Left with no choice, I am now taking Temmy on walk. Her voice is humming happy song, skipping on her steps as we walk to the city's mall.
The place was crowded and full of life. The shopping center surrounding the mall itself is the size of a city and the mall itself looks like a tower holding the sun in the sky.
Sighing, I just stepped in, knowing the day is going to be a long one.
"What is with that sigh? We'll definitely find something you'll love! This place sales everything!"
"And most of them are clothing shops, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to skip any of them."
"Is that really what you think of me?! Just so you know, assuming that just because I'm a girl is very rude!"
"So, what kind of store are you looking for?" I asked with slight suspicion in my voice, already having a guess in mind.
"Let's see…" Temmy hummed in thought as she surveyed the streets. Making up her mind, she points straight at a fancy shop with different dresses and outfits on display. "There."
"Of course. Why am I not surprised?" rolling my eyes behind her back, I follow her unwillingly into the fine establishment, tripping over someone by accident.
"Excuse me." The stranger said. A hood covered his face before he rushed away in a hurry.
"Was that Regret Spirit…"
***
"Hey ey, try this one, too!" Temmy told me enthusiastically. For the last couple of hours, I was her dress-up doll for her amusement. I don't have a problem with a bit of shopping, occasionally, but two hours have already exhausted me. "Don't you think it's enough? We've been in this district for hours."
"Sure sure, just hold this, please." She handed me a bag to put more clothes in. After excruciating session of shopping, we finally moved onward before Temmy told me to wait on a bench so she could get us some beverages. I take the seat on the bench and wait for Temmy to return.
Dazing out at the distance, I thought a break would help, but I don't feel the best. In fact, I couldn't help but think about my short past again. Air left my chest, and I couldn't help but think as if my lungs were getting tighter.
My breathing grows heavier, and head starts to get heavier.
'Did I catch a cold? Really?'
Looking around, spacing out in thoughts, I couldn't help but think if it's proper to spend a day so peacefully. When an invasion can occur any moment and Lyney and Lin…
Wait, why am I thinking of them? I shouldn't be concerned with them. So why am I feeling… guilt.
'What am I guilty of? What have I done wrong?'
Shaking my head, I try to clear my head from these thoughts, not even noticing Temmy trying to get my attention.
"Hey, did you hear me? There's a restaurant in the next block. Let's go!"
Gaining back focus, I blinked a couple of times. "Uh… yes, let's go."
Temmy gave me a questioning look before turning away and walking off towards the restaurant, I followed her.
***
After we got our food, we found some seats and settled down. Temmy stealing some of my food in front of my eyes. Glancing at me occasionally, watching and waiting for me to react. However, my mind is elsewhere. I couldn't eat much, I simply did not feel any hunger, as if my mind occupied me from eating the food, which made Temmy give another strange look at me.
"Are you going to finish it?" she said, pointing a finger on the fries.
As if breaking out of a trance, I replied "what? Oh, I'm... not hungry." before I go back to fall into thoughts.
"A-are you high?" Temmy said, almost innocently. Her question threw me off. "Huh?! Of course not! Why would I even be."
"I don't know, man, you act very weird."
"What do you even know?" is what I wanted to say, but instead, I kept quiet and imprisoned that thought inside my mind.
'I mean, she cannot even be considered a friend, how will she know how I normally act? Just because I…'
The line of thought was cut short. As if something else distracted me.
'What was it again? Uh yes, what does she even know?'
My headache worsened. My breath grows short again, but I must hide it for now.
I was feeling suffocation in this crowded environment and before I lost control I stood up on my feet.
"I need a moment… I got to go the bathroom." I tried to sound natural, but I could tell my tone was fragile.
"Sure…" Temmy replied in suspicious.
I rushed towards the restroom of the area and burst into the room. It was empty, I couldn't hear a sound but my own breathing. I look in the mirror and see a broken man.
A man who's putting on a mask to let society know he's fine. A person who just pretends nothing happened. A liar.
"No, no, no! I am not! What is wrong with me!"
The tension rose and my head is spinning. The shadows of the room shift in distress, and I see the Spirits of the Dead rising from above the floor. Black figures of myriads of people who are not supposed to be here.
Before I knew it, my awakened ability activated, painting my eyes in red like neon blood and revealing the regretful world of the beyond. The ghosts who leave regrets behind and will forever roam the halls of Earth.
Numerous faces, each of them looking at me, each of them stepping closer. A sign of weakness is all it takes for the vengeful spirits to act. Each of them, one after another. They're out to get me!
Holding my head, trying to hold it in place and stop the shaking, but it's no use. Until a certain Spirit showed itself.
A familiar shape, that is. The familiar figure, it is the Spirit that accompanied the man who bumped into me.
Back then I suspected the person's shape and his Regret Spirit were not identical, and now this Spirit is a stray Regret.
Getting a hold on myself, I stand up straight and endure the state I'm in. Someone must have done something to me, and this might be a clue to get over it.
Trying to hold on to my sanity a bit longer, I order the spirits to back away and the familiar spirit to lead the way to its owner.
***
Temmy waited at the same table two of them sat on. Some time had passed already and there was no sign for him, yet.
Temmy took out her phone and checked the time. After deciding a concerning amount of time had passed, she decided to walk straight into the bathroom to check on Regret. "Where the hell is he now? I swear if he ditched me, I'm going to…"
Right then she saw Regret leaving the restroom and running the opposite way from her.
"Hey wait! You fucking-" with no sign of him slowing down, she had no choice but to chase him.
***
The dead spirit led me to a closed shop, sheltered by iron shell as if the place is currently on lock-down. The entire area is empty with no living soul around.
Using my Awakened strength, I break open the barrier and step inside.
The entire place is dark. Nothing can be seen, and the air is humid, and stench of mold fills the darkness. Finding the light switch close to the entrance, I turned on the light and the entire place brightened up.
The walls had wet marks, and the wallpaper came off. The place is seemingly abandoned and old, as if nothing came in or out all this time. The floor was flooded with water for who knows how long, and shelves were empty of products.
The dead spirit proceeded to the back of the abandoned shop, designated for employees only.
Opening the door slowly, I tried to detect any sound coming from the room in case something or someone is lurking in there.
After confirming the dead silence state of the place, I stepped into the room, just to choose on my breath at the horrifying sight.
In the center of the room, an office of sorts, laid a stool, tripped over on the floor and above the stool a corpse hung down off the ceiling.
A rope around the neck, the skin pale green and decays away, and the eyes hazy as if disappearing from existence. The mouth of the corpse was hung open, and the body had long fallen limp,
Suddenly, a loud shout came from the shop's entrance. "WHERE ARE YOU!?" was heard before I could see Temmy coming in through the door. "Why did you have to come this waste du-" her words halted as her eyes fell on the corpse, and soon after, she fainted straight on the wooden floor.