Main Story Ch. 3-14 - The Seawaters and The Flames (海水与火焰) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋
Previously in 3-11... (Read it here)
Gradually, the sadness became helplessness and vengeful, I can feel that I'm now in a black abyss, trying my utmost best to grab onto the one and only light, but the light is gradually weakening, until it disappeared. It's almost as if there's a part of something that is dying bit by bit in the body along with this disappearing light...
[Location: Abandoned Building]
The tattered shop now welcomes another wave of visitor. A black car drove into the dark tree shades, a tall figure came out from the rear compartment, standing outside the slightly concealed metal door.
Evan examined the ground in front of the door, turned around to give a glance to Zhou Yan, and stride into the door.
Osborn lightly took the tiny piece of orange paper away from my hand. As I returned to my senses, my tears have already fallen until the corner of my lips. Osborn's thinly callused fingers brushed over my face, gently wiping them off.
Osborn: What happened to you?
You: ......
I nervously looked into my palm, there's a tight feeling in my heart. It's here again, the type of weird emotions that do not belong to me. Once, twice, thrice... it kept appearing again and again in my life, forces me to want to figure out what is actually going on.
You: In the past...
Osborn: What?
You: Perhaps you won't believe it, when I touched this piece of paper just now, it produced a very strong feeling.
Osborn: A very strong feeling?
You: I can clearly feel the warmth and vengefulness that doesn't belong to me. As if there's another soul living in my body.
Osborn frowned a little, and gave it a thought.
Osborn: Is this the first time this has happened to you?
You: No, recently it happened twice or thrice.
And each time they get gradually stronger, that it gets beyond my control.
Osborn blinked, and his expressions gradually turned a little more serious.
Osborn: That is probably your 'talent'.
You: ... "Ta... lent"?
Osborn: It's a special ability that is inherent. If I didn't guess it wrongly, it's probably more of the spiritual aspect-- Ultra Sensory.
You: Ultra Sensory... what is that?
Osborn: The capability to see what a normal person can't see, or feel the attached emotions on items, these are all considered as Ultra Sensory.
You: Emotions that are attached onto items... I can sense them? And I'm capable of seeing things that normal people can't see? Are you sure you aren't talking about some plot from any magical films?
I looked at Osborn in disbelief, and can't help myself but to laugh, thinking that he's joking with me. But he has been looking at me so seriously, that my heart can't help but to panic.
Since he said I could sense... I quickly reached out am arm towards Osborn's skeleton pendant. A feeling of anger exploded in my heart, then followed by a sense of coldness and estrangement, as if there's someone innocent that is being reprimanded by the whole world.
You: This pendant... I can feel a lot of anger, were you wronged in the past?
Osborn drooped his gaze, and took the pendant away from my hand.
Osborn: That was something happened very long ago. Now do you believe in your talent?
I quickly put all of the enormous amount of information from Osborn together, and a greater question came into my mind.
You: But why do I have such ability? I've been living very ordinarily in my first 23 years--
Osborn: Then it's time for you to get to know yourself all over again. Actually when you mentioned about the blue flames, I have been suspicious. Ordinary people can't see my flames.
You: ... So the blue flames I saw in the afternoon are real? Could that be your talent?
Before I could end my sentence, within the dark space, the deep blue flames appeared on Osborn's palm again. The light continuously brightened his face, that's an affirmative answer that he's giving me.
I've never thought that I'll be related to these ridiculous sounding phrases that I've been hearing. "Is it really becoming this way?" I've kept repeating this to myself. However, the flames in Osborn's palm, the motions that suddenly came into my head, and the man that is suspected to be a vampire... Each and every paradoxical incident is really happening right before my eyes, what more is there that I dare not to believe anymore?
Staring into Osborn's eyes behind the flames, I can feel that I've now in contact with the crisscrossing veins that are behind this world. Also there's a faint hunch, that these invisible veins have already linked through my past and future, but I've never realized it.
When I've returned to my senses, I looked towards Osborn, realizing that there are many questions that I wanted to ask...
[Choice]
Night: When did you notice that you have a talent?
