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Chapter 2 - Chapter Two — Home Sweet Home!

I sat in front of an empty bowl at the gyoza stall. Still thinking about the bloody mess I saw that was caused by her. I kept glancing at Kiro as she inhaled bowl after bowl with a smile on her face, her white dress still spotless. How could she eat as if she hadn't just turned a skull to a bloody pulp?

"So," I began, my voice unsteady. "What was... That?" My eyes drifted to her soft, warm fingers attached to the palm, where a hammer had materialized.

She looked up from her bowl, a piece of gyoza trapped between her chopsticks. "Hm? The gyoza?"

"No. That... that thing that you—"

"Oh that?" She waved her chopsticks dismissively as she cut in. "They call them... 'Shadows'?... They are the incarnation of a dying person's fear."

"My... fear?"

"I wouldn't be so sure... I mean you're still alive." She said as she took another piece of gyoza, dipping it in the sauce. "The hospital. That one was from the hospital."

"But why was it here? And why did it attack us?"

"You've got it wrong, Kie." She put her chopsticks down as she finished her portion, turning to the kitchen to order one more. "It attacked me, not you" She said, turning back to me. "And you almost... You almost got harmed because of me." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

She has been dealing with those… creatures all alone?

She must have been lonely

Such thoughts lingered in my head as I heard her guilt-driven voice.

"—Miss, your order is ready." Interrupted the old man from inside the kitchen.

Her expression shifted, almost instantly before she stood up to take her serving. Everything she did was what an average person would do… yet whenever she did something, I couldn't help but stare in awe.

"Could I get a box for this to go?" I heard from a distance.

She took the box put in the plastic and ran back to me. Her hair swaying in the air like leaves. The sun shone at her green eyes, the environment reflecting in her iris. She came to a halt just before she could crash into the table.

With a huff, she grabbed me from my wrists, running alongside the waves that crashed at the floor of the beach. "I want to show you something!" Her lips curved into the usual, breathtaking smile.

We took a turn into the forest that was at our right, dashing through the bushes and trees. We reached closer to the sounds of a waterfall as we went in deeper.

We got through the bushes eventually to find the stream of water from the waterfall flowing into the small pond at the middle of a mini-beach.

Was there such a place here? My mind asked as I stared in awe.

"Beautiful…" Turning to Kiro, I asked, "How did you know such a place was here?"

"Hmm… Guess."

"We're not there yet," She turned to look at me, her eyes following the curve of her lips.

"Wh…at?" I muttered as Kiro pulled me into the waterfall as she dashed through, leading to…

"An apartment?"

I looked around, my eyes scanning the room I found myself in.

"Cool, right?" She asked.

I nodded slowly, thinking about how such a place could exist inside a waterfall.

"Home sweet home!" Kiro chirped as she released my wrist, doing a little fun spin at the center of the room.

The air was dry and smelled faintly of old books and dried flowers. Sunlight, filtered through the waterfall, cast moving, liquid patterns on the walls. The space wasn't large but it was enough for at least two people. A low table sat surrounded by cushions. On it, a small plant that I didn't recognize was planted in a pot. On shelves sat the daggers and on one wall, a hammer hanged with its head pointing downwards.

"Kiro, what's all this?" I asked, my eyes shifting to the various daggers.

She followed my gaze, "My collections!" She spun to the shelves before sitting down on the floor, gesturing for me to sit.

I sat, my frail body grateful for the rest, "They look really cool."

"Right?" Her eyes shot a beam of excitement through my chest.

"These daggers are reaally special," She added, "They are made to exterminate the shadows."

She reached for a smaller sized dagger before pushing the green handle onto my palm.

"You can take this."

"Thank… you." I hesitated before gripping on the handle.

She opened the gyoza box, the scent mixing into our conversation, "Want some?" She offered me the chopsticks.

"I'm already full." I shook my head.

She separated her chopsticks before trapping a piece in between. Her lips parted as she pushed the gyoza inside her mouth, chewing quietly.

"About my offer," she began, "You just nodded out of panic, right?"

I admitted, "Yes… but,"

Kiro raised an eyebrow, "I thought about it again and… I want to spend my last month with you, after all."

No words could describe the way her face lit up. Before I could say anything else, she shoved the gyoza trapped in between the chopsticks inside my mouth.

"I'm glad." She said with a light chuckle.

I chewed slowly, savoring the flavor of the soft dumpling on my tongue. The dagger on my lap felt heavy. I had agreed to enter this terrifying world with Kiro. Yet, sitting here with her brought peace to me.

"You know," She said, her voice softening as she put her chopsticks down. "I've never had this much fun in a day." Her gaze drifted to the waterfall outside that served its purpose as a door.

"So," She slowly turned to face me, "Thank you."

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