I don't want to believe it.
This pure air that put the freshness of countryside to shame.
This feeling of openess as if the world itself is without any bounds.
The familiar sensation of 'magic' originating from everywhere.
It all adds up, there's no mistaking it.
But even so I don't want to believe it.
".....I'm back huh....."
And I'm not alone.
XxX
Silence was what greeted us the moment Koen and I reached our shared workspace.
An odd amalgamation of a private office and the regular cubicle section minus the cubicle. The director himself designed the place to incorporate both working and home elements. Stating that it's much cheaper and socially better than granting us separate placing.
It was exactly a high roll apartement that was vivisected into an ideal hipster office, with a single bathroom, break area, and a even a stocked kitchen. Whenever I set my foot in this place I couldn't help but to compare it my own apartement which is much-much smaller and cheaper, this place got one of those bedroom size second level for God sake!
And just like the real one the two of us couldn't afford it by ourselves, so we ended up sharing.
"Morning Momoiro-san! Aogiri-san!" Koen cheerfully greeted the two.
"Ara morning you two." The female Momoiro greeted.
"Morning." The male Aogiri also did the same, though his was far shorter and as always he didn't even bother to look away from his screen.
There are four of us who occupied the first floor. The first half consist of me an Koen while the other half are made of these two. But knowing them we might as well count them as one individual.
"Dear I don't get this part over here."
"Oh my. Here let me help."
Momoiro got up from her desk and approached her partner, positioning herself right behind the blunete for a better view.
"What's the problem?"
"Is this part correct? I couldn't help but to feel that I'm missing something."
"Hm~ Well most of it are correct, it's just that you added the wrong sub section."
"Which one? There's a lot of them today."
"It's that one."
"This one?"
"No-no the other one."
"Mu..." He pouted. "Can you please just point it out."
"Sure it's this...." She instintctively reached for the mouse not noticing that Aogiri's hand was still glued to the device.
What followed afterwards was of course that one of those cliche I accidentally touched my love interest hand when helping him/her.
"Ah." "Ara."
And if that wasn't enough these kind of things happens, everyday.
"So-sorry."
"No-no. I'm also at fault here."
"Right.... Is it this one?"
"Yes. Just switch it and you'll be good to go."
"Understood. Thanks." Though short and rather awkward Aogiri really did mean it from the bottom of his heart.
Momoiro flashed a smile in response "Anytime dear."
"...."
"...."
"Eto....Momoiro-san, are you going to just stand there?" I pointed out.
"Oh my!" The pinkete blushed after realising her folly. She abruptly returned to her seat with a red face, and although it was hardly visible I know that Aogiri's cheek was slightly rosy from the gesture.
Akito Aogiri and Akito Momoiro. Though both their age and interaction with one another perfectly mirrors a will they won't they pair from literally everry romance centric entertainment these two are and undoubtedly forever will be married to one another. Which make it even harder for whoever it is that is subjected to their antics.
And by everyone I specifically mean myself.
Seriously it's like watching those frustatlingly slow romance anime where the two main characters are obviously made for one another and IS DEFINITELY in love with each other but only realize this after 23 (if we're lucky 22) episodes.
There are times where I almost rip my own hair off due to the sheer cheesiness, and so many occasions where I almost shout 'just kiss already!' but then it dawned on me that they're married! So why the hell do they act so nervously around one another!?
Sure that might just be the envy talking, but damn it seeing the 'I accidentally crashed to him/her in the corner' or the 'Trip and have him (or in some cases her) catch me before I hit the ground and have our face be inches away' would grind anyone's gear.
Again by anyone I was specifically referring to myself. For god only knows reason females would react with a 'kyah' scream after seeing their favourite ship. While the males would spit out blood from the sheer 'moeness' of their idol figure.
Those two have unknowingly morphed this company to a fanbase, and excluding the director and Koen there are only two people who are not a part of the so called fandom. Obviously the first was me while the sole ally in my crusade was the last occupant of this fancy space.
"It's odd that Midori-san is silent." Koen pointed out, no doubt reading my mind. "He'd usually be the one who shout 'get a room!' or 'go explode goddamn riaju!'"
"Swamped with work." Aogiri curtly explained, again his eyes not leaving the monitor.
"That's right. Shirou Shocho dropped by earlier. He literally dumped tons of works and test products warning that he need to be done by the end of the week." Momoiro further elaborated.
"Heh, to fully force the glasses sage into high gear. Shirou Shocho is as devilish as always I see..." I remarked.
The last of us five as well as the only one here who is not a member of the get out of the office group, Moriyama Midori was the modern real life version of an hermit. Being the head of the product design division his job is to make sure that whatever it is that this company sells will be out of stock after a certain time period.
Compared to me and Koen who are only supposed to talk (although it was never that easy), or Momoiro and Aogiri who would promote our product to the distributor his was harder and stressful in comparison. So we ended up giving the 'bedroom upstairs' to him, he was the only one with a real 'private' office among all of us.
"By the way Akaba-kun why are you so jumpy?" Momoiro suddenly switched the topic.
