At The Other Side of World (4)

After returning back home from the meeting, we both went to our rooms.

That video was disturbing for both of us, even if I saw it once before, it still bothered me.

Previously the video was like a fake scenario of a random guy but now the situation has slightly changed.

And I cannot pinpoint where but there was also something odd about this scenario, it's just something in my head that I have figured out but I can't remember it nor did I want to remember it.

I sat down and tried to find something on my phone that would distract me from this but I couldn't stop thinking about it.

"They say a change of place gives a change of mind, right?" With that thought I started preparing to leave.

Thinking back, I'm really not taking any breaks, first meeting with Irina, then the journey to locate that key and today getting involved in a murder case.

My life was shifting genres from romance to adventure to mystery from my usual boring life, it was more bothersome than I originally thought it would be.

Something struck in my head at that time.

Is Chandler's death also caused by the hands of this guy? But wait then how would Chandler know it beforehand...

Also judging how Irina was calm about Chandler's death and got really stressed about this guy's death didn't make it seem like these two incidents shared the same culprit at least.

This morning I also broke the news to my family about the accident of Chandler and everyone was quite shocked but unlike me who received the presents, no one else deemed it impossible or even unnatural.

It was obvious as just believing in something that didn't exist in the sight of society was a sign of insanity.

A person you cannot see who was specifically killing Relic Users, then the reason was not the question but the methods were quite suspicious.

I was passing by the house's corridor when I encountered Noelle sitting on the sofa facing my direction.

"You're leaving somewhere again? That's rare."

"I'm not an endangered animal who is rarely spotted."

"You're not?"

"I'm just headed to the library."

"Hey, why is Irina looking so stressed? Did you do something inappropriate?"

Why is your first suspicion that I did something? But of course I wasn't naive enough to believe something like this wouldn't happen.

"No, I did not but I can ask her to tag along if she's stressed."

"That's rare for a shy guy like you to invite someone for a group study."

"I'm not shy, I'm just the quiet type and I'm not inviting her to be with me but to just go with me."

"I thought you were just a bad brother but turns out you're a bad boyfriend as well, though I'm kinda glad that you're not a completely different person when it comes to your girlfriend."

Though Irina is a completely different person for everyone and I can't be a bad boyfriend if I'm not her boyfriend in the first place.

"Yeah and by the way we are going to visit Rebecca and Carl tomorrow. I've said it now so that you won't say things like you're not mentally prepared or your schedule will be bothered." She added.

"Ah... wouldn't that trip.. take a day?"

"Yeah, mom and dad have already taken a leave from work for a few days."

I won't say I hated visiting my cousins but I just hated visiting anyone.

"I'll prepare myself mentally." Saying that I left to ask Irina.

"Hey, wanna go to the library? I'm being forced to ask."

"That will be a good idea to distract myself a bit. And I don't really know many places around here."

"Yeah though I'm going there to study so don't bother me there."

"Oh, in that case I can help you with your studies."

"That won't happen. I'm better at academics than you."

"Yeah but I'm a year older and I am pretty good at academics too so I should know more than you."

"I'm a national ranker and I have already completed high school level education a few years ago."

Hearing that Irina gave a confident smile. That was the trigger for two arrogant people to talk through actions.

We both then went to the library together but not to either relax or study but to have a little competition.

After finding us a good seat without any distractions we started both questioning and testing each other, one after another it became quite clear about our current levels.

The atmosphere around us became light as we stopped competing and started chatting before we noticed it.

We continued by discussing our doubts and problems in study and even talked about each other's school lives as the time went on.

I knew Irina was one of the smartest people I have known but I didn't think she would be this good at academics too and possibly she was even better in academics than Adam, my school's student body president and my school's representative in almost everything.

She also lived a school life exactly opposite of mine, she was studying at a school which was a little further from mine and there she was respected and surrounded by lots of people, basically the popular girl that everyone had eyes for but no one approached her because she was way out of their league.

While I won't say I was struggling in my school life, it wasn't just as interesting to talk about as her's. I was mostly ignored if not being badmouthed and was just regularly wasting time.

It was like the bright red colour in the pallet, speaking innocently how it stood out even among all the other brighter colours to grey, who wasn't even noticed in the pallet.

We both were the type who didn't express ourselves unless we were lying so we didn't laugh or talk loudly, we just listened to each other with a relaxed expression carrying a small smirk on our faces.

Studying was something that I believed to be a task of daily routine like brushing my teeth or bathing so I never actually felt any bliss while doing it but today, studying with someone was enjoyable.

An hour passed by engaged in our conversation, it was weird how I was scared of being around her just a few hours ago but now I felt safe like I was inside in a sanctuary before we finally decided to end our talks and return.

"Hey Shade, we will have to go somewhere tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? My body still hasn't recovered from yesterday and today's events. Also I think we will be going to visit my relatives and we won't be returning for a few days."

"Yes mom asked me about it, I think I'll have us stay back here, it is that important."

Am I the only one who wasn't told about this beforehand? And more importantly don't call my mother "mom" it's creepy!

