Shiro rushes to the door, twists the doorknob, and checks if it's locked from the outside.
"Motherfucker…"
Shiro complained in frustration.
He weakly puts his fist on the door as he does the same with his forehead in defeat.
"He forgot he locked me in here."
He complained, looking outside the window beside the door to see that it was already sunset.
Shiro slumps his body onto the dorm's bed, still feeling sleepy and tired. As he looks up at the ceiling in emptiness.
The room was silent, with the only sounds being the fan spinning and Shiro's thoughts in his head. The atmosphere was… quiet, his tired eyes continued looking up at the ceiling, while his body was slumped on the bed.
He closes his eyes, as if about to sleep or maybe to think, before opening it slightlly again…
To see Sheena looking down on Shiro from the bed as she was sitting beside him.
"Guess we'll be here for some time, huh?"
Sheena spoke with a mischievous yet adorable smirk on her face. Her eyes were still as beautiful as Shiro remembered.
Shiro startled as he sat up in bed at the sudden appearance of Sheena
"WHA-"
He pauses.
"Sheena…"
He quietly spoke.
Sheena tilted her head to the side in confusion, her mouth twisted down slightly, but her eyes were still wide.
"Hmmmm?"
She hummed, slightly confused by Shiro's reaction.
"Why are you so surprised?"
Her expression changed, her mouth twisting to a mischievous smirk as she huffed a teasing laugh.
"It's as if it's your first time seeing me again~"
She added.
Shiro stared into her eyes, still the same beautiful orange sunset-color, with the deep and calming warmth it brings to him. As if reliving a time from his past, a feeling of nostalgia.
His expression softens, his mouth turning into a soft and calm smile.
"Sorry… I just missed you, so so much."
He replied with a calming voice.
"Hehehe~"
Sheena giggled, with her eyes closed, as she huffed out a slight laugh.
"You really missed me that much, hmmm~?"
She added, her face was still as mischievous as ever.
"It's okay, I'm here now!"
She cheerfully spoke.
"Can you… hold my hand?"
Shiro asked, moving his hand slightly closer to her's.
"Just a little while, I missed you."
He added, his face and expressions were as soft as ever.
"Anything, love."
Then, Sheena slowly reached her hand towards his…
Before Sheena's hand reaches his…
The door busts open, revealing Zaki and Kui. Zaki's right arm was still in the air from busting the door open while holding a plastic bag. Kui was behind him on the side, drinking some bubble tea from a plastic cup with a straw.
"YAHOO!"
Zaki yelled out.
Shiro's eyes widen, looking at Zaki and Kui as they bust open the door.
"Who were you talking to, Student?"
Zaki asked curiously.
Shiro moved his glance back to where Sheena was, beside him, to see nothing but a space on the bed. Sheena was gone, again.
His eyes widened, his hand was still waiting for Sheena's to touch, but there was no one there to begin with.
"I-"
He stuttered, staring at the empty space beside him.
He puts his hand down on the bed, looking down.
"Nothing."
"Hmmm?"
Zaki hummed curiously, his eyes lid slightly downwards.He brushed it off, though. Before asking;
"Aaaanyway~ How was the observation training? Did it go well?"
He asked, with a mischievous and proud tone.
"I- It went well… I was able get through half of the game."
Shiro spoke, disappointment in his tone.
"WOAH!"
Zaki yelled out in surprise.
"Congrats! You overpassed Kui!"
He teasingly praised.
"WHA-"
Kui yelled in annoyance at the sudden teasing of Zaki.
"Why do I always get compared?!"
He complained.
"Shush!"
Zaki quickly placed a finger over Kui's mouth.
He then grabs a takeout box of fried rice from his plastic bag before tossing it towards Shiro.
"Think fast!"
Shiro immediately catches the takeout box of fried rice.
"I- I'm not hungry."
After he said that, his stomach grumbled.
"Liar!"
Zaki pointed a finger towards Shiro.
"N- Nevermind."
Shiro spoke with slight embarrassment, looking down at the takeout box as he opened it.
"Eat up~ We'll be meeting a good friend of mine tonight~"
Zaki pridefully spoke.
Kui looked at Zaki in curiosity.
"A friend…?"
He asked.
"Correct! He will be offering you two some 'very good deals'"
Zaki mischievously spoke, specifically highlighting "very good deals" as if it's something important.
Shiro looked back at Zaki in confusion at what he meant.
"Deals..?"
…
…
Later, At 8:09 PM in Chiba City. The City lights glow throughout the night, as busy streets and monorail trains pass above the streets. Salarymen walking out of corporate offices and buildings, maybe heading home or to get some food.
Zaki, Shiro, and Kui walk behind the Corporate buildings. Beside them was an abandoned railway completely inhabited by nature, barricaded. The three continued walking.
"Have you ever heard of Vows, Shiro?"
Zaki asked, tilting his head sideways towards Shiro.
"Vows…?"
Shiro asked back, with a tired tone.
"Hmm.. Take them as skills in games, but for a price~"
Zaki explained mischievously.
"A price..? Like mana in fantasy games?"
Shiro was curious.
"Correct!"
Zaki yelled out as the three stood over a dark alleyway between a corporate building and an apartment complex, one similar to Kui and Shiro's.
"My 'buddy' will be here soon~ I'll go grab a drink really quick."
He spoke before walking towards a nearby vending machine in a parking lot.
"Wait for me!"
Kui yelled out before running towards Zaki.
But Shiro remained standing over the entrance of the alleyway. Staring into the darkness of it as rats walk pass wher ehe was staring. It was almost the same alleyway he dreamt of, the same one where Sheena was.
A gust of wind comes out from the alleyway, blowing through Shiro's hair. It was a cold and chilling gust of wind. It felt familiar.
He walked forward into the alleyway, slowly and steadily.
"Right, I haven't answered Sheena yet."
"But maybe, just maybe I'll get to answer her here, if she appears again."
He swallowed, thinking through his conflicted head.
Shiro walked deeper into the alleyway. It was dark, and it felt like it was getting darker the deeper he went in; the only light was the one behind him.
Rats and cockroaches run past him, deeper into the alleyway. Then, a gust of wind came again, but this time, it came behind him, not from the deep alleyway he was walking to.
The deeper he walked, the longer it felt. He wondered if there was an end to this alleyway.
But then…
He hears a stomp behind him, something that can only come from something heavy and meaty. He then hears heavy breathing behind him… drips of drooling along with it.
He looks behind him slowly…
To see a beast with one eye staring into his, it's back was straight unlike others, but it's neck and head was hunched over downwards facing him. It had long legs, yet crippled and curled arms. Its face had one large eye, and on its head was a large mouth, like an opening door to a sewer, but it was meaty and sluggish.
"Who are you?"
The beast spoke with a cold, dark, and rough voice.
—Chapter 25, End : Contract of Vows