“Oh? So you are working on a new novel right now?”

Yamada asked Atsuku as they sat on the roof, pointing at him with a loaf of bread in his hand. It was lunch break, and Atsuku ate his lunch with Yamada as he was getting dragged by his blonde friend.

“Yeah. It’s like a spin-off? Or rather, an IF story about me entering my own novel. I think it will sell well.”

“Hahaha, funny. It’s just like you, doing something without even resting. Is your body okay? You finished six volumes in just two years. I think you’re pushing yourself.”

“I never feel better,” Atsuku answered with a grin. “Did Rio force you to ask that? Because I know you will never do that by yourself.”

Rio, whom Atsuku talked about, was Yamada’s little sister. She was a year younger than them and one of the people that Atsuku remembered well.

The reason being he used Yamada and Rio as references when creating a character in his first novel, so he remembered their personality quite well from their alternate self in Fantasia.

‘That cheeky brat always clings to my arm. I remembered that she did the same too in this world.’ He smiled when he remembered a memory of the past.

“You’re right.” Yamada let out a tired sigh. “That girl has been nagging me to ask about your condition. You shut yourself in your room for a week during the last week of our spring break. What the fuck did you do? Though I already know the answer from what you told me earlier.”

Chomp.

Yamada bit into his bread, eating a chunk of it.

“Also, that brat invited you to hang around after school. You come with us?”

“Sure. I am a bit free after this.”

Atsuku nodded. It was true. His new novel needed a little bit of work before he could publish it. At first, he planned to make it a web novel before adapting it into a light novel after gaining some interest. That was why he was quite free at the moment.

Besides…

‘It’s been a long time since I can rest easy like this.’

“Great! Let me text her real quick.” Saying so, Yamada took out his phone and began to move his finger across the screen.

It was a calm and warm atmosphere that he had never encountered in Fantasia. This sight was enough to make him feel blessed that he survived until the end and managed to return to Earth.

In Fantasia, usually, he hung out with the trash of society at the back of the slum, not on a rooftop under sunlight like this.

Speaking of hanging out, he forgot to ask where they would go later.

“Yamada, where are we going later?”

“Of course, that place. The usual.” Yamada answered with a grin.

It didn’t help. Atsuku already forgot about the place that Yamada talked about.

‘Well, I will just follow him. I doubt it will be as bad as Fantasia’s slum.’

***

After a long school hour which was tormenting for Atsuku because he needed to listen to his teacher’s rambling, he exited his classroom with Yamada in tow.

His class was on the first floor, while Rio’s class was on the first floor. So she was waiting for the two boys near the entrance.

Exiting the main building, Atsuku walked with Yamada on his side. A lot of students were walking back to their homes with their friends. One student really stood out among the others.

It was a girl with bob-cut blond hair, her left bang longer than the right, wearing a school uniform with a short skirt. A black cardigan was tied around her waist to hide her attractive thighs. Her skin was fair, and her face was the definition of a cool beauty.

Most students who passed her glanced at her for a second to admire her beauty and her bountiful breasts. But, with a glare from the girl, almost every student looked away immediately.

She had this unapproachable aura around her.

“Oh, there she is.” Yamada suddenly exclaimed when he saw the girl. He raised his hand and shouted loudly. “Hey, Rio!”

The girl turned in their direction, and the air around her immediately changed. She smiled brightly and looked like a cheerful girl as she waved her hand.

“Shitty Brother, Atsuku! Heyaa~!”

Her voice was so cheerful, making some students confused. But when they saw Atsuku and Yamada approaching Rio, they just looked content and made their own merry way, ignoring them.

At that moment, Atsuku understood why most students were surprised and happy when he talked to them.

‘They just want to see the cheerful Rio.’

Every time the girl was with them, her unapproached wall would be taken down, and she would return to her cheerful self. She ran toward Atsuku and jumped on his hug. He didn’t dodge her. As if he did, she would dive down the ground face first and injure herself.

“Hehehe, Atsuku’s smell. It’s been a week.”

“Rio, stop that. A lot of people are watching. Besides, Atsuku didn’t like that. Did you forget about it?”

Yamada grabbed Rio’s collar and pulled her back from Atsuku.

“Ah, brother! Let me enjoy it for a while!”

“No!”

“Hahaha…” Atsuku could only chuckle when they saw their antics. It was nostalgic.

