Who I am?

It's a dark place. I can't see anything besides darkness. I try to walk around, searching for an exit, but nothing. There's nothing in here, but somehow I feel relieved. It doesn't sound that bad, being trapped in this endless dark place because there's something I want to avoid out there. But what is that I try to avoid? I try to recall what it is. In the first place, how can I come to this place? Where is this, and who I'm? Why did I forget all of that?

I started panicking when I realized I didn't remember anything besides the fact that I was avoiding something out there. What should I do in this situation? I don't see any exit at all, and even if I see one, is it the correct answer for all of this? Should I go out if I find it, even though I feel relieved in this place?

While debating with myself, I hear a faint voice that seems to call out to me.

"..lo mister, you can't sleep in here." That voice seems like a teenager in her prime age. She must be beautiful.

My chest tightened. I should make my choice right now. If I don't, who knows when someone will call out to me? Besides, her voice doesn't feel like someone I know, let alone someone or something I try to avoid.

"Mister, if you don't wake up now, you will be eaten by a monster! This place is dangerous when it's nighttime, you know." Monster? What is that? I think I had ever heard that word before...But where?

I try really hard to remember that word. It seems like I ever hear it, and then again, someone disrupts my thinking time, and I feel a slap on my face.

*slap*

"Ouch!" my body jerked up, and my eyes opened reflexly. Feeling something wrong, I see my surroundings on alert for any danger.

"Finally, you wake up! It troubles me seeing you sleeping in the woods like this." When I hear this voice, I recognize it as the one I hear in that dark place. In front of me stood a girl with brown hair and green eyes like an emerald with a simple brown one-piece. When I see her, somehow, I feel complicated. She reminds me of someone, but who?

Hesitantly I ask her all of the questions that bug me. "Where am I? Who are you? What do you mean by monster?"

"Whoa, slow down, sir. I will answer your question one by one. But we should do it while walking to the village because it will become dark soon, and the village is far from here.

"But, is it okay for me to come to your village like this? I'm a stranger you just found lying in the woods that didn't even know my name and where I came from."

"What!? You even didn't know your name? I don't know if your situation is that bad. Hmm, what should I do..." The girl said, thinking about something while placing her thumb and index finger on her chin. After thinking for a while, she said, "Well, it's not used for me to think by myself. In the end, it's the elder who makes the decision. Mister, please follow me, and I will bring you to the elder. If everything goes well, maybe you can live in our village." said the girl with an extensive and honest smile.

I can feel her kindness in her word, but somehow deep in my heart, I can't trust her. So I keep pressing her with questions. "But what if everything didn't end well?"

"I don't think it will not end well because everyone is kind. Even if you really have bad luck and can't stay in the village, you just need to search for another nearby village that wants to accept you." It seems reasonable and normal enough. But I can't let my guard down before seeing it with my own eyes.

"And how about my question earlier about this place, your identity, and that monster you said?"

"Oh, I forgot about it, sorry." After clearing her throat, she explains all of my questions "I found you in the forest near my village. The name is Forest of Origin. Although it's not an official name because the forest doesn't have an actual name. But, in our village, we call it that because back then, the elder's grand grand grand grandfather ever had seen an elf in that forest, and he said that Elf helped his grand grand grand grandfather build our village. So, he always told all of the villagers to tell this story to their children and grandchild, it's like a story before bed in our village. Besides that, he told us not to do something rude or ruin the forest. And for your other question, I..." Before she can speak another word, I cut her and ask another question bugging me like the monster word "What is an Elf?"

"Considering you forgot your name, it doesn't surprise me that you didn't know what Elf is or what happened in this world." She took a little breath and then continued. "So there are 4 races in this world: human, Elf, demon, and monster. The elf race has a sub-race. It's a half-elf, and monsters have a sub-race called beast man. And as the name means, a half-elf is a child born from a human and an elf, and a beast man is a child born from a human and a monster. And about the monster, as I said earlier, it's a typical monster that you can find in the forest, like you slept in before. Monsters have many species like a goblin, wolf, orge, slime, etc."

When I wanted to open my mouth to ask something again, she said, "I know what you want to ask, but I don't know detailed information more than this. I must say to you that's all of the information I know about race in this world. Maybe you can get some useful information if you ask someone in the bigger village or the capital." Satisfied by her answer, I say my thanks and silently walk behind her.

