Unexpected Friends
Chaptre 35. Determinations

"Steve...?" Said a pair of elderly who were watching them with a look of disbelief and very cute.

The person they were calling pecked and pecked for a few minutes. When his heart was ready, Steve looked back and saw the face of his parents whom he had longed for. "Mom, Dad..." He said softly while walking slowly towards them.

"Is this true? This is right you guys!" Steve smiled broadly as he hugged his father and mother warmly without knowing the 2 women in the living room did not have the same feeling.

Violet was half-dead from this situation. But when they want to ask the 'living people' around him, their behavior is as strange as the ghosts in the room so that his intentions are undo.

Akiko suddenly stood up from her seat and said, "Satisfied now? You're right." To Steve in response to his challenge. Akiko was desperate and her head was dizzy from the stress.

Finally he looked back at the things that normal humans should not be able to see. The secret he had been hiding was revealed by a birthday paper. Depressing.

After all according to Akiko sooner or later they will find out. But it's not the right time and the timing is bad.

Why was his secret revealed only after all the tragic events had been missed? Very free. He should have exposed it with his own mouth before anything happened. But the rice was already porridge, and he also had no power to turn back time.

"Me and Alice can see ghosts. You guys wouldn't believe it if I told you, so it's better to keep quiet." In the end, Akiko dared to reveal the thing she had been hiding all this time with a feeling of wrath, but at the same time there was sadness as well.

"Alice was not aware of who she was friends with. A... I try to keep them from seeing each other again. But, she is stronger than me so Mandora wants her soul!"

Akiko dissolves in tears while squeezing the paper back in her hands. Steve looked at her intensely while raising his next eyebrow. While Violet who had stood up tried to comfort Akiko. "Dear... Everyone's been wrong." Said Violet who was trying to get close to Akiko.

But Akiko doesn't like him because he feels so guilty that he thinks he doesn't deserve it. "Stop Violet!" His touch until it made Violet retreat slowly in shock.

I didn't mean to...

The outburst of emotion made Akiko unable to focus in on acting. Feeling frustrated, Akiko suddenly dropped to the floor while crying out for a mouthful. Now he looks like a sinner.

"Son, if you have a problem, solve it well. Come on, wake up Akiko."

A hoarse voice rang out in Akiko's ear so she tried to hold back her cries for a moment to look ahead. Although tears still dripped in both corners of his eyes. When he raised his head, there was a hand outstretched that made Akiko confused.

"Mom!" Steve yelled, but he was having fun when he saw Akiko crying in revenge. Of course his father who was beside Steve hated his childish attitude so that he hit Steve hard on the head until he was bowed. "Such your ethics!" Said Mr. Henkites.

Steve was unable to look back at his father because he remembered Mr.'s fierceness. Henkis was alive. So he could only say, "I-Yes." Slowly rubbing his still painful head.

"Akiko, baby. I know you still love your son, so solve the problems between you." Akiko swallowed her saliva without being able to see Mrs's face. Henkites. But he understood what he meant.

Alice was far away from them. What he is doing is unpredictable. Especially after knowing the dangerous hidden power must have the potential to threaten Alice's own life like a double-edged sword.

Akiko only realized her selfish desire to keep Alice out of her life was temporary so now she's sorry.

"Get Alice." Mrs' last words. Henkis before his form turned into smoke and finally slowly disappeared. This means that the time limit of Akiko's power has been exhausted and leaves Steve and Violet still stuck in place.

"Done?" Steve said a similar question. "Oh, FINALLY!" Jerit Violet pleased. Finally, the spooky monsters that haunted their apartment disappeared. Even if it is just existence, not existence.

"Akiko, you need to explain what's going on right now." Violet ventured to approach Akiko who was still speechless while patting her shoulder slowly. But Akiko instead gave an exaggerated surprised reaction so the two were shocked. "Ah, sorry." Akiko said slowly.

Then he continued, "But isn't Steve supposed to explain all this?" His eyes stared intently at Steve who was suddenly nervous himself. His feet moved irregularly while stomping the floor softly. Steve's left hand still rubbing the part of his head that hurt hit Mr. Henkis while avoiding eye contact

Steve did not dare to look back at Akiko who was now allied with Violet and there was the possibility of Mr. Henkis will come back to hit his head again if he acts stupid. "Sigh." Steve's grunt was rude because it had been cornered.

"All right, so-"

"You what is this?! Oh no, Chicken Wings!!"

Before Steve could explain, the smell of the barrenness leading from the kitchen made Violet dart and run as fast as possible to save their dinner. Then Akiko followed behind.

Now Steve is alone in the living room while standing like a scarecrow without a field to guard. "Basic, Women." Down slowly.

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While they were enjoying dinner in the dining room, Steve filled the chatter with an explanation that Violet had previously interrupted.

Steve said it all started with a strange sighting he had in the RSJ while driving Alice. "I think the little boy in the hallway was looking for his parents. But when I approached her she disappeared like never before."

Steve recounts his first supernatural experience while eating Chicken Wings with his right hand. After cleaning of course.

Violet listened to Steve's explanation carefully. He was trying to digest every sentence Steve might say makes no sense. But when he saw Steve's reaction to telling his story with an earnest expression, maybe he would try to believe it. Especially after the ghost sighting in the living room a few minutes ago.

"After that, I tried to search the internet for the meaning of the apparition until I came to the conclusion that the little boy was a ghost. Then every day I was always curious about supernatural things so I was willing to buy the book. It might have something to do with what happened on the bridge." Steve pointed to his Paranormal Activity book which is now on the living room table with his right hand covered with oil and Chicken Wings seasoning.

That's why Violet and Steve bought a large shelf to hold the books they had bought. Even not infrequently Akiko or Jack borrowed the books as a reference to their respective duties.

