"Hina Aiko and her group appeared before me, with Mana standing out as the center of attention. Her striking height had even landed her in magazines. They were part of the elite class, just below the Himari siblings in the social hierarchy. Which meant they were among those who affectionately called me 'Sorcerer'.
'Hey, Sorcerer, know what's going on?' Aiko asked, her perfectly curled hair looking like it belonged in a salon ad. Her light pink locks were a recent change, if I recalled correctly - she'd dyed them at the end of summer break.
'Not much,' I replied. 'I just woke up in this cave.'
Aiko's eyes sparkled with interest. 'Wait, a cave? That's so cool! We woke up on dirt,' said Akane Eri, her long hair and petite frame giving her a neat and tidy appearance. She was well-known among the Otaku crowd."
"Rumors swirled around Hina Aiko, with some claiming she was a sugar daddy hunter. Apparently, she'd flatter them but never go all the way. It seemed she had secrets to her compensated dating game.
Nikotama Kiara eyes widened as she spotted the knife in my hand. 'Whoa, sorcerer, that's intimidating!' she exclaimed. I explained, 'I'm into survival stuff, so I carry this knife and other gear in my bag. Never thought I'd actually need it, though.'
Kiara worked part-time at a karaoke bar and had a distinctive ponytail. Her flashy pink makeup under her eyes was... eye-catching. Was it a fashion statement or just a makeup mishap? She often chatted with Eri about compensated dating, and rumor had it that her senior at work had already taken her virginity.
Aiko chimed in, 'Hey, sorcerer, aren't you into survival tours? Weren't you planning to join one this summer?' I was taken aback - 'How did you know that?'"
"You were constantly gazing at the pamphlet in school, and I even caught you grinning at it earlier. Yuki Mana is just as observant as I am. We've been classmates since first year, and I've grown accustomed to her distinctive blue-tinged hair, which she insists is natural.
I'm still unsure about that, but she's maintained the claim for three years, so maybe it's true. We rarely have private conversations, so I don't know how she spends her weekends. Notably, she's never called me 'Sorcerer' before.
'If Sorcerer's here, then Reito and Byakuya must be too!' Aiko mentions the Himari brothers, who are not only top-ranked in grades but also possess exceptional physical abilities. Their popularity among the girls is undeniable, but I can't stand them. Despite their excellence, they both have terrible personalities.
'For now, let's work together with Sorcerer, okay?' Mana suggests."
"Mana's suggestion is unusual, and the other girls seem just as surprised as I am.
kiara is the first to agree, 'Sorcerer' would be reliable, and he has a knife.'
Eri follows, 'He even calls himself a survival expert, that's reassuring.' Aiko concludes, 'Then it's settled! Sorcerer, you're with us!' I respond, 'I don't mind joining forces, but I'll do things my way.
If that's okay with you, I'm in. If not, feel free to leave me behind.' 'Alright then, it's decided!' I'm glad to have more people on board; we can divide tasks, increase efficiency, and enhance our security. With our current numbers, food won't be a concern. Just then, Kiara asks, 'Hey Sorcerer, what about your libido? Anyone would be thrilled to be with us, but you're not even getting excited. Are you gay?'"
"I do have desires, and I'm not gay," I explain to Aiko as we walk. "It's just that our current situation doesn't exactly lend itself to that." The girls from the top of the class caste follow me, creating a surreal scene. Yet, it doesn't feel unpleasant.
**********
"What's the plan after we find the sea?" I ask. Kiara responds, "Isn't it obvious? We'll create an SOS signal on the beach.
" Aiko chimes in, "kiara, that's—" but is cut off by Eri, "Mana's just an idiot, right?"
Aiko retorts, "What did you say?!" and the group erupts in laughter. I interrupt, "Well, that's not a bad idea, but I'm more interested in the seawater and seaweed.
"As we head back to the cave, I inquire about where they initially woke up. From their conversation, it seems they all woke up near each other, but found nothing else. It's not surprising.
"I never thought I'd be having a conversation with Aiko, considering I usually just listen to them while dozing off at my desk.
Kiara wonders aloud, 'I still can't believe we're in Japan, but where exactly are we?' They've accepted their sudden arrival, but still seem to be processing it.
Eri takes a guess, 'It's summer, but it's not hot, maybe we're in Hokkaido.' Mana offers a more informed opinion, 'If we're in Hokkaido, we should be able to use our phones, unless we're on a remote island somewhere?' The others nod in agreement.
Aiko jokes, 'But if we're on an island east of Hokkaido, that means...' kiara completes her sentence, 'We can use this!' They share a laugh.
Aiko continues, 'I mean, even Google Maps just shows greenery, so that's likely.' Kiara chimes in, 'No, if we're anywhere in Hokkaido, there should be phone reception...'"
"I know, I was just joking!" Aiko replies, and the four of them burst into laughter. I observe, "You girls are quite carefree." They're undoubtedly optimistic, convinced that rescue will arrive soon.
Their lightheartedness is a coping mechanism, better than succumbing to hysteria.
"Now, let's take a look." After a while of navigating through the forest using the tree marks, the cave finally comes into view. As soon as they spot it, I halt the girls, stretching my arm to signal them to quiet down.
I crouch into the bushes, motioning for them to follow suit. "What's going on?" Aiko whispers. I silence her with a gesture, pointing towards the cave.
"Look inside the cave," I whisper, and the girls gasp in unison. "Wait, no way?!" A massive tiger is resting inside, yawning multiple times before lying down, appearing drowsy. However, if we get closer, it'll surely notice us.
"Why is there a tiger here?!" Kiara and Mana exclaim, their voices rising. "There shouldn't be any wild tigers in Japan." I interrupt, "That's because this isn't Japan.
" The girls look at me in confusion, "Huh?" I explain, "If we were in Japan, we'd have phone reception, even on uninhabited islands. And the wildlife here is unusual - we've seen Tamias, which only live in Hokkaido.
" Eri asks, "Then we're in Hokkaido?" I dismiss the idea, saying, "Not possible. There are creatures here that can't be found in Hokkaido, but I'll leave that for later."!
"Then, where are we?" Mana asks, her eyes fixed on me. I take a deep breath before responding, "I know this sounds like a huge leap, but I think we're not on Earth.
" The girls exchange confused glances. "You mean, like in those 'Isekai' manga, where people get transported to another world?" Arisa asks, her voice laced with incredulity.
I nod, "That's exactly what I mean." The girls' faces turn stiff, their minds struggling to process this extraordinary revelation.