[Main Story 19-01]
“It’s snowing….”
I walked alone on the open moors.
A heavy snow with glowing lights
slowly and quietly,
covers all the shade and colors
Light spots floating around me,
I reached out to catch a snowflake,
in the snow crystal reflected
a colorful world.
In an expanse of pure white, I opened my eyes.
A deep exhaustion stemming from my innermost core made the simple action arduous.
Leading up to my final choice, I’d imagined countless times what the end would be like. Would everything come crumbling down, or be consumed in fire? Or would it just be endless dark?
But I never imagined this void of white before me. No objects, no sound, and no colors.
Where is this?
All memories stopped on that final day. I felt for that lethal wound on my chest, but it was gone.
…I– I’m still alive.
Which means, my gamble worked!
I remembered the final scene I saw. Everything had turned around, and everyone got a happy ending.
Except me– I was imprisoned in this world bereft of time, seemingly for a long while now.
I looked off into the distant, softly glowing white sky. A gentle noise suddenly sounded nearby.
–{{mc}}, do you want to go back?
Spoken as light as a feather, but in the stillness of my heart, it kicked up surging waves.
I do! I want to go back! That world has everyone that I care about in it.
As my heart stirred, the whiteness before me started changing too– morphing like a billowing cloud.
A dear figure emerged from the fog. He was bathed in light, his warm hand falling on my head.
Dad: You are my pride and joy. Of course I believed you could do it.
The weight of his hand on my head felt so real. I tried to call to him, but no sound came.
I saw the tall, staid silhouette of a man. He turned, his brow slightly knitted, but smiling still.
Victor: Hey, dummy, why are you just standing there gawking?
Tears welled up, and through the blur a hand came to wipe them. The touch was cold, but dear to me.
Lucien: I thought you knew what I wanted.
A wind blew away the mist, revealing a steadfast figure. A pair of fearless amber eyes locked on me.
Gavin: No need to hesitate or waver. I will always protect you.
I saw a flashing light. That golden-haired boy beamed a smile at me more brilliant than the sun.
Kiro: Wow, Miss Chips! You found me!
I couldn’t resist reaching out, but that golden light scattered to pieces between my fingers.
*Tick* — In this silent world, the hand of time fell forward one click.
A harsh white light filled my vision, consuming everything. I had to close my eyes.
Drifting blacks and whites merged in the void, like a mirror’s real and false sides becoming one.
Suddenly, something cold and delicate fell on my closed eyelid, then rolled down like a tear.
Tick-tock–
The next instant, it felt as if my soul returned to my body, as all my senses slowly recovered.
Sound, temperature, touch… A howling, cold wind from afar washed over my face in cold, wet gusts.
I couldn’t believe how real it felt. As my mind raced with speculations, my hands began to tremble.
After a moment’s hesitation, I opened my eyes… upon a sight I’d recognize anywhere.
{{MC}}: This is…
Flurries of snow filled a city of pure white, skyscrapers poking through the mist in the distance.
Occasionally a car passed on the road before me, leaving a long trail in the fallen snow.
People came and went, occasionally sticking a hand out to catch a snowflake, most smiling happily.
{{MC}}: Am I… back?
I took a tentative step, but my body lunged forward impatiently, as if eager to see–
Every street, every building, every little corner shop… I left footprints past them all.
I brushed past people carrying umbrellas of every color–
–saying “Sorry” to each stranger, and getting an “It’s okay” back each time.
I couldn’t stop my legs, and I stretched out my arms to greedily breathe in the air.
No flu, no disasters, no panic. Just a supremely reassuring tranquility.
–Loveland City. I really had come back.
A thrill of joy had filled my entire chest. I couldn’t hold back a smile, nor a few tears.
{{MC}}: This world… is wonderful.
I let out a deep breath. The hot air turned to mist, then dissipated in the wind.
In this moment, the person I most want to see is–
[Route Selection]
No post found!
[Main Story 19-03]
The snow suddenly intensified, like a curtain in a play blocking out everything.
All at once, those people, the streets, and the noise all disappeared.
It changed into an ice-blue sky and a road, stretching out into the boundless distance before me.
The whole city was frozen under a layer of ice, as desolate as if the end of days had come. Only a cold light glowed from icicles hanging from eaves.
{{MC}}: Is this… really it…
I stood gawking in this lonely world of ice, unsure of which was heavier, my confusion or sorrow.
My guess proved to be true, and the last shred of hope in my heart was scattered by the wind.
{{MC}}: So… is this the real Loveland City?
After everything I’d been through, I didn’t dare say for sure.
The Loveland City before me was frozen and colorless, so clean and pure it didn’t feel real.
Everything I’d done, everyone I’d met in that wonderful world… it was all just a falsehood.
I clenched my fists, then relaxed them. My quickening breath was the only sound in the whole world.