"It's just my thinking, but it's possible that Alice's imaginary friend Mandora's name is 'The Grey Lady' Clementine's Mansion while I search her name on the internet." Akiko and Violet shudder as Steve continues his story because they have learned the story of Urban legend who is quite famous for his horror. Although only a story, but the tragedy is real and has evidence that still exists to this day, their Mansion is a silent witness.

Once upon a time there was a family consisting of their father, mother, and two beautiful daughters inhabiting the Mansion on the river bank. The father was a wealthy merchant and the Mother was an honorable woman from a distinguished family. Everything seemed perfect until one day their second daughter disappeared without a trace on a winter night.

From that moment on, this little family started to change. Couples who usually get along well suddenly always quarrel causing the first child to be paranoid. Then finally the mother and the first child were suddenly killed by the father as an offering in his heresy ritual.

Rumor has it that the Clementines were a family of witches and that everything in the Mansion - including the maids - died with a curse. Due to its awesomeness, the Mansion became neglected and a mystical aura continued to haunt around.

Akiko tries to shift the topic so that her paranoid sense disappears. So he asked, "Then you asked Otau-san out of curiosity as well?" To make sure at once. Then Steve nodded steadily as he continued his dinner.

Akiko also ate her Chicken Wings with lettuce and tomato slices as a complement. While Violet immediately took her Chicken Wings from the bowl and added barbeque sauce over the crisp layer of Chicken Wings.

Their drinks were water and orange juice that Akiko had just picked up from where she had read the previous book.

After he finished gulping down the water, Steve replied, "Yes. A few weeks ago I called your father from Hana's phone number to ask 'Akiko can see ghosts' and lucky I am, that's right."

When she heard it Akiko rolled her eyes lazily with a saturated expression. Apparently assisted Oni-chan, her mind is upset because if her father is now an expert in using a mobile phone he should be able to ask her news as well. And again, now her brother has rarely been contacted for busy reasons. A truly 'perfect' family'.

After Akiko finished eating, she picked up her plate and glass and placed them both in the sink. When he turned on the faucet, Akiko said, "I'll take my leave." While rubbing the plate with a foamy sponge that is near the sink.

Akiko surprises Steve and Violet. Rarely does this hardworking figure take time off even when sick. "What's up Akiko? So suddenly." Ask Steve.

Akiko's hands painstakingly cleaned every stain on her plate. After it felt clean enough, he continued to give soap foam that was still left in the sponge to his glass. Despite appearing late in the washing, Akiko still listens to Steve. Then she replied, "Alice needs me. Tonight I'll pack my things and the next morning I'll leave."

Steve and Violet are suddenly delighted with Akiko's change in attitude. Finally he cared for his son again, the figure of the mother who had disappeared had returned. They did not obstruct Akiko's intentions, instead they supported her.

"Good luck! Let us know when you get to Japan." Violet said encouragingly, then Akiko returned with a sincere smile and said, "Arigato."

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After dinner at Steve's and Violet's house, Akiko says goodbye to them before driving home.

The highway today is quite quiet so Akiko can return home quickly. After opening the garage and entering the car, Akiko closed the garage door again and entered the house while saying hello and turning on the lights. Even if he knows he's the only one at home.

Every step while walking inside the house, Akiko's happy memories like automatically replayed. From his first day at home.

"*Welcome home!" Said Jack while taking off the white cloth that closed Akiko's eyes. As she opened her eyes with a thumping feeling, Akiko looked at the outside of the house that was her dream.

Words could not describe the happiness Akiko had in her heart, so she kissed Jack's cheek. "Thank you, baby." A big smile was created at both corners of his lips*.

Then the living room where they often spend time together, including with Alice at leisure.

"*Okaa-san! Daddy's watching a movie!" Shouted Alice when Jack replaced his favorite cartoon channel with a horror channel that certainly Jack would not watch because he just wanted to play with Alice. Akiko hastily snatches the remote in Jack's hands and replaces the film with another random channel.

"Jack-kun, dear~, I told you never to change Alice's film." Threats felt in every word that makes Jack goosebumps. "N-Neither Your Majesty." Akiko doesn't like horror movies because there will be an unwanted 'additional audience*. Almost, his mind was relieved.

Akiko passed through the living room until she found a door to her room. He turned the handle on the door and pushed it in. After finding the switch, Akiko pressed it so that the light came on. Finally it was clear the room that usually lived.

The first thing he saw was the condition of the room that was still the same as before, neat as untouched. Then when looking at the window, there are several mini plant pots that decorate it.

"*Okaa-san said she wanted to garden like Eliz's mother, so I bought this! Ta raa~" As usual, the energy of a 6-year-old child is like no end so Alice after driving Akiko home from her office with Jack, she immediately showed me the flower pot of Anthurium, Tillandsia, and the other half, and some Aloe Vera in his bedroom window.

"Beautiful isn't Okaa-san?" Akiko answered Alice's question with a small nod and said, "Yes dear." While rubbing his head gently. After that Alice energetically ran out of the room to play with her friends after seeing the arrival of Eliz on the front page of the house who called her*.

Back then, Akiko remembered Alice only paying one-tenth of the actual plant price thanks to Jack's explanation. But he remained happy and took care of the plants with pleasure.

"My son, Alice..." I'll meet you.

Akiko picked up some clothes from the wardrobe which was enough for a 3 day trip. Then take the suitcase located on top of the closet using a chair that he dragged to the side of the closet.

After successfully retrieving it, Akiko became busy putting on clothes. Continue with toiletries, passports, and anything else that may be needed. Wallet and credit card he had prepared to pay the cost of the flight although very expensive.

"Yes! Tomorrow is a big day." He muttered as he closed the suitcase he had filled.

[To Be Continue!] 🍵