The next morning, the first rays of the sun gently pierced through the sky.
Ryosuke stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a smirk on his lips. He waited, patient, for the moment to come. He didn't have to wait long.
A scream of joy suddenly rang out from Sayuri's room.
"KYYYAAAA!"
Ryosuke shook his head softly, amused. She found it, he thought.
The bedroom door flew open. Ryosuke saw Sayuri, still in her pajamas, holding the kitten in her arms.
Her eyes sparkled with happiness. She hugged the little ball of fur to her chest before abruptly stopping, fixing Ryosuke with a suspicious look.
"What's the catch?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.
Ryosuke burst into laughter, raising his hands in a gesture of innocence.
"Hey, I'm hurt!" he replied, smiling. "You really think I'd play a trick on you when I'm giving you a gift?"
Sayuri raised an eyebrow, still wary, but her attention was quickly diverted by the kitten softly meowing in her arms. She looked at it with adoration before raising her eyes to her brother.
"Can I really keep it?" she asked, almost cautiously, as if she feared someone would take her new treasure away.
Ryosuke nodded. "Yeah, you can keep it. Mom gave her approval."
A second cry of joy escaped Sayuri's lips. She spun around in delight before gazing at the kitten with a radiant smile.
"You're going to be called… Yuki!" she declared decisively. "Because you're as cute as a snowflake!"
The kitten seemed to approve, snuggling even closer in Sayuri's arms as she grinned from ear to ear.
Ryosuke watched the scene with amusement. He stepped closer, placed a hand on his sister's head, and ruffled her hair.
"Alright, have fun with Yuki. I've got things to do."
Sayuri looked up at him, her smile still as bright as ever. "Thanks, Nii-chan! I swear I'll take care of him!"
Ryosuke smiled back, a bit teasing. "You better. It's your responsibility now."
He turned and left the room, leaving Sayuri to her joyous squeals and her new friend.
The smile on his face slowly faded as he descended the stairs.
It's done. The cat is in place. Everything was going as planned.
A long day awaited him. Today, he would finally test his abilities on another field.
The abandoned psychiatric hospital.
This is where it all begins.
Ryosuke quickly got ready, slipping on a dark jacket and ensuring his bag contained everything he needed. He cast one last glance at the house before stepping outside.
The sun had barely risen, and the cool morning air prickled his skin. The streets were still deserted, which suited him perfectly.
He hadn't revealed his plan to anyone. He could go out on the weekends, as long as he'd done his chores and returned before dinner.
He boarded the bus heading to the outskirts of the city. During the ride, he reviewed one last time the information he had found on the hospital. It was a place where many mysterious events had occurred. People claimed to have seen shadows, spectral forms lurking in the dilapidated hallways.
The bus finally stopped at a remote station. Ryosuke got off, finding himself alone on a small road surrounded by forests. The hospital wasn't far now. He walked for about twenty minutes, his bag bouncing against his back with every step, until the trees cleared, revealing a massive, decrepit building, half-covered in vegetation.
The place was eerie, straight out of a nightmare. The windows were broken, and the once grand entrance hung askew, half-torn off.
Ryosuke stopped for a moment to observe the hospital, his heart racing. A shiver ran down his spine, but he didn't hesitate for long. He took a deep breath, activated his "third eye," and crossed the rusty gates of the establishment.
As soon as Ryosuke activated his "third eye," the landscape before him changed. All around him, Cursed Spirits appeared, floating in the air, aimlessly wandering around the old, crumbling hospital. These formless creatures seemed barely aware of his presence, drifting in circles without actually attacking.
Lower-class Cursed Spirits, harmless. Ryosuke ignored them. They weren't what interested him.
He entered the building, his heart pounding faster. As soon as he crossed the threshold, a strange sensation took hold of him. There was something here, something different. A presence far more powerful than any of the other Cursed Spirits he had encountered before.
A nervous smile crept onto his lips as he tightened his grip on the rusty metal bar he had picked up earlier.
Guided by a deep intuition, he climbed the creaking stairs, ascending floor by floor, until he reached the third. And there, at the end of the dark corridor, he saw it.
TO BE CONTINUED!
The Next Chapter: Be Up to the Challenge!