Chapter 026 - A Date

Cyan opened his eyes and woke up from his dream; however, this time his dream has ended earlier than before, as he tried to struggle to change it, even though he has failed, he has now thought of something else he could do to change the future.

[Cyan]: “If I want to change it, then I need to change myself first”

Cyan realized in his dream that he could not change it because, he was the same every time, then for changing it, he needs to change itself first.

Cyan took out his phone and read throughout his notifications, there were quite a few notifications more than yesterday, however, he ignored those and read how much stats he has gained overnight.

Notification [Midas]: “Player grows +6 STR”

Notification [Midas]: “Player grows +6 DEX”

Notification [Midas]: “Player grows +6 END”

Notification [Midas]: “Player grows +6 STA”

Notification [Midas]: “Player grows +2 INT”

The potion had worked his magic and his stats increased by 6 points, this also included the extra point he got from the potion to each of his stats that had increased; however, what attracted Cyan attention was the fact that his INT has also increased. Cyan now could understand that it has increased because of the change in the way he thought, but even this was just a clue, he could not quite understand yet how this will affect him.

In total Cyan has earned a total of 24 points in his stats in one night, however, this was not enough for Cyan; he still remembers that he has not been using the full strength of his stats, and earning more stats does not mean getting stronger if he did not use them.

However, for now, Cyan could check out his new status.

[Status]

[Information]

- Type: Player

- Name: Cyan

- Status: Normal

- Location: [Training Tower]

- Level: 0

- Profession: None

- Sub-Profession: None

[Stats]

- Strength (STR): 37

- Dexterity (DEX): 37

- Endurance (END): 37

- Stamina (STA): 37

- Intelligence (INT): 15

- Free Points: 20

After his growth of 6 points, he should be in 32 for each stat, but after completing [Start Your Training II] yesterday, he got a reward of 10.000 Credits and 5 points for each of his four stats, and 5 Free Points, for now, Cyan still opted for saving those Free Points for later use.

Lastly, Cyan checked his inventory.

[Inventory]

- Credits: 28.150

[Items]

- Ticket for entry to Floors 5 to 8 x13

[Equipment]

- School Uniform

He had earned quite a bit of Credits during the night, it seems that Players that used Floor 8 were more active during the night than the day, well, not that a cycle of night and day even matter to them.

After Cyan checked how many Credits he has now, he took a bath and then exited his room and headed to the [Food Area], today he will start giving his all, and he was already eager to get started with Karga training, from today onwards, things will change.

.

.

.

Cyan soon arrived at Floor 3 and found Alice sitting at a table all alone while ordering breakfast, he could not help but wonder where everyone else has gone.

[Cyan]: “Can I take a seat?”

Cyan still remembers what happened yesterday; he did not want to intrude in Alice breakfast if she would rather eat alone today.

Alice turned around and gave a smile when she heard Cyan asking for a seat, after yesterday events she felt more relaxed now, she has to look at the present right now, and not to a dream that may never come, and after making out her mind once more about the future, she answered Cyan question.

[Alice]: “Yes you can, there is no need to ask for that, you know?”

Cyan nodded and took a seat in the table, and after he had ordered something for breakfast, he asked Alice a question.

[Cyan]: “Do you know where everybody else has gone to?”

It was early, so they should be here, he was feeling a little stiff with the thought of meeting Karla again, after yesterday discussion, however, he could only conclude that Karla was just trying to help him and not harm to him, even though that was what it looked at the beginning.

[Alice]: “Yes, they have said they have something very important to do with Boss today, and that they can’t train for today. They also have said that we can train on our own or that if we want we can also take the day off, however, Miss Karla said that if they got the time later on they would join us for lunch”

Cyan nodded

[Cyan]: “I understand”

Even though Cyan has said he understands, he still felt a let down as he was planning to give it his all today and not hold anything back for today’s training, but now he was cut short even before starting.

In the end Cyan could only eat his breakfast in silence while thinking what else he should be doing for today, taking the Day Off was not an option, even after they have been training like lunatics for five days in a row, however, he still had the feeling of wanting to do something else.

Cyan turned his head around to look at Alice as he thought of something he wanted to change.

[Cyan]: “Alice”

Alice could only turn around and look at Cyan with a smile, how much time has passed for Cyan to change and call her by her name so naturally unlike before when he would call her Class President.

