"Mike, is it okay for me to ask something?"
I visited the Town Hall by the time Claire came back home from getting groceries. And I'm about to ask Mike about Kitty's current situation and the event that happened before she became who she is now.
"Hm? What is it?", he replied while doing some paperwork in his office.
"It's about Kitty.."
"Hm.. What about Kitty?"
Don't say it like you don't know anything, geez..
"W-What really happened to her..?", I asked.
He stopped writing as soon as I asked the question.
"I see, I was wondering when you'd find out about it.", he said after he let out a sigh.
"Eh? What do you mean by when I'd find out about it?"
"Unfortunately, Kiara.. I am not allowed to answer that question."
"Eh? Why not?"
"In my terms, let's just say that it's classified. In other words, it's a secret."
And here I thought I could get answers from you..
"Okay.. I understand. I'm sorry for bothering you."
After that, I was about to leave his office but he said something..
"If you wanna know that badly, why not ask Kitty herself?", he said.
"Huh?? H-How am I going to do that??"
"Talk to her..?"
"It's not easy to strike a conversation with her you know!", I shouted.
"Okay, calm down. Your voice is rising.."
"Oh, yeah.. I'm sorry.."
I didn't even noticed that I raised my voice..
"Why are you even so desperate?"
"Because.. I want.. To be friends with her..", I said.
"Pft.. Really? Is that all?", he said as if he was mocking me.
"Yes, that's all."
I'm not hiding any hidden intentions or bad intentions.
It's just that, out of everyone in Steven's family. Kitty is the only person who I haven't spoken to yet..
"Fine, I'll give you only a hint of what happened."
"Really??", I said as I get closer to him.
"Eehh.. Umm.. You're too.. Close...", he said as his face began to get red.
And when I realized it, my heart also started to beat like crazy.
And I took a leap away from him.
"So.. Um.. Yeah.. Only a hint, okay?", he said.
"S-Sure.."
"Okay, so the hint is. Frostbite."
"Frostbite? What's that?", I asked.
"That's all I can say Kiara, I only told you only a hint."
"Ehhh? Can you at least tell me what it is??", I asked so desperately.
"I'm sorry but that's all. You can ask Kitty for more details I suppose."
"Tch. That's not even informative at all..", I muttered to myself.
After that conversation, I left his office and closed the door behind me.
And when I took a look inside the Town Hall, it just got even busier than the time I entered here.
"Eehh.. They're all really working hard huh...", I muttered to myself.
Apparently for Steven, this is only a usual day at the Town Hall.
He also told me that when I arrived as a guest, people started to go crazy on paperwork and arrangements.
"Hey, Kiara!"
Speak of the devil, Steven arrives after talking with someone.
"Hey, Steven..", I greeted back.
"So.. You done on what you came for?", he asked.
"Apparently, yes.. Although, there's still one thing missing..", I said.
"Well, whatever it is you can ask me anytime."
Well, not exactly the type of words to say for a busy man such as yourself.
But hey, why not give it a try.
"Whatever my question is, you'll answer them honestly, right?", I asked to make sure if he's not lying.
"Yep!", he responded in a cheerful and energetic tone.
"Okay then, what is a Frostbite?", I asked immediately.
Silence from him followed after I asked the question.
"W-Where did you hear that from..?", he asked.
"I just knew about it earlier.", I replied.
"From whom?"
"From.."
Should I say their names?
If I do, will something bad happen to them?
And also, does Steven really think that I'm targeting about Kitty's past?
"F-From.. Someone else!", I said.
"Hmm... Okay!"
Eh? He didn't get mad?
He's not even curious of where my question came from? Who's my source?
Nothing??
"So Frostbites are the monsters of the snow. They're shaped like a bear but with larger body but small feet and legs, but with large claws. Their teeth are also huge considering their mouths can break a single tree like it's their snack.", he explained.
Eeehhhh...
That's scary.....
But what does that have to do with Kitty though?
"Why do you want to know about the Frostbites Kiara?", he asked.
"N-Nothing.. I just got curious because someone told me about them.. Haha", I replied in a little panic.
"Hm... But couldn't you have asked from them what a Frostbite is?"
"Actually.. That one person who told me about the name, won't tell me anything more about it..", I said as I was picturing Mike in my mind.
"Hm... Well that's all I can say to the Frostbites, I guess..?"
"I guess? What do you mean by—", as I was about to ask another question, a guy showed up calling for Steven.
"Chief! We need your help over here, and also on section 4!", the man said.
"Be right there!"
Well, what a timing.
"I gotta get going Kiara, time is running. See ya later at the house!"
"Okay.."
After that, Steven went to the Man's direction and helped his employees.
And since I have nobody else to ask anymore, I decided to leave the Town Hall and go back home.
As I was strolling around, I felt like someone is watching me.
I don't know if I'm just being paranoid or..
Anyways, I gotta get back home. Fast.
I tried to walk faster, but I can still feel a gaze from someone.
I tried to look back and scan my surroundings, but I found no one.
I continued to walk, but even faster.
And as I kept going faster, the faster my heart beats and the more I can feel the gaze from someone.
I decided to stop, thinking that the gaze will stop as well. But it didn't.
It feels like it's getting closer the longer I stay in one position.
I still decided not to turn around, although I am hearing the footsteps now.
I focused on the sounds of the footsteps, and when it finally got closer to me for about 3 meters.
I decided to turn around and check.
"Who's there?!"
But after turning around, I still saw no one.
But there are footsteps on the snow, and when I checked the footsteps.
It doesn't look like a man's shoes or a woman's boots.
It's more like..
"A sandal..?", I muttered to myself.
I knelt down to investigate the footsteps, and found some hair on the snow.
When I picked up those hairs, I immediately got them close to my face.
"Pink..? Hair..?", I muttered.
"Sandals..?", I muttered again.
Who could this be..?
Do I have a stalker?
A girl stalker?
Like, there's no way this is a man's footsteps right?
After investigating the footsteps and picking up some hair and analyzing everything.
My brain got tired and I decided to continue to go back home.
Even though my brain is tired.
There's still one thought that flew in my head.
Who's hair is this?