Emiko looked at Kaede, struggling with her own emotions. She knew she needed her friend's help, but she was also determined to protect her at all costs.
"Thank you, Kaede. I appreciate your concern. But I've decided to handle this on my own. I don't want to get you in trouble or risk our friendship," Emiko replied.
Kaede sighed in frustration but eventually accepted Emiko's decision, knowing she couldn't force her to open up if she wasn't ready. Though her heart was filled with uncertainty and worry, she decided to support her friend in the best way she could.
"Alright, Emi. I'll respect your choice. But I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what. Whenever or however you decide to share it, I'll be ready to listen," Kaede said sincerely.
Emiko nodded gratefully, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. She knew she couldn't hide the truth forever, but for now, she kept her secret to protect her friend. They continued their friendship, though Emiko faced the difficult decision of when and how to involve Kaede in the dangerous situation they were facing.
After classes ended, Kaede and Emiko walked out of the school building just as the clouds began to darken and thunder echoed in the sky. Soon, a heavy downpour began, soaking everyone nearby.
Emiko frowned, realizing she hadn't brought her umbrella, which made her feel even more uncomfortable. She looked around and noticed Kaede hadn't brought hers either.
"Wow, looks like the rain caught us off guard," Emiko said with a nervous laugh.
Kaede, however, seemed excited by the idea of running in the rain. Her face lit up with a mischievous smile as she looked at Emiko.
"You know what? Let's run through the rain! It'll be fun and refreshing," Kaede said enthusiastically.
Emiko looked at her in surprise, unsure of what to think about the suggestion. On one hand, she knew their uniforms would get soaked and they might catch a cold, but on the other hand, the idea of letting loose and enjoying the spontaneous moment was tempting.
After a moment of thought, Emiko smiled and nodded.
"Alright, let's do it! A little adventure in the rain!"
Without further hesitation, Emiko and Kaede began running down the path as the rain soaked their uniforms and hair. They laughed and had fun jumping in the puddles forming along the way. For a moment, all their worries and problems seemed to vanish, leaving only the joy of the present.
After a few minutes, they were both drenched but filled with laughter and adrenaline. They stopped to catch their breath, looking at each other with a mix of happiness and shared mischief.
"That was amazing," Kaede said with a radiant smile.
Emiko nodded, soaked but feeling a happiness she hadn't experienced in a long time.
"Yeah, it was a crazy idea, but I'm glad we did it. Thank you, Kaede."
The two friends continued their walk home, wet but filled with a sense of freedom and connection that only the rain could inspire. In their hearts, they held onto that small shared moment of joy, reminding them that sometimes it's worth giving in to spontaneity and enjoying life without worry.
Kaede walked with Emiko to the front door of her house, while the rain still poured. Their laughter echoed in the air, filled with the emotions they had experienced during their rainy stroll.
"Thank you for running in the rain with me, Kaede. I had so much fun," said Emiko, wrapping Kaede in a warm hug before saying goodbye.
"You don't need to thank me, Emi. I had a great time too," Kaede replied tenderly, returning the hug with affection.
Emiko entered her home while Kaede stayed at the threshold, watching her with a smile. As Emiko closed the door behind her, Kaede, still smiling, raised her hand to wave goodbye.
In that moment, Kaede felt a strange sensation of being watched. Her curious eyes shifted to the ground, where she spotted a small teddy bear that had been left outside Emiko's house.
Without saying a word, Kaede smiled and brought her index finger to her lips, signaling the teddy bear to stay quiet.
Inside, Emiko felt happy and at peace in her home. However, her tranquility was soon interrupted by strange noises coming from the kitchen. Confusion and fear took over as she imagined the presence of an intruder.
Bravely, Emiko slowly made her way toward the kitchen. Her trembling hand reached for the light switch, and as she turned it on, the light revealed the unexpected truth.
There, standing in front of the refrigerator, was her mother—with her mouth full of food.
