Admiring the world around, Ethan's body soon relaxed as he glanced to the side to see an auburn-haired woman with her mouth agape as she stared at the galaxy around her.
"Samantha, are you okay?" He asked. The voice pulled Samantha out of her reverie as she hastily answered. "A-Ah, yes!". That was when she glanced at the torso she was holding onto with a firm grip. She looked at him for a second, seemingly caught in an awkward predicament.
.
.
.
A flushed squeak escaped her mouth as she hastily let go of Ethan's waist, her face turning bright red. Ignoring her antics, Ethan quickly straightened his clothes and looked around.
"what the hell happene- wowww!" Gilbert cut himself as he looked around him.
The entire class was floating on an invisible platform of sorts, slowly sailing across the cosmos.
Instantly, phones were taken out as people tried to call for help.
"There is no signal!"
"Of course, there isn't, dumbass, we are in space!"
"Try the satellite number!"
"Shit that isn't working too!"
The vase, previously resting on a cushion, had somehow transformed into a floating jar, maintaining its position at shoulder height, continuing to speak gibberish.
"...ter seþyt pak ƶalêsar aðu eymeb osahesi adod sinâre a..."
"Are you guys ok?" Reyna, the braver of the bunch asked. Samantha, still blushing from before nodded slowly while Ethan hummed in response.
Reyna glanced at Gilbert as both of them made eye contact before turning their head away simultaneously with a tinge of red on their faces.
He wiped a bead of cold sweat off his head while processing what just happened.
"Guys!" Everyone's attention was directed to a boy with overgrown black hair and glasses.
"Donald?" Reyna seemed to recognise the weirdo.
The weirdo let out a grin as he adjusted his rectangular glasses. "Now, now, what do you think is happening to us?!"
He totally and utterly ignored Reyna. Ethan's expression turned strange as he heard the sounds of fists clench. "Do you know what's happening Donald?" one of the boys asked. Donald laughed manically, "Of course I do you imbecile! We are being isekai'd of course!"
Everyone immediately frowned at the weirdo's statement, while a few shouted:
"This is not the time for jokes Donald!"
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
"Did that anime bullshit finally rot your brain?!"
Gilbert looked at the scene with doubt, turning to Ethan, "What do you think?"
Ethan looked at the scene and shrugged. "I don't mind. If it really is another world, it beats going back to my Aunt's house." An unintentional grin spread across his face. "Actually, it sounds like a nice break—"
"H-How are y-you guys so cool about this..." A random girl started to speak, interrupting Ethan. "LOOK AROUND US! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ALL SO CALM!" She began to shout. Suddenly, the atmosphere turned cold, everyone faces turning grim. Countless whispers started to flood the throng while a few fell on their knees and began crying.
"And you!" The random girl turned to Ethan. "Are you right in the mind?!"
'She must have heard my remark.' Ethan winced, letting out a tired sigh.
"Not particularly," he responded with a flat expression.
"Shut up!" she interrupted him. "Are you seriously excited about going to a new world-"
"Sure."
"L-Like, What about your family? Are you going to miss anyone?!"
"No, I don't think so..." he replied, thinking it over a bit. "I am not particularly fond of my Aunt and my cousin is another hassle. My friends are with me, so I really didn't miss anyone."
She looked dumbfounded, "What about your p-parents?" She stuttered.
Ethan looked at her for a moment, then gave her a small smile. "Don't have any to miss." She took a step back, while Gilbert frowned, taking a step forward, stopping her from talking about anything else.
"That's enough."
That's when a clap resounded in the crowd. Everyone turned to the owner of the sound, which turned out to be Adrian.
'Of course.'
"Guys, this is no time to be scared. This is no time to be crying. We all must control our emotions and think straight about what's going on."
He looked around, meeting their eyes one by one before raising his hands slightly.
"Look at this. Even now, my hands won't stop shaking."
There was a brief pause.
"And I'm scared too."
"But fear won't help us. If anything, it'll only cloud our judgment."
He took a slow breath, placing a hand over his chest.
"Together, we as a class, can definitely do something about this predicament! I'm sure of it!"
Adrian turned toward the girl who had been shouting earlier and gave her a small, reassuring smile.
"Despair is just a limiter we place on ourselves," he said. "The moment we let go of what we fear… we move forward."
The class suddenly burst into cheers, screaming in determination.
Ethan felt disgusted by everyone around.
'Did he just make an entire speech on spot?'
This man was a mad man! Ethan squinted at Adrian smiling at everyone around. He didn't feel fear... He was lying so that he can act like he is sympathising with them! Worst of all, Ethan had to admit that he would have done the same if he were to take leadership.
'Wait, since when did I accept he was the leader?' Ethan frowned at the thought, quickly shaking his head.
"Ethan..." He turned to see Samantha, Gilbert and Reyna beside him. Samantha had a solemn face as she looked up at him, matching his eyes. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't k-know about your parents..."
"Yeah man, I am sorry too," Reyna said, looking downwards. Gilbert had his hands in his pocket while he kept a bit of distance from him. As his closest friend, he naturally knew about his parents.
Ethan instantly felt uncomfortable being the center of their pity. "A-Ah, it's fine really, I never met them anyway," he said, hoping to raise the solemn mood.
Just as he said that, however, the invisible platform quaked. Ethan stumbled backwards seeing the scene in front of him.
Holding thier balance, seemingly everyone forgot what they had previously been doing as they stared front.
"N-no w-way.." Samantha gasped. A stray beam of light fell on Ethan's face as his eyes stretched outwards. His lips curled a bit upwards as he looked front.
"A new world.." Gilbert mouthed in disbelief.
In front of them was a colossal chunk of land simply floating in space.
Clear water from the flat world falling endlessly into the abyss. A massive elliptical fireball rotated around the world.
"Amazing..." Reyna exhaled.
Donald jumped on his feet as he brought his hands into the air, "It's a new world!" There were collective shouts as soon as Donald shouted. Ethan felt his heart beating quicker.
Donald turned to everyone, raising his thumb with a toothy grin, "What better way to escape reality than switching reality."
"That was such a corny line," Reyna commented.
"Sorry, I am still trying to figure out this thing we call humour."
"Good luck, maybe you'll find it in another world." Reyna deadpanned.
Donald put his hand around Ethan, smirking, "Lucky for me, we seem to be going to another world."
"Yeah… New world." Ethan smirked.