Transmigrating to Heal His Heart

The days had passed quickly, each one filled with an intensity that neither Joey nor Rael had anticipated. They had grown closer, not just because of the mission but because of something deeper—something neither of them had fully acknowledged until now.

Joey had been keeping his distance lately, pulling back more than usual. The moments they spent together had become more precious to him, and that made leaving harder to bear. He wasn't sure what was happening to him anymore—he had been sent to make Rael happy, to fulfill his mission, but somewhere along the way, Joey had lost himself in the process.

Rael noticed the change, though he couldn't quite place it. Joey had always been kind and mischievous, and while there had been subtle shifts in his behavior, nothing seemed overt. But today, something felt different.

He found Joey standing on the balcony of the school, gazing out into the horizon, his hands resting on the railing. It was a typical scene—Joey always seemed to find peace there, away from the noise and chaos. But today, Rael couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

He approached quietly, not wanting to startle him, but Joey seemed lost in thought. As he drew closer, Joey turned, his eyes soft, almost distant.

"Hey," Rael said, trying to break the silence. "You okay?"

Joey gave a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about stuff."

Rael tilted his head, his brows knitting together. "Stuff? What kind of stuff?"

Joey shrugged, his expression unreadable. "The usual. Life, I guess."

There was a weight in his voice that made Rael pause. Joey wasn't the type to be this vague, especially not with him. But there was something about today that felt different. Rael felt an uneasy knot form in his stomach, though he couldn't figure out why.

"Joey," Rael said softly, stepping closer. "You've been acting strange lately. I can feel it."

Joey turned his gaze back to the horizon, his fingers gripping the railing just a little tighter. "Maybe it's just me. I'm not great at dealing with my feelings, you know?"

Rael didn't reply immediately, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considered Joey's words. Something was off—Joey was always so open, so playful, yet now he seemed distant, like a part of him had already pulled away.

Rael reached out, placing a hand on Joey's arm, his voice more insistent now. "Talk to me, Joey. What's really going on? You're not the same."

Joey didn't respond right away. Instead, he slowly turned to face Rael, his smile wavering. "I've just been thinking about things, that's all. I know you're not stupid—you can tell I'm not the same, right?"

Rael opened his mouth to say something but hesitated. He hadn't expected Joey to say it so plainly. The truth was, Rael had noticed the change, but he didn't know how to address it. The distance between them, the tension that had slowly crept in over the past few days—it was palpable.

"I can feel it," Joey continued, his voice quieter now. "But maybe... maybe it's for the best."

Rael frowned, a sense of dread seeping into his chest. "For the best? What are you talking about?"

Joey's smile became more genuine, though still tinged with sadness. "You'll understand eventually. You always do."

There was a moment of silence, the kind that felt heavier with each passing second. Rael wanted to press for more, to ask Joey to explain what he meant, but something stopped him. The words were stuck in his throat, just out of reach.

The air between them felt thick, and Rael realized how much he didn't want to lose Joey, even though he couldn't quite pinpoint why. Maybe it was because Joey had been the one constant in a life that had always felt so uncertain. Or maybe it was because Joey had become something more—something that wasn't just part of the mission anymore. But whatever it was, Rael wasn't ready to face it.

"Are you... leaving?" Rael asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He didn't know where the question had come from, but it felt like it had been there all along.

Joey's smile faded, and he quickly shook his head. "No. I'm not going anywhere." But his eyes told a different story—something unspoken, something that Rael couldn't understand. "I'm just... here. For now."

Rael didn't believe him, not completely. But the more Joey spoke, the more Rael realized that he wasn't going to get the answers he wanted. Joey wasn't going to tell him the truth—not now, not when there was so much left unsaid.

"You know," Joey said softly, his voice carrying a hint of finality. "You'll be fine. You've got so much ahead of you, Rael. You just need to trust yourself more. I believe in you."

Rael opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he just watched as Joey stepped away, his back turned as he walked toward the door.

And just like that, Joey was gone from the balcony, leaving Rael with nothing but the lingering feeling of something lost, something about to change.

Meanwhile, back in the room, the system's voice rang in Joey's ear:

System Alert:

Mission Complete. Transitioning soon. Prepare for departure.

Joey took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside him. He had done what he came to do, but the pull to stay was unbearable. He had no choice, though. He had to leave.

Before he went, however, he turned to the mirror and closed his eyes, focusing on the last step of his mission. His body shimmered faintly, and in a subtle, almost imperceptible shift, a part of his soul remained—just a fraction, a copy of himself left behind in the world.

With a final look at the place he had called home for so long, Joey felt the tug of the system calling him away.

But Rael would never know that he was not truly alone.