[Alice]: “Yes Cyan?”

[Cyan]: “What are you planning on doing for today?”

Alice thought for a second, she has not come to a decision yet, however.

[Alice]: “I am not sure; however, I think I will go to the track to train as staying in my room while doing nothing would be boring”

Cyan nodded.

[Cyan]: “Then, do you want to do something else besides training?”

[Alice]: “Sure, but what else can we do?”

[Cyan]: “Well, we could go on a date?”

Alice almost spilled out her drink, this, this was not something she was expecting at all.

[Alice]: “Are you seriously asking me out now?”

[Cyan]: “That… if you don’t want to I can understand”

However, the reaction of Alice was.

[Alice]: “Pffff hahaha”

Alice started to laugh; Cyan could not feel more ashamed in his entire life, for the first time that he has asked Alice out on a date only for her to laugh.

[Cyan]: “You only had to say no you know…”

Alice calmed down when she saw that she had made Cyan feel sad.

[Alice]: “That’s not it; Ok, I will go in a date with you”

Cyan eyes lit out.

[Cyan]: “Really?”

[Alice]: “Yeah, however, I can’t believe it took you so much time”

Cyan went back to feeling sad.

[Cyan]: “Sorry”

[Alice]: “Why are you apologizing for now?”

[Cyan]: “That…, I am sorry…”

Alice could only let it go with a sigh; however, there was something else Alice is also curious.

[Alice]: “Just answer me this with honesty; why now?”

Cyan thought for a moment before answering.

[Cyan]: “I just want things to go…, differently this time”

[Alice]: “This time?”

Cyan thought that telling other people about time travel nonsenses would earn him the label of a crazy person, so he has come out with another reason.

[Cyan]: “That dream, I will change it as I have promised, and for that, I will also change myself…, and for that…,”

Alice could only let out a sigh and shook her head, showing her disapproval.

[Alice]: “Will you also change from being the Cyan that I like?”

Cyan could only go mute, Alice has just told him that she likes him, but then, he has said that he would change it, what he should be saying right now? Can he say that he will not be changing that part out? However, if he wants to change everything up, will he have to change that too?

Seeing Cyan reaction and his hesitation to answer, Alice could only give a smile, as if Alice was reading his thoughts.

[Alice]: “If you want to change everything, then the only thing you have to change is to stop being afraid all the time, the rest will come on his own”

[Cyan]: “That’s…” – it was similar to what Karla has said.

However, Cyan could not say that part out, because, he was thinking he would have to change himself in every aspect to achieve his goal, that was because didn’t know what exactly he has to change, so he would have to that to change in everything, however, Alice was telling him he only needs to change one thing.

Cyan turned his head to look at Alice.

[Cyan]: “That’s all?”

Alice nodded.

[Alice]: “Yes, just like now, when you asked me out in the silliest way possible”

Alice giggled while Cyan face became red.

[Cyan]: “Then, there is something that I also want to tell you”

[Alice]: “What it is?”

Cyan gathered his courage as stopped being afraid for once.

[Cyan]: “I also like you”

Alice face also has become red at that point, been said that by the person she likes was making her feel happy.

Alice nodded.

[Alice]: “I know”

…

[Alice]: “Where we should go for our date then?”

[Cyan]: “I know a place”

Cyan knew just the place.

.

.

.

[Alice]: “I can’t believe there was such place inside the [Rest Area]”

Right now Cyan and Alice were having a picnic in an open area in Floor 4 under the shade of a tree, unlike the [Lobby] the [Rest Area] was just like a park that you could enjoy.

[Cyan]: “it is just that every time we come here is after training and then we have to go back to train so we can’t appreciate it”

Alice nodded with her head.

[Alice]: “I guess you are right”

Cyan and Alice continue with their picnic talking about miscellaneous stuff like school, friends and… family.

[Alice]: “You ask me out without asking for my father's permission first, you know he is going to be angry with you now”

[Cyan]: “That… your father is too scary, I would not want to make him feel angry, shouldn’t we be heading back now?”

Alice could only giggle at Cyan bad joke.

