"Hey, Miss... Are you alright?"

I said in a concerned tone towards the missy that fell to the ground as I reached my hand to get her up. She looked at me with teary eyes and opened her trembling mouth to speak.

"F-Food... Please give me some." She said in a weak voice, accompanied by a grumbling noise that clearly expressed her empty stomach's complaints.

I was rooted for a moment, and then inwardly smiled as I knew this was a common occurrence to first time foreigners.

XXXXX

That was how my first encounter with her happened.

It has been a long time since I opened my eyes to this world, ever since then, I experienced various stuff, ranging from the mundane to the oddest of things.

I live day-to-day as an ordinary merchant, it isn't as if I hate this profession, I do encounter interesting things once in a while due to such class, but sometimes, I feel that my world is colored black and white.

I just feel like my life in here has no goal, nor meaning.

But then, I met her.

She, who was more hardworking than anyone I've ever met before. Smiling through her hardships, filled with that fascinating childish innocence.

She gave me a reason to look forward to tomorrow. To see her smile, her laughter.

She painted my grayscale world with vibrant colors, turning the rusty gears of life within my heart, she gave new meaning to my existence.

When I first met her, I invited her to my home and gave her food.

In the beginning, I only found her as something amusing, stuffing herself with more than what her body size says she could handle... Profusely apologizing afterwards with food still stuck on her face.

We laughed together, and ever since then she regularly visited my shop.

She became a female warrior and started her adventure. She excitedly told me her adventures, how she survived an encounter with bandits, how she protected a party from monsters... Slowly, I felt that the distance between us widened.

Our meetings became less over the time... Until the time where I never met her for a full week. Wondering why, I came looking for her, searching for her using her stories as my clues.

Then, I understood. She told me everything while she cried.

The two of us are far too different... Too different, that our realities are two different worlds.

She told me that I...

---Was an NPC.

A character from a game. She explained to me the truth about the world I live in. No matter how hard I try to deny it, once the facts was obviously laid in front of my eyes, what else could I do?!

She told me that she was afraid of the feelings that begun sprouting on her heart, thinking that it would be a fruitless emotion, she slowly cut her ties with me.

I love her, I know I do... But is this feeling even real, when I myself is nothing but an illusion?!

I don't know anything anymore... With my mind and beliefs shattered into pieces, I walked away with heavy steps burdened by the unwanted knowledge.

XXXXX

I cried as I watched the back of the man I love go farther and farther away from me.

I just told him the truth about the world he lives in and his very existence... If I knew things would have ended this way, how I wish I never met him, never loved him...

It was a love destined to never bore fruit...

How ironic, for this world of Fated to cause such an agonizing fate... What a cruel world this is.

I wiped my tears and tried to forget about everything that occurred, everything about him... Or at least put them in the furthest corners of my subconscious.

As I was busy with putting my thoughts in order, a loud voice startled me awake.

"Ma'am! Monsters are coming from One o' Clock! They are in huge numbers, they seem to be attacking the North-North Eastern border!" My subordinate's panicked voice shocked me for a bit. After understanding her report, I immediately told her to prepare our squad for a sortie.

When I reached the location, I was angered by the scene. Piles of dead bodies of humans as Wolves and other monsters of the forests attacked relentlessly. I never noticed how my encounter with 'that person' caused me to view this world as more real than how it should be.

Engulfed with a thick anger and bloodlust, I jumped into the fray along with my men to protect the townspeople.

I drowned myself in the battle as I fought relentlessly for the peace of the kingdom.

XXXXX

I walked away from her with tears on my eyes after such a huge revelation. Trying to put my thoughts in order, I walked in a slow pace as I wailed unbefitting a man.

Suddenly, loud sounds of footsteps echoed. A group of villagers was running with fearful expressions.

I stopped one of the men to ask the situation.

"M-Monsters! Monsters suddenly attacked our village in a huge group! They probably raided our home for a new territory, I think the earthquake yesterday destroyed part of the forest, causing the monsters within to migrate southwards towards our village... Though the kingdom's knights are there already, we decided to keep safe and go to the next town. You should also start running away if you want to keep your life intact!" Is what the man said while panting due to exhaustion.

Kingdom's Knights?! If I remember correctly, she told me before how she was knighted by the kingdom when she showed talent... No way, don't tell me...

Before I noticed it, my feet already moved. I unknowingly took steps towards the location where the horde of people originally came. My footsteps became increasingly quicker until I began running with all my might.

When I reached the location of the battle, I was relieved by the fact that the humans were winning... Though, as countless bodies of humans piled all over the place, an intense discomfort could be felt inside my heart, a mixture of concern and anxiety.

