[Long sigh]
“Aah, this is so annoying. What does the Manager need this early in the morning, and on a weekend, no less? Any idea, Mike?” Jean grumbled, dragging his feet down the hallway.
“Dunno. He just said it’s a special meeting,” Mike replied, looking equally unenthused.
“Special meeting, my ass,” Jean muttered under his breath. “He just wants to ruin our weekend.”
[They enter the meeting room.]
Project Manager Olive was already standing in the room, his stern expression enough to silence any further complaints. The man was known for his strict demeanor and zero tolerance for laziness.
“Good morning, guys,” he greeted them with his usual authority.
“Good morning,” Jean muttered, barely making eye contact.
“Good morning,” Mike echoed, a little more awake now.
“Let’s begin our meeting, shall we?” Olive’s tone left no room for disagreement.
“Yeah, let’s,” everyone murmured, trying to hide their reluctance.
‘As you all know, we need more otherworlders for our experiments, especially for the latest one, but our numbers are insufficient,’ Manager Olive announced. ‘Therefore, you will be sent to different worlds to bring them here.’
Jean frowned. “But we can just summon them using magic. Why don’t we do that?”
‘Yes, it's possible,’ Olive replied, ‘But when we summon them, we have no control over who shows up. Last time, we summoned 30 people—20 were elderly men, 8 were children, and only 2 were even remotely capable of participating in the experiment. That's why you're going.’
“What did you do with those people?” Mike asked, his voice tinged with concern.
“Oh, them? They were useless, so we fed them to the demons.”
A horrified gasp rippled through the room.
“That’s so cruel!” someone exclaimed.
“Yeah, I know. But what else would you do with those scumbags?” Olive’s tone was dismissive, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—maybe regret, maybe something darker.
“You should stop this nonsense!” Jean snapped, unable to keep quiet any longer.
“Silence!” Olive screamed, his voice booming. “It’s none of your business what we do with them. Your focus should be on your next mission, which starts shortly.”
“Say what? We’re going on a mission on the weekend?” Jean protested, his frustration bubbling over.
“Yeah, you have no choice. If you don’t go, you’ll be fired” Olive said, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
“Ugh, this sucks,” Jean groaned, slumping his shoulders.
“Yeah, really,” Mike agreed, looking just as defeated.
“Yeah,” most of the others muttered in agreement.
“Now then, all you need to do is enter the portal and bring back some capable young people for the job.”
With a command, a portal opened in front of everyone.
Jean hesitated, glancing at the Manager. “Does magic work in that world?”
“Maybe, who knows?” Olive shrugged, as if it didn’t matter.
“Oh, come on... You’re sending us to a world where magic might not work? How are we supposed to come back?”
“Magic works—or doesn’t—it doesn’t matter. The portal spell works everywhere,” Olive said dismissively.
“And what if it doesn’t?” Jean pressed, feeling a knot of anxiety form in his stomach.
Olive’s patience snapped. He walked over to Jean, glaring down at him. “Stop wasting time and go!” he snapped, then shoved Jean into the portal.
Jean stumbled forward, the swirling energy pulling him in. As he vanished into the portal, he heard Olive’s voice echoing behind him. “Do I have to do the same to all of you?”
"No, no, we’re going!" The rest of them quickly replied, and one by one, they stepped into the portal.
Jean emerged beside a tranquil lake, the air crisp and cool against his skin. The world around him was a stark contrast to where he had come from—lush, green, and eerily peaceful. In the distance, he could see buildings rising above the treetops, but they weren’t as modern as those from his world. The architecture had an old-world charm, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape. A nearby road wound through the greenery, adding a sense of direction in this unfamiliar place.
But as he took in his surroundings, Jean felt a sudden jolt of panic—his tail was visible. Don’t freak out, Jean thought to himself. I’ll just cast the spell again.
He muttered the spell inwardly, but nothing happened.
Snap—What the heck?
Snap—No way. The magic isn’t working.
“Ahh, man, this really sucks,” Jean groaned. “I guess I’ve ended up in a world where magic doesn’t work. Great.”
He sighed, staring at his tail. “What am I going to do with this? Everyone’s going to think I’m some kind of freak.”
