However, Nakashima Wakana is a nosy kitten.
She doesn't go near the boy because of her scary sister who keeps a watch on her like a hawk. Ever since that day, she would steal glances of him. She would leave snacks inside his desks when no one is watching. But Minami Sei always throws away her gifts.
She wants to talk to Minami Sei, but she doesn't know how to. She can't forget that old man's words. The red guest will come back for Minami Sei. She is also scared to tell him about the old man. What if that old man comes out to eat her? What a dilemma!
Whenever her sister is not around, she tries approaching him. But he's always aloof and cold toward her. He would simply leave the area when she comes closer or he would ignore her like she doesn't exist. What did she do exactly? She just wants to be his friend.
The rest of the elementary school days are spent in silence.
***
[2nd Year of Middle School]
She comes early in the morning. There's no one in the classroom yet. She opens her bag and brings out the snacks and comics. She starts placing them inside Minami Sei's desks.
"So, it's you." The chilling voice freezes her at the spot. "You are leaving them in my desk."
She's caught red-handed.
She looks at him with her big round eyes. She wants to be brave. Minami Sei is growing handsome day by day. He's also smart and good at sports. It would be too bad if that old man eats him. She can't let that red guest have him. But will he believe her if she tells him?
"Why are you leaving those things in my desk?" Minami Sei grimaces at her. The girl has been getting on his nerve. Her eyes have been following him like a foolish puppy. Even now, she's looking at him like a love-sick puppy.
"I am sorry." She bows her head, embarrassed. A tinge of redness appears on her cheeks and spreads to the tips of her ears. Minami Sei's face also turns red. He can't understand why his heart is beating rapidly when he sees her like this. There's this strange urge to force her to look at him and make her blush harder. He finds it irritating and pleasing at the same time.
"Don't tell me that you also like me?" He has been getting a lot of confessions lately, though he can't understand why would anyone like him. Some girls even tried to hug and kiss him forcefully. He doesn't have those strange feelings until now. He's curious what's it like to kiss this girl. He's annoyed again. Why does he want to kiss her? He can't possibly like her.
"I-I..." She hasn't been prepared. Like him? She wants to be his friend, but like him? She likes watching him because he's handsome, but like him? No, no... Maybe she likes him a bit.
Minami Sei looks at her trembling hands.
When she touched his hands that day, he was reminded of that night again as if he was reliving that night again. He had this feeling that he was violated. Someone pried open his head and saw that night. He couldn't sleep well for the next few days. He also heard that she was sick. People looked at him accusingly as if he did something wrong to her. After she came back, she kept her distance from him. His classmates were sure that he must have wronged her in some way.
He has also noticed that she looks at him differently since that day as if she also knows his secret.
Recalling that, his temper rises again. "Nakashima Wakana, I don't like you. Stay away from me."
She looks at him, turning pale as if someone threw a bucket of cold water on her. She hears something break inside her. She doesn't know what it is. Minami Sei turns around, feeling bitter.
"Wait!" Wakana grabs his hand to stop, "You are misunderstanding me. I don't like you. I have something else to say."
She's going to regret saying those words later.
When she touches him, he's reminded of that night again. He jerks her hand away instinctively. "What do you want to say?"
He's scary. She squeezes her eyes shut and says, "The red guest."
"Red what?" Minami Sei furrows his brows. He has heard rumours about her. Nakashima Wakana is not right in her head.
"The red guest killed your parents. He is after you," Gathering her courage, she yells at him, "He's going to come for you. He's going to hurt you."
Minami Sei's eyes become darker. "Where did you hear it?"
"I didn't hear--" She stops her mouth. He won't believe her. Only her family believes her. Others get scared if they hear things like this. But she has to tell him. He's in danger, probably.
There's a moment of quiet.
"I don't know what you heard." His expression becomes placid suddenly. His voice is calm again. He hides the storms in his heart. "My father killed my mother before he killed himself. I hope that you don't make up stories for hobbies and spread rumours. Nakashima Wakana, keep a distance from me. This is a warning."
Minami Sei storms out of the classroom. Her lips quiver when she looks at the snacks on the floor. Why is she upset? It's not like the red guest is coming for her. He deserves it.
For the rest of the middle school, Nakashima Wakana remains angry with Minami Sei who is least bothered by that fact.
***
[3rd Year of High School]
"You have to write something." The teacher taps the form with the pen. "There must be something that you want to do."
Nakashima Wakana can't go to cemeteries or temples. She can't go to any place with strong memories or emotions. She always tries to not get sick. She doesn't like touching strangers, especially those who have gone through traumatic experiences. As she's growing older, her abilities are getting stronger too. She's even wearing gloves at school in summer.
"Your sisters are quite ambitious. Both of them know what they want to do in their lives." The teacher stares hard at the girl with no dream.
"You can't live as a freeloader, Nakashima Wakana."
She wants to be a fisherwoman like her father and inherit the store, but her father has already denied it. She can even see how the fishes died when she touched it last time. She can't work if she sees the traumatic memories of fishes. She's even a vegetarian now.
"Teacher, I am here to submit my form." She tenses her shoulders when she hears Minami Sei's voice. She doesn't turn her head around to look at him. The red guest hasn't appeared. Was she wrong about it? Minami Sei is fine.
Minami Sei glances at her. There's nothing in his dark eyes -- not even recognization. He looks at the blank career form. A sigh escapes his lips before he turns to the teacher.
She has heard his sigh. Feeling like she's being looked down upon, she stares down at her gloved hands. The other classmates call her odd. She also avoids them, afraid that she would see or hear things that she shouldn't see. If the emotions are really strong, she doesn't even have to touch. She often feels dizzy near the test days because the stress is too high in the classroom.
"Police officer?" The teacher smiles at Minami Sei. "I believe that you will make an excellent police officer."
"Thank you for your kind words, Teacher."
Minami Sei peers at the girl who is silently crying. He resists the urge to grab her wrist and drag her out of the teacher's office. Tsk! Why is he bothered?
"Nakashima Wakana." The teacher is startled when he sees her crying. "Why are you crying? Was I too harsh? I am saying it for your good. You can't live your life without a dream. Look at Minami Sei and your sisters. They have decided a lot early what they wanted to do. They have been working hard to make that dream a reality."
She doesn't reply to the teacher. She can't lift her head. Minami Sei is watching her. She doesn't want him to see her like this. She snivels, trying to stop the tears. She doesn't want to cry.
"Making a scene."
She hears the faint words of the boy standing beside her. She rubs away her tears and smiles brightly at the teacher. "I am not crying, Teacher. Those are my happy tears."
"Happy?" The teacher's lips twitch.
"I have just realized what I want to do, thanks to Minami Kun." She can feel an intense gaze on her. She shrugs and writes quickly on the form. She puts it down in front of the teacher. "Teacher, I don't want to go to college. So, I am going to become a police officer. Thank you."
She walks away before anyone can say any word to her.