"Don't stare like that, it was discussed yesterday, when you were tired and didn't come for dinner. I even told you about it last evening but it looks like you were half asleep."

"No, I'm not staring for that reason."

"Then?'"

After a while we returned home and Irina easily convinced everyone for both of us to stay back. The conversation could be shortened as -

"Irina, you look much better after returning from the library." - My mother.

"Yes, Shade is usually rude but he is sweet when you are stressed." - Irina.

"He~h" - Our family's brat, Noelle.

"Something happened?" - My father.

"There are some more complications going on with my family, because of which I don't think I would even be able to go tomorrow." - Irina.

"What? You won't come with us?!" - Noelle.

"Yes I can stay in a hotel for four days or maybe I should return to my family for a while." - Irina.

"No you can stay in the house, I think even Shade should just stay back considering that he is clearly not interested in going... Also judging how he is staring at us right now." - My mother.

"Yeah nobody would even like it if Shade visited them so it's a win-win." - The brat from before.

In conclusion I am hated by my relatives and we both are staying at home... Should I cry?

The next day my family left early in the morning leaving me and Irina behind.

After sending my family off I continued my daily routine of some light exercise, morning skin care, reading and a few more things while Irina for some reason was just treating my room as hers.

She was lying down on my bed from time to time, when she got bored she started going through my bookshelf.

If you don't have anything to do then just use your phone and don't bother others.

"There are even chess related books in here, I didn't know you would be interested in something like a sport." said Irina.

Hearing that I turned back at her and replied -

"Interested? Let me tell you I'm a professional who has participated in local and few higher tournaments for years now." I replied with a prideful expression.

"And why? I thought you don't do useless things?"

"For money, of course."

"That makes an awful lot of sense."

After a while she started reading a random novel from my bookshelf.

She never told me when we would leave and soon after having a silent lunch together she said -

"It's time to leave."

"So who are we meeting today?"

"I explained to you about Freedom yesterday, right? The guy we are meeting today is the leader of this group."

The leader of tens and hundreds of people with supernatural abilities sounds like a really scary person.

Also, she never completely told me about it but now she was just gaslighting me so I won't suddenly deny her for lack of information.

"So the guy you're talking about, is he like your boss or something?" I asked.

"Well more or less, I'm the highest ranked executive after him so he doesn't have much control over me though."

Makes sense since I cannot imagine Irina being an obedient person who quietly follows other's orders.

We left home and arrived at a fancy looking restaurant which seemed like our meeting place. I was wearing a plain set of clothes which looked dull compared to the place, Irina on the other hand looked fitting even with plain clothes.

The restaurant looked extremely expensive but it was completely empty. I looked around and didn't find a single person.

"Hey are we meeting my friends? Because this place is oddly empty."

"He bought this restaurant for our meeting. He spends this amount of money every time he gets the chance for similar useless things and he likes to show off his wealth, every now and then."

Irina did not even give me an eye for my bad joke as she stared ahead with her authoritative expression.

I asked a little about him from Irina on the way and all she said was, he was a master at controlling information and the Leader of Freedom while also being the boss of the second strongest group of Freedom after her.

And lastly they don't know his full name so they just call him Mr. John, this little information about him shows him as a cool and strong leader to me, but maybe because he was Irina's rival, she doesn't seem to like him much.

As we entered the restaurant we were greeted by someone.

"Ah Irina! It's been so long since we last met, have you grown even prettier since then?"

All my expectations went straight inside a dark abyss and fell to their pitiful deaths when I saw the man who called out to Irina.

The man who said that was a fat middle aged man wearing golden accessories and was guarded by four people.

"Yes it has been a long time since we last met alone, Mr. John." Irina replied.

So you really mean this old flirt was supposed to be the Leader of Freedom and Master at Controlling Information.

Give me back my imagination...

"Hunh! You brought a man with you when talking with me?! Do you seriously want to talk to me or not?!"

He made a weird offended sound when he spotted me.

"He is assisting me with solving these cases so I brought him along if he had any questions."

"No! Never! Stupid and ugly men are only dead weights for my team."

So is he implying that he was a dead weight in his own team?

"Shade, can you please step aside for a little?"

What?! Are you seriously telling me to wait outside for this middle aged man's tantrum?

"Ok..."

Stupid and ugly?! I haven't been disrespected like this since... Wait, I have been disrespected like this many times.

But I won't just let you do it, I know you can't see my intelligence but at least I look good...

RIGHT?!

"Please wait at the seat kid, the food here is my recent favourite one so you can just order anything, in return let me borrow your girl for a bit."

I sat at the nearest table, crossing my legs while my hands were still inside my pocket without saying a single word after seeing Irina following him.

Trading Irina for a mere meal! Are you kidding me? Of course I'll take the food. Not to mention this place should be damn expensive!

Despite my lack of reaction I was exploding on the inside after his insult to me but aside from that, I was worried about Irina, it's not that I didn't trust her but I was genuinely worried about what could happen to her.

"Let me borrow your girl for a bit." ...Just remembering that sentence made me so uncomfortable it sent chills to my mind.

Online stories may have rotten my mind but this was still too genuinely creepy... Since when have I started to worry about Irina?

