It was at this moment that Ray realized the truth—he had two friends who had also reincarnated into the same world as him, and not only that, they existed in the same timeline.
The realization hit him like a silent wave.
All three of them stood there with tears welling in their eyes, throats tight, and hearts pounding. No words came out of their mouths, as if speaking might shatter the fragile reality they had just uncovered. The air felt heavy, charged with emotions too deep to name.
It was Ray who finally broke the silence.
"How did you figure out who I am?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.
Ryan and Grace exchanged a glance—one filled with understanding, shared memories, and unspoken confirmation. Then Ryan looked back at Ray and spoke.
"It was when you said the storm is coming," Ryan said slowly. "That's when memories of you surfaced for a second. Then you said something that only Grace and I could recognize from our previous life."
Ryan paused, as if reliving the moment.
"Then, just to make sure we guessed right, I asked a question using the name Kano. That was your gaming nickname." He let out a faint smile. "And you answered to it naturally. You didn't even notice."
Grace nodded, her voice soft when she spoke.
"You gave us the biggest hint when you responded to the name Elena," she said. "That's when we knew for sure—the person we knew from our past life was you."
Ray turned to Grace, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"You lied," he said quietly.
Grace looked away, her cheeks flushing red. She clenched her hands together, embarrassed.
"It was supposed to be a secret," she admitted. "I couldn't expose that I was reincarnated too. Ryan and I had a plan regarding who would reveal the secret and who would keep it hidden.
Ray nodded slowly, understanding her hesitation.
"I would've done the same thing if I were in Ryan's situation," he said.
It was at this moment that Ryan exhaled deeply, as if letting out years of bottled-up memories.
"Since childhood, you, I, and Elena were best friends," Ryan began. "We played together, lived as neighbors, and went to the same school. That's why your parents trusted us."
Ray nodded as memories flooded back.
"Those were good times," he said quietly. "Then, at sixteen, we went to college far away from home. Elena—with her weak health—fought her parents just to join the same college as us."
Ryan chuckled softly.
"We were inseparable."
Then his voice grew low.
"But after we joined college, we got bad news. The company our fathers worked for went bankrupt."
Ray lifted his chin slightly, a hint of pride crossing his face.
"But we found our way," he said. "I got a fifty-percent scholarship, while you and Elena got a hundred percent."
Ryan nodded.
"But for you, it was still expensive."
Ray sighed.
"Luckily, we stayed in the dorm. I knew taking loans would trap me later. Then I saw an advertisement—part-time work. But it didn't pay enough." His eyes darkened slightly. "Then I saw another ad—gaming tournaments. If I won, I'd get paid. I joined a team and earned enough to cover college."
Ryan chuckled.
"Fast forward—you became famous. You did well academically too, but you never joined a company. You earned more money through gaming."
Ray laughed and protested, nudging him lightly.
"Hey! I invested in stocks too. I made even more money—business student, remember?"
Ryan sighed dramatically.
"After graduation, you didn't want further studies or a job. You made gaming your career. My sister and I went on—engineering for me, environmental studies for her."
Ray smiled faintly.
"That's when we started living in different places."
Ryan waved it off with a laugh.
"Even then, we visited your new house once in a while."
Ray smacked Ryan lightly on the head.
"Once in a while? It was every day! You guys bothered me so much I couldn't even practice."
"Haha!" Ryan laughed, holding his head.
Grace smiled quietly, listening to them with warmth—but she noticed it too. Their laughter slowly faded, replaced by silence. The mood shifted, sinking like the sun behind clouds.
Ryan and Ray fell quiet, faces growing heavy.
After a few moments, Ray sighed.
"Then came the gloomy days," he said softly. "Elena suddenly fell sick."
Ryan nodded, his voice filled with sorrow.
"It was an unknown illness. The doctors couldn't find a cure. They examined her again and again."
Ryan's hand clenched into a fist, anger and helplessness flashing in his eyes.
Ray's fingers curled as well.
"Elena always tried to smile in front of us," Ray said.
Ryan shook his head.
"In front of me only. She cried only when she was with you."
Ray's eyes widened.
"You knew?"
Ryan sighed.
"I heard it once. She was crying, begging to be cured. She wanted to stay with us… forever."
Ray smiled faintly through the pain.
"With the money I earned, I took her to a better hospital. And there… they said they could cure her."
Ryan smiled too, hope flickering in his eyes.
"That gave us hope. And that's where we met Grace—she was in the same ward."
Ray chuckled.
"You should've seen your face when you saw her for the first time."
Ryan laughed softly.
"It was love at first sight."
Grace chuckled, cheeks warming.
"You tried to woo her every day," Ray teased. "And got rejected every time."
Ryan sighed dramatically.
"Hey! I won her over in the end."
Grace blushed deeply, saying nothing.
Ray smiled.
"About six months later, you got engaged. You planned to marry once Elena got better."
Ryan sighed.
"And that's when you joined a new team."
Ray's smile faded.
"And that's when my nightmare began."
Grace lowered her gaze, her expression filled with sadness as the weight of the past settled over them once more.
Then Ray's expression changed. His shoulders tensed, and his voice dropped, laced with emotion.
"There's something I need to know," Ray said. "What happened after I died of malnutrition? What happened to my family? What happened to Elena… and you guys?"