The last time I was able to walk like this was when I was 8 years old. Back then, I didn’t think much about it—walking was just something everyone could do. But now, being able to walk again, normally and effortlessly, feels so new, almost surreal. Every step feels like a miracle, like I’ve been given a gift I didn’t know I’d missed so much.

"And this is the first time I’ve walked this far all by myself," I murmur, half in awe, half in disbelief.

I glance around, but there’s nothing to mark my progress, no landmarks to tell me how far I’ve come. The scenery remains the same—an endless expanse of soft, glowing light and infinite space. It feels as though I’m walking on a treadmill, with the world shifting and moving independently of me. It’s disorienting, yet strangely calming.

Is this what people mean when they say the world revolves around you? That peculiar sensation of moving forward while everything else seems suspended in a timeless flow?

I shake my head, pushing away the thought. There’s a more pressing question on my mind. How do I look? I haven’t seen my reflection since… well, since everything changed. My curiosity grows with each step.

I feel so refreshed, almost weightless. My head feels light, like a fog has lifted, leaving me with a clarity I’ve never experienced before. My body moves effortlessly, without the familiar aches and limitations that once defined my every moment. This is definitely not how my body used to be.

What happened to me? Did my appearance change, too? Am I still me, or has something entirely new taken my place?

As countless questions swirl in my mind, the ground behind me suddenly begins to glow, the light growing brighter and brighter until it becomes blinding. Instinctively, I shield my eyes with my arm, but it does little to stop the overwhelming brightness.

When I finally manage to open my eyes again—

"Cool... I teleported into someone's room," I mutter, blinking in confusion.

The room is a pastel explosion of pink and cuteness. The walls are covered in pink wallpaper adorned with hearts and stars, giving the whole place an almost dreamlike atmosphere. A white and pink dresser is lined with neatly arranged plushies, all staring at me with their big, adorable eyes. Hanging on the wall is a sailor uniform straight out of an anime, complete with a bow and pleats. The fluffy pink carpet under my feet feels soft, and a small round table sits in the middle of the room, almost inviting me to take a seat. Even the bed is pink, with frilly pillows and a blanket that looks too delicate to touch.

I take it all in slowly, my eyes darting from one ultra-feminine detail to the next.

No matter how much I look, one fact becomes glaringly obvious.

"This is definitely a girl’s room," I say to myself, my voice barely above a whisper.

And now I’m scared.

The first thing I wanted to do upon arriving in another world definitely didn’t involve trespassing into someone’s bedroom. I glance nervously around the room, half-expecting the door to burst open any second, revealing an angry girl with a baseball bat or, worse, a group of police or maybe knights? ready to arrest me for invading her sacred space.

I feel a cold sweat forming. My mind starts racing with the worst possible outcomes. What if someone catches me here? What would I even say? “Sorry, I just magically appeared here” sounds like the kind of excuse that would land me into a prison—or worse, on the receiving end of a slap so hard it sends me back to whatever strange realm I came from.

Carefully, I inch away from the bed, trying not to disturb anything. My first goal in this new world was supposed to be finding answers, maybe exploring a magical kingdom or whatever place is there for me to explore. Instead, I might end up as some criminal suspect on day one. Fantastic.

I glance at the uniform on the wall again, the neatly arranged plushies, and the spotless decor. Whoever lives here clearly has an eye for detail. And if they’re this organized, they’ll probably notice the second something’s out of place—or someone.

"Alright," I whisper to myself, clenching my fists. "Time to get out of here before things go horribly wrong."

As I was about to move my feet, a girl's voice suddenly rang out from behind me.

"Wel—!"

Before she could finish, my instincts kicked in. I leapt into the air, spinning a full five hundred and forty degrees before landing, and immediately bent my body into a perfect ninety-degree bow.

"Sorry! I just magically appeared here!!"

Wow! That was a smooth move on my part. I mean, with an entrance like that, who wouldn’t forgive me? Right? Surely, my sheer display of humility and acrobatics could diffuse any situation.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Alright, get back to reality.

