Chapter 3

--Dusk: Earth--

Kyrie

Modern Earth, 20xx

I. The Girl at Unit 8

What a pain. – followed by an unpleasant sip.

It was a good time to have tea. What could be better than having a pleasant dinner, sitting on a soft couch, a cup of freshly brewed tea, a view of town vicinity…. And smoke of cigar?

Cough!

Ah what a pain, Landlady-san really is. If you like I can pitch you a smoke grenade. Hit me a mail when you’re finished, so I can continue my tea time.

“Now now, that’s not nice landlady-san. Hit me a mail whenever you’re finished, so I can continue my tea time”

I really just wanted to enjoy my tea time before I go to sleep. Why were cigar even invented at first place? Other than the unpleasant smell it produce, it’s bad for your health.

Why do you even smoke at the balcony anyways? Can’t you do it inside your unit?

Upon attempting to put away the tea set inside the unit I’ve heard an unfamiliar voice below. A voice of a male. A boyfriend maybe? I never knew Miss Landlady had one. Aaah good for her:

Please rest in peace.

Actually, hearing Miss Landlady chatting with a boy below didn't really change what I have to do:

I needed to get my tea set inside the unit before it gets infected with the smell of the cigar smoke. Aaaagh the couch! Welp, I could just put it at the laundry tomorrow. Or maybe I could just ask the guys at home to get me another.

With that, the ideal tea time that I had set up that evening was interrupted by two lovebirds having a smoke. I still finished it indoors though.

---

Being the youngest daughter of a high-profile family, I was provided with everything I needed. Our house had the biggest lot area within the town. Cars just go in and out of the gate like it was a yakuza base or something. There were guards, lots of maids, we almost had everything. I was required to attend prestigious schools, attend lots of courses and tutorials, learn traditional practises, there was a lot to do. There were never a listless day.

Each day I went to school,

Each day I went through same activities.

I grew bored… I needed a hobby.

“Father, Father, I want to play.”

Even though father was a high-esteemed figure within our whole clan. He let us live freely as long as we didn't stray from the norm and the path he's laid out for us. Mother was supportive of father’s way to raise us. She just kept in check of whatever we were doing and scold us whether we do something inappropriate. Those should be the basics of raising children.

What does 'I want to play' mean for me?

I was given dolls to play with. The time when the girls around age of five to ten asks to have a toy, they were immediately given one. It sure was supposed to be a cute doll.

It looks shit.

“Yaaay it’s so cute!” – I told my parents.

Being with my classmates during grade school, where we tried to share and compare how each other’s dolls looked, mine was being the most favorite one. I mean, it’s expensive so it must look great. It still looked shit for me.

Weeks have past and the hype among the girls playing dolls have died out. Old toys being out of trend are being put to an old box, only to be unboxed if the time comes to play it again. That’s not the case for me.

There was an incinerator at the backyard. I supposed that is where the maids bring the trash from the kitchen to burn. The place really didn't have a nice smell, it was really hot and uncomfortable. But I endured it, for the sake of my own entertainment.

I threw the doll at the incinerator.

The doll was screaming for help. It was screaming for help. As I look down and look on the doll, the gruesome melting face, burning hair, the changing of the color, I could only feel pity on its current situation. It’s a doll. Non-living toys were to be disposed of when not being used.

“This…”

“HU HE HE HE… This is how you play a doll.”

For a very long time I felt excitement again.

---

It took a few more years before my latent talent showed.

Father and mother always praised me as I bring them perfect scores from almost all my exams. I mean, there are times I purposely miss 5 or 3 of the items, why not?

“Good job Kyrie, you’ve never shown any signs of dropping your top rank amongst the students on your school. Please keep up your good work.” Mother said.

Like, duh? It’s your genius of a daughter here. If life bored me out I can adjust my overall ranking wherever I’d like. Took you a while to realize, you donk or something?. Fufufu…

“Of course mother. I’m very glad you feel that way. I’ll do better on the next exam. Fufufu…”

I could do almost everything, each course that they wanted me to take, each profession they wanted me to master, all of them I could easily grasp. If I took a liking I show excellence, but if it’s something out of interest, I just do well.

