An Age Old Promise

VI

~Natalie's P.O.V~
It's been a week after New Year and I'm back to work again. It's just like some universities that has a late class schedule and once they begin the first day, they go speedy on everything. At least I'm back with the books and it's cozy enough for me. Ray told me that miss Freitag was always buried herself under mountains of paperwork. To think of it, kinda like me with the books and my notes.

Ray sometimes still talk about the Administrator and I once asked about her relation with Wolf. Ray said that the two weren't always in good terms. I asked why but Ray didn't know much. Miss Freitag didn't tell him much about Wolf and neither was the Lieutenant. Ray remembered that the Administrator's brother was promoted to lieutenant when they invaded Czech. Would love to see but I don't want to be a prisoner when the two blonds came storming in.

Speaking of Wolf, he called me the morning after New Year and turns out he wanted to talk with Ray. That conversation went on for hours. Probably longer than my discussion with Wolf on the train when we were coming back from Munich. I love that trip. Sometimes I wonder if Wolf still keeps the photo I gave.

I was picking out some books and I heard noises. "Is that you, Mika?" the noises stopped. "Just come out. I know every corner in this spot." I called her out. 'Wait...' I immediately remembered something. 'Didn't Ray said that miss Freitag also knew every corner of the archives vault?'. "Aww... you're no fun." Mika's pouting snapped me back from my question.

"You gotta be more clever than that. So... 残念な!" (zan'nen-na! : too bad!) I teased her. "相変わらずあんたに..." (aikawarazu anta-ni... : you're as always...) she sighed a chuckle. "What's up?" I asked. "I was going to ask what you were doing with those books..." Mika pointed at the books I picked out. "I thought you already know about your roommate." She teased. The books I picked out were about Ray.

I started to blush, "W-well, I just want to cross check some things I might've missed." And came up with an excuse. Mika then threw a teasing smug, "Come on... admit it! You like him~". "What? No..." I brushed her off. I told her that Ray is just a fun roommate. "And you already know that I'm with James, right?" I reminded her. "そう、そう..." (Sou, sou... : Right, right...) she then asked how I am with James.

"We haven't talked much since the party." My smile turned to a sad one. I shared my guess that James was mad that I got him dragged along. Mika asked if he really was and I don't really think so. "He was just sharing his place for me to stay and he got into a fight with my friend." I explained. "But it was weird that he joined the party even though he wasn't invited.". "Did he have fun?" she asked again.

"I'm not sure... maybe he came along so I wouldn't feel bad." I sighed. Mika then remembered something and reached in her pocket to get something. "Andy and Kuromizu agreed for me to give this for you." She gave me two small photo prints. It was when the five of us spending the day before New Year and my face immediately went red. "No shouting in the library~" Mika teased. "You bastards..." I silently growled and took the prints. I can't believe the three of them let me and Ray took oblivious shots.

The rest of the day went fine and it was time to go back. As usual, I took the tram and I stopped by at the memorial. It feels weird now that Ray is back and the memorial still says he's dead. I sighed and continued walking. I opened the door went I arrived and called out, "I'm back!". "Oh, you're back." Ray greeted back and it surprised me. "Hm? Is it wrong of me to greet you?" asked Ray.

"O-oh..." I snapped back. "Sorry, I'm still not used to it that I've—-". "Been sharing the place with yourself?" his question stunned me again and I awkwardly chuckled, admitting Ray's question, "You got me, Ray.". "How was your day?" he asked again. I told him it was fine and it was nice messing around with friends again. "You sure are free-spirited." Ray commented. "Was miss Freitag like that too?" I curiously asked. "She was a curious one." He answered. "But knowing how it was... she did a great job hiding it.". "But not from you?"

Ray shook his head, "Not from me." And smiled. He then signaled me to follow him and I did. Ray showed me my turntable and played it. "It is the same as the gramophone when I realized it." looks like he figured it out. Ray turned it on and the vinyl was already placed there. It played the first song and I recognized it. "This is it! This is the song we played!" he excitedly pointed. "Furyo..." I mumbled.

"Th-that's impossible." I tried not to stutter. "That track was originally released 41 years after your death. H-how could you—-how could she knew that?" Ray told me that the Administrator wrote it herself. 'That's why there were no records.'. "Well!" I changed my tone. "Someone already made it and it's theirs! The least we can do is... thank them." I tried to find the positive side of it for Ray. "Y-you can have it if you want." I offered. "I can... I can always find a new one." It was all a static though the vinyl was still playing.

"Thank you." He took off the needle and put the vinyl back in its jacket. "I-I can practice and play it for you if—-". "No need." Ray cut me off. "You don't have to owe me everything." And gave me a smile. An apologetic one. We walked back to the living room and I noticed my couch has become Ray's small squat. I also noticed my lesson books. "Sie haben Englisch gelernt." I stroke up a conversation. "Very little. Still bad." Ray shortly answered and it was pretty good actually. He asked if I can help him learn and I was more than glad to accept it.

He smiled as a thank you and went to ran some errands. I went back to my room to change my clothes and I looked at the prints Mika gave me. "What are you trying to do to me?"

A.N : I'm back! As usual and so glad that I installed Japanese keyboard in. I didn't have to use my phone's keyboard to do translations! Tho I didn't realize that I made the chapter a bit short. Eh! Whatever! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you in the next one! RD out!! Boi!!!