The boy went closer to the end of the dark alley and peeked outside, unlike his recent reaction before, he had now shown a face of astonishment and surprise.

Confused, the boy took a look back and returned his gaze outside. 

He even rubbed his eyes for a few times ensuring if he was really at Earth or had he been summoned to another world again. 

A passing young girl saw him and asked her mother, "Mom, why is that big brother looking back and forth?" and pointed at him.

The young girl's mother looked at the boy her daughter pointed at, she sighed and answered her daughter with a forced smile, "Maybe that big brother is having an issue. Just ignore him." and she gently dragged her daughter away  from the spot.

The boy heard their converstaion and he reflected on himself. He just couldn't help himself from confusion and surprise on finding the world progress a lot. 

But this didn't last until he saw a passing date on one of the big boards in top of a building.  Shaking his head, he found the answer. 

News: Lumune from XXXX girl group is going solo!                  What's this? Arold Keyn broke up with his ex-girlfriend Meyin and dated his ex's sister, Lila! What could Miss Meyin say about this!

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆        A P R I L 25, 2021

Ten years had passed since then. That was the reason why everything changed.

Just as he was going to be out of the shaded spot of the dark alley, he had suddenly heard a low and unclear voice. 

"Yuan..." 

He looked back, there was no one in the back. Who was the person speaking to him? Was he just hallucinating? 

"Yuan..." 

It spoke again, but this time the voice was clear. It was graceful and familiar, the voice from the woman he loved, Shen...

He felt melancholic, but he had already decided to live his live normaly and ordinary. 

He also couldn't return, he belongs to this world after all.

Yuan touched his chest and gave a low sigh, he took out his weight on his right leg and went out of the shade right away.

The voice couldn't be heard anymore, as Yuan was out of the dark alley, everything  resumed to silence.

He could only look below and let out a low voice as he spoke broken-heartedly, "I'm sorry Shen." and he lifted his head up looking at the city he has not seen ever since. His face returned into a calm state and joined the people's crowd.

•••••

Two years later, not so far from City A, was an apartment building named Meris. There were a lot of tenants there and Yuan was one of them.

Yuan works  as a librarian in a library named Brookes down the street. Why was he working on a library? It was because this was his work from before his summon. 

----

Yuan held a book on his left hand as he flicked the pages.

 A sudden voice suddenly came from the front, it asked, "May I buy this book?" and a book was placed on the counter.

Yuan looked up and saw a man who was on his 20's. Yuan placed his book down and looked at the book the man was going to buy.

Recipe Book for western dishes?

Yuan smiled at the man and spoke, " 90.67 ¥"

The man stared at Yuan, and took out his wallet. He payed Yuan 100¥. He took the book and was about to go when Yuan called him.

"Your change, sir?"

The man looked back, he waved His hand indicating 'no'. And he spoke, "No need. You can have it, kid." and pulled the door to go out. 

Yuan stared at the man helplessly, how many times has it been? He is clearly much older than them yet they mistake him as a child.

Yuan took the change and put it in his pocket. He took his book back and continued to read. Anyways, his life was going fine.

Or was it going to remain?