Kathleen exhaled deeply, her fingers pressing into her temples as the weight of the conversation with Christian's mother settled heavily on her shoulders. She had absorbed a barrage of words, all of which she understood at their core. If she were in the mother's shoes, she could hardly fault her for harboring such intense frustration; she might have even felt compelled to strangle her son's reckless, misguided girlfriend.
Leaning against the balcony railing, her hand remained pressed to her forehead, trying to calm the storm brewing inside her.
"I’m so sorry, love," Christian’s voice broke through her thoughts, and before she could say anything, he enveloped her in a warm embrace from behind. "I’ve already spoken with mom. She’s disappointed, but it’s not directed at you, you know?"
Kathleen nodded slowly, a sad smile curling at the edges of her lips. "I know, love. I truly understand her." She paused before tapping his arm that was draped around her waist. "It's my fault, and I deserve it."
Christian moved beside her now, his expression filled with tenderness. "No, you don’t," he countered gently. "She knows what you've been through with Samantha’s situation, and I—well, I added to your burdens, I suppose."
Kathleen shook her head sharply. "No, Christian," she said, her voice firm despite the trembling that threatened to break through. "You didn’t add anything. It was me. I failed to see your struggles. I never paused to look at you, to ask how you were feeling. I abandoned you when you needed me most, and I’m—"
Her voice faltered, and before she could continue, the dam inside her broke. A flood of emotion surged through her—a painful mix of sorrow, guilt, and a deep, almost cathartic relief that Christian was awake and, against all odds, Samantha is back, too—barely.
"I'm s-so sorry, love," she cried, her voice breaking. "I'm so sorry for leaving you alone."
"Shh," Christian whispered softly, pulling her into a comforting embrace, his hand gently caressing her back. His gaze shifted to his mother, who stood nearby, her own eyes brimming with tears as she watched the tender moment between them.
Without missing a beat, he extended his arm toward her, gesturing for his mother to come closer. "Come on, mom," he said, his voice steady but laced with emotion. "Come here her so I can hug the two most important women in my life."
As his mother approached, he chuckled softly, despite the tears that still glistened in his eyes. "Oh, my two beautiful ladies," he murmured, his words filled with warmth. "I’m so sorry for causing you both any pain, but I’m here now. Can you both please be okay too, now?"
His mother and Kathleen both chuckled softly, a reassuring sound that signaled the weight of the moment had been lifted. After the emotional exchange, Kathleen suggested they all have lunch together. The clock read 2:34 PM—later than usual for a midday meal, but still, it was better than nothing.
Christian lingered a moment longer, his eyes fixed on the two women before him. His heart swelled with gratitude. Kathleen and his family had always gotten along, and that harmony brought him a sense of peace. He could never express how thankful he was for this seamless connection—it filled him with a joy that radiated deep within.
But just as quickly, that joy vanished. A chill ran down the back of his neck, and the smile slipped from his face. Without thinking, his gaze shifted instinctively to the man walking casually past their gate.
Christian's blood ran cold as his heart skipped a beat. The man, though seemingly ordinary in posture and demeanor, was not ordinary in any sense and he immediately confirmed it once he turned to look at his direction.
The instant their eyes met, Christian felt a sudden, inexplicable dread wash over him. The man came to a slow stop as though he was his main purpose.
Christian's breath caught in his throat. His vision blurred as his mind struggled to comprehend the grotesque sight before him that he thought he had been used looking at.
The man's face—disfigured beyond recognition—looked as though it had been torn apart and put back together in a twisted mockery of human anatomy.
It was the face of someone who had survived a horrific crash, its skin mangled and raw, yet he walked as if nothing were amiss.
Christian almost stumbled back, his body instinctively recoiling, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. The sheer horror of the moment paralyzed him.
And in that moment, everything shifted. The fog that had clouded his mind for so long cleared, and his senses, dulled by his recent trials, and returned with a brutal clarity.
The ability he thought he had lost when Samantha reappeared surged back to him and what that terrifying creature muttered almost slapped his memories back a little clear.
"Remember..." it mouthed.
"Remember? Remember the hell what?!" Christian roared, his voice filled with anguish and confusion, sending Kathleen and his mother stumbling back in alarm.
"Christian, what's gotten into you?!" his mother cried out, gripping his arm and shaking him, but his gaze remained locked, unyielding, on the figure outside.
"Christian! Love!" Kathleen’s voice trembled as she clung to him, her desperation mounting. She followed his line of sight, but the street beyond their gate was empty—eerily so. A chill ran down her spine. "Is he... seeing things again?" The thought hit her like a jolt of electricity.
"Christian, look at me!" she begged, her hands cupping his face as she tried to force his attention away from whatever apparition had ensnared it. But he refused to yield, his eyes burning with intensity as though the man were drawing him into an abyss.
In a desperate move, Kathleen covered his eyes with trembling hands. "Love, please," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Close your eyes. Just breathe, okay? You're safe here. I'm here." She pressed her forehead against his, grounding him with her presence.
