Chapter 10: The Sisception

[Day 1]

Waking up to a pristine white ceiling, Asahi gasped in mild surprise. "Ah, an unfamiliar ceiling."

It was one of those quirky lines he had always wanted to try from his favorite anime, but uttering it aloud made him cringe.

(My love, are you ready for memory sync?)

'Hold on for a second.'

With a languid stretch, he swept away the fluffy blanket, revealing a mess of dark brown hair and sleep-creased pajamas. He arched his back, feeling the stiffness of sleep melt away from his muscles. Rubbing his eyes, he mumbled, "Ummm. Hey, these are some cute ass posters."

The wall to his right was adorned with posters of cute anime girls, mechas, and even some goth-type horror art. The diverse posters added a unique and lively personality to the otherwise plain bedroom.

'Klyscha, is that Rance? That guy is canon here?!'

Rance was quite a scumbag but Asahi fully admired his 'I don't give a fuck about anybody' attitude.' One could say the eroge protagonist served as Asahi's role model in his middle school years.

(I-I guess the System found those records appropriate for the blank soul.)

'Hmm.'

Klyscha had specifically designed the placeholder personality to act like a good boy and stay out of trouble in the most efficient way possible. He achieved the objective by feigning an otaku hobby.

Asahi couldn't help but chuckle. "Doesn't matter. I'll change everything."

Striding over to the window, he slid the curtains aside and pushed open the windows. A soft breeze, whispered through the gap, bringing with it a flurry of delicate sakura petals. Accompanying this playful sight was a burst of bright sun rays, a golden cascade that bathed the room in warmth.

He squinted against the light, shielding his eyes with a hand. "Well, ain't this a sight?"

The scenery outside his modest apartment was a stark contrast to the opulence of the luxurious mansion from his previous life. Fresh cherry blossom petals gathered on the sidewalk. Students chattered and laughed as they walked down the street. Occasionally, a car would drive by, sending a whirlwind of petals swirling in its wake.

This very normal day of April reminded him of an anime protagonist's first high school day.

'Too bad it's the last day of their happiness. The world's foundations will be changed for centuries to come.'

(You sound… excited. I suppose the ruthlessness of Yakuza runs in your veins.)

'I'm excited but also sad… Many wonderful milfs will meet a tragic end today.'

(Tragic indeed. If only my love had a way to prevent the curse from taking place… just kidding. The world and every person in it didn't exist without us. We gave them life, a purpose, and an opportunity to thrive in the new world.)

Klyscha tried to console him and rid him of any potential guilt from his decision. Her kindness would've immensely helped a normal teenager, but Asahi was far more mature than a typical high schooler.

"You said it in the best way possible." He leaned on the window, admiring the serene view of Tokonosu City. "Everyone has an equal chance. They only need to focus their 'Vision' and wield it against the undead… Klyscha, sync me."

(Give me a second.)

Klyscha carefully connected his mind to the fragmented memories of his 'pseudo-self', the placeholder personality inhabiting his body for seventeen years in this world. Seventeen years' worth of memories surged into his consciousness. It took little time to digest the memories, as the lack of emotions in the placeholder personality really limited the information contained in the memories.

'I feel like I aged a decade in one fricking second.'

(It's nothing compared to inheriting the whole universe's dreams…) Klyscha's voice trailed off as if she was lost in reminiscence.

'Klyscha?'

(Don't mind my ramblings, my love. You should get ready for school. She'll be coming to make breakfast any moment now…)

As if proving Klyscha right, a clicking sound reached him — someone unlocked the door to his apartment. Only one person, apart from himself, carried the keys to his apartment.

The door swung open, revealing a woman in her late twenties. Her arms were laden with grocery bags, two in each hand, straining under the weight. Sweat glistened in her long blonde hair, dampening her formal white shirt. The sweltering heat outside had clearly taken its toll on her. Yet, as her eyes met Asahi's, her frustrated frown eased, and her lips curled into a bright smile.

"Aa-kun, I'm back with the groceries."

"Nee-san, welcome back." He greeted her naturally as if it wasn't his first time meeting her. The memories made him feel like he had been with her since forever.

The influence of his memories — he hadn't predicted it to be this strong. However, he welcomed the change with open arms as he always wanted a sister. A sister who wasn't selfish or vengeful like his half-sisters born from another mother. With her innocence, Shizuka Marikawa filled both the role of big sister and younger sister at the time.

'One of the most innocent minded women in one of the sexiest bodies.'

(A deadly combo.)

Shizuka nodded and kicked the door close with a gentle nudge of her back.

He went ahead and took the bags from her. "Let me help."

Shizuka watched, dazed, as he efficiently unpacked the groceries, placing each item with care – the soft drink cans in the refrigerator, the spices in the kitchen cabinet to name a few. 

Her hand drifted to her chest, unintentionally accentuating her breasts. "Aa-kun…"

A red heart, the size of a baseball, flew out of her head, followed by a cascade of smaller hearts.

*Ding!*

 [–Shizuka Marikawa: Affection +63]

[–Shizuka Marikawa: Affection +2]

[–Shizuka Marikawa: Affection +1]

[–Shizuka Marikawa: Affection +3]

[–'Shizuka Marikawa' added to the Partner menu.]

The first massive number represented her cumulative affection, with the smaller increments being the direct result of his recent actions. As a part of the instructions, he — the previous owner of his body — had never helped Shizuka even when she was stressed out. His proactive approach clearly caught her off guard, yet it brought a genuine feeling of happiness to her.

He closed the refrigerator shut and gave her a curious glance. "What's the matter, Nee-san?"

Shaking off her daze, Shizuka offered a soft, affectionate smile. "You didn't shower, right?"

"No, I just woke up."

"Then hurry, or we'll be late for school! I'll get your French toast and hot chocolate ready."

Rather than listening to her urging, like his previous host, Asahi moved to the stove, turning on the flame. "I'll help—"

But Shizuka was quick to intervene, her hands gently pressing against his shoulders as she guided him back towards his bedroom. "You can help me later, Aa-kun. If we're even a second late, the Dean will scold me again… I can't afford to lose this job."

The teary look in her eyes brought his attention to the traces of dark marks under her eyes — she hadn't been getting enough sleep. Taking care of him and her job as a chemistry teacher in the Tokonosu Academy was already hectic enough. Then she also had to stay up late nights to create quiz tests for her students.

'Just one more day. She'll get plenty of rest from tomorrow.'

He complied with Shizuka without further argument and stepped into the shower. The sound of water cascading down drowned out the world, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

(My love, you have to make the most of this one day.)

Asahi was eager for the action, but he also wanted to avoid rushing into things. A single day would suffice for him to acquire some skills and acquaint himself with both the city and the few people who'd accompany him as his party members.

'Don't worry. I won't suffer the same fate as those young masters.'