Another World Story

DAY BEFORE ONE

'Kaiser! Wake up! Kaiser! Please... Don't leave me... You're the only one I have left... Please... Kaiser'

Huft...pant... pant...

"That dream again...? How many times have I seen that?"

Pant... Pant...

Placing one hand on his forehead and the other to his chest, John Kaiser tried to calm his unstable mind and his fast-beating heart.

Cold sweat was pouring out of his body, and as if it was his daily routine, he sat down and started taking deep breaths.

It had already been almost six months since he started having that weird dream. From what he could remember, it all began on that one fateful morning. The very first day of his current school year. And like a ghost haunting him, the dream would appear every day. There has been not a single day since it all began that he hadn't dreamed of the same thing. Same people, same scenario... there were no changes at all.

Hoo... Haa...

Slowly and rhythmically breathing, he breathes in and out. It was all he could do. One might say that having the same dream every night would make one numbed and bored by the things he dreamed. Alas! John wasn't even able to get bored, much less numbed from the dream. Because the things he experienced inside the dream realm felt far more vivid and real compared to his current reality.

It was as if he was there, yet not. He couldn't really explain what it felt. Just... it was one crazy experience.

Hoo... Haaa...

John took another deep breath and exhaled. And after a minute of him doing so, his unstable mind, his fast beating heart, was back to normal and the cold sweat on his body was gone, as if nothing had happened.

Then he looked to his right. Next to his bed was a small reading table with books stacked upon another, a dim lamp, and an alarm clock.

John Kaiser looked at the alarm clock.

"5:35:00 am, the same time as always..." He muttered.

It had always been this exact time. No matter what he did after waking up from that dream, no matter how much time he spent calming himself down. And even if he looks at the clock right after waking up from that dream... It was still that exact time. No changes in the seconds and it would continue if he looked at it. At least that's what John thought, considering that he hadn't seen it move past that exact time.

At first, John didn't think much of it. Maybe it was just a coincidence. He thought. But when it happens for the fourth time? Fifth time? Even the following days? Something is definitely not right. And John was very sure of it.

Haa...

A big sigh was let out before John Kaiser stood up from his bed.

"Not like I could even understand it. I tried a lot of things."

John didn't bother thinking more about the dream. He had tried looking into it due to his fondness for fantasy-esque things. But it bore no fruit. Thus, John decided to go with the flow and let things happen as they were all supposed to. If some fantasy-like event were to occur, John would definitely rejoice along with his friend. But if not? Nothing would change in his daily life anyway.

With those thoughts in his head, John folded his blanket and fixed the pillows and changed the bedsheet that was soaked from his sweat.

Next, he tidied up the scattered books that were on the left side of his bed, and placed them on the shelf.

A lot of books were placed on his shelf and almost all of them were novels he bought. Novels with different genres and atmospheres were placed accordingly. And most of them were from the Fantasy genre.

John looked around his room, before cleaning the things he needed to clean. For a boy at the age of 18, his room is quite clean and organized. Well, that is compared to the room of his long-time friend. This is despite living in a house where people can't be found most of the time, or rather, that is the main reason.

His parents are always at work and only stay in their house for like two hours a month, his two elder sisters live in a dorm at their respective universities near their grandparent's house, and his elder brother is already married and living with his wife and child.

John Kaiser was always alone in their house and the only thing that kept him company was the novel books he bought with his hard-earned money. Money earned from part-time jobs he does on school vacations. Thus, when he got bored, cleaning was the only thing he could do. John, after all, wasn't versed in the field of online games, thus, books were his only safe haven.

Though, he didn't use any of his allowance for things that he wanted himself. Novels and other kinds of books that can be seen on his shelf were bought with his own money.

His allowance was only used for food and things needed for school.

That is why, despite being a high-schooler, he now has almost 100k+ in his bank account, his monthly allowance of 5k is supposedly for his own expenses and 10k for his school, and another 5k for the groceries, and his wage as a part-timer is 4k.

