"Karen, don't hate Kitagawa-kun… I deliberately… did it." Nishikujo Mika gently caressed Nishikujo Karen's head, and calm appeared on her savage face.
The smelly black liquid oozed out continuously. Her transparent body trembled in the cold wind and seemed about to disappear soon.
She said this because she was afraid that Nishikujo Karen would become 'obsessed'. And should this 'obsession' turn into a 'grudge', then Nishikujo Karen would not be able to escape the fate of turning into a wraith.
Moreover, Nishikujo Mika was indeed seeking death.
Kitagawa Tera knew it for a fact when his fist passed through her body with ease.
No mother would want her child to see such a scary side of her. Every parent should teach their children by example.
"Wuuuuu… Mama…" Nishikujo Karen shook her head as she cried, mucus dripping down along with her tears.
However, her crying could only be heard by Kitagawa Tera on such a quiet night.
The tears drifted in the air, turned into gold dust, and was swept away elsewhere by the cold wind.
Nishikujo Karen's small body held Nishikujo Mika tightly, her small hands gripping tightly, unwilling to let her go.
"Karen…"
A mother would not harm her daughter even if most of her rationality was already eroded by her grudge.
"Karen." The black liquid flowed from Nishikujo Mika's red eyes. Kitagawa Tera could clearly feel the sorrow from her savage face.
She slowly extended her pinkie.
"Karen, do you remember what I told you before?"
Looking at her mother's distorted finger, Nishikujo Karen nodded hard. She grabbed the pinkie with her small hand, and her childish voice sobbed softly. "Mama is tired from working in the f-fields and is going to rest. K-Karen will be an obedient child and wait for Mama to wake up."
The small palm and the pinkie swayed in the cold wind.
This was a promise she often made with Nishikujo Mika. As long as Nishikujo Karen behaved well, Nishikujo Mika would play with her after resting.
Nishikujo Karen's eyes were blurry, and she stumbled over her words. "Mama… Rest well… I'll work hard to be a good child."
"Un." Nishikujo Mika nodded with a smile. She opened her arms with great difficulty, wanting to hug her daughter one last time.
Nishikujo Karen closed her eyes and stretched her arms out as well.
She waited for a long, long time, until the urgent police sirens came from afar, but the familiar hug did not reach her.
She opened her eyes slowly, but was Nishikujo Mika's shadow still in front of her?
In front of Nishikujo Karen was an empty street, visible from one end to the other.
No one was there.
The cold wind blew past, cold enough to make people bury their necks into their collars.
Kitagawa Tera was standing behind her, wanting to let Nishikujo Karen cry a little while longer.
However, what he did not expect was that Nishikujo Karen did not cry. She just stayed there for a long time before finally standing up numbly.
With her tiny face with no expression, she looked up at Kitagawa Tera.
There was no guilt on Kitagawa Tera's face.
He did nothing wrong. Had he left Nishikujo Mika alone, she would have completely turned into a wraith, and perhaps even her last trace of reason would disappear then.
However, he was the one who gave her the final blow, so he would not have any complaints if Nishikujo Karen had any ill opinions of him.
Compared to her father, who could hurt his own ex-wife and daughter, Kitagawa Tera felt that sometimes the human heart was more terrifying than wraiths.
Kitagawa Tera sympathized and pitied Nishikujo Mika, but he definitely did not regret it.
He stood there with nothing to be ashamed of.
Moreover, when Nishikujo Karen closed her eyes, Kitagawa Tera saw Nishikujo Mika mouth her request to Kitagawa Tera.
Kitagawa-kun, please don't harm Karen.
When Nishikujo Mika's huge body kowtowed to him, even Kitagawa Tera could not help but turn his head to one side and nod calmly.
I'll take care of her.
Kitagawa Tera replied in this way.
This was the promise between Nishikujo Mika and him.
When she was about to disappear, the resentment in Nishikujo Mika's eyes seemed to be dispelled by her longing for Nishikujo Karen.
Kitagawa Tera seemed to see a day in summer from her loving eyes…
'Aromas flutter out from the kitchen.
I give you my report card.
You turn off the TV.
Sign the report card for me.
Help me with my bag, hold my little hand.
Frogs croaking in the ridge.
You are still by my side.'
Where was home?
Home was where parents were.
…
Looking at Kitagawa Tera's calm eyes, Nishikujo Karen opened her mouth and then closed it again. She finally took a deep breath.
Kitagawa Tera did not know if breathing would do ghosts any good, but he saw Nishikujo Karen doing it.
After doing this, Nishikujo Karen did not say anything else. Her little body that was exuding golden brilliance swayed as she dived into Kitagawa Tera's backpack.
To be precise, Nishikujo Karen dived into the ghastly white ball that Kitagawa Tera brought with him.
Nishikujo Karen was a smart child, and she seemed to have noticed the promise made between Nishikujo Mika and Kitagawa Tera.
However, she was confused, and she needed to calm down and sort it out urgently. Thus, she did not say another word to Kitagawa Tera and dived directly into the ghastly white ball in his backpack.
Kitagawa Tera took out the ball.
After a burst of gold dust, that original joint of a puppet transformed into a ragdoll with Nishikujo Karen's appearance wearing a brown checkered scarf.
However, Nishikujo Karen seemed to want to make herself look more 'ferocious'. Her mouth was directly replaced with a red 'X', and her chest had red and gray patches. The ragdoll had the eyes of a living being, staring straight. At night, anyone would shiver upon looking at it.
Kitagawa Tera's mouth twitched. He knew that she did not return his scarf because she wanted to vent her anger this way.
However, he could not be angry over merely a scarf.
The icy cold voice from the system spoke to him. 'You have found a new type of 'paranormal' friendly spirit ragdoll.'
The system notice was as concise as ever.
"Friendly spirit ragdoll?" Kitagawa Tera turned his gaze to the ragdoll lying quietly in his hand.
Nishikujo Karen's 'ferocious' appearance did not seem friendly at all…
Kitagawa Tera could not help but raise his eyebrows. He did not know if it was an illusion, but he seemed to see Nishikujo Karen making a face at him.
Kitagawa Tera did not know what applications there could be for a friendly spirit ragdoll. He held it in his hand for a while and wanted to put Nishikujo Karen into his backpack.
However, the obedient Nishikujo Karen ragdoll suddenly jumped and laid limply on Kitagawa Tera's shoulders.
Kitagawa Tera reached out to try and pull her off, but she had a death grip on his clothes.
"…" Kitagawa Tera.
He felt that using more strength might tear his clothes, so Kitagawa Tera eyed Nishikujo Karen and said plainly, "You can do this when we're out at night, but not during the day when there are people around."
He looked calmly at Nishikujo Karen sprawled on his right shoulder.
Nishikujo Karen shivered, seemingly scared by him, and then Kitagawa Tera saw her nearly undetectable nod.
Kitagawa Tera did not pursue further once she agreed. Before the police car arrived, he sneaked away into the shadows of the night.