Lost in heavy silence, Aisha's words still echoed in my skull. "Every wish has a price…"
I blinked when I heard a sleepy little yawn.
"Papa…"
"Bell." I exhaled in relief as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Are you okay?"
"Mhm." Her crimson eyes flickered weakly as she glanced around the room. "Papa… where's my drawing?"
I froze. The sheet of paper. The one with the rooftop and the falling girl. The one that chilled me to my core. I scrambled around, but it was gone. Vanished.
"It should've been right here…" I muttered, checking under piles of crayons. But no matter how I searched, it was like it never existed.
Bell's little pout quivered. "My drawing… it's gone…"
I forced a smile, trying to quell the unease gnawing inside me. "Don't worry, Bell. We'll draw more later. For now… how about dinner? What do you want to eat?"
Her mood instantly brightened. "Something delicious!"
That sparkle in her eyes, so innocent, made my chest hurt. Even when surrounded by darkness, she smiled like the sun didn't know how to set.
"Alright," I said softly. "Let's head out shopping. We'll decide on the way."
"Yay!" she cheered, grabbing my hand with childlike excitement.
We bumped into Miss Elsa as we were leaving. She was tending to her potted flowers by the entrance, her gentle smile lifting some of the heaviness off me.
"Oh, White. Heading out? How did the test go?"
She'd been worried about me since the accident. There was no way I could tell her what had really happened. Still, pride slipped unbidden into my voice. "…It went well. I… actually aced it."
Her eyes lit up, warm and approving. "That's wonderful! I knew you could do it."
I rubbed my neck sheepishly. "It wasn't much, really."
As she tilted her head, her gaze drifted toward my side. "Say, White… are you heading shopping by yourself?"
I blinked. "No… with Bell." I motioned beside me. "This is—"
But when I looked down, Bell was right there… gripping my sleeve. Her pure white hair glowing faintly beneath the porch light.
"Bell," I said with a nervous chuckle. "Can't you say hello?"
Bell's cheeks flushed shyly, hiding behind me. "H…hello…"
But Miss Elsa frowned, puzzled. "Bell? Who's Bell?"
My heart skipped. "…What?"
"I don't see anyone next to you, White." She reached out jokingly and waved her arm through thin air. "Are you playing a game with me?"
A cold shiver raced down my spine. "…You… You can't see her?"
Miss Elsa gave me a concerned look, tilting her head as if talking to a sick child. "White… are you feeling alright? Maybe you need to rest. If you're still not well, I'll make dinner for you, okay?"
I forced a quick laugh, though sweat beaded down my temple. "O-oh, I forgot to mention—she left just now. Her parents came to pick her up."
"Parents?" Miss Elsa frowned. "White, when you first came to stay here, you told me you had no relatives."
"Yes, I… I did," I stammered, scrambling for anything. "She's actually a relative of Zen's. He's busy with basketball practice, so I'm looking after her."
"…I see. If that's the case…" she said at last, though her doubt lingered in her eyes.
I quickly changed the subject, fumbling. "Anyway—about the rent—"
"Don't worry about it." She cut me off with a firm, sisterly smile. "You've just recovered from an accident. Forget rent until you're better."
I swallowed the lump in my throat, guilt weighing heavy on me. Miss Elsa had been my savior ever since I was abandoned, offering me shelter, food, and comfort when no one else would. To her, I wasn't just a tenant—she treated me like family.
"Thank you," I murmured. "Really… for everything."
She smiled gently. "Don't mention it. You're like a little brother to me."
As that I left.
"Papa," Bell tugged my sleeve when we finally stood outside. "Who is that nice lady?"
I smiled faintly. "…You could say she's like my big sister."
Her eyes widened. "Papa has a sister?"
"Not really…" I sighed, then glanced at her curiously. "By the way… where were you this morning? I didn't see you."
She thought for a moment, lips twisting innocently. "When I woke up… I saw a beautiful lady with white hair. She played with me. She said Papa would be happy if I granted all his wishes."
I froze.
It was her. Aisha. Again. Even when Bell vanished from my room—she had her.
"Did she… say anything else?" I asked cautiously.
Bell's crimson eyes were bright with childish pride. "She said, Papa would be happy if I made his wishes come true~ So, I will!"
The words chilled me. This was no longer a theory. Bell really could… She was the one who changed my test.
But then why hadn't she given me the million yen I jokingly asked for?
…Aisha's words returned to me. "She won't grant wishes beyond reality."
So Bell's wishes were powerful, but bounded by limits. Rules. The kind Aisha never explained until it was too late.
My uneasy thoughts lingered as we wandered through the brightly lit shelves of the department store. Bell marveled at the sweets, her little hands pointing eagerly at everything she wanted. Her innocent joy was a strange contrast to the storm clouding my head.
And then—my heart froze.
Shu.
Standing by a display of notebooks and pens, her face unreadable. She hadn't noticed me yet.
The memory of her wrist, marked by red welts, burned in my mind. The look in her eyes… the way her voice had cracked on the rooftop.
I clenched my fists.
I could walk away. Pretend I didn't see her. Save myself the grief.
But… could I really ignore it?