"Where am I?"
I can't help but mumble to myself as I stood up from the ground. I took a deep breath, I could feel my body aching a bit. How did I even end up here? After a brief inspection, it seems like I've arrived in Aiko's space, again.
It was that white emptiness spread out everywhere yet something felt different. I sighed, trying to remember what happened.
There wasn't much things stored in my head apart from the fact that I somehow managed to talk to my dead parents and a blurry figure that talked to me that I can't seem to remember so well...
After a while of standing in one place, trying to remember what I might've experienced, A conversation popped up in my mind. It was a conversation I had with the creature, possibly about a certain person if I rememered correctly.
it's a high chance that the conversation was quite important, it could probably be another clue to knowing about this world, or at least my role in this whole mess.
I sighed, I'm thinking too far ahead again, aren't I? I don't even know what time is it in this space nor do I know the time outside, yet.
I looked around once again, there's an odd feeling that I'm experiencing. My guts are telling me there's something that's in this world of nothingness that I haven't found out about. Maybe I should explore for a bit.
I took in a deep breath and started walking. My footsteps began to echo through out the space of nothingness.
Everywhere I went was still the same emptiness, the scenery never changed no matter how much I was walking, yet I kept going.
I sighed, it felt as if all hopes was lost. I had no concept of time whatsoever, even worse, I have no idea where I'm going.
After a while of walking straight continuously, I was exhausted, why did I even do this in the first place? I felt my legs tensing up as if they were begging me to end it or at least take a break.
As I was about to give up and sat down for a break, a figure of what seems like a little town appeared in front of me.
My eyes were shining with joy, I began quickening my pace and soon I started sprinting towards the figure. As I got closer, the sight gets easier to see.
Sweats dripped down from my face and onto my chin as I continued running forward. I can hear sounds coming from the area.
After what seems like an eternity of running, I was able to arrive at what seems to be a train station. It was in the middle of nowhere, looking uncanny. It was better than nothing...
I sighed, I had no choice either way, I've been walking for far too long. I entered the station, walking around and check out what the place got to offer. There were quite a lot of things around here…
I can see different creatures in this place, mainly dokkaebis and some weird distorted creatures.
I could see dokkaebis talking and chatting to each other, convenience stores and merch stores too for some reason.
As I left the market area and explored the train station a bit longer, I eventually got tired and went seeking for a chair or something to rest on.
I looked around, confused on where to go. As I started to get lost, I noticed a familiar figure sitting down at what seems to be a chair made out of living organisms.
It looked strange and disgusting but I guess it's normal considering how everyone around here is sitting on the same type of furniture.
I got closer, trying to identify who the figure might be. They look quite human, brown hair and the way they dress was quite familiar.
While I was looking at them, trying to figure out who it might be the person turned around. The girl looked at me then stood up from her chair and got in front of me, the young girl was Aiko.
As I was about to greet her, she frowned and shouted at me.
"What the hell are you doing here, old raisin?"
My mouth dropped. I looked at her in shock and sighed, I don't remember being this rude when I was her age… I looked at her then replied.
"I could say the same to you."
She scoffed, crossing her arms. It feels as if she had gotten more arrogant than the last time we met. Aiko looked up and down at me, probably judging my looks then started speaking.
"Really now? I'm the one that possesses the skill that allows me here, do you?"
I gulped, looking away and scratches my head. She wasn't wrong, Aiko did use that skill on me before… She probably have a reason to be here, unlike me.
"How did you even get here anyways?"
She asked me, her hand holding a bag of taikayi. Aiko took out one of them and started eating it infront of me. I sighed, this is what she's doing instead of the game she's supposed to play…
As I stood there, trying to think of an answer, a thought popped up inside my head. She was most certainly present when I was away from the game, it's definitely possible she knows the time.
"Hey, how long have you been here?"