After a moment of frustration, Jean remembered his mission. If he failed, he’d have to go through this all over again, and that was the last thing he wanted. With a heavy sigh, he set off on his mission, determined to make the best of a bad situation.
As he walked along a road, he kept scanning the area for any young people. But his tail was making it hard to stay unnoticed. He could feel the stares, the whispers, and it was driving him crazy.
“Mom, look! It’s like that guy just popped out of the anime I watched today!” a kid pointed, wide-eyed.
“Shh! Don’t be rude. He’s probably just doing some...cosplay or something,” the mom whispered, trying to pull her kid away.
An older passerby burst out laughing. “Heh, kids these days, what a strange hobby! Who in their right mind would glue a tail to their back?”
Jean felt his face heat up. Great, now I’m a live-action anime character. Just what I needed today. He tugged at his shirt, trying to hide the tail, but it was no use. The awkwardness was practically radiating off him.
“Ugh...this is so embarrassing,” he muttered under his breath, picking up the pace as if he could outrun the stares.
Eventually, he found himself in front of a high school, the air buzzing with the chatter of students. A lot of young people, he thought. This must be where I’ll find the ones for my mission.
Confidently, he stepped inside, but it didn’t take long for the stares to start again. Everyone was looking at him, some with wide eyes, others with amused grins.
“Whoa, check it out! A fox spirit cosplayer!” someone shouted, and before he knew it, a group of students started flocking toward him.
“Let’s take a selfie!” one girl squealed, pulling out her phone.
In no time, Jean was surrounded by a sea of excited faces, most of them girls. Phones were flashing, and people were jostling to get closer, eager to snap a picture with the mysterious “cosplayer.”
Jean’s face burned with embarrassment as he tried to keep his tail out of the shot, but it was no use. He was trapped in the middle of a selfie frenzy.
Great... I’m going to be trending on social media as ‘that weird guy with a tail,’ he muttered to himself, wishing he could just disappear.
“What’s going on here?” a voice cut through the noise.
The student council president, Mira, approached the crowd. With her mesmerizing blue eyes and silver hair, she was the epitome of beauty and brains.
The students parted slightly, allowing Mira to get a glimpse of Jean.
“Look, President, this weird guy is doing a fox spirit cosplay, and everyone’s taking selfies with him! Want to join us?” one student suggested. “The crazy thing is, his tail looks almost real. No idea how he made it, but he’s one talented cosplayer.”
Jean suddenly blurted out, “It’s not a fake tail! It’s real, and I’m not a cosplayer!”
But his words fell on deaf ears. The crowd resumed their selfie-taking, ignoring his protests.
However, Mira couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something off about his tail. It seemed too realistic to be just a costume. Determined to get to the bottom of it, she decided to talk to Jean. But he was still surrounded by a throng of selfie-obsessed students.
Mira quickly formulated a plan. She grabbed Jean’s hand and announced, “He’s a guest, and I have some important business with him.” Without waiting for a response, she led him away to the rooftop. Jean didn’t resist—this was probably his only chance to escape the selfie frenzy.
Once they reached the rooftop, Mira turned to Jean and asked, “Who are you?”
“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. But first, thanks for saving me from that mess. I’m Jean, and I’m act—”
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“Cut the crap,” Mira interrupted, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “Tell me about your tail. It looks way too realistic.”
Jean sighed, realizing he couldn’t keep up the charade any longer. “Oh, that… Well, I’m actually not from this world.”
Mira’s eyes widened in disbelief. “WHAT?”
“I know it sounds unbelievable, but it’s true,” Jean said, trying to keep his voice steady. “If you need proof, I can show you.”
“Yeah, I’m going to need more than just your word,” Mira replied, crossing her arms. “Show me something that proves you’re really from another world.”
Without a word, Jean focused, and a swirling black portal materialized before them, rippling with energy.
“This portal can take anyone to my world. Is this enough to make you believe?”
Mira stared at the portal, her skepticism wavering. “Okay… that’s pretty convincing. But why do you have a tail? Does everyone in your world have one?”
As the portal closed behind them, Jean shook his head. “No, not everyone. I have a tail because I’m a fox spirit and human hybrid. My mom was a fox spirit, and my dad was a regular human. That’s why I have this tail. By the way, what’s your name?”
