"Is that you? Kaito, I thought you had died… long ago." A voice enters the dark and quiet atmosphere, a place that almost seems broken by its presence.
But from the sound of a man's voice, a light opens up, revealing a young man's face—someone I've never seen before… Someone whose voice I have no memories of.
However, his figure… his presence almost seems misty-like… I can see him, yet he feels distant… like he isn't real.
"Died?" Does he know I return after death? "Who are you? I don't recall ever seeing you before." Honestly, the way he spoke—it was like he truly knows who I am… but how.
"I don't know what you've been through, but I always felt I'd get to see you again… We are—or were—close friends." He smiles, almost a bit silly-like. "Or… I mean, I'd say best friends, hahaha…" He seems so friendly… even though I don't recall meeting him ever before, he already feels like a good guy. Someone with a good heart.
He makes me think of him like a friend already… it feels weird…
He continues, flickering back to my question. "Oh yeah, sorry. I'm Vaelen Venar… You always just called me Val—hahaha, you said my name was annoying to say." He speaks calmly, like he's talking to the person he trusts the most. I can feel how comfortable he is… how happy he is.
"Oh… yeah? Nice to meet you, Vaelen Venar. We were actually that close? Really? I'm sorry for not remembering." I don't know if this is real… were we actually close friends? Sure, all this—coming to a new world and all—is weird… but I don't remember this Vaelen at all… How come he remembers me?
"Nah, don't worry about it. Let's just sit down and talk. I wanna catch up on what you've been through—and I can tell you about our past together, yeah?" He smiles warmly, like he's really glad to see me.
"Alright… I guess we could talk. But, uh… where exactly are we? Ronan and Farren—my friends—they were right by my side just a moment ago… and then I ended up here." I say, sitting down slowly.
"This is a magic mist," he explains. "I'm just an illusion. The mist only brings someone who's closest to the person it traps inside. That's why I'm here."
I frown. "Okay… but why would the mist bring you if I don't even remember you? This all feels… weird. How could it pull someone I don't even know?"
He shrugs, still smiling. "Honestly, I don't really know how it works. But me being here is proof we were once close friends. That's what matters."
I glance around the endless darkness. "So… if this is an illusion, I'll come out of it eventually, right? I'm not stuck here?"
"Nah, you'll get out, don't worry. But before that, let's just talk, alright?" He settles himself comfortably on the dark floor, eyes on me. "So… what have you been up to lately? Anything interesting?"
Direct, huh? Alright, how do I answer? Do I tell him about dying? About my life back in Luminara? Or just keep it simple—about this life, with my new friends? I don't wanna get too emotional… right?
"Well… I came to this world… Honestly, I don't even really know how. One second I was dead, the next I was here—hahaha, weird, right? Other than that, I've been trying… or, to be honest, I've mostly just been gifted this life, you know? I didn't really do anything to earn it, just luck, I guess. Sure, I've tried to get better, but it's hard.
I met some good people, new friends who showed me how to cherish what I have instead of getting stuck on my past and craving what I once had. They really made me start liking my life—and that's great.
I've got two friends I've been hanging out with a lot. They might be a bit dorky, but they're good people. They're the reason I can see something other than harshness in life. Yeah, sure, they sometimes force me to put my life on the line… but they've got my back, and I know they mean well.
Farren? Man, he loves drinking. I don't get how anyone can drink that much—it's not human. And then there's Ronan… that dude's just a straight-up pervert, flirting with every girl he sees. He's even started dragging me into that stuff too.
But I like them. Weird personalities, sure—but they're real friends."
"I see… That's really good to hear. The way you talk about Farren and Ronan—it shows how close you are with them. That's important." Vaelen looks satisfied, even a little amused to hear I'm doing well, like a real friend would be. I like that.
Then he pauses, like he just remembered something he forgot to say. "And about that whole dying thing—you told me about it before. Sounds like a real pain. I'm glad you're pushing through it, though. I'm sure you'll keep doing just that." He says it with genuine care in his eyes.
"Thank you…" I guess. But… why does he care so much? I don't know. This whole thing just feels strange… And yet, I want to keep talking to him.
Some part of me wants to believe we really were friends. Or maybe I just want it to be true… even if it doesn't feel real at all.
"Of course," he replies softly, his tone gentle. Then he pauses, like he's trying to shift the conversation. "I miss talking to you, y'know? It brings back memories… Like when we'd sit around a campfire all night, just chatting about whatever—from dumb, silly stuff to the deeper, more personal things…" His voice is calm, and there's a soft smile on his face as he talks, clearly lost in the moment.
"You might not remember," he continues, "but you seemed a lot happier back then. Though… at the same time, like you were carrying a heavy burden. Like you'd been through hell, but finally found a place where you could breathe a little. You told me a lot about what you went through, so I can definitely understand where that weight came from."
His words… his voice… this place we're in… An illusion? Yeah, probably.
But I kinda like it. It feels peaceful—like hitting pause on the real world.
And Vaelen just keeps rambling on, "You always had that carefree goofy smile when we were sitting around the campfires at night, you always talked about the smallest things, but most of the time it all tied to something you wanted or had lost, however I know you never said it was… Though we were close friends I could see through it." He takes a breather as he then keeps on, "You always seemed to crave for more, I always told you too accept the present though, not wanting something you had in the past, or you can have in the future, because the past has already been, your time is done there, as for the future, no one can know what happens, wanting something isn't wrong but there is a limit to what you can have."
…So I was the same then too? Sounds like me. Craving for things I can't have or don't deserve, greedfully is what it is.
"Ohhh yeah hahaha, are you still good at cooking? Your cooking back then was amazing, I remember the long nights we could sit up, we hunted down some rabbits that you then cooked up, turned out amazing, we ate it under the night sky… I almost remember it as it was yesterday." Vaelen says with a smile, enjoying every last memory of him and I.
"There was this time we walked through some small town, and I remember you being so eager to go around and see all kinds of different items on display… trying different kinds of foods and just being lost in the atmosphere… hahahaha though can't lie, I kinda got carefree as well, I forgot too pay for this lizard meat because I was too lost in the moment, so you had too come and pay for me…"
I'm sorry…
"I'm so sorry. These memories—of a life I don't remember—sound amazing… but the fact that I can't recall any of it makes my stomach twist."
I pause, trying to sort through the mess in my head. "Why? Why don't I know who you are? Why can't I remember any of it?"
I take a breath, gathering myself before going on. "I didn't know I was good at cooking… Didn't know I was so fascinated by random trinkets at stalls… Didn't know I could be so carefree, have that much fun…"
It hurts. It really does.
"Please… tell me more."
"I'm sorry," Vaelen says softly. "I'd love to tell you more… but maybe some other time. I don't want you to carry the weight of a life that's no longer yours. Live the life you have now, and forget about the past. Create new memories."
He smiles gently, a kind expression on his face, as his figure begins to fade into the mist… like a fragment of a memory long gone.
"Have a good life, Kaito… see you." His voice is calm, almost distant, as he vanishes further into the fog.
I was too stunned to answer. I never gave him a proper farewell.
But I saw it — the last glimpse of his face.
A face I won't forget this time.