When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed wasn't the ceiling. It was the vibe. The room felt ancient, like one of those old samurai movies—wooden beams, sliding paper doors, faint incense in the air. Definitely not a hospital.
Before I could process any of it, the door slammed open. A beautiful woman rushed in carrying a tray of food I couldn't see clearly. Her eyes widened when she saw me sitting up.
"Yuki! You're awake?" she said, her voice filled with shock and relief.
I froze. Yuki? Who the hell is Yuki?
She didn't wait for me to answer. In a second she was right by my side, pressing a hand to my forehead like a worried mother hen. Honestly… she looked exactly like one of those "anime milfs" from shows I used to binge. Beautiful features, gentle eyes, and way too close for my confused brain to handle.
"Are you sick? Say something!" she begged.
"Huh…?" was all that came out. My voice cracked like a broken speaker.
And then it happened.
[Reincarnation completed. Host now bears the name: Yukiharu Akio.]
A cold, robotic voice echoed in my head. My heart jumped. Wait. Did I just… is this… IS THIS AN ISEKAI?
Before I could celebrate, an intense pain tore through my chest. It was so sharp it made me scream.
"AHHHH!"
My scream came out in a childish voice—like a little kid. That was the final straw for the woman. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hugged me tightly.
"Yuki, please! Don't scare me like this!" she sobbed, her body trembling against mine.
For the first time since waking up, guilt hit me. I didn't even know this woman, but seeing her cry like that… it hurt.
And then, like a flood, images started pouring into my head. Memories that weren't mine—yet they felt like mine. A boy named Yukiharu training in the yard, collapsing near a pond, falling into the water. The helplessness of drowning. The bubbles rising to the surface. The darkness closing in.
So… that's how the original Yuki died…
I didn't want to think about it too much. Not now. I had someone crying into my shoulder. My mouth moved on its own.
"Mother, I'm fine now. Just a small headache… I'm all better," I said.
The words rolled out naturally, like they'd been sitting in my throat the whole time.
She froze, then pulled back just enough to look at me. Her tears slowed, replaced by shaky relief. "I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost you," she whispered before hugging me even tighter.
Inside, I was screaming: Lost me? Lady, you literally did. The old Yuki drowned. I'm not even— but I swallowed the thought. No need to break her heart again.
Instead, I forced a weak smile. "Mother… I'm just thirsty."
Her face lit up instantly, her whole mood flipping like a switch. "Water! Yes, wait here, I'll get you some right away!" She rushed out, the tray still in her hands.
Left alone, I exhaled deeply, clutching the sheets. "So… it's real. I actually reincarnated."
I wasn't Williams anymore. I was Yukiharu Akio, a boy in a strange new world with memories that weren't mine and a family that thought I was theirs.
And honestly? For the first time in forever, I felt like maybe my story had finally started.