“Mira. I’m the student council president here,” she replied, still processing everything. “So, you’re seriously telling me you’re from another world?”
Jean nodded, sensing a shift in her tone. “Yeah, my world is pretty similar to this but more advanced, with magic and a mix of humans, spirits, and demons.”
Mira’s eyes lit up with a mix of excitement and curiosity. “Whoa, that sounds incredible.”
Jean couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. “It is, but it’s also filled with dangers you wouldn’t believe.”
“Can you take me there?” Mira asked suddenly, her voice full of eagerness.
Jean blinked in surprise. “Say what?” He hesitated for a moment, but then it dawned on him—he might have just found the person who could help him fulfill his mission. A small smile crept onto his face.
“Why are you smiling?” Mira asked, curious.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Jean replied, quickly masking his thoughts. “But I can’t just take you to my world. It’s not that simple.”
Mira looked disappointed but didn’t press further. Instead, she changed the subject. “Hey, Jean, you’re new to this world. Where are you planning to stay for the time being?”
Jean rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “I haven’t really thought about it. But I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”
Mira thought for a moment before offering, “If you don’t mind, you can stay at my place for now. I live alone, and there’s an extra room for guests.”
Jean was taken aback by her generosity. “That’s incredibly kind of you... but how can I repay your kindness?”
“You don’t have to,” Mira said with a smile. “Just tell me more about your world.”
Jean chuckled softly. “Well, thank you, Mira. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. Let’s head home, then,” Mira said, leading the way back down from the rooftop.
As they walked, Jean couldn’t help but feel a bit more at ease. Despite the rocky start, things were beginning to look up. He had a place to stay and, perhaps, an ally in this strange new world.
They began walking toward Mira’s home, but Jean’s tail was, once again, the star of the show. People on the street couldn’t help but gawk at the fluffy appendage swishing behind him. Some stared with wide-eyed curiosity, while others whispered to each other, pointing in disbelief.
“This is getting ridiculous,” Jean muttered under his breath, trying to keep his tail as close to his body as possible. “Do people here not have manners?”
Mira, walking beside him, was trying to look as casual as possible, though her lips twitched with suppressed laughter. “You’re not exactly inconspicuous, Jean,” she said in an amused tone. “You’ve got a giant fluffy tail sticking out of your back. What did you expect?”
Jean sighed. “I dunno, maybe a little more subtlety?”
A little boy ran up to him, eyes wide with excitement. “Hey, mister! Is your tail real? Can I touch it?”
Jean froze. “Uh… no, sorry, it’s... uh... really fragile.” He quickly picked up his pace, practically dragging Mira along, leaving the boy looking disappointed.
By the time they reached Mira’s house, both of them were exhausted—not from the walk, but from the sheer number of awkward stares they had to endure. “Finally,” Jean breathed out as Mira unlocked the door and gestured for him to enter.
As Jean stepped inside, he glanced around and noticed a picture on the wall. His brow furrowed in thought—something about the faces in the photo seemed oddly familiar.
“Who’s that in the picture?” Jean asked, pointing at the image.
Mira’s expression darkened slightly. “Oh... them? They’re my parents. They’ve been missing for about a year now.”
Jean blinked in surprise. “Missing? Do you know what happened to them?”
Mira shrugged; her tone casual but tinged with sadness. “It’s a long story... Anyway, you must be exhausted. You should take a bath and relax. I’ll tell you about it later.”
Sensing the discomfort in her voice, Jean decided not to press the issue. “Alright, I won’t push it. A bath sounds great right about now.”
As Jean made his way toward the bathroom, Mira followed closely behind, offering him a towel and some clothes to change into. However, when they entered the bathroom, Mira’s face suddenly went pale.
“Oh no,” she gasped.
Jean followed her gaze and saw what had caused the alarm: hanging right in plain sight were Mira’s bra and panties, draped innocently on a towel rack. Jean’s eyes stopped on them for a moment longer than they should have. His face turned beet red as he quickly averted his gaze.
“Control yourself, Jean,” he muttered to himself. “You’re not some perv—she’s your kind host, remember?”
But it was too late. Mira had already caught him staring.
