CHAPTER 30: Invite

**ALICIA**

“Oh, my gosh!” I covered my mouth.

I was still shocked that I didn’t move after that. The students started running, making me see a clearer path. It was a dead body now…and the bones were even crushed and scattered around after the girl jumped from the 12th building of our university.

“Fuck!” I couldn’t help but vomit upon witnessing it. Ross immediately caressed my back, pulling me away from the scene as the rest of the university employees gathered around to check what’s happening, but it was already too late as she was already dead.

“Alicia, breathe!” Ross calmed me, patting my shoulder as I tried to erase the scenario in my mind. “Alicia, you need to calm down.”

I shook my head. I don’t know where I have gotten this sickness but I started vomiting because of blood…and dead things. I am trying my best but it was not really helping right now. Images started flashing in my mind. Some were blurry, but most of them were past events including Akihiro’s real identity.

“Alicia.” It was my Dad. “Alicia, I am here. You are okay. It’s okay.” Dad hugged me and asked Ross to get some water for me. “Drink this.”

He pulled me away from the scene, letting me sit on the bench. It took several minutes before I could finally catch my breath. I felt restless although a part of me still wants to vomit.

“What’s happening, Dad?” I finally asked him. “Are we in danger? Why did she jump?”

“Save these questions for later, Alicia. For now, you have to go back to our house. Your uncle and your auntie are already there, fixing the house. You can move back so it's safer. Ross will be staying there too for a while until this series of killings already has an answer.”

“Dad, please take care, huh?” I said, making him promise about it. “Please…”

“Of course, sweetie. Don’t worry about it too much.”

My mother finally came in after a while handing me a bottle. “I brought some tea for you. Here, drink this.” She kissed the top of my head. “Sorry, sweetie, you get to see this. But, you must go home now.”

“I’ll bring him home.” Ross said. “You do what you have to do.” Ross helped me find my balance. He opened the bottle and I drank its contents. At some point, I noticed that this tea my mother gave me always has a different effect.

Ross drove me back home. Our house was back to normal, but it gave me a different feeling like something had changed. I wasn’t sure what. Ross needs to go back to his house alone to get our things, so I welcomed my uncle and auntie who were sitting on the couch, arranging some boxes.

“Alicia!” Uncle Max greeted me. I noticed the scar on his left cheek that I haven’t seen before. “Welcome home! We finally get to see you.”

“Hello!” I greeted them with a smile on my face. “It’s nice to see you.”

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Auntie Luna asked me as she saw that I am not feeling well.

“Something happened at school. A girl jumped on the building and mom and dad were there to investigate the case. I saw it…and it doesn’t make me feel well. I am sorry, but can I stay in my room?”

“Sure. Your room was the first one we fixed first.” Auntie said. “We put some new things you might want to check. I hope you won’t remove them as it’s our gift for you.”

She was pertaining to the painting on the side of the wall. It’s a nice painting of a sunset. I didn’t bother checking it as I am really tired and I wanted to rest after what happened.

However, I wasn’t able to properly sleep because I can still see the dead body even in my sleep. Ugh, this is making me insane! If only Akihiro can compel me to forget everything, then it would really be nice.

I rolled over to the bed when I felt that someone was watching me from the balcony. The white curtain was swaying, and the shadow revealed a tall man standing.

“Don’t shout.” He said. Akihiro! I almost freak-out because of him. “Don’t be scared of me. I cannot go near you even if I wanted to hug you unless you invite me inside.” He sounded so hopeful.

“I will not invite you inside.” I clarified to him. “You already know that, so why did you even come? Your grandfather’s men will see you and they will think—”

“I just want to know if you are okay.” He looks so worried even though I cannot see him from where he was standing. The curtain is still swaying and I caught a glimpse of his face looking at the sun as it sets.

“I am okay.” I replied. “Are you in my dream again?” I guess that’s the only safest place for us to talk.

“It’s not important right now, Alicia.”

I widened my eyes when he pulled the curtain, showing his face. He is serious and full of worry while looking at me. I could see the desire in his eyes to touch me but there’s an invisible barrier that is keeping him outside.

“Akihiro, you should go back.” I told him. “My parents will come home soon and they will—”

“I’m sorry, Alicia.” He bowed his head. “If only I could erase everything, I would choose to erase all your memories so you can go back into your normal life. However, I cannot. So, what I can only do is to protect you.” He smiled at me.

“Can you promise me one thing, though?”

“What is it, Akihiro?”

“Whatever happens, don’t invite me inside your house.”

“Huh?” I was confused. “What do you mean by that? Am I in danger or what? What is happening? Where am I? Is this real?” I said, standing up. But, before I could reach him…he disappeared.

I woke up to the sound of my auntie’s voice calling me, “Alicia! You have a visitor! He said his name is Akihiro. Should I let him in?”