After 15 minutes of walking from that forest, we reach a little village that seems defenseless because they use a wooden fence and wooden gate that appears old and fragile to protect the village from an enemy. Besides that, I didn't see any guards guarding the entrance. Seeing all that makes me speechless and worried about this village's situation. How can this village stand until this day with this bit of defense?

While stressing myself out, that girl called out to me and said, "This is the elder's house. I will tell them your situation first, and then I will tell you how's it going, okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

While waiting for the girl to come out, I see around the elder's house. All of the buildings are made of plank, straw, and rope tied up together. Once again, it amazed me how this village can stand until this day. It may be true that an Elf helped these villagers and blessed this village.

Not longer than 2 minutes after I saw around, that girl came out of the house and said. "The elder wants to talk to you." Hearing this, I brace myself and follow her footsteps inside the house.

"Welcome, lost child. I already heard what Nanami said. It must be rough when you don't know everything, especially your identity. It would be our pleasure to let you stay here. That's a normal thing for us, a village that's been blessed by an Elf to be kind and humble." When I hear that last word from that old man, I know he really worships this Elf. It makes me concerned about my life here. Are the villagers all like this too? Or just this old man? Either way, I better not stay in this village too long.

"I think we should give you a name to make it convenient for us and yourself." Said the elder abruptly.

"Me me me!" Said that girl named Nanami excitedly with bright eyes until I could see a star while raising her hand.

"Yes? Do you have a suggestion, child?"

"How about Yuu!?"

Without my consent, both of them continue this conversation about my name. "And why is that?"

"Because the first impression when I saw him unconscious in the forest is he seems like a kind person, and if I'm not mistaken, Yuu means gentle and excellence? So I think it fits him?" The girl gives her reasoning that doesn't seems convincing at all. While tilting her head a little to the side.

"As expected from the smartest person in this village. You sure know many difficult words." It seems like the people here almost can't read, or maybe they can't read at all.

"So, What do you think, young man?" The elder sees me with proud eyes, like he's the one who thinks about that name.

"Sure, I don't mind." I answer half-heartedly. Don't really care about the name.

"Good! Now Nanami, I must trouble you to let this man live with your parents for a while. At least until the builder finishes making another home for him." When the elder said that, I quickly interrupted him before it was too late. "No, you don't need to make me another house. When I learn enough basic skills to survive, I will leave immediately to the capital."

"Don't worry about it. It's pretty easy to make the house. Besides, if you sometimes want to return to this village, you can come freely and have a home to live in."

'Of course, it doesn't seem hard to make a house with a bunch of plank and straw tied together with rope. But it's not like that.' I scream in my head in frustration. But I try to explain it in the most kind and humble words. "You don't need to make it for me, really. Collecting all the materials must be hard, and your people must be busy. Besides, I don't know when or if I can return to this village because I want to find my origin, and it must be a long journey."

"Yes, you might be true. Right now, we don't have enough manpower to build a house because our villagers are busy preparing for the village festival to commemorate this village's anniversary. But the villagers will gladly make a house for you if you don't mind waiting after the festival."

"I will just accept your kindness, elder. I don't want to impose more than what you already give. You're already welcome and let me stay in this village. I can't ask for more than that. Even I will help prepare the festival as my thanks."

"What a kind man you're. It's as Nanami says!" The elder looks at me with awe, like seeing a saint. "Maybe you're an emissary the Elf send to us!"

"it's too exaggerated, hahaha" I said while laughing uncomfortably about this Elf or that Elf I always heard from the elder. This village seems more and more like a cult than an ordinary village.

"Okay, then I will not bother you again. Nanami, please take care of this young man. And if you want to help, you can come in front of my house tomorrow morning, and I will let other villagers know you will help them."

"Sure, thank you." After that, we leave the elder's house and walk straight to Nanami's house.

Her house is not far from the elder's house. It's around 5-minute walk from there. On the way there, I can see Nanami becoming more and more nervous the closer we're to her house. Although I don't want to think about the reason for her behavior too much.

