Nanno: Shadows of the Past

Chapter 8: Whispers in the Dark

(POV: Nanno)

The following days felt like a fever dream, with echoes of the man's voice lingering in her mind, whispering fragments of memories she couldn't quite reach. Nanno had always thought of herself as strong, immune to fear or weakness. But something about that man, with his cryptic words and haunting presence, shook her in a way she couldn't explain.

She found herself retreating to quieter places, old haunts where she could think without interruptions. In one of these quiet corners of the city, she sat alone in an abandoned alley, watching the city lights flicker like fireflies in the dark. Her mind replayed the scene at the playground, over and over, until it felt like she could almost hear his voice again.

Then she did.

"แนนโน่..." His voice was like a soft hiss in the wind, faint but unmistakable. She turned, searching the shadows, but there was no one there. She clenched her fists, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. Who was he, and why was he haunting her?

Determined to find answers, Nanno went to the one place she hadn't dared to revisit since her childhood—her old family home. The house stood silent, swallowed by vines and decay, the windows like hollow eyes staring into the night. She approached the door, her fingers trembling slightly as she pushed it open.

Inside, everything was exactly as she remembered it: the worn furniture, the faded wallpaper, the faint smell of jasmine lingering in the air. But the silence was different, heavier, as though the walls held secrets that had been waiting for her return.

She wandered through the rooms, memories flooding her with each step. There were faint echoes of laughter, the scent of her mother's cooking, and whispers—her parents' voices drifting through the walls, almost as if they were still here. She felt herself drawn to the old bedroom at the end of the hall, a place she hadn't set foot in since her mother had passed away.

As she stepped inside, a chill ran through her. The room was untouched, a shrine to the past. On the dresser, she noticed a small, dust-covered box, one she had never seen before. Curiosity burned within her as she opened it.

Inside was a stack of letters, each one addressed to her mother. The handwriting was unfamiliar, elegant but sharp. She picked one up, her eyes scanning the words:

"If you're reading this, it means the time has come. Our pact is sealed, and our fates are bound. You cannot escape what we started."

Nanno felt her stomach twist. What pact? She flipped through the letters, each one more cryptic than the last, filled with warnings, threats, and promises of a dark fate her mother had been trying to avoid. Her heart raced as she reached the last letter, the ink smudged as though her mother had been crying while reading it.

"He will come for her, just as he promised. Our daughter cannot escape the shadows."

Nanno's blood ran cold. They were talking about her. Her mother had known that this man—this shadow—would come for her one day. She was part of something she couldn't understand, a legacy shrouded in secrets and lies.

(POV: Saya)

Saya had been restless since her encounter with Nanno at the playground. She knew her friend was dealing with something far more dangerous than she could handle alone, but Nanno had always been fiercely independent, pushing others away whenever she was hurting. But Saya couldn't stand idly by, not this time. She needed to find out what was happening, even if it meant facing whatever darkness was haunting her friend.

She started her search by digging into Nanno's past. After a long day of following old rumors and asking questions in the city's underbelly, she found herself in front of the old family home Nanno had abandoned years ago. The house looked foreboding, cloaked in shadows and decay, as though it held its own secrets.