Yeah… Uh… Hi, I'm not sure if I'll ever publish this. I might chicken out. Honestly, who would even want to read this? I don't even know how to start. Should I tell everything from the beginning or throw in some kind of interesting twist? Or maybe I should adapt it a bit so it's less embarrassing…

This is harder than I thought. I mean, the story already happened! And yet, I don't know how to put it into words. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but whatever…

Alright, enough rambling. What matters is how it all began. I think the best way to start is with the massive cliché that kicked it all off.

—

I woke up with a start, feeling that strange sensation of having fallen from somewhere.

I turned over in bed, feeling the cold touch of the sheets. I didn't even care about the weird dream I'd just had; I just wanted five more minutes.

I reached out to turn off the alarm clock, but… it wasn't ringing. That was weird, I'm one of those people who sets a thousand alarms in a row to make sure I don't oversleep because I always stay up late playing video games or watching anime. And now? Dead silence.

I opened my eyes, and instead of my bedroom ceiling, I found myself staring at completely unfamiliar wooden walls. Wait… where am I?

The question grew louder in my mind as I started noticing more details. That wasn't my bed. That room wasn't mine. And my body… it was definitely my body, but at the same time, something felt different, though I couldn't tell what it was just yet. Everything felt so out of place.

I tried to jump out of bed, well, I tried but my body was groggy and disoriented, and my center of gravity felt off. Had my height changed? I looked around, completely lost. The room had nothing but a bed, a little table, and a window overlooking… well, a landscape I didn't recognize at all.

I approached the window cautiously, staring out as I tried to process what I was seeing. A green meadow stretched out as far as the eye could see, with mountains in the distance and a clear sky that looked almost unreal.

"Alright, Kai, calm down..."

That's what I told myself, though my pulse was speeding up. This had to be a dream. Or some kind of elaborate prank, right?

Just as I was struggling to make sense of the situation, two girls burst through the door talking, and I just stared at them, still utterly confused and unable to say anything. The shorter one, though not by much since both were pretty short looked almost childlike, with a wild mane of hair framing her energetic face. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and amusement as she gave me a disbelieving look before speaking:

"Is this a dream? Or are you sick? You woke up on your own and even early!"

Her comment left me even more baffled. I stayed silent, not knowing how to react, as I tried to process the sheer surrealism of the situation. I'd never seen this girl in my life. Who was she, and how did she know so much about me?

And then I noticed the other girl and froze. She had pointed ears, like an elf's. My mind went blank for a moment. That couldn't be real, right? People don't just walk around with elf ears… unless they're cosplayers.

That's when I became absolutely certain: I was in another world.

This was amazing!

I'd always dreamed of something like this living in a fantastical world, being able to use magic. It was incredible! That's what I thought at first, euphoric… until a different thought hit me. Did I really have to come to another world in such a generic way? I mean, I'd read this scenario a thousand times before waking up in a magical world and I would've liked it to be at least a bit less generic.

But all those thoughts disappeared in an instant, along with my excitement. It's hard to describe, but it was like all my energy drained out of me. I don't remember exactly how it happened, but I think I fainted.

***

I opened my eyes again, and there it was: the ceiling of my room, completely normal and devoid of wood.

I stared at it for a few seconds, trying to remember where I'd just been.

Then, that familiar sound snapped me out of my thoughts. Beep. Beep. Beep. My alarm clock had started ringing, almost as if it were mocking me.

So, it was all just a dream? That world, those strange girls… was it all just my imagination messing with me? A heavy sigh escaped my lips. Of course, it was a dream. A stupid dream.

I tried to relax, but when I turned to check the time on the clock, a chill ran down my spine. I was late.

I jumped out of bed so quickly that I nearly cracked my head open on the edge of the table. Ignoring the near-miss, I grabbed my school uniform and dashed to the bathroom. I showered so fast that when I got out, I wasn't even sure I'd done it right. But it didn't matter there was only one thing on my mind: if I was late again, the teacher would definitely punish me. And today, I couldn't afford to stay after class. I had plans with my friend Samu.