"Eh?" was all I could say.
"Silent and nervous." Aogiri bluntly pointed out. Dang his observation skills is as sharp as always.
"I overheard that you ran to a mugger earlier. Although it's definitely dangerous I'm sure that a skilled practitioner like you didn't stumble on any issues physically or mentally right?" Again I'm not at all surprised that Aneue could read me like an open book.
Though not as deep as Koen and I these two's main job is still involved in negotiation after all, so it's only natural that they could easily pick up a thing or two just by looking.
Knowing hat there's no use in hiding it I decided to share my so called irational worries.
"It's just that.... I've been getting this bad feeling all morning. As if something bad is going to happen."
I awaited for the 'It's probably nothing' or the 'Stop overthinking it and don't worry too much'.
But it never came.
All three of them stopped moving the moment they learned of my fret, their expression morphing into one that I recognized.
Whenever Koen guesses what I want to have for lunch I would make that kind of face, the 'we're thinking of the same thing' face.
With a smile Koen was the first to rebuke my worries.
"I'm sure you're just overthinking it. Even if you did handle it pretty well and encounter like that can be a bit overwhelming you know."
The fact that his sentence was completely logical and sensitive showcase that the whole thing was a bull. Koen was someone whose 'unchained' vocabulary laced his every word with barb, besides there's no way that he would brought that topic up without mentioning my other mishaps.
"That's right. You should take easy for the rest of the day Akaba-kun."
"..."
And with that I realize that the couple was also on edge. First off aneue could've been WAY MORE persuasive and secondly the usually frank husband also kept silent, that itself is more than enough evidence to further reinforce my conclussion.
Something's wrong. But I played along anyway.
"You guys are right. Sorry Koen but looks like I'm going to be a bit unhelpful today."
"Don't you worry about a thing senpai! For me that's just another friday!" He proudly proclaimed and puffed his chest. Seriously this guy, weren't you just down a few seconds ago?
"Akaba-kun is the only one who would be upset at weekends and perfectly motivated on weekdays after all." Momoiro added.
"Mondays are tiring..." Aogiri lastly added. Despite them ganging up on me this was something that I'm already used to, also I know that all of them means well so there wasn't much of derision in the first place.
"That just shows that I'm a much more responsible adult compared to you lot." So I expressed. They merely giggled at the display of pride and I too couldn't help but to smile a bit.
I pushed every worry I had to the back of my mind and that the best way to forget everything is by swamping myself with work.
'It's probably nothing. Just a bit tense and shocked.' so I convinced myself inwardly.
I sat down on my chair and switched my computer on, pushing the CPU's power button before turning the screen on.
I waited for the boot up to finish, expecting to see the familiar logo before getting greeted by today's portion of my favourite 'distraction'.
But instead of that a bright light suddenly filled my vision....
XxX
I sniffed the patch of dirt in my plam, careful not to inhale any of the stuff. Though I don't know how a fertile land supposed to smell my question is already answered.
"It's real...." I clenched my hand to a fist in mild frustration, the dirt falling to the ground while some seeps into my nails and stick to my now invisible palm.
Eyes and ears can lie, but the nose always knows. That's my motto when it comes to confirming reality.
This scenery might be the work of my own imagination. That in reality I'm currently sleeping face first against the keyboard of my computer, but my previous actions serves to prove otherwise.
Dreams doesn't usually have smell, sound, or fear that match it perfectly. With enough intensity any of the three can force any fellow awake, as long as it doesn't match whatever it is that the dreamer is seeing (or given that he's just that much of a heavy sleeper).
Whatever it is the smell and the scenery match, so right now I'm definitely awake.
"But that means we're knee deep in this mess."
This isn't my world, or more appropriately this isn't my world anymore. I was a high roll mercenary in my original 'world', and at the end of a once in a lifetime adventure I met a premature yet perfect demise. Afterwards I was reborn into a modern and refined 'ideal world' where I'm more than content to spend the rest of my peaceful safely ensured days there.
And then this happens.
Earlier I was a bit worried that I was flunged back into my old world, but after regaining some of my composure I realized that this wasn't my world.
Sure the 'magic' was also there but compared to mine it was a bit more 'natural' I guess? Whatever the case is I'm definitely not back there anymore.
"But this definitely isn't 'earth' either....."
And that's the main problem. Where am I and can I go back? Although those two question are simple the equally basic answer would be hard to be found.
Moreover I'm not alone.....
"Oh, so this world does have a display."
And thus the first sentence in another world was declared.
I instantly turned towards the source, surprised that any of them was calm enough to actually keep it together. But because it was him not caring about anything at all fits the bill a lot more.
A bespectacled man with short green hair and black rimmed glasses, I never thought that I would ever seen the so called glasses-sage this excited.
Moriyama Midori is a genius, so like every other person with enhanced intellect he too yearns for challenges that could invigorate his brain.
The mysteries of physics, the unknown realm of biology, the endlessly expanding plane of mathematics.
He ignored any of those provocation of uncertainty for being too definite.
