He leaned closer, squinting at the strange figure. That's when he noticed the glowing yellow horns sticking out of the other person's head. He gasped and reached up, touching his own head, feeling something solid and smooth. His fingers traced the same glowing horns he saw in the water.
Rei (startled, trying to pull them): Why... why are they stuck? Get off!
He tugged at them, pulling harder, but they wouldn't budge. His eyes drifted back to the water, and now he noticed a faint purple ring floating above the head of the reflection too.
Rei (nervous, confused): What's... what's that thing up there?
He waved his arms, watching as the circle stayed right over his head, never moving. His reflection just waved back at him, horns and all.
Rei (starting to feel scared): Stop copying me! Who are you?!
He splashed at the water, but the reflection just rippled and came back, still wearing those glowing horns. His hands dropped to his sides, frustration bubbling up inside him.
Rei (worried, voice soft): Why... why do I look like this?
Rei's heart pounded as he bolted away from the lake, panic rising in his chest. He didn't understand what he had just seen—those strange, glowing things on his head. His feet splashed through puddles as he ran, his eyes wide with fear.
Rei (panicking): Why won't they come off? I don't want them!
He spotted the big rock up ahead, the one he had sat on before. Desperation surged through him. Maybe, just maybe, he could get rid of those weird things. His legs moved faster as he reached the rock, climbing onto it and pressing his head down hard against the rough surface.
Rei (struggling, determined): I'll make them go away!
He rubbed his head frantically against the rock, pressing harder, hoping the roughness would somehow scrape them off. But no matter what he did, the glowing things stayed, unmoving, stuck to him like they were a part of him.
Rei (grunting, frustrated): Go away! Get off me!
He grabbed at them with both hands, tugging and yanking at the glowing things, but they wouldn't budge. His small arms trembled with the effort, and tears pricked at his eyes. No matter how hard he pulled, they were still there.
Rei (whimpering, voice shaking): I don't want these... I don't want these things...
Exhausted, he finally slumped to his knees next to the rock, breathing hard, the glowing shapes still there, like they were mocking him.
Rei's head throbbed from all the tugging, a dull ache settling in as he sank down beside the rock, his shoulders slumping. He closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath, but his mind raced with thoughts that felt too big for him to handle.
Rei (softly, to himself): Is this what a demon is? Am I... am I really a demon?
The word felt heavy in his mouth, foreign yet familiar. He remembered the villagers' fearful faces, their shouts echoing in his ears. But what did that even mean for him? What was he supposed to be?
Rei (thinking, confused): If I'm a demon... then why do I feel scared? Why do I just want to be normal?
His heart sank deeper into uncertainty. He glanced at his hands, the fingers small and fragile, the skin marked with scrapes from his earlier struggles. He didn't feel like a monster. He felt lost, just a child in a world that seemed so much bigger and scarier than he could understand.
Rei (whispering, feeling alone): I just want to know who I am...
The thought lingered in the air, mixing with the sounds of the forest around him. Birds chirped, and leaves rustled, but none of it could ease the storm of questions swirling in his mind. He hugged his knees, trying to find some comfort in the warmth of his own embrace, wishing for answers that felt just out of reach.
Rei nestled his back against the cool boulder, the exhaustion of the day weighing him down. He closed his eyes, letting the gentle sounds of the forest lull him into a light sleep. Moments later, he felt a strange sensation, as if someone was watching him.
Slowly, Rei opened his eyes, and his heart jumped in surprise. A girl about his age stood before him, her wide eyes fixed on him with a mixture of curiosity and caution. She had a brown hair that framed her face, and her dark brown eyes sparkled with curiosity. and a dress that seemed a little too big for her, making her look small and vulnerable.