A few days have passed since all of those. I am back at my own house in the world I was born in. Mizuki, Mary, Selena and Nino live with me.
Life has been well. I feel that my journey is over. But a sense of discomfort still lingers. Why do I feel so unsatisfied? I can't describe this feeling. But something is amiss.
Is it over? My story was such a short one. I can't even believe it myself.
The discomfort in me grows. All of them are out shopping. I am currently house-sitting.
I am bored. Maybe that's why I felt like that? I close my eyes and kinda doze of.
◇◇◇◇◇
"Wake up, Akatsuki."
I hear a voice. A man's voice but it's similar to mine. I open my eyes to find myself. Eh!! I am looking at myself.
"Don't make such a stupid face. I am not you."
The mysterious guy who looks like me says. But if he isn't me then who is he?
"This is the first time I am meeting you. You can call me whatever you want. Father, brother, god, author…anything you want. Because I am all of them."
What is this delusional guy saying? How can he be all of those? Moreover, my father, brother? I have only one father and no brother.
"I will break it down to you one by one. Let's move."
He moves from my front and I see my surroundings. It's a pure white room with a beanbag in the middle. I am sitting on the beanbag.
I get up and follow him. He touched the wall and it opened. We go into another white room. It has a messy desk and a lot of pens. And a bed in the corner.
"Take a seat wherever you want."
He sits at his desk and suddenly I have another beanbag behind me. When did this happen?
I didn't sense any magic. Neither did I sense any distortion in space time. No, I can't feel time and space. Nor do I feel any innate magic.
"Introductions are necessary. My name is Constant. Yes, you can call me that. I am your creator."
Let me think first. I was sleeping and then suddenly I am here. I meet a guy who looks just like me and he says he is my creator.
I can at least humor him.
"Don't think I am joking. If you don't believe me, read this." (Constant)
He hands me a bundle of papers. It has something written on it. I start reading it from the beginning.
The more I read it, the less it makes any sense. What kind of a joke is it? I have restarted my story 3 times now. When I reach a part which matches my memories, I stop.
"You now know. What are you?" (Constant)
"I do. But why did you choose such a weird story to write?"
"Impulse. It was all an impulse. That's all." (Constant)
"Then why did you bring me here? What is your reason?"
"No reason. I just wanted to meet my better half face to face. You can say, I was lonely." (Constant)
I can't understand what this guy is saying. But judging from it, he isn't lying. Also, I can't go against him anyway since my powers don't work here.
"Maybe after 250 billion years, I finally went insane. Loneliness is a powerful thing. It will drive you to insanity." (Constant)
He is saying things like that. But 250 billion years! That's an amount of time I can't even imagine. Just 5000 years were painful enough that I had to sleep through it.
"I wanted to talk to someone. But due to my pride, I don't leave this space. It is my personal space after all." (Constant)
"So others do exist, don't they?"
"Yes. It's not like I am totally alone but I don't interact with them. I keep my distance lest the harmony might be damaged." (Constant)
"You sure are weird."
"Yes. That is the concept behind your creation. I made you in a way that you would be the me which I never was. You have all the qualities that I don't. And it's vice versa." (Constant)
"Then what about the girls?"
"They will be in the story. If I don't write the story, it doesn't progress. Currently I have brought you out of the story so they will not notice. Besides, I sent you all to sleep when I brought you here, didn't I?" (Constant)
What he says is true. So it might be good to talk with him.
"After reading your complete story, which version of you was the best to you?" (Constant)
"Probably this one, the handicapped one. Having no limbs while still doing some crazy things, that was the coolest." (Akatsuki)
"I think so too. And your death back then was also quite good. But I had to revive you and restart the story. Sorry!" (Constant)
"Don't be. But now that the story is over, what will you do now?" (Akatsuki)
"I have always wanted to go on a trip with you. I mean, you are what I am not. The same goes for you. So we both make each other whole. How about we go on a trip?" (Constant)
"A trip? Where would we go?" (Akatsuki)
"There are plenty of places. Many worlds have been created. They are all different from each other. And my friends have passed on their jobs to the next generation. So we can have a reunion of sorts." (Constant)
"Nice. But what about the girls?" (Akatsuki)
"Spend some time with me. You have been living with those girls everyday. And here I am, alone for 250 billion years. Give me some company." (Constant)
He starts sulking. It's true that I have been living with them for as long as I can remember. So it's not bad if I go on a vacation. Just the two of us.
"We'll depart tomorrow. Let's get a good night's sleep." (Constant)
"Yeah. I am kinda sleepy as well." (Akatsuki)
He snaps his fingers and a bunk bed appears in replacement of his single bed. He takes the top.
"Now, good night." (Constant)
He falls asleep quickly. This will be a first for me. Having a brother and going on a trip with him, I think it'll be fun.