5. Alive Once Again (2)

A dream.

A vivid dream.

This is what it felt like for Haruki after witnessing the better life a different version of him had lived.

The love, the joy, the fulfilment. All of it felt so foreign.

He could feel it all.

Every emotion. Every sensation. Every reaction.

Witnessing the possibilities he had never thought were possible made him feel a pang of regret. All the achievements he had thought so highly of vanished into the wind compared to the loving memories he had seen.

"This is what could have been..."

Haruki had a strong will.

While he was envious, he could understand that this version of himself had the same quintessence and potential as himself.

He took in every essence of this Haruki that he could and analysed it. This Haruki had faced his own challenges and made his own sacrifices.

He had walked his own path and chosen his family over everything else.

Haruki understood this, and rather than comparing it with his own set of failures, he chose to use it as a foundation to build himself up.

Haruki's will was tenacious.

After all, he did not have a single regret on his deathbed. He had done his best, even if his best wasn't enough.

Haruki had accepted every facet of his being.

And with this new life, Haruki took a new step in his own self-discovery.

As Haruki turned off the alarm, he prayed to mourn the death of his previous self, so that this Haruki may rest in peace, and he prayed for a better future.

...

Haruki walked into the bathroom and took a shower. He enjoyed taking a shower twice a day. He noticed that he had quite a few hygiene products, not that he minded.

As Haruki brushed his teeth, he noticed his hair was rather long. He quickly found a hairband and tied up his hair into a casual ponytail with bangs.

(A/N: Haruki looks sort of like Izumi Miyamura)

Haruki headed downstairs in a towel and decided to make breakfast. His cooking skills were quite good since he had done all the cooking.

He scanned the fridge and decided that he might as well prepare a bento too. He had enough time since he had woken up early.

Haruki made rice, eggs, grilled salmon, dorayaki (pancakes with a red bean filling) and miso soup. He also found some nori (seaweed sheets) and pickled vegetables.

Half of the rice, salmon, vegetables and dorayaki were set aside for lunch.

Haruki also made Hochija (roasted green tea). As soon as Haruki finished cooking, a blue screen appeared in front of him once again.

[Skill [Cooking] Gained]

[Due To Past Life Experience, Skill [Cooking] Has Levelled Up]

[Cooking (LV: 2/10)]

[Skill [Tea Artistry] Gained]

[Tea Artistry (LV: 1/10)]

Haruki stared at the screen in confusion. While he could get the gist of it, he wondered why his skill was so low. He knew that while his cooking skills were not at a chef's level, they should be good compared to the average person's.

He didn't even think that tea making could be a skill. He wondered just what could be classified as a skill in the eyes of the system.

Haruki quickly finished his breakfast and dressed in his uniform. Today was a Monday. His family should be back later today.

He packed his bag and his lunch. He changed his shoes and left the house.

"I'm heading out."

...

Haruki felt weird walking to school. This was the first time in ages that he hadn't had any notes in his hand.

It felt different.

Haruki walked while looking at his surroundings in curiosity. Every felt nostalgic.

The closer he got to school, the more students he met along the way.

Haruki then noticed something. Some students were gazing at him differently. As far as he remembered, he had never garnered this much attention.

At first, he had thought that these were just looks of recognition. But as he continued walking, he felt a little subconscious.

Haruki quickened his pace as he lowered his gaze. A shyness like never before entered him as he checked himself with a blush on his face.

Unbeknownst to Haruki, his appearance was quite enchanting.

His face was a beautiful blend of features that added an ethereal charm.

His skin was flawless, having a jade like quality. And the rosy tint on his face added an air of youthfulness.

His eyebrows were perfectly groomed, and his nose was slightly upturned. His lips were rosy with a pout that conveyed vulnerability.

The teenager's striking blue eyes which were usually hidden by his hair had a captivating allure.

His hair, which was usually messy, was now tied up. It added an air of sophistication. He shyly tucked a strand of hair behind his ears, a move that had a fatal effect on others.

A girl walked behind him as she admired him. She couldn't muster up the courage to talk to him. (Should I make this character important?)

Soft nods and short exchanges passed by as they looked in his direction. He was an unassuming magnet, drawing attention with his innocent charm.

Haruki distracted himself with the thought of the school day.

He had always hidden his face and focused on studying. To him, apart from his intelligence, he was just another ordinary student.

_____

(Quite a descriptive appearance I know. Any little sister characters? And friends of some sort.)