SAI SHINU
I let her go, but she was still frozen in shock, her eyes wide and unfocused. I gently took her by the hand and guided her to sit in a chair. For a moment, she seemed lost in her thoughts, trapped in whatever storm my actions had caused.
The only way I could think to bring her back was with her cat. So I picked him up from the sofa and placed him in her lap. Instantly, her shoulders softened. She looked down at the purring ball of fur and stroked him slowly, the tension melting from her face.
"What… was that?" she asked at last, her voice trembling with surprise.
"You told me to do it," I answered simply, moving to unpack the food, "so I did."
She fell silent, and I didn't push her.
I opened the box and raised a brow. "So, you picked ramen?"
"Yes," she said softly, "because I know it's your favorite."
I smiled without realizing it. "You're right. It's still my favorite." Her remembering something so small—something I had mentioned years ago—struck me more deeply than I expected.
She kept her head low, cuddling her cat without saying a word. The quiet between us was heavy, but not unpleasant.
"You want to tell me your story now?" I asked, sitting across from her.
She set the cat down, sat properly, and faced me. "I'd prefer to tell mine after you finish yours," she admitted. Then, after a pause, she leaned forward slightly. "Actually… could we talk about something else first? Like… what was your life like after we got separated? Did you make new friends? Meet another girl?"
Her words lingered in the air, making me pause.
"After we got separated, huh?" I took a deep breath. "Well, five years passed. The best thing that happened was… meeting my best friend. The only one I've ever had."
Her brows furrowed. "You didn't make any other friends in high school?"
"No," I replied without hesitation. "I was never the guy who liked talking to others. My childhood was… anime, manga, manhwa, and novels. My father was the one who pushed me into that world. And honestly… I was fine with it."
"At least you had a best friend," she said, but her tone carried sadness.
"To be honest, aside from him… you were the only person I was ever close to," I admitted.
Her gaze locked with mine. "What about your parents?"
"Honestly?" I said after a pause. "Aside from them, I didn't care about anyone else. Blood connection wasn't enough for me. And no… I didn't have another girl. Not after you."
Her eyes trembled with emotion. I reached across the table and held her hands in my palms. "Why are you sad? What happened?"
Before she could answer, a faint ding broke the moment—like the sound of a notification.
She looked around. "Do you hear that?"
I froze. The glow of the system screen appeared behind her.
She turned to follow my gaze. "What are you looking at?"
When she spun around, her eyes widened. "What is that?" she whispered. Panic filled her voice. She stepped closer, standing behind me. "Where did it go?!"
"You… can't see it now?" I asked.
"No. Do you know what this is?"
My eyes darted back to the display. It wasn't mine this time—it was hers.
CHARACTER PROFILE
Name: Yuri Koi
Age: 20
Class: Unknown
Title: None
Weapon: None
Skills: Healing (Not Awakened)
"Healing?" I muttered under my breath. Then, louder: "Give me your hand."
She hesitated, but placed her hand in mine.
The instant we touched, her eyes widened. "Now I can see it!"
"Can you read what it says?" I asked quickly.
"Yes. My name, my age… and 'healing.' What does it mean?"
I forced myself to stay calm. "Listen. That thing… it's connected to my powers. I guess you also have abilities—healing ones. But they haven't awakened yet."
She fell silent, eyes trembling. I realized something then: she could only see the system when she was touching me.
"Yuri…" I said carefully. "Have you ever seen a dream that felt too real?"
Her lips parted. "Actually… yes. That was the story I wanted to tell you. About three years ago, I had a dream that you and I were in another world.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I ate an apple… and the world tore apart."