𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐝 - s. ᴍᴀɴᴊɪʀᴏ

𝟎𝟖𝟒: 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐓𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭

Your eyes open after a long moment of pitch black.

Your back was aching. You sit yourself up, trying your best to ignore the pain in your body. You turn and look down at what you were laying on.

This isn't...

You stare at the foreign-patterned sheet that is laid on the hardwood bed. Wrinkled after being slept in. Near the headboard was a flat pillow you were just resting on.

The wind gusts from out the window, which had no glass. Only a plain bed sheet was being used as a makeshift curtain.

You look outside of the window.

I'm... Not in Japan.

You get out of bed and start to panic. Walking out of the room and into the unknown hallway of the place you apparently slept in.

Running outside, the ground was dry and the air was humid. And though the town was crowded with many buildings and trees. It had no sign of other people living in it.

All until you heard a piano, playing in the distance.

You run to the noise. Prying the door open. Courtesy was the least of your concerns right now. You run up the flight of stairs as the music starts to get closer.

Opening the door, you were met with a little boy with a buzz cute sitting on a wooden stool. Playing the piano.

Now that you hear it up front, the instrument seemed to be untuned. The bed in the room was accompanied by a woman, presumably his mother, still sleeping.

"Excuse me!" You called out. The boy continued to play.

You walked closer. "Excuse me!" You said again. "I've... I've no idea where I am right now and..."

You look at the child, "Are you even listening...?" You raise your hand, attempting to slam on the piano keys to get the little boy's attention.

But your hands went through the piano.

You gasp before falling backward, in shock. Even as you hit the wooden floor, it felt as if you fell on nothing.

What the hell...? You think to yourself. Getting up.

"Minami..." The woman on the bed shifts her body. Facing the boy now. "Is it possible to play a little quieter, darling?" Her voice was hoarse. You assume she was sick. The boy complies, playing slowly instead.

You bend down, squatting next to the boy. Watching him play. You were sure the song was familiar. But you couldn't identify the song, with how poorly tuned the instrument is. But Minami didn't seem to care.

Those eyes... I've seen those before... You think to yourself, looking at the kid. The door opens. Both you and the little boy look to see who it was.

"Minami!" The large man's voice boomed. You were surprised the little boy's mother didn't wake up again. "C'mon, I got a job for you," he said, waving his hand to come over.

He was tall, at least a little over six feet. Even with a muscle shirt and jacket hanging over his shoulders, you could tell the whole top part of his body was covered in tattoos. The one on his neck covered part of his left cheek.

"A job...?" The boy spoke softly, "For money?"

"Yeah, of course, what else?" The man replied, sarcastically grinning. He tells the boy to hurry up. Minami hops off the stool and walks to the man. Closing the door behind him.

Standing up, you walk to the woman in bed. Reaching your hand out to wake her but your hand goes through.

What is going on right now... You stare at your hands. They still looked real. Everything looked real.