THE BEAUTIFUL ISEKAI

Isekai is a beautiful genre.
It is full of hope. 
A world where the main character finally fits in
A world that was made for him
The perfect world

"Are you awake, Ren?"
A feminine voice cracked through the silence. A teardrop rolled down his face as he clenched his chest. His heart ached.
"I want to go back home."
Ren turned to his side, burying his face into the pillow. "I hate it here."

Riley sat next to Ren, caressing his head while he cried.
"It will be okay." Her voice wavered, "Please calm down; I know this place isn't perfect, but we are all in this together."
Ren remained huddled on the side, his face buried in the pillow. His body shivered.
Riley sighed. "I know what you are feeling." She got closer to him, still caressing his hair. "We all were new at one point; this world seemed so perfect, we were so happy, but then the realisation struck..."

She lifted her hand off his head. "Everything is different here."Her hands shivered as her words became a lump in her throat, "We cant even go back home or see our parents, friends...no one."

 Tears rolled down her face. "All this is insane."

Ren turned around and saw her crying. He sat down. "Riley?" She looked at him; she quickly wiped her tears. But couldn't hold back and burst into tears."I am sorry, Ren." She got up to leave. Ren grabbed her."Please don't go."

.

.

Ren ran behind his parents, trying to grab onto them as they walked ahead."Please, stop!"

His eyes shot open. He sat down, wiping his tears. There was a note on his side table; he picked it up. 

Ren, it was getting late so I left. 
Let's go to breakfast together!

And let's go out somewhere tomorrow. 0w0 

-Riley

Ren held the note, clenching it to his chest.

I hope things get better.

Riley is really nice.

He remembered Sen
He was also nice
But had ulterior motives

Please, Riley, please don't do anything like that.

His heartbeat increased, breathing became heavier, and he gasped for air.
He noticed his hands become translucent. He raised his arms in the moonlight, which went past him.

Right, my powers.

He got up, strolling slowly towards the door. He reached for the knob, but his hand went past it.
He slowly went past the door, holding his breath as if, were he to breathe, he would become physical again.

He stood in the long empty corridor. He looked towards the floor; luckily, he didn't pass through it.

At least my power is nice.

"Rose, Lunette, Jacksaw, Dan, Lea..." Walking past the random rooms, he softly mumbled the names written on the tags. He noticed many of the names which he read he hadn't met yet.

He noticed a patch of liquid spilt over the floor. He neared it, tilting his head trying to make it out. It was red.
Gasping, he looked around, noticing even more down the hall leading to the lounge.
He decided to go back but noticed Toby coming.
Toby was staring at the trail of blood; he noticed Ren.
"Ren, are you hurt?" He ran to him; he grabbed his arm. As soon as Toby's cold hands touched Ren, he looked at Ren in somewhat bewilderment.
"N-no?" Ren stared down the hall. "I think the person who is hurt must be down the hall; didn't you see anyone?" 
Toby let go of his arm, shaking his head. "No"

The earlier fight crossed Ren's mind. "Toby, what if they began the fight again?"
Toby tilted his head. 
Ren sighed, "It was between Yuzuru, Sen and a guy called Yao." 
"That is weird." Toby stared at the floor. "They all can't fight each other."
Ren took a few steps ahead but stopped.
Why should I go?
I dont even like them
But Yuzuru, in that kitchen.
But he is the one who bullied Toby to the point Toby doesn't even show up at all.

Ren clutched his head; he couldn't make up his mind. He turned back to Toby, who stared at the floor. Toby looked at him. "Is everything okay?"

"Toby, I don't feel like helping any of them." Ren's eyes shone with tears.

"It's okay; it's your decision." Toby smiled as he walked closer to Ren.

"B-but...but I am scared." A tear rolled down his cheek. "I don't want to become like others; I want to value life...."

Toby stood blankly while Ren sat on the floor crying, "But for a moment I wished Yuzuru would kill Sen; I hate that thought. I don't want to think this way."

"It's okay, Ren; wishing and doing are two different things." Toby looked at him with a gentle smile. "You are still valuing life; you are still nothing like others."

He sniffed, wiping his tears, and stood up. Toby looked down the hall. "But Ren, there was something wrong with your fear."

"What are you trying to say?" Ren looked the way Toby was looking. 

"Yuzuru cant kill Sen." Toby smiled at him.

A shiver went down his spine.
He is right.
He mumbled, "Sen killed me; what if he kills Yuzuru?" 

Toby's eyes went blank. "Killed...you?"
He bent down, clenching his head; tears rolled down his face. 
"Sen-"
Toby raised his face looking at Ren; his eyes were blank.
Ren grasped his shoulders. "Are you okay?"
Toby glanced at Ren's hand. He got up with a hollow smile.
"I think it's best if we no longer meet."
He walked away. Ren got up. "What's wrong, Toby?"

The lights flickered. "Ren, I am just a wandering soul."
He turned back to look at him."And today was my last day."

"What are you saying?" To Ren, not a single word seemed true. "I don't think this is a good time to joke."

Toby smiled. "But if you can't fit in, rely on my diary."
Amidst the flickering, Toby disappeared without a trace.

Ren stood blankly, looking around.
What did he mean when he said 'last day'?
How is it even possible that he was an undead all along? 

He turned around and saw Yuzuru come running from the lounge.
Yuzuru seemed worried; he didn't take note of the blood and slipped.
He came sliding down towards Ren.
Instead of moving out of the way, Ren stood screaming, anticipating a lot of pain.
But Yuzuru went past him and crashed on the floor.

"Ow, ow, ow, couldn't you have turned back physical and grabbed me!" Yuzuru shouted.
Ren stared at his hands, which were still translucent.
He remembered that he had activated his powers earlier.
Right, I never deactivated my powers.
I thought they deactivated on their own the way they activated.

Ren recalled Toby's shock time Ren touched him

Eh, so he was a soul

No wonder every time I touched him, he was shocked

He turned to Yuzuru, shivering from the undead encounter.
"Ren, Kaya was hurt. Go to the lounge?"
He shouted and ran away.