When we stopped, I knew we already arrived at her house. The outside of her home is the same as all the places here. When we came in, I could see the house's inside was the same as the elders except this house was smaller than the elders. Not far from the entrance, I see a small kitchen and a table with 4 chairs on the right side. And when I see on the left, I see 2 doors, and in front of that door, I can see another 2 doors.

"Mother, Father, I'm home." Said Nanami in a low voice.

I heard footsteps that seemed to panic, and then I saw a woman I thought was her mother coming out with a worried face. "Nanami, why did you come home this late!? I think you get attacked by the monster while gathering mushrooms in the forest! You don't know how worried I'm! I even told your father to search for you with his friends!" At the corner of Nanami's face, I can see a slight displeasure when her mother worries about her. I think this is the reason for her behavior before. Although her mother is too worried that she can't see it.

Feeling guilty, I step in front of her, trying to defend her. "Sorry to cut you in, mam. I'm Yuu, and the reason Nanami come home late is because of me. She found me fainted in the forest without any memories, so she accompanied me to the elder's house to help me talk about it with the elder. I owe my life to her, so please don't scold her too much. It's my fault." And then I bow my head to show sincerity in my apology.

"Is that so, Nanami?" Said her mother making sure my story was true.

"Yes, mother. Sorry not to tell you first about this."

When I hear Nanami with low tension like this, my chest tightens. It hurts so much like someone squeezing my heart, and what makes it more worst it brings back bad memories that I want to forget.

***

Today I have a study group with my friend. It made me really happy because it was my first time visiting a friend's house, doing an assignment. Besides that, we played a board game I never saw and talked about everything. This happy feeling keeps bubbling inside of me. If another person sees me smiling for myself like this, they will think I'm crazy. Luckily it was already night, and my home was pretty far from the busy street.

When I arrived at my house, I said, "I'm home." happily, without any care for the world. But not long after that, my happy and giddy self disappeared when I saw my mom's disgruntled face. "Naomi, why did you just come back now? What times do you think right now?" My mother said it with a loud voice, doesn't care if the neighbor heard it.

Crap, I forgot my mother has a bad temper and strict. Why she must be at home quickly at a time like this.

"Mom, I just finished my study group with my friends! It's not like I want to go home late. The teacher gives us an assignment that we must submit tomorrow. It can't be helped" I give my reason for coming home late while keeping calm as best as possible, trying not to snap in front of my mother.

"What with your friends!? Who? Is it a boy or a girl? Did you do it at their home?" Before I can answer her, she continues her rambling. "Oh my goodness, I can't believe it. You're a girl, so you mustn't come home this late like this. What if they have bad intentions for you? It's past midnight no one will help you. Why don't you just continue your assignment tomorrow?"

After I had had enough of hearing all of her bullshit, I told her with hatred, "Do you think I want to come home late!? Who's the one who always said I must have a good grade and a stable job!? Now you're saying doing my assignment tomorrow, and what if I don't finish it? YOU WILL BEAT ME AND BLAME ME, SAYING I'M SLACKING OFF, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T DO IT!"

*slap*

"I never teach you to talk back to me! It must be because of your lowly friends!"

I can't believe what I heard. How can she talk badly of my friend if she never meets them! Why does she always get angry over a little thing? I'm not an elementary school that still needs guidance. Can't she just let me do what I want? I know what's wrong and good for myself.

Thinking about what she just said and what she told me all of my life made my blood boil. "Enough! I don't want to hear anything from you....."

***

I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I see Nanami and her mother's faces worried about me. It seems like I zoned out there. "Sorry, I must surprise both of you." I smile weakly, tired, after seeing that messed-up thing.

"What's wrong? Are you okay? You've been pretty out of there for a long time. And your complexion is horrible." Said Nanami, full of concern.

"No, I-I'm...." I want to say I'm okay, but that word can't leave my mouth. I feel sick, my head hurts, and I want to vomit.

"You must be tired. You better sleep first" After saying that to me, Nanami's mother faced her and said, "Nanami, we will continue this for another day. Take him to the guest room."

"Yes, mother. Let's go, Yuu." Nanami said while offering her hand to help me walk.

Want to rest quickly and forget this sick feeling, I didn't protest and took her hand, and she showed me the guest room that would be my room for a while.