morni.ng

The warm light of morning filtered through the thin curtains, casting long streaks of golden sunshine across the dusty hall. Yamino stirred first, his body aching as though he had been through an intense workout. Groaning softly, he rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the strange heaviness that clung to him. His cousin, Hikaru, was sprawled on the old couch nearby, his face pale but peaceful, as if he had been dreaming.

"Hikaru... wake up," Yamino called, his voice cracking slightly. He sat up, glancing around the hall. The candles they had lit the previous night were all melted down to stubs, their wax pooled on the floor. However, everything else seemed undisturbed—no sign of the chaos they had witnessed. No broken furniture, no chilling remnants of ghostly specters, and most confusingly, no old man. Even the baseball bat Yamino had used was still in the same corner, untouched.

Hikaru stirred, blinking groggily as he sat up. "Morning already?" he mumbled, yawning. But then his eyes darted around the room, and a flicker of confusion crossed his face. "Wait... didn't we..." He trailed off, his brow furrowed as he struggled to piece together his fragmented memories.

"Exactly," Yamino said, his tone laced with unease. "Last night... the ghosts... the old man..." He rubbed his arms as if trying to shake off an invisible chill. "It all felt so real, but... look at this place. Nothing's out of place. It's like it never happened."

Hikaru stood and stretched, his movements slow and deliberate. "You think we dreamed the same thing?" he asked skeptically, though his voice wavered slightly. "That's not possible, right? It can't be like we saw the same dream. Right? On top of it—it all felt so... so real."

Yamino shook his head, rising to his feet. "I don't know, Hikaru. It didn't feel like a dream. It felt... too vivid. The cold, the sounds, the fear..." He stopped, staring out of the window into the garden. The mist from last night was gone, replaced by a serene view of the sunlit grass and swaying trees. It looked almost picturesque, a far cry from the haunting scene they had faced hours ago.

Hikaru joined him, peering out the window. "There's nothing out there. No trace of those figures, no signs of a fight. It's like..." He hesitated, then glanced at Yamino. "Maybe we imagined it. Maybe this house just... messes with your head."

Yamino frowned, his fingers curling into fists. "That doesn't explain the old man. He was real. I remember his voice, his sword, everything. And the way he fought those... things." He shivered, the memory sending a ripple of unease through him. "People don't just vanish, Hikaru."

Hikaru nodded slowly, though his expression remained uncertain. "Let's check the rest of the house. Maybe he's still here somewhere. Or... maybe we'll find something that proves last night was real."

With a shared resolve, they began searching the villa, starting with the room where they had treated the old man's injuries. But the room was empty, the bed neatly made as though it hadn't been used in years. There were no bloodstains, no discarded bandages, no sword—nothing to indicate anyone had ever been there.

Their search extended to every corner of the villa, but it yielded no answers. By the time they returned to the hall, their confusion had deepened. Yamino slumped onto the couch, his hands covering his face. "It's like we're losing our minds."

Hikaru leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "If it was real, there has to be some evidence. Something we missed. Maybe in the garden?"

Suddenly, Yamino's eyes widened as a thought struck him. He looked at Hikaru, urgency creeping into his voice. "Hey, Hikaru. Do you remember the old man saying something about the governor's body being kept beneath us? Something about magical symbols?"

Hikaru frowned, trying to recall. "Yeah... something about the body acting as a seal, right? Why?"

Yamino's voice dropped to a whisper. "We don't know anything about this place. And I have this feeling... if we try to uncover everything right now, we'll end up dead. We're not powerful enough, Hikaru. You know that."

Hikaru's expression darkened, the weight of Yamino's words sinking in. "So what do we do? Just ignore it?"

Yamino hesitated before answering. "For now, we stay alive. And maybe... maybe we try to find someone who knows more about this place. Someone who can help us before it's too late."

The two cousins exchanged a grim look, understanding the danger they were in. The villa held its secrets tightly, but for now, survival was their only priority.

They suddenly thought of going to the library to investigate the mystery further. It seemed better than lingering in the villa, where the air was heavy with unanswered questions. Without eating, bathing, or changing their clothes, they hurriedly left the house, catching the first bus to the city. The village had no library, so the trip was their only option.

The ride to the city was uneventful, though the cousins sat in tense silence, their minds preoccupied with the events of the previous night. When they arrived, they quickly made their way to the city library, only to find its massive iron gates closed. A sign hanging by the entrance informed them that the library wouldn't open for another two hours. It was Sunday.

"Just our luck," Hikaru muttered, kicking a loose pebble on the ground. "Now what?"

Yamino sighed, leaning against a lamppost. "We wait. It's not like we have anything else to do. Besides, the library might have answers we can't find anywhere else."

Hikaru nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But let's grab something to eat while we're waiting. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

With that, the two cousins set off to find a small café nearby. As they entered, the warm smell of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods greeted them, offering a brief moment of comfort amidst their unease. They found a small table near the window and sat down, scanning the menu in silence. Just as Yamino was about to order, the doorbell jingled, and two familiar figures walked in.

It was their school principal, Mr. Takeda, accompanied by two young women. Yamino's heart skipped a beat as he recognized them. The principal's daughter—and her younger sister. For a moment, Yamino couldn't place why their faces seemed so familiar, but then it hit him. His jaw almost dropped. These girls were from a new anime he had heard about, one that had just been launched. Though he hadn't watched the first episode yet, he knew enough from the buzz in the community. These sisters were already famous as beloved characters, often hailed as "waifu material."

Yamino's thoughts raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. "This can't be real," he muttered under his breath. "How are they here? Am I... inside that anime?"

Hikaru nudged him, snapping him out of his daze. "Hey, you okay?"

Yamino nodded quickly, though his mind was anything but calm. As the principal noticed them and approached, Yamino straightened up, forcing a casual smile.

"Good morning, boys," Mr. Takeda greeted warmly. "I didn't expect to see you here. This is my eldest daughter, Aoi, and my youngest, Rin. Girls, these are two of my students, Yamino and Hikaru."

The girls smiled politely, and Yamino felt his cheeks flush. He mumbled a greeting, his thoughts spiraling. "What is going on? What's my role in all this? And why does it feel like the principal might have some answers?"

Mr. Takeda looked at them and asked, "What happened, boys? You guys seem to be in a daze. Is everything okay?"

Hikaru explained everything—what had happened last night and how they seemed to forget details after entering the room.