Chapter 3:

3 - Encounter Part 3

Yama


Unexpectedly, there's not even a little fear drawn on Yua's face. Unterrified by the uncanny hanging hand in her grip.

"Where is him?"

The only things that she cares for are Yama's whereabouts. Yua starts to take a different direction. She wants to search for Yama, who she thought was being left behind while still holding the creepy hand with her left hand. At some point, she left the hand she was holding in the corridor.

****

"Hah...hah...H-huh? When did I get here again?"

A similar view from before unfolds in front of Yama in a blink of an eye. He was standing right in the place where he saw the man arise from the shadow. This time, he's alone in the library. There's no one to hold his hand to. His breath was also as tight as someone who just finished a run.

"Hah...hah"

Doesn't Yua drag me...we are in the corridor...running…

"How are you?" a familiar voice from the man before echoes through the library.

Ignoring the man's questions, Yama goes through the door to escape. But to his fright, he has no arm left.

Yama is horrified after he notices his right arm is gone. In addition to that, he can see his left arm was still stranded on the floor.

"Really? At least show some interest in my question."

Yama tried to open the door by kicking it but failed miserably. It won't open.

"Hm, at least, I'm glad you have already stopped screaming."

"W-what's going on? Who are you? What are you doing to me?!"

After he failed to open the door, he tries to talk with the man even though he can't see him. His eyes darted around the library searching for the man but he couldn't find any lead to the exact spot where the voice came from.

"Nothing happens here except in obedience to the order I get from my master..."

"Huh? What the hell? Who's your master?"

"You think I'm just gonna leak the secrets?"

Urgh...This man surely lost his mind. He talks nonsense. Is this what the letter means? Now I regret believing in it…

"W-What do you want from me? Are you a chevalier? Are you the one sending me the letter?"

"Say to me...does it hurt?" the man asked something unrelated to Yama's question.

"Huh?

"The eyes can see, but it can't feel...rather, it is more likely to cheat."

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Until we meet again..."

That's enough for today… The mysterious man's monologue.

"Huh? Come on what is that? Oi! Oi!"

Yama tries to talk but no one answers.

Is he gone? Master? Eyes? Urgh...what in the world happens? Didn't he try to harm me?  The Yama's monologue in his head.

"Krkk…" the back door opened from outside.

"Yama?! Are you alright? Did you hurt anywhere?" Yua runs toward Yama worrying about his condition.

"Y-Yua…I'm fine...maybe..." Yama looks down.

"What happened? Why are you here? Didn't you behind my back all the time? Where's the man going?"

"I have the same question too… I don't understand what happened. The man is already gone."

Hey...thinking about it back, I don't feel any pain...Why? Wait...Yua? Can't you see it?

"Is it some kind of vistal? Is he a chevalier?" Yua asked.

"Beat me, I don't have a single clue. But, that's some possibility…but I can't see any weapon..."

"Let's go home first...and ask mom and dad about this. Or we can go to the teacher's room," Yua grab Yama's hand.

"No need to tell the teacher, let's go home, Yua," Yama said in a serious tone.

"Oh, okay then..."

"Yua...there's something I want to ask…"

"What Yama?"

"My arm...do you see both my arms right now?"

"What do you mean? Of course, I can...here it is."

Yua holds something in the air beside both sides of Yama's body. Yama can't see what she's holding. He became confused as ever.

Yua, on the other hand, feels weird about Yama's question. As she clearly can see and touch both of Yama's arms right now.

****

“Are you seeing it right now?”

“No…I still can’t.” Yama looked at his armless body.

In another view, Yua can see his arm.

They take their time to walk on their way home as they don't feel any danger. In no time, without them noticing, they were already at home. A two-storey house with black, grey and white exterior colour paint. They don't come across that man again on their way home. Yua opens the panel door of their home and lets Yama in first.

"We are home…" they said in sync in a slow voice while trying to take off their shoes and put them on the peach shoe rack.

They just went into the living room to relax a bit and got hold of themselves. A light blue wall of their house interior soothes their mind. The television is on even though there's no one watching. It's showing some random Japanese comedy movie. A three-warm set of fabric black sofa available without people on it. An ordinary set of one, two and three-seaters. They lean themselves on the sofa with two seats beside each other for a minute. A chicken curry aroma from the kitchen filled the air.

"Ahhhh…" a satisfying groan indicating his pleasure to lay back on the sofa. Yua just looked happily at Yama who was expanding his arm around the sofa.

"Oh you two back, I didn't hear you. Why do you two look pale? Did something happen?" a woman in her forties with a bun of black hair asked with a worried tone. She is wearing a pink apron, probably doing some cooking in the kitchen.

Yua looks at Yama. She remembers what Yama said on their way home.

****

"No need to tell mom, dad, Tomoe or anyone about this...just keep it a secret between us," Yama ordered while walking around their residential area side by side.

"Oh, okay then, if that's what you want," Yua agreed without arguing.

****

"Nothing happened mom, it was just a long day at school," Yua answered.

If Yama doesn't want to, then I will not tell them anything. He surely has his reason. Yua monologue.