𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 | ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ ᶜˡᵒᵛᵉʳ

EXTRA SIX

YOSHIKO SAT ON the grass, eating a chocolate chip cookie. Licht sat nearby watching her with a small smile on his face as she stuffed the cookie in her mouth.

'She looks like a chipmunk,' he thought with a smile.

"Yoshiko," Licht called.

"Hm?" Yoshiko replied.

"Do you know where you are?" Licht asked.

Yoshiko shook her head. She looked at him intently, hoping he had the answer.

"Just like you, I'm not sure," Licht replied. "I woke up, standing in a dark area with a single dusty pathway that lead to who knows where. I had two options; 1) follow the path and risk danger or 2) have no answers. And so, I picked the first option,"

Just like me...

"I followed the path and as I walking, I felt someone speak in my head," Licht told her. "It was a woman's voice. She told me not to worry and that I was safe here. Did that happen to you as well?"

Yoshiko shook her head. She heard no voices much less any sound.

"I see... how peculiar," Licht said which made Yoshiko's head tilt upon hearing the new word. Licht chuckled. "Peculiar is another word for strange, dear,"

Yoshiko nodded and smiled.

"But... what's more peculiar is that woman mentioned two people," Licht said which caused Yoshiko's eyes to slightly widen. "One was you, Yoshiko. That's how I came to know your name. And the second was someone named Ryuko. Who that is, I'm not sure,"

Yoshiko's eyes widened like saucers. Why did that woman in Licht's head mention her and her Aniki? Who was she, anyway?

"Do you know him?" Licht asked as she nodded furiously. "What is your relationship with him?"

Yoshiko made gun-like symbols with her hands. She had one hand in front of her while the other was on top. She brought the top one to her forehead that made a 'L' sign.

Licht looked confused. But then he realised what she was doing.

"Ah. That's sign language, isn't it?" Licht asked as she nodded. "I'm sorry, I don't understand,"

Yoshiko sighed as she thought for a way to tell the man who Ryuko was to her.

"Is this Ryuko a boy?" Licht asked.

Yoshiko nodded.

"Let's see... is he a family member?" Licht asked.

Yoshiko nodded.

"Your father?"

She shook her head.

"Grandfather?"

She shook her head again.

"Brother?"

Yoshiko nodded.

"Older?"

Another nod.

"So Ryuko is your older brother?" Licht asked to confirm.

Yoshiko nodded.

"Why on earth would that woman mention the two of you? It makes no sense," Licht said. "It's honestly frustrating seeing that neither of have answers,"

The two sat in a long, uncomfortable silence. Yoshiko was too intimidated to grab another cookie but she really wanted one.

Where did Mr. Licht get the cookies from anyway?

Licht suddenly got up which scared Yoshiko who tumbled back.

"Yoshiko!" Licht shouted as he quickly ran to help her. He gently picked her up. "I'm sorry, dear. That must have scared you,"