Zenji was startled awake by that eerie voice from his dream. In a sudden shock, he leaped from his chair—so much so that the chair toppled to the floor. Just then, the principal entered the room carrying a VR headset.
"Am… I'm sorry, sir," Zenji stammered, still shaken. The principal smiled kindly and replied, "Don't worry about it. Please, just sit comfortably."
The principal then asked Zenji to put on the VR headset. Obediently, Zenji followed his instructions. "Based on your age, you should be in grade 5," the principal explained, "but we'll start your test step by step—from grade 1."
He continued, "This headset is one of the newest products your brother created. He's been working on it for the past four years, and now he's here." Zenji, curious, asked, "So there are more kids like me?" The principal replied, "Your sister is also studying in grade 5. She, too, is an orphan kid."
Zenji's mind wandered for a moment as he began to recall fragments of memories—slowly, the memories of his body Yami started to resurface.
The principal adjusted the headset and started his laptop to conduct the test. "You have 30 minutes to complete the first test," he announced. Looking through the headset's interface, Zenji thought, This is very easy—I learned much in my previous days. Incredibly, he finished the test in just 10 minutes.
"Wow, that was great!" the principal exclaimed. "We still have time, so let's proceed with a grade 2 test. We will schedule the next test for tomorrow."
Zenji simply replied, "Okay." The principal started the grade 2 test, and Zenji quickly recognized the answers. In only 8 minutes, he said, "It's done, sir."
"That's excellent—you achieved full marks!" the principal said, beaming. "This means you can study at the grade nearest to your age. Let's schedule your next test for tomorrow; I hope you pass it too. Now, you may go with your brother."
"Thanks a lot, sir," Zenji said, still surprised by how well he had done.
The principal then escorted him to an adjoining office where his brother waited. "Congratulations," the principal told Yume. "Your brother, Yami, cleared two tests today. The sun is setting now, so we'll conduct the third test tomorrow. Please make sure he comes back at the same time. Even if he ends up in grade 4, a one-year difference won't be a big deal."
"I have some work to do, so I'll be leaving now. Thank you for coming," the principal said as he departed.
Yume smiled gratefully and said, "Thank you, too." Then, turning to Zenji, he said warmly, "Let's go, Yami."
Yume drove the car steadily while Zenji sat quietly beside him. "Great job, Yami. Congratulations on your first success. Let's celebrate it," Yume said with a proud smile.
Soon, Yume pulled the car into the parking lot of a restaurant. "Okay, come out," he called. Zenji stepped out and looked around curiously. "What is this place?" he asked softly.
"This is Snapeats Restaurant. Come inside—we'll have a meal, and today you can eat whatever you want, though with a few restrictions for your health," Yume explained warmly.
"Okay, big brother," Zenji replied, following him inside.
At the entrance, a staff member greeted Yume. "Welcome to Snapeats, sir. May I check your reservation?" the staff asked politely.
"Reservation…?" Yume repeated, slightly puzzled.
"Yes, sir. Tonight is Saturday, and due to a high volume of reservations, seating is by reservation only. May I kindly have your name?"
"Okay then, my name is Yume… Yume Kagami," he answered.
"Thank you, sir. Your table is number 06 for two persons. Please, follow me and enjoy your meal," the staff replied with a smile.
Zenji couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the conversation, but he followed along as they walked toward the table. As they sat down, Zenji thought, This place is so huge—almost as large as my castle dining room. But why are there so many separate tables?
After a moment, Yume asked, "Okay, Yami, what would you like to eat?" Zenji looked at the menu, thinking, People here eat so many different foods than in my world. What should I say? Finally, he hesitated and said, "Okay, big brother, order whatever you think is best. I'm not sure what is good for me right now."
"In that case," Yume decided, "I think grilled chicken and fruit juice will be best for you. I'm ordering a grilled chicken burger and an apple juice for you, is that okay?"
"That's fine," Zenji replied, and Yume smiled, adding, "I'll have the same."
After some time, when Zenji had finished his meal, Yume said, "Let's go home."
"Right," Zenji agreed.
As they headed toward the exit, Zenji overheard a bold conversation between a greeting staff member and a customer. The customer said, "I already prepaid and reserved table six, so why isn't it showing on your list?"
The staff member replied, "I think it's a glitch. I've called my manager—please wait a moment."
Suddenly, Zenji felt a jolt of surprise, and a part of a long-forgotten memory was triggered. Overwhelmed, he unconsciously collapsed to the floor.