It was another day in the Laundromat and Emma put the clothes in the dryer while humming a tune. As she sat down to wait for the dryer to do its job, the building temperature dropped and she shivered.
‘Could it be the heater in this place is broken?’ she looked up from her manga and saw one of the attendees walking through a door. ‘Maybe it is.’
The whole place was silent punctuated by the sound of the dryer as Emma continued to read her favorite manga. As she read, she noticed that she was reading the same page. Feeling dread, she put the manga down and watched the clothes spin in the dryer until it stopped. Crouching down, she pulled out the clothes until the machine was empty.
Then a grey skinny hand grabbed her wrist. Emma squealed and tried to pry the hand off but it tightened its grip. The ghost screeched when a bright light burst from her and disappeared into the dryer.
“Ma’am are you okay?” the Laundromat attendant asked helping her up.
Emma looked at him then looked at her hand as the grip slowly disappeared proving Jake’s word true; no one could harm her except him.
“Did someone die here?" she asked the attendant.
He scratched his head in confusion. “I don’t know ma’am.”
Rubbing her eyes, she picked up her laundry and left the Laundromat. However, as she turned the corner, she glanced back and knocked someone to the ground.
“I…I am sorry,” she muttered picking herself up from the floor.
The person spluttered and glared at her. “Good morning Emma.”
She dropped off the façade. “Magic Alexander?”
“It’s pleasant to see you too,"he said sarcastically. “How are you?”
“I am fine." Emma stretched out her hand to help him up but he slapped it away. “Now that’s just rude.”
Eyes locked into hers he put on his glasses. It's not as rude as when you bumped into me. Care to tell me why you aren’t at school?”
She sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“My sources told me you returned to your boyfriend after you broke up with him and he is the reason behind the rumors, the main influence behind your academics, and the reason why you are absent from school.” He pushed up his glasses. “Is it true?”
“How did you know that?” she asked.
“I have my sources,” he replied. “So is it true or are my sources wrong?”
Emma didn’t reply. Instead, she picked up the laundry basket. “He has nothing to do with my academics.”
“Then why are you not in school?” he asked.
Emma frowned. “I told you it's complicated.”
Despite knowing that she was lying, he decided not to go further with the investigation. Instead, he said, “Shall we discuss this at your place instead?”
She looked back at him in shock. “Why do you want to do that?”
“I want to see this boyfriend of yours,” he put his hands behind his back and stared at her. “Or is he the jealous type.”
“Well he is possessive but not possessive enough to get worked up over bringing a visitor home,” she said.
“Fine then. Take me to your apartment.”
Emma gritted her teeth at his demanding tone and led the way to the apartment. On the way there, Magic noted the various changes on the street.
“I learned a murder occurred on your street some months ago," he began. “The whole town was locked down. What do you know about it?”
Emma shrugged. “All I know is the whole town was forced into a lock down because of the murder but they couldn't catch the perpetrator.”
“Really?”
She caught the sarcasm in his question and thought of Jake’s reaction when they got home.
‘I don’t have to share you with anyone do I?’
‘Just thinking about it makes my hair stand on end,’ she thought.
‘Relax. The least he could do is intimidate him.’ Her inner voice replied.
Soon, they arrived at the apartment building and climbed up the stairs.
“Where is your aunt?" He asked as she knocked on the door.
“She’s gone,” Emma replied knocking again.
He was shocked. "What do you know where she is?"
Emma shrugged and knocked on the door again but got no response.
“Jake it’s me!” she yelled knocking again.
“Don’t tell me you were foolish enough to give him the key to your apartment,” Magic growled.
Embarrassed, she knocked harder until they could hear footsteps coming from behind the door. Soon the door opened with Jake grinning from ear to ear. 211Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxz9xTykbS
"Sorry, darling. I was asleep."
Emma noticed a change in his clothes and knew something was up. "Umm...it's okay. Can we come in?”
