"You know, I met a strange boy," Aki mused aloud, his voice echoing slightly in the dark, chemical-scented room. "And do you know what his name is?" He paused, stirring the developing solution with a practised hand.
There was no one else in the darkroom, just the hum of the large chest refrigerator and the faint clinking of his tools. Photos hung in neat rows on a line above the sink, waiting for their turn. Aki carefully slid a sheet of photo paper into the developing tray, watching as the image slowly began to emerge from the milky liquid.
"His name is... Mei," he continued, a faint smirk playing on his lips as the familiar contours of a face sharpened on the paper. He moved the photo to the next solution, the fixer.
"Coincidentally, not only does he have your name, he also resembles you," Aki murmured, his gaze fixed on the developing image. "I wonder... how much he's truly like you." He carefully hung the wet print to dry, then leaned against the table, his eyes lingering on the array of newly developed photographs.
"Coincidence, huh?" Aki muttered to himself, stepping out of the darkroom after a long, silent while.
His apartment, though spacious, was sparsely furnished. He preferred it that way; too many decorations felt suffocating. The study, a minimalist heaven, was where he spent most of his days. These days, sleep is a rare luxury, perhaps two nights a month. The contrast was too big now than pre-accident life when it had been his favorite escape.
He found himself in the dining room, staring at the lone cup on the table, a familiar sigh escaping his lips. Then, he retreated to his bedroom, put on a song, and tried to sleep.
It was eleven forty p.m. when Aki left the office, a routine he followed almost religiously. He walked towards the station, his eyes immediately scanning for the station master. Joshua wasn't there. Instead of relief, a prickle of unease settled over him. He decided to sit outside tonight.
A figure emerged from the distance, and a small smile touched Aki's face as he recognized Joshua. The station master seemed a bit surprised to find Aki smiling. Joshua walked over, rubbing his hands together against the chill. Before he could speak, Aki beat him to it, 'You thought I wouldn't be coming here, right?'
Joshua frowned, a question already forming on his lips, the very one Aki had preempted. Aki looked down, tracing invisible patterns on the ground as he continued, "I had a friend. Her name was Mei." He fell silent, the pause stretching, making Joshua's frown deepen.
A sigh escaped Aki as he began his story. "She died when I was in 11th grade. We were on a study tour. Mei was incredibly adventurous; nothing could stop her from exploring new things. That night, she snuck out alone. I followed her, but she didn't notice me. Halfway there, I lost sight of her. It was as if she'd simply vanished. I panicked and rushed back for help, only to find myself separated from the rest of the team. A while later, I found her. She was drenched in blood."
Aki looked up, meeting Joshua's gaze. Joshua's expression remained neutral, utterly unsurprised. Aki offered a faint smile. "As soon as she saw me, she grabbed my hand and started running. I was so relieved to see her alive that I forgot to ask why she was like that, or why she'd gone out alone. But my relief that she was alive lasted only a split second. We got lost in the woods, finding our way back seemed impossible. Then, the old bridge we'd crossed earlier collapsed the moment we stepped onto it. We fell down. I couldn't keep holding her... not until I died."
Aki's gaze drifted to his own empty hand. Joshua could feel it; Aki had been pulled back to that devastating moment, the pain tearing him apart.
'Let go, Aki. Save yourself please!'Mei screams.
'Shut up will you?!' Aki's Tears keep falling to Mei's face.
'Dummy! If we both die who will tell our adventures to others,even if I die I will be happy cause I always wanted to see what happens after death,didn't I!'Mei tried to change Aki's mind. But Aki keeps ignoring.
He tries so hard not to let go. Blood keeps flowing down from hand as one hand of his was holding a sharp edge of the mountain rock. Futile efforts keeps on going for surviving.. only Both of their weight and gravity force was increasing with time and was too much for that one hand to keep holding.Mei bit her lip as she saw that.
'Let's make a deal Aki! If you let go, I promise I 'll be back to tell you what I have seen, so be a good boy and listen.!' Her high pitched voice trembled as she kept on pleading. Everything begins to go blurry. But hand refuses to let go. Everything now is blurred. Suddenly he felt that his hand feels empty and light..so much light and with that he keeps falling in the river.
''She was insisting to let her go. I didn't listen, yet I couldn't keep her from falling, couldn't save her....' Aki trailed off. Joshua remained silent, listening intently, his gaze unwavering, even as Aki paused.
Aki finally managed to resume. 'After a week, I woke up in the hospital, only to find that she was long gone. And you know what's surprising? I started to see her now and then. So, I had a hard time convincing others I wasn't insane.'
Aki looked at Joshua, a blank smile on his face. 'It wasn't because of the fear of those strange things that walk beside you. It was because I was afraid I was going to be taken as a lunatic.' He sighed, his eyes drifting towards the sky for a long moment.
Joshua stared at Aki, as if he understood the unspoken question.
Aki then met Joshua's eyes, a small smile touching his lips. 'So? You already knew I was seeing it?'
Joshua's expression didn't change, confirming Aki's realization.
Joshua looked away from Aki's gaze, crumpling a piece of paper he pulled from his pocket. 'Well,'he began, his voice calm, 'I don't think it's abnormal to see peculiar things just because a majority of us can't see them.'
Aki was taken aback by Joshua's answer. What surprised him even more was Joshua's lack of questioning or comforting. He frowned. "You didn't ask... whether she was my girlfriend or not? Whether I loved her or not?"
Most people who knew his story, especially given his severe PTSD, immediately jumped to the conclusion that he was in love with Mei. While he wasn't, he'd never bothered to correct the misunderstanding.
"You love her." Joshua's direct statement made Aki smirk as he continued to stare at the ground. He'd expected Joshua might think that. He remained silent.
"You obviously love her. But that doesn't mean it has to be the love a woman has for a man. We're capable of differentiating love... loving someone, in one form or another..." Joshua offered a gentle smile.
Aki found himself smiling unconsciously as he watched Joshua. It was clear he had begun to admire this person without hesitation. Joshua truly seemed to be a wise soul.