“Kaien?”
It felt like an electric shock when suddenly Kaien heard someone call his name. He thought the voice was only in his head and he almost shouted out of anger. Then he realized that someone was standing at his bathroom’s door.
“Allen. . .?” Kaien whispered, looking at that person who looked like his wife. Kaien thought he was dreaming, but he still jumped to his feet and walked slowly to that person.
“Kaien. . . Are you ok?”
At that moment, Kaien realized that that person was not his wife, but Allen who stayed in the next room. He was a bit upset, but he tried to hide it.
“Allen. . . I’m ok. What’s wrong?”
“I thought I heard something fall in your room earlier,” Allen said with worry. “I thought it was a dream, but then I heard something hit the wall. So, I came to check on you.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I bumped the chair when I came back earlier,” Kaien lied, trying not to make Allen worry. “Then, I’m too lazy to move from bed, so, I just threw the book to the table but it hit the wall. Sorry about that.”
“It’s ok. I thought something bad happened.”
“Sorry for waking you up,” said Kaien. “Come. You need rest.”
“It’s ok. I didn’t sleep. I’m ok now,” said Allen, but still followed Kaien back to his room. Allen sat on his bed while Kaien sat on the chair next to the bed. He could see that Kaien was tired. He could not help but worry more.
“You should rest, Kaien,” Allen said with concern. “I saw light coming from your room until late at night. You don’t sleep, are you?”
“I sleep. Of course I sleep,” answered Kaien. “I just stay up just late enough until I’m exhausted and sleepy enough. So, when I fall into my bed, I’ll immediately fall asleep.”
“Is that ‘doctor’s ritual’ or something?”
“No, nahh. It’s just me, I guess,” Kaien smiled. “I can’t stand to lie in my bed in a dark room alone with my thoughts for so many hours.”
“Kaien, you think too much. You need to stop it.”
“No, I’m not. I don’t think too much. Not too much, just enough, I guess,” Kaien denied and Allen pouted, disagreed. “Don’t worry. I don’t think too much. It’s just sometimes I feel like there’s someone in my head, but it’s not me.”
“Yah! What are you saying! Don’t say something like that!”
“I’m sorry. It’s not something like that. I’m sorry,” said Kaien, trying not to scare Allen. “Well, you know, sometimes when you are alone and in a very quiet area, you think you hear something like a ringing sound or someone talking. Have you experienced that?”
“Oh, I know what you mean. Yeah, I think I feel that too, sometimes.”
“Well, some people say or you could in scientific theory the ringing sound is an auditory-illusion brought about by the ear’s inability to detect frequencies below the threshold of the human senses.”
“What?” frowned Allen at all the ‘alien’ words came from Kaien’s mouth. “Kaien, urm. . . I don’t really learn science or medical stuff. So, I don’t really understand what you are saying.”
“It’s ok if you don’t understand because the theory is completely wrong. That ringing covers up something else altogether,” said Kaien, which made Allen more confused. “Well, you know, if you are quick, patient, and maybe a little lucky, you will be able to hear past the ringing.”
“What do you mean ‘past the ringing’?” asked Allen, confused.
“It means what you hear are voices whispering to each other.”
“Really? Wow!”

“They will silence themselves quickly, but with practice, you will become more adept at catching and interpreting what they are saying,” said Kaien with a smile. “You will hear things of the past, the present, and the future.”
“That’s. . . That sounds so mystical. I don’t know a doctor like you would believe in something like that. Hihihi. . .” Allen giggled.
“Hehe. . . It’s not about what I believe or what I don’t. It’s about reality,” Kaien chuckled. “You can try to practice that. However, you must be careful. Because there is no such thing as a voice without a body. And when you start noticing them, they will start noticing you too.”
“Glup. . . I think I’ll pass. I-i will just listen to my mp3. Hihihi. . .”
“Haha! You don’t have to take it seriously. I hope I don’t scare you,” laughed Kaien. “Allen, do you believe in ghosts?”
“G-ghost? Urm. . . No, but I am afraid of them,” answered Allen. He looked at Kaien with curious eyes and asked, “Are you . . . afraid of them?”
“No. I think I don’t. I’m not afraid of ghosts, demons, vampires or haunted mansions,” said Kaien followed by a long pause. “I’m afraid. . . I’m afraid of what real human beings do to other real human beings.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing. Nothing. Please just forget what I said.”
“Oh. O-Ok. Ok. . . If you said so. . .” replied Allen, sad. He felt like the more he talked to Kaien, the less he learned anything about Kaien. It was as though every word made Kaien become further away.
“Allen.”
“Y-yes? Yes?” Allen jumped at the sound of his name being called like he just woke up from his ‘day dreaming’.
“Can I ask you something?” asked Kaien with a serious tone which made Allen nervous.