9th January, 2032
Elvin Street, Nramphian City, Crandenhilt
Inside an apartment with a very faint light keeping the room illuminated, a young man lay in bed, his face contorted with frowns and his eyes twitching, clear signs of nightmares tormenting him.
But this wasn't the whole story.
A shadowy silhouette, moving slowly and steadily, crawled towards his upper body on all fours. Soft breaths filled the air as it inched closer, careful to avoid making contact.
Swish
Suddenly, the young man's body lurched forward as he jolted awake, his sudden movement catching the shadow off guard.
thud!
"Oww, oww!" came a pained voice as their heads collided in the darkness.
"Haah... Haaah..." he panted, still caught in the remnants of his nightmares which seemed more than vivid, eyes directly falling on the shadow in front of him.
His trembling pupils reflected a young woman, dressed in a loose hoodie and jeans, her short hair tousled with her long sleeved hand rubbing her forehead before meeting with him.
"W-Wakey, wakey, asshole," she stammered, her lips quivering as she spoke. Her eyes darted away from the young man's, like a thief caught in the act, leaving her with no choice but to use her final, desperate tactic.
"...Y-You?!" the young man's voice trembled as he swiftly stretched his arms towards the young woman.
'Damn, he's going to beat me up!' Instinctively, she crossed her arms in front of her to shield herself.
thud
'Huh?' Instead of the expected blow, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her body, pulling her into a tight hug. The sudden, unexpected embrace left her stunned.
"Wha— Wha— What are you d-doing?" she stammered, her voice coming out in broken bits. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as her eyes darted around, trying to make sense of the situation, her mind a whirlwind of confusion.
"...shut up, idiot, and don't move," Aven seemed to move his palm rapidly as he clutched her back, his hug trying to make sense of the present dream he was having.
Yet the feeling, the softness against his chest, his fingers feeling the softness of her back, everything seemed to tell him that it wasn't a dream.
It was as if the words of one of the goddesses were true, who once told him that he possessed the ability to change the future of all mankind.
Now, hugging her with his eyes drifting around the room, it wasn't hard for Aven to guess that he was presently in the past.
Naturally, for anyone experiencing such events, it might be surprising and take time for their mind to adjust.
But considering that his mind was the only thing on which he had relied until now, he sharpened it enough to observe everything while thinking of something both insane and yet believable, as he tightened his grip around her body.
'Dia? It's real', a smile formed on his face as he tightly hugged the young woman, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
The scent of her shampoo, a subtle mix of citrus and mint, filled his senses, reminding him of how much he missed her.
"Y-you're the one who's an idiot here!" She shot back, feeling helpless as he tightened his grip around her. 'How did this bastard become so strong?'
She felt his fingers dig into her back, holding her possessively, as if never wanting to let go.
"Hey, can I tell you something?" he asked, reluctant to release her, his senses filled with her soft aroma, binding her to him.
In that moment, even though he guessed it was reality, the reluctance of it being a dream prompted him to say the words he had not been able to say to her previously.
"Y-yes, but why are you sniffing me, you dog!" she exclaimed, her mind fogging up as he nuzzled her neck, making her want nothing more than to tighten the screw he had just loosened with her fist.
"I love you," he said softly, his emotions overcoming him.
"Huh?" Her body trembled visibly, her eyes blank as she gathered some strength, lifting her hands to place them on his shoulder before gently pushing him away.
"It's okay, I understand," she said, looking at him pitifully, his confusion evident.
Swish
Her hand darted into her pocket, retrieving her phone with practiced ease. The room filled with the rhythmic sound of her tapping.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
Swiftly, she turned the screen towards him, and a muffled moan reverberated in the room: "Oh my Gawd~~!!, Harder~! "
His eyes trembled as they fixated on the phone screen, where an explicit R-18 scene played out, causing his face to twitch involuntarily.
"I know, your hormones are getting the better of you. Have at it," she said, nodding in understanding, even though she couldn't help feeling perplexed that a 19-year-old adult like him could be so easily confused between love and lust.
She sighed inwardly, attributing the situation to his nerdiness. Lost in books all day, it was no wonder such scenarios arose.
"Really, told you to study less and work out more," she muttered to herself, shaking her head in resignation. She understood all too well the plight of bookworms—they always misinterpret lust with love.
"I am not in heat," he protested, his eyes narrowing as he realized he was the only one swept away by emotions.
Now, calming his mind, he understood that until now, the awakened ability he possessed was regressing, not what he had thought.
But of course, there was doubt as to whether it was a one-time use or something else; however, there was no way to confirm it, at least for now.
Putting aside everything, his senses clearly told him that this was the truth, and even if it was a dream, he needed to confirm it.
Swish
He attempted to snatch her phone, but his efforts were met with swift retaliation.
Thud
"Stop it! You can't touch my phone!" she exclaimed, using her foot to push him away as he reached for it.
'....' As she pushed him forcefully, a faint smile tugged at his lips, recalling why she never allowed him near her phone, not even until her death.
"Fine, just tell me what day it is today?" he asked, scanning the room for a clock or calendar, only to be reminded of distant memories.
"I knew you had a screw loose," she said, watching him relax. She retreated her foot, raising an eyebrow at him, feeling a twinge of pity.
Not wanting to waste any more time, he maneuvered her legs off his face, placing his own on the floor as he attempted to lift himself up.
Thud
"Hey! Are you okay?" she asked, quickly descending to the floor, tossing her phone aside as she grabbed his shoulder for support.
"...Somewhat" he muttered, collapsing onto the floor, realizing he had indeed traveled back in time, specifically into his weak body—a body that had always failed him at the crucial moments.
Of course, he knew the reason why his body was weak, but again, he couldn't do anything about his life.
He had been reincarnated in this world and had lived a whole life in a world where biological factors favored women.
Yes, he had forgotten this secret, having lived this life long enough to forget about his past.
However, he was a reincarnator born in a world where real strength was held by women, not men; even their biological limitations were far stronger than those of men.
And of course, being a reincarnator was the biggest factor that made his mind much more adaptable than others.
He was sharp enough to understand how this world worked and began working on himself from the start.
Then one day, suddenly, a tower arrived, breaking his peaceful life and throwing him into a world that he always considered fantasy, but for which he was somehow prepared due to being a reincarnator and knowing that there was a possibility.
"And here you idiot wanted to masturbate. What if you died of weakness?" she scoffed, supporting his body.
'....' He had no words in response, but somehow, amidst it all, it felt oddly satisfying—moments like these, which had been lost in the struggle for survival.
'I am really back, huh?' he let out a slight chuckle, a sensation only he could understand. He had witnessed countless events, yet remained silent, either willingly or not. He saw several losses, yet stood his ground.
'Thank god I don't like books,' Dia thought, watching his giggling face on her serious words.
She felt grateful that books were the last thing she had touched in her life, content in the knowledge that she was safe, unlike someone who had finally lost his damn mind.
"By the way..." Aven suddenly halted in his path, turning his attention towards the young woman supporting him, raising an eyebrow he asked, "What were you doing in my bed at this time?"
"Huh?.....sleep walking? I guess ⊙﹏⊙"