Aiko looked at me in surprise, letting out a scoff. She took one of the taikyaki and bit down onto it as if she was trying to ignore my question. As she put the treat back down, Aiko began talking.
"Oh uh, probably an hour or two now?"
My mouth gaped in shock, looking at the young girl in front of me who isn't even reacting. I feel like my soul is drifting away from me after recieving the information.
Not only that, how is she acting so calm after being away from the game for so long?!
As I was trying to recover from the fact that I've been away for probably over two hours, a blue system screen popped up in front of me.
Ding!
[SYSTEM: delayed compensation!
Your reward of 5,000,000R have finished processing and is now registered into your savings!]
I looked down at my balance as the 2,360R turns into 5,002,360R in just a few seconds. This is confusing me, I don't remember the first game being worth this much…
Though to think about it, I should be recieving my paycheck frim the new company that I could've been working at if it wasn't for this apocalypse.
It might be a weird coincidence but the amount they were going to pay me is the same as the ranks I've just received. Maybe it was from the anonymous account again…
"Oi, earth to Gyungho."
Aiko's voice woke me up from my thoughts. I looked over to see her slurping on a cup of what seems to be slushie. I sighed, how could this girl eat and drink at a place like this?
She smirked and looked at me. She stopped drinking and started talking.
"Have you even bought a ticket yet?"
"Ticket? For what?"
She sighed, looking at me in disappointment. I chuckled awkwardly, I'll assume it'd just like how a train works in the world I was in.
"So, how do I get a ticket?"
I looked as Aiko crosses her arms and sighed. She gave me a glance before opening a window infront of her, blocking me from seeing what she's doing.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
She stood there in silence, not giving me any replies whatsoever. After a short moment, Aiko finally turned off the system screen and looked at me.
"I was getting you a ticket, dummy."
The both of us looked as what seems to be a golden ticket forming out of thin air. It was like Aiko's skill but executed a different way.
Aiko took the tickets and handed one to me. I grabbed onto the shiny ticket, looking at it. The design was pretty complex for a ticket…
When I looked closer, I could see a weird fold on it, I reached out my finger, as I was about to touch it, the fold split in half, opening and revealed an eye inside.
"Aah! Aiko Kagami, what are you doing this time?!"
Aiko looked at me as I dropped my ticket down onto the floor. She went and picked it up, laughing as I stared at it in horror. Who even designed the tickets to be alive anyways?!
"I guess this is your first time at this station. It's okay, these things don't bite."
"Are you sure?"
"No."
I took a deep breath, looking at the ticket she's holding. The shiny golden sheet with an eye was blinking at me while I was shaking. How am I even scared of this? I've fought toy wolves, died once and got injured badly many times.
I looked at the ticket hesitantly, after a few seconds, I ended up snatching the ticket and shoved it in my pocket as it let out pitiful cries.
I let out a sigh of relief, looking back at Aiko. She smiled at me before taking my hand and took me with her.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?"
She sighed, stopping to look back at me before she turned her head around and answered.
"Can't you just trust me, old man?"
"Of course not, you tried to kill me in my dream and now you're acting as if that never happened!"
As I finished my sentence, she stopped and let go of my hand. I looked down at the hand that she was holding before, it was bright red thanks to how much force she was applying.
"Tch, I was just playing around to see if you were actually as strong as she said you were."
I sighed, I'm not that easy to be fooled, especially by troublemaking teenagers too. But, if that was the case then I knew the exact person that would go around saying that…
Aiko shrugged, she puts the ticket she had into her pocket before she started talking.
"Don't lose your ticket, I won't get you another one."
"You—!"
As I was about to finish my sentence, a notification was given to me from the system. I looked around to see everyone looking down at the same screen as I am.
[SYSTEM: Train arrival
Please head to the right train written on your ticket to reach your desired destination.]
"Seems like the train has arrived."
Aiko smirked, she then threw away the cup she was drinking from before starting to talk again.
"Let's go back then, old man."