Emiko was dumbfounded by the scene. Her mother, who usually spent most of her time working, was there. Suddenly, her mother, still chewing and with food smeared on her face, saw her daughter standing in the kitchen doorway.
"Emiko, sweetheart!" her mother exclaimed with her mouth full, trying to approach her for a hug.
Emiko, noticing the food on her mother's face and feeling confused, quickly stepped back.
"Wait, Emiko, where are you going? Don't be rude—hug your mother," her mother said with a big smile as she chased after her.
Desperate, Emiko ran to avoid her mother's embrace and shouted, "I'm soaking wet, Mom! I can't hug you!"
"That doesn't matter, sweetheart. I just want a hug," her mother said, lunging at Emiko and causing them both to fall to the floor. She finally caught her.
Her mother took the opportunity to hug Emiko tightly.
"Hello, sweetie, it's so good to see you again! Tell me, how have you been? Do you have a boyfriend? Lots of friends?" her mother exclaimed, bombarding Emiko with questions.
"Wait, Mom, don't hug me so tight—I can't breathe," Emiko said, desperate.
Her mother loosened the hug and sat on the floor next to Emiko, still smiling brightly.
"Sorry, sweetheart. I just got really excited to see you. Sometimes I can't help showing my love in an over-the-top way," her mother apologized.
Emiko smiled and gently hugged her mother. Though still confused by her sudden appearance in the kitchen, she realized how much she had missed her mother's love and affection.
"I'm glad to see you too, Mom," Emiko replied. "I'm fine. I don't have a boyfriend, and yes, I have some friends. But tell me—how was your day? I didn't know you took a break and came home."
Her mother sighed and looked at Emiko tenderly. "I've been working a lot lately, and I realized I was neglecting you. So I decided to take the day off to surprise you and spend some time together."
Emiko felt overwhelmed by the love and effort her mother had put into this gesture. She realized how lucky she was to have such a loving and dedicated mom.
"Mom, I'm sorry I got scared and ran away. It was just the surprise and confusion," Emiko apologized.
Her mother gently stroked her hair and smiled. "It's okay, sweetie. I understand it was unexpected. But don't worry, I'm here to stay with you the rest of the day. We can do whatever you want—just say the word!"
Emiko felt filled with gratitude and happiness. No matter how strange the situation had been, she knew she had her mother's unconditional love and they would always be there for each other.
"Wait right here, Emiko! I brought you a gift," her mother exclaimed, getting up and running to the kitchen.
Emiko, still sitting on the floor, watched her mom with excitement as she returned with a small box wrapped in shiny paper. "Here you go, sweetheart. It's for your birthday. I hope you like it," her mom said, handing her the box.
Emiko, slightly confused, took the box and looked at her mom. "Is it my birthday today?"
They both fell into an awkward silence.
"Did you really forget it's your birthday?" her mom asked.
"Well, I didn't know today was my birthday," Emiko exclaimed.
Her mom started laughing. Emiko froze, her mouth open, hearing her mother laugh at her.
"Come on, open the present," her mother urged.
Emiko opened the gift eagerly and found a necklace with a pendant that had her name on it. Though she was delighted with the gift, her modesty made her feel a little uncomfortable.
"Mom, it's really beautiful," Emiko said sincerely but with a hint of shyness in her voice. "I'm not sure I deserve something this special."
Her mother looked at her lovingly and stroked her hair.
"Sweetheart, you deserve it more than you can imagine. This necklace is just a symbol of how special you are to me and of all the love I feel for you," her mom said.
Emiko smiled timidly and nodded. Though it was hard for her to accept praise and gifts, she understood that it wasn't just about the necklace, but about the love and appreciation her mother showed her.
"Thank you, Mom. I really appreciate it," Emiko said with a big smile.
"Let me help you put it on," her mom said.
Emiko nodded and leaned forward, allowing her mother to place the necklace around her neck.
Once it was on, Emiko looked at herself in the mirror and admired how beautiful it looked. She felt full of love and gratitude for her mother.
"Thank you for this special gift, Mom," Emiko whispered.