I feel like my heart is about to leap out of my chest, but oddly enough, I can’t hear or feel its frantic beating. A wave of unease washes over me, but I quickly shove it aside. Closing my eyes tightly, I brace myself, silently hoping the girl will forgive me.

What should I do now?

No, wait—I am doing it. I’m apologizing.

I mean, what should I do next, MYSELF?!

Think, think! Come on, brain, this is a life-or-death situation! You’ve seen enough anime to know how bad this could get.

Just as I’m about to dive headfirst into a mental war against myself, I hear something unexpected.

The girl giggles.

It’s a soft, melodic sound that instantly disarms me. For a moment, I can’t help but think, What a cute giggle.

But then reality slaps me again. Wait! Myself! Snap out of it! You don’t even know what her intentions are! That giggle could be masking something far more sinister. What if she’s planning to blackmail me? What if there’s a malicious mastermind behind that innocent laugh?

I cautiously open one eye, stealing a glance at her. She’s standing there, smiling warmly, her posture relaxed. Her expression doesn’t look malicious… but isn’t that what they all say before the protagonist ends up in jail or worse?

The room feels smaller suddenly, the walls closing in with the weight of a thousand worst-case scenarios. My brain shifts into overdrive, coming up with increasingly absurd outcomes.

What if she screams? What if knights burst through the door and drag me away, accusing me of some unspeakable crime I didn’t commit?

Wait—hold on. Is this even a fantasy world?

What if I’ve been transported to a modern world instead? Oh no. That would be even worse! I could end up as a headline in the newspaper: “Mysterious Trespasser Found in Girl’s Room—Authorities Investigate!” Or worse, I could be plastered all over television news channels, my face framed with ominous captions like “Breaking News: Unknown Man Appears in Teenage Girl’s Room.”

A chill runs down my spine as the horrifying scenarios stack one on top of another. I can already imagine being interrogated under blinding lights, reporters shouting questions at me while I awkwardly stammer, “It’s not what it looks like!”

I’m sweating bullets now. My mind is racing, my body frozen in place. I can’t even move to come up with an escape plan. What would I even do? Jump out the window? There’s no window in this room.

Just as I’m about to spiral completely out of control, her soft, melodic voice cuts through the whirlwind of my thoughts.

"Don’t worry," she says gently, her tone calm and reassuring.

Wait—what? I blink and glance up, finally daring to look her in the eyes. She’s smiling, her expression warm and unthreatening. But why? Shouldn’t she be angry or at least confused by the random stranger bowing in her room?

She takes a small step closer, her movements graceful and deliberate. My instincts scream at me to back away, but I’m rooted to the spot, utterly bewildered.

"I was the one who made you magically appear here," she continues, her voice steady and confident.

Her words hit me like a brick wall. She’s the one who brought me here?

I straighten up slightly, still keeping my guard up. This feels like a trap—or at least, it should. Who in their right mind admits to summoning someone into their personal space? Is she joking? Testing me? Or is this just how things work in whatever strange world I’ve landed in?

"Y-You… summoned me?" I stammer, my voice barely audible.

Her smile doesn’t waver. "Yes. I’ve been waiting for you."

"Ah!"

The realization hits me like a bolt of lightning. Now that I think about it, wasn’t there a voice welcoming me before I got dragged into that bizarre loading screen? Or whatever that strange, glowing place was called.

But before I can dwell on it too much, my focus snaps back to the girl in front of me.

And what in the world is she even talking about? Waiting for me?

I was the one waiting in that place this whole time! Walking around aimlessly in an endless expanse, with no instructions, no context, and no way out. Yet here she is, acting like she’s been the one patiently sitting around twiddling her thumbs.

No, wait. That’s not the point. I should stop overthinking this. The important thing is that I’m finally out of that weird place. I should be grateful. Right?

Still, it’s hard to ignore the girl standing before me.

