Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

The first ride, which was supposed to be quite normal—something even children went for—was the first time Mira had felt the thrill of being alive. Maybe it was because this was her first time enjoying something—being in an amusement park. Maybe it was just because she was with Alex—something she was more compelled to believe. One thing was sure: Mira's whole day had just started at that time.

After that, Alex led Mira from ride to ride. There was the dizzying Ferris wheel that gave them a panoramic view of the city below and the rapid rollercoaster that had Mira clinging to Alex's arm involuntarily as they zoomed through the tracks at breakneck speed.

Every twist and turn of the day brought a new emotion to the surface for Mira—something between wonder, excitement, and the warm rush of happiness she hadn't known she was capable of feeling.

She still didn't know what those feelings were, but she was sure that they were all good feelings, so she just let them be. She was too busy feeling alive to care about those things.

Right now, as it was already midday, they stopped for lunch at one of the park's outdoor cafes, a small, cozy spot with tables shaded by large umbrellas. The gentle hum of conversation and the clinking of plates filled the air.

Mira's gaze fixed on the meal Alex had ordered for them—something simple yet satisfying. But she didn't eat it and just kept staring at it, her mind reeling with some other thoughts.

'It didn't turn gray...' She muttered inwardly, her mind drifting back to the moment Alex left to order the food.

They had been moving around hand in hand, and Mira didn't let go for even a second, just enjoying her time without caring about the world. She didn't even notice that they had arrived at the cafe. It was only when Alex left to order their food that she realized where they were.

'N-No...' She had panicked, thinking that her world, which had been bright and colorful for hours, was going to return to the same tasteless gray world. Yes, Alex was coming back in a few seconds, but she didn't want to experience those depressing moments even for a second at that time.

She closed her eyes and gripped the tables she sat in front of, waiting for the world around her to go silent again, but not feeling any change for a while, she opened her eyes, only to see the same colorful world that she feared would've disappeared.

'Wha...' Mira experienced speechlessness for the first time, not understanding what was happening. But before she could think long about it, Alex's warmth and his smell reached her senses, and as she raised her head, she found Alex sitting in front of her, teasingly smiling at her.

Now, looking at her with amusement, Alex chuckled, "The food's not going to eat you, you know."

Those words brought Mira back to reality—her mind finally registered the food on the table. Her stomach rumbled as she muttered while touching her stomach, "Hungry?"

She was confused as to how she was hungry right now, even though she never got hungry back when she couldn't eat for days.

Looking at her blank yet confused gaze on him, Alex just smiled softly. "You've been having fun. It's normal to get hungry."

Mira's eyes gleamed with a silent understanding as she lowered her head and started picking up the sandwich on the plate, biting down at it.

Mira's eyes wandered around as she took small bites of the sandwich, looking at the people—young or old—carrying different types of souvenirs with smiles on their faces. She could feel their happiness, and for the first time, she didn't feel like an outsider in the bustling world.

Her eyes flickered toward Alex, who, just like her, was looking out of the glassed walls of the cafe, staring at his sharp contour. 'With Alex, everything felt... different,' she mused as she bit down on her sandwich.

For the first time, the noise, the chaos, the world spinning around them—it all made sense and didn't feel like some ancient language she wasn't supposed to learn about.

But just then, she noticed something. 'Huh? He's... done?' Her eyes widened a bit, giving her a comical look as her expression still remained blank.

Alex was done eating and was now wiping his lips, making Mira take larger bites, only to choke on her food.

Cough-Cough!

"Hey, hey," Alex, looking at that, hurriedly moved behind her, caressing her back as he gave her water to drink. "Take it easy, miss. I'm not going anywhere, alright?"

His assurance made Mira calm down as she nodded her head, holding Alex's hand with her free hand, making Alex raise a brow before he pulled the chair on the other side of the table onto Mira's side and sat beside her, letting her have his hand for as long as she wanted, making Mira elated.

Soon, when they were done with their food and had enough rest from the continuous rides, they went back to enjoying their time. However, this time, they chose the less violent rides.

The hours drifted by as they roamed from one attraction to the next—each ride, each moment, making Mira feel as though she were living in a dream.

From the bumper cars, where Alex had mercilessly crushed her with his past life's car driving skills. It was still a thing of wonder for Alex how things like this, which originated in modern worlds like Alex's, were seen here, but he didn't put much thought into it.

His focus remained on Mira as they went to the house of mirrors, where they lost each other for a few minutes in a maze of glass and reflections. Mira had never been this free—never felt like she could just... be. It was all new to her, which was precisely why she was enjoying every moment more and more.

Soon, as the sun began to set, the sky turning shades of orange and pink, Alex led Mira toward the final stop of their adventure—the large, majestic Air Balloons. There were many of them bound by thick and heavy wires to the ground, as there were still some ten minutes before they would be sent into the sky.

And Alex, among the group, had his gaze fixed on a particular balloon—one with black and gold engraving over it.

'The rank 1 balloon,' Alex nodded in affirmation as the balloon looked just like it was told to be in the novel.

Alex looked around the area; it was much quieter now, with fewer people filling the grounds—especially this area, as it was supposed to be the most costly ride and the special attraction of the park.

"Ready for the big one?" Alex asked as he turned to Mira, his voice calm yet teasing. He could see Mira's gaze, for some reason, fixed on the rank 1 balloon as well.

So, as he saw her nodding her head, clenching her fingers around his, he smiled, walking toward the balloon.

[Booked.]

Alex's eyes did notice the sign placed next to the balloon, but he ignored it and walked forward, standing in front of the balloon. It was so big that Alex and Mira looked like a pair of rabbits standing in front of an elephant.

"Your ticket?" Breaking both Mira and Alex out of their musing, a gruff voice came from the side, making both of them turn to the source, only to find a man reaching a bit around Alex's waist standing beside them with an impatient look in his eyes, tapping his feet on the ground continuously.

It was a dwarf—the one responsible for controlling the rank 1 air balloon.

These things could be booked a day before, and only those with tickets could enter. But Alex didn't have a ticket. His plan to come here was sudden, so he didn't have time to book a ticket.

Still, as he heard the dwarf's question, Alex began, "I don't have a ticket..." His voice was calm as he waved his hand, and before the dwarf, whose face had turned displeased when he heard Alex's fist line, could even say something...

Clinck!

A gold coin appeared in Alex's palm, making the dwarf freeze in his spot as Alex continued, "But I have this."

The atmosphere remained still for a while, with Mira looking at all of this happening with confusion before Alex frowned. "Do you not want it? I can just take another ride if that's the case."

His words were calm yet displeasure was clear, and the dwarf, breaking out of his shock, jumped in his spot and hurriedly grabbed Alex's plam, a wide, elated yet nervous grin marring his face as he spoke, "N-No, no. I was just shocked. The ride is all yours!"

With those words, the dwarf quickly replaced the booked sign and put up another board.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

[Engaged.]

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Without even waiting for a word, he quickly took the coins from Alex's hand and clicked a button in his hand, making the door to the air balloon—which was as big as a room—open, revealing the glassed interior as both Alex and Mira stepped in.

Mira, knowing that the date was about to come to an end, moved closer to Alex, wanting to enjoy the rest of the time just like she had been doing until now.