The Empty Room
Something was off in here. He stared at the floor as confusion flashed across his face. He saw sunlight; that's what was wrong. The resident of this room was always careful to keep it as dark as possible. It was supposed to be dark as pitch. He'd never seen afternoon sunlight filter through the windows to streak across the wooden floorboards before. The windows were supposed to be covered by heavy black drapes. She considered it to be far too dazzling without them.
With an abrupt jerk, he stood from his apologetic deep bow. His brown eyes went wide at what he saw. Or rather, what he didn't see. Everything… The skulls she'd used to exorcise memories of that idiot she'd once had a crush on… The mannequins she felt were her only friends… The creepy coffin bed she slept in… All of her possessions were gone.
He clutched her black cloak tighter in his right fist as he haltingly walked to the center of the empty room. He felt like he was in an emotional daze; uncomprehending. It couldn't be true. His eyes were simply playing tricks on him to make his hidden fear a reality, that's all. This wasn't real.
The footstep of someone entering the room behind him caused him to whirl around to face the doorway. Painful hope flared in his chest. She hadn't left. She would be standing there with a perfectly reasonable excuse as to why her things had disappeared. She-
Obaa-chan gave him a sad smile. She knew she wasn't who the young man before her wanted to see. She let out a soft sigh at how stubborn young people these days could be then crossed her arms as she leaned back against the door frame. Both of them were desperately running from their true feelings for the other.
He could tell from her expression he wasn't going to like what she had to say. He had the inexplicable, childish, urge to cover his ears with his hands so he could block out whatever she told him. He didn't want her to confirm what his eyes saw.
"Sunako-chan's gone Kyohei. And she's not coming back…" She told him. The sincerity in her voice and regret in her dark eyes gave her statements the horrible feeling of truth. The breath left his body. His heart throbbed. He didn't even notice when he dropped her cloak from fingers gone numb. Panic gripped him. Like hell he would let her leave without even a goodbye!
Before he realized it, he was running. She couldn't leave yet. How could he apologize to her if she wasn't there? Kyohei clattered down the stairs and out the western style mansion's heavy front door. It wasn't too late. It couldn't be too late. He had to catch her. He had to.