A breathtaking surge of panic hit Ruby. She snapped forward like a twig about vomit, but only air came out of her mouth. Seemingly unimportant encounters flooded back into her brain as her hazy eyes drifted over the hardwood floor.
That must've been the stranger from earlier…
No, wait, I knew him from somewhere.
That's right. That was the same guy I bumped into when I walked to Kana.
But back then, it also seemed like I knew him.
HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?
No, no, no. That's not good at all.
Am I really this stupid?
How did I not notice this before?
Ruby jumped up and almost fell back down, her phone, which lay on her lap, clattered to the floor, but she was already halfway out of her room before she could stop herself.
No.
She stopped and pressed her hand so hard against her chest that it almost hurt.
The old Ruby would've run to Aqua…
But I can't, it would just prove his point.
This is my problem. I don't need him.
I'm perfectly fine with doing this on my own.
Ruby hesitantly stepped back into her room and shut the door behind her, locking it for the first time in ages. She stuck her head far out of her window and looked around. She quickly pulled her head back, though, when the round, about 5 meters, combined with her preexisting sense of dizziness, made her almost lose her balance.
Did this guy seriously bring a ladder just to spy on me?
Miyako always told me to close the curtains. I should've listened to her.
Maybe I should tell her; she would probably know what to do.
NO! It would only lead to the same result.
Aqua doing it once again.
I need to make a plan on how to do this on my own.
Should I maybe go to the police?
Would that be the right thing?
Or maybe he stops on his own eventually when I don't react.
Ruby shut the window and turned around. She was now looking directly at the massive oak closet standing pushed against her wall. A sudden cold shiver ran down her spine as she walked closer. "Here it goes," she whispered to herself. She ripped the doors open, half expecting someone to stand there, but all that she saw were old costumes and clothes. After a moment of staring, she closed the doors again, locking them too, just to make sure. She turned the light off and lay down on her bed with her eyes fixated on the window. She could faintly look through the blinds and see how the branches of the neighbour's tree danced in the wind.
I don't want this…
I think I'm scared.
What if he is still inside the house?
Or maybe even in my room.
Please…
Ruby's entire body shivered under her blanket. She just wanted to see the sun again, knowing that it would be at least another 8 hours without it. Unable to look out the window for even another second, she pulled the blanket all the way over her head and prayed that only her plushes accompanied her in her bed.
…
Akane was in a hurry; she crammed a spare set of clothes into her suitcase. She had spent the last few days researching Gorou Amamiya, trying every Kanji combination possible and looking through archives for countless hours. Until something felt familiar. After she tried everything else, she started to look through missing persons reports and death certificates. At first, only in Tokyo, and later expanding to Miyazaki, where Aqua was born. Eventually, she found a Gorou Amamiya who was reported as dead just one year prior. She was about to click away again, but just then she remembered something. She remembered that she was the one who found this person alongside Ruby. Akane decided, since her savings are still enough and she currently has no responsibilities, to just fly there spontaneously, hoping that this would refresh her memory, bringing her closer to who Gorou Amamiya is.
6th of January, 7:00 am, Akane's house
Packed with a suitcase in hand, Akane made her way to Haneda Airport. She arrived and went through check-in, eventually boarding the plane and taking off. A few hours later, she finally arrived in Takachiho, Miyazaki. The air around her was warmer than in Tokyo. It almost felt pleasant, if the reason for her visit were just a bit less serious.
Okay, stay focused, Akane. You need to remember…
You can book yourself another vacation once you're finally done with all of this…
A vacation… I'm in desperate need of one. Aqua will also come along, even if I have to drag him out of his room.
She began strolling through the city, visiting places she could still remember from the first time she was there.
I remember this statue. Ruby and I took pictures here.
But I don't think that this will help me remember…
I spent lots of time outside of the city, walking through the forest with Aqua…
I thought of it as pretty romantic… Sadly, he probably didn't.
She distanced herself further and further from the heart of the city. The loud noises of civilizations faded into the background, and the calmer ambient sounds of birds and quiet powerlines took control.
Maybe if I go back to the shrine cave where we found the body…
Maybe that will finally bring back my memories.
All of this is so weird. Why can't I remember?
It feels like my memories have just some kind of hole…
After she fought her way along an overgrown path, she finally reached the cave and climbed inside, passing by the shrine, climbing deeper towards the spot where Ruby found the body.
The air turned colder again.
Then she stood there, exactly where she stood back then, when. She could still vaguely see Ruby and the skeleton in front of her, the way Ruby seemed to care just a little too much. But apart from that, nothing.
…
Stupid,
stupid,
stupid.
She stood there for about 10 more minutes while she desperately tried to remember.
Why won't you remember? What is wrong with me? I am so close to it, I can feel it… I can't give up.
DAMN IT…
"Where did I throw my logic away?" Akane whispered to herself, getting a bit shaken by the echo of the cave.
Akane… You're standing in some cave…
Hundreds of kilometers away from Aqua, while he needs you, thinking this could lead you to some revelation…
"This was a stupid idea."
Akane turned around, her head hung low as she marched towards the exit again, her voice slightly raised. "Like what did I expect to happen once I'm in this cave? Enough of this, I worried my mom enough with these shenanigans. I should just be there for Aqua for real instead of chasing a ghost." The sun shone directly into Akane's face as she left the abysmal cave.
"Ahhh!" She hadn't even had time to adjust before a sharp pain shot through the back of her head. She instinctively reached for it just to see her hand covered by a thin layer of crimson blood.