I had prepared for this, but I still felt true grief. It overwhelmed me like an irresistible tide.
Even so!
{{MC}}: …It wasn’t time to give up yet!
I grit my teeth and shrugged off my fear as I walked down the snowy road, looking for a way out.
But the frozen path was like an infinite loop, chipping away at my stamina and willpower.
My body started to freeze stiff. I tried breathing into my hand, but felt no shred of warmth.
In the silence, I heard a faint noise– the crunch of shoes in the snow coming toward me from afar. I halted and thought immediately: whoever this is, they’re probably important!
After not long, a soft hue appeared amidst this world of frozen white.
A handsome, elegant young man walked toward me from the mist…
Snow fell on him, but as if he was protected by some force, none stuck to him.
For a moment, I felt this person looked really familiar, but it was someone I’d never met.
{{MC}}: Who are you?
I looked guardedly at the man who’d suddenly appeared, but got no answer.
He stopped, catching a falling flake in his hand. His dark eyes seemed detached, yet full of pity.
??: This world’s pretty interesting, don’t you think?
I didn’t sense any direct threat from this man, but I also was unable to let my guard down.
{{MC}}: Why are you doing that?
??: That’s a question you probably shouldn’t ask me.
His gaze fell on me, soft yet cool, without any emotion.
Several flakes of snow floated in his palm. This world seemed to get colder when he came.
??: Is this not the world you wanted?
{{MC}}: The world I wanted…?
I didn’t understand, but a feeling of resistance welled up in me. I didn’t want him to go on.
{{MC}}: Don’t talk this nonsense to me. I won’t believe it!
??: You were aware of it long ago. No need to go on deceiving yourself.
His tone was peaceful, but there was a chill to it that made me shiver.
He stepped closer, eyes locked on me, but seeming to stare past me into the distance.
??: In this world, time’s been frozen. Everything you fear hasn’t taken place.
{{MC}}: What are you saying?
{{MC}}: Stop talking…
My lip quivered and I shook my head as I stepped back, thinking again and again: this is nonsense. But another voice in my brain told me: he’s speaking the truth.
??: It was not I who made this world, but you.
??: Everything you’ve experienced is a product of that which you yearn for the most–
??: “If everything could start over, if life could return to normal, if none of this had occurred…”
He saw into my heart effortlessly, tearing down the fragile walls I’d made with each word he spoke.
{{MC}}: No… no!
{{MC}}: I want to get out! No matter how beautiful it might be, this world is false!
I shouted and stared him down. Cracks appeared in the thick ice around me, emanating outward.
The man’s gentle expression turned cold. His smile faded into subdued indifference.
??: You think everything you’ve experienced is fake?
Countless scenes appeared before me: every sunrise and sunset, every moment of beauty and joy…
All so real. The remnants of those emotions all seemed to still be within me.
{{MC}}: No… they…
??: Everything is real. Everyone in this world has sunken into the same dream.
He interrupted me harshly, saying a truth I didn’t want to know.
??: We will forever remain in a dream land.
The man chuckled gently. Snow and wind blurred his form, blurred my vision.
Cold crept up from my feet. A frost had covered my feet and ankles and was spreading up.
My frozen eyelashes turned heavy, making it impossible to keep my eyes open.
Will I slumber in this world forever? Is this really the world I wanted?
I asked myself over and over, but no answer came.
Suddenly, the cold seemed to go away, and I was wrapped in warm light.
Loveland City with its magnolias in full bloom. A soft, bright light lingered on the path.
I saw those familiar forms walking away from me, slowly disappearing into the distance…
The hand of time sped up. All the colors faded, and the dazzling light dimmed.
In this last moment, I finally closed my eyes.
If on that day, everything were as usual…
[Dream Edge]
Finally, the clouded-over sky in my vision began to peel away.
The vision of the city receded, and I returned again to the frozen street.
Heavy snow fell somberly in this silent world. From somewhere came the clear sound of a piano.
A melody I’d never heard before, clean and pure, all the more beautiful in this cruel, icy world.
But I didn’t feel like listening. With the wind in my face, I set off to find that person.
Every step forward was arduous. The windborne snow stung my skin.
Once sorrowful memories appeared before me as happy ones, stopping me in my tracks.
I saw my father on a hospital bed, once covered by a white sheet, now smiling weakly yet warmly.
I saw the locked steel door open up, and I just caught Kiro’s hand as the stairs collapsed.
I saw a kite soaring in the clear sky, and holding the other end of the string, was Lucien.
I saw that evening I’d dreamed so many times. Gavin returned to my side, saying “I won’t leave”.
I saw myself reach out and wipe away that tear from Victor’s cheek, telling him I was fine.
I saw Perry return unscathed to his father’s embrace, his eyes full of childlike happiness and joy.
{{MC}}: They’re all an illusion… all fake… they don’t exist…
I kept telling myself it all wasn’t real, but I couldn’t help watching again and again.
