The rain outside the window pitter-pattered against the glass. Clo was alone in the vast apartment, the sound of rain filling every corner. It made her feel as though her world had shrunk, as if she were the only person left, while the world outside was nothing but unknown, absolute darkness.
The massive curtain of rain seemed to help her define the boundaries of her world, shrinking it down to a small patch where the rain couldn't reach. She rolled over comfortably on the sofa. On the coffee table in front of her sat several opened, half-eaten bags of chips. (Simply put, staying home on a rainy day was bliss.)
“Recently, the trend of rising temperatures has intensified, with yellow heat warnings issued in many areas. Citizens are advised to...” Clo raised an eyebrow and glanced at the central air conditioning unit pumping out cold air. With a swipe of her finger, she moved to the next news item.
“Typhoon ‘Lan’ is expected to make landfall in our city in one week. Citizens are requested to prepare for the disaster and pay their disaster insurance premiums regularly.”
“The frequency of stray animal attacks in the city has increased. Experts suggest that citizens reduce interaction with stray animals during their mating season.”
“Actress *** exposed in a cheating scandal. The truth turns out to be...”
“Shocking: Multiple students at a top university exposed for thesis fraud. The story behind this is...”
“The President signed an executive order restricting several imported goods...”
Clo quirked an eyebrow and rolled over again. No matter how significant the news was, it all felt like things happening out in the rain—completely disconnected from her little world.
“Recently, the highly anticipated Voice of the Dome competition concluded. The championship was once again defended by the genius girl from Limbo, Li Yue. Next, we invite our reporter for an exclusive interview...”
“No wonder I haven't seen her these past few weeks; she was out of the country.” Clo pursed her lips. “The competition seems to have ended two days ago. I wonder if she’s back. Should I send a message and ask?”
Clo looked at the girl on the phone screen, who wore light makeup and a professional smile. She always felt like something was missing compared to the girl she knew in person.
What was she like normally? Center of attention, admired by all?
Admired... Clo frowned slightly, feeling as if her memories were clashing with her experiences. Coming back to her senses, her mind was split: half filled with Li Yue’s gentle smile, and the other half with that cold gaze, full of malice and exhaustion.
“Ding~” A familiar notification sound chimed from her phone. Clo was startled by the sudden ringtone. She looked at the pop-up window: “Assignment Deadline Reminder.”
“I almost forgot about the final project for my psychology course... Draw a psychological journey map and upload a draft first. What a pain...” Clo rolled her eyes and searched for nearby shops. She needed to buy some markers. She had originally thought her student life would be filled with exams and endless test prep; she hadn't expected it to be both this easy and this tedious.
As Li Yue put it: “Since you’ve come to school here, as long as you’re literate, you can coast until graduation.”
Still, Clo planned to complete the teacher's assignment seriously. She went ahead and scheduled a blood type test on the hospital’s website. Since she had to go out to buy markers anyway, she might as well finish several errands in one trip.
...
The heavy rain had washed away much of the summer heat. When Clo emerged from the hospital holding her arm, the weather wasn't too hot yet. Perhaps it was because it was still morning, or because the thick clouds blocked the scorching sun, or maybe for some other reason. Regardless, the cool weather was a welcome change.
Clo had already tossed the cotton ball used to stop the bleeding into a trash can at the hospital. The skin where the blood had been drawn was still slightly red, and a faint, dull ache in her vein lingered with every movement of her arm.
The results of the blood type test would be sent to her email in a few days. Knowing her personality, however, the report would likely end up buried under a pile of game sale notifications.
But maybe she would check it if Li Yue asked.
The girl appeared in Clo’s mind again—the figure holding a golden trophy with a faint smile. She opened her gallery and looked at a clip she’d saved of Li Yue in an evening gown, smiling softly. For some reason, she couldn't stop thinking about her lately.
Maybe it’s envy. If only I weren't such a loser.
Clo sighed softly. She grabbed a boxed set of markers in the stationery store and headed to the front desk to pay, completely ignoring the various trinkets lining the shelves.
“Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
Clo walked out of the store while scrolling through videos. Her left arm still hurt a bit, which forced her right hand to handle both the shopping bag and the phone.
“So boring... and the weather is starting to heat up again. How annoying...”
Clo sighed and adjusted her grip on the bag to make her right hand more comfortable. She stretched her arm, but at that moment, a massive force struck her from behind, as if something had violently collided with her.
“Eh?” Caught off guard, she fell to her knees. With a hint of irritation, she slowly began to stand up.
“Sorry, I’m so sorry...” The girl who had bumped into her hurriedly bowed in apology. Her white hair cascaded down; even in the dim light, it was dazzling.
“Wait, Li Yue? Stop!” Clo rubbed her knee and grabbed the girl’s hand. She felt a sticky, wet sensation. Clear bloodstains caught her eye—several straight lines of blood on Li Yue’s arm, still oozing slightly.
“You... how...” Her hand was violently shaken off. Li Yue looked back at her, her eyes filled with a distraught, soul-shaken look. There was also an unspeakable feeling—like a void of fire, spiritless yet expanding frantically.
“Why does she look so out of it? What happened to her?” Clo looked at her palm. It was stained with a bit of dirt, probably from when she fell.
She leaned over to pick up her dropped items and patted down her skirt. Watching the retreating figure, she quirked an eyebrow in surprise.
“What did she run into?” Clo began walking idly in the direction Li Yue had come from. There was a small, abandoned public rest area nearby. It was secluded with poor lighting but overgrown with vegetation. Stray animals were often seen resting there, and it gave off a faint, unpleasant odor.
“It still smells awful here.” Clo fanned the air in front of her. The scent was nauseating, tinged with a metallic, bloody stench. She wondered if a stray cat or dog had just finished devouring the carcass of some small animal.
“With such a strong smell, why don't I see any animals?” Clo covered her nose and looked at a weed-choked flowerbed. She had only meant to glance at it, but a strange sensation compelled her to look again.
A small patch of soil seemed to have been disturbed. The weeds there were flattened, shorter than the surrounding grass.
Clo lifted her skirt. The disgusting smell made her cover her mouth and gag.
“What on earth is it...” A small patch of pale red mud entered her vision. Around the mud were traces of animal fur—it looked like the fur of a stray cat.
Clo took a few steps back, her pupils trembling. She forced herself to leave the area, suppressing her discomfort and nausea. The explosive implications of what she’d seen made it impossible to think for a moment. Minutes later, simply organizing her observations and feelings was pushing the limits of her mind.
As for those unspeakable connections... she didn't even dare to think about them.
Rate on N.U.
