In the dimly lit, high-end restaurant, guests indulged in gourmet dishes as the delicate strains of classical music filled the air.
A stage at the back featured a live ensemble, their elegant performance a perfect complement to the opulent surroundings.
Below the stage, an open space allowed patrons to waltz gracefully, their movements fluid and synchronized with the timeless melodies.
However, in a shadowed corner of this sophisticated setting, two individuals appeared strikingly out of place.
Seated at a small, secluded table, a plain-looking man and a strikingly alluring woman sat across from each other, their faces softly illuminated by the warm glow of a single candle.
Despite the romantic ambiance, tension hung between them like a storm about to break.
"What?! Are you serious?" Satoru's voice cracked the silence, his shock and disbelief unmistakable.
His eyes, wide with confusion, searched the woman's face for any sign that this was some cruel joke.
"You heard me, Satoru," the woman replied, her tone as cold as the ice in the untouched glass of water before her.
"I'm breaking up with you." Her words were sharp, cutting through the fragile moment like a blade.
Satoru blinked, struggling to process what he'd just heard. His mind raced, grasping for reasons, for explanations.
"But… why?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking any louder might shatter what was left of his world.
The woman sighed, a hint of impatience creeping into her expression as she leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.
"To put it bluntly," she said, her voice dripping with disdain, "I was only with you during college for your money. But really, Satoru, have some self-awareness."
Her words hung in the air, cruel and unyielding, as Satoru felt a coldness spread through his chest. He opened his mouth to respond, but she wasn't finished.
"With your meager salary, do you honestly think you can give me the life I want now that we're entering the real world?" She tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing as if evaluating him anew, the way one might assess something of little value.
The music and laughter that filled the room seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the deafening silence of Satoru's world collapsing around him.
He looked down at the table, his gaze falling on the flickering candlelight that had once seemed warm and inviting, but now only reminded him of how quickly things could be extinguished.
"What about all those promises we made to each other?" Satoru's voice trembled, the desperation in his words laying bare the depth of his pain.
"They were lies, Satoru. The biggest lie I ever told you." Her reply was devoid of emotion, as if she were merely stating a fact.
"..."
"Let's end this here. From now on, we're strangers." The woman's words were final, cutting off any hope of reconciliation. She stood up, her chair scraping the floor as she pushed it back.
Without a single glance in Satoru's direction, she walked out of the restaurant, her exit as cold and indifferent as her words.
Satoru remained seated, frozen in place as the soft strains of classical music continued to play in the background.
His eyes, once full of life, were now hollow and vacant, as if the light had gone out of them. He stared blankly at the space where she had been, his mind replaying her words over and over.
"Was it because I wasn't good enough? Was it because I'm too plain? Or is it really because I can't give her the happiness she wants?" His thoughts spiraled, each question cutting deeper than the last.
He sighed heavily, the weight of the evening pressing down on him. "Enough. I need to get out of here. I can't stay in this place any longer," he muttered to himself, pushing back his chair as he stood to leave.
Outside, the city was alive with the buzz of activity, a stark contrast to the emptiness Satoru felt inside.
His figure, solitary and forlorn, seemed out of place amidst the bustling crowds. The vibrant lights and lively chatter only served to amplify his sense of isolation.
As he walked through the crowded streets, Satoru kept his head down, lost in thought.
The city, with all its grandeur, suddenly felt overwhelming, its sheer size and energy making him feel small and insignificant.
"What's the point of it all?" he wondered, his thoughts turning darker.
"Is it really such a crime to be poor? Do people like me not deserve love?"
His mind was a storm of confusion and doubt, each question gnawing at him with relentless intensity.
Just as he was about to lose himself completely in his thoughts, a loud horn blared, jolting him back to reality.
Satoru looked up, squinting against the blinding headlights that bore down on him.
The light was so intense that he instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes, struggling to make out what was coming at him.
It was a truck, speeding towards him with terrifying speed.
In that moment, Satoru knew with absolute certainty that he was about to die. Yet, against all odds, a strange calmness settled over him.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and the world around him blurred into a dizzying whirl. He could feel his heart pounding furiously in his chest, each beat resonating like a drum.
"Is this the effect of adrenaline…?" he mused, his thoughts curiously detached.
