Oliver and I spent some more time talking by the creek. The morning was calm, with the sound of the running water mixing with our occasional laughter. Interestingly, it was thanks to him that I realized something I had never stopped to think about before: even when I'm controlling my female body, I'm not that different from Justin, my male form.
The thought came after a subtle comment from Oliver, said with his usual playful tone. He smirked and said that somehow, Justin and I were alike... although he admitted he couldn't really explain why.
At the time, I just laughed, finding the comparison funny, but as I watched my reflection in the water, the idea kept lingering in my mind. Maybe it was the way we speak, the gestures, or even how we react to teasing. Deep down, it makes sense... after all, we're the same person.
Of course, I figured he sensed something because we're essentially the same person. Even with different bodies, the way we think, act, and respond to the world is almost identical. Deep inside each of them, it's still me. This inner unity shows through in small gestures, choices, and even the way we talk.
Still, aside from that subtle detail, Oliver didn't seem to notice anything that could really compromise my identity. To be honest, I think hardly anyone would notice. The idea that a single consciousness controls two bodies at once is so unlikely, so outside common reality, that it never even crosses people's minds. It's the kind of truth that hides precisely because it's impossible to imagine.
That thought brought a wry smile to my face, one of those that come almost reflexively, carrying a mix of sarcasm and resignation. For a moment, I just watched the calm flow of the creek in front of us, as if the answer might come with the current. Then, without taking my eyes off the water, which reflected the soft morning light, I turned slightly to Oliver, who remained silent by my side.
"So..." my voice broke the silence with an almost forced naturalness: "any plans for what we do now?"
At the sound of my question, Oliver nodded subtly, almost imperceptibly. The next moment, his lips moved, and his words, carrying an unusual seriousness, rang out clearly: "Let's focus on leveling up..." he began, calm but firm: "We need more skills, more strength. But of course... we'll do it carefully"
For a brief moment, his gaze lost itself in the horizon, as if weighing scenarios we hadn't faced yet. Then he turned to me, eyes narrowed and a tense expression: "I think you've noticed..." he continued, his voice lower, as if afraid of being overheard: "but the number of survivors... is dropping way too fast. Too fast for me to believe they're all just dying because of the monsters"
He took a deep breath, as if the very idea bothered him deeply, then concluded: "Something else is going on... and I don't like where this is headed one bit"
I nodded at Oliver's words. Just as I suspected, he was thinking the same thing I was. Like he said, it was hard to believe people were simply dying at the hands of the monsters. In most cases, they seemed relatively easy to defeat, as long as there was some minimum coordination and caution in attacks. The problem, it seemed, wasn't the strength of the enemies.
The next moment, while I was still lost in thought, Oliver moved closer to the creek's edge. He scooped up a handful of fresh water with his hands and splashed it onto his own face, as if trying to shake off the fatigue that was starting to build. His hair got slightly wet, some strands sticking to his forehead, casting soft shadows on his features.
For a moment, he stood still, eyes half-closed as if pondering something. Then he let out a brief sigh before saying, his voice low but firm: "Anyway, we better head back. If the others wake up and realize we're gone, they might start to worry" He ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back a bit: "Definitely, the last thing we need now is to get separated"
I just nodded at Oliver's words. As soon as we finished what we had to do there, we headed back to the cave. The way back was as peaceful as the way there, with only the occasional whisper of the wind softly swaying the leaves around us.
The fog was still thin, sparse enough to let us clearly see the path, but... for some reason, a subtle unease settled in me. Something told me it wouldn't be long before it returned, maybe even thicker and sudden.
Besides that, the cold was more noticeable than before. Even with the thick clothes I was wearing, a chilly feeling seemed to pass through the layers of fabric and reach my skin.
As we walked side by side, I noticed Oliver suddenly glanced discreetly in my direction. There was something in his gaze — a mix of hesitation and curiosity, like a question caught in his throat, struggling to come out. He furrowed his brow slightly, his lips parted for a moment, then closed again, as if he'd reconsidered.
Curious, I paused for a second and looked back at him, a slight smile appearing at the corner of my mouth. My voice, soft and feminine, broke the silence between us with a hint of playfulness: "What's up?" I asked, tilting my head a bit: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Oliver, realizing he'd been caught, gave an embarrassed smile, looking away as he let out some short, nervous chuckles. For a brief moment, he ran his hand through the back of his neck, clearly unsettled. Then he took a deep breath, as if gathering courage to continue.
Then, with a slightly hesitant but still determined voice, he asked: "I know this might sound kind of strange to ask... especially given the situation... but..."
Oliver paused for a moment. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he seemed lost in his own thoughts, as if carefully choosing what to say. I tilted my head slightly, raising an eyebrow, genuinely curious as I waited.
After a few seconds of silence, he took a deep breath and went on, a bit embarrassed: "You know... I was thinking about giving something to Alice. She always seems so tense... like she's always worried about something" He paused briefly, scratching the back of his neck as if looking for courage to continue: "I wanted to know what to give a girl in a situation like this... something that would make her feel calmer, safer..."
