Main Story Chapter 13-21: Witness of the Past (过去的证人） | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Before reading this chapter, please consider reading Chapter 13-19 here!

That night, I had a dream, and I dreamt of younger Osborn.

In the dream, he's squatting high up on the fence, lifting his head up as he watches the moon.

I reached an arm towards him, and he was hesitating at first. But after my persistence, he leaped off the fence.

It seems like there's someone that has been chasing after us, so we kept running forward, hand in hand. He said, we have to run for our lives to the edge of the moon.

The dream stopped suddenly. I opened my eyes, and saw the grey ceiling.

Feeling weirded, I sat up, but immediately fell back into the chair.

You: Where is this...?

I'm not in the bedroom, nor I'm at home. This is an unfamiliar room, with no windows, door tightly shut, there's only a chair and a television.

I'm attempting to bump the door open, and on the next second, the TV screen brightens up.

You: Osborn?!

In the TV screen, Osborn is tied onto a chair, eyes closed, as though he has lost consciousness.

His surroundings looked very tattered, there are also some weird utensils. I can't tell where the location is.

Just then, a man appeared behind him.

The man bent down, faced the screen and smiled at me.

I saw his face clearly. The exact same face as Osborn's.

My breathing stopped, and my mind became blank.

??: Thank you for the medicine and cooling pad you gave me yesterday, it's very effective.

How could it be possible, how could there be two Osborns in this world?!

There must be some sort of Talent being used, like shapeshifting or the sort. I told myself to calm down, and not to fall in his trap.

You: You aren't Osborn. Who exactly are you?!

??: Don't look at me with that expression, I'm really Osborn, although I'm just half of the soul.

You: ... Half of the soul?!

??: Am I not being clear enough?

You: You're half of a soul? How can it possible for a soul to be...

It is really difficult for me to accept such a bizarre existence, but the scene before my eyes, and the soul-splitting experiment by Project Eclipse have all made me having no choice but to believe in it. But isn't he Osborn too? Why is he kidnapping himself?

You: Why are you tying him up?

Just when I was about to inquire further, I suddenly captured the sight of Osborn opening his eyes slightly, and yelled loudly.

You: Osborn!

Osborn turned around, and looked towards that man.

??: Long time no see. But you don't seem to be surprised to see me at all, are you?

Osborn's expression is in a trance for an instant, but very quickly returned to normal, that he even smiled softly after noticing me.

He's telling me to not worry.

Turning his head away, Osborn is looking at his other self.

Osborn: Zhou WeiCheng ended up keeping you.

??: That's right. He became softhearted, thinking that you'll regret it after growing up, and wanted to look for me again. But look at you now, I think you don't regret it at all.

Osborn: I've never done something that I'd regret.

??: Not even a single one?

He spoke a little aggressively. Osborn hesitated for a second, and shook his head very quickly.

Osborn: Not even a single one.

??: Then how about those five people?

He still received an affirmative answer. But I've began to feel unsettled, because Osborn is looking like how he looked when he chased me off his car.

??: You've indeed never changed at all. You think you don't need sympathy, not needing kindness, so you've abandoned me. But did you become more affirmative after that? You're unable to accept Ji Xi's death, and got into an argument with Zhou WeiCheng. You blamed all of the fault onto him, but you actually just didn't want to admit your weakness and incapability. 

??: Because of your pestering, Zhou WeiCheng missed the timing to send people out of the academy, so there were five people died on the experiment table because of this. You're hypocritical and sad, having inferiority complex yet you're a coward. You're repenting, yet you've been running away from it for so many years. But you dare not to even face your true self. It's now time for you to atone your sins.

The TV screen suddenly splits into two different images. In the other image, there are five people seated in it, there are men and women, they don't seem to understand what happen, still looking around their surroundings.

??: Is it familiar to you? Recalled anything?

Osborn: ...!

??: The five person back then are dead, and now, there might be another five innocent people dying because of you. What would you do this time?

I'm feeling chills all over my heart, a bad premonition shrouded me.

The other "Osborn" in the screen has turned his head towards me.

??: There's something that I need your help to complete. There's a remote controller by your hand, there are two buttons on it. The left one represents this room, and the one on the right represents the room with those five people. The controller is connected to bombs, whichever button you pressed will cause the respective room to explode.

You: ?!

I'm overly shocked that I don't know what to say, and subconsciously wanting to look for my phone to make a police report, but I can't find it no matter what I do.

The voice in the screen still continued.

??: As long as you pressed the button on the left, the five people will be safe and sound. This will be a little cruel to you. But no matter what the reason is, please make a choice.

Although he's smiling, but pain surges from his expression. I suddenly had a premonition, that it's as though he's praying for me to press the button on the left, so he can die along with Osborn.

You: I won't press it. I won't press both of them!

??: You have to make a choice in 15 seconds. Otherwise, both rooms will explode together.

My tears dripped. There's no way for me to make a choice, because I've seen the answer from Osborn's gaze.

He wants me to choose to save them.

But there's no way for me to do it.

??: You have 15 seconds left.

Osborn: Y/N.

In this moment where my mind is in utter chaos, I've finally heard Osborn's voice.

Osborn: Press the left button, let them live. You hear me?

You: What nonsense are you talking about?!

I can't stop crying, and rejected his request at one. But Osborn's expression is so calm that I'm scared. He even smiled, as though he has made up his mind.

You: You even told me last night that you won't leave no matter what happen. So I won't agree to you... I can only become a selfish person.

Osborn droops his gaze, looking towards the necklace I made for him dangling under his neck, the necklace that made with my brooch and the button of his shirt.

Osborn: I'm not leaving, we've always been together. Trust me, I won't die.

You: ......

Osborn: I remember that you still owe me quite a few favors, no? It's time to repay them. One of them, is to trust me.

The sounds of counting down is hastening, and hastening. I used all my might to grab onto the controller, my sight became blurry with my tears.

Osborn: You're the only one that can fulfill my wish. You can do this.

At the final second, there's already no choice left for me.

I've seen him walking out from wreckage, and I've seen him catching onto a blade with his bare hands, so all I can choose is to trust him.

You asked me to help you to fulfill your wish, but you have to also remember your promise to me.

I pressed the button aggressively. With a bang, the screen is filled with smiles, and it's a complete mess, just like doomsday.