I know what it looks like. Another protagonist with a punctuality problem? Cut me some slack; it is what it is.

Anyway, enough rambling. The thing is, I had to hurry, I couldn't afford another day of being late, not today.

I headed to my sister's room to wake her up… but when I got there, I saw a note stuck to her door. I froze for a second, reading it. The note said, "I left early to avoid being late. I've made you breakfast. See you later. Remember that I have a volleyball game today."

Seriously? My own sister just abandoned me like that? At least she mentioned leaving breakfast. I guess that's something…

But with how late I was, I doubted I'd have time to sit down and enjoy it. That's when I had the brilliant idea of grabbing the toast and eating it on my bike. At the time, it didn't seem like a bad idea, and being in a rush, I didn't stop to think much about it. In hindsight, though, maybe it wasn't the best plan.

On the way, I hit a bump and, without realizing it, choked on the toast. I had to stop my bike abruptly, coughing and gasping for air. If it hadn't been for a nearby man who came to help me, I probably wouldn't have made it. I barely managed to thank him in the span of a few seconds before getting back on my way, feeling a lot less clever than I had at the start.

***

After all my efforts, they only gave me something to laugh about later with Samuel. I still arrived late, just like always. The only remotely good thing that came out of this ordeal was that, for some reason I still don't understand, the teacher took pity on me. She only made me stand in the hallway for a while at the beginning of class, as a kind reminder that I should try to improve my punctuality… or at least give it a shot.

After the most boring hours of my life, when only seconds remained before my head exploded, all I could do was stare at the clock, praying for the class to end. A long weekend was coming up, and I was determined to make the most of it, unlock all the achievements in the game I'd been hooked on. Some might think that's a waste of time, but hey, everyone spends their time how they want, right?

The bell finally rang, and in the next instant, I was ready to bolt out of class. Well, I wanted to, but I knew that if I ran out, everyone would stare at me. So, pretending to be calm, I waited a couple of seconds, as if I weren't in any hurry, and walked as casually as I could to my bike.

I don't want to skip too much, but let's be honest: nothing interesting happened on my way home. And I doubt you'd want to read about a ten-minute trip where the only noteworthy thing was the music I was listening to. Although, to be honest, I can't even remember what I was listening to. See? No excitement, no unexpected twists, just a routine ride.

But hey, patience. Even the most normal days have their way of surprising us.

Still, that day wasn't exactly calm, you know? First, the weird dream, then the disaster of trying to make it on time… and, as if that weren't enough, after getting home, I had to stop by Kazuya's house to drop off the homework the teacher assigned. Then, finally, I had plans to meet up with Samuel at the plaza and probably end up at some café, watching the latest episode of an anime.

When I got home, I saw my mom sitting on the couch, watching the news. It seemed like she was following one of those stories about robberies in the neighborhood, but I couldn't help but pass by without paying much attention. I asked how work had been and what time Dad would be home. Then I remembered my sister had a volleyball game today, so I decided not to ask about her. While talking to her, I headed to my room to change. I grabbed a black hoodie, some gray pants, and a backpack, not the school one, but a more comfortable one my parents had given me.

As my mom replied, I packed my laptop, a pair of grayish-green headphones (pretty stylish), and an adapter to plug in multiple headsets at once. I was used to carrying all this stuff for any outing, whether to study at the library or just listen to music while chatting with Samuel. But today, those headphones had a different, much more important purpose: today, a new episode of a shōnen we were hooked on was being released. In fact, it came out while I was in class. The only downside was that Kazuya was sick and wouldn't be able to join us.

When I got to the living room, my mom handed me a box of pastries she'd made for Kazuya's mom. Before leaving, she told me to be careful with the robberies.

I gave her a hug and got on my bike. It wasn't entirely necessary since Kazuya lived nearby, but I enjoy riding. It's one of the few physical activities I genuinely like, and I find it pretty relaxing to pedal with the wind brushing against my skin.

