OTHERS: Five elements

CHAPTER 5.5: AIR

22 February 2033, 09:00 AM

That morning, I didn't stay in bed for long. I got up immediately, determined to learn how to control the voice as soon as possible. The wound on my hand was healing quickly. That was the sign. I was no longer the same person I had been before. I tied my hair into a ponytail and put on a pair of simple loose black pants and a dark green shirt Paola had left for me. When I stepped into the hallway, she was already waiting.

- "You look nervous," she said, casually leaning against the wall.

- "I am," I admitted.

She smiled softly. 

- "Good. That means you understand what's at stake."

The training to master the voice was divided into two parts. I felt like one of those characters from an anime, going through grueling training before a tough battle. We entered a small room. There was a mat in the middle. She told me to sit down.

- "The first part of the training is about mastering the mind. Your goal is to silence the voice. It will fight for control, but you have to be stronger."

- "What should I do to succeed?" I asked.

- "When I became an Other and the voice took over me, I killed my parents and sister. In that moment when I wasn't myself, when some invisible force was controlling my body, my eyes fell on a photo of me as a little girl. And that's when I managed to regain control. But the voice was still there."

- "So I need to hold on to a beautiful memory to silence it?"

- "Exactly. When I lost Deniel, I was furious. And the voice fed on that rage. I could have done terrible things. But I fought. White Ghost helped me. He told me that instead of being angry over my loss, I should remember the good moments I had shared with him. That's how I learned to control the voice. Of course, I'm still fighting. The voice never truly disappears."

- "I think I understand. But why do beautiful memories help?"

- "You've seen Others mercilessly kill people. The World Safety Organization portrays us as monsters without humanity. But what makes a human truly human? What is the essence of our being? Humanity. Emotions. The memories we carry. Joy. Laughter. Love. As long as we hold on to those things, we're still human."

I didn't say anything. I just nodded. Her words were heavy—full of meaning.

- "I'll leave you alone," Paola said. "Enter your mind. Let the voice grow loud. And then find a beautiful memory. A moment when you were truly happy. Hold on to it. Use it to quiet the voice."

Paola left me. I was alone in the room. At first, it was silent. Then the voice came, louder than ever—like it knew what I was trying to do.

- "You'll never win this. You think you're still human? You're not. You're a mistake."

My hands trembled slightly, but I didn't open my eyes.

- "You're a monster," the voice continued. "When your fiancé sees you, he won't want you. He'll leave you. Everything you're doing is pointless."

I tried to grasp a memory, but the voice was too loud. I couldn't focus.

- "Don't resist. Accept what you are. Old Aiko is dead. She's gone."

I couldn't take it anymore. I opened my eyes. Sweat was dripping from my forehead. I had lost focus. Had it even been five minutes? The feeling was unbearable—like someone whispering cruel truths and urging you toward the worst parts of yourself. But giving up wasn't in my nature. I sat again, took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I stayed in that room alone for nearly four hours. And finally—I took a small step forward. I managed to pull a memory from the depths of my mind. The day Riku proposed to me.

It was last April, on our anniversary. Exactly one year had passed since I first saw Riku at AnimeCon. That day, we had decided to go out for lunch. We laughed, shared dessert, and reminisced about all the little moments that brought us together. After the meal, Riku suggested we take a walk in Ueno Park. It was the perfect choice—the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The breeze occasionally lifted the petals around us, as if nature itself was celebrating our love. We held hands as we walked down a path covered in a soft pink carpet. At one point, he stopped under the most beautiful tree, let go of my hand, and looked at me with that quiet, determined gaze of his. Before I could say anything, he knelt and pulled out a small box.

- "Aiko," he said softly, but clearly, "this year with you has been the best year of my life. Will you turn it into forever?"

All the other sounds disappeared. It was just the two of us, the cherry blossom tree, and my heart beating so loudly I thought everyone could hear it. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at the man I loved, holding a ring.

- "Yes," I whispered, my voice shaking with tears and joy. "Of course, yes."

And in that moment—I knew. Even if the world stopped, that memory would live forever inside me.

The voice quieted. And tears fell down my cheeks. On their own. I opened my eyes, wiped them away, and smiled.

Riku. I'm doing all of this... for you.