I looked around and was finally relieved by what I saw, that girl's silhouette as she courageously fought against hordes of monsters.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

As I wiped my forehead to remove the trickling sweat, I saw with the corner of my eyes the body of a Kobold sneaking closer while holding on his blade. The Kobold was injured quite a bit, and is probably about to have his final death throes.

"Look ou---!" Before I could begin warning her, my body moved first beforehand.

Pain could be felt as something pierced my stomach. I shielded her from the blow of the Kobold. The pain I felt was quickly amplified by a burning sensation... I see, it was poisoned.

"Kughh" I spouted blood as my vision blurred slowly.

I laid my body on the ground as I heard a familiar voice to call up to me. When I opened my eyes, I saw the face of the girl I fell in love with. Tears continuously dripped from her face. Loud clashing noise could be heard in the background, which was slowly getting erased by the cold feeling of death that slowly conquered my body.

I gave her the best smile I could muster as I whispered to her my final words.

XXXXX

As I was drowning myself in the bloodlust I felt, I felled countless monsters. As I stabbed another one with my blade, a familiar voice entered my ears.

"Look ou---!" With that sudden warning, I turned around to find a Kobold aiming at me. With no way to dodge, I could only wait for my inevitable end. However, instead of a sudden jolt of pain, nothing happened.

"Kughh" I heard the painful voice of the man I love. I looked downwards to see him laying on the ground in agony. I dropped my blade in panic, even though I was still in the middle of the battlefield.

I raised his head and saw him open his eyes with difficulty. I removed the blade that was embedded in him, but the blood didn't stop. Poison! The blade used by the Kobold was coated with poison.

"W-Why...?" I unintelligibly muttered with disbelief. Why would you do this? Even if I died right there, I could still respawn after some time, but you... You only have a single life to live. Why would you waste it for someone like me? Someone who thrown you away for my own ideals? Many questions spun in my head but my mind failed to answer a single one.

Through my eyes blurred by the flowing tears, I saw him smile as he forced his body to reach my ear.

"If... If I abandoned you when I could have saved you back then, I would surely lose my beliefs. I would never be the same person again... *cough* Rather than live back in that dark world again, I'd rather die for the sake of the girl who brought colors to my life." Tears fell from his eyes perhaps due to the pain he experienced.

I could only kneel there blankly as I held his lifeless body... It felt as if somebody said 'thank you' through the blowing wind. But, I guess it was just my imagination.

I knew it... Love in this world would be fruitless. I thought to myself as I grieved upon my loss, with a empty void opening in my heart. Tears moistened the soil which was covered with blood of different creatures as the battle had signaled its end with our side's victory... But this victory felt more empty than anything before.

XXXXX

I died didn't I? I thought to myself within my subdued consciousness.

*beep, beep, beep* Something beside me was producing a beeping noise at regular interval, my body felt weak so I couldn't hear it properly.

Wait, body? Did I survive that encounter? I couldn't move a muscle as my body was too tired. I tried opening my eyes, but I couldn't see anything... Perhaps, this is how it feels to die.

"Doctor! The patient in Room 306 is now awake! The director's son had regained consciousness at last!" A voice could be heard which felt far away... I didn't care anymore as I left my tired eyelids free and began my journey to the world of dreams.

XXXXX

-A month after the incident-

A girl was kneeling beside a tombstone...

Chirping cicadas and the blowing wind could be heard in the serene atmosphere...

The girl quietly wept as silent footsteps closed in towards the girl...

A young man around the girl's age stood behind her and smiled...

Inhaling a short breath, the man spoke up...

"Hey, Miss... Are you alright?"

XXXXX

Spoiler :

Heya, BBeLiN here... This story is just something I thought of earlier this afternoon in the bathroom as I was taking a bath, and written just now, so the quality might be lacking in some parts... But I had to write it or else I would never be able to finish it.

Yes, I know that the characters aren't named... I just wanted to try making a story that way. Just call them whatever you like, like 'boy' and 'girl' or make up your own names, I don't mind.

Anyways, there might be some questions regarding the story, so I'll answer them here.

Spoiler Alert. Read at your own risk. I've left it at an open end, but here's my take on the story.

The boy was the son of a rich man, director of the company that created 'Fated Online'. His son got in an accident and was stuck in a coma. He put his son in the game so that he could experience life even while stuck in a coma, something like rehabilitation even though he's currently unconscious. The body's surgery was already performed without a hitch, so they are just waiting for the boy to wake up by the start of the story.

After the boy died in the game, he woke up in the real world. After a month of getting used to what happened after he got in an accident, he created his own account in the game his father's company created... You know what happens next.

That's all for today... I still have no drive to write the series I have in my head... Series are just too bothersome... I might make another oneshot if I get a new inspiration.