“Y-You pervert!” Mira shrieked; her face as red as Jean’s. She darted forward, snatching the undergarments off the rack in a flustered frenzy. “Why were you looking at my panties?! It’s so embarrassing!”
Jean flailed his hands defensively. “I wasn’t looking! I-I mean, my eyes just… automatically went there! I swear, I didn’t mean to—”
“Sure, sure, Mr. ‘My Eyes Have a Mind of Their Own,’” Mira huffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She shoved the towel into his arms. “Here. Just… take your bath already. But first, let me make sure there’s nothing else…in here.”
Mira hurriedly scanned the bathroom for any more rogue clothing articles. After a quick inspection, she sighed in relief. “Alright, it’s safe now. You can go in.”
Jean raised an eyebrow. “Safe from what?”
“N-Nothing!” Mira stammered; her face still flushed. “Just… go!”
Shaking his head with a chuckle, Jean finally entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him. “What a crazy day…” he muttered as he stripped off his clothes and sank into the warm water. A contented sigh escaped him. For the first time since arriving in this strange new world, he felt like he could finally relax.
That is, until his tail floated up in the water. He stared at it, frowning. “Of course, you’d be there to ruin my peaceful bath,” he said, flicking his tail with annoyance.
While Jean was taking his bath, Mira busied herself in the kitchen, preparing dinner. She decided to keep things simple, cooking up some ramen and pasta, and ordering fries and a couple of cokes for a quick treat. As she arranged everything on the dining table, she found herself mulling over the bizarre events of the day.
“What a weird day,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. “I really met a guy from another world... and he has a tail. And now he’s here, in my house, about to eat dinner with me. How is this my life right now?”
She couldn’t help but glance toward the bathroom, half-expecting Jean to emerge with some new surprise. Fortunately, when he did step out, he was just the same as before—albeit looking a bit more refreshed.
“Dinner’s ready,” Mira called out, gesturing toward the table. Jean hesitated for a moment before sitting down, his eyes widening as he took in the familiar spread of food.
Mira noticed his surprise. “Anything wrong?”
“No, it’s just... the food is the same in both of our worlds,” Jean said, his voice laced with awe. “Let me guess—this is ramen, that’s pasta, and those are fries, right?”
Mira nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. “Yeah, that’s right.”
Jean sat down, picking up his chopsticks with a mix of curiosity and nostalgia. He took a bite of the ramen his expression lighting up. “It even tastes the same.”
“Did you like it?” Mira asked, a hint of hopefulness in her voice.
“Yeah, it’s really good,” Jean replied, nodding appreciatively. “Thank you for your kindness.”
They ate in companionable silence, the earlier awkwardness slowly melting away. After dinner, Mira leaned back in her chair, her gaze drifting toward the ceiling as she seemed lost in thought.
“Would you like to go up to the rooftop?” she asked suddenly.
Jean blinked in surprise. “Why? Do you have any work up there?”
“No,” Mira said, shaking her head. “It’s just... it’s a full moon tonight, and I want to see it.”
Jean smiled. “Well then, let’s go.”
As they made their way up the stairs, Mira’s foot caught on a step, and she stumbled forward. Jean’s reflexes kicked in, and he grabbed her arm just in time to keep her from falling.
“You need to be more careful,” Jean said, his voice soft but firm.
Mira blushed, steadying herself. “Yeah, I guess I do. Thanks.”
Finally, they reached the rooftop, where the full moon hung in the sky like a glowing pearl, casting a serene light over the city. Mira pointed at it, her eyes sparkling. “Isn’t it pretty?”
Jean gazed up at the moon, his heart unexpectedly calming. “Yeah, it’s marvelous.”
They sat down on the cool rooftop, the night air brushing against their faces. For a while, they simply enjoyed the quiet, both lost in their own thoughts.
Suddenly, Jean broke the silence. “May I ask you a question? If you don’t mind.”
Mira glanced at him, intrigued. “Sure, go ahead.”
“It’s about your father,” Jean began, hesitating slightly. “His face seems very familiar... it feels like I’ve seen him somewhere before. It might sound strange, but I think I met someone like him in my world.”