When I arrived at his house, my skin had that slight cool feeling you get after riding fast. I rang the doorbell, and it was Kazuya's mom who answered.

I stayed silent for a few moments. Maybe I felt a little shy admitting that, despite years of friendship with her son and between her and my mom, I still didn't quite know how to talk to her. Then, I tried to relax and smiled softly but naturally.

"Hello, Mrs. Sato, good afternoon. I've brought your son's homework."

I paused for a moment.

"Oh, and my mom made some pastries."

I lifted the bag slightly to hand it over.

Mrs. Sato smiled, I wasn't sure whether it was because of the pastries or because I was such a good friend, bringing her son his homework. My doubt was cleared up with her next words:

"Oh, thank you so much for bringing Kazu's homework, Kai. Always so polite. And please thank your mom for me. How is she?"

"She's doing well. She got home from work a little while ago, and when I arrived, she was watching the news about robberies in the neighborhood. Anyway, I'll take this to Kazuya."

Mrs. Sato smiled and let me in.

"Of course."

I really don't know how, but all the adults around me always seem to think I'm so polite and calm. If they knew it's just because I get nervous and don't know what to do or say… maybe they'd think differently.

I headed to Kazuya's room and knocked on the door, waiting for him to say I could come in. A couple of seconds later, I heard his voice from inside.

I opened the door and saw him sitting on his bed, looking as sturdy as always. He wasn't very tall, but he worked hard at the gym. Well, not now, since he was sick.

"Hey, how are you? Feeling any better? It's a shame you can't hit the gym with this cold, huh? I bet you're dying to do some curls. Anyway, I brought your homework. Seriously, getting sick right before the long weekend? Who does that? Though I guess you didn't exactly have a choice."

It might seem like I'm not a fan of his gym habit, but that's not it. He can do what he wants. The only thing that gets on my nerves a bit is how lately he's been basing so much of his personality on the gym.

He squinted at me slightly, and I thought I noticed a faint smirk on his lips, almost like a subtle challenge.

"Thanks for bringing the homework. And you're right, it sucks that I can't go to the gym, huh? Hey, speaking of the gym, didn't you say you'd sign up with me?"

Damn it. I might've said that at some point, but only to get him to stop pestering me every day. Clearly, it didn't work, because now he reminds me of it daily.

"Yeah… Right… Uh, well, it's just not a great time right now, you know? I've got a ton of things to do and all that. Maybe another day."

After laughing a bit, we talked for a while, and that's when he dropped the bomb: since he couldn't join us, the jerk had already watched the episode ahead of time.

"Yeah, yeah, careful, or I'll spoil it for you," he teased with a smug grin.

I just rolled my eyes, trying not to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

After checking the time, I said my goodbyes and left his house, but not before saying goodbye to Mrs. Sato, who reminded me to be careful about the robberies. Apparently, she'd been watching the news too. As I left, I caught a glimpse of her enjoying one of my mom's pastries.

***

Even ignoring everything else, I couldn't stop thinking about that dream. I know it sounds like another cliché where the protagonist ends up in the world of their dreams, but I genuinely couldn't get it out of my head. I was so lost in thought that when I got to the plaza, I didn't notice a truck heading straight for me. By the time I saw it, I thought it was too late, and that after spending so much time imagining other worlds, I was finally going to end up in one... in the most generic way possible.

Without any chance to react, I just closed my eyes and braced for impact. It might sound like I gave up, but if you'd been there, you'd have done the same, there was no time to do anything. But apparently, someone thought otherwise.

When the impact came, I noticed a few things: it hit from an unexpected direction, with much less force than I'd anticipated, and I could still feel my body intact as a massive vehicle passed just a few meters from me. Had a miracle occurred? Had I been magically saved for no reason? Was the world that resistant to the idea of me reincarnating in another wolrd that day?