The brother and sister were bickering with each other in friendly manners. Their topic was about Atsuku, but they seemed to forget his existence in that place.

He wanted to see it a while longer, but they had somewhere to go.

”Well, long time no see, Rio. However, shall we go right now?”

The siblings looked at Atsuku, then Rio went to Atsuku’s side and exclaimed.

“Yeah! Let’s go!” She pulled Atsuku’s hand, holding it tightly.

“That girl… Well, just the usual.” Yamada muttered before following the duo.

***

They hung out in an arcade in the middle of the city. The three teenagers were playing excitedly while sometimes exchanging banter with each other.

Rio would always stick with Atsuku for some reason. Of course, he wasn’t so dense to the point that he couldn’t realize her feelings, but he couldn’t see her as a love interest, not yet. He still needed time to get used to his normal life.

They played a few games until the money in their pockets ran out, leaving only enough to play the last game.

“Yo, Atsuku. Dare to play air hockey with me for the last game? The loser will buy juice for the winner.” Yamada challenged Atsuku as he tapped on the table air hockey. A confident grin was on his face. He got into a position and entered the money without waiting for Atsuku’s answer.

Looking at Yamada’s confident expression, Atsuku couldn’t help but get excited too. It had been a long time since someone challenged him confidently.

“Deal. Do you think I am the same me from the past?” He also got into a position and held the striker and the puck in his hand. “I will go first.”

“Do your best, Atsuku!” Rio cheered for Atsuku from the side, making Yamada’s expression fall slightly.

“How dare you, little sister! I am your – Woah!”

When Yamada was talking to Rio, Atsuku struck the puck, and it easily made it into the goal.

Grinning, he said to Yamada, “1 – 0.”

Yamada’s veins popped up on his temple because of Atsuku’s unfairness. He gritted his teeth, rolled his sleeves, and said, “Oooh? So that’s how you play, huh? Alright! Don’t blame me for getting serious!”

Both boys were playing the game seriously. Their exchanges were fast and would surprise everyone who saw them. The game lasted for 5 minutes until finally, Atsuku managed to score the last goal.

“It’s 5-3! Atsuku is the winner! You did it, Atsuku! Wooo!” Rio announced excitedly as she jumped around.

“You’re getting strong, my pal. Ha—Ha—” Yamada praised Atsuku as he drew a short breath.

“It’s nothing,” Atsuku answered as he wiped the sweat on his forehead with his arm. “Well, we have a lot of fun. Shall we go home?”

“Yeah, agree,” Yamada replied. He took his bag from the ground and approached Atsuku, and so did Rio.

“That was a lot of fun, seeing my brother getting beat up, fufufu.” Rio inserted a comment as she walked beside Atsuku.

“Hey!”

It was a normal daily life. Something that Atsuku would never think he would be able to experience again after those bloody days in Fantasia.

‘It’s not bad.’ He thought.

Something still needed to work on for him to blend into normal society again fully. But, alas, maybe it was also fate.

When Atsuku was walking with Yamada and Rio, entering the main street near the Tokyo Tower, he caught a glimpse of a white-haired girl walking past him by the side. Unusual hair color for someone from Japan, aside from Yamada and Rio, whose father was from America.

Maybe it was his imagination because he wanted it to be. However, when the girl walked past him, he clearly heard her whispering something.

“They will return soon, John.”

He immediately stopped on his track and turned around, looking for the girl, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.

“Tsk!” He clicked his tongue in frustration, gaining the attention of the sibling.

“What’s up, Atsuku?”

“Is there anything wrong, Atsuku?”

Yamada and Rio asked worriedly. He couldn’t make them worry, no. Even he, himself, wanted to deny what he heard. It was his imagination, surely.

“Nothing.” He answered with a reassuring smile. “Want to crash in my apartment? I have some cola. We can play some games too.”

“Oooh! Sure! You can go home alone, brother.” Rio waved his hand at Yamada.

“Hey! Of course, I am coming too!”

“Tsk!” This time, Rio was the one who clicked her tongue. “Useless brother.”

“What did you say?”

The three teenagers then continued to walk. Their destination was Atsuku’s apartment. While walking, Atsuku kept telling himself.

‘It was just my imagination. I have heard that name a few times on Earth. She was on the phone, surely, talking about some celebrity named John.’