REALITY: PART II

As the girl predicted, it rained awfully, she was drenched and cold. Yet, she was not bothered by it and continued to run where the memorial was being held.

… This has to be a joke. Why would they throw just an awful joke at me? Could it be, I didn't pass the exam? But, I haven't even taken it. What the heck is going on, why is this suddenly all happening.

Her tears were as big as the rain, her heart was aching like it's being shredded to pieces. She was unable to grasp the situation at all, if this was not a joke. Then she thought it must be a dream, but the fact she felt wet by the rain and her body feels cold. Then surely, there must be a better explanation to everything.

When the girl arrived at the memorial place, she notices some of her classmates, friends, and even teacher were there already. Her distant relatives also were present.

Unable to comprehend the situation or find a way to cope with the unbelievable circumstance, Ren continues to stare blankly at everyone. Then, she heard a sorrowful voice of a woman very familiar to her.

"Mother?"

The girl ran in the ceremony hall, without her realizing she was passing through everyone like an air.

"Did you feel that?"

"Yeah, I just felt something cold passed by me."

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"Shh, Don't say such a thing."

The felt like her entire soul has left her body, which technically it has.

"Have you found him?" The woman asked her husband who looked haggard and stressed from all that was happening.

"Who knows where he is…" He sighs as he has searched everywhere and has still haven't found any clue where his son could be.

"Why is this all happening to us? Our daughter is dead, yet her body is nowhere to be found. Now-now our son is missing too."

"Stop that, Kenji is still out there."

"Calm yourself, I'm sure Kenji is fine." He comforted his wife as he tried to keep a straight face and not show any emotions for his wife was already in such an awful state that if he collapsed as well, who knows what would happen to them.

"Mother, Father, I'm right here? Why are you kneeling on the ground for…" Ren walked closer to her parents, but was stopped when something passed through her.

… Did that man just… It can't be, I'm not dead. This is a joke, this is a dream. I need to wake myself up.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Ren was a promising child with a bright future. Who would have thought something terrible would happen to her?"

"Thank you, Uncle, I'm sure we'll find the person who dared kill our daughter."

"You mean, she didn't…"

"Don't you dare spout such nonsense here, my daughter did not kill herself. She would never do something that would bring misery to us. She was not that type of child, nor did I raise my daughter to be a quitter."

"Haruka, calm down. Uncle, I'm sorry, but it would be best if you go for now."

"David, it seems Haruka is not doing too well. If it's not a big problem, why not let my wife accompany her."

"Thank you, Uncle."

… Wasn't that Uncle Ishida? What did he mean by killing myself. Why would I even kill myself for.

Uncle Ishida is my mother's mother's brother-in-law. To simplify things, he's just a distant relative who likes to stick his nose in my family affairs. He would always try his best to get so close to my father and try to get a better position in my father's company.

Ren slowly grasped the situation, if no one can see her and hear her, it just means she must really have died. But, how and why?

"Mother, Father, I'm here… Please, please stop crying."

Haruka looked flustered as if she was hearing something, she looked at her husband and asked, "Did you hear that?'

"Haruka, please, enough already. You need to get some rest." David was at his edge and could no longer take all the pressure from his wife and the stress from losing his daughter.

"No, David, this time, I think…"

"Enough already, why don't you go home and rest."

"No, I'm not leaving, I'm staying here to wait for my daughter. She is not dead, nor did she kill herself. I'm sure she just lost and is on her way home."

How they both hope what she said was true. But, their daughter has been missing for over a week now and they found her stuff in a place which could only mean she must be dead.

"Haruka, I pray day and night that Ren is indeed alive. But, it's been over a week yet we have not found any clue at all."

"David, please, believe me. Ren is still here, I can feel it."

It wasn't a dream or was she hallucinating, she was indeed dead. The reason as to why she feels pain and that she feels cold, it's because she was only a ghost now. A lost ghost who seems to have not reached the afterlife.

… I guess, I can't stay here any longer then. I think I must…

Before she could make up her mind about leaving, she was surprised to see her grandfather walking in, accompanied by a group of people she expected would visit as well.

"Haruka…"

Haruka heard the cold voice of her father, she stood up from the ground and went towards him. "Father, please help me, Ren is not dead. Ren is just missing…"

"Haruka, you need to get a hold of yourself. What you need to focus on now is to look for Kenji." Elder Ogino comforted his daughter.

… That's right, despite that I may be on top of everything and better than my brother. The fact he is the elder and a son, my grandfather slightly favors him. But, he was affected towards me as well since I was a son who he always wanted. Talented, smart, and was on top of everything. I was easily able to grasp challenging things and complete them, which always impress the old man.

"Haruka, please calm down. We understand what you're feeling right now."

"Auntie, I'm sure, Ren…"

The young, handsome boy was all pale and tears fell on his face. Haruka saw those tears and knew the boy must be in more pain than her right now. She didn't hold back as she wrapped her arms around the boy.

"Jin, it's alright."

Ren was on her knees as she faced the people in front of her. Her eyes were all red as tears rolled down her face.

… Masuda Jin, one of my closest male best friends, not only that. He was the man I love, whom my family and his family, have agreed for us to marry once we finish university. Yet, I've ruined our plans by leaving him behind. I'm the worst person ever. Why did I make such promises when I won't be able to keep it?

"Jin, please be honest, did you notice anything strange with Ren lately?" Haruka asked as everyone anticipated what the boy had to say. Since both of them have such a mutual relationship with each other, he'll be the first to know if the girl was feeling somehow depressed and was thinking of ending her life.

"Auntie, no, I didn't notice at all. As you know, we are all preparing for the university exam. And, Ren has been keeping to herself lately since she wanted to focus on her studies."

"Jin right, we all know Ren well. Once she focuses on something, no even Jin can bother her." David said as he patted the boy on the shoulder to comfort him.

"Uncle, where's Kenji?" Jin asked as he expected the boy to be present as well yet is nowhere to be found.

David sighs as he couldn't give them an exact answer, "Who knows where the boy is?"

"Haruka, David, I know losing a child is awful, but you can't let Kenji feel like you no longer care for him. He is still your son and in need of your love at this moment."

When things couldn't get worse, the person whom they've all been worried about has finally shown his face. He was covered in mud and stink in alcohol, he was covered in bruises as if he was just in a fight.

"Kenji, what happened?" Haruka ran right away with her son, shocked to see his terrible state.

"Kenji, where have you been?" David checked on his son as well then noticed the familiar smell, "Did you drink? Kenji, you know…" He frowned as he was about to scold his son but was interrupted.

"Know whaat? Not, owd enough… Do yuall think, I don't know that?" Kenji, who used to dress himself nice and neat, looked worse than the beggars in the street.