"I don't know if I thought we had it easy... There were still so many unknowns, back then. Even after the VR simulations, there was no telling what the planet was really like, or the city we were sent to..."

There are still many unknowns, for that matter, but the basics have worked themselves out remarkably well. Atsushi has set himself some goals, and while he's not exactly thriving yet, he's definitely managing - which is a lot better than he would have expected of himself.

"But even back then, it felt like... we'd finally gotten started. We could finally begin our new lives - and we were all in it together." He'd felt part of the group without expecting anything from others or having anything expected of him - though he'd still tried to help where he could. He doesn't think he ever felt like a part of something bigger so effortlessly before.