@tsumu - Tumblr Blog

Nightmares

Yui followed the specific instructions that was relayed to her from her father by Yuto.

Go to the disclosed location.

Go there alone.

Don’t carry any weapon.

With every step, her anxiety heightens. What’s going to happen? Will she be okay? Will tomorrow come for her? Yui was terrified and shaking nervously. She finally arrived at a quaint little house in the middle of nowhere. The roof was covered with the whitest snow her dark hazel eyes had ever laid upon on. The pathway towards the door had traces of footsteps which alarmed her because it was proof that her father was alive and merely inches away from her.

As she arrived at the door, Yui took a deep breathe and knocked on it.

“H-hello.. Is anyone home?” she said timidly.

The door swung open and right before her was an intimidating looking man. His figure towered Yui and his arms were decorated by alluring tattoos that signalled his previous membership in the Yakuza.

“Yui. I have been expecting you. Please come in.” the man spoke.

Yui froze.

“Aw come on, don’t worry I wont hurt you.” he motioned for to enter the house.

Talking off her shoes, she entered the house and was greeted by the smell of warm charcoal burning by the fireplace. It was a beautifully decorated traditional Japanese house. Nothing that one would expect from a former Yakuza boss.

The mysterious man led her to a room where she could see a large a garden that was blanketed in beautiful white snow.

It was beautiful and Yui was in awe. This is how she exactly pictured to be the house of her dreams.

“Beautiful view isn’t? It will be yours soon?” an unknown voice boomed.

Yui turned around and saw a frail old looking old man on a wheelchair. He had an IV drip beside him which indicates his declining health.

“Wont you come sit?” the old man gestured towards the floor cushion. Separating the two was a medium sized wooden table. Suddenly, more tough looking men came into the room with a cups, a pot of tea and some traditional Japanese snack.

Yui watched everything in awe.

“Please have a sip. I made sure to serve the finest blend since my only daughter is coming to visit me.” he said while smiling gently at Yui.

“Thank you.” Yui sheepishly replied.

“So I am assuming you are here because of your dreams right?”

Yui nodded.

“And that person, told you to kill me right?” the old man bluntly said.

Yui couldn’t hide her shock at those words.

“H-how do you know?” she asked.

“There has never been a moment in which I am not watching over you my dear daughter. From your first days of being able to walk and when you graduated university, I have witnessed everything. Being the daughter of a yakuza comes with many risks”

“I have always made sure that there were no obstacles in your life. That you lived an mundane but peaceful life.” he continued.

“That man you are seeing? Aki? He’s actually the grandson of a former ally of mine that I had to eliminate.”

“I suggest that you stop seeing him if you want to live the next day.” spoke the man calmly.

Yui’s eyes widened.

“But I understand that you might not even believe me because after all..” he paused and glanced at the scenery outside.

“I am a nothing but a terrible human and father who had abandon his own child.”

Soon tears were rolling down Yui’s cheeks.

“Did you dream of Yuko last night? The girl who looks like you but from the other universe?” the old man asked.

“Yuko?”

“Ah she never mentioned her name to you? Well her name is Yuko. Did you talk to her last night in her dreams?”

“No. She didn’t appear in my dreams last night.” Yui replied.

“Hmm. I guess they got her already. She’s probably going to be executed as we speak. She got caught by the supreme leader yesterday.”

Yui immediately stood up in horror and disbelief. Her tears were long gone, anger has fuel her every bone but she was still shaking.

“H-how do you know all this?” Yui asked suspiciously.

“I told you, I have been watching your every single move since you were born my dear. There is nothing that you know that I don’t.’’ the old man boasted. He immediately approached Yui in his wheelchair and placed a gun in her hand.

Yui immediately backed away and shook her head.

“W-what are you doing?” she nervously questioned.

“Well.. let’s end it everything right now, right her. Let’s liberate you from your suffering.” he said nonchalantly.

While holding Yui’s hand, he shifted the gun pointing towards his forehand.