Her mother hugged her gently and kissed her on the forehead.
"I always want to remind you how special and loved you are, Emiko. Never forget that," her mom said.
Emiko smiled and hugged her mother tightly.
"Hey, Emiko, by the way—why are you soaking wet?" her mother asked, casting a judgmental glance at her.
Emiko, a little nervous, laughed and replied, "Well, you see, I got soaked because I didn't have an umbrella, and it didn't look like the rain was going to stop."
"Well, go take a shower before you catch a cold," her mother exclaimed.
"Okay, let me just grab my bag and—"
"Leave it, I'll pick it up! Go take your shower before you get sick," her mother insisted.
Emiko nodded and went to take a hot shower. While she showered, her mother left her some dry clothes and picked up Emiko's bag from the floor.
Suddenly, her mother accidentally dropped the bag, causing all the notebooks and papers to spill out. She hurried to pick everything up. As she gathered the notebooks, she paused at a sheet tucked inside one of them. She picked it up and saw a drawing of a tall, slender monster—it looked like it had been drawn by a child.
Emiko's mother stared at the drawing in horror, recognizing it as Emiko's work. Just then, Emiko finished her shower. As she stepped out of the bathroom, she saw her mother with a worried expression while organizing her notebooks.
"I'm really sorry, Emiko," her mother said. "I dropped your bag by accident and all your notebooks and papers fell out."
Emiko quickly approached to help her mother gather the papers. "Don't worry, Mom. It's just a few things that fell."
Emiko's mother, startled by what she saw on the paper, remained calm and responded normally, smiling.
"Hey Emiko, sweetie, this drawing on the paper seemed a little strange to me. Did you draw it?"
Emiko stared wide-eyed at the drawing, her expression turning into a mix of surprise and concern. She recognized the drawing instantly but couldn't understand how it had ended up in her bag. Her heart began to race as she remembered seeing the drawing in the classroom before the strange monster appeared, and how lately, she had been seeing strange things.
Emiko didn't know how to explain to her mother that the drawing depicted a monster that had been haunting her dreams and had started appearing in real life. She knew her mom would worry and might think she was imagining things, so she decided to stay calm and lie.
She took a deep breath and composed herself, lifting her gaze to meet her mother's.
"Yes, mom, I drew it a while ago when I was bored. Why does it seem strange to you?" Emiko replied.
Her mother, still a little uneasy, looked at the drawing once more and then put it in her pocket.
"Oh, it's nothing important. It just struck me as an interesting drawing, that's all," Emiko's mother said.
Emiko nodded and helped her mother pick up the rest of the papers, trying not to dwell on how the drawing had ended up in her bag. Still, she couldn't shake the unease growing inside her.
"Well, mom, I'm going to rest now," Emiko said, trying to hide her uneasiness.
"Alright, sweetie. Go get some rest. I'll be in the kitchen for a while cleaning up the mess I made," her mother replied, hugging Emiko.
As Emiko walked up the stairs to her room, her mom headed to the kitchen and looked around. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the drawing she had just put away, and with a worried look, muttered:
"How is it possible that this drawing is here? I remember throwing it away years ago. This can't be happening. It must just be a coincidence that Emiko drew this strange creature again," she said anxiously.
In her room, Emiko stood in front of the mirror, observing herself closely. Gently, she pushed aside a lock of hair to reveal a small scar on her scalp. Though tiny, the mark was a constant reminder of the accident she had suffered in her childhood. She vividly remembered her mother telling her she had gotten that scar while playing carelessly on the stairs when she was just a little girl.
Emiko lay on her bed, trying to calm herself and stop thinking about all the strange things she had been experiencing. She focused on positive thoughts, reminding herself to stay calm if she wanted to figure things out.
Little by little, sleep overtook Emiko, and she finally drifted off. As she slept, she once again found herself in the vast, dark void.
"Here again… when will these strange dreams end?" Emiko exclaimed.
Suddenly, Emiko heard a sound behind her and turned her head to see what it was. It was the little bear.
