Kyōkai no Jōkasatashi

Chapter 4

Kiyomi's eyes slowly opened, and she rubbed them as she sat up, her body aching from the recent ordeal. She took in her surroundings: a large, wooden bed with a thick, white blanket draped over it. The room exuded a rustic charm, its wooden walls adorned with old-fashioned decor and scattered with dusty antiques.

The bed was surrounded by sheer, flowing curtains that barely obscured a window letting in a soft, golden light. The window itself was large and framed with intricately carved wooden panels.

In front of the window stood a sturdy wooden table piled high with an array of books—so many that they nearly overflowed onto the floor. A wooden chair, worn but polished, sat beside the table. Kiyomi's confusion grew. Whose house was this? And where was Saki?

Kiyomi turned her gaze to the side and noticed an old, dusty music box perched on a nearby shelf. As if by its own accord, the music box began to play a soft, soothing melody. Inside, a delicate ballroom couple spun gracefully, their movements enchanting and serene. Kiyomi felt a fleeting sense of comfort from the gentle atmosphere, but she quickly shook off the distraction. Determined, she set the music box aside and leaped out of bed.

"I need to find Saki," she thought, her resolve deepening. She scanned the room, taking in the scattered books on the floor and table. They were written in various languages, some with missing pages, others pinned to the wall with tattered, yellowed paper. The room was cluttered with a collection of antiques, most notably an assortment of ornate clocks, their ticking resonating softly through the space.

"How pretty..." Kiyomi murmured as she walked across the room, admiring the old-timey charm of each piece. She skipped to the large window and peered outside, but all she could see was a void—like the house existed in isolation from the world. A flood of questions raced through her mind, but she pushed them aside for the moment. With renewed urgency, she hurried out of the room in search of Saki. As Kiyomi moved through the hallways, her eyes were drawn to the walls lined with picture frames. Each frame held portraits of beautiful women with long black hair, all sharing eerily similar facial features. The resemblance to her mother—or perhaps to herself—stirred a sense of unease within her. Disturbed by the unsettling similarity, Kiyomi quickened her pace, determined not to let herself be distracted any further.

Kiyomi found a door and slowly opened it. Inside, she saw Saki sitting on the bed, lost in her thoughts. As soon as Saki noticed Kiyomi, she jumped up and ran over, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug.

"You're alive!" Saki cried, her voice trembling. "Don't ever do that again, okay? I might be publicly executed by your parents!"

Kiyomi's eyes widened at the sudden embrace, but she managed a small smile as she gently patted Saki's back. "Calm down already. Do you know where we are?" she asked, trying to soothe the crybaby.

Saki wiped her tears and looked around the room, shaking her head. "I was too scared to leave this room... Thankfully, you showed up." She offered a grateful smile.

Kiyomi felt a warmth spread through her at Saki's words. Despite the chaos, she realized she had made a new friend.

After their reunion, Kiyomi and Saki began to explore the house further. The home was impeccably organized and stylishly furnished, each room reflecting a unique charm. However, as they ventured through the rooms, they noticed that books were scattered everywhere, their pages torn and strewn across the floor. Some pages were even taped or pinned to the walls, creating a chaotic contrast to the otherwise elegant decor. After exploring the house for what felt like hours, Kiyomi let out a sigh and pointed to the last room they needed to check. "Last one. You open it," she instructed Saki.