The waiter came to ask me if I would order anything, which I coldly refused and started to look around to distract myself.

Unlike when we arrived, there were dozens of guards placed after Irina went inside the place... I felt sick for some reason.

The guards didn't even look at me, they were like a bunch of robots waiting for their next command and a guy who was... crying? I was so distracted that I didn't even notice him until now.

He looked around my age, perhaps a bit older and was sobbing heavily while being surrounded by guards. Is he a trespasser? Or a prisoner? Or perhaps someone they kidnapped? I couldn't care less.

Looking so good on the outside while ruled by absolute scums makes it even more sinister.

This place is disgusting, I'm wasting my time here alone doing nothing and I want to go back to my home! Thinking back, it is quite similar to visiting my relatives after all.

Irina came out fuming after some time, she was visibly shaking with anger which was rare because even a hint of her poker face was gone.

"Hey are you alright? There's even-"

"We're leaving."

"a.. guy.. who.. is.. crying.."

Of course you won't tell me a thing, I'm like a slave to her except for the fact that she was living in my house.

I turned my back to take a glance and saw the reason for her reaction, waving Irina goodbye as both the corners of his mouth were completely raised forming a malicious grin.

I did not say a word, I could not have. I quietly walked behind Irina after that.

As we returned home Irina calmed down a bit as she sat down on the couch with her body relaxed and her eyes closed while I sat down next to her.

I think I have seen a similar situation in an online discussion but since I didn't read it, now I had no idea how someone should react when someone harassed your girlfriend at work.

"So something happened there?" I asked hesitantly.

Like getting molested by a middle aged man?

Something was truly wrong with me nowadays, I would have usually left anyone else and just continued with my life but for some reason I didn't.

She opened one of her eyes and gave me a look and sighed lightly.

"That guy told me a very irritating thing which is stressing me a little."

I was surprised and relieved hearing her answer which was the opposite reaction I should have in that scenario.

That's when I thought of something.

"The man who died in the video, did you know him?" I asked.

I could not see any other reason why someone like Irina reacted back then.

"Nice intuition and yes, he was a kind man from my faction who treated me well, he also had an old sense of humour and got easily awkward."

"He sounds like a stupidly good guy, unlike me."

"Unlike me? Were you imagining something weird?"

It's suspicious how spot on she was every time.

"Now that I remember it, you also didn't order anything from that restaurant, were you worried for me?"

Her mood lightened a little as she faced me.

"No, I'm just really scared of being poisoned to death."

"Really~?"

"Of course, we even had lunch before leaving."

"I can more or less tell what you were thinking though, I won't say Mr. John is a good guy who won't do such things to a girl my age but he just doesn't see me as a woman yet because I have known him since I was a child."

"I didn't ask."

What the hell do you mean by 'yet'?!

Irina seemed more relaxed now, she stretched her arms in the air and asked -

"So do you want to order anything for dinner?"

"Whatever you wish." I simply didn't have any requests, as long as I don't dislike it completely I could be satisfied by it.

I started to leave for my room but Irina grabbed my hand and stopped me.

"Huh?"

"Where are you going? Stay with me for a bit."

Ugh... I wanted to go to my room ignoring her request.

I still sat down and tried to take my phone out of my pocket.

"So do you want to ask me anything?" Irina looked at me with an interest.

"You look oddly motivated."

"Well it isn't everyday that there is someone who talks to me so... How should I say this? Equally."

I don't think 'equally' was the right word she wanted to use but I understood what she was talking about.

The people from the cafe were her subordinates and the Pig Guy was her boss. Even her friends from school only talk to Irina because of the fake persona she puts on.

By equally she meant to say would be without putting a burdensome persona or in a formal manner. Talking equally to her as a real friend without a thought of tonality or maturity.

"So... How do you read my mind? Is it because of your Relic?"

"No, that is because we are quite similar if not the same type."

"Similar..?" I made a doubtful face.

Just yesterday I was thinking how different and opposite I was from her but now she is saying we are similar?

"Like now you are doubting my words."

"Telepathy..." I whispered facing her.

"Think of it like this, we both are perfectionists who like to achieve excellence, sometimes acting Machiavellian and prideful. In fact the only thing I find different in us is that you don't express yourself while thinking more when I act and approach."

"What?"

That long answer sounded like she had known me for a while now, no I don't think anyone except Chandler would make such a detailed observation about me.

"Or maybe I'm just good at reading people." She replied.

"Is that completely it?"

"No, I still have a secret that I will not say."

"That's more like you."

She stretched back on the couch looking somewhat happy as an innocent smile appeared on her face.

"Similar" She muttered to herself before her head dropped sideways and leaned on my left shoulder.

Her movement was sudden and my shoulder wasn't in the perfect position for a headrest, this resulted in a rather awkward place for my shoulder.

"Uncomfortable" I thought but I did not speak as for the first time after meeting her, she looked relaxed and defenceless.

A call arrived at her phone cutting her relaxed mood in short.

But that was not the end, one after another she started taking too many phone calls.

I don't think I was in a position to judge but something really, really bad was about to happen.