Chapter 21. The Strange Octagon Room; Seira Will Go to an Island After Graduating from College

987 days, or 2 years, 8 months, and approximately 17 days before The Circumadversum Omatsuri, one night.

There were two different yet identical octagonal rooms. Two identical octagonal rooms but in different dimensions.

Bành Đức Hải and Guruh Dwi Cahyo were in different rooms, but the rooms they occupied had several similarities. Once again, they were experiencing the same but different events; once again, X = {Bành Đức Hải, Guruh Dwi Cahyo}.

X opened his eyes and saw a light on the ceiling. X thought, "Is that... a lamplight?"

X felt himself lying on the floor. But he didn't immediately get up. Nor did he turn his head to the right or left. His head was still straight, staring at the white ceiling.

X recalled the events before he lay down. "At that time, I was with my friend... Coming home from the hot spring... Heading to our apartment... Passing along the Wakkanai coastal road... When the Bosai Musen bell rang...then we experienced a disaster..."

X closed his eyes. "The light I just saw... Was it the light from my apartment? Was it the light from the Wakkanai hospital?"

X recalled the events before he landed in that unknown room. “At that time… We were approaching something… We didn't know; it looked like a toy, but it turned out to be a disaster button… The blinding light that made my eyes close… My ears suddenly felt so sore…”

Still with his eyes closed, X uttered a wish, “If I check what this place is, I hope I'm in an apartment or a hospital or a police station or anywhere on earth. I hope this is just a Wetuber prank…”

X slowly opened his eyes, muttering, “Ah, yes, Wetuber. There's my new kouhai who loves taking videos.”

X asked, “Daniel, are you here?”

There was no answer. There was no sound. X forced himself up from the floor. He found himself lying on a carpet.

X's head spun around. He found himself in an octagonal room. Like the ceiling, the walls and floor were white.

The room was quite large, much larger than the apartment room X had occupied. X saw the room filled with various furnishings. X thought that, judging by appearance alone, the furnishings in the room were much nicer than those in his apartment.

X's eyes saw a television, a time and date display, a game console, a bed complete with several pillows and a folded blanket, a chair, a beanbag, and other items.

X's eyes saw that in one corner of the octagonal room, a toilet, a bathtub, and a shower were separated by a door and clear glass. X walked over to open the door and tried turning on the appliances inside the clear partition. X concluded, "These appliances still work fine."

X's eyes saw a table complete with kitchen utensils in another corner of the room. Then, in another corner, he saw several musical instruments: a drum set, a piano, a guitar, a flute, a violin, and so on.

X took turns trying out the kitchen utensils and musical instruments. The stove, the grill, the ice maker, the toast maker. Drums, the piano, the violin, and the guitar. X concluded, "All these appliances are still working."

X then walked back to the kitchen corner. He realized there was something he hadn't done there: open the refrigerator and check what food and drinks were inside. X was disappointed. "What? A refrigerator this big is empty?"

X was also confused: "If there's no food, how am I supposed to cook?"

X also surveyed the kitchen again. He had just noticed several things he hadn't seen. "There are no knives, forks, or sharp utensils here. How am I supposed to slice if I want to?"

X's eyes darted around again. This time, in a corner, he noticed a rectangular object. X approached it and noticed small writing at the top.

X read it, "Wish box, slide it up; please write down groceries, clothes, or whatever you want; return your request to the box. PS: We don't guarantee we'll grant all of them."

X slowly moved the box upwards. Inside, he found a white piece of paper and a 3B pencil. X took the two items, wrote something, and returned the white paper and a 3B pencil to the box.

On the white piece of paper, with the 3B pencil, X wrote, "I want to be free from here."

Soon after, the wish box opened again, and on the paper where X had written was a reply: You are already free in this confined space. Please write your other wishes.

X wrote again on the paper. Now he wrote, "I dream of shiro ebi shrimp from Toyama Bay and marlin fish still intact with their flesh."

(000)

987 days, or 2 years, 8 months, and about 17 days before The Circumadversum Omatsuri, one night.

Only the skeletons of the fish remained. The Supper had ended.

Seira, Namiki, and Argyris had eaten all the fish they had bought and cooked together. They had finished the main course, and only dessert, appetizers, and drinks remained on the Fotiou family table. But, of course, the finished course didn't stop the family's conversation that night.

Namiki said, "I've always supported Seira. I support you in pursuing your hobbies. But right now, let's talk about work. Seira has received several job offers with higher salaries and better benefits, and I think she should choose them."

Argyris expressed a different opinion from his wife. "But, Namiki, my honey. Let's look at it from a different perspective. The offer Seira chose may offer less money, and it may even require extra work. But going forward, I think Seira will gain invaluable experience, and this choice could add value to her in the future."

Seira naturally chimed in on her fate. “Yes, Mama. Besides, I don’t plan to pursue a career with that group on that island forever. Someday, Seira will find a job with the pay you expect.”

Argyris argued, “Let’s look at it from another perspective. It’s true that Seira’s work base is on that island. But remember, their work will take them traveling all over the world. That will give Seira a global network. Remember, our daughter already has various skills that give her an advantage. Connections will increase Seira Ito Fotiou’s bargaining power.”

Seira commented, “That’s right, Mama. Papa is right.”

Argyris argued again, “One more thing. I’m sorry to bring this up. My work also takes me traveling, and that’s how I met my soulmate, you. Your job used to be more stable than mine, but I had more room to grow. Now, can you tell me what the results are?”

Namiki sighed, “Hhhhh ....” The mother stared deeply at her only child, “Yes, yes, yes .... It seems two against one here. But, Seira, take care of yourself, okay? Tell your mother often how you are. How are you traveling the world? How do you live on the island?”