There was one time I was walking home with my friends and they were talking about manga, which I really could not relate. I bought a volume and read it. It came to a liking and I asked my maids to buy me manga drawing materials, of course out of the knowledge of my parents.

Everything went on without a hitch: story writing, drawing, everything.

“Humu, I really should not show this to my friends. I really feel like this is going to win a major award if passed.” – I just said as I was confident.

Trust me, it really was an award-winning entry. I put it in the shredder.

Years went on and the scope of my knowledge still expanded. Yes, I’m supposed to be happy. In fact, I was still happy. It’s just that the supposed to ‘everything’ is still ‘almost’. Being aware of my limitations as a kid, I question myself if I really have to do anything.

It was a quiet evening at the fireplace. Mother was knitting, father was still reading a newspaper. The silence were stinging me in the ears. I was unsure how to approach them this time. Usually I just approach them, show the results of my effort or request them of something. That moment it was quite different.

I usually mask what I'd like to say with proper sentence. People around me always wanted to see the image of our clan in me. I never was to fail even once. I’ve kept everything I wanted to express within myself. You could say I never had any freedom of speech.

I’ve decided to talk the way I wanted to. I’ve broke the silence.

“Ma, Pa, I’m bored. I wanna play outside.” It was monotone, but it must’ve expressed all the feelings I’ve been wanting to express.

Mother immediately stopped her knitting. I didn't know if father was still reading but he must’ve stopped too.

Mother immediately embraced me out of nowhere. Ah, she must be thinking that I now finally spoke up my real feelings.

“Good gracious Kyrie, you finally spoke up your real feelings!”

And I was right all along. She must have been thinking that I realized something missing in my life even though I could almost have anything I wanted and do anything could.

“You must have realized there’s something missing in your life even though you can almost have and do anything, right?”

Nailed it~

Also, can’t breathe.

“Hug—too—tight!!” -I tapped her shoulder in attempt to escape mother's tight embrace.

“Oops, sorry sweetie.” -She loosen her hold. “Now tell me, if it within the reach of the family. What will you need?”

“Wooooow, it really happened. For the first time in my life, I’m uncertain.”

Mother and father we’re both surprised. Surprised, that for the first time in my ever, I finally showed signs of wanting to live a normal life out of the reach of my family's binds.

---

It was a sunny day as I walk down the road at the side of the town. It’s not particularly hot so I did not really need a parasol. In any case I was still carrying one to protect me from the harmful rays of the sun.

What’s funny was, a car was moving slowly behind me. Back at home I already told them not to come, but they’re being persistently overprotective. What did I even worth? Am I a descended archangel or something?

Hopping and skipping, I finally ended up in front of an apartment complex: a two-storey one with eight units. It looked highly maintained I felt like I wanted a secret base or something.

I approached the front yard and saw a lady sweeping. I hid behind the walls and peeked. I didn't intend to hide, I just wanted her to notice me. A part of me really just wanter to play this lovely day until it end.

Ah, she finally noticed.

“Hey there, good day, huh? Haven’t seen you within the neighbourhood, are you new here?”

The car stopped nearby and my parents went out. I immediately thought of something.

Approaching and wanting to greet the one who must have been landlady, I stopped them with my right hand, while keeping my stare at the lady. She’s holding a broom, I’m holding a parasol: this only called for a swordfight. With my normal monotone voice, I went on and said it:

“I challenge you to a duel.” While pointing my closed parasol to her.

“My, my…” The look on her seems like she understood my intention to play.

She readied her stance.

Eh? BUSHIDO?!

And with that, we started to play.

I needed to show father and mother the most childish part of mine. I really wanted to show them all the years of pent up boredom that I had within that home. That at this moment, I was, for the very first time, was genuinely happy being alive.

I guess this is too much to have their jaws drop.

I just thought as I took quick glances on them while playing with the lady.

Quite a while passed until we were both tired. Swinging sticks and running around is something that consumed lot of our energy than the amount I thought it would.

I sat down on the ground, panting. The lady sat down too. We we’re both laughing.

Oh God that sure was fun.

“Ma, Pa, I’ve decided, I want to live here for a while.” All jokes done, I’ve finally said it.