It felt like something—or someone—was watching us from above. The air was too still… too quiet. Then, faintly… we heard it.
A voice.
A whisper.
Calling to us.
Liora trembled beside me and clutched my hand tightly.
"Yuna… did you hear that? Someone's calling us," she whispered, her voice shaking.
I gently squeezed her hand back and gave her a soft smile.
"Don't be scared. I'm here with you. Let's go together. Wherever that voice is coming from… we'll face it together."
Step by step, we followed the sound into the unknown. A soft light shimmered ahead, growing brighter with every step we took. As we walked into the heart of that light, something strange happened—our eyes instinctively shut, and for a brief moment, everything vanished.
When we opened them again… we were back in the same endless white space as before.
But something felt different this time.
I lifted my head slightly—and froze.
A figure stood above us, cloaked in a long, white robe trimmed with gold and green embroidery. The robe covered him from head to toe. His face was hidden beneath the hood… but his hair—
It was long. Silky. Pure white, like snow untouched by the world. It shimmered like a diamond waterfall, cascading down to his knees. Not a single strand was out of place. Not a single stain.
Then… he spoke. His voice echoed through the space—deep, calm, and commanding.
"Yuna Haruno. Liora Dreadmoor."
He knew our names.
My heart raced.
"Who… are you?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion. "And how do you know our names?"
"Who I am doesn't matter," he replied, his tone firm yet distant. "What matters… is that an opportunity has come for both of you."
Liora stepped forward, still holding my hand. Her voice trembled.
"O-Opportunity…? Do you know where we are? What's happening to us? Are we… are we dead?"
His expression remained unreadable beneath the hood.
"I'm the one who brought both of you here," he said. "You're not dead… yet. You're alive in your own worlds."
But then… his voice grew colder.
"…But you are both on the brink of death. One wrong choice—and your souls will vanish permanently."
Liora's grip on my hand tightened.
Her whole body shook. "W-What? Why…?"
I stepped forward, anger flashing in my chest.
"Hey! Why should we even believe you?! You said you brought us here? Fine! Then send us back!"
Liora panicked and pulled my sleeve. "Yuna, don't be rude…"
I sighed and lowered my gaze.
Still, I could feel it—his stare. Even without seeing his face, I knew. He was looking right at me.
Then… he chuckled softly.
But the laugh vanished as quickly as it came.
"You," he said. "You remind me of someone I knew… long ago."
His voice turned serious again.
"You're the girl living with a single mother… and your adoptive brother Souta, aren't you? You love your family deeply."
I stiffened.
"I… I told that to Liora. Were you eavesdropping or something?"
"Let me finish, child."
His voice sharpened like ice.
"When you were twelve, there was a fight at your brother's school. Some of his classmates bullied him—saying cruel things about your family, about your mother. They punched him, and you stormed into their class. You hit them back. You told them, 'Go home and tell your families who beat you—and why.' Then, you took your brother's hand and walked out."
My mouth parted. My breath caught.
"How… do you know that?"
He didn't stop.
"When the children's parents came to your house, your mother apologized. She even asked you to apologize. But you refused. You ran outside.
Later, those parents laughed and mocked your family. Your mother cried.
You asked her, 'Why did you apologize when you did nothing wrong?'
And your mother… said, 'I'm sorry. I'm not a strong mother . I'm a coward.'
That night, you blamed yourself. You thought it was your fault she had to bow her head. You fell ill for weeks. Your family moved to another city after that… hoping you'd forget."
I stood frozen. My legs felt weak.
How…?
I never told anyone about that. Not even Souta.
Liora gently held my hand.
"Yuna… breathe. Slowly…"
I inhaled shakily, then turned back to the cloaked figure.
"…I'm sorry for being rude earlier," I said quietly. "I thought you were… a scammer or something. I didn't know you… really knew."
I bowed my head.
"Please… if we're alive… send us back."
He shook his head slowly.
"I can't."
Liora and I both said it at once:
"What?! Why?!"
"Because," he said coldly, "your bodies are still in your worlds. But your souls are here. If I return your souls to your bodies now… you will die instantly. Your bodies cannot survive much longer without a soul connected to them."
Tears welled in Liora's eyes.
"Then… what can we do?"
"That's why I said… you have one opportunity left."
Suddenly, golden flashes surrounded us.
And within those flashes… we saw it.
Each other's worlds.
—
I saw Liora's body—unconscious in a grand, lavish bed. A maid stood nearby. Two boys, both in their teens or twenties, entered.
Her brothers?
One sighed.
"What a headache…"
The other turned to the doctor.
"How long does she have?"
A man—tall and cold-looking—walked in. "What's the situation?"
"Still unconscious, Your Grace," the doctor answered.
The man turned without another word and left. No emotion. No warmth.
Liora stood beside me, crying silently. I could feel her heart shattering all over again.
I squeezed her hand tightly.
Then I saw my body—lying in a hospital bed.
My mother… was sobbing beside me, clutching my hand like it was the only thing anchoring her to life.
Souta was crying quietly in the corner.
My best friend and his sister were there too—eyes red and swollen.
The doctor turned to my mom.
"She's in a coma. I… can't say when or if she'll wake up."
My mother broke down completely.
She leaned over and whispered to my unconscious body,
"My only wish is for you to live freely, Yuna… truly, freely. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry… for making you feel like you had to be perfect. I'll never ask that again. Just… please, come back to us."
Souta hugged her and whispered,
"When she wakes up, I'll cook all her favorite things… Anything she wants…"
And then… the vision faded.
My knees gave out. I fell and wept into my hands.
"I'm sorry, Mom… I'm sorry, Souta…"
The cloaked man's voice rang out again.
"Did you see? This is the state of your bodies."
We both nodded.
"There is only one way to survive now," he said. "You must… exchange your souls."
My breath hitched.
"Exchange…?"
"Yes. Yuna, your soul will be connected to Liora's body. And Liora, your soul will take Yuna's body.
That is the only path left.
If you agree—you'll live.
If you refuse—you'll die."
Liora turned to me, terrified.
"Yuna… I… I want to live. I don't want to die. But if you say no… I'll accept that."
I stepped closer and held her hands.
"I don't want to die either, Liora. This is our second chance.
I don't know what kind of daughter you'll be to my family… but I hope you never hurt them.
Live your life to the fullest. Live for yourself—and for them."
She burst into tears.
"Thank you, Yuna… I'll do my best. I'll be a good daughter to them."
"And you," I said with a small smile. "Don't ever neglect yourself for others. Your life is precious too."
We turned to the man together.
"Thank you… for giving us this chance."
He nodded.
"But know this—once the exchange is complete, there will be no other chance. If you die after that… your soul will vanish. Forever."
We both nodded.
He began to disappear into the light.
But before fading entirely… he looked at me one last time…
And smiled.
A cold, twisted smile.
"I'll show you now… what dying really feels like."
And then…
The world shattered.
The floor beneath us collapsed into blackness.
We fell.
Liora screamed and reached out.
I grabbed her hand tightly.
And together…
We fell into the void.