>>Amber (Modern Times-Present) "Ron..." I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was Ron. My younger brother from my second life... This life... He came and sat down next to me on the bed, pulling me into a hug "Finally!" His hug made me feel warm, "Oh God! We all were so worried!" Ron was the complete opposite from Hubert, my brother in Aurelia. While Hubert was a nightmare whom I was scared of, Ron was my sunshine, my support, my partner in crime. Someone I didn’t think I’d be meeting again. "We thought you were never going to wake up!" Mom came and hugged me from the other side while I kept my eyes on my father who stood in front of me, at the end of the bed. I blinked at them in confusion. Being here was overwhelming. I shook my head lightly to myself. I really am back? I looked at my family. I’m back? My gaze darted around the room again. Am I back to where I got in an accident and went back in time? Is that it? Is this what it is? "So glad," Mom said, "So-so much..." Right... In this life... I have them. I have my family. But why did I have to come back? I lived a very long life in Aurelia with my family. It was fulfilling and lovely. I lived till I was eighty there. I didn’t think I’d die there and come back here "You’ve been out for a year!" Mom and Ron broke the hug and then looked at me, "I’m so glad you’ve woken up," She cupped my cheeks softly, "So glad," I saw the tears in her eyes. "This is a miracle," Dad came over, a look of relief on his face. A sense of wholesomeness enveloped me and tears plopped down my eyes. I may have lived a happy life in Aurelia but I occasionally thought of my family here. And each time I remembered them I was filled with this sense of void. "Mom, dad!" I started bawling my eyes out. My actions startled them. It made dad hurry to my side as well. "Amber, what’s wrong!?" Mom hugged me tighter while Ron gave me space. "I was so scared!!" I told them, "I missed you guys so much!!!" There were many times I wished they were near me. They will never be able to understand what I mean. Dad took Ron’s place and pulled me into a hug. "It’s alright." He patted my back while Mom rubbed my cold hands to warm them up But it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I found them again and they were here with me. It didn’t melt away the emptiness I felt for losing the family I had with Hael, but it provided with a different sort of solace. It was a given fact that I’d be fired from my work place. I was in a coma for a year and then I spent a month getting my body back to working normally. Gladly I wasn’t hurt too much by the truck and I had healed nicely, it’s just that my body was too stiff when I woke up I walked the streets, letting the cool air kiss my cheeks. It’s so strange... I lived a full life and suddenly I’m here? In my twenties, looking for a job again. I honestly don’t remember anything from college or from my internship. How am I going to get a job? I wish I could open up a cafe here as well. I let out a scoff. As if, I need money for that and I’m broke. I come from a humble family after all. I can’t ask my parents for it either. They already spent so much for my hospital bills. If I think about it. The modern world is messed up in so many ways! The inflation is so high! And just for survival everyone needs to work. It feels like getting a cafe here would be a dream. After my marriage with Hael, I still operated my cafe. He made a connecting teleportation circle from his lab to my room on the third floor, so I could come and go whenever I wanted I stopped and stared at the cafe. I even got a bigger shop after a while because of my reputation as one of the heroes who fought the miasma. Placing my hand on my chest, I found myself feeling empty. I don’t . I sighed and walked in. But it’s not like I can’t get myself a sandwich and some bubble tea here. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel~fire~net I walked to the counter to place an order. The TV was on, it looked like some celebshow was on. "Yes, what can I get you?" The woman at the counter asked. "I would like a tikka sandwich and caramel bubble tea." "Okay, I’ll take ten minutes. The waiter will bring it to your table." She handed me a table number and I walked to an empty table and took my seat. If I had to come back here, without everything we had in that world, why do I still have my memory? It would have been better if I didn’t have those memories, just like how I felt empty when I went to Aurelia from here, I feel even more hollow now that I’m back! I have more memories there now, worth eighty years! My seat had a direct view of the TV, so I just sat down and kept watching it. I wonder "We’ve had a lot of celebs on our show." The hostess said, "And our show is almost about to end." "But before that we have one last guest to introduce." Her coworker, a host, said, "He’s been a star sensation nowadays." Well, I did sort of miss the technology but I don’t think this whole inside my heart is ever going to get filled. Aside from the world, the city, the environment and the friends, there was my family. I think I can move on from all the other stuff but what about my family. "Yes, exactly. And he chose quite a unique stage name as well." Both the hosts smiled at each other and then looked at the screen. Hael and I had a daughter together. We planned a kid and were gifted with a daughter. A smile spread across my face as I recalled those times. "We like to call the international star known for his silvery long hair to join our show!!" They pointed at the corner of their stage set and though I was watching the TV, I wasn’t paying much attention to it. Not until their announcement. My froze, my eyes went wide My heartbeat rose and then it kept rising. I watched the screen without blinking as a tall actor made his way to the set. I felt the beats drum in my ears as my mouth hung open. Same hair, same eyes, same height and the same face. "Hael..." The word just slipped out of my mouth. Goosebumps made my skin stand as I watched him go and sit down on the guest seat. No, it’s impossible! I shook my head! No, I- What? He can’t be here in this world. It has to be someone with the same face. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen. Really? Someone with the same face? And the same everything?!?! Even his style is same and then that name... "So, there’s recently been a rumor about you Hael," The hostess flirted with him making me grit my teeth. You bitch! That’s my husband!! I balled my fists. "That slut!!" Someone behind me said, snapping me out of my trance, "That’s my husband she’s flirting with!!" It was a girl. And her words made me shoot my head around and look at her. What the hell did she say?! It was two high school girls, sitting at the table behind mine. "Hey!" The other girl slapped her friend’s hand, "He’s my husband!!" Wait, what? I narrowed my eyes at them, "I started stanning him first!" One of them said "Yeah! But I told you about his movies!!" They both started arguing and a realization came to me. Girls do this all the time. I’m back to the modern world where swooning over idols is normal. Saying that a celeb is their husband or their boyfriend or their soulmate, it’s just something a lot of them do. I let out a sigh and looked down at the table. And even if it is him. It’s not like he would remember his past life, would he? I looked at the TV again. It’s a prerecorded show... I wonder what he’s doing right now? The door to the cafe opened and someone walked inside. A celebrity huh... With his looks, it suits him. He had his hair in a high ponytail but he was wearing a white T-shirt and black pants. The simple look complimented him so much it made my heart hurt. Everyone was always swooning over him in Aurelia too. I took a deep breath. Is there any chance he would remember? Would it be possible? I pursed my lips as the memories of our past life came rushing to me.