Woman in the street

Looking back from where I was, I already had a glimpse of sight at the entrance of the playground. Still, I clutched my chest as I felt my lungs burning. Is it because I instantly dashed here after I had a call with Marco?...

After a short time, I arrived at the entrance, I used the cold-metal gate as a support to help me keep standing and not to kneel caused by exhaustion. I felt relieved after I stopped gasping but it didn't last long. There was no person in the playground. I repeatedly looked around hoping that they are still here and I just didn't notice them but there's still no change.

I clenched my fist and hit the gate continuously. “It was all my fault, I know that this thing would happen but I chose to ignore it. In the end, I'm just a coward that can't do anything.” My fist felt stung as I blamed myself.

But still, I can't quit here...

I grasped the gate firmly, closed my eyes, and dove deeply into my memory. Even if they were already gone here, I was sure I could find them if I just remember what happened in the first part of the manga.

As I remember, they move on to the nearest hotel but ended up at the hotel next to our town since they didn't allow students to enter.

“Rose Garden,” I muttered as I opened my eyes.

There was no time to waste. I forgot the pain in my chest and the exhaustion I felt and continued back running to the nearest train station, this way is much faster than calling a grab.

Gladly, there were only a few people on the train. I sat my beat-up body on the cold leather seat inside the train and after a few minutes, the train started to run.

Still, thoughts ran in my mind. What if I was too late? What will be the right words to say to stop them? Knowing Erica she badly wants to understand what's she felt, and as for that Mikael...

My thoughts interrupted as I felt the train had begun to run slowly, I quickly stood up in front of the train's door and run out after it opened—that's what I planned but I didn't expect a mass of people yearning to go home from their work continuously fill the train. I struggled to make my way out and felt my body washed back into the train, a good thing was that I used my backpack as a shield to get me through the surging wave of people.

After I got out at the station, I took out my phone and started to search for the Rose Garden hotel but I was in a daze after I saw that there was no Rose Garden hotel existed in the nearest hotel list. That only meant one thing.

I tried to walk around searching for the place where the least light was and there had only a few people. After a minute of walking, I noticed the crowd begins to thin as a walked down the street. I looked at the sky and noticed that the sun started to set. I should hurry to find them.

As I walked down the street, a narrow path between two huge old buildings caught my attention, I walked into the narrow path and felt cold— is it because of the wet ground and walls?— as I continued making a couple of steps, I witnessed a couple smooching each other on the darker side of the path, I jolted and averted my eyes as the man turned his gaze towards me.

Later on, I arrived in front of the old two stories building, some of the walls of the building covered in moss but most importantly —this place was looked like an abandoned building. I mustered up my courage and started knocking on the old wooden door.

The one who opened the door for me was a well-built man, supposed to be the guard of this place. I turned my gaze on the old lady who wore a gold chain on his neck sitting on the bench near the window, without hesitation, I asked the old lady if she saw a couple of students enter this place.

She began to open her mouth and here, I saw most of her teeth were gone. “Oh! many students went here, and two of them wearing the same uniform as yours if you asked me what's their room it is room six on the second floor.” I didn't have time to wonder why she'd answered me directly, I continued to walk up to the stairs. “If you only didn't hesitate,” The old lady but I ignored her.

I heard the stairs squeaking every time I stepped, my heart began to beat fast and loudly. Suddenly, the noise from the stairs began to fade and all I could hear was the sound of my heart beating heavily.

I stood up in front of the room that the old lady told me where they checked in. I held the cold doorknob and noticed that the door wasn't locked, my face slightly enlightened. Thank goodne—

I was about to open the door assuming that there was no one there—the fact that the door wasn't locked relieved me from my thoughts— but I heard someone’s moan.

“Are you okay?” this voice was coming from Mikael.

“No, I'm fine. Please continue,” and this was from Ericka.

My eyes widened as I witnessed Mikael's naked body slowly moving on top of Ericka who was also naked. I closed my eyes ignoring to look at their face full of pleasure. I took my grip out of the knob and stay stood in front of the door looking down the floor while listening to their moans and short conversations.

I felt my heart fall on the pool of needles...

Later on, I turned my back and started to walk out of the building, the old lady told me something before I left but I didn't hear her— or I just couldn't understand her. I looked at the sky and it was already dark.

No word came out of my mouth, I felt something blocking it inside my throat and it felt so heavy as if I swallowed a huge stone. No matter what I did, it wouldn't come out.

“Even if I tried my best, things don't work as I wished for,” I muttered while walking —still looking down the ground. I felt my eyes so dry, even one tear didn't come out.

After I got out from the narrow path and back to the street, I turned my body, and unfortunately, I bumped into something— made my butt fall flat on the street.

“Hey, are you okay?” — or someone. I couldn't see her face because it was too dark. “Here.” Judging by her voice and silhouette it was a woman. She reached her hand to me and I hesitantly accepted it. Forcefully, she pulled me up helping me to stand but before I completely got onto my feet, the lamp on the street started to light, showing the face of the woman who helps me stand up.

She wore a simple yet calming sweet smile, brown eyes matched with her long eyelashes, and wavy brown hair that almost reached her waist. A name unconsciously escaped from my mouth.

“Arisa Hernandez...”—Ericka's sister and Mikael's first love.