Arin remained still for a moment before slowly turning his head.
A cracked mirror hung on the wall.
He pushed himself up with care and stepped closer. Each step carried a faint instability, but he managed to stand before it.
The reflection stared back.
Thin. Too thin.
His face looked hollow, the skin stretched slightly over the structure beneath. The faint outline of bone showed along his cheeks and jaw, giving the body a fragile, unfinished look. Even standing still, it felt like it wouldn't hold for long.
This body wouldn't last long like this.
He watched it quietly as fragments surfaced—unclear and incomplete. Two figures, voices he couldn't hold, and then nothing. The feeling remained.
They were gone.
A dull ache formed in his head, faint at first before sharpening slightly. It didn't last long, but it left something behind. Not memory, just a trace.
His chest tightened briefly.
Not his.
But the body reacted.
A quiet, unfamiliar heaviness settled and faded just as quickly. Everyone in this place was gone.
His throat felt dry, and the hunger followed soon after, sharper than before. A low pull settled in his stomach, spreading slowly as his body reacted. It didn't fade.
He moved toward the table and picked up the terminal. The surface lit up as it recognized him.
[ Date: Year 4032 | Time: 21:18 ]
Name: Arin Solis
Status: Civilian (Unregistered)
Age: 13
He scanned it once.
Credits: 12. Low. Expected.
A notification blinked faintly. He opened it.
[ System Notice ]
Compensation credited: 25,000 (Father)
Compensation credited: 25,000 (Mother)
He paused.
A faint pressure passed through his head again. Not pain—something else.
Below it, messages remained unread.
Ren Talvik: Hey… how are you holding up?
Instructor Hale: I heard about your parents. I'm sorry. If you need anything, let me know.
There was nothing to say.
He lowered the terminal slightly, letting the screen dim.
The hunger pressed again, stronger this time.
He opened the balance once more.
Credits: 12.
Not enough.
His gaze shifted.
Stellar Credits: 50,000.
A different value. Not something meant for ordinary use. If not for them, he wouldn't have even one.
He selected the conversion panel.
[ Convert Currency ]
Stellar Credits → Credits
Amount: 100
Confirm conversion?
→ Yes / No
He selected yes.
Conversion complete.
Credits: 10,012
Stellar Credits: 49,900
That was enough.
For now.
He opened the listings again, this time not focusing on the cheapest options.
Food alone wouldn't be enough.
This body needed support.
He selected a recovery-grade meal and added a low-tier restorative supplement. It wasn't much, but it would help stabilize basic functions.
The total rose to just under two thousand credits.
He confirmed the order.
A soft sound came from the door soon after.
A delivery drone hovered outside and released the container as he opened it. It was warm.
He returned and sat down.
He ate slowly, without rushing. The pressure in his stomach eased, and the tightness in his chest loosened. After finishing, he took the medicine.
A faint warmth spread through his body. Not strength, but stability.
The strain reduced. His breathing settled.
Still weak.
But manageable.
He leaned back slightly, letting his body relax for the first time.
The difference wasn't large.
But it was enough.
His gaze drifted briefly toward the terminal.
In his previous life, the moment he found an opening, he had rushed forward without thinking. He had mistaken movement for progress, and stubbornness for control.
That had cost him.
This time, he would not repeat that mistake.
The room was quiet.
Unchanged.
But it no longer felt like a place where he would simply disappear.
He closed his eyes.
Today, he had done enough.
Tomorrow, he would start fixing his body.