14 Alone

Once upon a time, there was a boy from a family of four. A loving mother, a poor, yet a hard-working father, and a cute younger brother. The boy was normal albeit a little mischievous as a child. At the same time, he was happy for a brief period.

When the boy was around age five, his mother was a couple of months pregnant with his younger brother. Since his father told the boy not to aggravate his mother, he decided to hang out in a nearby park. He was a rather quiet child, so he was isolated in school and had to play alone.

One day, the boy was kidnapped by a group of drunken men.

For days, he was stuffed into a dark closet. The men were panicking as they couldn't remember when or where they acquired the boy. They only discovered that Jae was tied up in their apartment after three days had passed. To begin with, the group consisted of a bunch of misfits in society who often joked about committing crimes, yet never had the courage to do so.

Afraid of being arrested, the men threw the boy into the trash, far from the group's housing.

And another day flew by before the boy was found.

Subsequent to such a traumatic experience, the boy became even more reclusive. He was afraid of being near people but dreaded being alone even more.

After his mother gave birth to his younger brother, his loneliness slightly alleviated.

However, a couple of weeks later, his mother disappeared.

As the boy was from a relatively poor family, his father had to work long hours at a dead-end job and barely returned home. This left the boy to take care of his younger brother, which included feeding, sewing clothing, and dealing with messes. He had to be the responsible one. But, because he was so busy taking care of his brother, his chance at having a social life disappeared.

As if fate were mocking him, his brother died of an illness when the boy graduated from elementary school.

The boy was lonely. So. Very. Lonely.

But, things changed for the better when he began his last year of middle school. It was at that time he met a teacher and two girls his age. One girl had twin-tails while the other had platinum blonde hair.

Through attending counseling sessions with the three, his loneliness slowly faded. He became friends with the two girls while the teacher developed into his first love.

Unfortunately, the boy's love never bore fruit and the two girls had to attend a different high school than the boy.

Later, the boy had an uneventful high school life. As antisocial as he was, he could not form any lasting friendships. Considering the low household income, the boy resorted to part-time jobs even when his grades dropped. Furthermore, he ended up being rejected by the colleges he applied to. He then had to choose between finding work or community college.

Before graduation, he decided to make some lasting memories at a school field trip to an amusement park. However, that ended up with a bang.

--------

Jae Farley awoke with a startle.

Glancing around, he found himself in an enclosed room covered with vines and branches at every surface. The only opening was a window too high up for his short stature to reach, yet too small for Jae to squeeze his hand, not to mention his body through. From the window, he could barely see the stars. It was currently night time.

Jae recalled that he and the rest of his companions were captured by Ialantha Pherlorna and thrown into separate rooms.

He tried calling out for Iris, Scarlett, Clara, and even Farlyn, but there was no reply. After his voice became hoarse, he stopped. And, his room returned to being dead silent.

Although he was worried about his companions, there was nothing he can do. Ialantha Pherlorna wanted Iris to live, so she wouldn't starve nor kill them. He could only hope that Wendy and the others could save them someday.

Just as his stomach grumbled, a fruit grew from one of the branches in the room. Without hesitating, Jae snatched the fruit and swallowed it.

As he lied down in the dark, the feeling of desolation overflowed his heart.

For the first time since transmigrating into a different world, he was all alone.

He wondered why he was so concerned about the children other than Iris and Scarlett. Prior to dying, he never met Jade, Alexis, Nora, and the others. Even in this life, he didn't associate with them all that much. Still, he risked his life for them.

Perhaps, it was because he did not want to be left alone.

In the room devoid of anyone else, he thought about his father, whom he had left behind with his death. The most recent memory of his penniless father was when his father came home to celebrate his sixteenth birthday after missing the last three. His father was quite hopeless when it came to love, so it was a miracle that he married Jae's mother. Jae wasn't confident that his father could find another woman and start anew.

Throughout these three and a half years, he had never thought of his father till now. No, he kept his father out of his mind as he was extremely regretful for dying early.

He felt guilty for leaving his father as his other family members had done prior.

"If only I could tell him 'I'm sorry' one last time."

-------

A day passed and there was no sign of any help coming.

A third day passed, he began shuddering as he bit on his nails. However, no matter how many nails and blood shredded off, it would all heal within seconds.

By the fifth day, he was screaming out names, hoping that someone. Anyone. Would come to show their presence.

On the seventh day, he could not endure the fruits as he vomited whenever he attempted to swallow them.

When he was enslaved, it was tolerable knowing that eleven others were in the same jail cell as his.

When he was experimented on, he was alright. Although it may sound slightly twisted, he didn't feel lonely when the researchers were paying attention to him and making contact with his body. After all, they did not leave him alone.

Even when he was away from his companions while in the town of Ellan, he was fine since he had Farlyn.

However, this time, there was no one around.

--------

"Hey. You know, if it wasn't for you, maybe all of this wouldn't have happened."

Silver eyes glimmered in the darkness. Black hair reached past his shoulders as a huge grin was fixed onto his face. Despite appearing similar to a little girl, the opposing human was a boy. The boy, whose expression was swelling with mockery, casually leaned on the wall opposite to Jae.

"Who knows, perhaps I would have done a better job. After all, you always mess up."

Shut up.

"If you were more cautious, then Jade would have never been injured. If you had noticed Alexis's wounds, she wouldn't have cracked. If you gave up your promise, 'she' could have done something by now. If you didn't choose to come here and instead, found an alternative way, you wouldn't be in here. It's your selfishness that got you in here."

Shut up.

"Don't look at me like that. It gives me the creeps."

...

"Not speaking to me anymore? Even Iris occasionally does. Not Scarlett though, she can't tell the difference."

....

"I'm curious whose life you've taken over. You've seen the wounds on your body when you woke up in this world. Or 'his' wounds. The kid was dead and you stole his body."

....shut up.

"Haha. It's fun teasing you. You're pathetic. Weak. A fool."

SHUT UP!

Jae dashed toward the boy and ripped him apart. But, no matter how many times he tore the boy's face, that grin would never disappear.

"Hahahaha! You may be a fool, but I guess all of your choices weren't wrong. It's time to wake up now, Jae. At least a certain someone is here to save your sorry life."

The boy stopped laughing for a moment, "Oh on a side note, you already have the goods to get stronger, you just don't know how to use them."

"Bye, bye for now. If you ever want another round, stop by again."

Sure. Thanks, again.

--------

Opening his eyes in the dark, Jae discovered a pair of amber irises in front of his own. A sense of deja vu overwhelms him.

"...Iris?"

The platinum-haired girl smiled at the fool as a sarcastic voice sounded, "I got tired of waiting. And wow, you look worse than I had initially expected oh captured princess. Or should I say, overdramatic prisoner?"

The fool rolled his eyes, "You know what would happen, yet you still left me here for days."

"Of course, you asked me not to do anything on that day. Have you finally changed your mind?" Iris grinned sinisterly.

"Maybe, but I have to keep my word."

"For pride?"

The fool smirked, "Something like that."

"You are indeed a fool. But, I will accompany your lonely self till you give me what I desire."

"I rather not. You're just not my type."

"Is there any woman out there your type?"

The fool shrugged.

Giggling, Iris pinched the fool's cheek, "We can't miss the show. The others are finally here. Perhaps we'll see something interesting."

"As if you'd feel anything."

"Who knows? Reality is stranger than fiction after all."

"Well then, let's go."