High school Sweethearts - Niragi

Chapter 12: Entering Borderland

-> 6 years later

Back to my old self, all emotions left behind.

I've spent a lot of time abroad, finishing my studies, working on myself. I've come to realize, that I didn't want to feel anymore. Feeling made me weak. It made me vulnerable. I just did it for him, the only reason. Now with the only reason that made me want to feel something being out of my life, I saw no use to it anymore. I've spent about 5 years obtaining a masters degree in psychology, in the US. The major was exactly perfect for me, learning about the human brain and how all these phenomena's take place. Learning the right techniques on how to understand someone's behavior, understand their emotions, was the right way to learn how to suppress mine again. I've made some 'friends' during my time there, but I was absolutely disgusted of engaging in another deep personal relationship with anyone else. I was simply not interested anymore. I was only interested,

In him.

I've returned back to Japan and I've been working as a psychologist in the Tokyo hospital for about almost a year now. Niragi hasn't left my mind since I came back. Of course I've been looking for him everywhere, hoping I would come across him again. I even stopped by his old house, but his mom seemed to also not know about his whereabouts. The thought of never seeing him again worries me. I came back for you, but where are you?

"Okay we'll schedule our next appointment then", I friendly said to the patient. "In two weeks, Thursday again? Is that fine for you?".

-"Yes I'm free then", she politely replied.

"Okay great it's set then!".

The young lady got up and put on her coat in order to leave. I led her to the door.

"Also, Asaya-san, if something like this happens again, please don't be shy to tell me, I'm here to help you, you know that", I said to her reassuringly.

-"Yes, yes I will try to", she said insecurely. "Goodbye", she bowed.

"Goodbye, until Thursday, in two weeks!", I replied and waved as she left and closed the door behind her.

Finally some time for myself

I didn't have any appointments for the next two hours, so I figured I would start one of my patient's reports. I walked back to my desk and sat in front of the computer.

"Two hours left, great". I took one of the files located at the side of my desk and opened word to start my work. "Okay yes now-". I was stopped in my tracks as suddenly the electricity cut out, leaving me in my office in the dark, my computer not being able to turn on. 

"Ah, huh? What's.. what the hell?". I tried to find my way to the door of the room, trying not to trip over anything. I stepped in the hallway, to my surprise, the hallway that is always occupied by passing nurses, doctors and other psychologists, being empty.

"What the hell is going on?". I knocked at the door of one of my colleagues office. No response. "Tanaka-san?", I repeated, once again receiving no response. I slightly opened the door and peaked my head inside, no one was in the room. "Huh where did he go?". I walked further down the hallway, peaking in everyone's office in the hopes of finding someone, but I didn't.

This is odd.

I went down to the ground floor where the income hall is located. No one.

"Hello? Hello? Is anyone even here?". The confusion in my head skyrocketed. "How can everyone just be gone, so suddenly?". Maybe I should call someone. I took my phone out of my pocket to dial a number. "Eh? Why isn't it working?". I violently tapped my phone. "What...the...hell...". Maybe it was an urgent evacuation? I decided to go outside to take a look. I ran down the parking lot. The cars were still parked there, but again, no one to be found. I ran further down the street, heading towards the center. The once so lively Tokyo, the busiest place in Japan, the most populated city on earth, was completely vacant. As if all the people were sucked away into a different dimension, in the blink of an eye.