That ice-hard feeling in my chest melted away in a bath of fake beauty.
As if in response to my wavering, the snow fell harder. Soon, my hair and clothes were covered.
Just as the crack in my heart was widening, I finally saw the piano player.
A white world, a white piano, and a swirl of white snow filling the sky.
On a frozen plaza, the man wore a white tuxedo, playing away without a care.
His fingers ran nimbly and firmly along the keys. He didn’t seem to notice me or the snow.
The piano’s melody was so pleasing, yet empty, like a drawing of pure white. Yet every note told me of this dream world’s beauty.
??: So you came looking after all.
The pianist stopped and stood up, his expression neutral, as if not put off by the interruption, whereas I felt a little lost.
{{MC}}: I came to find you.
??: It’s snowing harder than it was before, because you’re still confused.
He once again pierced through my feigned equanimity.
{{MC}}: Why are you doing this? What do you really want?
??: What do I want?
His brow pinched in thought. His remarkable face looked even more stunning in this world of ice.
But his eyes were so pure, you could see to the bottom of them with just a glance.
??: Don’t you think this is a fine world? No fighting, no tumult… it’s clean and quiet.
He sighed and looked off at the sky in the distance.
??: I like this kind of world–
??: Iron-grey winter skies, the solemn purity of the city frozen over, all of the people slumbering…
??: It has been a very long time since I’ve enjoyed a world this quiet.
A gentle light shone in his eyes, faithfully revealing his true thoughts.
I clenched my fists, walked up to him, and looked squarely at him.
{{MC}}: But all of this is fake. You created it all. It shouldn’t exist in the first place!
??: If you will it, all that you’ve experienced can be real.
A look of casual arrogance showed on his face as he waved a hand toward the surroundings.
With his wave, all the ice and snow rapidly melted. Stars appeared, and color and noise returned.
Instantaneously, we had returned to the Loveland City of my dream. Everything was decorated a warm gold and red, and splendid fireworks bloomed in the sky.
The sound of people celebrating came from all around, but I seemed to be cut off from it.
??: Isn’t this what you wanted? Why reject it?
{{MC}}: It’s not…
I shook my head, wanting to cover my eyes and ears, wanting this temptation to end.
??: If you can only give up this meaningless struggle, I can give you the future you desire.
His voice was so beguiling, luring me step by step into the dream world.
??: All those partings, sorrows, and betrayals don’t exist in this world. Here you can be with your loved ones forever.
??: Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? What you’ve always longed for?
{{MC}}: I…
[Choose Silent/Uncertain]
In this moment, such a simple decision had become so difficult.
The sights and sounds around me seemed to be pulling me, calling me back to that world.
I saw those people. I saw their happiness. I saw blue skies, brilliant sun, and gentle breezes.
??: {{mc}}–
I turned and saw myself come out of the office building, smile, and run toward a blurred figure.
Dream Man: What are you doing back early?
??: I wanted to surprise you.
Dream Man: Fantastic. I thought…
The voices became muffled and distant. I closed my eyes, afraid to keep looking.
Is this dream world not good enough? No.
Will everything somehow be okay if I return to the real world? I don’t know.
Won’t it be hard being forced to shoulder that burden and pain? No, actually… it will be hard.
Just what kind of future… do I really want?
I was blinded, trapped in indecision. The scales of my heart seemed to tilt toward the fake world.
??: Accept it. This is the future you want.
{{MC}}: I…
Is this really the future I wanted?
Is this as far as I can go?
The dream world was beautiful, but… it’s all fake…
Those painful experiences by now had formed a karmic bond I could not sever.
If I stop here, then I won’t be able to continue forward.
I seemed to see points of light in the mist ahead. Warm, familiar voices wafted in on the wind.
Victor: The only variable in this world is you. Don’t look back, just keep going forward.
Lucien: Do you remember what I told you? Trust in your instincts.
Gavin: No matter what choice you make, I’ll always be there.
Kiro: Finally, this is a magic that gives you courage. It’s called Kiro.
Countless voices converged and reverberated, driving away doubt, giving me courage to decide.
{{MC}}: I know… that maybe reality is crueler than I imagine, and that I may face even more danger.
{{MC}}: And although I keep telling myself this dream world is good, that it’s really no different than deceiving myself…
{{MC}}: Still…
I raised my head, looked right at that man whose victory seemed at hand, and made my decision–
[Choose Determined]
Reality is far crueler than imagination.
Do you really want to leave the world behind?
[The reality is cruel. But it is real.]
[I’m not going to indulge myself in the dream anymore.]
Moving forward
Risks the most precious thing in my life.
[No matter how cruel the truth is, I wouldn’t regret.]
[Even if I lose everything, I wouldn’t hesitate.]
There’s no turning back once the choice is made.
[Moving forward.]
[Moving forward.]