alex. I found it in this old antique shop. The owner didn't even know what it was. I had to bargain with him just to get it." My curiosity was piqued, despite myself. Jin was usually a bit of a flake, but he was also one of the most honest people I knew. If he was excited about something, it was at least entertaining. "Okay, fine," I said. "I'll come over and see this... artifact. But if it's just a bunch of hooey, I'm blaming you for wasting my evening." Jin whooped. "That's the spirit! I'll send you the address. Come over, and you'll see." Twenty minutes later, I arrived at Jin's place, a cozy little bungalow on the outskirts of town. Jin greeted me at the door, his eyes shining with excitement. "Ah, glad you came," he said, ushering me inside. He led me to his living room, where a small, ornate box sat on the coffee table. Jin opened it, revealing a strange, crystal orb with intricate etchings on its surface. "This is it," he said, his voice full of awe. "The Kokoro-no-Tama, the Heart's Jewel. Legend has it that it was forged in ancient Japan, imbued with the power to grant wishes." I raised an eyebrow, still skeptical. "And you believe this thing really works?" Jin nodded. "I do. And I'm going to prove it to you." He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and spoke in a clear, steady voice, "I wish my Japanese ancestors had won World War II." The room seemed to hold its breath. And then, in an instant, everything changed. A flash of light filled the room, blinding me. When my vision cleared, I looked around, disoriented. The room was the same, but... different. The air seemed charged with an electric tension. And outside, I heard the distant hum of unfamiliar engines, the chatter of people in a language I didn't quite recognize. I turned to Jin, my mind reeling. "What... what just happened?" Jin grinned, his eyes aglow. "I think, my friend, that we just changed history."