Chapter 140: What If (III) - The Man of Mysteries

After finally calming down Homura and Asahi's misunderstanding, the three of us followed Aquamarine to her work.

The daycare she was working at was near the college the three were studying at, so if we have time to do so we could visit her anytime.

After that Homura, Asahi, and I then went to Akihabara to go do what we were supposed to do and buy the game we wanted.

I don't go to school anymore so I can visit her as much as I want to, which is why I'm gonna visit her today.

Right now it's 6:00 A.M on a Monday and their school usually starts at 10:00 A.M, so Aqua has four to work during the daytime.

As I was walking down the street, I looked to my left and saw the road where I met Ayame and reunited with Aqua.

I felt an ache in my heart when I stare at the road, it wasn't traumatic for sure but it left a small scar on my heart every time I think about it.

Just remembering how I acted at that time made me despise how weak I am in a situation like those, if only I can be as brave and strong as Aqua then I can-

My body froze and my heart started beating fast, I could see an error-like static appearing again in my eye, blocking everything in my sight. "Not this again..."

The wind started to feel cold and my body started shaking, my knees became weak and soon I fell to the ground head first.

Blood started spurting out like a fountain on my head from the impact, my arms and legs stiffened from fear and I couldn't move at all. Even crawling like a worm was impossible to do.

I looked around and saw that everything around me was frozen in place. The people, the cars, the animals, and even droplets of water falling on top of roofs were frozen in place.

"What's going on..?" I was confused at what was happening in my surroundings, even if my heart is racing fast and my mind is already panicking, I did my best to remain my composure outside. "Don't worry Haruki, just wait and everything will go back to normal as soon as possible..."

It was hard to breathe from the position I was in, also my head was already starting to hurt, despite the circumstance that I'm in I endured the pain to ensure I won't start panicking.

"Only a couple of seconds now Haruki... Only a couple of seconds..."

Thump! From my right, I heard a loud sound. I couldn't see what it was but I know that it was the sound of someone walking toward me.

I started to sweat, my mind was now alerting me that I'm in danger. My breathing was very heavy and my body was immensely shaking.

Who's that?! And how is he able to walk when everyone is frozen in place?! Don't tell me?! Is he dead?!

I closed my eyes in fear and waited for the mysterious man to come closer. I heard his footsteps getting closer and louder every second.

When he got close the footsteps finally stops, I could feel his glare piercing through my skin, it has a strange cold feeling to it and it oddly makes my body sting.

My body couldn't do anything in the situation I'm in, my body is frozen and numb again, and this time everything around me is frozen in time.

So is this perhaps the path to death?

Closing my eyes and waiting for my fate to come was the only option I could do, tears were slowly falling from my eyes and I started apologizing.

For a long time now I've never met a family member before and now that I managed to is also the day I would leave her. I want to see Aqua again and get to know her better, but my luck is just bullshit...

Dammit, why now of all time..?

The mysterious man kneeled close to me,, he then touches my back and slowly said". Are you okay?"

The cars were back and running again, birds were chirping in the skies, and people around me were walking and talking again.

My body isn't numb anymore and is now moving perfectly, I could still feel the pain of the wound on my head but everything around me was normal again.

"Are you okay?" Again, a man asked me that question.

I looked to see who the man was and saw a rugged old man. He appears to be about 60 to 70 years old, he has brown skin with hair and beard, clothes that we're torn and rugged, from the looks of it he seems to come from the middle east, but all of those that I mentioned didn't bother me, what caught my interest is that he is wearing a blindfold.

"Yes..." I answered him, still confused at what happened.

"That's a relief, you should be careful from now on boy."

"Yes..."

"Hmm? Is there a problem boy? You seem to have hit your head when you fell, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes..." I was still confused about who this guy was when I look at him he seems to be someone I know but at the same time, he was a stranger.

When I look at him I have mix-feeling about who he is, I could feel relief and joy from seeing him, also respect too, but at the same time, I also feel anger and fear for looking at him.

I stood up slowly and I fell out of balance, but he easily caught me despite having a blindfold. "Looks like you're not okay, come, I'll bring you back to my house to treat your head."

He was finally done patching up my head with the bandages he found in his tiny house, by tiny I mean he lives in a temple with the people who are working here.

"Are you okay now?" He asked me in distress.

"Yes, thank you..." I replied nonchalantly, I looked around his room and saw how well-cleaned it was.

Everything was too perfect for a room for a man who I assume to be blind due to him wearing a blindfold.

I suppose the Shinshoku and the shrine maidens are helping him, but... How did he even know where the bandages are? He took it from the first aid kit like he isn't blind. "Umm... It may be rude to ask this, but why are you wearing a blindfold?"

He looked at me with a smile and he touched his blindfold, he seems hesitant for a bit but he decided to remove it.

Upon removing it, I saw his eyes shut closed with stitches, his eyelids were missing because the skin on his eyes was severely burned; probably a third-degree burn from the looks of it.

"I got this injury about 10 years ago, my country was at war with a foreign country close to us, so as a man I was drafted to fight for our country..."

War? I don't know the exact date of Aqua's country going to war, but it can't be just a coincidence that their country experience war with another country.

"Of course, I fought with all my strength to protect my homeland, as a father and a patriot I did everything I can to serve my home. You may not believe it but I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and led a battalion of my own." He looked at the ceiling in sorrow at being reminded of the war. "But I failed, as their leader I failed... We were caught by the enemies and were used as hostages, they didn't treat us well and tortured us restlessly. My men were tortured and killed, as their leader, they forced me to watch them die until none of them were alive. In the end, when it was my turn they cut my eyeball in the middle, burned it, and as they were stitching it I was saved by my fellow soldiers."

"I see..." I was speechless at what he said, if I was in his position I don't know if I could handle seeing my friends die...

Yes... Seeing my friends die...

My heart ached when I thought about that, just repeating that makes me want to puke, my stomach feels disgustingly weird, and it starts to hurt.

"Is there something wrong?" He worriedly asked.

"No, I'm okay... My stomach probably hates me for eating junk foods at breakfast."

"That's bad, you should take care of yourself more. You're still young, so eat a lot of veggies and fruits to be strong and healthy."

"Thanks for the advice..." I managed to endure the pain and I stopped myself from puking, I was relieved that I didn't throw up at a temple because the Gods might smite me for that. "Anyway, I'm curious. What country do you live in?"

He smiled. "That's something I cannot tell you yet."

"I see..." Then it looks like I can't connect him to Aqua for now. "Anyway, thank you... My cousin is probably waiting for me, so I'll go now."

"Really? That's too bad, but I hope you'll visit poor lonely me the next time you decide to come here. It's my first time telling someone about my life."

"Don't worry!" I happily replied with a massive smile. "You helped me, so it's the least I can do."

He smiled in joy from my reply, he then put back his blindfold. "Can I ask your name boy?"

I did a salute, not as he can see it but I still did it. "My name is Haruki Hotaru Sir!"

"Haruhi huh..? What a nice name, my name is..." His smile widened and the wind started blowing; moving his hair and beard slowly. "El, my name is El Elyon."