"What a pitiful life I've led... All those years of studying hard from elementary school to high school, hoping to meet someone special in college and spend the rest of my life with her. Who would've thought that the very choice I thought would bring me happiness would end up causing me the most pain?"
His mind wandered back to the evening's events. "I spent an entire month planning for today, but it became the heartbreak anniversary… and now, the day of my death."
"Why is this truck coming straight at me though? Do I have some kind of grudge with it?"
He let out a bitter chuckle, realizing how absurd his thoughts were. "None of it matters anymore."
"If there's a next life, I wish for a completely new beginning."
...
"Why are you paying attention to me? Is something wrong?"
A cold, slightly irritated female voice pulled Satoru's consciousness back.
He turned his gaze to the girl in front of him, his eyes still showing confusion, but that quickly transformed into surprise.
The girl was clad in a school uniform, the dark hues of her attire accentuating her fair, porcelain complexion, rendering her beauty even more captivating.
This sight held Satoru's gaze, making it nearly impossible for him to look away.
Wow, she's really beautiful.
"Staring at strangers for nearly two minutes is not a good habit," the girl said, putting down the book she was holding and looking at Satoru with a hint of resentment.
"Oh, sorry."
After a moment of silence, Satoru question in his mind, confused, what was going on?
The girl was someone he didn't recognize, and the surroundings appeared to be... a library?
He would never be in a library—what would a corporate drone be doing in a library? That left only one possibility....
Oh my truck-kun, am I... reincarnated?
"You look puzzled. Shouldn't it be me who's confused?"
The girl, observing Satoru's furrowed brows, asked curiously.
"It's nothing... Can I ask what the date is today?"
"How do you make your foolish question reveals such pure ignorance and confusion?"
"It's July 9, 1040."
After a brief silence, the girl explained.
Ah, I really have been reincarnated to another world... but wait, why would there be JK in the so long ago!?
Seeing Satoru's expression growing even more puzzled, the girl thought he might really be a fool, so she decided to ignore him and focus on reading her book.
Looking at the book the girl was reading, "Sword and Magic: Basics (Holy Magic)," Satoru fell into contemplation.
Soon, he clarified the situation: he had most likely been reincarnated to a fantasy world filled with magic and monsters.
"So you came to the Glorious Archive just to daze around?"
The girl couldn't help but ask.
"Please make good use of your time, and also consider the feelings of other students who couldn't get a spot in the Glorious Archive."
With that, the girl packed up her book, stood up, and left.
Before leaving, she glanced back at Satoru, who was also looking at her, and their eyes met.
"By the way, you're very gorgeous."
The girl, who had just turned her head, frowned slightly upon hearing this and seemed puzzled a little bit. But she soon understood why such a nonsensical comment was made.
It seemed he was a fool with an exceptionally long reaction time.
Satoru was sure he hadn't mistaken: his words had indeed made the girl's lips curve up slightly, at least a pixel.
As he watched the girl leave the library—or more precisely, the glorious archive—Satoru continued to come to terms with the fact that he had indeed been reincarnated to isekai.
However, Satoru's attention was quickly drawn to another girl. She had taken the seat of the previous girl, resting her chin on her hand, her gaze intently fixed on Satoru as if waiting for the results of his contemplation.
Her posture was naturally elegant, as if time itself slowed around her, creating a picturesque scene.
Satoru's eyes met hers for a fleeting moment, their profound gazes intertwining in the air.
The girl before him possessed long, snow-white hair, cascading in pure, pristine waves. She wore a meticulously tailored uniform, its subdued colors accentuating her graceful form.
Every detail of the uniform, from the folds to the buttons, was seemed to be impeccably arranged, avoiding any hint of disarray and instead radiating an aura of nobility and elegance.
Her white hair, set against the dark fabric of the uniform, appeared especially striking, as if she were an elegant phantom from a forgotten dream.
At the moment their eyes met, the girl's flawless, delicate features revealed a cascade of emotions.
Surprise? Confusion? Joy?
"Can you see me?"
Satoru was a bit disoriented by this sudden question. Was this a prank? Or was he seeing ghosts?
"Yes," Satoru replied simply.
"Really?!"
"Really."
The girl's radiant expression of joy left Satoru utterly perplexed.
He couldn't help but wonder if this girl was truly a ghost; her smile and demeanor seemed so unusually out of place.
"Hey boy, let's be friends!"