Aki by chance saw Tanya and Nora talking from his office balcony. He got startled but stood up and saw that they talked for a while then Tanya left. Nora went in the opposite direction. Aki's phone rings so he goes in. Noah was calling, so he answered, 'Hmm'
'Nora called saying you didn't look good? Are you unwell?' Noah was concerned.
'It's nothing. I am alright. Just could not sleep last night. Nora always makes a fuss over little things.' Aki tried to smile.
'What happened? Nightmares?' Noah asked to know the cause.
'No…' Aki paused for a while.
Noah understood, 'Tanya?'
'She didn't want to let go...I was harsh on her.' Aki sighs while leaning back on the chair.
'You tried. But it's not good to always force yourself to do something when you can't help it. She knows that. She will understand.'Noah tried to console Aki.
'What if I give her what she wants?' Aki asks Noah to get the answers.
Nora hears while getting in and starts yelling, at Aki,'You want to suffer more! She leaves you every now and then. Comes back as if nothing. She doesn't contact you when she is busy. She follows you when she wants and when you need her she just vanishes, not even bothering to contact you!
Noah overhears Nora from the other side of the phone. He went silent. Aki was too
'Maybe she really is just busy.' Aki slowly said
'I don't know what you think, Akkun! but tell me how can you know that a person genuinely loves you? Aki stares at Nora as she questions.
'Time...No one would give you time unless one cares for you. They would make time for you.'Nora says those with a sad expression.
'You waited for her all that time...but did she ever? Maybe she loves you but the way she does is not for you. It's only for her. You have a girlfriend but it's like she never existed. She can't even look at your real eye unless you wear contact.' Nora stopped talking.
Aki says nothing. It was true. They didn't disclose their relationship to others. Tanya didn't want to. Only these people know about them. Nora places the food on the desk. It was not those Tanya had given her. Aki didn't say anything when he noticed that.
'Like I would let you eat what she wants. Eat this and be normal.' Nora was fuming.
Aki smiles. Nora is always crazy. She doesn't hold back her feelings.
After lunch when he was working on some papers, it fell down. Nora helped pick them up. She found the card, 'Oh! are you planning to visit a psychiatrist again?'
'No, Mom wanted me to.' Aki corrected her.
'Here.' Nora gives the card to Aki.
"Why is it here? I really left it here then." He checked his wallet then found the same card.
"Why do I have two of the same cards? Then I wasn't hallucinating! But why do I keep forgetting things?" Aki frowned at his mistake.
'What are you looking at the card like that?' Nora was surprised.
Aki smiled and said it was nothing. He wants to visit the psychiatrist now. Not because of the paranormal things but for why he forgets things and how he has two cards. He takes an appointment which surprised Nora even more, 'You said you don't plan to?'
'I am just gonna verify something.' Aki was deep in thought.
'Verify? With a psychiatrist? ok…?' Nora was curious as well.
So Nora updated this on the chat group where Aki is not added. Sara said that it was a good decision. Aito said to keep him updated. Noah said to follow him. Sara forbids. Ishida told Noah to leave Aki alone. Then Ishida asked who did Aki have given the tea as a gift. Everyone was surprised. Ayush said not to him. Even though he likes tea. Nora was shocked. Tanya and Aki have broken up so she is on the doubt list.
'Does he have someone else other than us?'Nora asked.
'That's not possible.' Noah replied.
Aki leaves the office. Taking his car he went to the address.
The receptionist told him to wait. He went to get coffee because he was feeling sleepy. While he was vending his coffee out from the machine he saw Reiji. Reiji was checking if there was anyone left. Aki was surprised to see him. He came towards them. The receptionist pointed towards Aki and said that he was the last patient. Reiji looked back and was surprised. He then hurried over to where Aki was standing. Without any greetings, he asked, 'Why are you so pale?'
He was about to touch Aki's cheek but Aki steps away in shock.
'Ah! Sorry...are you here to see me?' Reiji asked
'No, I was here to see Doctor Re Tsubaki.' As Aki said the name Reiji smiles.
Aki guessed that the doctor was none other than Reiji.
He asked to confirm, 'That is...you?'
Reiji asked,'Why are you here? Do you need an appointment for anyone?'
Aki said with a blank expression, 'Um!..no... that's for me.'
'For you?' Reiji went silent for a moment then asked, 'Are you still suffering from PTSD?'
Reiji is not supposed to know about Aki's PTSD. But Aki heard Reiji saying that.
'Still ? Why do you know…' Aki was stopped by Reiji's reasoning, 'Well! You don't look very well today. Also, you seem to lack focus.'
