– ‘Hey, I am sure he's the one I saw in my dream… Wait, I’ll ask you one question.’ Her voice sharpened again, intense and urgent. ‘If your answer matches my dream, then I can confirm two things. My question is… there is some tournament in 30 days, right?’

– “How can you know!?” Yui’s eyes widened slightly, her tone stiff, lips parting. “But… 29 days.”

– ‘It is right! Why worry about one day?’ Her voice lit up with excitement, practically glowing. ‘Now I can confirm two things, my dream is true and my dream is happening real-time somewhere!’

– “Stop with your excitement. Okay, I believe your dream is true. But that doesn’t mean the Ren I know is the same Ren you know.”

Yuki’s tone dropped, thoughtful and slow. – ‘Huh… well there is no proof, but I am certain, in my dream, the Ren-named person talked about some past.’

Yui let out a quiet “ushh” sound, brushing her fingers near her mouth. – “Ok, I believe you. But the problem is how you got into my body. There is a rumour about someone in the capital city who can open a dimension portal. That person may help you return to your world.”

Yuki didn’t answer immediately. Her voice stayed low. – ‘...’

– “Don’t worry.”

– ‘My worry is not about that… Umm, I don’t want to return to my world…’ Yuki’s voice softened with sadness, lingering like a fading echo.

– “What!? Hey, that is your world, right?” Her head tilted slightly, shocked, eyes blinking in disbelief. “Why did you say that?”

– ‘I am an orphan. Nobody cares about me. And in my world… I live a boring life.’

– “I understand… but your world is your home world.” Her tone dropped lower, more consoling, “You grew up there.”

She paused, confused, and let out a sigh. – “Okay, suppose if you live in this world, what happens to your body? At least someone will find it, right?”

Yuki’s voice turned smug, almost cheeky. – ‘Actually I am sleeping in my room, and I’m a freelancer, so nobody really cares about me. And if there is one who cared before, it was my house owner.’

– ‘But he wrote his house in my name,’ she continued. ‘When I asked him why, he said, ‘I don’t have a daughter… you are like my daughter,’ and then he went to another country with his son.’

Yui’s voice held quiet seriousness. – “Even if there is no one… if I am in your place, I want to live in my world.”

– ‘Hey, but I am not you. Don’t get me wrong… you don’t know what my life is like.’

– “Even though—”

Yuki's voice lifted into a soft smile. – ‘Don’t worry. I think my body is in a coma. If the time in your world… I mean, maybe 30 days in your world equals 30 days in my world… or 300 days = 30 days… or 3 years = 30 days… or 30 years = 30 days… or even 300 years = 30 days.’

Yui’s brows furrowed. Her voice hitched in frustration. – “Are you mad?! What if it happens in the reverse way? Then even if you want to go back, maybe your body is not in a usable state by that time. Do you want to stay in my body forever?”

– ‘Why are you cursing like that? We have to think positively.’ Her voice turned playful, lips puffing out in a sulky tone. ‘And even if that’s the case…’

– ‘I live in your body… I like you, ah, don’t misunderstand me. I mean you’re so calm even now… You listened to me, explained things clearly, and treated me kindly and even…’

Yui cut her off, frowning slightly. – “Stop. I get what you’re trying to say, just stop.”

– ‘By the way, I remembered! That guy in my dream was able to open dimensions! We can go to the tournament and find him! He is going to the tournament!’

Yui paused. Her voice turned softer. – “Hey, sorry for asking lately. What is your name?”

– ‘Huh… ah, sorry. I didn’t even ask your name.’ Her voice puffed out in a fake playful, childlike innocence.

– “Stop that, please.” Yui sighed lightly, trying to hold back her reaction. “I already said it, didn’t I? I understand your feelings. Just tell me your name. Mine is Araki Yui. You can call me Yui.”

Yuki’s voice lit up with a bright smile. – ‘Yuki.’