Christina decided to walk down the hallway. The moonlight lit up her path. But at every step, her thoughts sunk further deep. Making her pace slow down as if walking in a funeral.
She sat on her favorite chair and calmed herself down in front of the fireplace. In silence, Christina stared blankly at the fire. She gradually felt the pain and emptiness of the house that she had never felt before.
Her mind was filled with all sorts of complicated thoughts. Thoughts that inevitably made her fall asleep and dream of the distant past.
…
It was a bright and sunny day in the 21st century when a haggard lady hurried down the road.
Oh, shit!
A freelancer finally pushed herself to attend a job interview. But… she's late.
Ugh!
She kept on energizing her sleepy self but she didn't feel any better. She began to tap her shoes faster and faster as the bus was taking its time to arrive.
Why! Why now of all times!
Irritated, the lady looked around for other options. She had no time to lose. But she flinched the next second...
"You've gotta be kidding…"
The lady wasted her time waiting for a bus that wouldn't come no matter what.
She was waiting on the wrong side of the highway.
Running for her life, the lady decided to take the risk and cross the deadly road. She reached her goal, but her happiness was cut short.
Her heels got stuck deep in the gutter's railings. She immediately pulled her feet out of her shoe and crouch to pick up the stuck shoes. But—
E-eh?
A sudden pang of dizziness overcame the moment. Her vision was wobbling even though she knew for a fact that her body was perfectly fine.
Her eyes were getting heavier in a matter of seconds.
N-no…I can't…
The lady blinked desperately to wake up. But it was too slow. Her vision was narrowing, and her body was unnaturally falling backward.
I… can't…
Plop. And the lady dropped, unconscious on the ground.
…
Or that's what was supposed to happen. Yet here she was, laid on nothingness.
Poof!
'Welcome! Christina.'
A gullible ethereal voice echoed through the empty space. Her head that's supposed to be aching so bad didn't feel like aching at all. Rather she couldn't feel any pain in her body.
What's happening?
Christina expected to see the white-painted walls of the hospital. But when she opened her eyes, she was welcomed by the blank white canvas surrounding her.
It's empty and unnecessarily white.
'Is that so? Let's fill this place up then!'
When the voice said so, the place was filled with surreal smoke arising from nothingness and forming like a cloud. A light shone so brightly that she could not see what's coming.
A figure was seen blocking the light and coming down towards her.
Within the blinding light, Christina gradually saw a clear vision of the figure. But went speechless…
W-what? E-Edogawa Conan?! Why-wait this is impossible?!
'Hm? Conan? Eh? So, you wanted to meet Conan?'
Christina blinked several times before blurting out the question—
"What do you mean I want to meet Conan?! It's impossible to meet him alive! He's a character!"
She hastily covered her mouth.
Christina was shocked still seeing the favorite character of her dreams. She remembered bragging to her friends before that if she were to die, she would like to meet Conan for one last time.
An impossible dream that could never come true and laughed at by her friends.
But now—
Christina unconsciously reached out towards Conan's face. Pinching here and there nonstop.
'Onee-san, are you done?'
With a grim expression, Conan asked impatiently. But, Christina was overwhelmed with joy.
I could peacefully die now.
Conan seemingly heard her thoughts that he panicked.
'Wait, wait, wait! Onee-san how shallow can you be, ah? This simple thing is your dream? Hah.'
Offended, Christina woke up from her imagination and realized that there was a huge difference between her favorite character and the person impersonating him in front of her.
Her nerves near her temples twitched, her face was crumpled in anger. She went closer and pressed her index finger in the middle of Conan's forehead about three times.
Unsatisfied, she even flicked his forehead several times.
"How dare you say that in Conan's voice! Unforgivable!"
'Eh? Eh?'
At the incoming punch, Conan began to run in circles while Christina chased after him.
'Onee-san!! Time out, okay?! I'm sorry! I said, TIME OUT!'
At the outburst of Conan, a transparent wall came between Christina and him. It finally sunk on Christina what was happening.
In front of her was her most beloved character from a manga.
Someone that won't come to life no matter what.
He was now huffing and arguing with her.
Something that won't happen except she died.
Death?
Christina's face went pale at the realization.
"Did I die?"
At her words, Conan sighed.
He clapped his hands and a chair made of clouds appeared. He sat like a king and looked at her, full of boredom.
'That's right, kid. You died.'
"Ha-how? I just fainted and…"
Christina was confused at what happened.
How? Why did I die?
'Ah, that.'
Conan scratched his head while averting his eyes on her.
'You were supposed to die tomorrow but you fainted near someone who was about to die. You got caught in the middle and died together with him.'
He explained roughly, expressing his unwillingness to explain any further.
'It's pretty gruesome. Better not to know it.'
Christina understood that she died a day early. It won't make any difference anyway, so she didn't mind. With her happy-go-lucky attitude, Christina began to wonder what would happen to her from now on.
'That, since you already met your favorite character as compensation. You're supposed to move on, reincarnate and forget—Life Cycle. But…'
Looking at his hesitating expression, Christina tilted her head.
'Ehem, since you died a day earlier it's equivalent to a lifetime or 100 years in the underworld. So, you can't reincarnate right now.'
What the hell are you talking about now…
Christina pulled up her sleeves, ready for another round of chase. 'Conan' hastily covered his surroundings with the transparent walls, hurriedly completing his words.
'Now, now... don't be angry. You just need to spend about 100 years in another world. Congratulations!'
Christina's lips kept twitching in disbelief at the Conan before her. He was doing all sorts of cute gestures. Even winking at her, such a horrible thing.
It was like Conan had an identical twin appeared before her and that she didn't like a single thing about that twin.
Compromising, Christina indifferently replied.
"Haaa… okay, so what should I do then?"
'Right! I already have a solution to that. I already prepared my friend's world to take in your soul. Just remember that you won't be able to reincarnate back to earth if you spend more than 100 years there.'
Christina already imagined spitting several times at the Conan in front of her. No matter what, she's still going to live anyway. It's a win-win for a human with a short life.
"Fine."
'Well then.'
Conan had a cheeky grin as he shone brightly like the sun himself. That light also covered her.
'Have fun!'
…
In an instant, Christina gasped for air. She was lying flat on the ground and when she opened her eyes, the deep blue sky welcomed her presence.
Christina sat up, blinked several times, and looked around her.
Lush greens, a vast number of trees surrounding her, the chirping sound of birds, and the sound of running water.
So…
"Where the heck am I?"