Aki gave up as it's normal for Reiji to know this much as he is a doctor.
"So you are the reason why I have two cards. Why do I not pay attention!" Aki bites his lip in disappointment.
Reiji was bothered to see Aki silent, 'What's wrong?'
'I heard you consult outside. Is that true?'Aki asked as he was not willing to hear Reiji.
'Um..not really...But Dr.Asahina had requested a few times to do so I tried.' Reiji said while scratching the eyebrow
'Oh.that's my mom's husband.' Aki now understands that Asahina might have told Reiji regarding Aki.
'Your dad is Dr.Asahina?' Reiji frowned.
'Step...father...It's...complicated.' Aki didn't want to explain.
'Oh sorry about that. But yes I would like to meet with you outside if you prefer.' Reiji smiles.
'No that's ok. I don't think I need consultation anymore. I have different problems.' Aki tried to avoid it.
'That's ok with me though. I want to know you.' Aki was speechless when he heard Reiji.
Nora took a picture and posted it on the group asking Who was Reiji. Sara told her that Reiji is a professor from the psychology department.
'Why are you following him Nora?' Sara asked her in chat.
'They seem close.' Nora replied.
'They aren't. Get out of there before he sees you.' Noah warned her.
But Nora was fascinated with the handsome doctor.
'.Akkun must have a good relationship with him.' Nora chatted again,
Noah mocked her, 'Stop dreaming.'
Sara was worried thinking what if Aki sees Nora. Nora assured them that Aki won't see her.
Aki was uncomfortable. He barely knows him but why Reiji is so friendly with him,he doesn't get that, 'I should go now.' Aki tried to leave.
'Why so soon? You just got here.' Reiji interrupted.
'I'm not comfortable talking with you right now.' As soon as Aki said that, Reiji's expression changed just like when he was talking to that man. Aki didn't get why.
Reiji apologized which made Aki even more uncomfortable. Reiji didn't say anything anymore nor did Aki. Reiji then went to his room without saying anything.
Aki felt awkward,' Was I rude?'
'You were rude.' Nora came forward. Aki was not surprised to see her.
'You were following me?' Aki asked.
'Well, you were unwell. He seemed to care for you. Why were you rude to him?' Nora was upset.
'I don't know him that well.' Aki said.
'Is he your junior or something?' Nora was interested to know about Reiji.
'No one...Just helped me one time and that's all. He was a bit…'
'Is he your admirer? Nora didn't let Aki finish talking. Nora didn't feel any difference. Aki has always had a lot of admirers regardless of gender. Aki denied her that question as well.
'Let me check his background.' Nora was about to get inside the hospital. But Aki stops her by the collar, 'You will not. Let's go.'
Aki drops Nora home.
Then drive to the station. He didn't take his car close there. Stops his car at the roadside parking. Then went in. No one was there. Aki looked for Joshua but he wasn't there. While getting back, Aki heard footsteps. His feet stopped thinking maybe it was Joshua's but then he thought if it was Joshua's then Joshua would have called him. Aki heard the footsteps stop far away from him. Aki looked back and saw a person in black. It looked like a uniform but he didn't recognize what type of uniform. That person stood still. He couldn't see clearly because the lighting was not clear. He remembers a similar scene around the train accident.
A chill ran down his spine.
At that time too, this person was present there, staying still at the same spot. Aki sees blood under his feet and Joshua lying dead right to his side. His blood was reaching to his feet.
"Why Joshua..." Aki thought to himself.
He looked towards the person but that person came in just a flash in front of Aki suddenly.
Hands pressing his throat. Aki choked as Reiji kept pressing on his throat.
Being unable to breathe, Aki woke up.
He sits up quickly. His eyes were hurting. It didn't turn back to normal from being red like last time. His eyes kept hurting so he went to check what's wrong. He looked at the mirror.
Red eyes.
Aki got so petrified that he backed away from the mirror.
His eyes are colored red and his pupils are bilateral like feline eyes. He stayed standing without blinking.
After a while, they turned back to the eyes with heterochromia.
Finally, he understood why Tanya got afraid. His emotions must have changed the eye condition like this before too. He was never aware of it. He sat down, closing his eyes with his hand.
'Why Joshua?Why Reiji?' he became worried about his nightmare.
'How long are you going to keep looking like this?' Noah asked.
Aki stared at him as he couldn't understand what Noah was saying.
'You look paler day by day. Is something wrong with you?' Noah clearly said.
'It's nothing. I just can't sleep well at night.' Aki said.
'I thought your insomnia was cured.'Noah frowned.