“You have every right to end my life. My dear child I was the root of all your suffering.”

Yui’s eyes were trembling, unable to control her tears. She was feeling overwhelmed.

Her father knew that she was coming her all along. She didn’t know that the reason why her life was so boring was for her own safety. She didn’t know that her father was watching her from afar.

Is it really fair for her to kill her remaining blood-related relative? Will she really do it? If she doesn’t do it, Yuko will be dead. But that would also lead to her own father’s own death. In the midst of her troubling thoughts, Yui sob uncontrollably.

Suddenly, a loud sound pierced through their eyes. Almost, immediately the sound of a body collapsing raided echoed throughout the room.

Soon, the room was bathing in a velvet pool of blood.

No Longer Dreaming

They arrived at a cosy little restaurant not too far from their hotel. Yui was clearly in distress. Is she really going to murder someone by the end of this trip? Is she really going to become a criminal? Yui dropped her heavy head into the table.

“It’s been rough huh?” Aki said while patting her head.

She simply nodded and sigh.

“What do you think I should do Aki? Do i really have to do this? Taking away someone’s life… because what, someone in my dream told me to?” Yui groaned.

Aki’s expression turned slightly sour.

“I told you. No matter what you do, I will be by your side.” he said.

Suddenly Yui’s phone buzzed.

It was from Yuto.

Yui was shaking non-stop. Aki reached his hand and looked at her softly.

“Hey, I am here for you. You are not alone.” he reassured.

Tears were forming at Yui’s eyes. Aki immediately opened his arms, motioning Yui to come into a hug.

“I am so scared Aki. What if I end up dead because of all of this?” Yui bawled.

Wiping her tears away, Aki could only sigh.

“Did you tell the person about in your dream that you are about to see your dad?” he asked.

Yui shook her head.

“No. For the first time, She didn’t come and try to communicate with me. It’s strange because she usually comes every night and ask for updates but not this time around” Yui said while sniffing.

“I hope she’s okay..”

Tossing and Turning

It was pitch blank. Ah, this means that Yui is dreaming, which means that she is will be having a conversation with herself from a different universe.

“I can’t believe it took a man to convince you to do all this” a voice boomed.

Yui whipped around and saw a figure identical like her slowly walking towards her. She was dressed in all black from head to toe which contrasts differently to Yui’s bright pink sweater and blue jeans. She smiled at Yui.

“Did you know everything? About my father ? That he is a criminal?” Yui asked

She nodded.

“Why didn’t you say anything? Why did you make me come all the way to Hokkaido to find out about how my father is a criminal?” Yui demanded

She sighed and smiled.

“I wanted to you know just how serious the issue is.” she simply relied.

“What is happening in my world is a direct cause of what your father has done.”

Yui was shocked.

“You see, my world was never like this. I had a quiet life. It seemed that everything changed within the last 10 years because the supreme leader made with the dream devil.” she continued

“You know about the dream devil ?” Yui asked.

She laughed.

“Of course I do! How I found out about you is an entirely different story but just so you know. Tracking you and communicating with you like this was no easy feat.” she said calmly.

She began walking away from Yui.

“Dreams are non-existent in my world. They are being harvested to feed the dream devil.” she continued.

Yui’s eyes widened.

“But how are you able to talk to me? I’m dreaming right?” she said in confusion.

“Well that’s because I am not effected by the rules because I have no desire for a wish.” she replied.

“A wish?”

“In my world, everyone is entitled for a single wish. This can be anything from health, wealth and appearance but they cannot be about eternity.”

Yui was perplexed and continued to fix her gaze at her moving shadow.

“However, the chances of your exact wish will come true is dependent on your loyalty towards the supreme leader” she continued.

“I decided a long time ago that I don’t need a wish because I am satisfied with whatever life I have. As you know, someone I know who was very important made a wish because her health was faltering” she paused.

