The world was vast, filled with countless mysteries beyond human understanding. It was the world we lived in. But have you ever wondered if there was another world out there, one just like ours? If such a place existed, it would surely be astonishing—a place where we could meet others.
That was the dream I always longed for in my slumber. Was I alone? Was there anyone else in this world? Did anyone need me? I did not know if this was a nightmare or a beautiful dream. I was merely a lonely person in this world. I wished for others to notice me. I wished for others to see me. I wished for someone to speak to me.
Then, I saw a light. From within that glow, a hand reached out toward me. I wondered—was it an angel? Slowly, that hand drew closer, and I stretched mine toward it…
"RING! RING! RING!"
The alarm clock rang, shattering the dream. My eyes opened, and I got out of bed, heading straight for the bathroom. Every morning, I only brushed my teeth and skipped bathing. Was that normal for others? Afterward, I stood before the wardrobe mirror, wondering about its age—the carvings were intricate and expensive-looking.
With that, I finished my morning routine and prepared for school. I was just an ordinary student. As I left my room, I failed to notice a shadow lingering in the mirror—one that seemed to be reflecting someone else standing there.
I had said it before, hadn’t I? I was just an ordinary student. I walked to school every day, preferring to travel on foot. There were sights one could only appreciate by walking. But I often pondered—was each day the same? Was this world truly unchanging?
At school, I simply sat in class, reading reference books. Unlike others, I did not seek the so-called "youthful experience." To me, youth was exhausting. I disliked crowded or noisy places. I preferred solitude in my room.
When the school day ended, my classmates excitedly discussed their plans—where to go, what to do. I found humans to be truly pitiful. They considered their activities to be good, yet in reality, they were foolish. Meanwhile, the things they deemed bad often held true value.
Youth was terrifying. Perhaps people labelled me as a loner, or maybe just a fool? There was a time when a teacher escorted me into school after lessons had already begun. At the gate, many students were being punished for being late. But I, walking beside a teacher, entered without consequence. After that, rumours spread.
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"No, he’s just acting superior."
To others, my school life seemed miserable. My parents tried everything to make me comfortable there, from speaking with my homeroom teacher to various other efforts. But to me, it was all the same. Nothing could change me.
Finally, I returned to my room—free at last from my daily torment. My room was my world. Here, I was the ruler.
Sitting inside, I thought about my wardrobe again. It looked ancient. As I inspected it, my eyes caught something unusual in the mirror—a shadow. It seemed like someone was opening a door. My curiosity grew, and I leaned in for a clearer look. Closer. Closer.
To my shock, the reflection revealed a room—one elegant and feminine. But wait… if I was looking into a mirror, shouldn't it reflect my own room? I turned around to compare the real space with what I saw in the glass. They were nothing alike.
Then, I noticed something even more startling.
Inside the mirror, a girl appeared. She had not noticed me. Without hesitation, she began changing clothes. Was this some kind of futuristic projection? She casually reached into her wardrobe, retrieving new attire, and then began dressing in front of the mirror.
Just as she was about to put on her shirt, she froze—her eyes widening. A new shadow had appeared in the mirror. She focused, looking closer. Closer. Closer. Then—
"HYAAA!!!"
She bolted from her room in terror.
I sat there, staring at the mirror, trying to convince myself I had not imagined it. I flipped through my reference books, searching for answers.
Meanwhile, in her world, the girl who had fled was also struggling with her thoughts.
"Was that just my imagination? Was it a ghost? No, no—it must have been a trick of my mind."
Determined to prove herself wrong, she decided to check again.
She sat before the mirror—just as I did. Both of us waited. And waited.
The clock struck three.
A shadow emerged.
I saw her, and she saw me.
To test the reality of our encounter, we placed our hands on the mirror. The glass was solid. It was just a regular mirror, wasn’t it? Yet, I attempted to speak, choosing my words carefully.
"Hello."
I wondered if she understood my language.
To my surprise, she smiled and responded, "Hello."
Her smile was… beautiful.
Startled, I turned away, my thoughts racing.