“Sure but,” he used his hand to barricade the door, “Who is your friend?”
“I am sorry. Magic this is Jake Othello Brandon, my boyfriend. Jake this is Magic Alexander the current student council president at my former school.”
Magic extended his hand for a handshake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Jake took his hand and squeezed it tight. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”
Magic winced in pain and ended the handshake. They maintained eye contact and Jake liked the fact he made Magic uncomfortable while Magic tried to decipher who Jake was. Apart from his appearance and the intimidating atmosphere, there was nothing that he could blame on him. So he cast his eyes on Emma who immediately looked away while dwindling her fingers.
“It seems I am not welcome here,” he muttered angrily under his breath. “I will leave,"
He thumbed inside, "Didn't you want to stay for dinner?" Jake asked. “I am making beef stew. It will warm you up since you are so cold.”
Magic disliked sarcasm and made it obvious with a glare. "I'm used to cold weather unlike most people, so thank you for your concern." He lifted his glasses again. "Besides, I'm surprised you know how to cook. I guess there is hope for men with low academic brain cells.”
“Magic!” Emma hissed.
He ignored her and turned his back on them. “See you soon Emma Crosswood."
"O... Okay. See you soon,” Emma replied and they watched him walk down the stairs and disappear down the block before shutting the door.
“Beloved, you are cold. Here,” Jake wrapped a blanket around her. “Sit down. I will make you some tea."
Emma thanked him and basked in the blanket's warmth as a delicious smell filled the air. Soon, Jake arrived with the tea set and placed it on the coffee table.
“Who is he Beloved?" he asked as he poured her tea.
Emma shrugged and took the cup from him. “His is the President of the Student Council.”
“I see." He took his cup and sat down next to her. “I don’t like him.”
“Well it’s clear he doesn’t like you either from the look on his face,” she took a sip of the warm brew and sighed. “You made him feel uncomfortable."
Jake giggled and sipped on his tea. “I wanted to see what would happen if I made him feel small. He looks like someone with a lot of ego."
“I know. His family own this town after the fall of the Saikou family,”
“How did you know?” he asked taking another sip.
"It's easy to figure out when you look at the timeline of the events,” she yawned but took another sip. “The Jones family were one of the biggest rivals to the Saikou family and when their scandal was exposed, they swooped in and took over the town.”
Jake hummed in thought. “I always viewed the Saikou family as small with a few members, but what do you expect from someone who survived World War II?”
She looked at him in shock. “How did you know that?”
“When I logged in my details into that software, I hacked in and found out who she was,” he took one last sip and looked at the empty cup. “I wanted to call the police but that would stop you from achieving your goal so I agreed with it.”
Emma had nothing to say but stared at her half cup of tea and swallowed saliva. “Thank you."
He grinned. “Do you want more tea Beloved?”
She shook her head and patted her stomach. “I want to save room for dinner. Speaking of that, I hope the stew isn’t burning.”
“Nope. I turned off the stove." He took away her cup and cleared up the coffee table.
“Do you need help?” she asked.
“No. I got it,” he replied.
Emma sank deeper into the couch and sighed deeply. Soon her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep.
Emma’s POV
I open my eyes and find myself standing in the school corridor wearing their school uniform.
“It looks like I am having another vision." I looked at my hands and they flickered. "What are we going to see today?”
“Do you like Taro?”
Turning towards the sound, I realized it was coming from the Cooking Club. I walked in through the other door and took a peek through the door leading to the kitchen. Amai and a male student with short auburn hair were rolling out some dough in the kitchen.
Her hand was placed on her chin, and she paused. “I am not interested in him.”
“I don’t buy it. You always meet him before school and invite him to the cooking club.”
“I know but I don’t have time for romance,” she said.
The male student put the rolling pin away and grabbed the cookie cutter. “What do you mean?”
