- With Melisa and Grandpa.
"Is he already gone?"
Grandpa asked as he saw Melisa enter the room.
"... Yeah, so... Why did you ask Mikail to go home? Is there a reason behind it? And why you don't tell him about the Shadow? Old Man, I want you to answer all of that"
Melisa said as she took the seat across from Grandpa.
Grandpa let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples before leaning back in his chair.
"You ask too many questions"
He muttered while Melisa narrowed her eyes. Then said.
"... And you avoid too many answers"
After that, a moment of silence passed between them. The room felt heavier than before. Finally, Grandpa exhaled deeply and looked Melisa in the eye.
"The Shadow has already taken notice of him"
Hearing that, Melisa's expression shifted.
"...You're sure?"
At those questions from Melisa, Grandpa nodded.
"Yes, the moment he used his magic, I felt it. A disturbance... Small, but there... It was watching, The Shadow Realm show some reaction"
"Damn it. I told you teaching him was risky"
"I didn't have a choice"
Grandpa replied his voice firm. Then he said again.
"If he didn't learn to control it now, it would have awakened on its own. And that would've been even worse"
Melisa clicked her tongue in frustration.
"Then why not just tell him? He's not an idiot, you know. He deserves to understand what he's up against!"
Grandpa shook his head.
"No. Not yet"
"Why the hell not?!"
"Because if he knows, he'll try to fight it"
Hearing that, Melisa froze for a moment, don't understand why Grandpa said those words. Before she asks.
"... But Why? Why he'll try to fight the Shadow?"
Grandpa's voice lowered, his eyes dark with something unreadable, but one thing is sure, there was a sadness in his eyes.
"My friend... Mikail's Grandfather died by The Shadow... If Mikail found out about this... He'll try to fight it... He'll lose, worse, he'll die"
Melisa's breath hitched. She hadn't expected that.
"...Mikail's grandfather?"
She repeated slowly as if the words themselves were difficult to process.
Grandpa nodded, his expression grim.
"The Shadow took him years ago. We never found his body. No one ever does... He is an annoying friend, but he is my best friend... We come from different backgrounds... But he is my best friend"
Said Grandpa, and then his sad gaze was replaced with hatred. Grandpa gritted his teeth, and then in a tone filled with hatred, he said.
"The Shadow... That damn shadow creature took him away"
After that big reveal, a heavy silence filled the room. Melisa had known the old man had secrets, but this, this was bigger than she'd imagined.
She ran a hand through her hair, frustrated.
"...So you're saying if Mikail learns about this, he'll want revenge?"
"Not just revenge"
Grandpa muttered. Then continued to say.
"That kid has lost too much... And hearing from his Grandmother... The death of his parents probably has some connection to Shadow Creature... Their deaths are unnatural... If he knows about these Shadow Creatures now, he will try to connect everything... Even though the child acts like that, he is a smart boy... With just a little hint he will be able to know many things... And when that happens... He'll throw himself into a fight he can't win. Not yet"
Hearing that, Melisa clenched her fists. Then said.
"And what if the Shadow doesn't wait? What if it comes for him first?"
Grandpa's gaze was steady.
"Then we prepare him. Slowly. Carefully. Without letting him know the full truth until he's ready"
Melisa let out a shaky breath, leaning back in her chair.
"...I don't like it."
"You don't have to"
Grandpa said, closing his eyes. Then continued.
"But it's the only way to keep him alive"
Another silence. Then, after a moment, Melisa muttered.
"...Damn it, old man. You always make things complicated"
At those words, Grandpa let out a tired chuckle.
"That's life, kid"
Melisa exhaled sharply, shaking her head.
"Fine"
She said, standing up.
"I'll play along. But if things go south, I will tell him the truth"
Grandpa didn't argue. He only sighed.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that"
Melisa didn't answer. Instead, she turned and left the room, her mind racing.
The Shadow had taken Mikail's grandfather.
Now, it was watching Mikail.
--------
After Melise left the room, Grandpa stayed silent for a while before he opened his eyes.
