I raised my head and looked up at the towering structure in front of me as I quietly wept. The sound of trickling water nearby caught my attention so I stood up and approached the source.

A statue of a beast with wings, a narrow stream coming down from its mouth was disturbing the water's tranquility below. I wanted to calm myself down by gazing at the fountain. My eyes— they followed the direction of the flow and were drawn towards the surface of the water.

Amidst the countless ripples, I made out a reflection.

Long flowing red hair with a few strands falling right between the bridge of the nose, neatly tucked into her right ear. Wearing an elegant white dress and an ornate blue cardigan hiding pale skin, it was a young girl. Her eyes, a shade of crimson complimenting her hair, were looking back into mine.

I was unsettled. It wasn't my appearance being mirrored on the water. The last time I looked at myself in a mirror, I was a boy. I had neither red eyes nor red hair. I was even wearing a shirt and some loose pants.

My lips moved without uttering a sound, I hesitated to speak. Who would try to start a conversation with a reflection on water? It was just that. A reflection.

But—

The absence of emotions she was showing, made me think I was looking at a portrait on water and the portrait, for some reason, had slowly begun to show change. A solemn tear appeared and had fallen down her cheek. Soon after, they started spilling from her eyes like a dam that had just burst open.

From the moment I saw her start to shed tears from her eyes, my own which had ceased started flowing again. Although I knew our reasons for doing so weren't the same, crying with someone greatly eased the heavy feeling I had in my chest.

Feeling calmer, I took a good look at her again. I couldn't recall anyone having red hair or red eyes in our city. Who was she?

Could she be a ghost? A reflection of my inner self? I thought to touch the water in hopes that something would occur.

As I extended my hand towards its surface, she reached out as well, but when our fingers got close enough to almost touch the other, a flash of red light had covered my eyes and I quickly found myself falling into unconsciousness.