1-1: A magnificent proposal

“Ugh…What happened…?”

My head was spinning like I was inside a washing machine, and my vision was blurry like I was chopping onions. The last thing I remembered was pushing Yuto and saving him from a broken attraction, but due to that feeling, I thought that maybe it was a dream and I somehow fell out of bed while I was sleeping. But that thought left my mind when I realized that place was not my room.

“Is this…a scenario?”

The place was dark, but I immediately recognized a lot of seats and a scenario with red closed curtains. I was the only one in the public, so maybe this is a new actor and I need to see if he has talent…Maybe I should worry about the fact that I was focused on that and not about how I got here.

“It’s about to start.”

The curtains moved slowly, starting to expose the man who was behind them…and it wasn’t a novice actor. It was someone I knew very well.

“Yuto?!”

Describing myself as “Surprised” would underestimate what I was feeling. I mean, why is a Yuto show so empty?! The seats are never this empty.

For a second I thought that a bad ticket distribution occurred and I was required to advertise this. But, his voice interrupted my thought.

“Attention, my dear public.”

When he said that, a light illuminated me.

“Huh?”

“Let me tell you a story.”

After he said that, the scenario became brighter and a shadow representing a guy appeared.

“One day, a young man, bored of everything, but with hopes of finding something, went to a place that promised infinite fun. There, the young man got interested in a weird poster.”

Suddenly a poster fell from the ceiling and landed in my hands. That was the poster of “The show of the marionette”, the first story I’d ever seen in the Infinity Wonderland stage. It was about a marionette that suddenly came to life and now has to decide what to do now that it has its own opinions.

“The young man looked at the stage, wondering how they would make this boring copy of Pinocchio something interesting. And his world came alive when the protagonist appeared.”

“...”

He was totally right. The character that Yuto personified showed a lot of emotions and somehow shared them with the audience. Everyone laughed when he did something funny, everyone smiled when he managed a goal, and everyone cried when the character was consumed by the deepest of the sadness. Being part of that public changed the trajectory of my life.

“At first, he thought he could be like him, someone who can bring so much emotion to the people, he was inspired. But, the fear surpassed his own desires. He thought that talent was something impossible. Only prodigies and kids could start from zero. So instead, he tried to be a little close to that place. And that just turned his life into a gray stage.”

“...”

Slowly the scenario lost every single color. The only thing that remained the same was Yuto's skin. Even his clothes turned gray.

“He wanted to be helpful, but that wish consumed him. The fun was everywhere, but he never extended his hand, he was not an actor, he was less than a marionnette. At the end, his strings were cut and his body decayed…but, somehow, he was happy. Those colors that he never reached, didn’t leave the people who could really enjoy them.”

I knew what he was describing, and at the same time, I understood everything. But, the show wasn’t over.

“Perhaps, his life ended too soon, but those colors he saved, gave him a new path.”

The color somehow returned to the scenario, the shadows disappeared, and all the background became a normal wall, as if he was saying that the show was over and now everything was a normal scenario.

Somehow that helped me to understand that I was allowed to talk now. I had a lot of questions, but I did the most obvious one.

“...Who are you?”

“I have a lot of names. Just use the one you prefer.”

“Okay…Yutwo, why do you look like Yuto?”

“That’s because you are my guest today.”

“...I don’t get it.”

“An accidental death is a really heavy shock for anyone, so I change my appearance depending on what would calm my host's minds and hearts.”

“I see…Even the body language is the same.”

“I can manage most of the human expressions.”

“Amazing…Wait.”

“Don’t worry, the real Yuto is alive. I think he will be shocked for a while, but he will be okay after a few weeks.”

“Thank God…”

“You know? Most people worry about themselves when they die. Normally the first question I always hear is, “So, I’m really dead?”.”

“My life wasn't worth it. They can find another assistant or even someone better, but the world only has one Yuto…Well, without counting you.”

Even when I ended my answer with a little joke, Yutwo was looking at me with a weird expression. Maybe I said something wrong? Whatever, the best is changing the course of the conversation.

“So, what will happen to my soul? Heaven? Hell?”

“You are certainly a weird human. People like you have a special place when they die…but.”

“But?”

“Having that life, and at the same time, preserving a life with everything you had. People like you deserve a second chance.”

“Second chance?”

“Your world is just one of many. Your story ended in that one, but it can continue in a new one. One with more…magic.”

“You mean?”

“Yeah, that thing that people in your world love.”

“That is…”

“Amazing?”

“...Weird…I really deserve something like this?”

“Don’t think about whether you deserve it or not. Just think, do you wanna start again?”

I carefully looked back at my life. I admit that I could do a lot of things better, but, what am I supposed to do with a second chance? I never had big aspirations before, so I don’t have anything I want to do besides finishing the work of the day.

“...”

My eyes went straight to the poster I was holding…Maybe I actually have something I want to do. It’s a little childish, but if I’m allowed to choose that option….

“I guess…I can do it.”

“Magnificent.”

“I’m just gonna go there?”

“That would cause a lot of problems. You will be born without memories, but you will remember everything on your seventh birthday. An easy way to put it’s that you will be on autopilot for seven years.”

“I see…Can I make a request?”

“Sure.”

“Is there any way I can avoid being bothered during my childhood?”

“That’s a weird request.”

“I want to develop on my own. Just try something new, without outside influence.”

“...Well, I can do that.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re not asking for this, but I’ll give you some extra help.”

“Extra help?”

“Yes…That world is…complicated, you will need it if you wanna do the things you like.”

“Are you reading my mind?”

“Just a little, I can’t turn it off.”

Yutwo laughed a little and then looked at the ceiling, like he was waiting for something to happen.

“So, do you think you are ready?”

“I have unlimited time?”

“Souls have a lot of free time, but it would be a lot easier sending you with your current mood.”

“In that case…I’m ready.”

“Magnificent.”

The light slowly moved toward the edge of the stage, and Yutwo extended his hand, as if inviting me to join the show. In response, I stood up and walked over.

“I hope to see you again.”

“Yes, I wish you the best of luck.”

That way, I grabbed his hand, and in less than a second, my new life finally started.