Goro rolled onto his back and open his eyes. He found himself staring at old timber rafters above him. For a few moments he is confused about his surroundings. Letting his eyes rove as if he is studying the nooks and crannies of the rafters, he begins to recall yesterday's incidents and eventually he remembers how he got here.
At last he found the courage to push himself up into a sitting position.The room is empty. When he peers over the edge of the bed, he saw a sleeping bag sitting snugly in a corner. He turned tediously and studied the narrow bunk bed he had lain in all night and reached a safe conclusion that Takuya was the owner and user of that sleeping bag.
Takuya heard a light thump behind him and turned in time to see Goro surveying the cabin's interior with a deadpan expression from where he is standing at the doorway.
" Good morning!" Takuya greeted cheerfully. " Nice place isn't it? Looks totally different when seen in the dark. I was surprised too when I saw it this morning."
While he was chatting amicably, Takuya carried on with the task of making breakfast. When Goro finally made his way to the table and sat down, he quickly put a plate before him decorated with freshly cooked and steaming omelette and sausages.
" I found an old surf board in the storage and went surfing at dawn! The waves here are incredible ~" Takuya continues happily. Then he turns abruptly as if reminded of something. Startled by the sudden silence, Goro looked up in surprise. Takuya caught his eyes and grin brilliantly. " We can go surfing together sometime!" He suggested excitedly before turning back to the pot of coffee boiling merrily on the stove.
" Ne ~ I was thinking about what should we do today!" Takuya chatters with a wide smile, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Goro's head remained lowered as he played with his food. Takuya chose to say nothing about that even though he is worried about his charge becoming under nourished.
" The weather is great for a hike or a swim or a ~"
" LEAVE ME ALONE!" Goro roared. Takuya swallowed deeply and continued to stare calmly at him. " I don't want your sympathy! I don't want your company! Why are you being so nice to me!"
Ranting and raving, Goro's speech soon became totally incorherent. His eyes bulged hideously and he is even salivating like a rabied animal.Yet his object of frustration remained still staring unwavering.Shortness of breath put an end to his exaggerated act abruptly by strangling him so badly he slumped onto the floor weakly.
" Goro!" Takuya cried out in shock. He had not anticipated this to happen and chided himself for not taking Goro's state of physical health into serious consideration, having been caught up in trying to heal him mentally. Kneeling next to the lain figure, he let Goro's head rest on his folded lap as his patient mumbled delirously for nearly half an hour.
At last the pair of eyes opened wide enough. Takuya did a quick assessment of the dull orbs mapped with bloody nerves. " Can you stand?" He asks gently, lending a firm hand as Goro struggles onto his shaky feet. No longer resisting, he allows himself to be helped back to bed where he gladly lie down to rest again. Under Takuya's watchful eyes he fell into subconsiousness before eventually going into deep sleep.
In a matter of hours, Goro developed a raging fever which totally suppressed his consciousness. Takuya had his hands full till well after the sun went down. He was satisfied that Goro had stopped groaning and is sleeping quietly. Feeling slightly relaxed, he had clasped his knees to his chest and fell warily alseep. He had a dream, a dream of Goro making his way out of the bedroom, out of the cabin and being swallowed up by the darkness without. Yet he himself couldn't move, nailed back spellbounded as he watches the former stumbles out.
" What a wierd dream!" Takuya mutters when he woke up suddenly. A brief glance outside the window tells him that it is deep in the night still. Stretching his lean biceps noiselessly, he yawned, bearing his teeth with a soft hiss. Then he raised to his knees to take a look at Goro whom he presumes is still fast asleep.
The bed is empty!
A blast of cold ran down his spine. It is a reflex action to calm h imself down and sharpen his instinct so he can tackle the problem he is facing effectively.
He made his way out with wide unhurried strides. Crossing the threshold of the cabin in the dark, he opened the door and steps out into the warm summer night. He is grateful that the night is pleasantly cool and the clear night sky is decorated with millions bright twinkling stars which light his way for him. Suppressing his anxiety and urge to dash around clueless, he stood stockstill to analyse his next course of action.
" He can't possibly go too far because he is weak from not eating much and also fever." Takuya reasons. " Which direction would he choose?"
Turning about him, he studied all the possible routes and rule each one out because of rough terrains, inacessibility and darkness. That leaves only one ~ the route to the seaside. He has his doubts because of the distance but his gut feelings spurred him on.
