I feel asphyxiated, I wonder if I've truly woken up at all, the smell of my sweat lingers in the air and the remnants of the dream—no, not a dream, it was real. I can't breathe, can't think. My head is spinning, and my heart feels like it's about to burst out of my chest.
The blood, the girl's pleading face, her cries for mercy... I shiver, trying to shake it off. But the it still lingers in the back of my mind.
My phone buzzes. It's a message from my boss: "You're late." Another reminder of my depressing life.
I force myself to get out of bed. The dread burdens me making me disconnected. But I can't focus on that right now. I have to get out of here.
I make my way to the office, my mind was still fixated on the other world . What was that place? The stage, the ranking system, the dance off? None of it makes sense. Yet, it felt so vivid.
The day drifts by in a haze. I'm seated at my desk, aimlessly typing. My fingers were on autopilot mode; doing it's own work. But my mind? It's elsewhere.
The girl. Her blood. Her screams. It still haunts me, I couldn't help but blame myself, I have this horrible habit of taking the blame for everything that goes wrong.
My thoughts drift back to that strange moment, Iris, the ranking system, the choices. It's all too overwhelming. What am I supposed to do with this?
Chapter 7: Meeting Yumi
As the night approaches, I drift off to sleep, I find myself in that same place again—The stage, glimmering with light. I'm not sure how, but I'm back.
"You've made it again," Iris beams.
I turn around and see her standing there, her crimson colored eyes luminating in the dim light. "What now?" I ask, my voice shaky.
Iris replies calmly. "You will meet your guide now. She'll explain everything."
A white light flickers in front of us revealing a portal and a girl steps out. She's petite, her short jet black hair glowing softly in the dim light- she's beautiful. She gives me a warm smile which makes my heart melt.
"I'm Yumi," she says, her voice gentle like a delicate butterfly. "I'll be your guide, Haruki."
I glance at her, confused. "Guide? For what?"
"To help you get through this world," Yumi explains. "To ensure you make the right decision."
Her smile never falters, but I notice her hiding something. A flicker of sadness, maybe?
She holds out her hand.
I hesitate, but take her hand. I feel something I can't quite place; It feels... right.
Chapter 8: The Rankings
Yumi leads me across the stage, still clasping my hand, her voice gentle as she explains. "Here, we have a ranking system. The higher you rank, the more privileges you receive- like spectating matches and getting bonuses.
She looks at me warily. "You need to gain 100,000 points to get out of here, Haruki. It's going to take effort and determination."
I can feel my stomach tighten. "That's a lot. How will I even manage that?
"Don't worry," she assures with a smile. "With enough work, you will get there, I believe in you."
I nod, but deep inside I knew that it was going to take more than hard work.
"Let me show you how to see your status," Yumi continues. " Reveal my Status." she commands, an icon materializes over her head. It's a floating screen, displaying a ranking out of 100.
Yumi's rank is 30/100.
"Woah... That's pretty high.
Yumi blushes. "I guess you could say I have some experience in this area."
I raise my eyebrows, "Huh?"
"Well, I'm a J-pop idol. I've been performing on stage since I was a kid." Yumi confesses.
"Wait, you're an idol?"
Yumi flushes, " Shh, don't tell anyone." " Anyways enough about me, do you want to see your ranking?" she says with encouragement.
I nod, " Reveal my Status." I command. An icon pops up above my head- 78/100.
My heart starts pounding nervously. "That's really low."
" Don't be sad, you are just a beginner so your rank will automatically be low." Yumi reassures.
I nod, I guess I still have a long way to go...
Chapter 9: Yumi's performance
It was still difficult for me to grasp, the whole "new world" thing. I had so many questions but standing next to Yumi, made me feel safe. She has been nothing but kind to me.
Yumi tilted her head with a playful grin, her chocolate colored eyes sparkling, as she looked at me. "Wanna see my performance?"
I blinked, "But... my rank's still too low. I won't even be able to see it. I haven't even earned enough points yet."
She winked at me with the same smile from before "Well, I can make an exception"
Before I could respond, the world around us seemed to shift. Everything had suddenly become more vibrant, more vivid. The floor beneath us shimmered as a stage materialized before my eyes.
She was still smiling, her eyes bright with excitement. "Just watch," she said.
The stage around us glittered to life. The air was filled with anticipation as Yumi stepped forward, she was wearing a flowing white dress that complemented her petite body , her hair styled in a neat bun with loose strands framing her face; her posture perfect, and began her performance.
Yumi's performance was mesmerizing. She effortlessly danced, her movements were smooth and precise. The flowy white dress she wore twirled gracefully with every step, but when she began to sing, it was like the universe paused. Her voice was pure and sweet like a hummingbird. Every note she sang was connected to her heart .There was no flaw, no hesitation, it perfect.
I was in awe, she is the epitome of perfection.