It had already been 40 minutes since the incident, and I finally encountered Louis, whom I had to observe closely. I was also somewhat concerned about his earlier statements. Does he possess a method of separation? Furthermore, what the elderly gentleman mentioned about the cards should I be particularly worried about? I believe all of this is merely a fabrication, a staged performance. I am uncertain if I should be concerned about the old man's exaggerated account of the tardy cards. However, after Ayu hugged me due to the incident involving Louis, I felt a sense of fear. To alleviate my anxiety, I invited her to eat ice cream. She calmed down, as she enjoyed ice cream, particularly vanilla. Ayu was delighted that I would take her to an ice cream shop. We arrived at the ice cream shop as we had ordered. Ayu ordered a vanilla ice cream with three scoops and some chocolate pieces on top of a strawberry. I, on the other hand, opted for a two-scoop strawberry ice cream, enjoying it alone. As we settled down at the ice cream shop, we remained silent for three minutes while savoring our ice cream. I observed Ayu as she ate her ice cream and the view of the street, where people were walking around. As I observed my ice cream slowly melting with five scoops of ice cream that I had consumed earlier, Ayu suddenly called out my name.
"Daisuke," she gestured towards me.
"Oh, sorry Ayu, what were you saying?" As I observe her.
"I was simply inquiring about your well-being," she inquired, visibly concerned.
"Indeed. However, I am the one who should be asking you that," I responded.
"Yes, I am fine, all thanks to you as always," she replied with a pearly smile. Nevertheless, I desired to engage in a serious conversation with Ayu. I wanted to convey all the truth to her, and I was uncertain whether she desired to discuss her and Louis, the reason behind his persistent behavior, and his intentions towards her.
"Ayu, I-" As I was about to initiate the conversation, Ayu interrupted me.
"Did you overhear what he said?" Ayu inquired, looking down.
"Huh?"
"Daisuke, I have no romantic feelings for that individual," Ayu said, looking down, visibly sad and slightly trembling, before continuing to speak.
"That was before he became such a jerk," Ayu's tears began to fall from her eyes. She appeared to be holding them back, reluctant to shed them. However, as she was in such a state, I rose to my feet. For her, I believed that their relationship had ended because I left without saying a word. However, her eyes were closed, and that was not the case. I rose to sit next to her and placed her head on my chest, enveloping her in a hug.
"I believe you, Ayu. Do not be concerned about that," I smiled at her, gently moving her head up and down with my hand.
"Wait, you do?"
"Yes, I do believe you," I looked out the window and then back at Ayu, continuing to speak to her with a smile.
"I believe you because I realized that back then when you bowed your head to my sister and expressed your feelings about me, and even on our date, you mentioned that the most opportune time was when I was present with you. You even defended me every time your father became upset with me," I reminisced.
"Well, yes, he can be quite difficult at times, but he is my father," Ayu made a face with her cheeks flushed, prompting her father to gently hit my arm.
In response to Ayu's emotional outburst, I found myself compelled to laugh. As I touched the spot on my arm where she had struck me, a smile spread across my face. I embraced her, offering her a warm smile.
"Ayu, I genuinely care about you and desire to be with you. Your sincerity is truly appreciated. I love you." With a smile, I placed her head on my chest. She responded with a smile, accompanied by a sniffle, followed by tears.
"I love you too, Daisuke. You are the sole individual I yearn to be with, and my sentiments are sincere." Ayu placed one of her hands on my chest as tears streamed down her cheeks. I gently wiped away her tears and gazed into her eyes. I kissed her forehead and continued holding her close. We embraced for a moment, and Ayu felt a sense of relaxation and tranquility, finding solace in my embrace.
At that juncture, I gently patted her head and smiled at her adorable demeanor.
"I experienced peculiar occurrences during our visit to the elderly gentleman's residence…" I turned my attention to the mirror, where I observed people walking. Ayu opened her eyes and slowly looked at me, raising her head.
"What transpired when I witnessed your anguished cries? You were perspiring profusely, and your breath appeared to emanate from pearly white orbs that night. What was the cause of your distress?" Ayu's expression grew concerned, indicating her readiness to listen attentively.
"You may perceive my account as delusional if I were to reveal the truth," I looked away from her, apprehensive that she might consider me mentally unstable.
"However," she placed her gentle hands on my cheek and gazed into my eyes.
"Regardless of the nature of the events, I am committed to providing you with an empathetic listening ear." Ayu smiled at me.
"Well… the reason behind my emotional state was…" I grappled with the apprehension that Ayu might perceive my account as irrational, yet I felt compelled to share my experiences.
"I witnessed a vision, and that is not the most extraordinary aspect. My entire body remained immobile as the elderly gentleman's eyes had transformed into an ethereal, impassable white. His mouth was wide open, emitting a radiant light emanating from its depths…" I averted my gaze from my eyes, and Ayu continued holding my cheeks.
"What were those visions?" Ayu inquired as I attempted to explain that I had been trembling simply by witnessing those visions. The elderly man had instilled a profound sense of fear within me, causing me to perspire while simultaneously attempting to alleviate my anxiety.
"I am here, do not be concerned," Ayu smiled and gave me her full attention. I persisted in my efforts to calm down, taking deep breaths in and out.
"The visions I saw were individuals screaming and shouting my name. It appeared as though people were being murdered as they screamed. I even witnessed my father embracing me, but I could not discern the location of our embrace. I saw a knife with a crimson diamond embedded within its center, although my vision was impaired. Finally, I observed a young woman standing before me, holding blood in her hand as she lay motionless on the floor, blood staining the surrounding area. Lastly, a shadow emerged behind me, rapidly approaching me, and that is what transpired…" I slowly looked at her, but Ayu was paying me meticulous attention with a serious expression.
"Do you now believe I am insane?" I remarked abruptly, as Ayu had remained silent.
"No, that is not the case. I am merely contemplating. However, how about this? When we have an opportunity, how about we visit the elderly man and inquire about his experiences?" As Ayu was speaking, I abruptly intubated her.
"No, no, I do not wish to return to that place. I am not inclined to do so," I clutched Ayu's hand, filled with apprehension.
"Oh okay," Ayu was concerned about my well-being. She hoped that the future would not adversely affect me regarding this matter. As she embraced me with a concerned expression.