✧ Yumi ✧
"Aw, huh—my butt hurts..."
"Yumi, are you alright?"
"Yeah... I think I'm okay."
Ikiryo ran to me, helping me up. His grip was firm, but his hand trembled slightly. We were both shaken.
What had just happened?
Everything had come in a rush—flashes of color that didn't even have names. The second I read those strange words from the parchment, the world cracked open like glass and swallowed us whole.
Now we were here. But where was here?
I dusted myself off and looked around. The sky was a strange shade, neither blue nor gray. Time itself felt... still. Quiet. Too quiet.
Ikiryo turned slowly, his expression darkening. "This place... doesn't feel real."
"Check your watch," I muttered.
He did. Then he frowned.
"The time hasn't changed. But it feels like we've stepped somewhere out of time entirely."
A chill crawled up my spine. I couldn't explain it, but It felt—disturbing..
Then I saw it.
"Ikiryo... look."
He followed my gaze.
A bridge.
Long. Narrow. Falling apart in places.
Where we landed wasn't a forest. That would've been too easy.
It was a bridge suspended over darkness. A vast void below, dotted with broken planks, swaying ropes, and shadows that moved when you weren't looking directly at them.
"Is that… where we're supposed to go?" he asked.
"I think so."
We exchanged a glance—equal parts dread and disbelief.
"How the hell are we supposed to cross that?"
I tried to break the tension.
"Okayyy," I said, stretching dramatically. "Let's not think about the weird shadows or the giant abyss underneath us. Are we at risk of death? Yes. But does that mean we'll die? Probably not!"
"Yumi. You're not helping."
"You're welcome." I grinned.
He rolled his eyes and sighed. "No more reading random ancient languages, alright?"
"I don't think it was random," I said, half-defensive. "It meant something. We're here, aren't we?"
"Right. Guessing is off-limits for now."
He held out his hand. "Give me the parchment."
I passed it to him, careful not to touch the strange glowing parts. But even without the words, something about the paper was... alive. It pulsed faintly in his grip, like it had a heartbeat.
Then we saw it—A soft blue light curling off its edges, flickering like a candle in a breeze.
"Yumi… do you see this?"
"Heck yeah, I do."
Ikiryo's voice dropped to a whisper. "Why is there a flame on this…? And it's coming down on my hand"
"It looks like it's burning! Does it hurt?"
He stared at it. "Actually... no. It looks hot, but it's not burning me. It's just... there."
I reached out instinctively.
"Wait, don't—!"
Too late.
My fingers brushed the glowing paper—And searing agony tore through my hand.
"AHHHHHH!"
I collapsed.
The pain wasn't just on my skin—it felt like something ancient had bitten me, something that didn't want to be touched.
"YUMI!"
Ikiryo was beside me in an instant, grabbing my hand, trying to pull my fingers apart.
"Let me see! Please—"
I couldn't open it. It felt like my hand was on fire. But I saw the look on his face—pure panic.
He yanked open his bag, grabbed a water bottle, and poured it over my palm. The water hissed.
Then he ripped a strip of cloth from a spare shirt and wrapped it tightly around the burn. His fingers trembled. His eyes wouldn't leave mine.
"I'm fine," I lied, smiling weakly. "Sorry I screamed like that..."
"Don't apologize," he whispered, still frowning.
We sat there in silence. I could tell he was blaming himself.
"I'm sorry," I said again, quieter. "I didn't mean to be a bother. We haven't even started and I am already messing things up."
"Stop that," he said firmly. "You didn't mess anything up. You didn't know."
I smiled, but my eyes stung. "You're right…"
"Don't start crying now," he teased gently.
Too late.
A single tear slipped down my cheek.
He reached out and brushed it away before it could fall.
"It's okay," he said again, softer this time. "Can you stand?"
I nodded and pushed myself up.
"Alright! No more tears. We're in this together."
"Good. From now on, I'm the only one touching ancient glowing flame paper."
"Deal!" I held up my good hand. "Not even tempted anymore."
He smirked. "Let's go."
And with that, we took our first step onto the bridge.
Into the unknown.