Mira’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? That’s impossible, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, that’s why I wanted to know more about your father,” Jean said, his tone earnest.
Mira sighed, her gaze drifting back to the moon. “Well, last year, my dad went on a business trip to Spain. But then he disappeared. He was a researcher, you know? The police searched all over Spain and Japan, but they couldn’t find him... Eventually, they added his case to the ‘Mysterious Disappearance’ list.”
Jean frowned. “Can you tell me more about this ‘Mysterious Disappearance’ list?”
“Yeah, sure,” Mira replied, her voice tinged with sorrow. “It’s actually a list of people who’ve mysteriously disappeared and never came back. These incidents have been happening a lot lately, and no one knows why.”
Jean absorbed this information, his mind racing. Could there be a connection between Mira’s father and the world he came from? The thought sent a chill down his spine, but he kept his expression neutral, not wanting to worry Mira any further.
"Hey, Jean, why did you come here?"
Jean hesitated for a moment before answering. "I… actually came here to fulfill a mission."
"What mission?" Mira asked, her curiosity piqued.
"In my world, the government is conducting an experiment, and they need people from this world to participate. So, I was sent here to bring someone back."
Mira's eyes narrowed. "Were you planning to take me for this experiment?"
"No... no way," Jean quickly replied, shaking his head.
"Why not?" she pressed. "Am I not fit for the experiment?"
"It’s not that," Jean said, his voice softening. "I don’t really know what kind of experiments they’re doing, and I don’t want to involve you in something dangerous. At first, I thought I could just take you back, but... something inside me is stopping me."
Mira tilted her head, studying him. "What’s stopping you?"
"I’m not sure... maybe it’s just a feeling," Jean admitted, his brow furrowing.
Mira leaned in, her eyes glinting with interest. "But why are you so interested in going to my world?"
"In school, we're taught that there’s no other planet in our solar system where life can exist," Mira explained. "But you’re here, so that means there’s actually another planet where life thrives, right?"
"Let me clarify," Jean said, a small smile playing on his lips. "I’m not from your solar system. I’m from Solar System-85. It’s far away, but it’s the closest one to yours. We’re currently in Solar System-84... I think."
Mira's eyes widened. "Whoa, you sure know a lot. How many solar systems are out there?"
"Nobody knows the exact number," Jean replied with a shrug. "I’ve only been to three so far."
Mira's excitement grew. "Now I’m even more interested in going to your world. By the way, what do you actually do there?"
"I’m a student, and I work part-time as an assistant to a researcher who’s involved in the experiment and sometime take part in that experiment" Jean explained.
Mira chuckled. "Isn’t sending someone to another world for a part-time job a bit extreme?"
Jean laughed softly. "Yeah, it is. But they sent us because we’re skilled in magic, and not many people in my world have experience traveling to different solar systems."
"We?" Mira asked, raising an eyebrow. "So, there are others like you, here for the mission?"
"Yeah," Jean confirmed with a nod.
Mira smiled, intrigued. "By the way, how old are you?"
"I’m 19," Jean replied. "And you?"
"I’m 18," Mira said.
Jean grinned. "We’re pretty close in age, huh?"
"Yeah," Mira agreed, smiling back.
“We’ve been talking for a long time, and it’s already 11,” Jean said, glancing at his wristwatch. “I hadn’t even noticed.”
Mira blinked in surprise. “It’s this late already? We should probably get some sleep.”
“Yeah, let’s head down,” Jean agreed.
As they made their way downstairs to Mira’s house, Jean gave Mira a playful nudge. “Try not to trip this time.”
Mira chuckled, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll manage. It’s not like I miss my step every time.”
When they reached the bottom, Mira pointed to a room off the hallway. “That’s your room for now. Make yourself at home.”
Jean gave her a grateful nod. “Thanks, Mira.”
“No need for that,” she replied with a soft smile.
With that, Jean entered the room, taking in the simple yet cozy surroundings. The bed looked inviting after the long day. Meanwhile, Mira disappeared into her own room.
Jean lay down, staring at the ceiling. His mind raced with thoughts of his mission, the weight of it pressing on him. How would he complete it? What would happen if he failed?
These questions swirled in his mind until, finally, exhaustion took over, and he drifted off to sleep.