Before opening my eyes, I felt one last thing, something heavy on top of me. I thought maybe someone had come to my rescue. I opened my eyes, excited to see my savior, hoping it would be a girl so I could start my romantic comedy.

It was Samuel. So much for that.

Before I could say anything, I heard a mocking voice:

"Is the damsel safe? What had her so distracted? Was the princess daydreaming about her prince charming?"

What? What the hell was he talking about? I'd almost been run over, and he was cracking jokes? Although, well… I found it kind of funny and decided to play along to see if I could turn the situation around.

"Oh, thank you, my knight! You came so swiftly to my rescue. What reward would you like? A kiss from this beautiful princess, perhaps?"

Ignoring his response to my jokes (since, of course, I had no intention of actually kissing him), I decided to assess my situation. For a moment, I thought I was unharmed, until I looked at the spot where I'd been standing just half a minute earlier… and that's when I saw it. A huge part of me lay there, crushed and lifeless, with deep, awful scratches, in a pitiful state. My heart ached; it was as if a part of my soul had been crushed right before my eyes.

There, in the place of the accident, standing with dignity until the very end (despite its state), was my bike. Shoving Samuel off of me, I ran to my poor bicycle, cradling it in my arms as I knelt beside it.

"Why!? Why not me!? She didn't deserve to end like this!"

Samuel looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"I didn't know you were so materialistic."

I glared at him, letting my indignation show both in my face and voice.

"You don't understand. My parents gave it to me years ago, and I use it every time I go out. I ride it more than I walk. It's… It was more than just transportation. It was a companion."

Then, I remembered something: I had my laptop in my backpack. No way… Could I have lost two important things on the same day? Relieved, I checked and found the laptop intact. Just then, I heard a voice behind me.

"Yeah… I don't mean to sound heartless after your… loss, but I want you to know you owe me one now."

Still with a tear in my eye for my dear friend, I nodded.

"Whatever you say, my savior."

Samuel nodded in satisfaction.

"That's what I like to hear. So, after the episode, we're getting ice cream."

***

After a while at the café, we finally finished the episode and... well, it was pretty mediocre. It felt like the author didn't know how to close the story. So, Samuel and I ended up chatting about other things, and I started telling him about the drama from earlier that morning.

"...In the end, all that chaos was pointless. I arrived late, and, as expected, the teacher punished me."

He looked at me, clearly trying to hold back laughter, it almost looked painful. I decided to give him a few seconds, because honestly, watching him try to hold it in was pretty funny, and then I sighed.

"Go ahead, don't hold back. You can laugh."

Not even a second later, a loud laugh burst out of him, echoing through the entire café.

Wiping a tear from his eye, he spoke with visible effort after using up all his air laughing at me.

"Oh, man... What a shame my parents transferred me to another school. I would've loved to see it: your sister abandoning you, choking on toast, sprinting to class, only to get punished by the teacher in the end!"

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. And yeah, it is a shame. But there's something I'm still curious about. How did you even manage to save me?"

Samuel looked puzzled for a moment, then made a face as if he'd forgotten what happened and just remembered it.

"Oh, that. I was on the other side of the street and saw you completely zoned out, like you weren't paying attention to anything around you. I ran toward you to scare you, but by the time I got to you, the truck was already too close. I thought you wouldn't have time to react, so I sprinted the last bit and tackled you."

I stared at him in disbelief. Was it really just a coincidence?

***

After some varied conversation, we decided to head to a nearby park to hang out for a bit. Although it didn't feel like much time had passed, it was already getting dark, and the sky was almost pitch black. Soon, we'd have to head home. But we decided to spend the remaining time on the swings, chatting.

In the middle of our conversation, a loud noise broke the park's peaceful atmosphere. The sound was loud, sharp, and repetitive, but at that moment, we assumed it was fireworks or some kind of celebration. We didn't think much of it, even joking about who might be spending so much money on explosives.

Looking back, I think we really should've considered it more carefully. There was no celebration that day.