[Alice]: “You haven’t seen him when he is angry though, when I didn’t do my homework, he would make me run around the block like a drill sergeant, however, he didn’t get angry if I didn’t get a perfect grade, as his motive was the sense of responsibility of doing your duty more than anything else”

[Cyan]: “I can see that happening, sigh, you think that after we go back can I ask for his permission and he wouldn’t get angry?”

Alice could only giggle again.

[Alice]: “You probably would end up running all around the apartment building anyway, he would say you look too weak, you need to run more”

Cyan could only drop his shoulders.

[Alice]: “But thanks to that I enjoy running… every time I run I can remember my parent’s smile, as mom would also join us in the morning”

Cyan could see Alice eyes tearing up; being away from her parents was too hard for her, and the way they forced her to come to the Tower.

[Cyan]: “I can totally see him saying something like “If you want to date my daughter you will have to beat me! Let’s fight!” or something like that

Alice laughter was sweet for Cyan to hear, showing that he was in the right; Alice could totally also see that happening when they get back to earth.

[Alice]: “He would do that, however, after 4 weeks in here, I don’t think you would lose against him in a fight”

[Cyan]: “Don’t joke with me… I don’t think I can beat your father all, he is…”

Alice shook her head

[Alice]: “You don’t have to play low because of me; I am growing stronger with each day, but you are growing to a totally different pace than I am”

[Cyan]: “That’s…”

[Alice]: “I don’t think my father could beat you after training your stats to its peaks during four weeks, and not to mention that if you went really serious and asked Boss to train you then…”

Before Alice could continue, she was interrupted by Cyan retort.

[Cyan]: “Then I would be turned into dust if I asked Boss to train me”

[Alice]: “Even so, you would become stronger after that, strong enough that almost no one would be able to beat you”

[Cyan]: “there is no way that…”

[Alice]: “… it is because if are afraid of failing?”

[Cyan]: “That’s not it… I”

[Alice]: “In the dream, the Cyan that I saw was very strong, strong enough he could win against an army of monsters, nevertheless, that Cyan was also very afraid of losing, and that’s why...”

Cyan could only shake his head, in the dream, he could look around him, but he could not look at himself in a mirror, was that Cyan also afraid?

[Cyan]: “That's just a dream”

Even if just was a dream.

[Alice]: “Didn’t you said that you want to do things differently this time? Then what it is holding you back from doing just that?”

[Cyan]: “I…”

Cyan was frozen in time as the answer was stuck in his throat and did not want to go out… he could answer it, he knew the answer, however, the answer refuses to come out of his mouth because that would…

Alice gazed landed in Cyan, and then she stretched her hand out and held Cyan hand while interconnecting their fingers. This gave Cyan the courage he needed, Cyan eyes started to cry as he forced the answer out from his mouth, “You are so pathetic” resounded in his brain, however, the voice he heard was female, but it was not from Karla, but someone else he didn’t know, even so, this has not stopped him this time.

[Cyan]: “It hurts…”

Alice nodded, urging Cyan to continue.

[Cyan]: “it hurts so much, every time, that I have tried, I failed, it hurts so much watching you die all the time, even when I try”

Cyan eyes kept dropping drops of water, as the pain inside his mind invaded his body and started to go to the surface once again, just like his first day on the Tower.

This was the pain he has been holding him back and came crawling back from his brain together with the memories of three lives that were not his, and where he had already failed to save Alice, however, he could not let those memories go.

Alice felt a pain in her hand that has been transmitted from Cyan; the pain was just a part of what Cyan was feeling and not in a form of any physical pain but in the form of emotions like remorse, hate, love, and regret.

[Alice]: “Then why don’t you stop holding onto such a thing”

[Cyan]: “That, I can’t let them go”

Alice could understand that Cyan was afraid of letting go of such memories, even though they should be painful, he was still holding onto them, but in actuality, what he was just holding onto was onto the pain that memories brought.

[Alice]: “If you don’t let it out, it will only accumulate and hurt you more, if you let it out it will vanish like a dream that never existed”

Cyan could only groan at the pain of loss and helplessness that was inside his head, the pain of three failed lives where inside his mind, the repressed emotions that he had been accumulating in his body filling it to the brink, until his body and mind could not take it anymore, making him freeze, even so…

[Cyan]: “I don’t want to lose you again”

[Alice]: “You won’t, I am still here, now, let them go”

Cyan was afraid of letting go of what remained of his memories, even if, it was only the pain that remained. Even so, in the end, he opened up his hand and released Alice hand and his fears with it; he felt the pain fading away at the same time as his conscience dimmed out until he fainted to the ground.