Oliver glanced away for a moment before finishing with a slightly awkward smile: "Anyway... you're a girl, so I thought maybe you might have a better idea than me"
I blinked briefly, still processing Oliver's words, then looked straight ahead again. My mind just froze — completely blank. What was I supposed to say in that situation? I'm not really a woman, after all.
My body might be female, but my mind was still that of a teenage boy trying to figure out adult life. Damn, I hadn't even had a girlfriend. How the hell was I supposed to know this kind of thing? He must be messing with me, right? I couldn't imagine any other reason why he'd ask that, other than to tease me.
But no matter how I looked at it, Oliver seemed genuinely serious. Actually, he always gave me the impression of being a serious guy most of the time, like he carried some invisible weight, often sighing quietly, lost in his own thoughts.
As he spoke, I thought about the question he raised. Honestly, I wasn't really sure what exactly a girl would want in a situation like that. Like I said before, even though I had a girl's body now, I still didn't feel like one — at least, not mentally.
But wasn't the answer to his question kind of obvious? Deep down, it was basically the attitude of a boyfriend trying to comfort his girlfriend. So the answer, from my point of view at least, was pretty simple. I gathered my thoughts for a moment and said: "Instead of trying to do something flashy or spectacular just for show, wouldn't it be more practical to actually show how much you care about her?"
I thought of a more concrete example and added: "How about picking some flowers along the way and inviting her for a walk down to the creek? A quiet moment alone, where you can just be a normal couple again — no pressure, no big expectations. I think that would be something she'd really appreciate"
Honestly, I wasn't sure if my words would actually help. I didn't even know if the advice made sense or was worth it. When I looked back at Oliver, he was thoughtful, his brow slightly furrowed, like he was really absorbing every word I said.
Maybe that's why a strange awkwardness washed over me. I hadn't done anything wrong, but I felt like I was exposing some embarrassing secret from my past, something I'd normally keep to myself.
For some unexplained reason, a sudden embarrassment took hold of me, making me feel a bit uncomfortable. That's when Oliver spoke, his voice lighting up suddenly, like a lightbulb had gone off in his head: "I think... you might be right. Honestly, it seemed simple at first glance, but now that I think about it, there's something there — something Alice would probably love... Why didn't I think of that before?"
Oliver sounded thoughtful, like he was weighing something important. Honestly, I can't blame him for missing the basics. Given our situation, he probably figured he'd need something even more extraordinary to distract Alice.
But at least from my perspective, the harder he tried, the less likely he was to get the result he wanted. On the contrary, Alice might just feel overwhelmed by all the complexity. Something simple, I think, would hardly have that effect.
After all, what harm could a peaceful chat by the creek do, surrounded by some delicate flowers and the soft sound of water in the background? Maybe that simple scene was exactly what she needed — or at least, that's what I believe.
In the end, Oliver and I walked all the way back to the cave. As soon as we entered, darkness quickly enveloped us, wrapping everything in a thick, silent shadow. Still, despite the dimness, we could see the rocky interior ahead reasonably well.
Maybe it was because it was morning — the weak sunlight filtering through the cave entrance softened the darkness, making the space feel less oppressive than the night before. Of course, that didn't matter much in the deeper parts of the cave.
Oliver and I walked in silence for a few seconds until we finally reached where the others were resting. As Oliver carefully approached Alice, I turned my gaze to Justin — my male body. He was sleeping deeply, breathing calm and steady, radiating an almost contagious peace.
In just a few seconds, a sleepy voice echoed nearby. Turning my head, I saw Alice slowly getting up, her eyes still heavy with sleep and her face marked by exhaustion. Her voice came out dragged, almost groggy, as she muttered some disconnected words.
Oliver, alert, turned to me, holding his gaze for a moment that seemed to carry a silent question. I just nodded, signaling him to go ahead. He returned the gesture with a slight nod and, without another word, left with Alice, their silhouettes fading softly into the surrounding darkness.
In the quiet of the cave, only the rhythmic sound of my breathing — mine, my male body's, and Ethan's — filled the cold, damp air. I sat near my male body, watching every detail with an attention I'd never allowed myself before.
I'd never stopped to notice this, but... wasn't I handsome? I know it might sound a bit narcissistic coming from me, but looking subjectively, no matter what angle I saw myself from, my face seemed to fit perfectly into that idealized pattern most would call "a good-looking guy" or something like that.
The shape of my jaw, the smoothness of my skin, the subtle sparkle in my eyes — everything seemed to be there, aligned with what society values, even if for me, it was surprising to recognize this beauty in myself.
For a brief moment, an ironic smile played at the corner of my lips as my eyes slowly scanned the place where Oliver and Alice had passed. Every detail seemed to tell a silent story — marks on the ground, displaced objects, the air still heavy with their presence.
But at that same instant, a sudden thought burst into my mind, cutting that strange moment of satisfaction: (What the hell am I thinking?)