Part 7

The visit of the gentleman with auburn hair constantly intruded upon Yuna's thoughts. The questions swirling in her mind had no answers. Everything, absolutely everything, was a complete mystery. She knew his name, she knew where he worked, but there were countless things she didn’t know. At that moment, a deep anxiety gripped her. “Maybe I should have asked more about him?” “If he worked for that company, she and her sister could have a more comfortable life.” And thinking of Nasai, it was already late, and they hadn't finished cleaning up. The interview had delayed her leaving work, and by this time Nasai usually sent a message to let her know she was home safe.

Since Yuna could remember, her sister had a history of memory loss and recurring fainting spells throughout her life. The doctors had been unable to find the cause of these symptoms, eventually giving up. This made Nasai’s health one of Yuna's biggest concerns. So, she grabbed her small silver phone and dialed the number of her most precious treasure.

“How are you?” Yuna asked when she heard the phone pick up.

“I just finished rehearsals. Do you need something?”

“No, we’ll talk at home,” Yuna replied, relieved to hear her sister’s sweet voice.

“Did you call to make sure I’m okay?”

“You know I worry about you,” Yuna answered with a maternal tone.

“It’s been a long time since that happened. Don’t worry. See you at home,” Nasai reassured her before hanging up, making sure to tell her she loved her.

Yuna was aware of her sister’s improvements, but what Nasai didn’t understand was that for Yuna, she was everything. The only one who turned her grey days into bright summer ones. The only one who, in her darkest times, could manage to steal a smile from her. The only one who brought stability to her chaotic life. She was all Yuna had left after their parents’ deaths, and under no circumstances would she let anything happen to her.

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Nasai hung up with a soft expression. She understood her sister’s fear but didn’t want to keep being a burden. Yuna, except for her forgetfulness and disorganization, had always taken responsibility for the two of them, doing everything possible to ensure they wouldn’t be separated. For this reason, despite experiencing blurry vision for several days at certain times, she preferred to keep it to herself and spare her sister the extra worry. Nasai knew it was foolish to hide her health problems, but she thought she was old enough to take care of herself.

Minutes later, she finished packing up, changing clothes, saying goodbye to her classmates, and exiting through the arched gates of the university. The moon shone brightly, and the falling snowflakes, gently descending, contrasted with the surrounding darkness. The cold was so intense that her breath turned to mist the moment it hit the air.

Despite this being the kind of night most people would despise for its freezing temperatures, Nasai found it soothing. In fact, the colder it got, the more at peace she felt.

The younger Nakama sister started walking over a light layer of snow, leaving footprints behind her. As she descended the grand staircase leading to the university entrance, a sudden shudder ran through her body, as if a lightning bolt had struck her from head to toe.

She struggled to step off the last stair. Her vision, now blurred, couldn’t extend beyond her arm's reach. As she felt her breath drifting further away, her awareness became distant, more detached. Finally, she collapsed in the middle of Brunne Square, losing all consciousness. Alone, motionless, in the dead of night, and in freezing temperatures.

Her body lay still on the ground for a few minutes until a man, who appeared out of nowhere, stood in front of her.