"Humans are miserable. Humans are miserable. There is no such thing as a beautiful human."
But when I turned back, she was still smiling.
I thought she must be a ghost.
I asked, "Are you a ghost?"
She laughed. "No, I’m human."
"Human? There is no human like you," I thought.
The clock neared four. Her figure began to fade.
I quickly asked, "What’s your name?"
But she did not answer. Perhaps she did not hear me.
Still, deep inside, I felt something unfamiliar—happiness.
The dream I had always wished for… it had become real.
Maybe, just maybe, another world truly existed beyond my own.
A mirror—just like those in fairy tales or fantasy worlds. But could it be real in this world? Was I just imagining things?
That first encounter had been the most astonishing event of my life. I could not put into words what had happened. Had I been the first to experience it? Whether I was the first or not did not matter to me. I could hardly wait to meet her again, to ask her name and about her world.
The clock nearly struck six, and I was still in my room, reading a few reference books. Suddenly, from the mirror, a blinding light appeared. Without hesitation, I rushed toward it. A shadow began forming within the glass. Was this event about to repeat itself? I wondered. I leaned in for a clearer look.
And then, it happened again.
All I saw was a room.
I kept thinking—where had that girl gone? Had she been afraid of me? Did she not want to speak to me? I waited, reading my reference books as I did. After a few minutes, the door in the mirror's reflection slowly opened. I put my book down for a moment and gazed into the mirror.
A girl stepped in.
"Finally, she's here," I thought.
She noticed the light emanating from the mirror and immediately approached it. At last, we found ourselves face-to-face again.
Now that I could see her properly, I realised—she was kind of cute.
I greeted her, "Hi."
She replied with a wave, and I grinned, waving back.
I had always been shy when talking to strangers. Hahaha.
Gathering my courage, I asked, "What’s your name?"
She hesitated before answering, "My name is ****."
I introduced myself as well, "I'm ****."
And just like that, we started chatting—laughing, sharing stories.
Was this what happiness felt like?
Was this what it meant to laugh?
Was this what it meant to have a conversation?
It felt… nice.
The clock neared seven. Her reflection in the mirror started to fade.
I quickly waved and said, "See you again."
She waved back.
As I sat there, I pondered. Had this phenomenon only lasted a short while? The shadow had appeared at six and disappeared at seven—that meant it only lasted an hour.
An hour of joy.
An hour spent with someone extraordinary.
Was this what happiness felt like? Was this what it meant to be happy?
But then—why was I crying?
I had always believed that humans were miserable creatures.
So why couldn't I see her as miserable?
I laughed to myself—laughing while tears fell down my face.
This phenomenon only occurred every three hours, which meant I had to be ready by nine o'clock.
I hurried downstairs for dinner, grabbing some snacks and a drink. My parents looked puzzled—why had I come down at seven? Usually, I would not leave my room until nine or ten.
They asked, "What’s going on with you?"
I simply answered, "I just feel… a little happy."
They were shocked. They had never seen me happy at home or at school before. Their questions only multiplied.
But I brushed them off, "It’s nothing."
After eating, I returned to my room.
I opened my book and placed my snacks in front of the mirror.
Like a fool, I just sat there—staring at the mirror, reading my book.
What was I reading? A mix of novels, science books, but my favorite had always been history.
The clock struck nine.
The shadow appeared again.
I set my book and snacks aside and looked into the mirror.
She was standing there, right in front of the glass.
"Was she waiting for me?" I wondered.
I wanted to greet her first, but before I could, she raised her hand and waved, flashing that sweet smile of hers.
My heart nearly burst.
I felt embarrassed—lalalala.
I asked, "Why are you already standing in front of the mirror?"
She smiled again and answered, "Because I knew you would come to meet me."
Ahhh… my heart!
A girl like her—she could not be real.
I asked again, "Do you know what this phenomenon is?"
She shook her head. "Actually, this is my first time experiencing it, too."
We talked and laughed together for another hour.
The clock struck ten.
Her reflection started fading again.
I waved. "See you again."
She waved back.
And then, she was gone.
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