Aguri Yukimura's eyes fluttered open to the dim light of an unfamiliar room. Her head ached, her body sluggish. She raised a hand to her forehead, feeling a strange, cold sweat on her skin. As she looked around, everything felt wrong. The sterile scent of a hospital room, but the walls were… different. It wasn't like the clean, calm rooms she knew.
"Where... where am I?" she muttered, pushing herself into a sitting position. Her mind struggled to remember the events that had led to this moment. The explosion, the fire, the pain... And then nothing. It all faded into darkness.
"You're awake," a voice spoke gently, but with an authority she didn't recognize. Aguri turned her head, her eyes locking onto the figure standing by her side.
The man was unfamiliar. Tall, with unruly black hair and an intense gaze that seemed to study her as if he knew something she didn't. He was dressed casually, but his presence was unsettling. She instinctively recoiled, confused.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice still shaky. "Where am I? What's going on?"
The man gave her a measured look. He seemed hesitant to answer immediately. Instead, he stepped forward, his expression serious, though there was a faint trace of worry in his eyes.
"You're not where you're supposed to be," he said softly, as if explaining the simplest of facts.
Aguri blinked, trying to make sense of the situation. "What do you mean, not where I'm supposed to be? I... I remember..." Her voice faltered as the memory hit her—the explosion, the pain. It was all too vivid, and yet, here she was. Alive? "I died, didn't I?" she whispered.
Ryu hesitated. "No. You didn't die. Not exactly." He stopped, choosing his words carefully. "You were supposed to die, Aguri. That's what was meant to happen."
Her heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean? That doesn't make sense!" Aguri shook her head, trying to push the strange sense of dread aside. "If I didn't die, then why am I here? Why… why don't I remember anything after… after I was injured?"
He stepped closer, as though unsure how to break the news. "I'm… from another world," he said. His voice lacked any hint of joking or sarcasm. "I came here because... because I couldn't let you die. I couldn't let your death happen."
Aguri frowned, her eyes narrowing with skepticism. "Another world? Are you serious?" She laughed bitterly, shaking her head in disbelief. "What are you talking about? I think you've lost your mind, mister. You don't even know me—how could you be saying this?"
Ryu paused, then gave her a long, thoughtful look. "I know more than you think. And you know me. Or, you will."
Her confusion deepened. "I don't know you. I'm sure of it. I've never seen you before." She tried to make sense of it all, her thoughts racing. "How could you possibly know what happened to me?"
"I'm Ryu," he finally introduced himself, his gaze steady but tinged with regret. "And I've been trying to fix things."
Aguri stared at him for a long moment, processing his words slowly. "Fix things? How could you... you just said I'm not supposed to be here, that I wasn't supposed to survive. How do I know you're not just some... some lunatic?"
He sighed, stepping back a little to give her some space. "You don't have to believe me right now, Aguri. I get it. But please, just listen. You were going to die, and I couldn't let that happen."
Her brow furrowed as she took in his words, but still, she couldn't shake the disbelief. "I almost died... and you somehow saved me? From what? What's going on?" She crossed her arms over her chest, still trying to process the confusion swirling in her mind. "You expect me to believe that I'm here because of you?"
Ryu didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced away, as though weighing the gravity of the situation. "I'm not from this world," he repeated, his tone a little more urgent now. "You won't likely believe me, but I just want what's best for everyone alive, including your students"
Aguri swallowed hard. Her head spun as she tried to make sense of his words. "Students? What are you talking about? What happened to my class?"
"They still think you're dead," Ryu said softly. "And that's where you come in. You still have time, Aguri. But we can't let them know you're back just yet. I have my reasons"
Her chest tightened. The thought of her students—those children who had relied on her—brought a surge of emotion. But none of it made sense. How could she help them now, if she didn't even understand what had happened? How could she be a part of a world she didn't belong to?
"Why didn't you just… let me go?" Aguri asked, her voice quiet. "If you're telling me I wasn't supposed to survive, why bother? Why save me?"
Ryu's eyes softened, though the weight of his words remained. "Because I couldn't stand by and let you die"
She stared at him for a long time. Everything he said seemed impossible. But there was something in his eyes—something earnest and raw—that told her he wasn't lying.
"I still don't understand," Aguri said, finally, shaking her head. "But... if what you say is true, then what do I do now?"
Ryu's expression was serious, but there was a flicker of hope in his eyes.
"You can stay with me for now, and disguise yourself when you come out, the enemies are larger than what you may expect"
Aguri took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision. It felt impossible, but maybe it wasn't. If there was even a chance that she could help her students again, maybe it was worth it.
Finally, she nodded, though she was still unsure of everything. "Okay. I'll go with you. But I need answers. I need to know everything."
Ryu nodded in return, his gaze softening. "You'll get them, Aguri. I promise"