The pitter-patter of rain stirred Capri awake. Golden lashes fluttered before revealing a pair of mesmerizing amethyst eyes.
Disoriented and dizzy, he clutched his aching head as unfamiliar memories surged into his mind memories that didn't belong to him.
Avril, an eighteen-year-old orphan from a low-class planet. A boy who struggled daily to feed himself and his only companion a fat, orange cat. They survived on the few vegetables he grew on a patch of land behind his leaky thatch house and the cheapest nutrient solutions he could afford.
A soft thud landed on his face.
A paw pressed against his cheek, jolting him out of his thoughts. He instinctively grabbed the soft paw and pressed a kiss to it.
A grumpy meow followed as the paw was swiftly pulled away.
In front of him sat a round, orange tabby cat with large cheeks, a snow-white belly, and eyes that narrowed with judgment. Its fur was thick and clean, though a little patchy in places, and it held the haughty air of a creature convinced it owned the world.
"…Orange," Capri muttered.
His lips had spoken the cat's name before he could stop himself. Though confused, he hugged the cat tightly, seeking the comfort of something familiar.
He was sure absolutely sure that he had died in that plane crash. And yet here he was, lying on a hard bed inside a drafty, leaking house with a cat he'd never owned… but remembered everything about.
The memories weren't his. Not Capri's once a world-renowned pastry chef whose hands had been more used to copper whisks and oven mitts than cracked mirrors and nutrient packs.
Still holding the sulky cat, Capri slowly sat up. He opened the bedside cabinet with practiced ease and pulled out a small, cracked pocket mirror.
In the reflection was a pale young man with slightly sunken cheeks, golden-blonde hair, and striking amethyst eyes. His lips were chapped, and his skin had the dullness of someone starved of nutrients.
"…What a pity for such a child," he muttered.
It was clear now. He had woken up in someone else's body. A boy named Avril.
Capri gently rubbed Orange's head. "Where do you think your owner is now?"
Orange responded with a disdainful swat of his paw before hopping off the bed.
"My dear, such a proud cat you are."
Capri chuckled softly—but it triggered a cough that tore through his dry throat. His body was running a high fever, and he felt like he had been boiled from the inside out.
"…Too weak," he sighed in resignation.
Orange, oblivious, chased a fraying rag across the wooden floor like a kitten.
Capri pushed himself to his feet and made his way to the small kitchen. He rummaged through the cabinets in search of food, but found nothing but a few packets of cheap nutrient solution. No rice, no vegetables, not even seasoning.
The kitchen was barren.
He stood by the window, staring out at the heavy rain pouring down outside.
"…What a tragic life this is," he murmured, a heavy sadness in his voice.
The living room wasn't much better, leaking in several corners. The roof was in desperate need of repair, but with his body this weak, venturing out into the rain could only worsen his condition.
He sat down in the driest corner of the room and tried to gather his thoughts.
Raising his wrist, he tapped on the terminal embedded there. A basic model, scratched and clearly secondhand. The screen flickered to life and displayed his account balance.
100 starcoins.
That was all he had.
The cheapest nutrient solution cost 50 starcoins per pack. Cat food? Around 75 starcoins. Just feeding himself and Orange once would nearly empty his balance.
He stared at the glowing digits as though they'd wronged him.
"The only thing I'm thankful for," he muttered, "is that land is practically free here."
Thanks to the planet's low population and status, plots of land were given out with ease. That meant, technically, he was a landowner with a few small acres outside his crumbling house.
"…We can grow more vegetables and fruits."
Opening the shopping app, he began searching for seeds.
Available Seeds:
Carrot Seeds – 5 starcoins/pack
Lettuce Seeds – 4 starcoins/pack
Potato Bulbs – 6 starcoins/pack
Green Onion Starter – 3 starcoins/pack
Strawberry Seeds – 12 starcoins/pack
Blueberry Bush Starter – 15 starcoins/pack
Capri sighed and closed the shop tab.
As much as he wanted to rebuild slowly, money was the urgent issue.
The original Avril had been a surprisingly resilient child. Despite his poor health and upbringing, he'd survived on his own, taken care of Orange, and still managed to live without giving up.
Capri admired that.
But for someone like him a former pastry chef who grew up with soft sheets, warm pastries, and clean kitchens this was like falling from heaven straight into a gutter.
He wasn't spoiled by any means. He had worked hard for his success. He knew the struggles of rising up in the culinary world. But this…?
This was a different level of hardship.
Still, if there was one thing Capri was proud of, it was his adaptability.
He had once climbed from a part-time bakery assistant to a world-class dessert chef.
"…Though it breaks my heart remembering my diploma, my medals, my recipes…"
He chuckled bitterly to himself. All of it his work, his name, his legacy gone in an instant. Left behind in a world where he likely no longer existed.
He missed his loved ones. The warm scent of vanilla. The sound of his ovens humming.
But there was no way back.
Wobbling back to his room, he collapsed onto the thin mattress. His fever was still burning, and like any other sick person, he felt miserable. Weak. Vulnerable.
His hand reached out, and a warm, familiar weight curled beside him.
Orange.
"…Goodbye crème brûlée… goodbye mille-feuille… farewell, tiramisu…"
He whispered, eyes fluttering shut as Orange purred softly against his chest.