Chapter 2: Another chance
Hiroshi felt a sudden brightness against his closed eyes. Instinctively, he raised his arm to block it. Slowly, he opened his eyes, and to his shock, he found himself in a bright, beautiful garden. Flowers bloomed in every corner, and he was sitting in a comfortable chair at a table filled with all kinds of desserts—cakes, pastries, fruits, and sweets.
"Where am I?" he muttered, confused and startled.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from nearby.
"Hiroshi Watanabe," the voice was clear and strong. Hiroshi froze for a moment, his heart skipping a beat.
He jumped out of the chair right away, alert and tense.
"Who are you?! Show yourself!" he shouted, his eyes scanning around. "Don't hide! Come out!"
But no one answered right away. Only the sound of the wind moving the leaves and the birds singing could be heard.
"Stop playing games!" Hiroshi shouted louder, his voice echoing. "Where am I? What do you want from me?!"
He took a few careful steps forward, turning his head in every direction, trying to find where the voice came from. But no one appeared.
As Hiroshi stood in the garden, still looking for the voice, the sky above him became even brighter. He raised his hand to block the light again. Then, a figure slowly came down from the sky. It wore a long white cloth over its body, and its presence felt calm but powerful.
Hiroshi's heart beat fast as the figure gently landed in front of him. It was glowing softly, its face peaceful but hard to read. The figure spoke in a calm voice.