'It never fully did and it's worse than before.'Aki sighs.
Noah asked regarding Aki's visit to the psychiatrist and Aki told him Aki doesn't need any consultation. Noah asked nothing more.
Noah feels sorry for calling Aki to take photos for the school sports program. He didn't know Aki's condition was this bad. Aki was sitting on a bench at the side of the school playground. He was checking his photos. He saw Reiji in a photo. Aki looked around. Reiji was found nowhere.
Mei saw Aki and came to him but Aki didn't notice.
'Why are you so pale?'Aki was startled to hear Mei as Mei touched Aki's cheek suddenly.
'Oh! Where have you been? You suddenly disappeared?' Aki moved a bit away while asking.
'When?' Mei seemed surprised.
Aki frowns, 'Um...I don't remember the exact date but it was in the last rainy days.'
'Oh! Then I won't remember.' Mei smiled.
'I forget things when it rains.' Aki was confused why Mei said that.
Somebody called Mei, so he said to Aki, 'I guess my father came. See you later.'
Aki kept sitting for a while. Then went to the ground. Watched the rally race.
Mei was a good runner. While watching Mei, Aki almost forgot that he was not his Mei. Mei totally looked like his Mei. Aki was so mesmerized watching this Mei that Aki didn't notice he was smiling.
Noah was observing that. Aki's smile was so heartfelt that it made Noah's eyes filled with tears.
Suddenly Aki's expression turned blue. Noah then looked, following Aki's stare where Aki was looking. He noticed that Aki was looking at someone in the crowd but could not find who exactly it was in the parents' crowd.
After Mei won the race, Mei went to Reiji. Mei was happy while looking at him. Reiji patted his head then gave him a water bottle. Mei kept talking cutely with Reiji. Reiji wiped his sweat with a handkerchief.
Coincidentally Reiji notices Aki. Aki was staring at Reiji too. When their eyes met, Aki looked uncomfortable. So Reiji looked away and kept talking with Mei.
Another game was about to start. Aki took some photos then went away. Reiji couldn't help but notice that.
Noah brought some drinks for Aki. He took one. A girl came by to Aki excitedly, hugged him. 'I can't believe I would see you here!'
'Me too. What you…'Aki was surprised as well.
'My son is here.' She said. Aki smiles while nodding.
'What about you? Did you get married or…' she asked.
'He has someone.' Noah stopped her sentence. Aki looked at Noah. He understood that Noah was helping him out.
'The game is about to end. Let's talk later.' Aki went to take more photos.
Mei came to him and asked, 'Did you take my pic? Let me see!'
Aki shows him, 'Hm... I did... You and your father are as well…'
'Whoa! He looks cool. You really are a good photographer. But you tend to take candid rather than direct. Do you feel shy?' Mei asked while observing the photos.
'What did you say?' Aki was astounded. Mei used to ask him that way too. She was the first one to notice.
Aki always takes a pic when the subject is not looking directly at the camera. He feels shy as well as uncomfortable. So he never took any portraits of anyone with eye contact. His subordinate does that type of photography, not Aki.
'They are candid and they are so cool.' Mei was smiling while looking.
Reiji came towards them, 'You guys seem close.'
Aki automatically reacted and stepped back a bit.
'He is our alumni, and he is a great photographer.' Mei told Reiji.
'Oh,I see!' Reiji looked at Aki. Mei got called again to play.
Reiji and Aki both keep standing silently. Aki sometimes took a pic then watched the game. He saw Reiji was not cheering for Mei anymore. Aki understood that he might have hurt Reiji.
'Mei has good stamina.' Aki tried to start a conversation.
'Hm...he does.' Aki understands how cold an attitude Reiji can have towards someone.
But Reiji's attitude towards Aki was not like that. Aki made them awkward.
'Your son...looks like you. He takes after you.' Aki said.
'Everyone can see that.' Reiji sighs. Aki realized that Reiji didn't want to talk with him. So Aki left after thinking about that for a while.
Noah was busy. Nora came by and Aki left.
At the office, he kept thinking about Reiji and how his expression differs situation-wise. Aki completed his day's task and then left the office.
While walking alone, he was feeling guilty. How he misunderstood Tanya for being afraid of him and how he turned Reiji's attitude towards him cold like that.
He reached the station at 10 pm. Joshua wasn't there. An old train like before reached the station at 10:10 pm. Joshua came out. Aki kept watching without making him notice. Joshua escorted a woman on the train. The train left before 10:11 pm. Aki somehow was sure that he wasn't hallucinating. But if Joshua had lied then his aura would have been gray. But Joshua was normal. Joshua saw Aki in the waiting room. Aki was watching the train schedule. But Aki didn't ask anything.
