Unfamiliar World
Kael was just a normal teenager on Earth, but now… he was anything but normal. He had become one of those who had crossed over to a new world.
He gazed at the towering buildings in front of him, the clean roads where people walked or rode bicycles, and even the drones flying around. It all felt surreal.
Kael didn't understand anything. What had happened? Just moments ago, he had been on his way to college to apply for a scholarship, and now he was here. He glanced down at himself—his clothes were exactly the same as before.
Still struggling to grasp his situation, he moved forward, taking in his surroundings. The more he looked, the more he felt that this world was too magical—completely different from the one he knew.
As he walked, confusion and fear crept into him. He understood that he was in a different world, but what he couldn't understand was—why?
The stories he had read always had explanations. A person would die, meet a god, and get sent to another world. Or maybe a beautiful princess would summon them. Sometimes, the person would arrive in a new world in someone else's body, inheriting their memories to help them adjust.
But what about Kael?
He hadn't met a god. It didn't seem like a summoning. He had arrived in this world with his original body—and no memories to guide him.
What was going on?
Kael wandered aimlessly, feeling lost. His heart ached as he thought of his friends back on Earth—the small fights, the laughter they shared, the crazy things they did together. He missed them.
His hand instinctively reached into his pocket. His smartphone was still there.
With a flicker of hope, he turned it on.
No signal.
His grip tightened around the phone for a moment before he put it away. He looked up at the towering buildings and slapped his own cheeks.
"Man, be optimistic… You can figure this out. You can survive. And one day, you'll find a way back to Earth."
Kael repeated those words to himself over and over, pushing away the loneliness and despair.
After calming down, he focused on the writing around him. The signs, the advertisements—it was a language he didn't recognize.
"Great… I really hope I can understand this language," he muttered.
Gathering his courage, he walked toward an elderly woman nearby. She looked strong despite her full head of white hair, standing straight with smooth, pale skin. She had wrinkles, but somehow, she still looked beautiful and full of vitality.
Kael had noticed that most of the people here were unnaturally attractive.
"Um… Miss, I got lost. Could you tell me where the police station is?" he asked nervously.
The elderly woman looked at him with a curious expression. "You're a strange one," she said before tapping on a watch-like device on her wrist.
After a brief pause, she spoke into it. "I've called the police. They'll be here soon."
Then, without another word, she walked away.
Kael sighed in relief. At least he could understand and speak the language of this world.
Soon, two police officers arrived. Surprisingly, they seemed to already know that he was from another world. Without much discussion, they took him to a large building and told him that someone would come to explain the situation to him.
Kael nodded. There was nothing else he could do.
Looking around, he noticed that the room he was in was almost empty except for a single sofa. He sat down, exhaling heavily.
"It wouldn't hurt if they had at least provided a TV," he muttered.
The moment he said that, the wall in front of him changed—transforming into a screen.
"Whoa!" Kael's eyes widened in shock.
He knew this world was high-tech, but experiencing it firsthand was still surprising.
The words on the screen were unfamiliar, but he relied on instinct and managed to play a few videos. Eventually, he found something he liked and passed the time watching.
An hour later, a knock at the door interrupted him.