The tension in the hallway reached its peak as Yasushi's frustration boiled over. Sachiko, Megumi, and Taichi exchanged worried glances, Koba, his earlier skepticism now replaced by genuine concern. Yasushi tightly clenched his hands into fists, looking down as he shivered in anger. "LIAR! …I demand you to open the door!" He then looked up into the darkness, eyes fierce with anger and determination. "...Now!" His command spilled into the darkness echoing off the cold stone walls.
The mysterious voice fell silent, the absence of response only adding to the eerie atmosphere. Undeterred, Yasushi stomped towards the door, his footsteps loud in the oppressive quiet. The others followed closely behind him.
Just as they were about to reach the imposing double doors, a subtle change rippled through the air. The doors began to open slowly, seemingly of their own accord.
"As you wish, Young Master," the eerie voice whispered, its tone unreadable.
Suddenly, as if a spell had been broken, light flooded back into the hallway. The oppressive cold dissipated, replaced by the normal ambient temperature of the palace. The children blinked, momentarily disoriented by the abrupt change.
The door continued to creak open, revealing the room beyond. Yasushi, his earlier anger replaced by excitement, stepped forward eagerly.
"Kaname, are you up? It's me, Yasu. I've brought ya..." his voice trailed off as he peered into the room.
The other children crowded behind him and stepped into the room, their necks craning to catch a glimpse of the mysterious Kaname. Their eyes widened as they took in the scene before them. Where Yasushi had promised a living space filled with the presence of his mysterious companion, they found only emptiness. The room was bare, stripped of any personal belongings or signs of habitation.
Yasushi's words died in his throat, his body trembling with frustration and disbelief. The silence that fell was heavy, broken only by the skeptical comments of his friends.
Sachiko looked around, his voice filled with disappointment and a hint of mockery. "Your wife lives in this shithole?"
Taichi, unable to resist teasing, added, "This is no way to treat a lady."
Megumi, standing slightly apart from the others, let out a quiet sigh of relief, her earlier jealousy giving way to confusion.
Koba, his earlier skepticism now seemingly justified, smirked. "Let's go. This was such a waste of time." He turned, leading the way out of the empty room.
As the others filed out, Yasushi remained frozen in place, humiliation washing over him in waves. The mysterious voice returned, its whisper so close it seemed to breathe directly into Yasushi's ear, though nobody was visible.
"You know the rules, Young Master," it murmured. "No one can know about her."
Too ashamed to respond, Yasushi turned and walked out of the room, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He followed his friends down the stairs and back into the Library, his mind reeling with questions and doubts. The group made their way through the quiet library, the earlier excitement now replaced by an uncomfortable silence. Yasushi trailed behind, lost in thought.
As they made their way back towards the grand hall, the group's mood had shifted dramatically from their earlier excitement. The empty room had left them with a mix of disappointment and concern for Yasushi's mental state.
Sachiko stretched his arms up in the arm and whined, his earlier enthusiasm deflated. "AWWW! That was no fun. I was really hoping that chick was real.
"He's obviously sick in the head. Whatta loser." Koba retorted harshly. Eager to dispel the current mood, he abruptly changed the subject. "Let's grab some chow. I'm hungry."
Megumi, torn between her relief and concern for Yasushi, snapped at Koba, "Yasushi just hasn't been feeling well Stupid! Get over yourself!"
Koba and Megumi continued exchanging insults yet Yasushi remained uncharacteristically silent, his head bowed and his thoughts clearly elsewhere. The weight of what had transpired seemed to press down on his shoulders, making him appear smaller than usual.
As they approached the grand hall, the sounds of the ongoing festivities grew louder, a stark contrast to the somber mood of the young group. Just before they entered, Taichi, noticing Yasushi's distress, gently pulled his friend to the side.
The others, caught up in their own discussions and the promise of food, continued into the hall without noticing. Taichi and Yasushi found themselves in a quiet alcove, the party's noise muffled enough for a private conversation.
"Hey," Taichi said softly, his earlier teasing tone replaced by genuine concern. "What's really going on, Yasushi? I've known you for years, and I've never seen you like this."
Yasushi looked up, meeting his friend's eyes for the first time since they'd left the empty room. "I... you don't understand," Yasushi whispered, his voice barely audible.
Taichi nodded, listening attentively to his friend. "Yasushi, don't worry. I believe you. We'll see her another day, okay? I'm sure it was just a miss…under..stand..in..g?" Taichi's attempt at consolation turned to have the opposite effect. Yasushi's eyes, now burned with an intensity that made Taichi instinctively step back.
"Forget about it. It was all in my head," Yasushi abruptly shouted, his voice cold and distant. Without another word, he walked into the grand hall, leaving a bewildered Taichi behind.
The festivities in the grand hall continued unabated. Kaito and Izimaru, still intoxicated, were at the center of the chaos, with Masahiko yelling at them from one side and Captain Haru lecturing from the other. Mari sat off to the side, laughing at the spectacle.
Amidst all the joy and light-heartedness, Yasushi stood alone in a corner, a dark cloud of gloom surrounding him. His thoughts raced: Where was she? Why didn't she respond to me? Who the hell was that voice? Shit, I'm so embarrassed. Everyone now thinks I'm a liar. Or worse…that I'm fucking crazy. I bet this was of my father's doing, that greedy bastard.
He sighed heavily. I'm sure she is lonely without me. I didn't get to spend much time with her today after all.
The weight of his humiliation, the pessimism over Kaname's forced isolation, and the anger at her existence being ignored all crashed down on Yasushi at once. The laughter and music of the party seemed to mock his distress.
Unable to bear it any longer, Yasushi slipped out of the grand hall unnoticed, disappearing into the shadowy corridors of the palace.
I NEED TO SEE HER!
- -