Christian's body trembled under her touch, his breathing ragged. Slowly, the tension in his shoulders began to ease, though his heart still pounded like a drum. "It was real," he murmured hoarsely, his voice barely audible. "I swear, he was real."
Kathleen didn’t let go. She glanced at his mother, who stood frozen, her face pale with concern. "We’ll get through this," she promised, more to herself than anyone else. "We’ll figure it out, Christian. But for now, just breathe. That’s all you need to do—just breathe."
From the far side of the street, Dryzza sat in her car, her eyes fixated on the house where the unsettling scene had just unfolded. Beside her, Sai casually sipped his iced mocha, the stark contrast between his demeanor and the tension in the air almost comical.
"I swear to God, Dryzza! If you’re so hell-bent on figuring out what’s going on with them, we could’ve at least looped Zach in," Sai finally broke the silence, his tone exasperated.
Dryzza remained unresponsive, her gaze never leaving the house. Her mind replayed Christian’s outburst, Kathleen’s panic, and the raw emotion that clung to the scene like a storm cloud. After what felt like an eternity, she spoke, her voice low and bitter.
"You saw his reaction when I told him what I experienced when you all thought I only lost consciousness. He brushed it off like I was losing my mind. Gave me a day off, as if that’s what I needed."
She ran a hand over her face, her frustration evident. "He, of all people, should’ve believed me. This whole mess was his idea to begin with."
Sai cleared his throat, trying to ease the weight of the conversation. "For what it’s worth, I believe you. I mean, I saw that grimoire with my own eyes emerge like a trophy from underneath the ground. If you told me you were Superman next, I wouldn’t doubt you for a second."
Dryzza turned to him sharply, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "T-Thank you, Sai. Really." Her voice cracked before she added bitterly, "I just wish Esmeralda felt the same way. But instead, she left me out to dry."
Sai sighed, setting his drink down. "Look, Esmeralda’s probably just overwhelmed. I mean, let’s be real—our search for the grimoire was already mind-bending enough. Then you throw astral projection into the mix? It’s a lot to take in. She barely wrapped her head around your claim about traveling to the past."
Dryzza hissed through her teeth, her frustration boiling over. "Tsk! That’s no excuse. This time, it’s different. I even thought Tomoya would help me, but clearly, I used the wrong approach. Now, all I’ve done is make them fortify their walls even higher against me." She leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms as if trying to shield herself from the weight of her own words.
Sai glanced at her, a rare seriousness in his eyes. "You didn’t lose them, Dryzza. Not yet. But maybe… just maybe… you need to rethink how you approach this whole thing. Walls can come down, but only if you stop trying to tear through them with a battering ram."
Dryzza scoffed but said nothing, her mind turning over his words as the scene outside the house faded into stillness.
"And I talked to Tomoya a little back in Dr. Takahashi's freakin' mansion, damn that perfect man," he dramatically placed a hand on his mouth as though admiring Takumi. "I mean, Tomoya seem like a chill person. He's clearly placing his guard up, but I think you can talk through him."
Dryzza turned to Sai, her eyes narrowing as she caught the subtle teasing in his tone.
"I don’t like your tone," she warned, her voice carrying an edge of playful menace.
Sai only laughed, leaning back in his seat. "I know it’s inappropriate, considering the timing and all, but seriously—those two cousins? They’re an absolute catch."
Dryzza sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Oh, Sai. Just admit you’re gay already."
Sai gasped in mock offense, his voice suddenly dropping an octave in an exaggerated attempt to sound as masculine as possible. "Holy hell, Dryzza!"
The absurdity of the moment broke the tension, and the two of them laughed until the weight of reality came creeping back into the car.
"So," Sai finally said, clearing his throat. "Do we head back?"
Dryzza glanced at the digital clock glowing softly on her dashboard, her lips pressing into a thin line. After a moment, she gave a reluctant nod.
"Calm approach this time?" she asked, though her tone hinted at skepticism.
"Definitely," Sai replied, nodding earnestly. Then, with a sly grin, he added, "Unless you’d rather I tell him you like him."
Dryzza let out a dramatic groan. "Ew, shut up!"
She rolled her eyes, but the smirk tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement. Shifting her focus back to Kathleen and Christian’s house, she surveyed the area for a moment, ensuring the coast was clear before starting the engine. The car purred to life, and soon, they were on their way to Takumi’s house.
As they pulled up to the gate, guards appeared almost instantly, their postures stiff and alert.
"See?" Dryzza chuckled, tilting her head toward the imposing figures outside. "This is exactly what I meant by ‘walls.’"
Sai snorted, leaning closer to the window. "Well, if this is the kind of wall we’re dealing with, I hope you brought a ladder."
Dryzza shook her head, the corners of her mouth twitching in reluctant amusement as she prepared herself for the next challenge.