"But, how are we supposed to explore those routes in this crowded field, Moon?"
"That is what beating me, Uncle Ren."
Whether I open my eyes or close them, all I see is that dense field of hyacinthus, with nothing to follow them. Finding those ways out of this oppressive atmosphere sounds so difficult. It is important to acknowledge the ability of my grandparents in creating intricate fields. How should we cross the paths now?
I let out a deep breath and scanned the field. I might claim that strolling over the flowers is the best method, but hold on! How would my grandparents uncover those undiscovered pathways if there was no way? It's possible that they even trod on these blossoms. Those flowers that kept stepping up, I have to find out. But where should I start?
"What should we do…?"
"Uncle Ren, find those flowers which were bent down."
"Flowers which were bent? Mmm!"
We estranged ways despite asking upstairs queries and began combing for those bizarre flowers. Nevertheless, as I paused and read down, I perceived that my whole path was skewed slightly downward. Have I located them?
"Moon, I found a way of flowers which were bent down."
Huh? Two ways?
Wait. There are two secret routes so there might be two ways for each of them. Great thing.
"Follow that way and keep updating me through text."
"Gotcha!"
In lieu of calling each other, texting is an excellent strategy to maintain mutual confidence. I doubt that receiving a haphazard in an uncomfortable position will just have negative effects on me; in that state of smoke, benefit is not something I can consider.
I could see crimson liquid droplets encircling a few flowers while I was moving down that strange path, yet not a single drop was in my path. Something about this makes me feel suspicious. I felt so strange, seeing things like this. Walking on, I suddenly stopped halfway through and checked the screen for any messages from Uncle Ren on something similar, but all I saw was the passing of time.
After walking for a moment of period, I was almost thirsty but I had nothing to hold on to finest my thirst. I was so into my shuffled thoughts that –
"Argh?"
Haa… I fell down by getting hit by something rock-like. I immediately struggled to stand up and turned around to figure out what exactly made me fall off against the gravity.
Eh? Neither rock nor hardwood, it was just a wrinkled creeper. I immediately crouched down and touched the creeper to know the hardness of it. I touched but I had to immediately take off as I felt needles-like being pinned into my fingers. Surprised, I glanced at my fingers and found not much effect. Tsk!
But one thing, I felt so confused because I fell down due to the hard substance but this creeper is smooth and the surface is similar to cactus yet the effect has a lot of gap between the two plants. I shortly narrowed my eyes and determined to know, how can a smooth substance make a huge human fall down? Hmm!
As per my plan, I was going to touch the creeper once again but before I could do that – I heard a sound of notification.
"Moon, the route I was told to go is now blocked after a while. Here… there's nothing but a big rock. According to me, even if this rock is moved there might be no way further and around this rock a lot of creepers have grown. Have any queries?"
Route is blocked by a huge rock? What does this mean now? What might be the reason behind blocking the way with a huge rock? I guess this much is enough for today, I'm gonna work on this atypical situation by myself. I shouldn't involve any of my home members.
"Get back, Uncle Ren. Let's leave for dinner now."
...
I found nothing much for today. But think about this, what would I do if I was in my grandparents shoes? What might be my thoughts about blocking one route? This is something out of my knowledge. Unpredictable and complicated. These old people are gifted with such a good mindset yet they have mastered in learning unique and complicated fields to work on their criminalism. Tsk! What a shame!
But. Even though they have mastered their knowledge, their strengths aren't so capable of performing all their crimes. Same thing applies to the blocking of the route – they aren't strong enough to lift such a huge rock and shift it into the garden. This is surely done by someone else. Then, are there some other people involved in my grandparents group rather than only themselves? Doing the exorcism alone might go with my grandparents but sudden disappearance and appearance of the dead bodies from nowhere is something that's not done by these old people. There is surely someone else involved in the crimes.
Who might be that dog?
"Eh… Onee-san, your face looks so scary."
