Chapter 2: Start

Chapter: A New Beginning

As I was transferred, I blinked into an abyss of darkness. No matter where I looked, it was as if I were suspended in nothingness. Then, out of nowhere, a disorienting sound pierced through the void.

"AHHHHHHH!"

"You can do it, honey! Just push!"

The noise was chaotic and surreal, and my mind struggled to make sense of it. Urgency surged through me, though I was still engulfed in blackness, unable to grasp what was happening.

Third Person POV

The scene shifted. We are now in a hospital room, where a woman is deep in labor. Her face is contorted with effort, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead as her heavy breathing fills the air. Her husband stands beside her, holding her hand with both worry and encouragement in his voice.

"Come on, honey, you've got this! Just one more push!" he urges.

The woman glares at him, her eyes fiery despite the exhaustion. "This is all your fault! You're the one who put me in this mess!"

The man stammers, taken aback but still focused. "I know, I know, but we're almost there—just a little more!"

With a final, determined push, the woman brings their baby into the world. The room instantly fills with the sharp, unmistakable cry of the newborn. The sound cuts through the haze like a beacon, drawing me out of the oppressive void.

First Person POV

The cry of the baby reverberated through me, pulling me from the formless dark. A flood of sensations rushed over me, more intense than anything I had ever experienced. Colors began to blur into focus, and the suffocating darkness gradually gave way to soft shapes and light.

I suddenly found myself enveloped in warmth and surrounded by gentle brightness. The void had dissolved completely, replaced by a bustling hospital room full of life and energy. The first thing I noticed was the woman who had just given birth—her face flushed and streaked with tears, but now softened by relief. She cradled the newborn, her expression full of love. The man beside her looked equally exhausted but was glowing with pride. He rested a gentle hand on her shoulder, his eyes misty as he looked down at their baby.

It was then that realization crashed over me like a tidal wave. That baby… was me.

I was the newborn being cradled in her arms. The flood of emotions from my previous life—my frustrations, fears, and dreams—seemed distant and dim. All of it was replaced by this overwhelming sensation of existence in its rawest form.

As my senses sharpened further, I could feel the warmth of the soft blanket swaddling me, the rhythm of the woman's heartbeat against me, and the low hum of her voice as she cooed softly. I heard the man's tender words as he reached out to brush my cheek.

I tried to move, but my body—so new and unfamiliar—could barely respond. All I could manage were tiny, instinctual motions. The world around me was both overwhelming and fascinating. It was a whirlwind of sounds, smells, and touches, each one more vivid than the last.

The woman, my new mother, looked down at me through tear-filled eyes. "He's perfect," she whispered, her voice trembling with joy and exhaustion.

The man nodded beside her, his pride unmistakable. "He really is. Look at him—he's incredible."

Their words, their love, and their presence swirled around me, bringing a sense of peace and safety I hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity. It was strange, thinking back to my old life—so many highs and lows, joys and struggles. Yet, now, all of it seemed so distant, almost like a dream.

I was no longer just Ren Hikari, a former otaku thrust into an unfamiliar world. I was someone new, someone with a fresh start. The world was no longer a void; it was alive and teeming with possibilities.

As my parents held me close, the warmth of their love was palpable. For the first time in this new life, I felt a deep sense of peace. This was my second chance—a chance to start again, and this time, I wouldn't be alone. I would be part of something beautiful, something precious.