A Start

It seems Meiying was full of endless surprises for him. Given her limited circumstances, her innocence truly made one overlook her intellect. Even with her soft personality, she could deceive her mother without the batting of an eye. It made Shuyun lightly question the true nature of their relationship. Though, it was the least of his worries.

He had no guide.

Meiying was useless in this aspect as she too was just like him. So clueless to the world beyond the end of their sight. What was worse was the standards and common law of the world. Meiying was clearly an elf, but would all Elfs or beings other than humans accept him? Where would he go?

He knew not a single location, nor the name of the very world he now resides in. So how would he survive?

He would have to find housing, and somehow participate in an economy that doesn't revolve around the office job, the only existing skills he possessed.

And most of all, he was alone.

Surrounded by a world unknown to him, unlike his previous life, where he didn't care for such a thing, here, he doesn't have that same luxury.

It seems the real start of his second life would be now.

*

Meiying took off, him in hand.

It seemed as if the whole world around him warped. It was unimaginable to him that such a petite girl, possessed such speed. Even traveling at what he perceived to be high speeds, no gusts of wind were present. The possibilities of this world were really endless.

It was not even a moment later that Meiying stopped, arriving along with him at the edge of the forest.

Shuyun stared over Meiying, at the land beyond the forest.

It was like a grassy plain, endless rows of the green color of nature. It was a mini forest in the making, adorning the ground for as far as the eye could see. While he had seen such scenes of nature before in his previous life, he had never felt it to be as pleasant and beautiful as the one before him.

Maybe it was because, now, he was free.

No longer having to bear the weight of expectation, and standards of others.

While he himself may not know the direction he wishes to travel, at least now, he could enjoy life. The little things you see everyday brighten up. Things you hadn't paid attention to you stick out. Finding joy in the most common occurrences of life, shows your living for yourself. Shuyun now truly understood what finding beauty within a rainy day meant.

Meiying, in front of him, waved her hand.

A translucent portal appeared before her. It was almost invisible, only identifiable by the cracks and distortion of space within it.

"This forest is disconnected from the real world, masked by this illusive film that hides the presence of the forest from all others..."

She turned her head to face him. Those same beautiful black eyes, the first thing he saw when he arrived in this new world, sent him an eternal calm, as if all the struggles he was bound to face would no longer be of any importance.

It truly allowed him to appreciate the little time he spent with her. It was unfortunate his departure was inevitable, but those eyes only served to reassure him.

Because even though no words were said, her message was fully conveyed. He was the first human, and realistically, other being she had ever met.

But something bothered him. Though she appeared to be the happiest girl in the world, Shuyun was able to understand her hidden yearning. It was because, he too possessed such a thing once before. He knew that only her mother, the only prominent figure in her life, was keeping her from expressing such desires.

Just like him.

Afraid of the disappointment of his parents, he never spoke out on how hard his life was. Doing all he could to accomplish their standing requests and wishes.

He wouldn't allow Meiying to suffer the same pain and experience the same regret.

"Do you truly feel happy here?"