Just let me sleep!

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 : Not a dream
———–————•

Where am I? My head feels heavy, like waking from a deep, dreamless sleep. The air smells different—sharper, cleaner. As I try to move, everything feels off, like I'm not in full control. My limbs respond, but with a lag, a clumsiness unfamiliar for me.

[Oh, I must be dreaming..]
I thought, thinking about sleeping more.

[Like hell I am.]

This isn't a dream. The clarity of everything around me is overwhelming. In dreams, details are often blurred, shifting, and unpredictable. Here, every object, and every sensation is sharp and precise. I can feel the texture of the sheets specific and real. The air carries a faint scent of lavender, mingling with the distant hum from outside the open window.

The sounds are too precise, too layered—the rustle of leaves, the distant murmur of voices, even the rhythmic ticking of a clock somewhere in the room. In a dream, these sounds would be muted or nonsensical, but here they are clear and coherent.

"Doc, it seems he hit his head as well."
The red loudspeaker pointed at me again.

[I will hit yours if you keep pointing at me.]

—————
[I must have died and my .. Let's call it a soul, with leftover mana had transferred into a body that was not occupied.]
I push myself up and catch sight of my hands. They're not mine. The fingers are way too small, and the skin is a shade different, brighter. I flex them, feeling the muscles respond, but they don't feel like my muscles.

[I've read a similar situation in a science book that was hidden in a forbidden section of my father's study. So that may be the reason as to why I am calm.]

As I was lost in thoughts I felt a light touch on my shoulder.

[?]

"Oh, my apologies, I didn't mean to startle you, does it hurt anywhere?"

[? ..]
[Startle me? This startled me?  Come to think of it... I couldn't sense someone approaching either.]
I looked at the male wearing a white robe with a blank expression.

"?"
His smile grew stiff as I kept on staring blankly at him.

[Must have imagined it.]
I shook it all off with a soft sigh.

"No."
A simple answer could be heard yet the eyes of others looked at me weirdly.

"W-well can you remember what happened?"

The doctor pushed an awkward smile, not wanting to look frightening or mean. Try harder doc, you aren't doing it right. 

".."
My memory may be hazy, but I do remember the sudden monster attack, yet, there was silence, since I don't know what happened to this poor body.

"It's okay, don't worry, but what about your name? Maybe your family name?"
He smiled again, the fake smile of awkwardness keeping his facial muscles occupied. 

"Throb."
My chest felt like it was suffocating, when he mentioned 'family' I felt like throwing up.
I lowered my head since it started to feel dizzy. 

[I wonder how did they react when they got the news of my death? Were they confused? Happy? Sad? Did they even feel some type of emotion? Did they even bother listening to the end of the news of my last moments? ]

"Then what about your age?"
He pulled me out of my thoughts. My eyes grew tired. I didn't know this body and I certainly didn't feel like communicating either. 

[This is all too bothersome.]

"Mhm."
Doctor pushes his bangs out of his face, revealing piercing blue eyes that glint in the sunlight. His skin, lightly brightened, glows under the sun's rays, highlighting his strong cheekbones and the faintest hint of his full lips. 

"There seems to be nothing wrong with his body, but he may be suffering a memory loss due to a traumatic experience."
He looked at the red fur while he reached his hand and patted my head.

"..!"
I opened my eyes wider, and the rough yet warm and gentle hand stroked my hair, his hand gently resting atop my head, I felt a warm, comforting pressure that sent a shiver of comfort down my spine. The soft, rhythmic motion of his patting brought a sense of calm and security, making me instinctively lean into his touch, seeking more of that tender affection.

"Huh?! So he doesn't remember anything? Not even that I saved him???"
The red-haired ball full of energy looked at the doctor with his big cherry eyes which didn't bother to hide his shock and desperation for answers. 

"I'm afraid not, young master."
The doctor said, pulling his hand from my head and putting it on his chest while lowering his head. Showing respect and polite manners. 

"Hey! Do you not remember???"
He hurriedly turned to me who was still in a daze.

"..."
"Remember what."
I lifted my head, facing him, my eyes looking straight into those cheery orbs.

[Maybe he knows what happened to this body.]

"I saved you! You would have died if I wasn't there!"

"?"
I opened my eyes a little wider, preventing them from closing, waiting for him to continue, not saying anything, staying silent, silence is what makes people uncomfortable after all, especially young children.

"As I was passing by the forest I saw you fall into a lake there! I pulled you out, do you really not remember? It was super cold that night and that water was freezing!"

".."
[Lake? This poor body was so unfortunate. Drowning to its end, how cruel of fate, for this young child.]

".. sigh."
The red fur sighed so hard that it probably could be heard even in the next room.

"Can't be helped."
[?]

He reached his hand in front of me and with his thin but long fingers flicked my forehead.

"Flick."

"!"
My body flinched on its own and buried itself into pillows from the impact.

The people in the room stiffened.

With my marshmallow-like arms, I reached the stinging place on my forehead, feeling my eyes watering.

"..?"
I looked up at the culprit, who was surprisingly looking dead serious even proud of himself, leaning his face closer.

"Do you remember now?"

"......"
"......"
The room has gone silent.