"WHATT!! So you're telling me you made a pact with a mythical creature in the national museum??"
Geez. Yumi's voice was so loud.
I can't believe she's more excited about the fact that I talked to a mythical creature than the fact she might turn into stone forever if I don't honor my word.
Yumi was the kind of girl who loved reading thick fantasy adventure novels. I guess she always dreamed of living one herself.
"Is that all that intrigued you?" I asked. "For God's sake, you could be changed into a stone statue forever."
"Are you kidding me?? Hehe! I'm living the life here! Wait till I tell my book club leader I got cursed by a magic blue spirit! HAHAHA!"
I had no words.
"So… when are we going?"
"…We?" I looked at her, surprised she'd even asked. "Sorry, but there is no we."
There's no way in hell I'm letting her come with me. I'd never put her in danger like that.
"Yes, we," she said, serious.
"Are you deaf? You're not coming with me, Yumi. Jokes aside."
"What? But why?"
"Because this has nothing to do with you."
I shoved into my backpack a torch, some rope, one blanket, and a lighter. I'd have liked to pack food, but all we had was a slice of stale bread—and I was sick of bread.
"Hey, stop playing around. This has everything to do with me. I'm the one cursed, remember?"
She snatched my half-filled water bottle before I could pack it. She did it in a second.
"Give that back."
"No. Answer me. Tell me the real reason you don't want me to come with you. Ikiryo, just because it's your mom doesn't mean I don't care—"
When she said that, something clenched in my chest. My heart pinched like it was folding in on itself.
How can I say it? That I don't want her to get hurt… that I'm scared this could bring her more trouble than she already has—because of me.
"Can you answer me with a full answer? Like, introduction, development, and conclusion," she added with a smirk.
"You're insane," I muttered, staring at her like she'd grown a second head.
But the truth was—she wasn't.
I just didn't want her to…Get too close.
Huh… I sighed.
"If I said you could come… would you finally shut up?" I muttered, pretending to be annoyed.
"Yes! I promise!"
"You just talked."
"Hey! No fair, I—"
"Yumi."
I reached out and gently placed a finger on her lips.
"Shhh."
Her eyes widened.
For a moment, everything went quiet. The world outside could have disappeared, and I wouldn't have noticed.
I stepped closer. Closer than I ever had.
Our breaths mixed, soft and unsteady—like the air between us was holding its breath too.
I looked into her eyes—those deep, dark brown eyes that always seemed to smile, even when her mouth didn't. And when the sunlight from the window hit them just right, they didn't look brown anymore.
They looked golden. Warm. Alive.
She stared back.
Then—
We both laughed.
Maybe it was nerves.Maybe it was just who we were.
But something felt different.
"So… I'm coming with you!" she cheered, already pacing around like she owned the room, her energy bouncing off the walls.
"Wait—when did I even say yes?"
"Just now. Obviously."
I sighed. But I didn't stop her.
Back to my thoughts… I don't even know if any of this is real or just a dream.
I turned my gaze toward the window.
The sun was setting in its warmest colors, slowly giving way to the cold shades of night. I wondered if our future would end tomorrow, and whether this would be the last time I saw the sun from this room.
[To be continued in Chapter 5 : Sleepwalkers and Spilled Tea – Part 2]