"... Light Affinity... Is that the reason why the Shadow Creature took you, my friends? *Sigh* I always thought of myself as special in front of you, but it turns out you were hiding something more special that you didn't even know... That's a life, huh?"
After saying that, Grandpa also left his chair; he then walked towards the door with a very serious look.
"... I can't keep my promise to look after your children... But let me at least take care of your Grandchildren"
Grandpa murmured before leaving the room.
--------
While walking along the road, Mikail reached into his pocket to take out his cigarette; he did promise his grandmother to quit smoking, but a lot of things happened today, so he needed a cigarette to clear his mind.
And quitting smoking takes time, so let's let's smoke a cigarette or two before going home.
With that in mind, I make my way to the bench I saw.
For some reason, this road is to... Quiet.
Or is it just my feeling? I don't know. I rarely leave my house, so I don't know how this road usually is.
I sat down on the bench, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with a practiced motion.
The first inhale burned my lungs slightly, but the familiar sensation calmed my nerves.
Today had been… A lot. Grandpa sending me home forcibly, Melisa's weird attitude, and that strange feeling I got when I used my magic.
It was like something stirred, something watching from the darkness.
I exhaled slowly, watching the smoke disappear into the night air.
Then I noticed it again, it's not just my feeling.
The silence.
Too quiet.
No distant car engines. No murmuring voices from nearby houses. No rustling of the wind through the trees. Just… Nothing.
A feeling crawled up my spine.
I wasn't alone.
I shifted my posture, pretending to take another drag from my cigarette while subtly scanning my surroundings.
Nothing.
But that feeling only grew stronger.
Then.
A whisper.
Faint. Distant. Almost like it came from inside my own head.
"You are not supposed to be here"
I stiffened. The cigarette almost slipped from my fingers.
Slowly, I turned my head.
At first, there was nothing. Just the empty street, the dim glow of the streetlights, the shadows stretching unnaturally long across the pavement.
Then I saw it.
A figure.
Standing at the edge of the shadows.
Not moving.
Not breathing.
Just watching.
My heartbeat picked up. My fingers twitched.
"You should not exist"
The voice came again, but the figure's mouth didn't move.
Then, the shadows around it shifted.
A chill ran through me.
This was wrong.
Deeply, fundamentally wrong.
I stood up slowly, eyes locked on the figure. My mind screamed at me to move, to run, but my body wouldn't listen.
Then, in a blink...
It was gone.
No sound. No movement. Just vanished.
The silence broke.
The distant hum of the city returned. The wind rustled through the trees. The world resumed as if nothing had happened.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
"...The hell was that?"
I ran a hand through my hair, forcing myself to shake off the lingering dread.
It was probably just my imagination.
...Right?
Frowning, I stubbed out my cigarette and turned on my heel, heading home.
But even as I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling.
Something had been there.
And it had been watching me.
--------
Without him realizing it, Mikail walks home too fast and only realizes it when he arrives in front of his house.
Mikail reached into his pocket to take out the house key and without waiting any longer, he immediately opened the door of his house, entered, and then locked the door again.
It was only when he was inside his house that he felt safe, free from the watching gazes he had felt all this time.
Mikail took a deep breath before saying.
"... Fuck, What the fuck is tha-"
"Why are you so late?"
"FUCK!!"
Before he can process anything else.
*SMACK!*
A slipper from Grandma hit him. Followed by a reprimand from Grandma
"Language, young man!"
Hearing that, Mikail quickly straightens up, masking his nerves.
"Tch- Sorry, sorry, Grandma. You just scared me, that's all"
"Scared? What, were you doing something guilty outside?"
Grandma said, narrowing her eyes, suspicious of his Grandson.
Mikail forces a lazy grin, shoving his hands in his pockets. Then walk toward his Grandma.
"Nah, just lost in thought. Didn't expect to get interrogated the moment I walked in"
Grandma huffs but doesn't push further.
"... Go wash yourself and then eat... After that, let me know what happens on your first day at work"
....
...
..
.