"I haven't seen you in a long time," Emiko said.
The bear slowly approached the edge of the void and gestured for Emiko to jump.
"You want me to jump again, huh?" Emiko said. "If I remember correctly, I didn't want to jump last time and you pushed me. No way, I'm not jumping again," she scolded the bear.
As the bear listened, it quietly walked over and pushed Emiko into the void once more. Her screams faded as she fell. The bear watched from the edge, stretched, and then backed up a few steps. It ran forward, ready to jump, but tripped and tumbled to the ground, finally falling into the void as well.
Emiko watched as the ground neared and closed her eyes, bracing for impact—but again, she felt nothing. She opened her eyes and looked around, realizing she was in the same place as before, with the dirty, damaged gears still in place.
Suddenly, the little bear fell from above, bouncing among the debris of the gears.
"Are you okay?" Emiko asked, somewhat worried.
But the bear stood up and brushed itself off.
With an incredulous expression, Emiko stared at the bear that had just gotten up as if nothing had happened after such a fall.
The bear looked at Emiko and gestured for her to follow. She obeyed, and together they walked among the gears and darkness, following a path that seemed endless.
Emiko couldn't help but wonder where the bear was leading her and what these strange dreams meant. She followed silently until they reached a door with a bizarre shape. On the door, Emiko noticed engravings of smiles, which confused her even more. She looked at the bear for answers, and it signaled for her to open it.
Hesitant, Emiko decided to open the door anyway.
On the other side, she was met with an incredibly strange landscape. There were smiling pills everywhere, some large and others small, and instead of clouds, the sky was filled with smiles. Emiko stood in awe, unable to understand what any of it meant.
The bear approached her and gave her an encouraging nod. Intrigued, Emiko decided to explore the bizarre world, hoping to uncover its secrets.
With curiosity and determination, she walked through the smiling pills, ready to find the answers she desperately sought. As they advanced, Emiko noticed something unusual: a group of tall, thin monsters with smiling masks were approaching. Nervous, Emiko glanced at the bear, but it didn't seem concerned at all and kept walking, so she followed.
As they moved through the group of monsters, Emiko noticed they didn't pay them any attention. Suddenly, one of the monsters stepped toward Emiko and stared at her through its smiling mask.
A chill ran down her spine as it stared silently. Though the mask displayed an eerie calmness, Emiko felt an imminent sense of danger. She tried to back away, but the monster began to laugh uncontrollably and disturbingly, prompting all the others to join in, their laughter echoing throughout the space. Emiko, terrified and confused, didn't understand what was happening.
The bear, still by her side, seemed unaffected by the laughing masked monsters. Trying to summon courage, Emiko stepped away from the monster, which continued laughing while staring at her.
She hurried away with the bear, continuing to explore the strange land. Along the way, she encountered more monsters with smiling masks, but this time they ignored her, laughing eerily among themselves.
Suddenly, Emiko noticed a smiling mask on the ground, and just a few steps away, a monster was crying uncontrollably without its mask.
Filled with curiosity, Emiko tried to approach it. But the bear suddenly noticed small, dark, round creatures with wide grins flying toward them. The bear quickly shielded Emiko. Confused, Emiko peeked out to see what was happening. She watched in horror as the creatures fused with the crying monster's back. The monster tried desperately to remove them, but they latched on, forming a large hump. From the hump, hands emerged and forced the monster's face into a grotesque smile.
Terrified, Emiko tried to sneak away. Suddenly, she accidentally stepped on the mask, making a loud crunch. The creatures turned toward her. The bear, realizing the danger, signaled for Emiko to put on the smiling mask. Though confused, she followed its lead and quickly put it on. It felt strange, but it was her only chance.
The dark creatures approached. The bear painted a smile on its face. The creatures stared at Emiko through the mask. Her breathing quickened, her heart pounded. She did her best to stay calm. The creatures scanned her from head to toe—then left.
Emiko let out a relieved sigh. She removed the mask slowly, grateful to have avoided danger.
