OTHERS: Five elements

CHAPTER 5.4: AIR

22 February 2033, 08:30 AM

The moment the door closed, I felt my self-control crack. I covered my face with my hands, and before I could stop myself, tears began to fall.

- "I can't..." My voice trembled. "I can't live like this."

Paola moved closer, sitting on the bed beside me to comfort me.

- "You can," she said firmly, leaning forward slightly. "It's not easy, but it's possible."

I shook my head, tears streaming down my cheeks. 

- "You don't understand. My life was normal. I was supposed to get married in less than two weeks. Two weeks, Paola. And now—now there's this voice in my head whispering awful things. I can't even trust myself anymore."

- "You're right," she said softly. "It's hard. And no, the voice doesn't disappear. It's always there. But you can learn to control it. It's like a storm in your mind—you can't stop the rain, but you can learn to stand in it without falling."

Her words were strangely comforting, though I wasn't ready to fully believe them. I wiped my tears and looked at her through blurred vision. "You're... you're an Other too?"

- "I am."

I blinked, surprised by her honesty. 

- "But you—you seem so calm. So... normal."

A faint, almost ironic smile touched her lips. 

- "That took a long time. A lot of blood, sweat, and effort. And I'm not like most Others. I'm... a little different."

- "What do you mean, different?"

- "I had a Second Awakening. Emotional shock. I assume White Ghost told you something about it."

I nodded slowly.

- "I had a boyfriend. His name was Deniel. I was madly in love with him. We came from completely different worlds—I was rich, he was poor. But love brought us together.  And one day, I lost him. He died in my arms."

I stayed silent, listening carefully, feeling the weight of her words.

- "The pain... the anger... something inside me broke. And then it happened. My body changed. The virus reacted to my grief. Suddenly, I felt it—fire."

I stared at her, disbelief in my eyes. 

- "Fire?"

Paola extended her hand, palm up.

- "Watch."

A moment later, a flame bloomed in her hand. I couldn't hide my astonishment.

- "You... you control fire?"

- "Yes. But it's not as glamorous as it looks. It came from pain. Every time I use it, I remember why I have it."

She closed her fist, and the flame vanished instantly.

- "And the voice... it gets louder?"

- "We're not a hundred percent sure. There are only a few Others who've experienced the Second Awakening. But for me, yes—the voice became stronger. It latched onto my pain like a parasite, trying to break my will, to turn me into a monster. But you can learn to overpower it. New Hope can teach you. We help each other, Aiko. You won't be alone."

My gaze dropped to the bite on my hand. I bit my lip, torn between fear and doubt.

- "After I lost Deniel, I thought everything was over. The thought of giving up crossed my mind. But I kept going—for him, for the promise I made him. White Ghost found me later and offered me a choice. He told me I still had one. And you do too, Aiko."

I hesitated, my thoughts were a tangled mess.

- "Stay with us for a while," Paola continued. "Learn to control the voice. If you can, maybe you can still have the life you want. Others have managed. I've seen marriages that work. Children growing up happy, even if one parent is an Other. It's not impossible."

Then Paola stood up from the bed.

- "I'll leave you now," she said with a small nod. "Think about it. We'll talk later."

She left the room, the door closing softly behind her. I sat there for a long time, staring at my hands. Can I really control this? Can I fight the voice, live a normal life, get married, have children? Or am I just fooling myself? And that moment my fiancé came to my mind.  I immediately looked around for my phone. It was on the small bedside table next to me. I grabbed it quickly; the screen lit up—five missed calls from Riku. My heart sank. My fingers trembled as I typed, forcing them to stay steady.

- "Sorry, my phone's acting weird. I might need a new one. Don't worry about me. Enjoy your trip, okay? I can't wait to see you when you get back."

I pressed "send" and placed the phone back on the table. Yesterday, on my way to work—headed for Shibuya Station—I had talked to Riku on the phone. He was leaving on a business trip. He wouldn't be in Tokyo for a few days.

Riku. He's the only reason I keep going. If what Paola says is true, maybe there's a chance. Maybe I can still live a normal life, even as a monster. I'll stay. For him. I'll learn to control the voice in my head.