I Smile: Life of a Side Character

Chapter 3: Dead

Author: Ps. Daphne was 1 year old in Chapter 1

------

A single word seemed to pierce through the silence. 

Died...So you've died... 

'Dead...was I dead?

'That's not right...I can't be dead.

'I...that's right...I died.'

Tears started to gather in Daphne's eyes. Ah, she never wanted to die. Even after all those jokes about wanting to die were said, she never wanted to die. There was still so many things she wanted to do. She wanted to go to college. Wanted to drink boba, fall in love, find a job, get married...live a good life...see her family.

'No...I-I don't want to die,' Daphne thought before her eyes focused in on what appeared to be a man in front of her. Yet the tears only allowed her to see a blurry outline of what he looked like. Even with that, it was quite obvious that he had an unfamiliar sense of familiarity. As if he's always been there. 

Daphne blinked, and the tears gathered in her eyes fell.

'But I don't want to live here! I want to go back! I want to see my mom, my dad, my sister, my brother...I'

Daphne opened her mouth, but the years of silence has taken it's toll as her voice came out hoarse and the words came out nearly indecipherable with the clumsy tongue that has never had to speak. Yet the meaning was there...

"...want to go home," Daphne whispered. And the floodgates opened. 

Daphne didn't know how long she's been crying, but she felt herself being picked up and hugged. At one point, the door opened and she felt herself get passed onto someone else. 

"It's alright honey," Daphne heard someone say, and a gentle hand started patted her back. The feeling of someone trying to comfort her made her cry harder until she started sobbing. And that's how she fell asleep, sapped of all energy she had left. 

---------

The sun had already risen when Daphne woke up, and she felt tired, her heart felt tired. She squinted as she tried to get up due to habit, but her muscles refused to cooperate. So she laid in bed for a while longer. As she stared at the ceiling, she was reminded about how she wasn't home anymore. 

She sighed in depression and closed her eyes, willing herself to go to sleep in order to escape reality. But her mind refused to, no matter how tired she was. It was like it knew that if it went back to sleep now, they would never wake up. 

Unwillingly, she opened her eyes again. But this time she was met by a man with round-rimmed glasses. They spent a few seconds to look at each other, or analyze each other to be more accurate. 

The more Daphne looked, the more she liked his forest green eyes. It gave his sharp features a hint of gentleness. 

"How do you feel?" he asked, retreating out of her vision. 

"Ah..." and that was all Daphne said, that was all she felt like she could say before feeling fatigued. 

"Well, that's better than before. Yumi? Help your master stand up," she heard the man say. 

'Ah...that's a nice voice' Daphne thought. It wasn't too high nor was it deep, but it was very silky. 

"Yes sir," she heard a cheerful, feminine voice call out. It was a very cute voice. Perhaps it was due to the cheerfulness that encompassed it, but the voice wasn't as annoying as one would imagine it to be. 

Then she felt hands pick gently prop her up to a sitting position. She she tilted her head to look at who propped her up, she saw a small, cute girl. If Daphne had to describe her, it would be chibi. She never would've thought that she would see a chibi in real life. 

The small woman had childish features, a loli. But the yellow eyes told a different story. Those yellow eyes had the same look as the man with the green eyes. 

It was then that Daphne noticed the two other people in the room. A male and female, sitting to left of the green-eyed man. When she came into eye contact with them, she saw a complicated emotion as if they couldn't decide if they should be happy or otherwise. 

At this point, the only thing she could think about was how big everything seemed. But looking at the people sitting down and the girl, Yumi, standing behind the green-eyed man, she assumed that it wasn't that the world got bigger, it was her that grew smaller. 

"So, there really isn't anything wrong with your daughter. Assuming she has been reincarnated, then she'll eventually get better. Though, she would need to at least talk once a day, else her feelings get bottled up and she reverts to her original state. 

The only problem other than her mental state would be her physical state. Not moving on her own accord for the past three years has severely weakened her. You'll probably have to find a physical trainer or something. I have a fellow swordsman that would be happy to teach your daughter, I don't think he's doing anything these days. However, he is rather harsh, so he doesn't have a lot of friends. But with your daughter's state, I think he's exactly what she needs. Any questions?"

"How old are you?" the woman with black hair and purple eyes asked. She had a small heart shaped face, with large eyes, but defined cheekbones that gave an air of maturity. 

There was a bit of silence before Daphne realized that the woman was talking to her. 

"Ah...15?" Daphne finally said, her dry voice prompted a maid to appear out of nowhere and deliver her water. 

Daphne took the cup from the tray in front of her, the hand holding the cup trembling like there was no tomorrow. 

Probably feeling pity, the maid helped her drink the water. The cool water slid down her throat, making the parched feeling in her throat that she knew existed, disappear. 

After drinking the water, she looked back up to see a satisfied expression on the woman's face. And feeling her gaze the woman smiled and said, "I'm just glad you're not 40 or something. That would be kinda weird."

Daphne continued to stare at the woman, unsure what to say to that. 

"Even though I do have all day, I assume that you guys want some alone time to sort this mess out, so goodbye," the green-eyed man cheerfully said. He opened up the window, and before Daphne could process what was happening, he jumped right out. 

Right behind him, the chibi jumped onto the window frame. She turned around and gave Daphne a sweet smile. 

"Bye-bye," the chibi said cheerfully, before falling out the window. 

Daphne blinked twice before turning her attention back to the man and woman who seemed to be a couple.