"Ethan!"
Ilyas couldn't hide the fear in his voice.
Once he opened his eyes, Ethan had already created a dome to fight the boss alone.
The constant questions of 'why' kept appearing in Ilyas' head.
'Why are you fighting alone?'
'Why did you choose this path instead?'
No, he should have known this.
Ethan was someone with a lot to hide, one of his secrets must have been related to the boss. Considering how selfless he was, Ethan would rather sacrifice himself if it meant setting things right.
'Even though you already have me by your side-'
"Why can't you share your burden with me a little?"
Ilyas hugged the body of the one he loved in his arms. Ilyas had been circulating his guiding energy inside Ethan's body, but his body didn't receive it – like pouring water into broken glass.
"Ethan! Stay with me!"
Brushing his cheek, Ilyas kissed his esper.
He wouldn't give up. Not now.
"Ilyas."
Cedric and Xain stood on either side of him, holding his shoulder.
"Ethan has already-"
"Shut up!"
He knew.
He knew what they were trying to say.
But he still couldn't accept it.
"Ethan..."
Drops of tears fell on his esper's face. The warmth in his body was slipping away every second. He looked so peaceful even after death, it almost made Ilyas thought he just fell asleep and would soon open his eyes again — giving him that gentle smile of his.
"Hic... Ethan..."
Ilyas couldn't stop the stream of water blurring his eyes.
"Don't leave me..."
That day, something crumbled inside Ilyas' heart.
.
.
In a black space as deep as a void, a lone soul was drifting indefinitely.
Being in the form of a soul with no limits of human body was like having all your senses opened. It was definitely a foreign sensation to me.
But this aimless drifting was making me cozy. If I could, I would definitely fall asleep in a place like this.
[Have you had fun in that world?]
Another androgynous voice made me jump in alert. I had had enough with all of the author's bullshit and if they showed up once again, I would really crash out.
[Don't worry, I won't hurt you.]
'Really?'
If I had an eyebrow, I would definitely raise it in suspicion. The ones with this voice I met so far had been out for my blood, so I didn't trust anything this one said either.
[I'm your medium, of course I won't hurt you.]
'You what?!'
That meant this was the one who sent me here.
If that's the case... Oh boy... I would definitely love to have some 'civil' talk with them.
A silhouette of a humanoid formed in front of me. Holding my floating soul in place, they continued.
[I must apologize, I sent you here with selfish intentions. It was to fulfill my desire to help a friend.]
'...'
[You are one of the few who were compatible for a soul transfer. I have to choose you no matter what.]
'Just what do you intend for me to do?'
A brief silence, then the voice continued.
[I want you to change the storyline.]
'Why? To 'help' your friend? Is your friend the author?'
[... Yes.]
'And you would destroy someone's life and emotion just for that?!'
Anger boiled in my heart. It's been years since I transmigrated there. I got separated from my family, and now, after I finally settled down in that world, threats of inexistence haunted me. And once again, I was separated from the one I loved.
These omniscient beings were clearly messing with me.
If I had physical form, I would definitely punch them to oblivion. Giving me a measly excuse like 'help a friend' and I was supposed to accept that after both of my lives in two worlds were utterly destroyed by them.
[I could transfer you back to your world if you want, it was my way to repay you.]
'I could go back to my family?'
[Yes, you can.]
Excitement filled my heart. I definitely missed my family.
But what about the people I have built relationship in that world?
Cedric, Xain, Marcello, Patricia, Harold, Francis, Wilson.
And...
Ilyas.
Ilyas had become someone inseparable in my life. His warmth was what kept me going until the end.
I already accepted my death in exchange for Ilyas' safety. I thought it would be all over after I died.
If I had to live without him by my side...
Can I truly be alive?
[Then I will take it as a yes.]
'Huh?'
My consciousness was suddenly twirling like a vortex. My soul was sucked in by something.
'Wait! You haven't explained everything to me!'
[You don't need to know everything. Just continue your life and forget everything have ever happened in this world.]
'What?! You bastard-!'
Before I could finish my words, I was jolted awake. When I opened my eyes again, I had my limbs and body intact.
'This place is...'
My room.
I was alive again.
From my position, I seemed to be lying on the desk, the computer screen in front of me was on, but the content wasn't about my search of my sister's comic, instead, it was a game I used to play.
"What about the comic?!"
I searched for Ilyas Anderson and Ethan Dale on the internet, but none of the results showed up.
"How…?"
How could the very existence of that comic vanish? It was there when I searched for it before.
"Right, what was the title again?"
I never bothered to remember the title – especially with how complicated the name was – as I focused more on the characters. So I rushed to my sister's room.
BANG!
I kicked the door open, which startled my sister.
"Oy! At least knock will you?! I deliberately don't lock my room because of our parents, but at least you should have decency as a man-"
"Stella! What was the name of the BL comic you read before?!"
"Huh? Wait, how do you know- Aha, are you interested in some recommendations? I didn't know you swing that way."
"Enough joking! I need you to tell me the name!"
Sensing the urgency in my tone, Stella squinted her eyes.
"Which one? Apple in Autumn? Or Relentless Night?"
"The guide esper one."
"Guide and esper? That's the first time I heard the term. Is that a new subgenre in BL?"
"Huh?"
My sister, who had been squealing like a maniac from that same guide and esper series, acted like she never heard the term before.
Even when I persistently asked and described the world with the characters, her answer was the same.
"Ah, enough! You're pestering me, so get out!"
I still had a confused look after I was chased out.
Was that world even real?
Were the memories in my head real?
Flipping through my memories, I remember what my medium said.
[Just continue your life and forget everything have ever happened in this world.]
'So that's what they mean by forget everything.'
All the time I spent in that world, all the people I had connected with... All of them were erased from existence just because of that medium's selfishness.
If, in the end, the existence of that world was wiped out... What was I fighting for in the first place?
I thought that at least it was a parallel world across the dimension. I thought at least I saved my friends in a way.
But that was arrogant of me to think that.
"Haha..."
A weak chuckle escaped my lips. I curled up in my bed as tears formed in my eyes.
"Ilyas..."