11 Chapter 10

"Grandpa, why do I feel something weird right now?" Trance said in discomfort while walking next to her grandfather. She immediately covered her mouth and nose using her handkerchief before she let out a sneeze.

They walk inside of the luxurious yet old Japanese home. Trance wandered her eyes around, she looked at those things in awe.

Trance saw new things and a new setting of the house. She feels that she's finally home. It's their house but they only went here every summer vacation.

"Maybe your friends are talking about you," Yumi said.

"I guess so." Trance shrugged.

They stopped in front of the two sliding doors and Yumi opened it by swiping it. Trance hide behind her grandfather when she saw a slumbering giant white cat with black stripes on the corner of the room.

"Ojichan." Trance grip on his clothing's sleeve, making him laugh. The tiger opens its left eye and growled lowly at them. Trance wants to pull her grandfather to get out there but the old man just standing there calmly.

"They went here. They're here." He said while looking at the tiger, he handed Trance the box he's holding and looked at the giant cat who laying on its stomach, awake while licking its paws.

"Akemi!" The tiger looked at him and run in their direction, Trance clamped her eyes shut while praying silently. She slowly opens her eyes when she heard her grandfather chuckling. Her gaze cast down at her grandfather who's petting the giant cat on the ground.

"You miss me? You probably guarding this room, aren't you?" The tiger moaned before it stood up and come close to Trance who's standing there like a statue, left flabbergasted.

"That's Trance-chan, Akemi." Trance flinched after the tiger rubbed its head to her hand. She looked at her grandfather nervously but her grandfather motioned her that everything is completely fine. For him, it's fine but for Trance? She wants to leave the room because of the tiger in front of her.

"That one knows you, Trance-chan." She looked down at the tiger that almost reaches her shoulders. Trance gulped before she raised her shaking hands while having hesitation if she's going to pet the tiger or not.

"You won't eat me alive, right?" The tiger seat in front of Trance while looking at her, waiting for her next move. The blue-eyed girl finally placed her hand on the tiger's head and pat the white tiger after receiving a reassuring look from her grandfather.

"Your fur is surprisingly fluffy." She complimented the tiger before pat the giant white cat again. Her grandfather saw how his granddaughter enjoyed playing with the tiger. He gets the box in Trance's grasp and went to the other side of the room where his wife's picture and other family member's photo.

Yumi ignited the candle before he looked at his granddaughter and the tiger. He stood up and motioned Trance he's going out for a while.

"Where are you going, ojichan?" Trance stood up too while looking at him in confusion.

"On the hill, I'm going to put these on your grandma's grave. You must stay here and wait for me okay? Just don't go to the last room on the left-wing." Trance nodded before going to her room together with the tiger.

"Have a safe trip there, ojichan!" She said before entering the new room. Yumi smiled as he wore his sandals and went outside. The hill is not that far from their home so it only takes ten minutes for him to get there.

When he's finally there, Yumi cleaned the grave of his wife before he put the flowers and the box on the top of her grave.

"Happy Birthday Heidi." He said as he takes a seat beside his wife's grave. Yumi took the cake outside of the box before he leaned into the gravestone.

"Our grandchildren are giving me headaches." He added before the wind blows, making his hair turn into a mess. The old man closed his eyes while enjoying the cold breeze of the wind.

"Ojichan! Ojichan!" Yumi popped his eyes open after he heard his granddaughter's voice. There's a hint of rush and panic on it. Yumi stood up as he saw Trance and the tiger running towards him.

"What happened?" He asked them in full of worry. The panting Trance looked at him and almost collapse if she didn't hold on to her grandfather's arm.

"Why there's a crazy person there? I thought we're the only person here?" Yumi scratched the back of his ear while looking at his granddaughter. He mentally curses before he starting to make an alibi on his mind.

"Masked man, you said? We're the only person here, Trance." Trance stared at him in horror.

"Ojichan. You're kidding right?" She said with an unpredictable expression written on her face.

"He's lying. We're three here." Someone behind her said, speaking in their native language. Trance screamed on the top of her lungs and hide behind her grandfather.

"Don't show up like that, you're scaring her." Yumi scolded the person in front of them. The person is wearing a kabuki mask while wearing traditional clothes like Yumi.

"Okay, I won't." He said as he put his hands behind him while staring at Trance who finally steps out from hiding behind her grandfather.

"Hey, I'm not scaring you. I just want to ask you if ojichan is here because I found you in the living room so I think ojichan is here too." The person added before he placed his hand on his waist and leaned down to Trance's level, making the girl almost freaked out.

"You're probably old just like me but you're afraid of people." Trance furrowed her brows at him.

"My, you didn't recognize me, Trance" The person removed his mask and looked at Trance with a familiar grin on his face.

Trance's eyes widened as she looked at him. She stares at him while trying to figure out why he's there.

"You!"