A minute or so later, the deafening wail of police sirens began approaching, shattering the park's calm. Samuel and I exchanged glances, a little uneasy, but neither of us said anything. We decided to get off the swings, it seemed like a good time to call it a day and say goodbye.

"See you around, man. That was a good day, especially the part where I saved your life. I won't forget that anytime soon. Wanna hit that game tomorrow?"

"You bet. Just hope you don't have to save me again, my prince charming."

But as we were saying our goodbyes and starting to head our separate ways, before we could even part, the screeching of cars speeding around, followed by police sirens, almost like a high-speed chase, rushed toward us at an alarming pace. From the other side, we could hear police cars approaching as well, closing off any escape. Within seconds, the park was completely surrounded. I tried to think about what was happening when I saw a couple of rough-looking people, whom we assumed to be the thieves being chased, abandon their vehicle after the police cornered them.

Luckily, there was no one else left in the park; most people had gone home since it was late. There was only one small problem... Samuel and I were still there.

Not knowing how to react, we just hid behind the slide.

It wasn't the best idea in the world, because the thieves, realizing they were trapped, ran toward the park. At that point, it might not have been a problem as long as we stayed hidden.

The real problem was that they were armed. As they ran to escape, they kept glancing back, shooting at the pursuing officers and those blocking their escape route.

Apparently, we hid too well, because even the police didn't notice us. They began firing back at the thieves, unaware that Samuel and I were caught right in the middle. Within seconds, we were trapped in the crossfire.

I closed my eyes, terrified. How many times in one day was I going to be on the brink of death? I felt my heart pounding in my ears as each second stretched into eternity. Finally, after what were only a few tense minutes, the gunfire stopped. Hesitantly, I opened my eyes.

The first thing I saw was the thieves, lying motionless on the ground, as the police quickly approached them. It was in that moment that, for the first time, I allowed myself to relax. The tension I'd been holding in my body faded, and with it came a strange sensation, almost imperceptible at first. My clothes were wet. I looked down and, to my horror, saw warm, crimson liquid flowing from my chest, slowly dripping down my abdomen.

How hadn't I noticed until then? I had a damn bullet hole in my chest! At least it hadn't hit my heart; otherwise, I wouldn't have even had time to realize it before dropping dead.

Terrified for my life like never before, I tried to call for help, but nothing came out, not even a whisper. Honestly, I can't explain why, but the only sounds coming from my mouth were faint moans, like a baby trying to call for something without knowing how to speak. Tears began streaming from my eyes as I grew extremely anxious. At that moment, I remembered Samuel. Still clutching my chest, I looked around for him. At first, I didn't see him, but when I lowered my gaze, I saw his lifeless body. He had multiple gunshot wounds and was lying face down in a pool of crimson.

I froze, unsure of what to do. I was hyperventilating, and the blood wouldn't stop pouring from my chest. Eventually, it began coming out of my mouth, causing me to cough violently. I collapsed to my knees. I was on the verge of death, with my friend's corpse beside me, and I hadn't even said goodbye to my family. How could I have known this would be my time? Still, I deeply regretted it.

The cold began to seep into my body, and I felt my strength fading. All I wanted was to lie down and close my eyes, but I knew that if I did, it would be the end. However, I didn't have the strength to resist. My body eventually gave in to its own weight, and I collapsed. In my final moments, just before closing my eyes, I caught sight of one of the officers finding us. Slowly, the colors around me started to fade, my vision became blurry, and, finally, my eyelids fell, plunging me into complete darkness.

---

Well, that's the end of the prologue. I know it's pretty long, but if you've made it all the way to the end, I guess it wasn't boring for you, right? Anyway, if you'd like, you can check out the next chapter (if it's already uploaded).

Want to hear one last cliché? I promise it'll be the last… well, at least for the prologue.

You see, I don't really know how to say this, but… I died a virgin.

Now then, dear reader, thank you for reading the prologue and putting up with a lot of information irrelevant to the story.