The 5k for his own expense is always saved and the 10k is always divided into things he would need to pay for at his school. And the 5k was always used for groceries, buying cheap yet fresh products from the marketplace and buying expensive stuff only when asked by his parents.

And due to this, his ability to save and use money despite being born from a rich family is outstanding. Living alone for the past 11 years of his life and due to the novels he had read in those past years, he developed a thought that when he reached the part where he could have his own family, his saved money would be used so that his future child would not end up like him, and he could spend most of his time with his family and work at times with no important things.

While John was busy tidying up his room, he heard a soft and warm voice. John stopped what he was doing and listened carefully.

"John? Are you awake already?" The voice once again said.

Hearing the voice, John immediately rushed downstairs as he answered, "Yep! Anything you need, mom?"

"Nothing much dear, just checking on you." His mother said. Her being home, meant that it was one of those days when John's parents were home, but, as usual, they wouldn't stay for long. Evidence to that was the big luggage John saw at the entrance of their house.

"Are you leaving already?" he asked, as he looked at the luggage. He hadn't even seen them arrive, yet they were leaving right away. Although John was used to his parent's job of continuously going overseas to meet clients and do other things. And he understood that if they didn't do so, him and his elder siblings wouldn't be able to go and attend the school they wanted and wouldn't be able to place food on the table. It still made him sad. After all. He was always alone in the house for eleven long years...

"Yeah... Sorry about this John... it's your birthday today, yet no one is around to be with you...*sob*" his mother, seeing her son and thinking of his lonely figure as he celebrated his birthday alone, once again started to cry. John went near his mother and hugged her.

Right... it was his birthday today as well. John almost forgot about that. Or rather, he didn't care much about it anymore. Before, when they were still all together, John would jump for joy. But now... Happy Birthday to me? I guess? Shaking his head away from that thought, he comforted his crying mother.

"Don't worry mom, It's fine, plus, you're still around right now, so it still counts", John reassured his mother as he slowly moved away.

Then his mother smiled bitterly and looked behind her, before pushing something towards him. It's a box, a big box with gift wrap covering it.

"This is my gift for you... I thought you might like this for your gift, so I bought different kinds of them..." She said with a warm smile.

John smiled at her and asked "Can I open it now?", which was answered with a big nod.

He happily removed the gift wrap surrounding it and tore through the tape that was sealing the opening of the box, revealing what lied inside. He saw books and a lot of them, books with different genres and types. They were arranged in order:

-Encyclopedias- -Novels-

-Pocket Books- -Atlases- -Marketing 101s-

There were about 10 books for each type and almost an inch thick each. Except for the encyclopedias, which are 2–3 inches thick each.

John was happy, he really was. The books that were gifted to him were all brand new, and he hadn't seen any of them yet, despite having read 100+ books, this was the first he had seen these types. He really appreciates it, because books are his friends when he's at home, they accompany him when he's alone. He was able to live alone for 11 years due to books.

Without realizing it, he hugged his mother again and started to cry.

*sob* *sniffle* *sob*

For the past 11 years, his gifts were all money. Celebrating his birthdays alone was like torture for him, especially when he was still around 7–10 years old. This is the first time in 11 years that he had received proper gifts from his family. So, he was happy.

His mother patted his back and apologized to him. "I'm really sorry John..." then she pulled away and asked "I don't know which book you like, so I ended up buying different kinds of them... Did you like it?"

John nodded, and as if he was waiting for their moment to end, his father showed up with plastic bags in each hand.

He smiled widely at John and handed him a box that looked like a box for cake.

"Why don't we celebrate your 18th birthday first, before your mother and I go back to our trip? What do you say?"

John was happy. He felt like his 18th birthday was the happiest birthday he ever had. He can't remember those birthdays when he was younger, but the birthday when he was alone was engraved in his mind and heart, but it was all washed away, due to his 18th birthday and being with his parents again.