I watched her sigh and look down. “My family’s bakery isn’t doing well. We were robbed a few weeks ago and someone spreads rumors about the bakery. No matter how hard we try, no one wants to come and we are going bankrupt soon.”
“Oh. I am sorry to hear that,” said the male student.
She nodded. “The school’s festival is coming up in a month and I want to make a positive impression. Maybe, just maybe, if they like my family's products, we might pull in more business."
The male student touched her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I am sure you will succeed.”
Amai looked at him and smiled. “Thank you so much Shoku Tsuburaya,”
‘Shoku Tsuburaya. Maybe I should ask him some questions about her relationship with Taro,’ then something struck me and I put my hand on my chin. According to her, she doesn't like him. Why were they together until she died? ’
A sound brought me back to reality and Amai picked up her phone. Excusing herself, she ran out of the clubroom leaving the male student behind. I wanted to follow her but saw the dark figure covered in blood following her.
‘Maybe I should explore the club room first,' I thought.
I walked inside and saw what he was doing. ‘He is making ‘Cat Ears’ I ate these cookies as a child.’
Then my eyes fell on the red book sitting on the table. “Hey! I saw that book be…”
I covered my mouth. The male student stopped what he was doing and turned around with an eerie expression on his face. The atmosphere turned dark as we stared at each other. Then he reached out and…
…kissed me?
My eyes widen in shock. With a blink, I found myself lying on my side on the couch in my apartment, and Jake was smiling around me.
“Wakey, wakey Beloved,” he said boobing my nose. “Did you sleep well? Dinner is ready.”
My instincts were sparked by his manner of speech and smile, but I chose instead to smile. “I slept well, Darling.”
He nodded and led me to the kitchen where dinner was waiting for us at the table. Once we sat down to eat, my mind wandered to the vision and the male student who talked to Amai.
‘I know his name. I know who he is but where can I find him?’
“Beloved?” I snap back to reality and see Jake staring at me with concerned eyes. "Is there something wrong?”
I nod and tell him everything.
“That’s what happened?” he asked.
I nod and poke my food. “The thing is, I already have a suspect in mind. All I need to do is find proof that she is the culprit but the visions seem to point at someone else but who?"
Jake hummed and bit into his food. “Is it Taro Yamada?”
I shake my head. “Not really. He does sound like an obvious culprit. A girl sees him, a girl shows interest in him, the girl dies and he moves on to the other girl who suffers the same fate.”
Jake's face turned into a frown but then turned into a smile. “You might be right. Something doesn’t make sense.”
“I know,” I sigh looking down. “I know."
I hear the chair scrape and footsteps coming my way. Then a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around me.
“It’s okay Beloved. We will get through this,” he said.
My face heats up and my heart beats rapidly.
“I heard the school festival is coming soon so why don’t we check it out?” he asked.
I looked up at him. “The school is still open? After what happened?”
“Yes. It’s back to normal.”
I was shocked. “How?”
He shrugged. He caressed my head lovingly and said, "Maybe it would be another mystery we need to solve if you want but I think you have been through enough in my opinion.”
Third POV
It was the middle of the night and while Emma was asleep, Jake took out his laptop and started typing away.
‘Let’s see ‘Shoku Tsuburaya’.’ He hit the enter key and grinned at the results. ‘He owns a successful catering company on the other side of the country. Interesting.’
He hummed in thought. ‘What can one do to lure someone back to town?'
Meanwhile, Magic stormed into his hotel room in fury. Slamming the door behind him, he opened his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello?" a deep-seated voice asked.
“Shin?”
“Yes, boss?”
“Find Emma’s aunt and bring her to me,” he barked.
“Yes sir."
“Do you still have agents?"
“Yes, boss.”
“Good. Find out who Emma’s new boyfriend is. I want detailed information on that boy. Do you understand?"
“Yes sir.”
He ended the call and dialed another number. "Julia?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you know Emma is back?"
There was a pause. "Emma is back?"
ns 15.158.61.7da2
