Chapter 12. Memories of the outside world.

Having taken out the stone I found from my pocket, I asked Ever how to use it. It turned out that I just needed to envision an exit, and poof, as if by teleportation, I found myself outside the cave.

When it happened, I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn't. The light seemed to blind me. It must have been because I had come out of the dark cave.

The first thing I saw when I could fully open my eyes was the surrounding environment. I was in the center of a square that was cordoned off with a tape resembling police tape, and several people in unfamiliar attire, reminiscent of comic book armor, were standing around the tape.

Just as I was about to open my mouth, the biggest guy among the people standing near the tape ran up to me.

"Temir!! Thank God you're alive, we thought you were dead!" - he said loudly, but joyfully, slapping me on the shoulder, causing me to bend slightly.

"Oh, excuse me. How did you survive? Although that's not the main thing right now. Your parents are coming here." - he said with concern.

When I heard about my parents, tears unconsciously began to trickle down my cheeks. The emotions I had felt during the transfer resurfaced. The fear of losing them forever struck me.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" - this guy said to me. - "She's watching, pull yourself together." - he said, noticing my tears.

And suddenly, as if realizing something abruptly, I spoke.

"Who?" - I blurted out in bewilderment. When I said that, Ever, who had been silent all this time, said in my head.

"Apparently, it's time to pass on some memories to you." - she said.

After her words, I felt a sharp, dull pain as if someone had hit me on the head. My head was splitting with pain, but along with that pain, I seemed to be remembering something long forgotten. The faster I saw these memories, the stronger the pain became.

Seeing my condition, the guy standing next to me became worried. Approaching me, he put my hand on his neck and helped me out of the cordoned-off square where I was standing. As we walked, I saw memories of him. He was Temir's best friend in this world. They had been friends since school. And his name was Arman.

He was pulling me towards a small group. There stood a girl who seemed to be in a state of shock, staring at me. Her gaze intensified the pain in my head, and my body, supported by Arman, seemed to want to move towards the girl. Through the pain, not only memories were transmitted to me, but also the feelings the previous Temir had experienced.

The more memories invaded me about her, the more repulsed I became. The feelings that belonged to the previous owner of the body and memories seemed to be trying to reshape me. Unable to bear it, I vomited, fortunately on the ground and not on them.

"Are you feeling worse, Temir? Wait a bit, medics are on their way here." - Arman shouted.

"Arman! How is he?" - she said, running towards us, and not just her, I could hear the voices of other people.

Apparently, these are acquaintances or friends of Temir from this world. Their cries resonated sharply with the pain, as if the memories were reacting to their voices. The names of the people surrounding me flew into my head like a list. But one name stood out the most: Aynagul. My body reacted fervently to her. The other names were: Alihan, Nursultan, Aitolkyn, Marat, Aygerim, Adil, Aybek.

While the names surfaced in my mind, they laid me down on something resembling a stretcher. From there, I could only feel myself being carried. The increasing pain prevented me from even opening my eyes.

I tried to endure it, but eventually, I started screaming in my mind. The scream that I wanted to let out remained nothing but a desire, manifested only as a mental scream. The result of that scream was Ever addressing me.

"I can stop the transfer of memories. In the end, you will remember each person when you meet them personally. Would that be acceptable to you?" - she addressed me.

"Wh-what... will... happen... if I... refuse?" - I barely managed to speak, even in my own consciousness.

"Then the pain won't cease until at least 70% of the previous body's memories are transferred." - she replied.

"And... the remaining 30%?" - I croaked.

"Those are memories from childhood, school days, and also about people who are already deceased or whom the previous user didn't care about." - she stated.

"No... I want them all." - I declared.

"But then the pain will be even greater, as the amount of memory I am transferring to you is too extensive." - she uttered.

"And... what if... you transmit them to me gradually, in stages?" - I asked, more freely now. It seemed that the conversation with her made me forget about the pain.

"That is also possible, but the intervals between transfers will be at least 3 days." - she replied.

"Fine, transmit the memories of those currently surrounding me, as well as the most important people with whom he interacted more frequently than others, and all the information about immediate family." - I spoke firmly.

"Then I shall begin. The expected transmission time... 30 minutes." - she replied, after which I submerged myself in pain once again.

In the midst of the pain, I tried to listen to the people around me, to feel their touches. The clearest voices I heard were Arman's and the doctor's, who were conversing anxiously. But it was her voice that stood out the most, the girl who captivated the previous owner of this body. In my world, I hadn't encountered her before, perhaps she exists there, along with the others, but I either passed them by or they passed me by.

Yes, perhaps he was luckier than me. After all, I have only a few friends, not even reaching ten. I lived for work and games, leaving home in the morning and returning in the evening. After work, I didn't feel like going anywhere, and I devoted my time to a game that seemed to distract me from the world around me. I think if I had more friends, maybe I wouldn't be so withdrawn within the confines of my room.

Or maybe she gave him all of that. The girl with emotions sealed within this body. Could it be that he is just like me, but a little luckier? Or is he different? She still holds my hand, believing that the one she loves is alive. What should I say to her? Pretend as if I am him?

Thoughts about her, about friends, and everything happening around me distracted me until I remembered. Arman said that our parents know what happened and that they are coming here. But where is here and where are they coming from? They are probably, like my parents, in another country. A country... When I thought about that, a memory surfaced in my mind, where he said his goodbyes to them before he came here. They were at home.

Home... Ha... what a loser I am. His parents are here with him, while mine might not even find out that their son is now in another world. But... why do I feel so sad? I miss them... Throughout my life, I probably spent only 2-3 years with them, and that was when I was little, but even so... I love them very much.

Yes... even so... they are my... parents... As if confirming my feelings of longing and sadness for the parents left in that world, I felt moisture gathering at the corners of my eyes, forming tears that streamed down my cheeks.

And at that very moment, I heard a voice. The voices of my parents.