Black. Everything is black here. I can't see. I can't hear. I can't speak. I can't move. I can't even feel. Here, my body doesn't exist. Nothing should've been able to exist here; Yet... A single entity lives here. The one who took my soul captive.
...I'm back.
Welcome back.
It wasn't long ago since we last met but how are you?
Never better. I guess I died again.
You have always been dead.
...You're right.
We have little time, is there something you seek?
Can't say. Nothing's on my mind right now.
What of the girl's murderer? Are you not curious?
I don't need your help with that... I'll figure it out myself.
Pity. You never did like things given on a silver platter.
Just send me back already, I can't stand it here.
...
Then, this is farewell, until next time that is.
Yeah. See ya.
Idiot...
-----
I opened my eyes.
All I see is a white ceiling with cheap looking fan. I glanced around and all saw right beside me were a blood bag and some IV drip. I try to recall back as to what happened to me.
I was hit by a car...
This must be the hospital that Kai called.
I tried to get up but my energy was lacking. Seems I have no choice but to continue staring at the ceiling above me for a while. At least until the nurse came.
"..."
"....."
"......."
"...Wait."
Did it just call me an idiot?
----------------------------------------
27th April 19xx
3 MORE DAYS
----------------------------------------
"Yo." Kai waves at me as she opens the door. she brought sandwiches and a few of my belongings including my coat.
"Brought you some food. Heard what the doctor had to say too, lots of blood lost and 2 days in a coma, causes are unknown as the wounds sustained are just a minor skull fracture and a broken arm. He said to expect full recovery in 3 months more or less. Kinda funny considering the medics on the scene thought you were already dead. What a handy power huh?"
"Just tell me, did anyone see it happen?"
"...It happened inside the ambulance, so only 2 of the staff saw it. Regardless, they were already taken care of."
Before I realized it, I unconsciously gripped my hands tightly. For a split second, an unsightly scenery comes to my mind, but I shut that off immediately.
".... Dammit." That's the only thing I could utter. Silently, as if to curse myself.
Seeing my reaction, she smiled mischievously. Did she find it amusing? I suppose it is.
"It couldn't be helped..." She raises both of her hands lightly. "I'll just take the compensation from your wallet directly for the hush money though. My wallet's pretty thin because of that you see, so the food will be on you next time."
"Huh?"
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
"What? I had to take out quite the amount on my own wallet to keep the staff's mouth shut, so of course you'll have to reimburse me."
"Oh. So that's what you mean... I thought you meant something else when you said you took care of it."
"Oh? And what might that be?" She asked, stepping closer, her smile unwavering. Now I understood the meaning behind that smile.
"Nothing! Stop with that creepy smile, you ain't fooling anybody with that smile dammit...." I looked away unable to stand even the sight of her any longer.
I heard her footsteps, each one fainter as she moved a few steps away from my bed.
"...What of the driver?"
"Uh..."
"It was a hit and run, isn't it?"
"It was a hit and run."
Well, that pisses me off even more...
"You better see the plate number..."
"Relax, I even saw the guy who drove it. Wanna kill him?"
"...Tempting. But I'll have to pass, revenge's not my style."
She shrugged it off and took a seat on one of the benches in the room.
I sighed.
I tried to move my arm but it's still too weak. Guessing it's gonna take at least 2 more days till I can regain my strength...
"Hey... Kai-"
"Figured out where it happened yet?" she immediately replies.
"No... But I found a clue back before I got hit by the car. I tried to give a certain partner of mine the info but she's too stupid to notice them."
"That's a shame, I heard she not stupid enough to get hit by a car while crossing the street though."
"..."
I really can't stand her.
"I know who the girl is now."
"Who is it?"
"It was when the maniac frantically stabbed and slashed her to the point that her clothes were torn; There was a wound on her abdomen just right below the ribs. Freshly stitched. Can't be more than a week after surgery."
"Ok?"
Instead of continuing to explain the rest to her, I just tossed her the newspaper I read while waiting for her.
As Kai reads the headline of the front news page, she soon understands what I'm trying to say.
image [https://i.imgur.com/MhPzZZR.png]
image [https://i.imgur.com/xev48KL.png]
"Natalia Romanov... Pale blonde hair, emerald green eyes."
"And a fresh wound. "
"There's no way she's actually the one, is she? I mean, forget the fact that the successor of Romanov somehow met a killer in a back alley all alone with no bodyguards. Surely, she would still be in the hospital for a couple of weeks due to those injuries, no?"
"As much as I wanted to agree with you... Some way or another, fact is that she did unfortunately meet a killer in a back alley alone with a fresh scar on her stomach. I wouldn't focus on the 'how' as much as on the 'why'."
No wonder she can barely run and fight back...
"Coco, don't you think this is out of our jurisdiction?"
"Of course, it is..."
At the end of the day... We're nothing but pests cleaner. When it got to politics and multiple parties as big as this... This is a problem on a scale that our branch couldn't handle... Special permits are needed.
I let the oxygen enter my lungs. clearing my head, I look up to the ceiling above.
"I'll turn in the case tomorrow. We'll let the higher-up decide then."
"Understood."
I closed my eyes.
"...."
—Thump
I felt something in my coat. Beating. Akin to that of a heart.
"Huh?"
I reached inside and found an envelope.
Oh yeah, almost forgot about you...
"Kai... Can you get out for a minute? I need to do something alone right now."
I hid the wax seals, ensuring she couldn't see them. Her expression turned suspicious, but I suspected she had already inspected it while I was hospitalized. It was likely just another one of her acts. As long as she hadn't opened it, I supposed...
"That so? Then I guess I'll head out for a bit." She turned back and began to walk to the door without much complaints.
"Wait, before that. "
"Yeah?"
"Why did you let that car hit me? Did you-"
"Did I what?"
She stops her smile and continues maintaining her gaze at me. A sharp glare, like a hawk looking down on its prey. Despite the sharp glare though, I notice an expression, a very vague one. Barely visible. But, still... I noticed it.
"..." I sighed. "Nothing, just go."
Nodding, Kai turned around and opened the door to the hospital hallway.
It's not out of maliciousness. I can at least tell that much. For an existence like her, human mortality and frailness are something that she still doesn't understand. It's probably for something far smaller and stupider reason. I don't even want to know why, It'll just get my blood pumping again. though there's at least something small that I can do to get back at her.
"Hei, Kai!" I yelled again before she left.
"Hm?" She turned her head.
"Nice choker, it suits you."
She stood still for a few second before she returned her usual smile at me again.
"...Thanks." She replied before she finally closed the door.
"Welp."
Now with Kai exiting the room, I can continue.
I opened the wax seal and lamented on the symbols on it once more. what lies inside is simply 2 items, a letter and a necklace. My hand reaches the necklace inside and raises it upward so the light can shine on the item better as I examine it. It was a silver locket necklace, I suppose there's a picture inside but I can't seem to open it no matter how hard I try to pry it open, it's as if it's locked in place. there are traces of a curse on it. The beating I felt earlier do originates from the necklace, it's probably for the best that I don't open it after all... I also noticed that there are dark stains on the necklace. Blood? No, it was soot. certainly, the item is in a rough condition but why soot?
Next, the letter. I hesitated for a moment, not really wanting to read the note inside, but I digress... I pulled it out and read what was inside.
".... Huh?"
We need your help.
I continued reading the content of the letter.
"....."
-----
My hand slowly drops down, releasing the paper onto my lap. A deep sigh escaped my mouth as I reached out to the phone nestled in my coat and called someone.
—Beep
"Kai? I want you to meet me tomorrow at the..."