“They disappeared without a trace and I am doing everything I can to save them. You know Yui, it took me a lot to accept the fact that I have to rely on someone else, especially someone that I cannot physically interact with to help me save this important person.” she said quietly.

She suddenly turned around and tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Please help me Yui. You are my only hope. Please help me save someone who is important to me.” she croaked.

Yui had tears in her eyes. She was helpless, speechless and was dazed.

Is she really going to kill her own father, her only living blood relative, because someone in her dream told her to?

I Never Want to Wake Up

Dreams And Reality

Naturally, Aki noticed.

As they walked out to get lunch together, Aki froze in front of her and gently held her hand. Surprised by the sudden gesture, Yui looked at Aki and was greeted by his concerned gaze with his mouth pouted.

“Yui, are you okay? Did something happen?” he asked worryingly.

“Ehhhh? I’m okay… I am really okay! Why did something happen?” she replied nervously.

“No it’s just that, you look.. very out of it today”

He squeezed her hand and glanced suspiciously at Yui. Aki raised his eyebrows and squinted his eyes.

“Ah….” she trailed off.

“Um, let’s get lunch first, I will tell you about it when we eat” she suddenly chimed.

And Yui did. They sat in the corner, by the window of a restaurant nearby their office. She told him everything and surprisingly, Aki was listening very carefully to her. Very seriously too. He didn’t let out of a single laugh or giggle.

“You probably think I’m insane” Yui sighed while burying her face in her face.

“No. not at all. Having the same dream three times is actually crazy” he replied.

Yui was relieved.

“Do you really know not know anything about your father?” he asked curiously.

“Nope. I don’t know if he’s alive or anything like that” Yui answered after taking a gulp of her drink.

She proceeded to glance towards the window and looked at the bright afternoon skies with a slight melancholic look.

“It’s more like I don’t care about him at all. He basically gave me away to my neighbours’ care. Not even his own relatives … Plus he never bothered even visiting me once since I was young.”

She twirled the straw of her drink with her gaze still fixed on the window.

“Clearly, he doesn’t want me in his life, so I figured that there was no use looking for him you know? Even though he somehow managed to fully support me financially until I started working a couple of years ago.” Yui continued.

“Do they not know anything about your father?” Aki asked.

He suddenly placed his hand on his mouth and paused.

“Sorry, i should not pry into your personal life like that.” he said worryingly.

Yui giggled and shook her head slowly.

“No! It’s okay! You’re good! I don’t feel like I need to? Again, they were the ones who raised me so I figured that it would be rude to ask them anyways.” Yui said.

“But..”

“But…?”

“But.. I am curious about my father. I was told recently that they never had to spend their own money on me because my father paid for everything. I wonder how wealthy he must be to able to fully support me like this” Yui admitted.

“But is this not your chance?”

Yui was confused.

“Don’t you want to know about your father and why he basically abandoned you?”

Aki suddenly sat up straight and held her hand, while gently caressing her wrist.

“Don’t you think it’s also time .. to get some clarity about this situation?” he asked.

Yui paused.

“I think doing that will close that chapter of your life and you can finally move on and be happy.” he continued.

Aki was right. Her life has been a great mystery and it scares her but Aki was right. She needs clarity about this situation in order to move forward in her life. At that moment, Yui decided to go look for his father.

Vivid

After sending that tweet, Yui sighed in frustration. Having the exact same dream twice? What’s even weirder is that it was a conversation between herself and this other person who happened to look exactly like her. Ruffling her hair, she dragged herself to her bathroom to get ready for work.

“Maybe I’m overthinking. Maybe I’m just tired.” she whispered as she glanced in the mirror.

Which is true. Yui has been working overtime lately because suddenly all of her coworkers had an emergency at the same time and couldn’t finish their tasks.

Pathetic.

But at least she didn’t have to do it alone this time.

Just like how the lonely winter fades for the flowers in spring to bloom, Aki who resembles spring sunshine is by her side.

A Dream Come True