Dance Partners || N.NK ||

Part 44/S2

"Huh? Who is Yn..." you murmured, the question lingering in the cold air.
But the stranger was already gone, leaving you with nothing but an unfamiliar name and a strange weight pressing on your chest.

Your gaze dropped to your own hands, as if expecting them to hold the answer to your unanswered question.
The signature you had written just moments ago—it came back to you in flashes.

"Yn.Ym..?"you repeated under your breath, the letters feeling foreign yet oddly familiar.
"Yn-San..." The way the stranger had called you—it echoed in your head, making your pulse quicken.

A sharp gust of wind made you shiver, pulling you out of your thoughts.
You sighed and brushed the thoughts off, making your way back to the house that you had left earlier.

The clouds were getting heavier and darker, as if it was gonna rain soon.
But despite that, there were many people gathered up around the sidewalk
ahead of the house, the one you had woken up in.

Everyone's focus was pointed towards one and only place—on the entrance.
Their expressions showed a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.
As you took in the scene, a chill ran down your spine.

"Doa wa ima aiteimasu..." someone among them murmured.
You had no idea what those words meant.
The words were foreign, just like everything else around you.
But the way they were staring at the house made your stomach churn.

Then, another voice spoke, this time with a questioning tone: "Yūrei wa imasu ka?"
Even without understanding the words, you recognised the unease in their voices.
Were they... scared?

You gave everyone a confused expression with a hint of curiosity, while you slowly walked up to the entrance gate of the house.
You had no idea who these people were, and why they were gathered up around the house.
So you didn't care enough to look back at the prying eyes.

And just as you were entering the house, an elderly voice whispered: "Sore wa karera no magomusumedesu".
The whispers that lingered in air wherever you went, were starting to drive you crazy without you even realising it.

The second the words left her lips, an unsettling feeling crept up your spine.
You quickly stepped inside and pushed the door shut, the whispers from outside still lingering in your mind.

You leaned against the closed door, letting a deep breath out.
Why were they so focused on this place?

Shaking your head, you forced yourself to move, heading up the stairs once again.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
The weight of everything—the confusion, the unfamiliar faces, the names that people seemed to recognize but you didn't—was pressing down on you.

"Where could the bedroom be..." you muttered, moving through the dimly lit hallway as the exhaustion creeped over you.

One by one, you opened the doors to different rooms.
Some led to rooms with dust-covered furniture, others stacked with old books and objects that meant nothing to you.
But then, finally, you found it.
The bedroom.

The second you stepped inside the room, a strange sense of déja vu washed over you.
Something about this room...made your chest tighten.
But why?

The air was thick with dust, and the faded scent of something old—something long forgotten.
It all lingered in the space.
The bed was unmade, sheets crumpled as if someone had left in a hurry.
The curtains hung lifelessly over the window, blocking out most of the light.

Your fingers brushed over the edge of the wooden dresser beside the bed, leaving a trail in the dust.
There were even more picture frames placed on top, their glass fogged over time.

As you laid your eyes on a specific picture, something deep inside urged you to take a closer look, your curiosity reaching its peak.
With hesitant hands, you picked up the frame.
It was covered in dust, making it hard to see what was beneath.
You wiped the glass clean with your sleeve.

An elderly woman's face stared back at you.

"AH!" You winced, a sudden wave of dizziness making your vision blur.
Your head was now hurting, as if someone was hammering a nail on your skull.

The woman in the picture—her features, her eyes—they all seemed familiar, but why?

Your gaze shifted to the small mirror sitting on the dresser.
Its surface was coated in dust, just like everything else in the room.

Without thinking, you picked it up and wiped it clean.
And then—you saw yourself.
Your reflection.
For the first time since losing your memories.

A strange sense of disbelief settled in your chest.

Slowly, hesitantly, you reached up and touched your face with your palms, as if making sure it was real.

You turned around, half-expecting someone to be standing behind you, but there was no one.
"Is that me..?" you muttered, the words barely escaping your lips.

Your hand trembled as you placed the mirror back down and picked up the photo frame once again.

The elderly woman...
You studied her face more closely this time, especially her eyes.
They were the same as yours.

A shiver ran down your spine as you slowly noticed the similarities between you and the woman.

Who was she?

~ Cliff Hanger