'What happened to you? You look pale? Are you not well?' Joshua asked.
'I'm ok. Can I ask something?' Joshua nodded as Aki said them.
'What would you do if you had done anything to someone that hurt him?' Aki asked with a serious expression.
'I would apologize maybe.' Joshua answered.
'What if it was late?' Aki's question made Joshua smile.
'Better late than never. You can feel at ease even if it is late.' Joshua tried to explain.
Aki smiles thinking he himself is the one who makes everything complicated.
'Thanks.' Aki smiled but the smile didn't have feelings.
'I didn't do anything though.' Joshua said with a friendly smile.
'You helped me a lot.' While getting up Aki felt dizzy and he kept hearing the siren sound.
Aki stayed seated. Joshua seemed to notice that Aki was unwell but kept quiet.
Aki realized Joshua noticed, ''I'm sorry. My headache is getting worse these days.'
'You should…' Joshua was confused about what to say. Aki was already pale so Joshua felt bad for some reason.
'You should consult with a doctor. Long-term Insomnia can have severe side effects.' Joshua said.
'I will. Definitely…' Aki became confused. He never told Joshua that he has insomnia.
The train came on time.
Aki got in. He was feeling sleepy. So he closed his eyes without thinking much.
Reiji sat on the next seat. Through the window, a light breeze was touching Aki's face. Reiji can smell the faint lavender scent. He kept looking at Aki. Aki was relaxed as if he was somewhere pleasant.
Reiji's eyes turned soft. To him, it felt like the time back at home, when he got lost in the forest. He can feel the golden sun ray's warmth and the laughter that was running with him through the forest's mud road.
'Why do you have this scent on you?' Reiji too relaxes, leaning his head on the side.
Aki had totally fallen asleep. Reiji closed the window shutter because the breeze was getting colder. When his station was near Reiji transformed himself as Joshua and woke him up. Aki was surprised and confused.
'You seemed pale so I thought I should come.' Reiji said.
'Thank you...Thank you so much...I didn't notice...were you beside me?' Aki didn't realize Reiji's presence.
'It's ok...your station is here.' Reiji said with a cordial smile.
The train stopped and Aki got off. Reiji did too. Aki leaves the station.
Behind Reiji someone stands silently. Reiji changes back to himself.
'Why did you do it?' Joshua comes to Reiji.
'He is one of my patients.' Reiji said without looking him in the eyes.
'Patient?' Joshua frowned.
Reiji was about to leave when Joshua said, 'You don't do that for your patients.'
'I'm observing him. He has some trauma. But why did you come? You don't do that either!' Reiji pointed out Joshua's interest.
'He was...He seemed unwell so wanted to make sure…' Reiji smiled wickedly at Joshua. Then leaves patting Joshua's shoulder and said, 'Let's go. The train is about to arrive.'
They both went back to their station. Few men were waiting for them. Some of them looked tired and disoriented.
'They still seem connected.' Joshua asked them.
'We tried to cut off the connection. But the links are more powerful.' they lowered their heads while saying.
Reiji looks up then looks at that person. Sees a greenish-black thread connecting behind the man's ears.
A sword appeared out of nowhere. Reiji extended his hand and the sword flames up as soon it fell in his hand. He swings the sword to cut the thread. Cut it off in one go.
'It became powerful. How much did it feed?' Reiji frowns and looked at the man,
The man fell down.
A minute later he gained his consciousness. When he saw Reiji he sat on his knees and begged for his life. Joshua was behind Reiji, watching everything. He went to Joshua as well and begged.
'We are not the one to judge. Reiji won't do anything. Your soul's status will be the proof, isn't it? We can't do anything before verifying. So no need to panic. If you are innocent you don't have to worry.' Joshua tried to calm down the man as Joshua felt pity.
Reiji mocks that man, 'If he was innocent would he be worried?'
The train arrived at 02:02 am on the dot and those men took him on the train and left.
'You have done well.' Joshua complimented Reiji.
'Is it really because of him? You have become calmer after Mei was born.' Joshua asked.
'Maybe. I don't want him to see that side of me.' Reiji retreats his sword while saying and it disappears.
Aki was focused on developing those photos of sports.
He was feeling well because of the nap he took on the train. Ginger was eating his food. Low music was playing in his home. A person was observing him. Ginger stopped and moved to that person's feet. Rubbed on the person like it knows this person. That person stroked Ginger's head. Then leaves without making any sound. But Aki looked over at Ginger as soon as he felt there was something moving. But there was nothing.