Light: How did your talent affect you?
[Night Choice: When did you notice that you have a talent?]
You: Osborn, when did you notice that you have a talent?
Osborn: When I was little. There was once I fought with someone, and I discovered it by accident.
You: ... So you won the fight using your talent?
Osborn: That's correct, but also incorrect. The group of people were scalded by the air, and all of them got scared away.
You: After having your talent, do you feel that there are a lot of things started to become different?
Osborn gave me a look, raising an arm, flexing his fingers as if he's playing with a soft matter, allowing the flame to change in shape.
Osborn: There's no special feeling, this world is still the same. But the more you can do, the more trouble there will be for you to handle.
You: Um... that's right too, just like how you've been protecting me for instance.
Osborn: Marking yourself as a trouble so consciously already?
You: But now the me that has talent can protect you in the future too.
Osborn smiles as he kept the flames, and patted on my head.
Osborn: There are naturally great things about your talents, but when you're facing dancer, don't force yourself to be brave.
You: I'll remember that~
[Light Choice: How did your talent affect you?]
You: You've noticed your talent for quite a while right? How did your talent affect you? For instance, noticing that you're different from the people around you, would you feel a little... lonely?
He stunned as if what I've said hits something in him, but his face quickly returned to an unbothered smile.
Osborn: It wasn't that serious. Also, don't I have you now?
Osborn smiles as he kept his flames, and patted on my head. Those feelings of coldness and estrangement that have been shrouding my heart has disappeared instantly.
Yes, no matter if I am going to accept it or not, this talent will be with me regardless. Troubles are unavoidable, but I can still choose my destiny.
You: Suddenly I don't think it's that scary to be an alien, there's still you that will be staying with me!
Just when I finished my sentence, Osborn suddenly looked at me with a very much disbelief and profound gaze, as if he has accidentally fell into the swirls of memories. He has definitely remembered something. Surprise, shock, doubt, and many emotions that I can't recognize in time are now like a ball of fire, burning within his eyes.
Looking at him like this, my heart kept beating vigorously. As if there's an illusion in a trance, as if those memories are related to me.
You (blushing): ... What's wrong?
After being quiet for a while, he moved his gaze away and drooped his gaze, lightly chuckled in a self-mocking tone, then shook his head.
Osborn: Nothing. There was someone that said the same thing as you did. Sadly, I've only met her once.
So that's how it is...
You: Who knows the two of you might be able to meet again, aren't encounters all came from partings?
Osborn only smiled. By the time he raised his head again, there's already a teasing expression that came up to his face skillfully.
Osborn: Blame me for drifting away from the topic, where were we... Oh, talent.
Osborn: Alright, don't think too much about it. You just needed to understand, that you can use your talents, but you need to live a normal life. You are not much different from other people. Also, your talent is not stable. In short, don't tell anyone about this, alright?
You: Alright, I'll remember that.
Osborn: Alright, there's something more important to do now.
You: Yeah.
I nodded, and lifted that bit of orange paper with my fingertips.
You: If I didn't sense it wrongly, the person that left this paper behind, is probably the one assaulted me.
Osborn gave me a glance of agreement.
Osborn: Looks like you can find him.
You: Let me try.
I gathered all my focus, and carefully touching each door. The doors have not given me any special feelings. Just when I thought my talent has became ineffective, a sense of great pain rushed into my brain unexpectedly!
Anger, fear, hopelessness... As if all of the dark emotions in this mortal world has all struck me at once. Before my fingertips could even touch this door before me, I could already feel the strong emotions oozing from it.
Osborn: It's this one?
You: ... Yes.
Osborn signaled me to step back. Just as he was about to kick the door open, an almost inaudible sound could be heard from the door;
You: ?!
I tugged onto Osborn's sleeves, he nodded in acknowledgement.
Only seeing him to squat down, and pulling out a small and delicate tool from his pocket, and started to tinkle with the door lock.
As time passes, the movements from the inside has gradually turned louder. My heart is starting to feel a little uneasy too. In this quiet atmosphere, suddenly a click sound could be heard.
The door is opened.
