A First Morning

While the system worried and lost its codes, Ren had a blast inside the bathroom. It was more like a 3D game rather than a place to shower. 

After taking a bath, Ren stood in front of the mirror and finally observed his facial features.

His anticipation fizzled out like a candle on a windy night as Ren realized that his face was still similar to his previous one. Only his eye color changed from black to golden, and those now-silvery white strands cascaded down his shoulder blades. 

Well, he doesn't look that bad. At this time, he ignored Rummi's comment about his 'eyes blind to beauty'. 

Running his fingers through his now completely dry hair, courtesy of his cutie system's handy trick, Ren emerged from the bathroom clad in a pristine white bathrobe and started his first morning in a brand-new world.

He leaned against the wall of his bedroom, and with a touch of his hand, a cupboard materialized before him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he opened it, grateful that the selection of clothes wasn't too ostentatious. Yet, even amidst the more subdued options, there were still a few pieces he deemed utterly unwearable.

Is this a new fashion? Ren mused, eyeing the peculiar rectangular yellow 'box' that might directly hang down to his knees. Rather than donning such avant-garde attire, he preferred to stay true old-fashioned.

The stiff fabric of the garment only hiked his reluctance. As he gazed at the row of eccentric clothing, the System chimed in, providing timely explanations for the unconventional materials and designs. It turned out that the yellow "box" was, in fact, a raincoat.

Like a game of pick and choose, he grabbed another t-shirt from the hanging rod.

Ren couldn't help but ponder the mind of whoever designed a shirt with a gaping cut from the chest to the navel, and a complete plastic panel at the back.

What can this thing hide? 

"It's an M-Dress, short for Mood-dress," came the System's explanation, "the transparent portion can be customized with various patterns, and the hole is positioned at the back."

Ren's silence spoke volumes; who was he to question others' tastes? After all, he had encountered his fair share of bizarre clothing in his time.

Yes, back in his days... Ren's thoughts drifted to the realization he had been avoiding.

He was, in essence, an antique now. Perhaps even considered a relic among relics. A sigh escaped him, laden with the weight of years, as he instinctively supported his waist, feigning a frailty he did not truly feel.

Ah, I should sleep more to nourish his old bones.

System, who was finally relieved to see its host taking interest in technology, "...."Why can't Ren be serious for a single moment? Are all the humans like this?

Ren had no idea that he was being disliked by his cute system, and started thinking about all that has happened till now.

It still felt unreal to him when he woke up in such a strange place. Crying at the loss of his family members was not an option. He could only say 'let's deal with whatever fate has in store for him'.

Another thought surfaced in Ren's mind. The original owner, he recalled, never revealed his face, nor did he talk to Win. All interactions occurred through his communicator. It was more like chatting through the communicator rather than a real conversation.

Ren's sudden decision to show his own face and voice must have caught Win off guard, explaining his bewildered state. That must be the reason why he called Dorion, a mute freak.

He picked fresh black jeans and a simple white shirt because black and white never go wrong.

He got an okay from the cutie staring at him with those wide-slitted eyes.

He gazed at the long mirror affixed to the door of the cupboard and got dressed. Pulling his now long silver strands in a half pony, he walked towards the utility table. Taking the bland nutritional solution, he picked up his communicator and nestled on the sofa in the living room.

Ren slowly combed through the memories inside his mind bit by bit. He spent almost two hours understanding the mechanisms of this new world and the daily use of technology.

Though the memories of the previous Dorion's deeds still lingered, haunting the pace of his mind like ghostly apparitions, they no longer held the tight grip over him.

Like scenes from a tragic movie, they played out before him, evoking empathy for the characters, yet distant enough to be observed from the safety of his own reality.

While tapping at the communicator to hail a taxi, Ren realized he was a poor boy.

This house was a rented one. The uncle who took him in after his parents' divorce 'loved' him very much. The way that uncle asked little Ren, barely six years old, to repeatedly call him husband made Ren speechless.

Those creepy touches over his skin sent shivers of disgust to his very core. No wonder Ren hid his face and refused to talk to anyone.

At the age of ten, Ren started living here.

From time to time, his uncle would visit him and pay the allowance. In return, Ren had to kiss his Uncle Vitakis. The only good thing was that Dorion was a kid of only nineteen. 

Yeah, in this world where life expectancy is around 300 to 350 years, 25 is considered adult age. 

In the original timeline, heartbroken and 'pocket broken', Dorion left the school and went with his uncle, who raped him. Uncle Vitakis couldn't hold back his desires for his nephew till his coming of age.

The already twisted Dorian became a complete sociopath.

His first human victim was his uncle. His mother killed his last hope of getting any parental love. Hence, later, he got involved with some shady people and started killing for money.

No wonder Ren did not see a robot here. The original owner had no money to buy it.

System "...." It was getting used to its host going off track.

The rich man Ren Jiang, who had money, filled in his bank account, was suddenly so poor that he had to sell his body for rent.

That is never going to happen ever again. 

Ren's nerves prickled with a sense of urgency as he realized the necessity of avoiding all the main characters, irrespective of their roles and ... this house. The first thing he would do today was to take his report card and change schools. 

He looked in a mirror, nervousness evident in his frowned brows. "Cutie, Are you invisible to others in your current state?"

"Who is cutie?!," System shouted with a ferocious expression, eager to bite its host.

The only problem was that the angry system looked like a cub whose tail had been stepped on by someone. His tiny fur, standing in attention, had as much ferocity as those tiny milky fangs unable to cut through anything.

A low laugh echoed inside the room, making the system even more angry.

"My bad, I forgot your essay-like name.....cutie." Ren replied to the angry cub.

The poor system suppressed its irritation for questioning its majestic appearance. Thinking about the low mental power of humans, System decided to be a bigger one and to forgive its mentally retarded host, "You can call me by my abbreviation Good Operating Web Domain System, G.O.W.D."

That sounded like a mouthful to Ren so, he shortened it even more, " OK, Little God, you didn't answer my earlier question."

A smile still evident in Ren's tone didn't sit well with the system, "Hmph! Yes, only you can see me now. It might change according to the needs of the situation. I'll take care of you with my entire being. You don't have to worry about me disappearing on you till the end."

"But you already left me before," Ren's head dropped, looking quite pitiful, "You are the only one I can trust in this world. I felt lonely... when you didn't appear..."

Thinking about its host's mental state from the previous night and the sadness in those golden eyes, shimmering with unshed tears, extinguished all the burning anger to wisp.

That childish voice full of anger became gentle, "I had to deal with the formalities in the headquarters. I am sorry about leaving you. And you...you did quite well for a beginner. So, go with the plan, and I will look for a new place for you to stay."

The System was surprisingly easy to anger and easy to coax. Ren stopped pretending to be pitful and straightened the collar of the shirt once again. While singing the theme song of Doraemon, he wore his shoes and left the vicinity.

The moment he opened the door, he came face to face with ... Sabrina. 

Without thinking Ren slammed the door shut.

The female lead first lived near his parent's house, and with a flick of twisted destiny, they became neighbors once again. Another, very urgent reason to escape from this place.