Volume 1, Chapter 9: Same Age

The sun was slowly setting, bathing the forest in a soft golden glow. Lily led Ken along a narrow path winding through the trees. Though the walk was long, they moved at an easy pace, chatting casually, as if simply enjoying each other’s company. The forest felt peaceful, their footsteps barely disturbing the tranquil silence.“Lily,” Ken said, glancing at her with curiosity, “I’ve been wondering… How old are you?”Lily looked at him, slightly surprised, as if she hadn’t expected the question.“Seventeen,” she replied calmly, but Ken noticed how her expression softened, touched by his interest.Ken grinned like he’d just uncovered a delightful secret.“No way! You’re seventeen too? That means we’re the same age!” he said, clearly excited, causing Lily to blush slightly.“Same age?” she repeated, a bit flustered. “Is… is that important in your world?”“Of course it is!” Ken beamed, enjoying her genuine curiosity. “We’d probably be in the same class at school. Just imagine - sitting side by side, doing homework together, sneaking answers during tests…”Lily blinked, clearly confused, her brows furrowing as she tried to make sense of his words.“In the same… class? Is that a place?” she asked, trying to follow along.Ken chuckled and leaned in, like he was about to let her in on a secret.“In my world, we have schools,” he explained, loving the way she listened so intently. “Big buildings where kids go to learn. We spend half the day there, sitting at desks, studying all kinds of stuff - math, history, literature, you name it. A class is a group of students around the same age who study together.”Lily’s eyes widened with wonder, her mouth slightly open as she tried to imagine it.“A whole group of people the same age, learning together?” she said slowly, still wrapping her head around it. “And… every day? For half a day?”“Yep, and for about twelve years straight. And then there’s university after that!” Ken laughed, seeing her eyes widen even more. “It might sound strange, but school’s a great place to meet people, make friends, and just have fun.”“I can’t imagine that,” Lily admitted, her face tinged with red. “In our village, it’s different. My family taught me how to hunt, fight, and survive in the forest. There aren’t many people here, so friends my age… I barely have any.”“I get that,” Ken nodded thoughtfully. “But honestly, that sounds kind of romantic - knowing everything about life in a place like this. And learning to hunt and fight? Lily, that’s amazing! I’ve only ever read about that in books and games.”Lily smiled, a little flustered, glancing away to hide the faint blush on her cheeks.“I just did what I had to,” she said shyly. “In the village, you need to know how to defend yourself and be useful. But I don’t think it’s anything special.”“You’re kidding, right?” Ken said with mock disbelief, letting out an exaggerated sigh. “Try finding someone in my world who fights monsters and survives. You’re a real hero to your village, Lily.”“Oh, stop it,” Lily laughed quietly, lowering her head, her cheeks reddening again. “You’re giving me too much credit.”Ken grinned, satisfied he’d made her smile. They continued down the path, and after a few minutes, Ken started another conversation.“You mentioned there aren’t many people here. Just how small is your village?”Lily looked off into the distance, as if picturing her home through his eyes.“Our village is tiny. Just a few families - maybe around forty people in total,” she said, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “The houses are old, built by our ancestors. I live on the edge of the village, right by the forest. It’s quiet - if you can call it that.”“Sounds cozy,” Ken said. “And really peaceful. Honestly, I’d love to live in a place like that.”Lily smiled, her eyes sparkling briefly before she looked away.“Maybe you’d like it,” she said softly. “Especially if you love nature and solitude. The forest is close, and sometimes you can hear the wind in the trees, and at night… the stars shine so brightly.”“I’d love to see the stars here,” Ken said with a dreamy sigh. “In my world, you can see stars too, but in the city, there are so many lights that the night sky is often hidden.”“So many lights… in the city?” Lily repeated, surprised. “You lived in a big city, Ken?”“Yeah, you could say that,” he nodded. “A huge city - skyscrapers, noisy streets, people rushing everywhere. It’s exciting, but exhausting too. Now that I’m here, I realize how much I missed peace and quiet.”“I can’t imagine living with so many people… in buildings towering over everything,” Lily said, looking around at the trees. “But it sounds… exciting?”“Sometimes, yeah,” Ken said warmly, “but sometimes, I feel like I’m missing something important - something you can only find here, away from all the noise.”Lily blushed slightly again, her expression softening.A few more minutes passed before Lily pointed down a barely visible trail.“We’re almost there. That’s my home, just up ahead.”