'Once you figure out the truth that's all there is to it' so he exclaimed. But people, people are different.
'Selfish, demanding, prideful. They could change everything about themselves in a whim. Isn't that itself is the greatest of enigma?'
Being a psychologist would limit him to only handle one person at a time, and being a figure of government has too much risk and time limit. That is why to act as a person that guesses what the people wants is the perfect position for his so called ambition.
A calm cool headed person who gets excited at the prospect of things going south.
And after being transported into another world of course he would remain the same.
"Why don't you try to open yours Akaba?" He suggested.
I instantly went on gurad, facing him with an expresionless look.
"...Midori, aren't you a bit too calm for someone who just got transported?" I shot.
"I could say the same to you. And if I might ask what do you mean by 'transported'?"
Without any hesitation he took the bait, the usual smug look never leaving his face.
"Alright I give. How do I make one of those display thing appear?"
"Just swipe the air down like in those dumb popular stuck inside a game anime."
I snorted at his paradoxical explanation "Means you're one of the idiots who watched it then."
"Guess so...." I followed his instruction and did as he said, moving my index finger in a downward fashion against the empty air.
Needless to say the thing really did appear.
I stare at the so called display, eyeing every row and column down to every single letter. It read as the following.
Name: ~
Age: 27
Physical stats: Extremely High
Mental stats: currently Medium high maximum at Extremely High
Titles: Guardian, Caretaker, Defender.
Equipment: Work clothes.
Blessings: None
Quite general for a status display. There are no level or list of skills, whoever designed this might done so in order to avoid discrimination or so I thought.
"Akaba, can I see yours?" Midori asked. The fact that he's approaching me proves that he won't take no as an answer.
"Sure." I showed him my stats. He rubbed his hand on his chin as he eye the display with great concentration, not that there's much to read.
"By the way can you see mine?"
Normally I would've replied with 'that's gay' but his brought me to realization.
"I can't." He merely nodded.
"Looks like consent is required for anyone beside the owner to look at the stats. And you've already given yours by saying quote 'sure'." So he summarized.
I nodded to signify my understanding, before proceeding to realie that I just got play.
"Now-now don't be like that. I didn't know that something like that would happen you know."
"Well hurry up and show me yours."
"Sure-sure."
Gaining his consent another page of lines and words suddenly appeared in front of me.
Name: ~
Age: 26
Physical stats: Medium
Mental stats: Exceedingly high
Titles : Wiseman, Hermit, Sage
Equipment: Work clothes
Blessings: none
His display was the same as mine except the difference in some of the stats. Though status like this were also present in my past world the one provided here wasn't as detailed or open as the one I once had.
With that it was completely confirmed that we're not in 'my' world. However....
"Midori, how did you know that this status thing exist in the first place?"
Even in Isekai stories the main character wouldn't be aware of such things due to the difference in 'understanding of the world', thus the only reason Midori was able to figure things out so quickly was because he was aware of this world's logic beforehand.
Perhaps we were transported into one of the games he played, but that scenario was disproved by his earlier statement of not realizing that a person stats could only be seen by others with the owner's permission.
And that only leaves one answer.
"Midori.... could it be that you're like me?"
"Please be more specific Akaba-san. Or else there will be misunderstanding." He didn't even bother to look away from his screen, and I can feel my tension rising.
"...But if my deduction on what you reffer to as 'the same as me is correct' then I'm not the only one."
And with that realization once again dawned upon me.
Yes I was aware that I'm not here alone, but it seems that I have forgotten that Midori wasn't the only one that accompanied me.
I turned around to see something familiar yet foreign at the same time.
Aogiri was hugging Momoiro. I couldn't make out any of their face due to the distance but the mood surounding them was obviously a low spirited one.
As for Koen his condition was by far the worst. He simply stood there with a shocked face and an open mouth, I'm glad that he was still alive but he definitely need further assistance.
I rushed toward him and called his name as soon as I was close enough. There was no response.
With increased desperation I grabbed both of his shoulder, and to my relief he finally reacted.
By trying to kill me.
I detached my grip on him and dodged both strike by ducking, I retaliated with a light punch directed at his stomach and due to him being dazed he was not able to dodge.
The punch sent him down to the earth along with his consciousness, and not only that it also gathered the attention of everyone present.
"W-wha....." Koen blurted as if he wasn't aware of what had happened.
No... it was better to say that he didn't want to.
"We don't have time for that." I declared "Whatever it is that all of us had done 'back there' doesn't change what's happening right now."
I offered him my hand.
"We gotta go back. To our 'real world'."
That's right. No matter what henious act we have done no matter what kind of bloodline we happen to possess none of those matters now.
The real world and our real lives are on 'that side'.
He grabbed my arm, and with a little bit of assistance finally reagained his footing. Although I managed to get through the nervousness and uneasiness is still clear on his face. I am well aware of how dangerous this baggage could be but right now there's just too many bystanders.
That's something for a later date, right now what we need to do is figure out where we are and what to do.
But because all of us were to focused on that we didn't realize that we were already surrounded.