The Me of My Past Life, New Ability

Mom finally stood up, dusted her knees, and looked at the grave one last time.

"We should go," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Food's probably cold by now."

I nodded, but didn't move.

"You go ahead. I'll come in a bit."

She paused for a second, clearly wanting to say something. But instead, she gave me a soft smile and left. Her steps echoed faintly down the gravel path, swallowed slowly by the quiet evening.

I stayed. Staring at the gravestone like it would suddenly open its mouth and speak.

Arthur Rover.

Beloved husband & father

"Stand tall—someone's counting on you."

I let the words burn a hole in my chest.

I had no memory of what his voice sounded like. No scent, no warmth, nothing. Just a couple of blurry flashes from when I was a kid and some dusty photos we never threw out. That was all I had left of him in the other world.

And now, I was standing here, talking to a stone.

"…I might not be the same Ian you knew," I muttered, letting out a long breath. "But you're still my father. And I'm still your son. That hasn't changed."

I crouched down and touched the edge of the stone, feeling its roughness dig into my skin.

"I'll protect them this time. I promise. I don't care if it's monsters, scumbags, or fate itself—I'm not letting anything touch this family again. Not Mom. Not Elina. Not anyone."

I stood back up, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

I pulled up my system menu.

That same damn quest stared back at me.

[Quest: Make up with your sister – Elina Rover]

[Time Remaining: 6 days, 23 hours]

[Reward: Telepathy]

I didn't even know what happened between us here. Did we fight? Did I ignore her again? Was I still the same asshole in this world?

I needed to know.

I left the cemetery and just… walked. No destination. Just wandered through the city streets, watching the people, the tech, the towers. Hover cars zipped past overhead. Neon signs glowed like they were trying too hard. A bunch of adventurers wearing gaudy-ass armor were arguing in front of a weapons store over who bought the last S-rank saber.

This world really was different. Same streets. Same layout. But the vibe was jacked-up sideways.

And as I walked, memories I didn't ask for started surfacing again.

Back in the old world… I was a damn coward.

Mom worked three jobs just so I could focus on school. Always coughing. Always on meds. But I never asked her if she was okay. Just assumed she'd be fine. That's what medicine is for, right? That's what I told myself. She's sick. She'll recover. Simple.

I was a teenager. Rebellious, cold, laser-focused on grades. And when I scored that scholarship to a big university in another city, I took it like I was escaping from hell.

Elina and Mom called. Every weekend.

"Come visit. Just for a day."

"Maybe next time."

"I'm busy."

Studying. Studying while eating. Studying while walking. Even when I was pissing, I had notes in front of me. Because that's what successful people do, right?

Then came that call.

Early morning. My phone buzzed, and I picked up with a yawn still stuck in my throat.

"Mom passed away last night."

Funeral was at noon.

I had an exam.

I didn't go.

I came home the next day. It was over. Done. No goodbye. Elina didn't speak to me. Didn't even look at me. Just stared past me like I was another shadow in the room.

I left again. Exams were still ongoing.

Three months later, I got another call.

"Your sister died in an accident last week."

Week.

Not a day. Not a few hours.

A goddamn week.

No one called me. No one told me.

Because who did she have besides me?

Who the hell else did she even have?

She died alone.

I stood there that day thinking the world had abandoned me. That life screwed me over. That karma was punishing me.

But it wasn't them.

It was me.

I was the one who walked away. Who chose books over family. Who thought "someday" would always be there.

And now?

They're alive. Here. In this strange, broken, goddamn glowing-blue-screen world—I had them again.

And I was going to be there this time. No matter what it took.

I looked up at the night sky, lit not by stars but glowing drones patrolling for stray rift energy.

"Not again," I muttered.

Then I started walking again.

This time, toward home. Toward Elina. Toward whatever mess I had to fix.

By the time I got home, Mom already had dinner set on the table. Rice, stir-fried veggies, and some soup that smelled way better than anything I remembered eating in the past ten years. I sat down without saying much. My stomach was full of emotions, but I shoved it all down with every bite.

Still, I couldn't ignore the weird gap at the table.

No sign of Elina.

I stirred my soup a bit. "Hey, uh… where's Elina?"

Mom glanced up while folding a kitchen towel. "Probably caught up with her training stuff. She's been busy these days. You know how it is— because of the rise in monsters."

Right. Graduation day. Last I checked, my sister wasn't exactly the "join every club" type, but maybe things were different in this world too. Or maybe something happened that I didn't know yet. Something bad enough for the system to give me a quest about it.

A quest to make up with her?

How bad did things get?

I nodded slowly, chewing without really tasting the food anymore. "Mm. I still have time. The quest said seven days…"

"Quest?" Mom asked.

"Ah—" I froze. "I meant… test. I have this side project thing going on. Long story."

She gave me a tired smile. "Well, don't overdo it."

I laughed. "You too. Rest up, okay? I'll do the dishes tonight."

Mom looked surprised, like I just announced I was running for president. "Huh? Are you sick?"

"Just tired of seeing you work all the time. Sit down for once."

She tried to argue, but I cut her off by grabbing the plates and walking over to the sink. She eventually gave up and went to lie down in the bedroom, though I could hear her coughing faintly even behind closed doors.

Damn it.

As I stepped into the kitchen, another screen smacked me in the face.

[New Quest Acquired!]

[Perform a domestic task that improves someone's day.]

→ Reward: ???

I stared at the screen, then at the dirty dishes. "…Seriously? This is what you're giving me now?"

Whatever. I was gonna wash them anyway.

I rolled up my sleeves and got to it. Hot water. Soap. Plates clinking. My reflection looked back at me in the window above the sink, warped and tired and way too serious for someone doing house chores.

I washed the dishes slowly, hands moving on autopilot while my head kept replaying everything. That grave. That bastard Keller. The old world. Elina's cold voice after the funeral. Her silence. That phone call. The way she disappeared without even letting me explain.

And now the system wants me to fix things.

But what exactly did I break here?

As soon as I placed the last glass in the rack, another ping.

[Quest Complete!]

[Reward: New Ability Unlocked – Cleanse.]

[You can now clean any object or surface with a single touch. Not applicable to living beings. Cooldown: 10 minutes.]

"…Okay, that's either super lame or the most broken cleaning skill in existence."

I tapped the counter.

Wipe. Sparkling clean. Not bad.

Did it again on a cup. Instant shine.

I snorted. "I'm gonna be the most hygienic badass this world's ever seen."

So far, my legendary superpowers included putting junk in my pocket and turning into a human dishwasher.

Truly, I was becoming unstoppable.

And just when I was drying my hands and thinking I could finally head out for some air—

BZZZ BZZZ.

My phone buzzed,

I pulled it out of my pocket, expecting some ad or maybe a school message.

But no.

Caller ID: Elina (Don't Pick Up!!!)

What the hell?

That name label wasn't mine. I didn't write that. Did she do it from my phone? Why would I let her? Or had I really been that pissed at her in this timeline?

I stared at the screen as it buzzed again in my hand.

Ringtone playing.

My heart thumped once. Hard.

I slowly raised the phone to my ear.

"…Hello?"