My mother patted my back as I sobbed, as my face turns beet red as I tried to hold back my tears. "It's all right, it's all right, did you have a nightmare again?" She asked with a sympathizing face. I almost blurted out 'I'm 28 mom' but I caught myself on the "I'm" part.
"I'm... 13" I said softly. "That was a year ago mom. I've grown up a bit since then" 15 extra years of mental stress is a little more than 'a bit' but I'll roll with it. "You'll always be a baby in my heart darling" my mom continued "and come on, breakfast is getting cold" while gesturing me to the kitchen counter. How long has it been since I've eaten my mother's cooking? 15 years...? Something sounded wrong. As I sat there pondering, I continued to enjoy the simple luxury of steamed rice, miso soup and grilled fish. Fifteen years ago... Wait.
"Mom, what day is today?"
"December 17, why?"
"Nothing, just forgot for a second"
"Really? Are you not counting down the exact day your birthday would be on?" My mother replied with a sly grin.
My birthday, January 1 ... that cursed day where the world decides to rain terror upon the world.
I lied, "yeah, I can't forget the delicious cake I'll be getting"
"Of course!" My mother puffed her chest proudly. "It'll be the grandest cake in this world! 14 years old is when you check your attributes after all! It's the sign that you've finally reached your adulthood!"
"Isn't the test the day before your birthday?" I asked.
"I know! And rest safe that I'll be happy no matter the result!"
The rice I was chewing in my mouth felt like rocks as my memories slowly flowed back into my head. My mother is has always been alone, with a husband that left her for a job, and the fact that my older brother was kidnapped by something when I was three didn't help either. He was proclaimed dead with a police force that couldn't care less, while the stress of her working 3 jobs slowly weighed her down. We're living a comfortable life now because a employer took pity and gave her a career instead. Her hard work proved successful, as she was rapidly promoted to one of the executives of the company.
I took a sip of soup, helping the rice down my throat. "thank you" I said with a smile. We finished our breakfast and I went outside. 'I won't let you or Elena die this time' I thought to myself. 15 days until the end of the world... that's not enough time to control all the odds but it's something I can work with. I befriended Elena today too... I guess I will start with that.
A few hours later...
My neck is sour. I've been standing with my face up in the sky for half a hour now. This was the exact same thing I did before. I perfectly reenacted the exact steps. I thought to myself "she should be here any second n-"
A voice rang out "why are you just looking at the sky?" I shook. I turned around and looked at her face. At her sparkling blond hair she always insists is natural. It's length reached her hips, and she always complains when someone ask her if she was planning to get it cut. At her blue eyes that seems to be looking on a land that stretch on forever, at her same eyes that looked at me with love at one point. I looked at the love of my life, I was looking at Elena. "Is the sky falling down, chicken little?" She asked with a chuckle.
I resisted the urge to give her a bear hug. I smiled and remembered our first conversation. Something that I etched into my brain years and years before. I reenact the exact same face and the exact same phrase.
「
"Would you like it to be?"
"Well, I guess it wouldn't be that bad"
」
A transparent neon blue sign ran in front of my face. I was confused for a second. I'm here at the exact same time and position. A object I haven't seen before in all of my life suddenly popped in front of my face. I can't let this stop me. I gave a smile and replied, "Would you like it to be?"
She smiled like nothing was wrong. "Well, I guess it wouldn't be that bad"
I thought to myself "what the hell's going on?". A robotic noise sounded in my head as the sign in front of me changed.
「
I'm here to help you with this world. I'll get you to [The End] and beyond it perfectly as you wish. The perfect ending you crave,
with Elena and your loved one. And as your first quest, capture Elena's Heart within the end of the world!
」