[Alice]: “You should sleep for now; I will be here when you wake up”

Even though Cyan has fainted, he has managed to hear those words out from Alice.

.

.

.

When Cyan opened his eyes again, his head was being supported by something soft and warm, Cyan could see the face of Alice’s face in front of him as he looked up.

[Alice]: “You up?”

Cyan nodded

[Cyan]: “How long did a sleep?”

[Alice]: “About 1 hour, does it hurt?”

[Cyan]: “It doesn’t hurt anymore”

[Alice]: “That’s good”

Cyan stood up and took a seat beside Alice.

Even so, Alice asked something she was curious.

[Alice]: “Who are you?”

Cyan face stiffened.

[Cyan]: “What…, what do you mean, I am Cyan”

Alice shook her head as she refused this answer.

[Alice]: “What Cyan are you?”

Cyan could only let out a sigh.

[Cyan]: “I was found out?”

Alice nodded.

[Cyan]: “I guess I am the Cyan from the future then”

[Alice]: “Then Cyan is?”

[Cyan]: “He will be back in a moment; I just wanted to see you one last time”

Alice nodded, as she took out her phone.

[Alice]: “You are the one that has been texting me all this time?”

Cyan nodded making Alice let out a sigh.

[Alice]: “Would he remember you?”

Cyan shook his head.

[Cyan]: “I will be gone for good now”

[Alice]: “Did my parents…”

Cyan shook his head again.

[Cyan]: “The future has changed into a new path I don’t know what will happen anymore”

Alice nodded.

[Alice]: “I understand”

[Cyan]: “Take good care of him for me will you?”

[Alice]: “I will”

Cyan looked at Alice's face for one last time.

[Cyan]: “Before I go, can you tell me how did you figure out?”

Alice thought for a second before nodding, answering this question would not change anything.

[Alice]: “Your eyes… look red, while Cyan eyes are blue”

.

.

.

Cyan opened his eyes and saw Alice face staring at him as if examining his expression. Cyan felt his head was support for something soft and warm, and then Cyan noticed he was getting a lap pillow from Alice.

[Cyan]: “Do I have something in my face?”

Alice shook his head and smile.

[Alice]: “How are you feeling?”

Cyan checked his body and saw nothing was out of place.

[Cyan]: “I think I am ok”

[Alice]: “Do you want to stay like this a little longer?”

Being nursed back to health like this Cyan could only nod.

[Cyan]: “How long did a sleep?”

Alice had a sense of Deja vu here, but she answered anyway.

[Alice]: “About 1 hour, right, you should check out your stats, someone has left you a present”

[Cyan]: “Who?”

Alice shook her head, as she did not know, what “that” was.

[Alice]: “I don’t know”

Even so, Cyan took his phone and checked his status

[Status]

[Information]

- Type: Player

- Name: Cyan

- Status: Normal

- Location: [Training Tower]

- Level: 0

- Profession: None

- Sub-Profession: None

[Stats]

- Strength (STR): 41

- Dexterity (DEX): 41

- Endurance (END): 41

- Stamina (STA): 41

- Intelligence (INT): 21

- Free Points: 20

Cyan tested his eyes to see if he was seeing this correctly, Alice confirmed she also saw the same stats, all of his stats had increased by a lot in just one hour, and it was a great jump in his stats, above all, his Intelligence that was in 15 now was it 21. In total, his stats had increased by 22 points.

Alice could only let out a sigh at Cyan cheating ability.

[Alice]: “You really are a cheater, are you perhaps the Main Character or something?”

[Cyan]: “What? There is no way that’s possible, besides, if I am the Main Character then you should be the Female Lead, right?”

Alice's face went red.

[Alice]: “What are you saying here?”

[Cyan]: “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Alice nodded, however.

[Alice]: “You still have to beat dad first though”

Cyan face paled again, because of the thought of fighting against the father of Alice and losing. Alice giggled to the white face of Cyan before holding his hand again and sharing with him a kiss.