[15 July 1:00Pm]
Cryptic Life | Chapter-9: Suspense
Taro jolted awake, groggily rubbing his eyes. He glanced at the clock on the wall.
“Huh? I fell asleep around 11 PM, and now it’s... 1 PM?!” he exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief. “That means I slept for 13 hours!”
Just as he was processing this realization, the door creaked open, and a nurse walked in, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.
“Taro-san! How are you feeling?” she asked, a bright smile on her face.
Taro responded calmly, though his tone carried a hint of weariness. “Well, not good, not bad. I still have a bad headache.”
The nurse softened her voice, trying to reassure him. “Don’t worry. We’ve prescribed you some medications that you’ll need to take for a week. Oh, and by the way, Kaito-san paid for everything!”
With that, she exited the room, leaving Taro to his thoughts.
“Well, well, well,” Taro mused to himself, a slight smirk forming on his face. “We had an argument yesterday, and he still helps me? I really am lucky to have a friend like that.”
He glanced at the clock again. “It’s already 1:10 PM. I should start getting ready.”
---
Getting Ready
Taro made his way to the washroom, splashing cold water on his face. As he scrubbed away the remnants of sleep, his mind drifted.
“This trip to Japan has been... surprising, to say the least,” he thought. “First, I find out my dad has died. Then, all this weird stuff starts happening to me. But somehow, I feel calm today. Even after lashing out yesterday, everything feels... normal again.”
Once dressed in his regular clothes, Taro sighed with relief. “It’s good to be back in my usual outfit. That hospital robe was the worst.”
He glanced at the clock one last time. “Almost 2 PM. I should get going. They told me to check out at the receptionist’s desk.”
---
At reciptionist desk
Taro approached the receptionist, who greeted him with a warm smile.
“Hi, I’d like to check out. The name’s Taro Izumi,” he said.
“Oh, yes!” she replied kindly. “Your check-out time is 2:00 PM.”
After thanking her, Taro found a seat in the waiting lounge, his eyes scanning the room. He tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for Kaito to arrive.
---
The Reunion
A familiar voice rang out from behind him. “Taroooo!”
Taro whipped his head around to see Kaito, Himeno, and of all people his mother walking toward him. His expression immediately darkened, visible annoyance replacing any semblance of joy.
Kaito stopped in his tracks, his brow furrowing. “Taro, what’s wrong? You were happy to see us yesterday. Why do you look so annoyed now?”
Taro said nothing, his gaze fixed elsewhere.
Kaito, clearly frustrated, called out again. “Oi, Taro!”
Taro sighed heavily. “Let’s just go. I don’t want to spend another hour here arguing,” he said curtly, his eyes briefly flicking to his mother.
---
The Walk
As they exited the hospital, an uneasy silence settled over the group. Kaito glanced at Himeno before leaning closer, whispering, “Taro’s been... different since yesterday. I’m kind of worried about him.”
Himeno frowned but didn’t reply.
Suddenly, Taro’s voice cut through the quiet. “Why did my mom come here?” he asked, his tone sharper than usual, as though he was piecing together something that didn’t quite make sense.
Kaito blinked, caught off guard. “What? I don’t know. She didn’t say much.”
Taro stopped walking, glancing back. “Mom, why—” His words faltered as his gaze landed on an empty spot behind him. His eyes widened in alarm. “Mom? Mom?!”
Kaito spun around, his own concern rising. “She was just here a second ago!”
Taro’s voice grew frantic. “Mom! Where did you go?!”
Himeno stepped forward, scanning their surroundings, but the street behind them was eerily empty.
A strange sensation gripped Taro—something between dread and a heavy, unshakable pull deep in his chest. It was like the air had shifted, pressing down on him. His voice wavered as he called out again. “Mom?!”
Kaito reached out, placing a hand on Taro’s shoulder. “We’ll find her, okay? Don’t panic. She can’t have gone far.” But his own voice held a thin edge of worry he couldn’t quite hide.
The group stood there, confused and tense, the unanswered question hanging in the air: Where had she gone?
---
To Be Continued...
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