POWER STAGE : FAYE + YOKO (gxg)

Shadows of the Past

That day's event still haunts my mind like a curse. I remember every detail, every fear and guilt I felt so clearly, as if no time had passed at all. As Yoko, her cousin, and I made our way deeper into the cursed forest, the joy between us was replaced by a growing uneasiness. The sky was growing darker, and the sounds in the forest were growing more frightening. But at the time, I thought this uneasiness was merely excitement. Now I know it was a warning.

When we found the old, abandoned hut, it was as if some kind of force was drawing us there. When we opened the door, the musty smell that hit my nose sent shivers down my spine. Yoko's cousin entered without hesitation. Our eyes met for a moment; The sparkle in her eyes made me feel that that moment was not a normal moment. What was he hoping to find inside? An adventure? Or a much deeper, darker secret?

The strange smile on her face as she spotted the path behind the hut was etched into my mind. I didn't try to stop her, or perhaps I should have. But I didn't. We were locked together; Yoko and I had to follow her cousin. The path twisted before us like a labyrinth, pulling us deeper and deeper. We had lost track of time. Shadows were moving, strange voices were whispering in our ears. I can't remember exactly what happened at that moment, as if everything had become a blur. But there was one thing I will never forget: Yoko's cousin had suddenly disappeared.

We called out to her, we shouted, but all we heard was echoing silence. After a while, I heard a strange voice. It was like a whisper, but the words were incomprehensible. It was as if something was watching us. Fear rose in me, but it wasn't just the darkness, it was the meaning of the moment. As if something had gone wrong and I couldn't fix it.

When we got back, I saw strange markings on the door of the hut. At that moment, I didn't know what those markings meant, but the fear inside me grew. Yoko's cousin never came back. They searched for her in the forest, but no trace was found. It was as if she had never been there that day. This disappearance was not just a physical disappearance; It was as if her soul had also been erased from this world.

Our fathers became even closer together after this tragedy. Perhaps to avoid experiencing another loss like the one they had experienced in the past. But the relationship between Yoko and me disappeared that day in the darkness of the forest. Yoko blamed me for her cousin's disappearance, and I blamed myself. As if it was something I did or didn't do that caused her to disappear. Years passed, but the memories of that day haunted me. At night, I see that cabin, the path, and the strange whispers I heard in my dreams. As if that forest was calling me back, asking me to complete something that had been left unfinished that day. But I still don't know what I need to complete. All I know is that the secrets of that day can never be fully solved, and that what was lost along with Yoko's cousin wasn't just a person, it was also my innocence. Now, years later, Yoko and I are reunited. That old bond between us has been rekindled. But the shadows of the past still haunt us. What happened in the forest that day remains between us like a ghost. Yoko's father's words stabbed me like a dagger. The pain and disappointment on his face touched me deeply. I could see in his eyes that the tragic event of ten years ago was still fresh like a wound. It was as if time had stopped for him that day, and he was blaming us for forgetting the pain and moving on with our lives.

Yoko took a step forward, her expression determined. She looked at her father, and there was both understanding and defiance in her eyes. "Father," she said, her voice calm but strong. "We haven't forgotten that day either. It was the darkest day of both our lives. The pain of losing my cousin still lingers somewhere inside me."

Yoko's voice began to tremble, but she continued. "But that day also taught us something else: how precious life is, and how tightly we must hold on to the ones we love. Faye and I lost each other that day. But when we met again years later, we realized that our bond was still strong. We had not forgotten the pain of that day, but we had not let it define us either." Yoko held her father's hand, the warmth and determination in her palms underscoring the sincerity of his words. "That day, we stood on the edge of a precipice of fear and uncertainty, Dad," she continued, her voice still shaky but also full of faith. "But instead of falling off that precipice, we held on to each other. We emerged from that darkness together, and now we are united, never to be parted again." Yoko's eyes met her father's. "I know we can't change the past. But we can shape the future. Faye and I overcame the pain of that day by supporting each other. Now, we want to transform that pain into a source of strength and build a happy future together. Please give us this chance, Dad. Embrace us without judgment, just with love." Yoko's words created a deep silence in the room. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Yoko's father's reaction. I couldn't take my eyes off him, my heart beating like it was going to jump out of my chest. The decision he would make would shape not only my future, but also Yoko's. Yoko's father's words increased the tension in the room even more. He turned his eyes to my father, the expression on his face full of determination. "Not only me, but you too must end this now," he said, his voice harsh and authoritative. "Yoko either comes home with me, or she will never see her mother again."