Prologue

The last thing I saw was a big flash before the depths of darkness finally engulfed my whole body. I never really knew what happened, but I know that, somehow, I'm alive? Well, I feel like I am, at least. There's only one problem – I can't feel my body. It's like, I'm just existing, and I'm just here hovering above darkness.

Is this the afterlife?

I know I'm awake, making pointless thoughts in this vast and empty void. I know for the fact that I have lived before – in a much colourful world than this black void. I know I had friends, family, someone to lean on. What's strange is, I do not really know what happened before I got here.

No, wait.

I do not even know who I am. I don't know my name. I'm just existing in this blank canvas.

"It's time to start over."

I looked around, trying to find the source of the mysterious voice. "Who's there?" I darted my eyes around, hoping to find some clues. I narrowed my eyes as a small spec of light hovered towards me in an incredible speed, somehow making my body distorted and out of human shape. The noise it carried sent me crouching down, hugging myself in an attempt of silencing it. Its bright light came closer and closer until—

::

Unbounded from a loving warmth, I managed to pry my tired eyes open, only to be greeted by a bright light hovering above as a few figures block a portion. They had their heads hung low, eyes fixed on me as their masks covered their faces. I know that even when everything is blurry – probably from this sticky substance that is stuck on my body.

A loving pair of tangerine eyes met my blurry ones as the masked person handed me to a tired-looking woman. She cradled me in her arms and gave it away – the one who's cradling me right now is my mother, in this world anyways. She ran her soft fingers above my soft skin and soon, rubbed my forehead in a circular motion, a comforting and affectionate one. She hummed softly before releasing me to another pair of arms that were ready to hold me.

I weakly looked up, meeting another pair of tangerine orbs that belonged to a softly tanned, raven-haired man. His scruffy beard came contact to my skin as he gave my forehead a gentle kiss. He welcomed me in his arms like I'm his own, so now I know that he's my father.

I smiled and closed my tired eyes that were begging for a comfy nap. To be looked down on and be gently cradled in one's loving warmth is really comforting.

"Kimiko…" The man who's cradling me spoke, "… she looks just like you."

A faint giggle made me open my eyes, "She does, Haruto… Gaianna does…"

Gaianna? Must be my name then. It sounds vaguely familiar, like I have encountered the name before. Other than that, it's a pretty name for someone like me who just kind of popped from a blank void.

Wait.

Their language, I heard it before – Japanese? It must be since I can understand them thanks to me attending a Japanese class and studying the language on my own. It's like, my brain didn't even process it first and I just immediately know what they meant. Well, that's convenient, isn't it? Me going in that complicated class that is.

I sighed in my void of thoughts, a small smile escaping my lips.

I know I died, but is it really this easy to live again? Minus the fact that I must survive whatever environment I'm in now. But, still – is it always like this?

"In fact, no."

Okay, I'm hearing things. Someone just answered my thoughts. Wait, no. It's myself who answered my thoughts – let's go with that.

"Actually…"

Yeah, I just died and this must be the after effects. Wait, I know – I'm just dreaming! I didn't die, pfft. Yeah, that must be it. I'm gonna wake up any time now…

"Huh."

… Any time now…

"Hey—"

… Any—

"Can you please stop silencing me out?"

Okay. I'm crazy.

I opened my eyes and met a blurry sight of a white ceiling. I tried to look around and managed to discern a figure sleeping next to me as her arm lightly wrapped around my body. I smiled and shifted my position a bit so I'm holding onto her arm – my mother's arm.

Good, the voice is gone—

"Shut it."

—or not. Wait. I'm the one who's supposed to be saying that, whoever you are. Don't spike your sass in my head.

"Oh, and uh… my job. Right. Cough, cough, sniff, sniff – welcome to your next life, Galen– uh, Gaianna. You will never hear from me again. Thank you."

What on earth is wrong with this world?