As Atsuo walked down the street, he had a strange feeling that someone was following him. To his surprise, he turned around and saw his teacher, Baldrik, striding toward him. Baldrik greeted him with a friendly "Hey" and caught up, walking alongside him.
Baldrik then asked Atsuo "Do you live nearby?" to which Atsuo responded "Yeah". Baldrik smiled and said, "Oh, that's nice". After a short while, Baldrik abruptly stopped in front of a house and said, "This is my house." Atsuo politely stated, "I should be leaving," but Baldrik insisted on inviting him in for some food.
Atsuo was initially hesitant, but Baldrik persuaded him, saying that he would not want his students to stand outside his house without entering. Atsuo eventually gave in and agreed to enter Baldrik's home.
As he walked into the house, Atsuo removed his shoes and looked around. The house was cozy and well-furnished, with a warm and inviting atmosphere Baldrik beckoned Atsuo over with a firm "Come here." As he walked into the room, Atsuo nodded to the low table that awaited him. Taking a seat, Atsuo looked around the room while Baldrik said, "Just wait here. I am heading into the kitchen to make some food." Atsuo replied, "No, it's alright. You don't need to cook anything for me. I am fine." He gestured with his hands, attempting to stop Baldrik. Baldrik, on the other hand, insisted, "No, just wait here," and then vanished into the kitchen.
From the room, Atsuo could hear the sounds of Baldrik bustling about in the kitchen, preparing a meal. Baldrik took some ingredients from the fridge, put them in a pot, and began cooking, adding sauces and spices to the mix. Baldrik carried all of the food into the room and placed it on the low table after he finished. He sat down across from Atsuo, saying, "Hey, eat. You must be hungry." With a gesture of his hand behind his head, Atsuo answered, "There was no need to do this." Still, Baldrik pushed him forward, saying, "Come on, start eating." Atsuo picked up his chopsticks and started eating. While eating, Baldrik looked up at Atsuo and asked, "How is the food tasting?" Atsuo smiled and replied, "It is delicious!" Baldrik smirked and said, "That is extremely disgusting of you." This comment left Atsuo perplexed, and he paused his meal to ask Baldrik what he meant. Baldrik then placed both of his hands on the ground and said, "How could you eat this?" with a wicked grin on his face. Atsuo was completely bewildered by what Baldrik was saying and asked again, "What do you mean?" Baldrik then placed his hand on the table and said, "Atsuo, let's make it clear. Your sister..." Atsuo interrupted him and asked, "My sister?" Baldrik replied, "Yeah, your sister. I killed her," he said with a sly smile. Atsuo's mind went blank, unable to process what had just happened, and he said "What are you saying" in a loud tone, then Baldrik said while looking at the food, "Right now, what you were eating is your sister's meat." As Atsuo gazed at the food laid out before him, his eyes widened in disbelief. The sight of it made him feel sick as if his stomach was twisted into knots. He could feel his skin break out into a cold sweat as he recoiled in disgust, and said."What you just said, is to- true?" "Why would I joke?" Baldrik uttered. A distraught Atsuo ran towards the bathroom, his stomach churning with disgust. He had just eaten something so repulsive that he couldn't believe he had put it in his mouth. Tears streamed down his face as he leaned over the toilet, attempting to vomit. Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him and turned to see Baldrik, standing there with a smirk on his face. "Did not you like your sister's meat?" he mocked, his laughter echoing off the walls. Atsuo was consumed by a sudden burst of anger that surged through him like molten lava. He turned towards Baldrik and in a fit of rage, grabbed him by the neck, his grip tightening with each passing moment. He gritted his teeth and snarled, "I will kill you. How could you kill my sister and then feed me her body parts?" Baldrik pushed Atsuo, causing him to fall, in an attempt to remove his hand from his neck. After Atsuo's head struck a sharp object, he lost consciousness.
As Atsuo slowly regained consciousness, he felt an excruciating pain in his hand. His eyes slowly opened, revealing a terrifying sight: Baldrik was standing directly in front of him, holding a sharp knife and attempting to cut his hand. Atsuo's hand and mouth were bound with a rope, preventing him from screaming for help. He tried to fight Baldrik, kicking him repeatedly, but it was of no use. yet he kept on fighting with all his strength.
As he struggled to break free from Baldrik's grasp, they suddenly heard a loud doorbell. Baldrik stopped and said in a low voice, "Ahhh, who is it now?" He dropped the knife and went to check who was at the door. It was an old man who seemed very angry, and he started yelling at Baldrik, "Hey you! When will you return my money? You promised me you would pay me back last week!"
Taking advantage of the situation, Atsuo crawled towards the knife, determined not to give up on his life. He struggled to pick it up, but after a few attempts, he managed to hold it firmly. With the knife, he cut the tight ropes that bound his hands. Filled with fear and adrenaline, Atsuo knew he had to act fast. He panicked and ran out of the room, hoping to find help and escape Baldrik's grasp. As Atsuo quickly scanned the small room, his heart sank as he noticed the unmistakable bloodstain on the wall. This was the same room where Baldrik had taken Ada's life. With a sense of urgency, he rushed towards the back of the house, where a large window offered a potential escape route. Without hesitation, he leaped out of the window and made his way to safety.
Meanwhile, the old man was in a heated discussion with Baldrik about the money he was owed. "I need my money back," the old man insisted. Baldrik replied, "I will give you your money back when I receive my salary." As the conversation continued, Baldrik heard a noise coming from the back of the house. He glanced over with a side-eye, knowing that Atsuo had managed to escape. Despite this, Baldrik remained calm and continued talking to the old man as though nothing had happened.
Atsuo was sprinting as fast as he could, his bare feet pounding against the rough ground. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he could feel his breath becoming heavier with each passing moment. In his right hand, he clutched a small cut, from which blood was oozing out, but it wasn't a serious injury.
As he approached his house, he could see that the sun had set and the sky had become dark. Atsuo knew that his father would have returned from work by now, and he rushed towards the door, flinging it open with haste. Breathlessly, he called out, "DAD!!!" and leaned his hand against the door to catch his breath. He then gasped out, "Dad... Mom... Ada... Ada is dead." Both Kenji and Gerda, who were in the main room, heard his words and were confused by what Atsuo was saying and why he was suddenly saying it. Kenji quickly stood up and placed his hand on Atsuo's shoulder, asking him, "What happened, Atsuo? How do you know that Ada is dead?" Gerda, on the other hand, didn't seem as shocked as Kenji, as she had already accepted that Ada had passed away.
-to be continue -