"Huh? My face?"
"Yes. What are you thinking about? You haven't even started your dinner, Baby."
"Ah. Yeah… Let's eat!"
Am I looking that scary? Haa… I surely possess such a face when I get clouded by my thoughts. That beats me, man!
"I'm done. Thank you for the food, Mom."
"Huh? But you ate little…"
I didn't listen further and immediately walked to my room. It's not like I didn't like the food, it was as usually delicious but my whole body is stuck on to the given mission. I couldn't take a break without solving this mysterious situation. I couldn't let my guard down to the deaths occurring here. I literally can't let myself ignore even a little bit of information about my so-called Step-grandparents! A single piece of evidence is essential to make them surrender and stop these deaths and missing cases…
I fell on my bed and began to stare at the ceiling. I have to inform my colleagues about this but… not to everyone – I mean not even a single one. I'm gonna inform this directly to Mr. White. I'm not good at trusting people. Now, the thing about informing only Mr. White, I have got reasons about all those colleagues of mine.
"Goodnight, Mr. White. I have something to inform you about."
"Yes. Yeah speak up."
And I told him everything that I suspected from beginning to now. Surely, I was wearing a poker face – I can feel no emotions on my face when the topic is about Uncle Ren's parents. Now they are criminals in my eyes more than my so-called grandparents. It's like… I hate them from the bottom of my heart. That's worse… yet it feels correct simultaneously.
"Moon."
It's… my first time I heard my name from his mouth instead of "Agent Moon". This suspicious silence between us makes me uneasy. What am I going to face?
"Yes?"
"Just kill them."
Huh?!
My heart was pounding harder when I heard those sharp as knife words, cutting my heart into pieces and leaving those piercing scars. Those words… I never anticipated them. I can't kill them. I don't wanna become a murderer in Uncle Ren's eyes. I don't wanna tag myself as an outsider by murdering my Step-grandparents.
"If I kill them, then what's the difference between me and them, Mr. White?"
There was once again a silence but this time an understanding one. With a sigh, I broke the silence.
"I'm not gonna kill them. I've my own ways to work on, you rest assured."
And I hung up on his call. If you ever assign me to kill anyone any day, I don't mind killing you first, Mr. White. That makes me far better than anything else.
I don't wanna kill anyone… I'm not someone to punish, there are laws to do the work. As a well-behaved citizen, I should catch those bad doers and hand them to the cops. It's all law, things which I never wanna involve myself and get my family in trouble. But it doesn't mean that I'm gonna let my guard down if laws don't do their work as they should be.
A faint knock on my door and all those thoughts vanished in the air. Just like a fog. Ah, this winter is going to come to an end soon. I might see the last snow soon.
"Haven't you slept yet, Uncle Ren?"
"No. I was just wondering about you."
Without looking at him, I just stayed normally at the wide window and began to wonder about the snowfall. I just wanna feel those little snowflakes on my warm palm before I leave this place with a heartbroken – not mine but… Uncle Ren's.
"Me? What's that about, Uncle Ren?"
"You haven't had your dinner properly. I and Mom were wondering what might have gotten you with that serious face. Since we were back from the garden, your behaviour became this way. Tell me, Moon. Did you witness anything in the garden that disturbed your emotions?"
He walked to me and held his elbows over the frame of the window. I was almost taken aback when I really witnessed the real tension in his eyes for me. He does… really care about me? I couldn't believe that he began to change little by little, don't tell me that you're doing this for me, Uncle Ren.
I just smiled short and turned my face out of the window.
"I'm okay. Uncle Ren, thank you for taking care of me."
Even without looking at him, I can feel him smiling at my words. That makes me relieved. All my stress, tension, and trauma leaves from my soul into the air like dandelions when I smile with my family members. It's… a cure of family love.
"I'm your Uncle Ren, after all."
"Yes. Stupid Uncle Ren."
"Hey, naughty ~ haha ~"