The Final Chapter

Hiroshi felt a dull thud, as if he had fallen onto a soft carpet of grass. He opened his eyes slowly, his eyelids heavy, and found himself staring at a sky ablaze with sunset. He sat up, confused, and looked around. It was a field, a familiar field, with the long shadows of evening stretching across the grass.

He stood up, a shiver of disbelief running down his spine. This field... he knew it all too well. It was the field behind his house, where he played as a child, where he spent countless afternoons dreaming of adventures.

"Am I home?" he murmured, his voice broken with emotion.

He looked at his hands, then his arms, his legs. His body was back to normal, no trace of the digital corruption that had tormented him. It was as if the virtual world had been just a nightmare, a vivid and terrible dream.

He took his phone from his pocket, his fingers trembling. The screen lit up, showing the usual familiar interface. He looked for the app that had installed itself, the one that had catapulted him into the digital world. It was gone. It had disappeared, as if it had never existed.

A sense of relief washed over him, mixed with a strange melancholy. He was home, he was back to reality. But the memory of Renji, Mai and Ayumi, of their sacrifice, of their courage, was still vivid in his mind.

"I won't forget you," he whispered, his gaze lost in the sunset.

With his heart pounding, Hiroshi ran towards his house. The front door was open, as if someone had just entered or left. He went in, calling out for his mother, but the house was silent and empty.

He headed for the landline phone, an old model with an answering machine. The red light was flashing frantically, indicating that there were many messages. He pressed the play button, and his mother's voice echoed in the room.

"Hiroshi, where are you? We haven't heard from you for days. Call us as soon as you can, we're very worried."

Then, his father's voice, more hoarse and tense.

"Hiroshi, if you're around, please get in touch. Your friends have called us, they're all worried. Don't make us worry."

Messages from his friends, his colleagues, followed, all with the same question: "Hiroshi, where have you gone?". Some were worried, others angry, others simply confused.

Hiroshi listened to all the messages, his heart pounding in his chest. It was as if he had disappeared off the face of the earth, as if time had stopped for him while he was trapped in the digital world.

He felt overwhelmed, confused, but also relieved. He was back, he was home.

The next morning, Hiroshi got ready for work. He felt strange, as if he had lived another life. He didn't know what to expect, but he was determined to resume his routine.

When he entered the office, the atmosphere was tense. His colleagues looked at him with sad and worried expressions. Then, they recognized him, and their faces lit up with joy.

"Hiroshi! You're back!" exclaimed his colleague, running towards him and hugging him.

"We were so worried," said another colleague, patting him on the shoulder. "We didn't know what happened to you."

Hiroshi smiled, feeling relieved. "I'm glad to be back," he said. "I had... a strange experience."

Throughout the day, his colleagues flooded him with questions. They wanted to know where he had been, what had happened to him. Hiroshi told them a watered-down version of his adventure, talking about a sudden trip and communication problems. He didn't want to scare them, or reveal the truth about the digital world.

While he worked, Hiroshi felt like he had come home after a long journey. He was grateful to be back among his friends and colleagues, but the memory of the digital world and his lost friends still haunted him.

The news of Hiroshi's return spread quickly. Within a few hours, his family members arrived at the office, eager to see him and make sure he was alright.

His mother hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Hiroshi, honey, we were so worried. Where have you been? What happened to you?"

His father patted him on the shoulder, a relieved smile on his face. "We're happy to see you again, son. You gave us quite a scare."

His sister was there too, with her boyfriend. Everyone bombarded him with questions, trying to understand what had happened to him. Hiroshi told them the same story he had told his colleagues, omitting the details about the digital world.

"I had a problem with my phone," he said. "I found myself in an isolated place, without signal. I tried to call you, but I couldn't."

His family looked at him suspiciously, but didn't push. They knew Hiroshi was a private person, and they respected his decision not to share the details of his experience.

"The important thing is that you're okay," said his mother, wiping away her tears. "We're happy to have you back home."

Hiroshi smiled, feeling grateful for their love and support. He knew he could never tell them the truth, but he was happy to be back in the real world, among the people he loved.

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Information box

Colleagues: The colleague who hugs him: She has lively hazel eyes and wavy brown hair that reaches her shoulders. She is of medium height, with a slender build. She is wearing a light blue blouse and a gray skirt. The colleague who pats him on the shoulder: He has blue eyes and short blond hair. He is tall and has a sturdy build. He is wearing a white shirt and black pants. In general, the office is a diverse environment, with colleagues of different ages, ethnicities, and styles. Some wear formal attire, others more casual clothing. The atmosphere is friendly and collaborative.

Family of Hiroshi: Hiroshi's mother: She has kind eyes, slightly marked by worry, and light brown hair. She is of medium height, with a normal build. She wears a simple and comfortable dress. Hiroshi's father: He has dark eyes and short gray hair. He is tall and has a robust build. He wears a plaid shirt and corduroy pants. Hiroshi's sister: She has lively eyes and long, straight white hair. She is of medium height and has a slender build. She wears a pair of jeans and a fashionable sweatshirt. Hiroshi's sister's boyfriend: He has brown eyes and dark hair. He is tall and has an athletic build. He wears a dress shirt and dress pants.