She’s beautiful—almost unnaturally so. Her bright, pinkish-white hair flows gracefully down to her hips, shimmering faintly in the soft light of the room. Each strand moves as if it has a life of its own, gently swaying with the slightest motion. Her golden eyes meet mine, radiating warmth and an almost hypnotic calmness.

She’s wearing an elegant white outfit with intricate black lines running along the fabric, the design almost otherworldly in its craftsmanship. The short skirt she’s wearing adds a playful touch, contrasting with the dignified aura she seems to carry.

As my eyes wander, I can’t help but notice how petite she is. Her height only reaches up to my chin, making her seem even more delicate.

"Um..." I clear my throat, trying to shake off the awkward tension in the air. "So, uh, you’re the one who brought me here?"

Her golden eyes soften, and she tilts her head slightly, a playful smile forming on her lips.

"That’s right," she says calmly. "I’ve been waiting for you for a very long time."

Her words send a shiver down my spine. There’s an eerie certainty in her tone, like she knows something I don’t. A lot of somethings, probably.

I glance around the room again, the pink wallpaper and plushies feeling increasingly out of place given the intensity of the situation.

"You’ve… been waiting for me?" I repeat, my voice uncertain.

"Yes," she replies, her smile never faltering. "You’re finally here, and now everything can begin."

Wait. Everything can begin?

"But before that," she says, her tone light but purposeful.

Before I can ask what she means, she grabs my wrist with her tiny, delicate hands and gently pulls me toward a nearby mirror. Her movements are fluid, almost like she’s gliding.

When we reach the mirror, I’m met with a reflection I don’t immediately recognize. Staring back at me is a man with sleek black hair and deep, dark brown eyes. He’s dressed in an outfit that screams “fantasy protagonist”—fancy, a little impractical, and way too stylish for someone who should probably be fighting dragons or saving kingdoms.

I take a step closer, tilting my head slightly. Not gonna lie, he looks kind of handsome. The sharp jawline, clear skin, and confident aura are almost unnerving. There’s something familiar about him, though. His face carries a subtle resemblance to my big brother—like we could be distant relatives or something.

Then it hits me.

"Wait. Is this… me?" I blurt out, my voice laced with disbelief.

The last time I saw my reflection was, what, two years ago? Back when I could still move my body and wasn’t stuck lying in a hospital bed. Back then, my face looked pale, sunken, and honestly pretty rough. My reflection now is like looking at a completely different person—a version of me that’s healthy, vibrant, and full of life.

The girl standing beside me hasn’t let go of my wrist. She’s watching me through the mirror, her golden eyes twinkling with amusement. When our gazes meet in the reflection, she smiles warmly.

The silence stretches for a moment, and I realize I need to say something before things get too awkward.

"Okay, I’ve seen my reflection," I say, clearing my throat. "What should I do next?"

Her smile widens slightly, and she tilts her head. "Are you satisfied with your appearance?"

"Well, I guess I am. Wait—" I narrow my eyes suspiciously. "What do you mean by that?"

Her question is oddly specific, almost as if…

"Ah," she says, her voice as calm as ever. "If you want to change your appearance, feel free to do so."

"Huh?"

Before I can fully process her words, a transparent screen materializes beside me, hovering in midair. It glows faintly, its sleek interface looking straight out of a high-budget video game. On the screen, there are two options displayed at the top: Body and Clothes.

I stare at it, wide-eyed, my excitement building faster than I can contain it. My inner gamer is practically screaming with joy.

"This… this is character customization?" I whisper, my voice trembling with barely restrained glee.

My hands are already shaking as I reach out toward the screen. My finger hovers over the Body option for a brief moment before I press it.

"Pwop!"

A soft sound effect plays as I make my selection, and suddenly, my entire body is enveloped in a warm, radiant light. The sensation is strange—tingly but not unpleasant. When the light fades, I glance down at myself and immediately freeze.

"Uh…"

I’m now standing there in nothing but a simple underwear.