Chapter 167: Crayons for Christmas! (1)
Everyone froze as if they had stepped on a landmine that would explode at the slightest movement.I was no exception.5 seconds, 10 seconds passed. After what felt like an eternity but was actually quite brief, I came to my senses and took off my shoes.As I entered the living room, the frozen atmosphere thawed and people's expressions began to change.
"You..."
A woman, who by my calculations should now be 50 years old, raised her eyebrows high as she looked at me. Wearing an apron, she looked like an ordinary housewife.The only notable difference was that she had more gray hair than I remembered.I had once speculated that perhaps time had stopped in the world after I fell into that strange realm—but that was clearly not the case.
"...Where have you been all this time?"
My mother asked me.At that question, I felt as if countless stories were about to burst forth from deep within me like a tidal wave.
Where should I start?As I hesitated, overwhelmed by how much there was to say, a sturdy middle-aged man removed his glasses and put them in their case before speaking, moving his stern-looking jaw.
"Come in first. Tell the others behind you to come in too. It's not polite to keep people standing outside in the cold winter."
Those words felt like a solemn command. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that more than half of my life had been shaped by such commands.I thought things would be different now that I could cut even steel with my bare hands.But the man still seemed like an imposing mountain range, and I found it hard to imagine myself surpassing him.
"Everyone, come in."