She continued walking, fear replaced by determination. Meanwhile, in a dark corner, a small monster watched silently. Its odd appearance and silent tears intrigued Emiko. The little monster began to follow her.
Unaware of her new follower, Emiko moved forward. The monster drew closer, soundlessly. Suddenly, Emiko felt a chill down her neck. She turned and saw the little monster standing just a few steps behind.
Its eyes full of sadness, it gazed at her. Moved by its sorrow, Emiko slowly reached out and gently patted its head. Though it made no sound, she could feel its pain and loneliness. Then, the monster entered her body.
A shiver ran through Emiko. Unease filled her soul, her heart raced. Disoriented, she couldn't understand what was happening or how to control the creature inside her. Darkness devoured the world around her, accompanied by disturbing wails. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Suddenly, a strange melody filled the air, and two ballet dancers appeared, their smiling masks partially covering their faces.
The dancers moved with elegance around Emiko. Though beautiful, something about them disturbed her. The monster inside her distorted her perception, plunging her into confusion.
The dancers spun faster and faster around her. She tried to move away but felt trapped in a whirlwind of emotion. Tears flowed endlessly as she searched for an escape.
One dancer gently placed a pill in her mouth. Instantly, the tears stopped. The melody grew louder. Emiko fell into a vivid hallucination. Colors became bright and saturated. Monsters danced with the dancers to the hypnotic music.
Emiko's body joined the rhythm. Her eyes were empty, saliva dripped from her mouth. Yet she felt a strange peace. The dance seemed to lift the darkness from her soul.
Each movement was a release of her burdens. The dance became a language, expressing emotions she couldn't put into words. Slowly, the monster inside her began to fade.
Emiko laughed uncontrollably as everything went dark. She awoke on the ground, coming out of her trance. Confused, she looked around and found herself in an abandoned city park, rusted and overgrown.
She stood up and saw something strange: her body was now that of a ten-year-old girl. Shocked, she touched her face.
"What happened? Why am I a little girl again?" she said in a tiny voice. "My voice changed too?! What happened to my little voice?"
She remembered the bear and began searching the park.
"Hey bear, little bear, where are you?" she called out.
Suddenly, the bear stumbled out from behind the bushes.
"Oh bear, there you are. I'm glad to see you," Emiko said. "Bear, look at me! What happened to me? Why did I turn into a little girl again?"
The bear tilted its head, looked at her closely, then shrugged.
Emiko stared at him with a judging look for several minutes, creating an awkward silence. Suddenly, the bear bolted, running away from her.
"Wait, where are you going?! Come back here!" Emiko shouted, chasing after him. "You did this to me! Fix it!"
The bear ran nervously, trying not to get caught. As they ran, they heard children's laughter and stopped. Emiko and the bear turned and saw a little girl with glasses laughing at them. Emiko looked closely and her face lit up.
"Kaede, is that you? How did you get here?" Emiko exclaimed joyfully, running toward her. But Kaede, without a word, ran away laughing playfully.
"Wait! Where are you going, Kaede? Don't leave!" Emiko shouted.
She chased after Kaede, but the further she ran, the farther away her friend seemed. Exhausted and confused, Emiko stopped.
"Hey Emi, catch me if you can!" Kaede called back, smiling.
Emiko took a deep breath. Her legs ached, her heart raced, but she was determined. She chased Kaede through the abandoned city and finally reached her—only to be engulfed by a great darkness.
All she could hear was Kaede's laughter echoing around her. Suddenly, everything cleared. Emiko's body returned to normal. She looked around and realized she was no longer in the park.
She was back in her old school.
Disoriented by the sudden change, she looked around and recognized the familiar halls. Kaede's laughter still echoed in her mind.
"Kaede?" Emiko called out, searching for her friend—but found no sign. She wandered the empty halls.
"Where are you, Kaede?"
Suddenly, she heard laughter coming from the school rooftop. Emiko ran toward it. She climbed the stairs and found Kaede standing on the edge of the roof, her back turned...