MY UNIDENTIFIED VISION

As the elderly gentleman commenced to open the book, a noticeable chill permeated the room. I instinctively shivered, and Ayu shared a similar response. It is possible that someone had inadvertently turned on the cold or adjusted the thermostat, but the source of the chill remained elusive.

"Are you alright, Ayu?" I inquired.

"Yes, I am merely slightly cold," Ayu replied.

"Silence, young ones. Now, let us commence to secure your future," the elderly gentleman declared. With a determined expression, he opened the book and appeared to be searching for a specific page, perhaps the one that encapsulated our ideal future. He diligently flipped through the pages, his movements indicating a profound sense of purpose. The interior of the book pages retained the distinctive style of old paper, adorned with faint markings reminiscent of blood or a burn. Despite the enigmatic nature of these markings, I harbored concerns about the intentions of the elderly gentleman. My sole focus was on ensuring Ayu's safety and preventing any potential harm. 

The elderly gentleman's voice was so low that I managed to comprehend his words. It appeared that he had finally located what he was seeking. As he smiled with an unsettling smile, he rose to his feet and began speaking while searching for something. As the man searched, Ayu moved her chair, getting closer to me while holding my hand.

"Sir, whatever you are going to do to fix our future or whatever it is, just… I care more about this relationship with my boyfriend, and I don't want to lose him," Ayu said to the old man as he was still searching for whatever he was looking for. Ayu continued the conversation.

"Just make sure that our promise would never be broken. I want to be with him until the end; he is special to me," Ayu looked down sad as if she wanted to cry. But as the old man paused for a second and responded to Ayu.

"Don't you worry, young one? This is going to be special for you two, don't you worry about that?" the old man said, then returned to what he was searching for.

Ayu's hand trembled slightly, indicating that she was apprehensive about the situation. I was about to ask Ayu if she wanted to leave, but as soon as the elderly gentleman approached with two head skulls and a candle, Ayu screamed in fear, as they resembled genuine head skulls. She quickly rose from her chair, and I followed her closely as she trembled. I held her, gazing at her, the old man, and the skulls simultaneously.

"It is part of the instructions, young ones. There is no need to be afraid," the elderly gentleman said, continuing his conversation.

"But this is for the best if you wish to ensure your future safety," he said, his gaze fixed on the skulls as he tilted his head slowly.

"Ayu, do you want to leave? If this makes you uncomfortable, we can depart," I asked, concerned about Ayu's well-being.

"No… no, it is fine," Ayu held my arms.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes… I am certain," she replied.

Initially, I was apprehensive about allowing Ayu to remain in this location, as I was concerned about her potential emotional distress. However, upon releasing my arms, she took a deep breath and placed her hand on her chest, effectively calming herself down for approximately 30 seconds. Once composed, she returned to her usual demeanor, albeit with a more serious expression. She then settled back into her seat.

"Good, good one, young ones. Now, young one. Come take a seat," the elderly gentleman said as he arranged the two head skulls, placing them side by side and facing the skulls at us. He then positioned the candle in the center of the skulls and finally settled down, keeping an eye on Ayu.

"Now, young ones, let us commence by holding our hands together, but first, I would require a small amount of blood from you," the elderly gentleman said as he drew out a sharp-looking, antique knife. It appeared both antiquated and refined.

As the elderly gentleman handed me the knife, I instinctively placed my two hands on the handle chair, as if he had ever harmed Ayu. I was prepared to attack him if he made any move. However, he remained composed, and Ayu was ready to perform the same action as I had, pointing the sharp knife at her fingertips and rubbing the blood of the skull's forehead.

Ayu then handed the knife back to the elderly gentleman, who placed it beside the book, ready to read its contents.

"Now, should we commence our session? Hold hands and allow the blood to flow," the elderly gentleman suggested, raising his two hands to meet mine. As we held hands, Ayu's grip was firm and slightly sweaty. I sensed a hint of unease in her, as if she was reluctant to be present, yet compelled to stay. I genuinely doubt the validity of such practices, but I cannot ascertain Ayu's beliefs on the matter. Regardless, I hope to overcome this experience. Perhaps after this, I will take Ayu to an ice cream shop to alleviate her discomfort.

As we held hands and gazed at each other, I offered Ayu a smile, to which she responded with a pale smile, as if trying to muster up her own. The elderly gentleman closed his eyes and began reciting the words from the book. He mumbled the words, which I found incomprehensible. Some of the words were unfamiliar to us as if they were utterances in an unknown language. It was as if he was speaking a gibberish, but the meaning remained elusive.

"Kuk ka hi manana ope uba kiki harm," the old man began to utter the words that I could now hear.

"Ume harakat chi ka human," the old man continued the words.

As the elderly gentleman continued his speech, Ayu closed her eyes. However, when he closed his eyes, Subsequently, he opened his eyes and turned pale, and he held my hands firmly, except for Ayu's. The elderly gentleman slowly turned his face towards me with his white eyes, still muttering the words and making a sinister smile. His voice deepened as he spoke, and Ayu remained closed-eyed.

Despite the elderly gentleman's peculiar behavior, the room began to feel deflated. Strangely, Ayu seemed unaffected, as if she were not present. The elderly gentleman opened his mouth, and a brilliant light emanated from it. My eyes widened, and my head tilted slightly as my jaw dropped slightly.

My body was paralyzed as if someone else was controlling it. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by a series of visions. I saw a knife with a red diamond on its handle, its handle glistening with a vibrant red color. The elderly gentleman's book and another girl were yelling my name and the names of other unfamiliar individuals. The visions were relentless, and I even saw my father, embracing me.

Then, I saw a girl on the ground, her short hair streaked with blood. I could not identify her. A black shadow appeared behind me with red eyes and rushed towards me. I regained control of my body, gasping for air and sweating profusely.

Ayu, hearing my screams, released the elderly gentleman's hand and hurried towards me.

"Daisuke, what's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked, her face filled with concern.

My eyes were wide, and I struggled to catch my breath. Slowly, I looked at the elderly gentleman. He sat there, calm and composed, as if he had not committed any wrongdoing.

"What did you do?" Ayu's anger was palpable.

I held Ayu's hand firmly and resolutely wanted to leave the place.

"Wait, Daisuke, what's wrong?" Ayu asked as I was walking holding her hand. I slowly looked back as I was walking and noticed the elderly gentleman sitting still, smiling with his creepy face. His eyes were all white at me, and he had his hands together as he was sitting down. As I was walking to the door to leave, he was still smiling. It was too creepy and scary to look at him staring at me, so I quickly left the place.